When life gives you lemons . . .

make a delicious dinner!

Dinner tonight- salmon baked in foil and lemony rice. Yum!

I'm trying to clean out my pantry and freezer, so I've been brainstorming on some recipes that will use up all those staples that seem to multiply while you have them stored. For example, I have about 4 or 5 different types of opened, partially used rice- brown rice, instant rice, texmati rice, risotto, etc. Several months back, we also purchased a huge (3 lb.) bag of salmon fillets from Sam's and I'm pretty sure we have had salmon one time. So that's how this dinner came about! As always, this is really easy to make!

Salmon with Lemon

(I adapted this recipe from Food Network)

2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2-3 tablespoons cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
several sprigs of dill
4 lemon slices (about 1 lemon)
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/4 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
2 pieces of aluminum foil

Brush top and bottom of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper. Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the each piece of salmon with dill, 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of wine. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets.


Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon. Serve in the foil packets.

OR


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 12-17 minutes (depending on size of salmon). I went with this option- it seemed easiest!

Lemony Rice

(original recipe here)

1 cup Uncle Ben's Converted Rice (not instant)
2 T olive oil (or 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil)
1 tsp. salt
3 T lemon juice (or more)
3 C chicken stock
Lemon zest

Use a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. Saute rice in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add salt and lemon juice and zest and saute 1 minute more. Add chicken stock carefully so it doesn't splash up on you, let it come to a boil, reduce heat to the lowest you can get it and still keep the liquid boiling and cook 30 minutes without peeking at all.

After 30 minutes you are allowed to peek to see if all the liquid is absorbed. If not cook a few more minutes until it has. I find it usually takes 35 minutes, but I can't keep myself from peeking after 30 minutes.

E’s Notes:

• If you don’t have 3 cups of chicken stock, you can use a combo of chicken stock and water- it just has more flavor with more chicken stock.
• When I first started making this rice, I had an issue with the rice getting really brown on the bottom (i.e. burning). Now, as soon as I see the chicken stock/water slightly start bubbling, I turn another burner on low heat and get it warmed up. Then, when it’s boiling, I move it to the burner on low. You probably won’t have this issue if you have a gas stove.

I gave Ivy some of the lemony rice and she loved it! She literally licked the bowl clean!!! Don't you wish that everyone could see you through the eyes of your dog?!?!