Salmon with Ginger Chive Butter

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 Tbsp. minced chives
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 lb. salmon fillet

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, chives, ginger, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt and black pepper.
3. Place salmon fillet in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle seasoned butter mixture on top of the fish. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes, or until salmon center is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Basic Crepes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

• Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

(Otherwise known as Chocolate Lava Cakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate baking bars, cut into bite-size chunks
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons flour
• 8 extra-large paper muffin cups (or use regular paper muffin cups, which will make 12 cakes)

Directions

1. Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Beat eggs and sugar with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixture into chocolate until smooth. Beat in flour until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead; return to room temperature an hour or so before baking.)
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a standard-size muffin tin (1/2 cup capacity) with 8 extra-large muffin papers (papers should extend above cups to facilitate removal). Spray muffin papers with vegetable cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups.
3. Bake until batter puffs but center is not set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift cakes from tin and set on a work surface. Pull papers away from cakes and transfer cakes to dessert plates.
4. Serve immediately.

Crab Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned crabmeat, drained
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 8 ounces buttery round crackers (such as Ritz), crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Panko or regular dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute green onions briefly until tender; cool slightly.
2. Combine crabmeat, sauteed green onions, eggs, mayonnaise, dry mustard, crushed crackers, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Form into eight 1/2-inch thick patties. Coat the patties with bread crumbs.
3. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook crab cakes until golden brown on each side. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.
4. Serve as appetizers or on a bun/roll.

Mango-Peach Smoothies

Ingredients

• 2 peaches, peeled, sliced and frozen
• 2 mangoes, peeled, diced, and frozen
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 3/4 cup orange juice, or as needed

Directions

1. Place the frozen peach and mango into a blender and puree until smooth. Add the yogurt and juice and blend until thoroughly mixed. Pour into 4 glasses and serve.

Jam-Filled Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the holes with the preserves.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Nuway's Crumbly Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Pinch of onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 lb. 80% lean ground beef
• 1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
• French's mustard
• Dill pickles, sliced lengthwise
• 6 slices American cheese
• 6 potato hamburger-buns

Directions

1. Pour water into a 12-inch skillet. Add salt, onion powder, and dry mustard; stir until dissolved. Add 1 lb. ground beef and keep stirring until meat is broken into very small pieces.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until water is reduced by half. Drain until only a little bit of water is left.
3. Ready the buns with French's mustard, 1-2 dill pickle slices, fresh chopped onion, and a slice of American cheese. Turn 1/6 of the meat mixture onto each sandwich, then put the buns together.

Italian Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 (24 oz.) jars tomato sauce
• Pasta or rolls

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, chopped onion, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 18 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour pasta sauce and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add meatballs and cook until sauce is simmering and meatballs are cooked through. 
3. Serve over spaghetti or on rolls.

Simple Scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in currants.
3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-to-8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature

Variations

• Cranberry-Orange Scones- Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding a generous teaspoon of finely-grated orange zest to the dry ingredients and substituting dried cranberries for currants.
• Lemon-Blueberry Scones- Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding a generous teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients and substituting dried blueberries for the currants.
• Cherry-Almond Scones- Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding 1/2 tsp almond extract to the sour cream mixture and substituting dried cherries for the currants.