Baked Salmon

I am SO excited to be posting about this! Right now I haven almost 11 month old son. This son is seemingly always in an extreme Mama's Boy stage. Cooking dinner is almost always a challenge with him around (or really, looking in any direction but towards him is a challenge these days). I really really really wanted to make some salmon, but babysitting it with oil splattering around while my boy screamed "MAMAMAMAMAMAMAAAAA" in tears and pulling my pants down didn't seem worth it.

Thankfully I remembered seeing this idea somewhere on the interpin (my mash up of interweb and pinterest) and went on the hunt!

Wouldn't ya know it? Pioneer Woman. Duh. She basically just tosses the sucker in the oven. I figured I could do that just fine with a mini me-monster in the house. But then....what to season the salmon with?

Well don't you worry. After many many many many'o tests, I think I've found "it." THE flavor for salmon, if you will. 

 Click right here for my Garlic Bread recipe for the Garlic butter instructions (the BEST garlic butter ever...ever ever), because you'll be using that here, but adding some lemon juice into it.

Between that deliciousness, some kosher salt, pepper and a Garlic/Rosemary spice blend it was absolute perfection, especially with this cooking technique. Completely flawless!

You will need:

• Boneless, skinless salmon filets
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Garlic and Rosemary seasoning blend (I found mine at Sam's Club)
• Garlic butter
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with foil
• Place salmon filets onto the baking sheet
• Sprinkle with salt & pepper
• Add Garlic and Rosemary seasoning blend and lemon juice to the garlic butter
• Coat the salmon filets with the butter
• Put in a cold oven
• Turn oven on to 400*
• Set the timer for 25 minutes

The Best Corn on the Cob in the World

Our wonderful neighbors ran over some crab to us the other day that was super fresh. Don't you just love awesome neighbors? I do! Anyways, let me tell you something about this here corn.

IT IS THE BEST CORN ON THE COB YOU WILL EVER HAVE EVER EVER EVER.

Sure, you'll have to have some crab (or probably Lobster would do just fine) on hand to get it just right, but how is that a bad thing?

All of these ingredients were just tossed in and are all approximate. It seems a bit foolproof though. :)

I was a little sad that we didn't have any Old Bay Seasoning on hand, but after tasting the corn, I didn't miss it one bit. I'll still be tossing some in next time, though. Just to see! :)

What you will need:

• Crab or Lobster, cleaned and ready to boil
• 4-6 ears of corn, shucked and read to boil
• 1 big pot of boiling water
• 2 tsp. Creole Seasoning
• 1 T garlic salt
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 5 cloves of garlic, grated
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

• Put all seasonings into boiling water
• Boil your crab or lobster
• After crab or lobster is done, place corn in the boiling water
• Let them boil for about 8 minutes
• Smother them in butter and EAT 

Easy Delicious Shrimp

I grew up going to Sizzler as a reward. It was considered a "fancy" restaurant. Everyone remember the line from The Brady Bunch when the dad says, "Get on your Sunday best, kids! We're goin' to SEARS!" Yeah, that's pretty much how it was for us and Sizzler.

I've been in love with their shrimp for a million years. When I moved to Portland I was lucky enough to find a Sizzler...only to find out that they do exactly NOTHING the same. It was so disappointing I almost started yelling at people.

So here I sit, stuck without a Sizzler. I went to Sizzler the last time I went home to visit and I'm pretty sure I teared up from how much I loved it.

Anyways, I never asked how they made their shrimp, so I clearly don't know, but I decided to try it out with Lowry's Seasoning Salt. I think that it's either that or Old Bay, but at this point in time, Lowry's is totally working for me. Luckily this recipe makes it easy for you to sub the seasoning for whatever you want! I paired this up with pumpkin mashed potatoes and a salad, but someday I'll figure out a good rice recipe to go with it!

What you will need:

• 2 T butter
• 1 lb. medium shrimp (not frozen)
• Lowry's seasoning salt

Directions:

• Remove shells from the shrimp (you can keep the tails on, but I found it easier to de-vein the shrimp with the tails off)
• De-vein the shrimp (this is not 100% necessary.......if you don't mind eating shrimp poop.)
• Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towel
• Melt butter in large sauce pan
• Place shrimp in the pan and sprinkle the top side with Lowry's seasoning salt
• Flip shrimp over after about 2 minutes tops
• Sprinkle other side with Lowry's seasoning salt
• Cook shrimp for another minute or two (shrimp will be done once it starts to turn pink)

Rough River Clam Chowder: From The Roof Restaurant in Salt Lake City

If you love Clam Chowder as much as I do, this is a must! I have tried many many many many many clam chowders in my day; seaside and all. This is the best copycat and it is served at The Roof Restaurant in Salt Lake City from Pedro Mauricio, Executive Chef.
It's a bit spicy because it doesn't call for a specific amount of Creole Seasoning. The amount used in this recipe is my personal preference and you're welcome to use more or less.

What you will need:

• 1/2 lb. bacon
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 C carrots
• 1 C Vegetable Stock
• 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 C Heavy Cream
• 3 6.5 oz. clams (The first time I made this I just used 2 6.5 oz clams and I added more this time around. I liked it better with more but it's up to you)
• green onions, diced
• 1 T Creole seasoning + to taste

Directions:

• In large pan, cook bacon until crispy

• Once it's crispy, crumble and set aside to use later; do not drain the grease out of the pan
• Add minced onions and carrots to the grease

• Let the onions and carrots get tender (once the carrots have softened I use my spatula to cut them in half. I don't like spoon fulls of massive carrots)
• Once they're tender, add in your diced potatoes and 1 C vegetable stock

• Bring to a boil
• Turn heat down and let simmer for about 4 minutes
• Pour in 3 C of Heavy Cream and bring to a boil
• Let simmer until potatoes are soft; about 15 minutes. (You will know the potatoes are soft when you can stab one with a fork and it slides off as you pull the fork up)

• Add your crumbled bacon, clams and 1 T Creole seasoning

• Let it simmer about 3 or 4 more minutes
• Top with green onions and sprinkle some more Creole Seasoning on top