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  • You Can Cook!
  • About Me
  • Recipe Box
    • Appetizers >
      • Buffalo Chicken Dip
      • Cream Cheese Appetizer
      • Sweet and Salty Nuts
      • Thai Peanut Sauce
    • Beverages >
      • Blueberry Lemonade
      • Cosmopolitan
    • Breakfast >
      • Apple Pancake
      • Homemade Granola
      • Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie
      • Stick-to-your-ribs smoothie
      • Veggie Omelet
      • Yeasted Waffles
    • Main Dishes >
      • Beef Stew
      • Chicken Fajitas
      • Choley
      • Grilled Chicken
      • Low and Slow Chicken Breasts
      • Roast Turkey
      • Rub for Pulled Pork (and other meats too!)
      • Salmon Burgers
      • Simple Homemade Mac & Cheese
      • Simple Red Sauce
      • Steak and Potato Salad
    • Sides >
      • Bacon-Roasted Brussel Sprouts
      • Creamy Polenta
      • Homemade Potato Chips
      • "Magic" Salad Recipe
    • Soup >
      • Apple Cheddar Soup
      • Butternut Squash Soup
      • Chicken Noodle Soup
      • Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
      • Smokey Beef Chili
    • Sweets and Treats >
      • Almond Cake
      • Apple Crisp
      • Bruna Kakor
      • Butterscotch Pecan Sandies
      • Chocolate Fudge Brownies
      • Chocolate Mousse
      • Compost Cookies
      • New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • Pumpkin Pie
      • Salted Caramel Sauce
  • Classes
  • Contact Me
you can cook

Scrumptious Salmon Burgers

5/28/2016

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In our culture, we describe a meal based on the type of meat, and so I might say, "I had chicken for dinner" or "I had pork for dinner" or "I had fish for dinner". But in Seattle, there is an entire category of meat that most of the country doesn't separately recognize: the category of salmon.

There's a good reason for this - huge amounts of salmon are caught in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Visit the fish ladders at the Chittendon Locks in Ballard between July and September, and you can see entire schools of 2'+ salmon making their way upstream. One summer, the salmon harvest was so large the grocery stores were giving them away for free (limit 2, please).

Nearly all of my family now live in the Pacific Northwest, and I have had salmon many, many ways: poached with dill sauce, baked on a cedar plank, stuffed in puff pasty, made into sushi, or grilled and Rubbed with Love. But my favorite is the humble salmon burger.

I have frequently purchased salmon burgers from my local fishmonger. The problem with those burgers however is that they have so much fat that I find myself popping Tums within a few minutes of the completion of my meal...and personally, as a dessert, Tums leave much to be desired. Plus it seems somewhat ironic to consume my entire day's limit of grease eating an allegedly healthy food like fish.

So while my search for the perfect salmon burger doesn't quite rise to the level of a quest (for example my caramel sauce adventure), it has been an interest for quite a while. And I'm proud to say, I think I've found a winner.

This simple and flexible recipe for salmon burgers can be prepared at least two ways: as full-sized burgers, or as mini-burgers for an unusual but memorable appetizer. For a full sized burger, you can use your hands to shape the mixture, or get an inexpensive single-use kitchen tool: a burger press. For the uninitiated, you fill the press with ground meat and then rotate the handle to release a perfectly-shaped burger into your hand. Although this may seem a bit fancy for some (and anathema to people like me who decry single-use kitchen tools) it actually makes some sense: burgers - whether salmon or any other meat - are prepared quickly and without having to pack down the meat, and it's a lot easier to make them all the same size, ensuring even cooking.

To make mini-burgers, use the smallest cookie scoop (about 2 Tbs), and release a flat-sided scoop directly into a non-stick skillet. Saute on both sides, flattening with your spatula to form a mini-burger. By the time it's browned on one side, the fish will be perfectly cooked. I served mine on Triscuits with a bit of chive on each one for color. In the photo below, I used them to make a salmon salad.
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As to the type of salmon, the recipe was developed with farmed salmon, which is more oily than wild. If you can get wild, it's delicious - just be sure to remove all the small bones before chopping (or enjoy your extra calcium). Although farmed salmon is not as healthy as wild, it's much less expensive and quite tasty. A good taste and health compromise in New England is farmed salmon from Norway, which does not allow antibiotics to be used in fish farming, among other beneficial practices.

So this summer, even if you can't get to the Pacific Northwest - which is beautiful and actually far less rainy in the summer than New England - bring a little bit of Seattle to your grill by making salmon burgers...you're going to LOVE it!

On a weekend that can be focused on grilling, friends and fun, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all of the veterans who have sacrificed in ways large and small for our shared country. God bless you on Memorial Day and throughout the year.

Chris

​​If you would like to see my recipes, tips and adventures in cooking every week go to www.ucancook.net and enter your email on the right side. Alternatively, email me at chrisd.williams@yahoo.com and I will set you up! For even more tips and techniques, follow You Can Cook on Facebook.
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Impossibly delicious - and simple - vegetables

5/16/2016

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I've often started my posts with stories of cooking disaster; an overcooked turkey, a failed salad made of shredded brussels sprouts, and the time I stuffed a roast chicken with a weed I believed to be sage. But with roast vegetables, I have no failures to share because it is almost impossible to do it incorrectly.

The basic recipe is simple: line a cookie sheet with foil, place evenly cut, clean dry fresh vegetables on the sheet and toss lightly with olive oil and salt. Making sure they are no more than one layer deep, bake at 450 degrees for 12 - 20 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender (i.e. you can pierce them with a fork).

My son (21) attends the Riverview School in Sandwich, MA and in his dorm, they cook dinner together most nights. He recently send me a picture of the roast vegetables he prepared for his dorm. If a bunch of young 20-something men can cook roast vegetables - and enjoy eating them - you can be pretty sure you can cook and enjoy them too.

A word about salt. Salt has a bad name, and part of that is well-deserved. If you look at the back of a can of soup, frozen dinner or many other prepared foods, the amount of salt per serving is shocking; sometimes as much as your entire recommended daily intake. However, when you cook food that is REAL (i.e. not manufactured), adding a bit of salt is often a crucial step for great flavor. So when you make this recipe, add more than a pinch; unless you're on a salt-restricted diet, it's not going to hurt you.

Here is a partial list of vegetables that taste great roasted:
  • Asparagus (snap off woody base of stem, usually about 1", and roast whole)
  • Beets (boil until the peel slips off and cut to 3/4" cubes)
  • Broccoli (break into equal sized florets, about 1")
  • Brussels sprouts (trim and halve, also see my recipe for brussels sprouts roasted with bacon)
  • Butternut squash (peel and cut into 3/4" cubes)
  • Carrots (cut into 1" pieces, peel if desired) 
  • Cauliflower (break into equal sized florets, about 1")
  • Garlic (peel and trim end but leave bulbs whole)
  • Onion (peel and cut into 3/4" pieces)
  • Parsnip (peel and cut into 3/4" pieces)
  • Potatoes (especially the waxier types such as red, blue or yukon gold; cut into 3/4" cubes)
  • Sweet Potatoes (peel and cut into 3/4" - 1" cubes; they cook more quickly than regular potatoes, so cut the sweet potatoes larger if roasting together)

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This technique is great for when you have guests; it looks elegant but is very simple (and if you are spending time on the main course, the veggies need to be quick and easy). Buy a few of the vegetables above, and wash, dry and cut them up. Put in a ziploc bag and toss with oil and salt up to 1 day in advance. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and 20 - 30 minutes before you plan to serve dinner, pour the vegetables from the bag onto a lined jellyroll pan in a single layer and slide them in. Remove when done, and pour into serving dish. The only caveat with this is that if you are using vegetables whose color might bleed (beets, red onions, multi-colored carrots), bag those separately. A beautiful array of roast vegetables is a dramatic and delicious add to any meal.

Another way to do this is on the grill. If you have a grill basket, you can use that, but if not, do what countless generations of scouts have done: roast them in a foil packet with a couple of holes punched on each side.

Here are some great combinations:
Asparagus, multicolored peppers and shallots (pictured before roasting below)
Potato, carrot and onion

Beets, white onion, butternut squash 
Butternut, carrot, parsnip and red onion
Sweet potato and white potato ("crazy taters")
Red, white and blue miniature potatoes (you can buy this mixture)

My personal favorites are asparagus, multi-colored carrots (just trim off the top) and broccoli. I have eaten an entire pound of asparagus prepared this way; ditto for farmstand carrots.
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If you've read this far, you've probably just spent more time reading than it would take you to prepare a pound of roast vegetables. With farmer's markets starting up (or having started if you live in a lovely warm place), there is no better way to celebrate each delicious bite. Buy a couple of interesting new vegetables - or even some reliable old ones - and give it a try. You won't be disappointed!

​​If you would like to see my recipes, tips and adventures in cooking every week go to www.ucancook.net and enter your email on the right side. Alternatively, email me at chrisd.williams@yahoo.com and I will set you up! For even more tips and techniques, follow You Can Cook on Facebook.
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Milkshakes for Breakfast?

4/14/2016

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I'm away this week, but wanted to share my new favorite smoothie...chocolate peanut butter cup.

Here are a few ways to make a smoothie breakfast almost as simple as grabbing a protein bar:
- Keep your ingredients together, like they are in my photo below.
- Make the ingredients easy to add: put a scoop in the flax seed, get honey that dispenses easily and buy some Trader Joe's organic peanut butter - stir it once and you can pour it from the jar.
- Find a blender with a frozen drink button; you can press it once and walk away.

If you've been having trouble getting your kids to eat breakfast, try giving them this peanut butter chocolate milkshake oops I mean smoothie. It makes one adult or two kid-sized servings. I probably don't know your children, but I would be quite surprised if they won't drink it.

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If you would like to see my recipes, tips and adventures in cooking every week go to www.ucancook.net and enter your email on the right side. Alternatively, email me at chrisd.williams@yahoo.com and I will set you up!
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doing less and making more - 3 recipes that are fresh and quick

11/3/2015

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Here in New England the leaves are turning quickly and the ground is littered with their beautifully colored refuse. The markets are full of fall squash, new crop apples and other culinary delights. But surrounded by piles of excess Halloween candy and a refrigerator full of party leftovers, I am much more interested in cleaning out than preparing new.

So how little effort can I expend and still make a fresh-tasting meal?

The least effort involves my freezer. I have an inviolable rule: I don't put it in unless I know I'll be delighted when I take it out. Beef Bourginon, excess strawberry buttercream or homemade Asian dumplings -- yes. Aging leftovers or dried out chicken -- no (unless I plan to feed the chicken to my dog, and then I mark it as such and throw it in - he will be delighted, I know). I see some delicious cauliflower cheese soup and my husband - who has a permanent pass on cauliflower due to a nasty college incident involving cauliflower and alcohol - is away this week, so there's a good possibility! Another nice go-to: cryovaced marinated meat for grilling. Because it is sealed in a vacuum, this meat can be stored in the freezer for much longer than traditional grocery-wrapped meat without loss of flavor, up to 6 months (3 months for hamburger). Thaw it using your microwave's defrost cycle - which really works - start the grill and with a sauteed veggie or over a salad - voila! Dinner. But if the freezer is bare, what other options are there?

Don't pick up the takeout menu yet, here are a couple of ideas!

Years ago, I signed up for an Italian cooking class, which was to include a meal. At the last minute, I could not attend and sent my husband. While he never got his meal (and came home extremely hungry - as an aside, who does a cooking class without a LOT of food???), he did bring home a recipe for red sauce that is so quick it takes almost no more time than opening a jar. Add in some sauteed sausage and a few veggies from the bottom of your produce bin, and with a bit of pasta, you have a real meal. The world's simplest recipe for red sauce is here.

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Another nice go-to is homemade mac and cheese with added peas or broccoli. There are many elaborate recipes for mac and cheese, but the simplest uses whatever pasta you have on hand, one onion, some butter, flour and milk and a bag of pre-grated cheese. It cooks in about 15 minutes (the time needed to boil water and cook your pasta) and it's a kid-friendly treat. The recipe is here.
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Finally, chicken soup is a very simple and fast meal. Saute a few veggies and use "Better than Bullion" to make 6 cups of chicken broth. Throw in fine pasta and leftover chicken and dinner is served; for heartier appetites, add extra chicken and pasta. The speed with which this soup cooks is limited only by the size of your carrot slices and noodles; the fine egg noodles that I like cook in just 3 minutes. If you prefer (or don't have any chicken or turkey on hand), you can use an egg for your protein instead. The recipe is here.

When I was first married, my husband and I used to love frozen Chicken Kiev - it was our go-to to-tired-to-cook meal. But increasingly, we realized that the chicken was not meat-like, and we were finding things in there that we didn't want to eat. We tried to upgrade by purchasing a better brand, but quite frankly pre-formed chicken is pre-formed chicken, and no manufacturer uses truly quality chicken to create chicken kiev. The recipes above are meals that come together in under 15 minutes but are fresh, tasty and real. Packaged food and takeout menus have a place in our lives, but if you're up for the challenge of just a couple of extra minutes, you won't be disappointed.

I'd love to hear from you - what is your favorite fresh and fast meal?? Do you do something special with those convenient and tasty grocery store roast chickens? Have a coucous or pasta favorite you'd like to share? Please comment below!

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Breakfast of Champions - on a Tuesday

10/6/2015

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There's a saying among architects and builders: "Good, Fast, Cheap - pick two" and there's some truth to that in cooking as well. Every food magazine on the newstand trumpets the need to use the "finest" ingredients at all times! Like all of us, I am constantly making tradeoffs.

However, all three of my favorite weekday breakfasts allow you to skirt the edges of this dictum. It's true that "fast" is in the eye of the beholder, but know that the more you cook, the faster you will be.

At this point, it's worth noting that I prefer a high-protein breakfast because - for me - eating more protein means that crazy famished hunger and foot-dragging mid-morning exhaustion are much less likely to occur. I'd also note that while I want to eat "healthy" food, I refuse to eat food I don't like. While a bowl of bran flakes and a banana would I guess be nutritious, I'm unwilling to choke them down - and fortunately, I don't have to.
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My go-to choice these days is a smoothie. Now, I am not a small eater (nor am I a small person), so this is not a few slices of fruit and some kale spun with skim milk and ice. No, my favorite smoothie is a delicious peanut butter milkshake with a solid 30+ grams of protein plus potassium, fiber, calcium and a bit of honey that will stave off hunger for the entire morning. You can make it in under three minutes and consume it during your morning commute. The ingredients, except the banana and milk, keep for quite a while and can be stored in the cabinet closest to your blender. The recipe for my delicious banana-peanut butter-honey smoothie is here.

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Next up: a veggie omelet that takes about 5 minutes to make and clean up, but it's so delicious! The ingredients are simple: eggs, feta (or if you prefer, cheddar), onion, red pepper and a bit of olive oil. Heat the oil while chopping the veggies; saute the veggies while beating your eggs. Scoop the sautéed filling onto your plate, pour the eggs into the pan, add cheese and your filling and cook until done. A good non-stick pan makes this easy, and you can practice tossing your ingredients like a chef! For kids, a 1-egg omelet (made in an 8" skillet) is a great way to start the day. Here's a photo of each step in the recipe.

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Finally, homemade granola with yogurt. To be fair, this is more about "good" and "cheap" than fast - but one recipe will keep you in delicious, healthy granola for a long time. I started my love affair with homemade granola at Whole Foods, where a carton containing just over a cup of granola retails for around $6 and was usually 1/2 gone by the time I got home from the grocery store. Even for a really tasty snack, this was unexpectedly expensive, so I decided to try to make my own. The recipe I've created is adaptable and allows you to use the nuts, fruit and other add-ins that you like best. If you prefer "good" and "fast", try the homemade granola at Whole Foods instead - it's the bomb.  But making your own is shockingly simple and you will be nibbling it right out of the pan. The recipe is here, and makes a solid three quarts for you to enjoy.

There are some amazing waffle, muffin and crepe recipes I can't wait to share with you, and for a truly special breakfast, try my apple pancake recipe here. But we live most of our lives during the week, and there's no reason that we can't eat well on those days too.

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Tame that Dragon: Dumping your Diet Soda Fix

2/18/2015

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"Rat Poison". That's how I described my daily Diet Dr. Pepper fix to my kids (who would eagerly steal any sip - or can - they could get their little hands on). I was drinking up to three of these time bombs a day, a relic of a high energy workplace with a giant refrigerator full of free soda. I left the job years ago, but the habit lingered on.

I read all the bad news about diet pop: it causes cancer, weight gain and migraines. But it was sooo delicious! I knew that if I wanted to kick the habit, I had to find something equally delicious to drink, preferably something that (a) I could afford to drink in quantity, and (b) wasn't unhealthy when consumed in said quantity.

After months of trial and error, I have three winning candidates! All are quick to make, delicious and will not send you to an early grave.
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The simplest is seltzer water with juice. Pour out or drink 1/4 of a can of seltzer and then re-fill the can with grapefruit, orange, cranberry or another juice, and you have a delicious soda substitute. Of course, add some vodka to that and you have an even more delicious adult beverage. Bonus health points for using juice with calcium!

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The next - requiring the use of a knife and cutting board - is cold water with fruit slices. Think of it like Sangria (again, with the alcohol...) with water instead of wine. I keep it in a quart mason jar stored in my refrigerator. Once you've cut the fruit, drink within 3 days. Fruits that work well include citrus, berries, melon and cucumber, a veggie that occasionally switches teams.

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Finally, a cold-brewed iced coffee with milk and a bit of sugar is a tasty treat. There are many ways to flavor your coffee including:
  • milk, sugar and vanilla,
  • homemade caramel sauce, and
  • Vietnamese style, with sweetened condensed milk and half and half.
Here is a great cold-brewed coffee recipe from Pioneer Woman as well as a photo of my go-to substitute, Dunkin decaf with extra milk and two pumps of caramel swirl.

These are my favorites, but I'm still new on this no-pop journey; if you'd care to share, please comment on your favorite soda sub!
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    Chris, cooking instructor, disability advocate and mom. Food geek and passionate believer in fresh, simple and homemade.

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    The typeface at the top of this page is Goudy Old Style, the same typeface used in my first copy of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. My copy is a successor of The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook, first published by Fanny Farmer in 1896. It was one of the first cookbooks to use the standard measures that are common today.