Anniversary Salmon

Salmon is my favorite food! For our first anniversary I made Myles a special invitation for a special dinner at the best restaurant in town (our kitchen). I gave him a few options of foods to choose from including steak and fried shrimp (both of which he LOVES) but he chose this instead! The first time I ever made it for him he thought he wouldn't like it because he had never really enjoyed salmon before, but he loved it! I think it's pretty delicious too! I got this recipe from my laurel advisor when I was about to graduate.

Teriyaki Brown Sugar Salmon

2 salmon fillets
1/4 c. soy sauce
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Montreal Chicken Seasoning (or other herbed spice)

In a large zip-lock bag, combine soy, brown sugar, and Montreal Chicken Seasoning, close bag, and mix well squishing it with your hand. Place salmon fillets in the marinade, and let sit for 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Cover broiler pan, or cookie sheet with foil, place broiler temp on low, and position oven rack right under the broiler. Broil salmon on each side for about 6-7 minutes, or until the thickest part of the fish flakes. Avoid turning the fish more than once, as it will fall apart. (Oven broilers vary, adjust cooking time/temp according to what you have)

Deep Chocolate Mint Cookies

This is my Mom's favorite Christmas cookie. One of the things she passed down to us kids is the love for the combination of chocolate and mint flavors! Thin mints (especially grasshopper cookies), mint Hershey's kisses, and these cookies are a few examples. We would go especially crazy at Christmas time by filling our stockings with lots of chocolate and mint combinations, with other candies too of course. :)

Deep Chocolate Mint Cookies 

1 1/2 C. (10 oz pck) Nestle's mint flavored semi sweet chips
1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C. butter or margarine
1/4 C. granulate sugar
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt 3/4 C morsels in small heavy saucepan over lowest heat, or microwave for 1 minute, stir then 10-20 seconds intervals, stirring until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter and sugars in small mixer bowl. Beat in egg, vanilla and melted chocolate. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in remaining morsels. Drop by rounded TBLS. onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven @ 350 F. for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan.

Ginger Bread Cookies

My grandmother would make these cookies for the grand kids at out family christmas party. They are so chewy and delicious! What a great Christmas tradition! I love that you can use honey instead of molasses because who keeps molasses on hand nowadays?

Ginger Bread Cookies

1/3 soft shortening
1 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C dark molasses or honey
2/3 C cold water
6-7 C sifted flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix dough and chill overnight. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Makes about 2-3 dozen.

Apple Nut Ring

I remember my mother making this for our family on holiday mornings. The smell of cinnamon and apples add a wonderful to the home as you are going through your morning. This recipe is quick and easy. If you don't have an apple-peeler-corer-slicer, just peel and core the apples with a vegetable peeler and thinly slice them. 

Apple Nut Ring
2 cans (8 oz each) pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
3/4 c. cinnamon sugar
1/4 c. raisins (optional)
2 granny smith apples
4 Tbls. margarine or butter softened
1/3 c. pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt margarine/butter and brush onto sides and bottom of round baking dish. Arrange 15 biscuits around outer edge of baking dish and overlap remaining in center. Peel core and slice apples with apple peeler corer slicer: cut each apple in half. Place 2 apple slices between each biscuit and all around the outer edge of the deep dish baker. Brush tops of biscuits and apples with margarine/butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Chop nuts and sprinkle over top. Mix raisins with remaining sugar and sprinkle over the top. Bake 25-30 minutes.