Cold Cravings

Autumn is approaching, but in Arizona, it never comes soon enough. The summers run hot and long, which can leave a girl craving the things that come along with cooler weather. Things like sweaters, blankets, rain, scarves, tweeded wool and cold weather culinary fare become almost exotic. It is near September and the temperatures are slowly beginning to cool, making some of the Fall foods accessible.When I think of Fall, one of the first foods that comes to mind is mashed potatoes!What's a more Autumnal food than a root vegetable? Yes, you can get them year round, but mashed potatoes are usually served alongside something roasted and savory like a meat loaf, pot roast, ham or a turkey-not exactly summer fare. I paired my mashed potatoes with oven roasted salmon with tasty results.

Salmon is fantastic for you. It is high in omega 3 fatty acids. In fact, salmon has the highest content of omega 3's of any cold-water fish. Salmon is a low-mercury fish, making it a safer choice than many other fish choices, especially for pregnant and nursing women. The high DHA levels make it a great choice for women with a bun in the oven because it helps with fetal brain development which makes for smart, healthy babies! Even the famous Dr. Perricone touts the many bennies of eating salmon in his books and PBS specials. Bears also really like salmon. Just sayin'. Enough about why y'all should eat salmon. Let's get cookin'!

Do the mashed potato! Do the fish!

Oven Roasted Salmon with Lemon and Dill

 One fillet of salmon, de-boned and skin removed
Two cloves of garlic, finely minced
Juice of  two fresh lemons
Zest of two fresh lemons
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill or 1 Tbsp dry dill
Three Tbsp. Butter (or Earth Balance-it's a great substitute)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Juice lemons, remove seeds and pour over salmon in baking dish. The citric acid with begin to 'cook' the salmon and will also add lots of flavor the longer it's there. Sprinkle the fish with the garlic and dill. Plop three tbsp. butter on top, salt (if desired), crack some pepper on top and bake for twenty minutes (maybe longer, if needed). The salmon should be slightly firm, opaque and flaky when it's done or you can use a meat thermometer. 160 degrees is the magic number.

Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes

3-4 Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cubed
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp. butter

Add potatoes to a pot of boiling water, reduce heat to a low boil. Leave potatoes be for about 20 minutes or so. They should be tender to the fork, if too firm-boil longer. Hard potatoes make for lumps. It's better to boil too long than not long enough. When finished boiling, drain potatoes and either return to pan or place in large bowl. Add all other ingredients and get to mashin'! I use a hand masher, but you can also whip with a hand mixer if preferred.

If  cooked simultaneously, the fish and potatoes will both be piping hot at the same time. Perfecto! You can serve with any salad or veggie. Broccoli and asparagus are faves at our house. Enjoy your salmon and mashed potatoes!