Maple-Brown Sugar Salmon

Maple-Brown Sugar Salmon

Are you looking for a quick & easy recipe for dinner? Well, here it is! Since my family eats a lot of Salmon, I am always experimenting with new seasonings & marinades and different ways of cooking our cherished Salmon. This recipe only calls for 7 ingredients (if you include the spices) and it’s ready in under 30 minutes 🙂 I added Cayenne for a little kick, but you can omit this if desired. Enjoy!

  • 1 1/2 lbs Fresh Salmon (rinsed in cold water and patted dry with paper towels)
  • 1/4 Cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup (not Pancake syrup)
  • 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar (not packed)
  • 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced (fresh or jar)
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp Salt (regular, not Kosher)
  • 1-2 Pinches Cayenne Pepper, ground (add 1 pinch at a time to taste (optional))
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Gather the ingredients.
  3. Place rinsed and dried Salmon in a small, deep baking dish (8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 9″) – you want the Salmon to take up most of the room in the dish, so it stays submerged in the sauce while cooking.
  4. Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a small bowl or glass measuring cup that has a pour spout; Whisk together until thoroughly blended; pour or spoon this over the Salmon.
  5. Note: you can leave the Salmon with meat side facing up for a milder flavor or gently flip the Salmon over, so the meat side faces down and is submerged in the sauce during the baking process for a stronger flavor.
  6. Bake on the middle rack for 16-18 minutes (depending on the thickness of your Salmon), spooning some of the sauce over the Salmon halfway through the cooking time (if you’re baking with the meat side facing up). Salmon is ready when it flakes apart easily with a fork.
  7. Spoon sauce over the top before serving and enjoy with your favorite sides 🙂

Note:

  1. You can prepare the sauce and marinate the Salmon for 1-12 hours in a large resealable plastic bag for a stronger flavor before cooking.
  2. You can also cook the Salmon by grilling or pan-searing it for approximately 3-5 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the fillet).
Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish



Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free (Just Like “Cheese Straws”)

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free (Just Like “Cheese Straws”)

Do you remember those wonderful “Cheese Straws” that were always around in abundance during the Holidays? Well, these little “Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers” will take you right back to your childhood! And, if you’re Gluten-Free, fear not, these are not only Gluten-Free, but are so easy to make and only require 7 ingredients (if you include water) 😉 I chose to cut my dough into leaf shapes for the Autumn season, but any shape will do (Christmas Trees, Snowmen, Wreaths, Holly Leaves, etc.) These make the perfect little Holiday Gifts 🙂
Enjoy!!!
Note: The original non-GF recipe can be found in just about every cookbook out there, but I want to give credit to Ree Drummond (aka: “The Pioneer Woman”) for her non-gf version of this recipe that I adapted to “fit” our family (please see the “Copycat Cheez-It” version for the GF and non-spicy recipe for these same crackers) 😉

  • 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 Cup GF All-Purpose Flour (I use “Caputo” brand – it makes an incredible dough to work with)
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use “Season All”)
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenned Pepper (I use 1/4 tsp for a little more “kick”)
  • 3 Tbsp Ice Water
  1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the Water, into a Food Processor and pulse until the mixture looks like “sand.”
  2. With the Food Processor running, slowly add the Ice-Cold Water, one Tbsp at a time, through the shoot until the dough forms a large ball.
  3. Wrap the Cheese dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Line 1-2 baking sheets with Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mats; set aside.
  6. Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness on a lightly floured surface, cut into desired shapes and place on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
    *See notes for “crisping” up crackers if they turn soft.
  8. Allow the crackers to cool completely on a wire rack to develop the flavors and desired crispness.
  9. Enjoy 🙂

*Note: if your crackers get a little soft, simply toss them onto a baking sheet and re-heat in a 275 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool and gobble them up!

Appetizers, Hors d’Oeuvres, Snacks



Copycat Cheez-It Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free

Copycat Cheez-It Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free

These are the yummiest Gluten-Free Cheese Crackers I have EVER tasted!!! They taste just like Cheez-It crackers! Plus, they are SO easy to make and only 6 ingredients are needed 🙂 I love them with my Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup…or just by themselves! A big bag of these yummy crackers would make a perfect treat for anyone.
*This recipe was adapted from a Ree Drummond (aka: “The Pioneer Woman”) recipe (“Homemade Cheddar Crackers”)…of course! Thank you SO much for sharing!

  • 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)
  • 1 Cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (I use Caputo brand – it’s a little more expensive, but well worth it – it performs like “regular” flour and is not gritty)
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter (Kept cold & cut into small pieces)
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use Season-All)
  • 3 Tbsp Ice Water
  1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the Ice Water, into a Food Processor and pulse until the mixture looks like sand.
  2. With the Food Processor running, slowly add the Ice Water, one Tablespoon at a time, through the shoot until the dough forms a ball.
  3. Wrap the Cheese-dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Line 1-2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
  6. Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness and cut into desired-size squares using a pizza cutter ~ I use a straight-edge ruler and usually cut my dough into 1″ x 1″ squares.
  7. Place the squares onto the lined baking sheets.
  8. Using the smaller end of a chop stick or wooden skewer, poke a small hole into the center of each square.
    Note: If desired, you can sprinkle the crackers with a little kosher salt at this stage, but they really do not need it 😉
  9. Bake the crackers for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown; I bake mine for the maximum amount of time since I prefer mine on the more crispy side.
  10. Allow to cool completely to fully develop the flavors and desired crispiness.
  11. Enjoy with your favorite soup, salad or all on their own 🙂
  12. Note: if your crackers get soft, simply toss them onto a baking sheet and re-heat in a 275 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Appetizers, Hors d’Oeuvres, Lunch, Snacks, Soup



Baked Turkey-Ranch Meatballs with Spicy Avocado Sauce (Gluten Free)

Baked Turkey-Ranch Meatballs with Spicy Avocado Sauce (Gluten Free)

Oh my goodness! These savory and slightly sweet meatballs paired with the spicy Avocado dipping sauce is out of this world!!! I always make a triple batch when I’m making any type of meatball, so I can freeze some for another busy night. However, after making a triple batch of these yummy meatballs, I didn’t have enough to freeze…my family LOVED them and not only went back for seconds, but thirds 🙂 I served this with a fresh salad, topped with cucumbers, strawberries and a store-bought Honey Poppy Seed dressing…delicious! I hope you enjoy 🙂

The Meatballs:

  • 3 lbs Ground Turkey
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Gluten Free Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  • 1/8 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons (heaping) Ranch Dressing Powder Mix (I use Hidden Valley Ranch)
  • 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar (I do not pack this)
  • 2-3 Pinches Ground Black Pepper

The Spicy Avocado Sauce:

  • 1 Large Ripe Avocado (seed removed and sliced into smaller pieces)
  • 2/3 Cup Mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s Mayonnaise)
  • 2/3 Cup Buttermilk or Buttermilk Substitute (Since Buttermilk is difficult to find right now, you can make your own: pour 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar (or Lemon Juice) in a 1 Cup measuring cup, then add milk of your choice to fill remaining cup (I used Plain Rice Milk))
  • 3-4 tsp Onion Powder
  • 3 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • Dried Parsley (for sprinkling on top)

Making the Meatballs:

  1. Gather the meatball ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the Turkey Meatball ingredients and mix very well, either with a fork or your hands.
  5. Using a 2″ cookie scooper (or spoon), scoop turkey mixture onto the prepared baking sheets (16 meatballs per sheet). You may either form the meatballs using your hands or just drop meatballs directly onto sheet using the cookie scooper.
  6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until inside temperature measures 165 degrees (I usually cut the center-most meatball in half to check for any pinkness).

Making the Spicy Avocado Dipping Sauce:

  1. Gather the Avocado ingredients.
  2. While the meatballs are cooking, blend the Avocado ingredients (except for the Parsley) in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
  3. Pour into serving bowl and top with dried Parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  4. Once the meatballs are cooked, drizzle some Spicy Avocado Sauce over the tops and serve with your favorite veggie! Yum!!!

*Thank you to californiaavocado.com for sharing the Spicy Avocado Ranch Dressing recipe…I made a few minor adjustments 😉

Appetizers, Dinner, Hors d’Oeuvres, Lunch, Main Dish
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