twofer.

Happy hump day, all. I have two of my absolute favorite recipes to share tonight and some random tidbits as usual. So, like last Wednesday, I'll start off with recipe #1, have an intermission, and finish with recipe #2. Like in all good elementary school lessons, a clear beginning, middle, and end. Allow us to begin.

Pan Seared Salmon on Baby Arugula (thank you Epicurious)



2 center-cut salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:
3 cups baby arugula leaves
2/3 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red-wine vinegar

Place the salmon fillets in a shallow bowl. Toss well with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Cook the salmon, skinside down in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan and carefully lifting the salmon with a spatula to loosen it from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook until the salmon is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. The skin should be crisp and the flesh medium rare. Annnnddd at this point, I let it go a little longer. I like my salmon (and meat) to be cooked all of the way. And my husband hates it. Your pref.

Meanwhile, combine the arugula, tomatoes and onion in a bowl. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil and vinegar. Toss well. Delish.

The simplicity of this recipe is what I really love about it. You taste the salmon, the arugula, the rice, the tomatoes, and the onions. Pure, unadulterated yumminess.

Intermission. This is the part during the Nutcracker Ballet that my Daddy would always sneak in Peanut M&Ms because I would starve during the second half. The closest thing I have is a piece of gum and Law and Order SVU. That'll do.

I have realized lately how refining marriage is. And when I step aside and see it for what the Lord exactly intended it to be, I am so thankful. In the midst of my husband gently calling me out on something, or the Lord using him to show me things, I, like many "children" I so joyfully see daily, rebel. They back away, they get awkward, and they get defiant. Refinement is not an overnight thing. It takes time, fire, patience, and willingness. However, when you are looking into the spousal mirror that is my husband, the discouragement doesn't last long. I want to be a better person. I want the diligence to work hard at things. He makes me love my Savior more. My husband is such a servant. Not only is he absolute and utter brilliant engineer in graduate school, he loves on me with such fervor. I have lunches made, breakfast served, laundry done, vet visits taken care of, dinner prepared, dishes done, and almost anything else he sees that needs to be done. He astounds me.

It is comical to see how the Lord puts 2 people together. I have become so thankful for the BIG reasons, but lately the little things have just made me smile to myself. Like how I suck with directions. Like big time. My kids know North, South, East, and West better than I do. They can tell me where to go. The streets to travel on to get to their house. Me? No way. Google maps app or I'm toast. And if a road is closed. Forget it, I'll call my husband and have him translate for me. Or how before I met Colin I thought that when you put Cruise Control on you didn't use any gas. Marriage is a whole new world, people.

Back to the kitchen. Thank you, Cooking Light.

Pepper Jack, Chicken, and Peach Quesadillas. (okay, so the presentation isn't that great, but it's about taste)



1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
1 cup chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup thinly sliced peeled firm ripe peaches
4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking spray


Combine honey and lime juice in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir sour cream into honey mixture; cover and chill until ready to serve. (This stuff is to DIE for. I could eat it by the bowl like yogurt. Just wait and see.)

Heat up your grill pan. (Come on, I know you've already bought one....) Cook your chicken breasts. (You could also buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, but they aren't nearly as good as fresh, organic ones....)



Place tortillas flat on a work surface. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over half of each tortilla; top each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken, 1/4 cup peaches, and 1 teaspoon cilantro. Fold tortillas in half.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in the pan, and top quesadillas with a cast-iron or other heavy skillet. Cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until tortillas are crisp and lightly browned (leave cast-iron skillet on quesadillas as they cook). Remove quesadillas from pan; set aside, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve with sauce.

If you cook one recipe so far, cook this one. Hands down it'll make you fall in love with me.

xoxo