Category: Food

Grilled Shish Kebob

We’ve got an old charcoal grill/smoker at our camping site, so I made some shish kebobs to cook for lunch/dinner when we were hanging out this holiday weekend. Marinaded the beef in a little soy, ginger, and garlic. Then skewered along with various peppers, zuccini, tomatoes, and broccoli.

We cooked them over a wood fire

And had a quick meal — it’s easy to overcook small chunks!

Maple Marshmallows

Marshmallows made with pure maple syrup and gelatin powder! In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1/3 cup of cold water and 1 Tbsp of powdered gelatin. Let the gelatin hydrate.

Heat the maple to the soft ball stage (~235F) and slowly add to the gelatin whilst mixing at low speed. Once all of the maple syrup has been added, turn up to a high speed and keep whipping until it’s a firm, sticky mass. (stiff peak stage). Then put it somewhere to set. I used a 8×8 cake pan that was lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for a few hours, then remove and cut. You can dust the squares with powdered sugar if you don’t want them to be sticky. Or just deal with sticky maple-flavored fingers.

Salsa and Guacamole

There were fresh, homegrown tomatoes available … so I made some salsa:

6 large tomatoes, diced
5 jalapeno peppers, diced finely
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 large onion, also diced
juice from 1/2 of a fresh lime
Salt and pepper

The jalapeno peppers were not spicy, so I might use habanero next time, but this made a great fresh salsa. And I realized that guacamole is pretty much the salsa mixed with mashed avocado.  I took about a third of the salsa, drained the liquid, and added it to three large, ripe avocados mashed up.

Vanilla Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 14.5 oz can of coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup of chia seeds
  • 1 vanilla bean

Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean into the coconut milk. Mix in the chia seeds, then place in the refrigerator overnight.

This was a dessert for a Fourth of July party, so we topped it with raspberries and blueberries to make a red, white, and blue dessert.

For a sweeter dessert, add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey.

Salmon Cakes

 

 

  • 1 pound fresh salmon fillet, skin removed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (plain and unsweetened)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Salmon: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the salmon fillet on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  2. Flake the Salmon: Once the salmon is cool enough to handle, use a fork to flake it into small pieces in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix Ingredients: Add the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, parsley, dill, chopped onion, and beaten egg to the bowl with the flaked salmon. Mix everything together gently until well combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs.
  4. Form the Patties: Shape the mixture into small patties, about 2-3 inches in diameter. You should get about 8-10 patties depending on size.
  5. Cook the Salmon Cakes: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the salmon cakes, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
  6. Serve: Serve the salmon cakes hot with a side of lemon wedges or a yogurt-based dipping sauce, such as tzatziki.