Chicken {or Tuna} Noodle Salad

There is one point on which my husband and I do not agree (okay, so there's a couple, but really, not very many!). 

Tuna. 

He hates it. I enjoy it. 

I grew up on tuna- my mom LOVES it! She eats it almost every day, on crackers, on sandwiches, in salads...her mom also loves it, so I guess it's hereditary. 

However, even though my husband grew up eating tuna casserole (and I did not...hmmm...maybe we've got something there), he does NOT like tuna. So, like a good wife (haha) I do not force him to eat it. 

However, this summer I've had a craving for my mom's tuna noodle salad. The perfect summer meal, it doesn't require an oven, requires minimal preparation and uses simple ingredients you probably already have. The only point my mom and I disagree on is the temperature. She likes to serve it while the noodles are still warm- I like to make it ahead of time so it will be chilled. 

Anyhow, back to the problem. Tuna. I decided to make a compromise. I'd make the salad, but substitute canned chicken for the tuna! Hardly anybody can tell the difference between chicken salad and tuna salad anyway, so why not? Hubby will be happy not to have to eat tuna and smell that fishy smell in the house and I can have my salad. :) Yum!

Chicken (or Tuna) Noodle Salad

(printable version)

serves 4-6

1 pkg. spiral noodles (or shape of your choice)

1 large can of chicken (or tuna), drained

about 1/2 cup chopped celery

about 1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste

2 TB mustard, or more to taste

salt and pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large serving bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to noodles and mix thoroughly to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. If desired, cover and chill.

Roasted Tilapia with Black Bean & Mango Salsa

I have been off the blogging kick lately- for several reasons. I have had a cough for 3 weeks now (already did the antibiotics...it just might be starting to go away) and even though I made some yummy food, I just didn't feel like writing. I was also gone a good part of last week to a mini-reunion in Seattle with my Ecola housemates! We had a great time catching up and enjoying lots of girl silliness. But now I'm back and I am determined to make an effort to share with you some of the yummy foods that we've enjoyed the last couple of weeks.

To start us off, I bring you a delectable fish entree! The mild, white tilapia is oven-roasted to perfection, but the real star of the show is the salsa. If you've ever been leery about using fruit in a savory dish (such as salsa), now is your chance to branch out! The mango, black beans, lime and cilantro meld beautifully (both in taste and in visuals!) and the salsa pairs perfectly with the mild fish. Not only does the mango add a pop of color, it pops with flavor as well! I was pleasantly surprised to find that fruit salsa can be absolutely delicious!

Oh, and if you're wondering what the green stuff is in the picture, it's an avocado cream sauce- perfect for dipping and great on rice. Simply mash 1 avocado and mix with 1/3 cup greek yogurt and 2 TB sour cream!

Roasted Tilapia with Mango & Black Bean Salsa

(printable version)

adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

serves 4

4 tilapia filets, room temperature

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 mango, peeled and diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2-3 TB lime juice

2-3 TB olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 400.

Lightly spray glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place tilapia in pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast 25-35 min. or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Prepare salsa: if beans are wet, blot dry with a paper towel. Mix beans, mango, cilantro, 2 TB lime juice, 2 TB olive oil and cumin in bowl. Add more lime juice and oil to taste.

Spoon salsa over hot roasted tilapia.

Tilapia, Get Your Groove On! (Fish Tacos)

Looking for a way to spice up your mild, white tilapia fillet? Read on!

I have never in my life eaten a fish taco. Why? I don't really know, except that most places one finds tacos, one would not be too sure about the quality of the fish. I usually only trust seafood places to have good fish. And fish that is not good is...well, not good. However, I have always been curious about fish tacos, so when trying to come up with something different to do with tilapia (I bought a big bag of frozen fillets at WinCo), the idea dropped in my mind to try making my own! This being said, I still have no clue what a normal or truly Mexican fish taco tastes like- but...I do like my own! :) I found a recipe on the site of a woman who lived in Colombia for a time, and makes many Colombian or Central/South American flavored dishes. I figured I could probably trust her! :)

The recipe is very simple, with only a few common spices and flavors, so it isn't overly bold or spicy. I sprinkled the thawed fillets with cumin, salt & pepper and chili powder, then drizzled them with lime juice and olive oil, while a little more oil was heating in a skillet. Then, while the fish browned lightly on both sides (about 4 min per side), I made avocado salsa.

The recipe called for diced avocados, chopped onion, lime juice, cilantro and olive oil, but I kind of made my own variation. I didn't have any cilantro, so I skipped that, and to make it more like salsa, I added a couple of diced Roma tomatoes to the mix. It turned out sort of like guacamole, except less mushy and a little zestier (lime juice instead of lemon?).

I was surprised how easy this meal was! Once the fish was done, I used a fork to break it up into flaky chunks, warmed up tortillas in the microwave (you can also do this in a hot, non-stick, ungreased skillet) and tore up some green leaf lettuce. We then piled the fish, salsa and lettuce into our tortillas and enjoyed them with some roasted potatoes and fresh mango chunks. It was a light, delicious dinner! Travis really enjoyed it, and he isn't really even a fish fan! :) The fish was sweet and mild, with just the faintest zing, and the salsa was delicious! It's a keeper!

Tilapia Fish Tacos
(printable version)

by My Colombian Recipes

serves about 4

1 lb. tilapia fish

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

juice of 2 limes, divided

salt and pepper

tortillas

2 TB chopped fresh cilantro

2 TB diced onion

1 avocado, diced

1 TB olive oil

1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced (optional)

Shredded Lettuce

Place fish on plate and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of 1 lime.

Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until golden on the outside (about 4 min. per side). Remove from skillet and transfer to a plate. Shred lightly.

Combine cilantro, onion, avocado and tomatoes (if desired) and set aside.

Heat tortillas.

To assemble tacos, place an equal amount of fish in each tortilla, along with a big spoonful of the avocado mixture and top with shredded lettuce.

Source: MyColombianRecipes.com

Fish are Friends...and Food! (Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze)

Today I tackled something familiar yet new. Familiar, because I have cooked it before, under the watchful eye of my mother, but new because I had not cooked it myself or in this manner. The meat? Salmon. I'm not sure of the variety, because it was a gift of one of our parishioners- but it was fresh caught! I was very excited about the prospect of eating salmon, though slightly daunted, but my husband was not. He is not a huge fan of fish in general, so I haven't really been motivated to cook any thus far. But, as it was a gift, and as I love the beautiful pink fish, I was determined to have a go at it.
I have had the salmon thawing in my fridge for the last few days, and today I knew it would have to be done. Cooking it didn't scare me too much, it was the prospect of preparing it that was getting to me.
Problem #1: I know what a "ready-to-cook" fillet looks like and this fish did not look like that.

It was whole (save for head and tail and thankfully had been gutted), complete with skin and fins. FINS! Even now I shudder. Yuck! So, I searched all over the internet for instructions on how to fillet a whole salmon. Finally I found very detailed, very simple directions (with pictures!) on a fly fishing website! This did not look like it was going to be a pleasant task. I have no "fillet knife" but my "slicing" knife worked just fine. Aided by a towel and grimacing quite frequently, I sliced my fish into acceptable fillets. Having no needle nose pliers at hand, I plucked the remaining bones free with the tips of my kitchen scissors. I was so relieved when the fish began to look familiar.

Tucking the salmon back into the fridge till dinner time, I thoroughly cleansed my hands of slime and scales and went on with my other morning tasks.
Later in the afternoon, armed with my Betty Crocker Cookbook, I mixed up a recipe for a Honey-Mustard Glaze for my salmon, which was to be broiled. While the fish swam in it's yummy looking marinade, I double-checked the recipe and ran headlong into Problem #2: a broiler pan. I don't have a broiler pan. So, again, Google was my savior. I found from reading several online recipe chats that a broiler pan can be easily substituted with a cooling rack perched on top of a sided baking sheet. Whew! Those I have! That problem solved, I transferred the salmon to the greased cooling rack (which was now posing convincingly as a broiler rack).
Problem #3: I was still a little bit uncomfortable with the thought of broiling my fish. I had heard of it being done, but was raised only with the methods of baking and grilling. I am very inexperienced at using my oven's broiler for anything but browning toast or rolls. Just this afternoon, I burned a few innocent leftover french fries by leaving them too long in its clutches. My smoke alarm is often comically oversensitive. It usually goes off whenever I open my oven door, which leads me to believe it has some sinister purpose in mind, trying to convince all my neighbors that I burn everything that goes in the oven or on top of it. But today its ringing rang true, as the broiler, left to its own devices, did indeed burn my poor french fries. All this to say, my confidence in the broiler was low. So turning to the internet once again to research the success of those gone before me, I stumbled upon an article from an Alaskan newspaper! It stated that broiling was ideal for fish like salmon because it cooks at such a high heat that a crust is quickly formed on the fish that seals the moisture and flavor inside. My courage bolstered by this discovery, I surrendered the glazed fish to the red hot broiler. Checking it every 3 minutes or so to brush on more glaze, I was hopeful. It looked beautiful and smelled heavenly! When it flaked obediently after 12 minutes or so, I removed the salmon from the oven and stared at it proudly. I sneaked a bite. WOW. My first thought was, Man, if only I could transport a piece of this to Mommy! She'd think she'd died and gone to heaven! My mom is a salmon fanatic. :)

My husband walked through the door and sniffed appreciatively. As we sat down to dinner, I watched him as he tried it..."Wow," he said, "this is really good!" It did taste superb, if I do say so myself, and it was such a wonderful treat! The fish was a pleasing light pink, and perfectly moist. The glaze had formed into somewhat of a crust under the broiler and the blend of flavors in it were a lovely complement to the mellow flavor of the fish. I paired it with baked yams and steamed spinach, which made for a meal of pretty colors!

When, after several minutes, my husband helped himself to a large second serving, and when, by the end of our meal (and despite the accusing glares from my goldfish) we had nearly consumed both large fillets, I considered my fish foray a success!

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze (Betty Crocker)

makes 4 servings

Honey-Mustard Marinade:

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (I just used reg yellow)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Salmon:

1 salmon fillet (1 lb)

1) In small bowl, mix all marinade ingredients

2) Place salmon, skin side down, in shallow glass or plastic dish. Pour marinade over salmon. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 min, but no longer than an hour.

3) Set oven control to broil. Remove salmon from marinade; reserve marinade. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack in broiler pan. Broil with top 4-6 in. from medium heat 10-15 min, brushing 2 or 3 times with marinade, until salmon flakes easily with fork. Discard any remaining marinade.