I HEART Heat & a New Post @DoTellMel

(If you're interested in my Living La Vida DIVA series, go here for a new post.)

(photo by Linda Charlene.)

I HEART Heat but If You Can't Take The Heat, Then I Have Another "Season"ing For You!

I don't know what it is with me and spicy food but I like it! A friend of mine from back in the college day, paid me a visit a couple of weeks ago.

She reminded me of our "runs to the border" when I would order extra jalapenos on my nachos. She laughed about how I ate with one hand and wiped the sweat beading over my lip with the other. Yeah...that was pretty.

One of our sister-bloggers actually tried my recipe for Chipotle Roast. This was a seasoning idea I came up with when I didn't want to make a run to Publix for my usual ingredients for my crock pot roast.


Then I gave you my favorite Jalapeno Cornbread recipe. Today I share one of my favorite simple dinners. And yes, there is some heat involved. Thanks for asking.




A simple dinner we enjoy is: baked salmon, roasted potatoes and sauteed green beans.


Each dish utilizes this heart healthy oil:


Have I ever told you that I sometimes use evoo to remove my make-up? Does anyone else do this?


Roasted potatoes - Rinse/scrub and either cube or slice them like fries.


Drizzle w/evoo and shake your favorite seasoning on them. I use either an Italian blend by McCormick or Alessi's dipping seasoning. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes depending on the size of your cubes/slices. I always use my Pampered Chef jelly roll pan for this.

Salmon fillets - I like the Atlantic Salmon center cut fillets from Sam's Club. They are flash frozen and vacuumed sealed (6 oz. fillets individually packaged). Thaw them, drizzle with evoo and squeeze fresh lemon juice on each fillet. HERE COMES THE HEAT. I like them seasoned with Tony Chachere's creole seasoning.


But as an alternative to the spicy creole seasoning, you can season them with dill and lay thinly sliced lemons over the top. This is good, too.

Lately I have been using a cedar plank to bake salmon. Here's a cool link to learn about cedar planks.I got mine in the seafood department at the grocery store. I soak it for an hour, pat it dry and oil it lightly with olive oil. I sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top and put it in the oven on a jelly roll pan to heat on its own for 5-10 minutes. Removing the hot plank, I lay the salmon directly on it.
I like to start the potatoes first, then 15 minutes later I have the salmon ready to go into the oven. They both bake up nicely at 375 and are finished at the same time.


Green Beans - I like the Birds Eye whole green beans from the freezer section.

Using my green pan, I add my beans and a little water. This goes on at med - high heat. Stop before they are too soft. I drain any remaining water then add evoo and roasted garlic (about 1 tsp.). Saute til beans are done.

This is where I like to do the chef thing and toss the green beans. Try it. It's fun. Impress your dog! Our pup likes to watch me cook.


Add your favorite rolls or garlic bread. I cut calories by omitting bread when I have potatoes or pasta.

Do you know about the green pan? It's the only non-stick pan I'll use. Do you use a cedar plank? If so, will you share your recipe?

Any other Tony Chachere fans out there?



Another update: I have decided to go beyond my 21 day goal of no sugar, no sweetener. And I haven't had Mr. Chips in 10 days! I've lost 3 pounds. So it's all good! And SWEET!