• Sweet and Smoky Salmon with Mango (or Pineapple) Salsa

    September 25, 2023 Author: Rachel
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    Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

    Ingredients:

    Salmon Rub:

    • 1 lb. salmon
    • 1 TBSP brown sugar
    • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1 TBSP olive oil

    Mango Salsa/Pineapple Salsa:

    • 2 mangoes, diced (or 1/2 pineapple, diced)
    • 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
    • 1/4 c. red onion, minced
    • 1 jalapeno, minced
    • 1 tsp. honey
    • Zest of 1 lime
    • 2 TBSP lime juice
    • Salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Mango salsa: Toss all ingredients in a bowl to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning.
    2. Cook your rice: Get your rice cooking according to package directions.
    3. Get the oven ready: Preheat the oven to 475F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
    4. Salmon: Mix the spices and the olive oil to make a paste. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon. Bake 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon and your desired doneness.
    5. Bowl it up: Pile up some rice, pull off some of salmon, and spoon that mango salsa over the whole thing.

    Sweet and Smoky Salmon with Mango (or Pineapple) Salsa:

  • Blackened Chicken with Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce

    November 11, 2008 Author: Rachel
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    I found this recipe at Fashionably Foodie, and it sounded d’lish. While I took our youngest to Hobby Lobby, -s prepared this amazing dinner. It was so tasty! We will definitely make this one again.  Recipe adapted.

    Ingredients:

    Blackened Chicken or Salmon

    • 4 TBSP paprika
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 2 tsp. onion powder
    • 2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. oregano
    • 1/2 tsp. thyme
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 1/4 tsp. cumin
    • 1/4 c. butter
    • 4 chicken breasts or salmon fillets

    Directions:

    1. Mix dry spices on a plate.
    2. In a skillet, melt butter and oil over medium-high heat. Pour off 1 Tablespoon of butter into a shallow pan. Turn on your oven vent and crank the heat to medium-high to high. If using chicken, pound chicken in between two sheets of plastic wrap, then pat dry with paper towels. Dip each fillet or breast lightly into melted butter and dip into the dry ingredients, patting the spices on by hand. Cook fish/chicken in skillet, 3-4 minutes per side, or until done, careful when turning. Fish/Chicken will look charred black and you may get smoke- hence the name!

    Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce

    • 1/4 c. butter
    • 1 TBSP flour
    • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 c. milk (may need 1 1/4 -1/2 c. milk)
    • 1 1/2 c. fresh parmesan, grated
    • 1/4 tsp. pepper
    • 1/2 tsp. paprika
    • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
    • Salt, to taste
    • 1 lb. hot pasta

    Directions:

    1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; use a whisk and stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds; add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds; then add milk and bring to a boil (barely, just at the edges of the pan,).  If too thick, add more milk, starting with 1/4 c.; then stir in parmesan; whisk until melted; then add the pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Taste and add salt to taste.  Add hot cooked pasta and toss. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

    Blackened Chicken with Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce:

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  • Spicy Smoked Brisket

    January 12, 2008 Author: Rachel
    1 Comment
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    -s made the most delicious spicy smoke brisket tonight.  Probably the best brisket I’ve ever had.

    Dry Rub Ingredients (use a spice grinder to combine):

    • Chile powder, about 1/4 cup
    • 1 dried chipotle pepper
    • Cumin seeds, about 1 tsp
    • Garlic powder, about 2 tsp
    • Onion powder, about 1 tsp
    • 1 tsp salt
    • Black pepper

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  • Smoked Chicken

    November 22, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    We (more accurately, -s) smoked 2 chickens for our Thanksgiving dinner. They were unbelievably delicious. One was marinated overnight in our favorite spicy bbq sauce and the other had a dry rub. Both were fabulous, but my favorite was the one with the dry rub. The dry rub gave the chicken such great flavor. We just used an inexpensive ($70) electric smoker, and it worked great.

    Dry Rub Ingredients:

    • 1 dried chipotle
    • 4 tsp. chili powder
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
    • 1/2 tsp. salt

    Directions:

    1. Combine chipotle and peppercorns in a spice grinder and grind
    2. Combine all spices
    3. Massage spices onto the chicken
    4. Smoke according to your smoker’s directions. We used hickory wood and smoked for the chickens for 6 hours. Be advised that cooking time varies, especially on the weather–the colder the weather the longer the smoking takes.

    Smoked Chickens:

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