Seared Salmon with Brown Butter Cucumbers

Any recipe with 'brown butter' in the name is likely one I will make. It just makes food absolutely delicious! This recipe was no different and super easy.

I used Penzey's Florida Seasoned Pepper and Trinidad Garlic Marinade instead of regular salt and pepper. This was done in less than 30 minutes from start to finish (including dicing the cucumber) and is done in one dish. Pretty much the perfect weeknight meal!

Seared Salmon with Brown Butter Cucumbers-adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 2

• 2 salmon filets
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Season the salmon with salt a pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Cook until the foam subsides and the butter turns deep gold in color, about 2 minutes.

Add the salmon to the pan skin side up. Cook, without turning, for 2 minutes. Add the cucumbers and pinch of salt to the salmon turning to coat cucumbers with butter. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes or until underside of fish is golden brown. Turn the fish, add the garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes longer or until fish is cooked and flaky.

Fish with Honey and Balsamic Onions

I really want to cook fish on a regular basis. I've found swai fillets in the bag, and they taste just like halibut or any other white fish-and are slightly cheaper! Balsamic vinegar will always make a dish better for me.

Fish with Honey and Balsamic Onions-adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 4 whitefish fillets, such as halibut or swai
• Lemon pepper, to taste
• 2 small onions, quartered
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey

Season the fish with lemon pepper. In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme and salt. Cover and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes.

Uncover the pan, turn the onions, and continue to cook until they caramelize, about 3 minutes more. Add two tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the honey to the pan, let cook for about 20 seconds, then immediately transfer the onions to a bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan until very hot. Lower the heat to medium low, add the fish, and cook about 4 minutes a side. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar and remove to plates. Serve with onions.

Pot Roast with Lemon

I love pot roast. It's one of those things that I grew up with. My grandma would make it all the time, in an oven bag and make the absolute best gravy! I haven't gotten up the courage to make it that way yet, but I finally tried a roast outside of the crockpot!

The original recipe calls for lamb, but I'm not that fancy, so I stuck to a beef shoulder roast. I was a little worried when I first took the roast out of the oven that it wasn't going to cook long enough as it was still bloody. I ended up leaving it in another 25 minutes, instead of 15. It probably would've been fine at 15 minutes. The lemon flavor is great, but not over powering. The roast is a little dry, as they usually tend to be. But it was great with some gravy and mashed potatoes.

I forgot a picture. But I promise it was yummy looking!

Pot Roast with Lemon-adapted from "Cook This Now" by Melissa Clark
Total Time: 2 Hours
Serves 6

• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1-3 1/2-4 pound boneless beef shoulder roast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cups water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season the lamb with salt, pepper, and 2 cloves of garlic; refrigerate until ready to cook. Finely grate the zest of both lemons and reserve; juice the lemons.

Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe Dutch oven until almost smoking. Sear the roast in the oil until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour the lemon juice over the roast, and add enough water to cover about half the roast (about 2 cups). Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.

Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 45 minutes then turn the meat over in the pot, add remaining garlic, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in reserved lemon zest and continue to cook for 15 more minutes.