Bless My Heart I Married A Yankee

Scott and I started making  cured salmon a few months back.  It was always something on my to-do list, but I just never got around to doing it.  Believe it or not, I am scared of the unknown.  So, I was a bit apprehensive to go out on my own and spend that kind of money and just maybe fail at it.  That is why when Scott decided one Saturday to make some I was ecstatic.  He really took over that one and made it his own.  I helped but it was all his baby.   Scott has been picking on me and telling me, you know you can do this yourself.  I told him a few days ago, I know I can and plan on doing it soon without his help and all on my own.  I told him I had been exploring various recipes and I think I had come up with a version of one I wanted to make.  You guys know me, I research then come up with something a bit different than the recipes online.  I am lucky, so far, I have not failed too many times. Salmon is by far one of my favorite fish.  However, if you do not know what

Since making this post, I have purchased 2.  My first one as you can see was not the name brand instant pot.  My two new ones are instant pots.  I can not tell a huge difference. I really can not believe it took me weeks to break this out of the box.  I am so totally addicted to using it now.  It makes my life so much easier.   Everyone and I mean everyone should own an electric pressure cooker. Mine is not an Instant Pot but an Insignia Multi-Pressure Cooker.  It is so awesome.  I do not know what I would do without mine now.  I honestly have withdrawals when I do not use mine for a day.   I have to admit though I had the thing in a box for well over a month before I got the nerve up to open it and read the directions.  I also have to admit the directions were very confusing.  My husband loves YouTube so I went on YouTube and figured out how to use mine.   You are supposed to start with a water test before you cook in the pressure cooker.  This is actually an important step

Have you ever been so excited to tell something you can hardly stand it?  You can hardly wait????  Well, that is me right this very moment in time.   My husband likes soft boiled eggs.  He says it reminds him of when he was little and sick.  His mom would fix him soft boiled eggs.  He calls them dippy eggs.  I have not been able to master a soft boiled egg until today.  That is why I could hardly wait to get on here and make this entry.  If I can do it, YOU can DO it too!   As you guys know I love my instant pot.  I love cooking in my instant pot.  One of the first things I actually mastered the day I opened the box was  hard-boiled eggs . I was so proud of myself that day.  Today I am even happier.  Now I can not wait to make Scott a dippy egg tomorrow for breakfast.   This is so easy!!!  All you need is an instant pot, 2 cups of water, the steamer that comes with your instant pot, and eggs.   First, plug up your instant pot, fill the inner pot with 2 cups of water, pl

Monday I was cleaning out the fridge and the freezer side of the fridge and I came across a couple of bags of scallops I had purchased several months prior.  Now, I knew they were there but I did not know how freezer burnt they looked.  Click here for  why  I have an inventory.  I should have  vacuum  sealed them when I bought them but I did not and I can not go back and change it but, I sure could thaw them and cook them for dinner.   I love scallops and for some reason as Valentine's day is approaching I have always thought it was a great dish to make to celebrate the day of love.  Hint, hint, if you are not taking your love out for Valentine's day this is a great recipe to dazzle him or her with.   The first step is to warm a skillet.  I mean you want it hot enough that when you drop your first scallop in that it will sizzle because you need to sear your scallops.  If your pan is hot enough it should not take but 3 minutes per side.  You really want a nice crisp o

This is one of my favorite dishes that Scott makes.  I do not know if calling it a dish is correct though.  If you like Salmon you will love this recipe.  It is a cured salmon.  Meaning you do not cook it.  It is cured by using salt, spices, and herbs.  Another word for this is a cured salmon by a brine.  In our recipe, we do not use a liquid.  It is a dry mix. It's really is so darn easy.  It is crazy at how easy it is to make.  Plus it is a sinfully delicious that melts in your mouth.  Scott and I have made this with an entire side of salmon and we have made it with nice sized fillets.  Either way is of making it is awesome. Scott starts this by gathering and mixing all the ingredients together.   Hint he toasts the fennel and dill seed. Put a bit of the dry mixture on the bottom of the dish. Place your salmon on top of the dry mixture. Toss the rest of your dry mixture on top of the salmon. Top with fresh chopped dill.

European style chocolate is vastly different than a cuppa hot chocolate.  Over the years, I have heard of it but I never had the opportunity to try any and did not really want to waste the money to buy the ingredients to make some.  That all changed a bit over a year ago when I was in Asheville, NC.  I had a girls weekend there, staying at the Grove Park Inn.  Just a side note, that place is truly awesome.  If you have the time and are in the area it is a must do place to stay as is visiting Asheville.  Oh and make sure to book a spa treatment.  Heaven at it's best.   As we were walking around downtown Asheville we came to a candy store.  Now I am not really huge on candy but the others wanted to go in and buy a few things.  As I was looking around I found that they sold a European style drinking chocolate.  Needless to say, I had to buy a cup.  Let me see if I can attempt to even begin to explain how truly delicious this was.  As I stated earlier it is not a cup of hot choco

If you are like me I do not care for a store bought alfredo sauce.  It is just simply disgusting.  I love dishes that use alfredo sauce but I had no clue just how dang easy it is to make.  I have to tell you, once I learned to make alfredo sauce I have been using it in all kinds of recipes.  Of course, alfredo sauce is not by any degree a diet kind of sauce.   This recipe is so simple, you too will be thrilled to learn how to make it.  You will never buy any of that junk they sell in the stores.   First, you need heavy whipping cream.  Yep, we are going all out and making it the best way possible.  Buy a pint carton to make this recipe.  Second, you need either a couple of minced cloves or a teaspoon of garlic powder.  Last you need parmesan cheese.  WOW, seriously that is all you need.  Of course you can add some herbs or even fresh ground pepper.   If you chose to use minced garlic, saute that in a bit of olive oil before adding your heavy cream and parmesan chees