A fishy New Year's resolution
- Published on Monday, 28 December 2015 00:06
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Do you think that all New Year's resolutions are a bit fishy? Perhaps you're suspicious of the fads that appear each January, offering us the latest in fitness and diet trends that promise a slimmer you in the year to come. This year, instead of focusing on weight loss, why not resolve to try a tried and true resolution that will mean truly better overall health for you and your family --
What to do with all those holiday leftovers
- Published on Friday, 25 December 2015 00:30
- Hits: 2418
The food cooked during the holidays is often enough to feed an army. Too often, hosts and hostesses prepare and serve much too much food, only to find themselves left with a refrigerator full of leftovers when guests don't eat as much as hosts had suspected.
Buffet Entertaining Tips and Timesavers
- Published on Wednesday, 23 December 2015 00:00
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Buffet-style meals are often the best option for large gatherings of friends and family. Space constraints can make it difficult to sit everyone down for a formal meal, and buffets enable guests to mingle with one another while selecting only the foods they want to eat.Do's and Don'ts of Holiday Office Parties
- Published on Monday, 21 December 2015 00:53
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With holiday office parties happening all over the country, now is a great time to go over some do's and don'ts for employees hoping to have a good time ... but not too good of a time.
The Do's
Do attend the party. Even though the holiday season is the busiest of the year for many people, time must be made to attend the office holiday party. Declining the invitation can imply an individual doesn't care about the company or his or her coworkers.
Impressive holiday entertaining with Atlantic salmon
- Published on Wednesday, 16 December 2015 00:31
- Hits: 2120
With the holiday season approaching again, our thoughts turn to entertaining friends and family over mouth-watering food and a bit of the bubbly. And while in hindsight we often remember the best of the season the good cheer, relaxed atmosphere and delighted taste buds we too often forget the stress and preparation that come before a holiday party at home.
Many hosts decide it's just not worth it, preparing for a party by shopping, cooking and decorating comes atop many other priorities this time of the year, like shopping for gifts, attending holiday events and visiting with friends and family.
The secret to success can be found in having a plan and serving impressive dishes that are deceptively simple to prepare. High-impact dishes featuring fresh local Atlantic salmon are a great way to limit your time in the kitchen yet still delight your guests with exciting dishes.
"What you really want is a dish that appears complex, but that you can put together quite quickly in the kitchen," says Holly Clegg, author of the popular trim&TERRIFIC cookbook series. "The less time you spend in the kitchen, the better, and using fresh Atlantic salmon from the Gulf of Maine is sure to be as visually appealing as it is delightful to taste."
Planning ahead can mean doing your cleaning and decorating in the days leading up to your event. You can also purchase a lot of the necessary groceries ahead of time. True North salmon is known to be top-tier fresh, so you don't need to wait to purchase it at the last minute.
"Atlantic salmon is really the simple choice," says Clegg. "When you purchase fresh Atlantic salmon from the Gulf of Maine, you're getting fish that are up to a week fresher than those from Europe, and you can really taste the difference. One of the best ways to ensure an impressive meal when entertaining is to use only the freshest of ingredients."
Clegg also suggests using recipes that can be prepared ahead of time. "For an appetizer, Cold Poached Salmon with Dill Dijon Sauce, is a make-ahead and simple recipe that will wow your company anytime. The dill dijon sauce is so good you could eat it with a spoon."
For another party appetizer, Clegg suggests using fresh Atlantic salmon to whip up wonderful miniature salmon cakes with horseradish caper sauce. "You can make patties ahead of time, refrigerate, and cook before using. It's so good," says Clegg. "For another twist, turn your salmon cakes in to salmon sliders by placing on a bun."
While easy and impressive, you'll also feel good about the nutritional quality of the salmon you serve. Atlantic salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, a source of antioxidants and an excellent source of proteins.
Cold Poached Salmon with Dill Dijon Sauce
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 (2-pound) fresh True North Atlantic salmon fillet
Dill Dijon Sauce (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In a large poacher or pan, combine water, wine, carrot, celery, onion, and peppercorns. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Add salmon fillet. Cover and cook over low heat until salmon is done, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Cool the salmon in its stock. When cool, remove salmon from stock and remove skin from salmon; chill for several hours or overnight. Serve with Dill Dijon Sauce (see recipe below).
Dill Dijon Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
11/2 tablespoons white vinegar
11/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried dill weed leaves
Instructions
- In small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Refrigerate before serving; it's best if refrigerated overnight.
Nutritional information per serving
Calories 164, Protein (g) 20, Carbohydrate (g) 11, Fat (g) 3, Calories from Fat (%) 18, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fibre (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 48, Sodium (mg) 146. Diabetic Exchanges: 2.5 very lean meat, 0.5 starch.
Miniature Salmon Cakes with Horseradish Caper Sauce
Makes about 1 dozen miniature patties
Ingredients
11/4 pounds True North Atlantic salmon fillets, skinned
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed leaves
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Horseradish Caper Sauce (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Trim salmon, cut into 2-inch cubes; place in food processor or chop finely by hand. Add onion, mayonnaise, dill weed, breadcrumbs, mixing well. Season to taste will salt and pepper.
- Shape salmon mixture into miniature patties.
- Heat on-stick skillet, brown patties over high heat for 1 minute. Lower heat, continue cooking for a few minutes; turn over, continue cooking 3 more minutes, or until salmon is done. Do not overcook. Serve with Horseradish Caper Sauce.
Horseradish Caper Sauce
Ingredients
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon capers, drained
Instructions
- In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories 212, Protein (g) 21, Carbohydrate (g) 10, Fat (g) 10, Calories from Fat (%) 41, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fibre (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 55, Sodium (mg) 377. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 0.5 starch
