Tag: dill

Smoked Salmon Crostini


Smoked Salmon Crostini

Last month, I was invited to a pot luck party, and was trying to narrow down all of the yummylicious things I could bring that were easy to travel with, didn’t require reheating and would be a crowd pleaser. I decided on these little gems, and they were a hit… not a single one was left. Personally, I think dill adds a nice delicate flavor to the cream cheese mixture, and pairs incredibly well with salmon. The recipe I initially saw for these, called for using a loaf of sourdough bread, but I decided to use whole grain melba toast rounds which worked perfectly, and saved time from having to bake the bread. These tasty treats are incredibly easy to make and throw together in no time, and will be a huge hit with all who try them. If you want to cut down on carbs, or simply desire some variation, you can use cucumber slices instead of the rounds or crackers.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. smoked salmon
  • 8 oz. package cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt (or light mayo)
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp. dill leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Dill sprigs for garnish
  • Melba toast rounds, or crackers of your choice

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine all of your spread ingredients: cream cheese, greek yogurt, minced garlic, freshly chopped dill, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Mash it all together with a fork, and mix until well blended.
  2. Spread the cream cheese mix over the top of each melba toast round or cracker.
  3. Top with a piece of salmon and garnish with dill sprigs.

photo-972 photo-971

 

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Egg White Salad


Egg White Salad

I LOVE Trader Joe’s and their packaged egg white salad, however, it’s a bit pricey, so decided to make a version of my own today. You can really tailor this to suit your own taste by using various herbs, seasonings and veggies, but I think this recipe has some really great flavor (in my humble opinion).

Ingredients

  • 4 large hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. celery, fined diced
  • 1 tbsp. light mayo or Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. ground dill weed
  • 1/4 tsp. ground mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. chives
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Chopped Egg Whites
Chopped Egg Whites
All of The Ingredients
All of The Ingredients

Directions

  1. Put enough water in a medium pot to cover eggs.
  2. Bring to a boil, cover pot and shut off heat. Keep eggs in pot for 20 minutes.
  3. Discard hot water, then run under cold water and peel the eggs, tossing out the yolks.
  4. Chop finely with fork (and knife, if needed).
  5. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Herbs (and Mustard Cream Sauce)


I came across this recipe a while ago, and bookmarked it to try another time. I was at the store over the weekend, and saw a bag of pistachios, which immediately brought my memory back to this dish. However, I highly recommend you buy pistachios already shelled as it took me a bit of time to crack open each pistachio to get a cup worth’s of nuts. And that way… you won’t get disappointed when you come across those shells that are not cracked at all and can’t be opened. Another recommendation I have is to butterfly/split/cut the chicken breasts in half, or you could use chicken tenders. I find the chicken is more tender when they’re a little thinner, and quite frankly, I just prefer them that way. In a nutshell (no pun intended), I found the combination of the herb mustard mixture combined with the pistachio-panko crust was simply divine! Oh, and when paired with the mustard cream sauce… WOW!!!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled raw pistachios (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 4 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied
  • Mustard cream sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Finely grind nuts in processor. Add Panko and blend, using on/off turns.
  3. Transfer to shallow baking dish or bowl.
  4. Mix mustard, mayo, honey, basil, dill and rosemary in medium bowl.
  5. Spread mustard mixture over both sides of each chicken breast.
  6. Dip chicken breasts into nut mixture, coating completely. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  7. Transfer chicken to baking sheet.
  8. Bake chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes.
  9. Spoon Mustard-Cream Sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Bon Appétit

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Mustard Cream Sauce


Let me start by saying, I think everything is better with a little sauce. Okay, not “everything”, but anything you can pair up with a tasty one. When I saw this recipe, it was a no-brainer that I had to try it since I love mustard. The reviews on it were incredible, but I don’t always believe the hype. However, they were all true! I can tell you, that I could eat this straight from the spoon (and possibly have… oops). I made this to go with pistachio-crusted chicken, but it would be great with fish, pasta, and even as a sandwich spread. Maybe I’m just biased because of my affection for mustard, but I think this might be one of the best sauces I’ve made.

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (can use Half & Half, or milk)
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)

Directions

  1. Boil white wine and shallots in heavy medium saucepan over high heat until liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes.
  2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add whipping cream and simmer until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add Dijon mustard, basil and dill. Simmer 2 minutes to blend flavors.
  4. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Source: Bon Appétit

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A New Twist on Tuna Fish


I’ve been eating (and enjoying) tuna fish salad for as long as I can remember. However, this recipe takes it to a whole new level for me. I can wholeheartedly say this is by far, the best tuna salad I’ve ever tasted. The mingling of ingredients/flavors, like curry and dill, will awaken your taste buds and put a new twist on an old favorite. Give this a try… I know you will be happy you did!

Ingredients

  • 1 (5 oz) can white tuna, drained and flaked
  • 3 tbsp light mayonnaise or salad dressing (you can use regular or fat-free)
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 1 onion slice, finely chopped (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, relish, onion and celery.
  2. Season with the curry powder, parsley, dill and garlic powder.
  3. Mix well and serve with crackers or on a sandwich.

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