FOODIES

JC and I have been on a recipe kick lately. For a while there we were making frozen pizzas and fish tacos every night... but lately we have been having fun trying new menus!!

Here are a few pictures and recipes from some of our favorite meals so far!


SALMON and ZUCCHINI baked in parchment paper:


Ingredients
Serves 1

* 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
* 1 shallot, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
* 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1 lemon slice, halved, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1 skinless salmon fillet (6 to 8 ounces)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Fold a large piece of parchment paper (about 15 by 16 inches) in half to crease it; open, and lay it flat.
2. On one side of crease, mound zucchini; top with shallot, butter, dill, and lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on top; drizzle with lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
3. To close, fold parchment over salmon; make small overlapping pleats to seal the open sides and create a half-moon-shaped packet. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until salmon is opaque throughout, 15 to 17 minutes. Serve (see note).
4. You can either place the packet on a plate and cut it open, or make a slit in the paper and use a large metal spatula to transfer the contents to a serving plate.


BEAN BURGERS with TOMATILLO SAUCE:

TOMATILLO SAUCE Ingredients

* 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
* 1 jalapeno, stemmed
* 1 small Spanish onion, quartered
* 5 to 6 garlic cloves
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
* 2 lime, juiced
* Vegetable oil, for frying
* 12 corn tortillas
* Kosher salt







Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatillos are soft but have not burst. Drain and reserve cooking liquid. Add the cooked vegetables to a blender with the cilantro leaves and lime juice. *Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and process to a coarse puree - be careful when you process the hot liquid as it will expand - so make sure you hold the lid down firmly. Taste and adjust seasoning with more cilantro, lime juice, or salt according to preference.

Prepare corn chips. Preheat oil to 375 degrees F. Cut tortillas into large wedges and deep- fry in batches until golden and crispy, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Season immediately with salt so it sticks and serve warm chips with tomatillo salsa.

* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.



BEAN BURGERS
Prepare hamburgers like normal and layer with re-fried beans, tortilla chips and tomatillo sauce.




Isn't he a cute chef?