Martie Knows Grilling: Cedar Planked Salmon

Perfect for easy entertaining, this salmon recipe will be one you go to when you really want people to think you've fussed... and you'll be smiling because you know you didn't!  You can plank and grill any fish, but salmon delivers the best results to me. Enjoy!

Cedar Planked Salmon

Cedar Planks ( I like one for each guest-- I serve right on the plank-- make sure to put something underneath because it will be charred on the bottom)

4 Salmon fillets (make sure any bones and skin are removed)

1/2 cup Olive Oil plus 1 tablespoon for the planks

1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Coleman's Dry Mustard

1 tablespoon butter, room temp

Get cedar planks from your favorite culinary store, Lowe's, World Market or even Target. Look in the BBQ section. Soak your planks in water at least two hours before grilling. I've added a little bourbon to my soak and once I even added Tabasco. Didn't seem to do much to the flavor.

Next, while your planks are soaking, get your trusty Ziploc bag; add all ingredients except the salmon. Squish all of the ingredients around and add the salmon about an hour before grilling. Keep it chilled until grilling.

Heat coals to medium-high heat (hold your hand over for a 3 count) Remove the planks from soaking. Place on the grill to dry slightly and then lightly rub planks with a little olive oil to keep fish from sticking. Remove the fish from marinade and place on the planks. Top with a lemon slice if you like. Grill with the top closed for 12-20 minutes (despending on the size and thickness of your fish) or until the salmon flakes easily. Mist any flare ups or if the edges of the plank start to catch fire.

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Weekend Cocktail: Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Pineapple Iced Tea

One of my favorite go-to cocktails is simple: it's just pineapple juice with vanilla vodka. It's refreshing, light; so yummy and perfect for outdoor entertaining! I like to freeze pineapple juice into ice cubes for this drink... keeps it from becoming diluted. Try one and see if this does not become one of your favorite cocktails, too. A fun spin is to add a drop of grenadine in the bottom of the glass.... and a cherry for garnish. That's called a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Another easy drink is my Pineapple Iced Tea. Perfect for a shower or tea. Hope you like them! Cheers to the weekend!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cocktail and Pineapple Iced TeaPINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE COCKTAIL

Add a drop of grenadine to the bottom of a tall glass (you can also use a martini glass and chill the drink in a shaker with ice if you prefer)

Next add:

Ice (I usually make pineapple ice cubes if I have time)

2 ounces vanilla vodka

3 ounces pineapple juice

Stir. Enjoy! Tell me that doesn't taste a lot like a pineapple upside down cake!

PINEAPPLE ICED TEA

For the non-drinkers, try a spin on the Arnold Palmer. This one is called a Tiki Palmer. It's easy and really nice for a summer event like a bridal tea or baby shower.

Simply blend half unsweetened tea* and half sweetened pineapple juice together and serve over ice with a squeeze of lemon. Add a slice of pineapple, mint, or lemon for garnish. *Some people prefer to use sweet tea for this drink but I find it's too sweet for my taste. But either way will work!

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It's Strawberry Season! Fresh Strawberry Scones Recipe

Ohhh, I love strawberries... and these scrumptious little scones are perfect for strawberries in so many ways.... Serve them piping hot and fresh from the oven with butter, cream, and jam or sliced for strawberry shortcake. Either way, these scones are simple to make and you can substitute the strawberries for all kinds of savory and sweet options. Read the directions carefully because the fresh strawberries make the dough a little tricky. Not hard, just easy to mess up if you are not careful when mixing in the strawberries. The batter can get too wet if you mix for more than a couple of seconds. That said, the fresh strawberries make these scones so perfect for spring and summer entertaining. Enjoy!

FRESH STRAWBERRY SCONES

1 cup fresh strawberries, diced (use very fresh strawberries, not really juicy ones; I look for Driscoll's because they are never mushy)

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar plus more for sprinkling, if desired

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 ½ sticks very cold unsalted butter, diced

2 eggs, beaten (make sure eggs are cold so you don’t melt the butter)

½ cup less 1 teaspoon heavy cream (make sure it is cold)

1 teaspoon imitation strawberry extract (optional but it really pumps up the flavor)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Egg Wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk or water

INSTRUCTIONS

First, spread the fresh strawberries on a paper towel after you dice them. This way, some of the juice is absorbed before you put them into the batter. If the berries are too juicy, the batter becomes too wet. Allow the berries to “dry” for an hour first before adding to the batter.  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.

In the large bowl of your mixer, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, and baking powder, salt, and lemon zest on the lowest speed of your mixer; add the cold butter until the butter is the size of peas. Crack the eggs into a bowl, one at a time; add the cold cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and strawberry extract. Lightly whisk the eggs with a fork to combine and slowly pour into the flour mixture. The batter will quickly combine. As soon as it comes together, stop the mixer. Don’t over beat. Now, quickly toss the strawberries with the remaining flour and add to the mixture. Turn on the mixer for approximately 10 seconds to incorporate the berries. Be very careful; if you mix it too much, the strawberries will make the batter too wet. If you have strawberries left in the bottom of the mixer, just dump them out with the batter and work them in when you roll out the dough.

Dump the dough out onto a well floured surface. Before you touch it, I find it helps to rinse your hands with cold water so the heat from your hands does not melt the butter. Flour your hands, the rolling pin, and the biscuit cutter. Working quickly, roll the dough out to about ¾ inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut the dough into circles. Place the dough onto the baking pan lined with parchment paper and brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until the tops are browned. If the scones are large, you may need to increase the baking time.

These scones are best eaten hot from the oven. And you can add a classic Confectioners’ sugar glaze if you like but they are wonderful without. 

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Weekend Cocktail: Classic Mint Julep Recipe

I am a horse fanatic, I have been since I was a kid. So much so, I'd fall asleep with my entire plastic horse collection in my bed. I get excited about the Derby even though I don't follow horse racing. I've only been once but it was quite the experience... no other sporting event can compare. The hats, the pretty women, the dashing guys, the total Southern charm, the majesty of the horses, and of course, the Kentucky bourbon and the Mint Juleps! I always crack up because the Mint Julep is THE drink associated with the South more than any other. When I meet people from other countries and they find out I'm from Alabama, they tell me their impression is that we all sit around on the porch, sipping Mint Juleps..... So in tribute to the horses and most magnificent race in sports, here's a classic Mint Julep recipe my way, just in time for Derby Day. 

Adult Icees: Classic Mint Juleps for Derby DayCLASSIC MINT JULEP

To begin, make a simple syrup infused with mint. This will really bring a wonderful mint flavor to the cocktail and you can also use it to sweeten tea. For the simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water. For 6 drinks, I am using 1 cup each sugar and water. Bring it to a boil, and turn off the heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add 15-20 fresh mint leaves. Stir. Allow the syrup to cool completely. Strain and pour into a canning jar, secure the lid, and chill. This will keep in the refrigerator for a week.

For one cocktail:

3 fresh mint leaves (plus more for garnish)

3 tablespoons mint syrup (depending on how sweet you like it, I like 3)

1 1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (I like Four Roses bourbon)

Crushed ice

Powdered sugar for garnish, if desired

Chill your glasses prior to serving. A traditional silver mint julep cup makes this cocktail so frosty and delicious. Add the syrup and mint leaves to a pitcher or shaker. Use a wooden spoon to muddle (not tear) the mint into the syrup to release the oil. Add the bourbon. Fill the cup with crushed ice and strain the bourbon over the ice, almost like a snow cone. Add a straw, a mint sprig, and a dusting of powdered sugar over the top, if you like. Serve immediately.

For a lighter, ess potent version, add 1/2 cup of unsweetened tea to fill the cup after you add the bourbon. 

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How To Make Speckled Easter Eggs

There are all kinds of techniques for dying Easter eggs... and it seems every year the eggs are more and more creative! I particularly love the natural look of speckled eggs and the technique is very easy to master. Here's the how-to:

Photo: Arden Photography Location: The Sonnet House Leeds, AlabamaSUPPLIES
Newspaper or something to protect the work surface

Boiled eggs or blown out eggs (I made both)

Easter egg dye- there are tons of brands. Pick one or you can use food coloring*

2 black tea bags

Plastic cups

Brown craft paint

Old toothbrush

Rubber or plastic gloves (gotta protect that manicure)

Drying rack of some sort. I used the top of a Styrofoam cooler and some toothpicks for mine. Push in 4 toothpicks and let the eggs rest on top. But you have to rotate them so they don't have a big drip mark on the bottom side.  You can also use a circle of tin foil on newspaper.  You can use straight pins and a foam board also. 

Cover the work surface with newspaper or Kraft paper. Boil 1 cup of water and add tea bags to steep to make a strong, dark tea. While the tea is steeping, boil eggs as you normally would for dying. As they are cooling, mix dye according to package directions.

Natural looking speckled eggs look best colored pale blue, aqua, pale green, soft tan, and even violet or pale pink. (Yes, there are pink eggs, I promise! ) To achieve a natural look for tan eggs, use the tea to dye the eggs. I also used a small amount of the tea to muddy the bright color of the dye to make a more natural look. Feel free to adjust the colors until you get the dye the color you want.

Once you've dyed the eggs, allow them to dry completely. For the speckle effect: dip the toothbrush in a small amount of the brown craft paint and run your finger over the toothbrush, causing the paint to splatter onto the eggs. A random pattern looks good- but keep it very light for best results. Allow to dry and you've got natural looking speckled eggs!

I also love these bright colored and glittery eggs the kids made... so cheerful and happy! No matter which way you color your eggs, I hope you create lots of fun memories for you and your family. Happy Easter!

 *Dying Eggs with Food Coloring

In a heat-proof jar (like a canning jar) mix one tablespoon vinegar, 4-5 drops food coloring, and one cup of hot water. Place the eggs into the dye for thirty seconds to one minute... the longer you leave the egg in the dye, the more intense the color will be.

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