Ginger-Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

Helllllllllllllo again my friends :) I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, I'm slowly transitioning into my new work schedule and cooking, unfortunately, hasn't been my number one priority. However, I think being back at work is starting to jog my creativity so luckily I have a few different recipes I'm looking forward to trying out! In the meantime, enjoy this awesome new dish and have a laugh when you realize it took me about 10 minutes to attempt to spell teriyaki. 

*Just so you know, this recipe tastes 100000x better with COCONUT rice, but you can use any rice you'd prefer. 

Ingredients:

- Jasmine Rice

- 1 can of Thai Full Fat Coconut Milk

- Salmon Filets 

- Mushrooms

- White Onions

- Edamame (no shells)

- Avocado

- Ginger-Teriyaki Sauce 

- Sesame Seeds

Directions:

1. Start off by cooking the coconut rice- put a full can of coconut milk, 2/3 cup of water, and 1 cup of jasmine rice in a pan. Bring to a boil, and then let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes (stir consistently it can get very sticky).

2. Cook down some mushrooms and white onions, and then add your ginger-teriyaki sauce and keep it on a low simmer. 

3. After seasoning salmon with salt and pepper, throw on the grill and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side.

4. After the salmon has been grilled, pour the ginger-teriyaki, mushroom sauce over top of the salmon, and let cool.

5. Plate your rice, add your desired toppings (avocado, and edamame) and place your salmon on top.

6. Garnish with some sesame seeds and enjoy!

Grilled Peach Flatbread

IFFFFF you haven’t read my previous posts (it’s okay I’m not judging- just kidding I totally am, go fucking read them they’re so short) you already know how much I adore flatbreads. For all you infrequent readers here’s a short synapses of what you’ve missed: flatbreads are the quickest, easiest, dlyssious meal, so it only makes sense that you up your flatbread game in the summertime. This specific flatbread, a nice mix of creamy and sweet makes for a perfect appetizer when you have guests or if you’re anything like me you can just scarf down an entire “personal pizza” yourself ;)

Ingredients:

- Pita Bread

- Brie Cheese

- Fresh Peaches

- Red Onion

- Arugula

- Balsamic Fig Glaze
Directions:

1. Let me preface this by acknowledging the fact that this probably looks very similar to my previous flatbread- cuz it is (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it baby). Start by firing up your grill to medium heat.

2. Slice your Brie wheel into different cubes and smash the cubes evenly throughout your pita.

3. First grill your peaches for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

4. Take peaches off the grill and swap in the pita bread with Brie on top, leave on the gril for abut 8 minuets or so.

5. When the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pita is crispy, remove from the grill and top with peaches, red onion, and arugula.

6. Don’t forget to drizzle some balsamic fig glaze overtop to finish it off!

Carne Asada Street Tacos

Ohhhhhhh yes, what better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with authentic Mexican cuisine? Don’t be intimated by the after product, street tacos are super fun to make and customize! Grab a margarita, make some white corn guacamole and lets eat some freakin tacos!!!

Ingredients:

- Skirt Steak (or whatever cut you desire honestly, just make sure its thin cut)
- White Corn Tortillas
- Queso Fresco
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Jalapeños

Marinade:
- 1 Jalapeño
- Chopped Garlic
- FRESH Cilantro
- 1 Orange Squeezed
- 1 Lime Squeezed
- 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Directions:

1. You’re going to want to marinate the steak for at least one hour, if not overnight.
2. Once the steak has been marinated, place it on a low heat grill for approximately 3 minutes each side. Make sure you get a nice char on it, this is for a medium rare cook.
3. Let steak sit while you fry up corn tortillas.
4. Chop steak into strips and place in tortillas, top with your favorite toppings (I like queso fresco, onion, cilantro, jalapeños and salsa verde)
5. Imagine you’re sitting on a beautiful beach in Cabo San Lucas and enjoy :)

White Corn Guacamole

If you’re anything like me, you know that while the main ingredient in guacamole is avocados- a mushed avocado just doesn’t taste the same. Now, don’t get me wrong avocados are fucking amazing, and so is quac BUUUUUT for me guacamole has to be extra, over the top, spectacular! So I don’t just simply mash an avocado and throw in some onions, no baby, we go all out for this one. So get ready to spend 10 extra minuets to make the best tasting guacamole you’ve ever had, you’re welcome!

Ingredients:

- 4 Avocados 

- White Corn (you can use yellow to but like... white corn slaps)

- Cherry Tomatoes

- Red Onion

- Jalapeños

- Cilantro 

- 1 Lime

- Salt

- Pepper

Instructions:

1. Alright so hears the deal, you can make your guac anyway you want. That’s why above

I didn’t list any measurements. Once you mash your avocados (leaving some delicious 

chunky bits) just start adding as much of whatever you desire! Don’t like tomatoes? Leave

them out. Wanna add black beans? Put that shit in there! The best part about cooking is the 

creativity it lends out. So sit back and enjoy your delicious guacamole with some chips and 

A margarita- and turn your home into the trendiest cantina in all of quarantine!

Sesame Ginger Salmon Salad

Oddly enough, I’m not really big on putting fish into salads, but something about these sounded like they really paired well to dinner. PRO TIP, if this seems a little over ambitious for you, there is no shame in just buying one of the premade salad mixtures from the store, just limits your creativity. Overall this recipe was fairly simple, and turned out pretty damn good! 

- Salmon Filet 

- Ginger 

- Garlic

- Soy Sauce (1/2 cup)

- Brown Sugar (1/4 cup)

- Honey (3 tbsp)

- Sesame Seeds

- Green Onions

- Green and Red Cabbage

- Kale

- Shredded Carrots 

- Green Peas

- Nuts (Cashews, Almonds, or Peanuts) 

Instructions:

1. Start by browning some minced garlic and ginger in a pan.

2. Cook salmon about 4-6 mins on each side to desired level.

3. When the salmon is cooked, add in soy sauce, brown sugar, and honey and let it thicken. Let cooked salmon rest while you make the salad. 

4. Cut up cabbage and kale, then stir in carrots, peas, and which ever nuts you’d like. 

5. Mix salad together and begin plating, place salmon on top and pour the sauce lightly overtop salmon and salad as dressing.

6. Garnish the top with sesame seeds and green onion!

Baklava

This is going to be extra short and simple because if I need to explain to you why baklava is the best dessert ever created, you’re simply not worthy of enjoying it. LET IT BE KNOWN, baklava is not as hard as people make it out to be!

- 1(16 oz) Package of Phyllo Dough

- 3 cups of Pecans, Walnuts, or Pistachios (personally I like to use all 3) 
- 1 Stick of Butter
- 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon
- 1 cup of Water

- 1 cup of Granulated Sugar

- 1/2 cup of Honey

- 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract 

*Optional* Orange

Instructions:

1. PRO TIP, I always forget to thaw my phyllo dough- so MAKE SURE you take it out of the freezer and let it sit at room temp for 3 hours (otherwise you’ll be making baklava at 1:30am).

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover with a damp cloth so it stays moist and doesn’t dry out.

4. Either pulse together your nuts or just smash them until you get a crumble consistency, add the cinnamon to the nuts.

5. Melt the stick of butter and use a pastry brush to coat the bottom of your pan generously. Quickly place two sheets of the phyllo dough down and then coat the top of the phyllo dough with butter again (use a pastry brush). Continue this process of adding two sheets and topping with butter an additional 3 times (8 total sheets) to create the “base”.

6. When you have your base created, bush the top with butter and spread out a thin layer of the nut/cinnamon mixture over top. 

7. Then place two sheets of phyllo dough on top of the nut mixture and repeat this process until your desired thickness has been reached.

8. Now to make the top, basically you’re just recreated the base. Do the set of placing two sheets and coat with butter a total of 4 times (8 sheets).

9. Brush the top layer of phyllo dough with butter and cut your pastry.

10. You will bake for 50 minutes total!

11. With 15 minutes left, start making the only simple syrup, add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a pan and bring to a boil. When it begins to boil, add in your honey and vanilla (for a special ingredient i like to squeeze a little bit of orange into the syrup as well) and let it simmer until the pastry is done cooking. 

12. Remove the baklava from the oven and pour the syrup overtop while still warm.

13. Let it cool for a few hour or preferably overnight (I like it chilled) and there you have, the best dessert ever created, enjoy!

Blood Orange Habanero Margarita

SURPRISE a recipe without gin! Some of you may find this hard to believe but i'm actually not the biggest tequila fan- however I do love myself a good margarita. Back when I lived in Wyoming, "spicy" margs were all the rage and for good reason (not to mention you're forced to drink water which helps avoid any hangover). Typically spicy margs are made with jalapenos, so I figured i'd try out something new and let me tell you- I am thoroughly impressed.

- Tequila

- Package of Fresh Blood Oranges
- 6 Limes
- Simple Syrup
- Habanero peppers

- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

- Coarse Salt

Instructions:

1. Start by juicing your blood oranges and then juice your limes. 

2. You're going to want to give the tequila some of that heat and flavor, so I suggest cutting up 1-2 habanero peppers and infusing it into the tequila, let the tequila marinate for a few hours or overnight. Strain out the peppers and seeds after infusing.   

3. Rub the rim of your glass with a lime and dip into a mixture of crushed red pepper flakes and salt. 

4. Add your ice to your glass and then begin by pouring the 1.5-2oz (depending on how strong you'd like it) of your spicy tequila. 
5. Then pour .5oz of lime juice followed by another .5oz of simple overtop.
6. Top off with 2oz of blood orange juice.

7. Garnish the margarita with a habanero pepper and serve!

Condado: Royal Oak, MI

Now this one might come as a shock to any of those who know how much I despise "popular" things, but what type of Metro Detroiter would I be without reviewing something from Royal Oak? While I may hate the later nights where I end up staying until the Fifth Ave bar lights come on, I gotta say Royal Oak has some bomb food- so catchya later, hater!

Anyways, I think it's vital to note that my love of tacos is growing stronger everyday. Recently I have been making it a priority to try out as many taco places as I can (don't worry more reviews to come) and my quality of life has immensely improved. So yesterday I had to opportunity to try Condado, and boy am I impressed.

So the premise of this restaurant is that you make your own tacos (nachos and bowls are also available) . If you have the frozen yogurt syndrome and see all the available options and feel the need to overload everything onto your taco- whether or not it pairs well- you might want to stick to their taco suggestion page. For those of us who have self control, welcome to the coolest fucking place you've ever been too! You start by picking your shell, then your choice of protein, followed by your desired toppings, cheeses, salsas, and sauces. With hundreds of different possibilities, you're destined to try the taco of your dreams.

Unfortunately, for lent i gave up both cheese AND bread so I had to limit my options and was forced to skip out on the queso :'( but my taco creations were absolutely to die for. What is even better than their tacos might you ask? Their happy hour! If you dine in from 3-7pm Monday-Friday, you can receive half off their signature margaritas and $1 tacos. When I began to research a little more about this joint, I found out that all of the locations are street-art inspired and each restaurant (they have several throughout the Midwest) are designed by their staff and local artists! Everything from the decor to the tequila was on point here, make sure to pop in an enjoy some good nom noms.

Mushroom Rigatoni

Mushrooms we're always one of those things that I never really liked but had every intention of wanting to like. I kid you not, one day I woke up and tried a mushroom, loved it, and ever since then my life seems to make a little more sense. Now I make excuses to use mushrooms as much as possible and when the idea popped up in my head for a creamy mushroom rigatoni I simply couldn't resist. If you're someone who doesn't like mushrooms, try this recipe and learn to like them- it's cheaper than therapy! 

- 4 tbsp of Butter

- 2 tbsp of Olive Oil

- Fresh Chopped Garlic

- White Onion 

- 2 packaged of MUSHROOOOMS

- 1 cup of White Wine (I used my ~fav~ Sauv Blanc)

- 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth 

- 1/2 cup of Heavy Cream

- Package of Rigatoni Noodles

- 2 Tomatoes 

- Chives

- Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

1. I read somewhere online once about how the flavor balance when you mix butter and olive oil together makes for a unique taste when making a simpler dish, so for this recipe I decided to mix the two. Heat both in the pan until the butter is melted and then throw in as much fresh chopped garlic and white onions as you desire. Cook until the onions have softened up.

2. Add the packages of mushrooms and cook until a nice golden brown color has developed.

3. Add white wine to the pan and let it cook until it has reduced to about half.

4. Then add the chicken broth and simmer until it has also reduced some.

5. Finally add the heavy cream and let boil until sauce thickens to desire consistency (if you want a thicker sauce, make a cornstarch and water slurry and add to the mixture).

6. While sauce thickens, boil rigatoni noodles.

7. When the sauce has finished add the sauce mixture to cooled noodles.

8. Plate the mushroom noodle mixture, top with fresh diced tomatoes, chives, and shaved parmesan cheese!

Valentines Day Sugar Cookies

Alright y'all, I can't lie- I am NO Betty Crocker. Ironically enough, I did just use Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix for this recipe (the best of all mixes) and they turned out bomb. I would give you all the instructions but honestly I'm not gonna waste your time or worry about copyright infringement soooo just go buy yourself a package (leave in the oven for 6 1/2 mins- this took lots of trial an error, you're welcome). Anyways, the real star of the show here is the FROSTING and everybody knows that! Again, my expertise is not in baking so don't judge me for using the mix they sell at Hobby Lobby for icing. Shoutout to Hobby Lobby though because after my last trip there I have been searching for a reason to try out their 30+ shades of food die. At the end, this was really just an art project but what I learned was to just water down the frosting as much as you would like to get it to spread and then have a harder one for actual piping! I know this isn't my usual step by step, but I knew I had to go off for the ~luuuuurv~ holiday. Most importantly just have fun with the decorating, if art isn't really your thing that's alright this isle *disclaimer this is not #sponsored by Hobby Lobby but if you're from Hobby Lobby and want to #sponsor me HMU* had literally ANYTHING you could want to put on a cookie, cupcake, baklava you name it. This was just a new fun project to try and it was actually pretty simple and fun. Happy Valentines day everyone!

xoxo lyssious

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Truthfully, I'm not the biggest fan of red sauce *my Italian grandmother rolls over in her grave... AGAIN* but I will say it's growing on me and I want to incorporate it into as many dishes as possible. I couldn't tell you why I have been weirdly obsessing over this recipe but for whatever reason I thought that this hybrid would be life changing, and while I don't want to toot my own horn- they are life changing. I decided to make the classic chicken parm in the fan favorite ~meatball~ and if that isn't good enough for you, I stuffed the meatballs with gooey mozzarella (wipe the drool off your chin before you start making them). I promise you that this recipe is extra dlyssious- my mom even gave me the Italian stamp of approval! 

- Ground Chicken

- White Onion

- Basil

- Grated Parmesan 

- Italian Seasoning

- Original Breadcrumbs

- Mozzarella Balls

- Classic Marinara Sauce
- Shredded Mozzarella 

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl mix together ground chicken, white onion, fresh chopped basil, and Italian seasoning (I eyeballed everything srrrrry) until evenly incorporated.

2. Roll ground chicken mixture up into even, medium sized balls.

3. Smoosh the ball into little patties and add a mozzarella ball to the middle. Cover the mozzarella bring the ground chicken mixture back into a ball- this time just surrounding the cheese.

4. After all balls have been made, softly coat them in a breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set up.

5. In a medium size pan, heat onions until golden brown and add in meatballs. Cook the balls on all sides until browned. Add in enough marinara sauce to cover all balls. 

6. To make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked, heat the oven to 400 degrees and place the skillet inside the oven and bake for 15-17 minuets.

7. Take the skillet out of the oven and sprinkle your desired amount of mozzarella on top. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes.

8. Remove meatballs from the oven and garnish with fresh basil and Italian seasoning!