Travel: Oregon- Day 2

Today, our day started with coffee and a light breakfast from Bread and Ocean. Then we went back to our room and prepared to hike Neahkahnie Mountain. Now, I have to tell you I woke up around 6am, thinking about mountain lions. It led me to Google them in order to be more prepared for our hike. I don't know the reason for my paranoia, other than I think I had a memory from a Today Show segment about mountain bikers who were attacked in California.
Well, the hike turned out to be quite beautiful. The trail was easy to follow, surrounded by luscious greenery. The towering pine trees were both eerie and stunning. The eeriness came from the paranoia of what else could be out there, mountain lion, bear, etc. I kept telling Brian to make noise, just in case.
We get to the top, and the view was amazing. We were aligned with the tips of the pines, and the ocean was only 1,680 feet below us. Unfortunately, the view wasn't as clear as we hoped. We had about a two second view of the coastline, then the clouds took over and left us only with the sounds of the waves. We looked south and thought, let's check out the view from there.
As we climbed up that part of the mountain I was a little over the experience. The entire hike up, anxiety was high- I kept looking over my shoulder and beyond the forest for any "dangerous, hungry animals," so, yeah, I was ready to hike down and sit in the comfort of our car. As we approached the peak of the other part of the mountain, Brian looks out and stops. He hesitates for about two seconds, then looks at me with a very serious face and says, "um, let's go. I just saw..." and he stops.
At that point I figured out what he wanted to state, so I obeyed his direction. My heart was beating 20 times more than it had already been beating from the earlier paranoia, but now it was real. I turn around and nearly lost it. Brian worked to calm me down, "Don't freak out. Stay focused and work your way down, the same way we came up." I was FREAKING out!!!! To myself I was thinking holy crap, we actually came across a freaking mountain lion. My heart was pounding through my chest, and all I could think was, "Damn, I thought I was just being the usual paranoid person I am in unfamiliar environments. But now it is real."
Thankfully, I had Googled mountain lions and knew what to do: make noise and be big. Brian and I hiked down the trail singing, shaking keys, tapping rocks together, anything to make our presence known. Needless to say, we made it down just fine. Brian finally told me what he saw and how. Apparently, the cat heard us as we approached the top and started his escape. Brian saw his tail about 50 feet below, as he elegantly pranced away from us. We assumed it was a mountain lion, but figured out it must have been a bobcat (Brian saw more spots on his tail), but really what's the difference. Anyway, we were both really shaken. The funny part was as we told a few locals about our experience all said they hadn't ever come across mountain lions, bobcats or even bears. "It's rare," they said. Well, isn't that special?!

Travel- Oregon: Day 1

Day 1, Brian and I arrived in Portland, grabbed our Avis rental car and headed west. Our first stop is Manzanita, OR, a small coastal town along the 101. The drive down presented breathtaking views, so great it reminded us to sign up for the Big Sur marathon.
We have settled in a cute little cabin-style hotel, Coast Cabins. With the bamboo and trees it feels tucked away into the forest, even though it is right off the main road of town. The beach is a short walk through town. We have explored a little, taking a walk down the main road and stopping at the local pub for Oregon's microbrews and a light seafare snack.
Our cabin home has a great fire pit set-up, so we enjoyed a glass of wine around it, warming up from the chilly, damp weather. For dinner we went to a local cafe, Terra Cotta Cafe. Reservations are a must because they only have room for limited seatings. We enjoyed homemade breadsticks and to start peaches wrapped in prosciutto, grilled and topped with feta cheese. It was a nice surprise- the sweetness from the white peaches added with the saltiness of the prosciutto and feta made for a perfect summer appetizer. For our entrees I had the linguine in clam sauce, and Brian ordered salmon cooked in parchment paper. My dish was OK- I found I had to keep adding salt for taste. On the other hand Brian's fish was moist and tasty. We ended the evening by the fire and were in bed by 10pm. The time zone finally got to us.

Cooking: Weekday Recipes, Around 500 Calories Each

How often do you go to the store without a clue as to what to cook and find yourself buying a bunch of groceries you never use?  Well, that is me.  I think to myself, if I have onions, canned tomatoes, garlic, then I can make something tasty with a meat.  Then I buy 4-5 vegetables thinking it would go well with whatever meat I would make.  Anyway, I basically walk the store and think as I go, which sometimes works, but mostly at the end of the week I end up with a trash full of wasted food.  

So, when I was reading my Fitness magazine and found a section within it that offered meals around 500 calories and mentioned the recipes were good for the waistline I was intrigued!   The seven recipes actually looked decent, and it allowed me to cook something different, rather than the same old meals I create with my mix-bag of groceries.  I even did a nice job planning it and shopped only for 3 meals per week.  The other issue is about mid-week Brian and I get cabin fever and must go out to eat.  Over a two-week timeframe we made 6 of the 7 recipes, and were pleasantly surprised with all of the dishes.  Therefore, for those of you who find yourselves bored with the same old recipes or unsure what to cook next, I thought I would share our experience with the six recipes and perhaps you, too, will be intrigued.       

RECIPES, Courtesy of Fitness magazine (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/you-can-do-it/500-calorie-dinner-recipes/)

Eggplant Parmesan Pasta

A few weeks ago Brian made the best Eggplant Parmesan I have ever had.  He fried it in a skillet, so of course, the little fat was tasty.  However, the following recipe is baked, and it was still good.  The panko gave it the texture and crunchy bite you want in Eggplant Parmesan without the guilt.  We made our own marinara, which isn’t part of the article’s directions.  I can send you a recipe if you would like one.  

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat 1 egg. Dip two 1/2-inch-thick eggplant slices in egg, coat with 2 tablespoons panko, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, mist with nonstick cooking spray and bake 10 minutes a side. Meanwhile, cook 2 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta. Toss pasta with 1/2 cup warmed marinara and top with baked eggplant, 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves, and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.

Orange Chicken with Asparagus

With this recipe the sauce is very tasty.  We didn’t include the sesame seeds because I was in a rush and couldn’t find them at the store.  I would suggest more patience than myself and make sure you include it in the recipe.  The sesame seeds would have given the dish a nice bite.  Even without it, though, we were pleased.  

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté 4 ounces chicken, sliced into 1/2-inch strips; 1 minced garlic clove; and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 7 minutes. Add 2 cups chopped asparagus and cook 3 minutes more. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, and juice and zest of 1 orange. Add to skillet and cook 1 minute. Serve over 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.

Forgot I took this picture-- would have looked prettier with sesame seeds :)

Guacamole Burger

OK, I have never heard of broiled burgers, even though Brian asked if I paid attention to Burger King commercials, where they used to brag about their broiled technique.  Eh, well.  Nevertheless, broiled burgers weren’t too bad.  The fat seems to settle on the pan, rather than your tummy, and it still left a decently juicy patty. 

Directions:    

Preheat the broiler. Mix 4 ounces lean ground beef with 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro; form into a patty and broil 4 minutes a side. Place patty on bottom half of a whole wheat hamburger bun and top with 1/4 cup guacamole, 1 tomato slice, and top half of bun. Serve with 1 cup cubed watermelon.

Cajun Shrimp with Polenta

Overall, this dish was fairly simple, quick to assemble and make.  

Directions:

Whisk 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal into 3/4 cup boiling water. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, whisking frequently; remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan and set polenta aside. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1/2 cup frozen corn, and 1/2 cup black beans; cook 6 minutes more. Add 12 large cooked shrimp and sauté until warmed through. Serve over polenta.

Potato Nachos

The recipe calls for ground turkey, so I bought ground turkey, even though I know Brian hates anything ground, unless it is BEEF.  But I thought, too bad.  We are sticking to the 500 calories, flat belly recipe.  Needless to say, Brian was very apprehensive and made sure he was the one to cook and season the meat, so he could bear to eat it.  With the ground turkey it wasn’t too bad, and Brian would admit it now.  However, we made it, again, last week, and this time with ground beef--  yes, Brian is right- beef is better.  But the turkey is OK, too, so if you are not as picky as he, then stick to the recipe’s ingredients.  You shouldn’t be disappointed.  

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1 medium potato into 8 wedges, place on a baking sheet, mist with nonstick cooking spray and bake 30 minutes, flipping once. In a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté 3 1/2 ounces lean ground turkey, 3 tablespoons water, and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning 8 minutes. Top potatoes with cooked turkey, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, 1 cup shredded romaine, 1/2 cup diced tomato, 1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt, and 1 thinly sliced scallion

Tortilla-Crusted Salmon with Santa Fe Rice

When my mother was up to visit, we made the fish and were all pleasantly surprised.  I have never used corn chips as a batter, and yes, it is indeed made of corn, so why shouldn’t it taste similar to corn meal?  It was really good.  The salmon was moist, and the chips provided the fried texture without the calories.  Do you notice a theme here?  Healthy, fake frying can be good.  

Directions:  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crush 4 tortilla chips in a ziplock bag. Beat 1 egg. Dip one 4-ounce salmon fillet in egg and coat with crushed tortilla chips. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons canned chopped green chilies, 2 cups diced bell pepper, and 1/2 cup cooked brown rice 5 minutes; stir in 1 tablespoon each chopped cilantro and lime juice. Serve with salmon.

Cooking: Italy versus Spain Euro Cup- An Italian and Spanish Influenced Dinner

Today Italy played Spain in the Euro Cup, and Spain beat Italy by 4 goals to zero.  In an effort to celebrate both countries we decided to create a dinner with each of their culinary influences in mind. We looked to two of our favorite cook books, Tapas and My Calabria, and put together what turned out to be a terrific Sunday dinner with family.      

The Menu:

Our usual, cheese and meat plate, olives

Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Crab Salad, Tapas

Branzino Sotto Sale (Whole Salt-Baked Red Snapper), My Calabria

Potato Croquettes, The Cooking Channel's David Rocco of Dolce Vita

Garlic Tomatoes, Tapas

And to drink...

Prosecco

Rose Malbec, one from Argentina, another from France

The sweet peppers stuffed with crab was a nice little party in the mouth.  I mean, it required crab meat, cream cheese and roasted red bell peppers, so how could it taste bad? Seriously though, the sweet pepper had a spicy bite that came after the crab mix hit your pallet, which made for an interesting flavor twist.  Something worth noting is the Tapas book is a sweet little secret.  I have tried many of its recipes, and it provides perfect dishes for parties or small dinners.       

Most of the time I would have saved something like a fish dish for later in the course line-up, but I was nervous.  It was my first time to prepare salt fish, which meant I had to pay very close attention to the recipe.  And as much as I enjoy My Calabria cookbook, it doesn't provide easy to follow recipes.  For an impatient cook like myself, the book can be overwhelming.  It requires reading paragraphs to understand the directions.  Therefore, in order to limit mistakes I wanted to work on it early in the preparation process.  Now, I must say it was one of the best forms of fish I have had.  The salt crust in which the fish cooked created a moist, melt in your mouth delight.  Highly recommend you try the recipe.  

Next up were the Potato Croquettes.  Since my very first trip to Spain I have fallen hard for the crunchy, yet gooey Tapa, called Croquettes.  Croquettes made of anything cannot be missed.  They are definitely a little fried taste of heaven.  It leaves a very warm feeling in your soul.  Interesting enough the recipe comes from an Italian cook on the Cooking Channel, David Rocco of Dolce Vita, so the dish is Italian-inspired, rather than Spanish.  However, it makes no difference.  The Potato Croquettes with mozzarella cheese in the middle provided a texture we surely welcomed within the courses.  

Lastly, we served Garlic Tomatoes, which were definitely the easiest recipe to prepare.  If you have roasted anything, then you can do this recipe with your eyes closed.  The difference was the thyme, which even after it was removed, added a fabulous aromatic bite to the tomatoes.       

To finish, brownies.  Thankfully, my sister-in-law brought brownies because after the four courses we were exhausted.  We planned to slice peaches, seasoned with cinnamon and sugar, saute and add whip cream, but we will have to save it for another day.  

Overall, it was a terrific meal shared with family, even though, to our dismay, Italy lost.  Our friends and family are always our guinea pigs, and for it we are thankful.  We love trying new recipes and expanding our comfort levels with various cuisines, so hopefully you may do the same.  Xing, Xing!!

Lucy is waiting for us to turn our backs...

The Red Snapper ready to be stuffed with herbs, lemon and garlic and rubbed with olive oil

The cooked salt fish

The fish after the salt layer was cracked away and meat removed

The fish served, --and the salmoriglio also made for a great dip for the bread

The Sweet Peppers

Potato Croquette, a Spanish aioli sauce would be a nice addition

Garlic Tomatoes 

Tomatoes served-- since it is summer I went for a variety of tomatoes

THE RECIPES

Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Crab Salad, Tapas

Ingredients:

Jar of Roasted Sweet Peppers

Fresh chopped parsley

Crab Salad

8.5 ounces of crabmeat 

1 red bell pepper, broiled, peeled and chopped

2 T of fresh lemon juice

1 cup of cream cheese

salt and pepper

Directions:

First make crab salad.  Pick over the crabmeat and remove any bits of shells. Put half the crabmeat in a food processor with the prepared red bell pepper, 1.5 T of the lemon  juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Process until well blended, then transfer to a bowl.  Flake and stir in the cream cheese and remaining crabmeat.  Taste and add extra lemon juice, if required.  

Pat the sweet peppers dry and scoop out any seeds that remain in the tips.  Place crab mixture in Ziploc bag, cut a hole and squeeze it into each sweet pepper.  Arrange on serving dish, then cover and let chill until ready to serve.  Just before serving, sprinkle the stuffed peppers with chopped parsley.   

Branzino Sotto Sale (Whole Salt-Baked Red Snapper), My Calabria-- NOTE: I halved the recipe and only prepared a 3 lb fish; ( http://www.calabriafromscratch.com/?page_id=1536)

Ingredients

• For the fish
• 2 whole fresh striped bass (each about 3 lbs.; see Notes), cleaned and scaled, fins trimmed and tails trimmed to 1 in.
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh oregano
• 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 pounds Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see Notes)

• 8 large egg whites
• For the salmoriglio
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 2 small fresh or dried hot red chiles, such as peperoncini or Thai, minced or sliced

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Move rack to middle of oven. Stuff cavity of each fish with herb sprigs and slices of lemon and garlic, dividing evenly. Coat fish with olive oil.

2. In a very large bowl, combine salt with egg whites and 2 cups water. Mix with your hands, then add in another 2 cups water, mixing, until the salt feels like moist sand (you may need a little more water).

3. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with 1/2 in. of the salt mixture. Arrange the two fish nose to tail on the salt, leaving at least 1 1/2 in. space between them. Cover each with an even 1/2-in. layer of salt mixture, patting to adhere (no part of fish should remain exposed) and leaving a crevice between the fish so they cook evenly. Bake 30 minutes, or until salt crust is very pale gold and hard to the touch, like ceramic.

4. Meanwhile, make sauce: Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry (but not more than 2 hours ahead or the herbs will lose their fresh taste).

5. Working with one fish at a time, tap hard salt crust with a small hammer or meat mallet to crack it. Lift off chunks of crust and brush any remaining salt off fish (a pastry brush is useful here).

6. With a large fork, carefully peel back skin, starting at spine and working toward belly. Lift off chunks of meat with fork and transfer to a platter. Lift out skeleton with the head attached and discard. With fork, transfer the rest of the meat to the platter.

7. Repeat dismantling of salt crust and filleting with remaining fish, adding meat to the platter. Serve with dressing spooned over top and more served on the side.

Potato Croquettes, The Cooking Channel's David Rocco of Dolce Vita, (http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/potato-croquette-recipe/index.html)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs

• 1 mozzarella ball, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until fork tender, and let cool for 20 minutes. 

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes. (For a creamier texture, use a potato ricer.) Add the Parmigiano cheese, chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Add one egg and mix well, until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. 

Grab a handful of mashed potatoes and press into logs that are 1 1/2-inches thick by 3 inches long. With your finger, create an indentation in the middle of the log and add a slice of mozzarella. Close up the logs and make sure the mozzarella is fully covered. Reshape if necessary. 

For the batter, dip potato logs in a beaten egg and cover with breadcrumbs. 

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F. 

Fry in the oil in batches until the potato croquettes are crispy and golden brown. 

Let drain on a paper towel lined plate, and serve warm.

Garlic Tomatoes, Tapas       

Ingredients:

8 deep red tomotoes

3 fresh thyme sprigs

12 garlic cloves

2-3 T of olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half, length-wise and arrange, cut-side up, in a single layer in a large oven proof dish.  Tuck the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves between them.

Drizzle olive oil all over the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Bake in the preheated over 40-45 minutes or until tomatoes are softened and beginning to char slightly around the edges.  

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.  Season the tomatoes to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with extra thyme sprigs and serve hot or warm.  Squeeze the pulp from the garlic over the tomatoes at the table.