Baked Salmon and Punch Brothers

Upon leaving work this afternoon, I drove to Target and invested in a day planner. Meet my new best friend Franklin Covey. I'm a huge fan of Franklin Covey planners and am surprised that I haven't bought one in 8 months! It was time to incorporate structure and organization back into my day job. Thank goodness Franklin is here to help. Buying office supplies reminds me of school days. Although I dreaded the process of registering for classes and the end of summer, I always enjoyed shopping for the fine tipped sharpies in various colors, ball point pens with gel grips and dozens of notebooks.

But, let's talk about food because I have one amazing recipe to share with you. Flying solo for dinner tonight, but still in the mood to cook, I made a scrumptious salmon fillet and garden salad. This meal only takes half an hour from pan to plate, but the flavors coating the fish are sure to please your pallet for hours. I even sat at the kitchen table, not in front of the TV, to ensure I savoured every bite.

Salmon is one of my favorite types of fish. I love the pink color, the natural flavor and the texture. Growing up, my mom spread mayonnaise over her baked salmon. And let me tell you; you will never go back to baking salmon without a spread of mayonnaise on top once you've tried it. I recently learned that mayo adds oil to fish which generally doesn't produce that much. The mayo also helps to reduce any murky taste from salmon, or completely eliminates it.

For seasonings, I sprinkled onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and paprika on top. Once the salmon came out of the oven, I garnished it with freshly squeezed lemon juice. OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. I love how salmon peels apart in layers, like cutting cold butter with a warm knife.

For the salad, I simply chopped a head of romaine lettuce and added cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and grated Parmesan-Regiano cheese. Drizzle some raspberry walnut vinaigrette over the greens, and you're ready to eat!

My summer reading is moving right along, finishing Bethenny Frankel's Naturally Thin in 48 hours. Up next is Eat Pray Love. Can't wait to dive into that one!

I paired this baked salmon with the Punch Brothers. The band formed in 2006 and are a modern day, bluegrass group. I've never been a huge fan of country music, which is strange for a Tennessean; but I absolutely love bluegrass music. It's the real music of the country. Check out Punch Brother's web site if you'd like to hear more. They're also on tour this summer and may be headed to a town near you! Here's one of their songs "Rye Whiskey".



And check out "Reptilia", a Strokes cover! Pretty cool to hear it played with a mandolin and banjo.



Hope you enjoy these eats and beats!
Julia

Bakes Salmon Fillet:
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over top of salmon. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with tin foil, and place salmon on foil. Sprinkle fillets with onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and paprika. Bake for 20 minutes or until flaky. Garnish with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Summer Reading and Feelin Good

This afternoon I went to Davis Kidd Booksellers, cozied up in an over sized armchair and picked out my summer reading. Davis Kidd is my favorite bookstore in Memphis. It's very quaint and a place where I can easily spend hours sifting through shelves of books. Libraries and bookstores are two places where I feel ten times smarter just by being there. I want to wear thick rimmed glasses and sip a cappuccino while reading philosophy and taking notes. It's also a great stress reliever. But perhaps the best part about Davis Kidd Booksellers is the little restaurant inside, Bronte Bistro. Quite the popular spot for ladies who lunch, or couples meeting for brunch after church on Sunday. It most certainly beats the proverbial Starbucks inside a Barnes and Noble. Unfortunately, I missed out on a meal at Bronte today, but I am happy to report that I have not only one, not two, but THREE books to read this summer. And I'm ready to fly through all of them.

Ironically, but not completely unpredictable, all three books have something to do with food in one way or another. They are Bethenny Frankel's Naturally Thin, Manny Howard's My Empire of Dirt and Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love.

I've already started reading Naturally Thin, and I really enjoy it. I'm obsessed with Real Housewives of NYC; and now I'm a fan of Bethenny's book. In all seriousness, she has the right attitude towards food, teaching people smart ways to incorporate food into their life; and it's very achievable. It's not about dieting and denying yourself the foods you love. But rather she teaches you how to create that balance and make smart choices. She's realistic about eating habits and struggles, while still being relatable. Plus, she tells me I can make an exception everyday if it's really worthwhile. And one of those exceptions is a small glass of wine. Now we're talkin'! I love my vino every now and then.

I read a review in the latest issue of Garden and Gun magazine about My Empire of Dirt. Manny Howard has an 800 square foot backyard in Brooklyn which he turned into a farm. His goal is to live only off of what he can produce on this farm for a month: chickens, fruits, vegetables, etc. I can tell this is going to be a fun read and have only gotten through the prologue.

Tonight, I made Bethenny's faux cheesecake. "Interesting" is the first word that comes to mind. Surprisingly, it had just enough sweetness to convince the brain that you are eating dessert, without consuming all the calories. Yet, the texture is very light and airy, 99% of the recipe being ricotta cheese. It just so happened that I had all the ingredients to whip this together in 2 minutes and try it out. I recommend it. You certainly satisfy your sweet tooth, but unlike the real deal of cheese cake, you can eat an entire serving and not feel one once of guilt! Don't misunderstand, nothing beats a slice of New York cheesecake. But this is a good, healthy alternative. I may have slipped in a little more maple syrup than required...shhhh...

Michael Buble singing "I'm Feeling Good" is a true representation of my attitude going into this week. I got to lay out by the pool this weekend. Got a little sun. Got my summer reading lined up. Now I'm officially ready to kick off the summer season. I actually saw Michael Buble in Chicago my sophomore year in college. My roommate and I went to his concert, and he was fantastic. At times, you would have thought Elvis Presley was in the room with the way women squealed over him.



Have a great week!
Julia

Bethenny's Faux Cheesecake:1/2 cup whipped cottage cheese (or low-fat ricotta cheese)
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 tbs dark chocolate chips or slivered almonds, or anything that goes with the flavor
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Eat immediately, or cover and chill.

Irish Pirate and Lemon Chicken

Happy Friday! Let's celebrate with a double feature on My Eats and Beats. Plus, the blog is sporting a new design today! Do you like it? A big thank you to Blogger for stepping up their game on the template options.

I for one am happy to see the weekend. A little quality time by the pool, a little sun tan and I'm good to go. We had quite the downpour of rain the last two evenings, but I'm hopeful it has passed. In fact, downtown got drenched right as I was walking out of the office and to the parking garage Thursday afternoon. Water puddles formed in my heels and the hems of my pants were soaked. By the time I drove out of the parking garage, not a drop of rain was to be found. Just my luck. C'est la vie, right?

Well, as it turns out, last night I made a big dinner; and tonight I made a refreshing dessert. So I'm putting the two together to leave you with good eats for Saturday and Sunday.

First off is lemon chicken. I found this recipe in the current issue Southern Living. You could make this dish for a late afternoon lunch or dinner. It's very light and refreshing, relying on butter and fresh lemons to bring out the flavor in the chicken. And it makes for a beautiful presentation without being difficult to make. Serve with a side of rice and vegetables, or even a big salad. It's a great summer meal.

Need an ice cold refreshment to cool you off this weekend? Craving ice cream? Look no further than the Irish Pirate. Make these mint chocolate chip milk shakes with dark rum, or omit the liquor for a non-alcoholic version. Either way, this drink is delicious. I saw this recipe on Food Network and fell in love after seeing "mint chocolate chip ice cream" and "rum" as the main ingredients. Top each serving with a fresh sprig of mint to dress it up. Just a side note...after reading reviews, I omitted the mint extract. Enjoy!

The Irish Pirate really put me in the Celtic spirit. I admit to being that nerd who gets excited when NPR plays Celtic music on Saturday mornings. Actually, one of Stewart's best friends from back home plays the cello in a duo called String Cheese. They are truly amazing and have a fresh spin on classic Celtic music. Perhaps you'll see them on My Eats and Beats one day. But you know me...I always like to ask for permission first :)

Keeping in tune with my minty Irish refreshment I went with The Corrs "Toss the Feathers".
Have a happy and safe weekend!
Julia

Sticky Buns from the Grapevine

If you ask me why I felt compelled to bake at 9 o'clock this evening, I'm not sure I could give you a reasonable explanation. Perhaps it is because I haven't done much cooking since last Saturday. Or maybe it's because I didn't want to disappoint you without a sweet treat this Wednesday. It is hump day after all. Welcome to the half way point of the week!

If you read my post on Monday, you'll know that I'm trying to lay off the sugar for a little while. An admitted sweet-o-holic, I have no self control when it comes to desserts. But no one said I couldn't make sweets for other people! So I am taking these yummy sticky buns to work in the morning. However, there are only 171 calories per bun; so I wouldn't feel extremely guilty for indulging in one. And I didn't when I ate it at 11 p.m. right out of the oven. Move over little Pillsbury dough boy! I've got a new way of making delectable breakfast eats.

The recipe for these Cinnamon Raisin Sticky Buns comes from Oxmoore House. The recipe makes 9 servings, so chose wisely when you're sharing these yummy buns. Everytime I opened the oven to check on the sticky buns, I want to eat the smell of cinnamon and brown sugar. It is heaven on earth. It's like a sticky version of an Auntie Anne's pretzels.

In other news today was my Dad's birthday! My mom planned to make chicken and rice tonight for his birthday dinner. Well, she actually did make the chicken and rice. But our family black lab managed to prop her two front paws up on the kitchen counter and devour that chicken in its entirety. Needless to say, we did not have chicken and  rice tonight. We had #1 combos from Chick-fil-A instead and boxed cake for dessert. And it sure was tasty!

The beat to compliment these sticky buns is Marvin Gaye with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". I'm a fan of Gladys Knight and the Pips version as well. Raisins come from grapes. Grapes come from the grapevine. You follow my thought process?




Any one remember the California Raisins commercials? They did one to this song. In fact, one of my best friends used to have the California Raisins' lunch box.



Cinnamon Raisin Sticky Buns:
Cooking spray
1/3 cup raisins
9 (1-ounce) frozen bread dough rolls, thawed (such as Rich's)
1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons light butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
Coat a Bundt pan or an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle raisins in bottom of pan. Arrange rolls over raisins.

Combine milk and remaining 4 ingredients in a 2-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until sugar dissolves. Pour over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Run a knife around outside edges of pan. Place a plate upside down on top of pan; invert onto plate.

Arriverderci Italian Fest and Cavatini

It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to this past weekend and the greatness that is Memphis' Italian Festival. It is also with a heavy belly that I look back on the past 4 days and say to myself, "You, dear lady, are getting back on the exercise band wagon"! And indeed I did. I walked three miles this evening and will continue to do so until my liver forgives me and my insides have deflated. But I wouldn't change a second of this year's festivities; as always, it is one of the best weekends of my summer. Good friends, good food, good times.

Oh and how we ate and drank all weekend. When I tell you that we went through 1,000 jello shots, that is no exaggeration. We counted; and we had two team members who were gracious enough to spend sleepless nights making them. Not to mention our dedicated cooks; our team had awesome gravy this year to enter into the contest, and we even placed 7th in the "Anything Italian" competition with lamb spindini. One of the girls on our team also made the best tiramisu cupcakes. No joke. They were a-maz-ing. I'm gonna have to get my hands on all the great recipes. Way to go Holy Cannoli!

Saturday night was my favorite. It's the last night before we tear down the tents on Sunday morning. To feed the troops, I contributed 3 lbs of pasta with this recipe for cavatini. This recipe comes from Stewart's aunt, and it's a favorite in this household. By the end of Saturday night, the tray of cavatini was scraped empty...along with every scrap of food we had to offer.

The closing ceremony for 2010's Italian Festival is brought to you by Connie Francis and Dean Martin with their rendition of "Arriverderci Roma". So long Italian Fest; until we meet again next year. I'll be waiting with fond memories...










Arriverderci festival italiano!
Julia

Cavatini:
1 (48 oz) Prego traditional pasta sauce
1 lb penne pasta
2 lbs shredded mozzarella cheese (I use Kraft)
1 large package of Hormel regular pepperoni

Directions:
Cook pasta. In a serving dish (11"x8") layer above ingredients in the following order: sauce, pasta, cheese, pepperoni. You should have two full layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let cool and serve.