Salmon Baked in Foil

Hey everyone! I have a great heart healthy recipe to share today. We all know that oily fishes (mackerel, salmon, anchovies, trout, tuna, herring) are good for the tickers, providing healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, that keep bad cholesterol levels low and good cholesterol levels high. Sometimes, these fattier, oilier fishes can have a stronger flavor that some people don't prefer. However, these fishes provide much higher levels of EPA and DHA Omega-3's than lighter, flakier fishes like grouper, flounder, tilapia, or snapper. So, instead of passing on the oily fishes at the market, pick one up and spice it up! Try it blackened. Try it marinated and grilled. Or, give this easy recipe a try! This one is "company good"- meaning I am not ashamed to serve it to guests. Some things I cook I would be mortified if ANYONE knocked on the door! LOL!


Salmon in Foil


1 Large Wild-Caught Salmon Fillet (wild-caught has more Omega-3's than farmed)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (you can use fresh tomatoes- I just don't like the texture of them in this recipe)
1 Small Yellow Onion
3 Tbsp. Capers
2 Cloves Chopped Garlic
1 Tbps. Dried Basil
1 Lemon
1/4 Cup EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
Fresh ground Black Pepper
Canola Oil Cooking Spray


Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely chop the onion and garlic and add to a mixing bowl. Add the capers. Drain the tomatoes and add, or add the diced fresh tomatoes. Add the basil and black pepper. Cut the lemon in half and juice half of the lemon in the tomato mixture. Add the EVOO and mix well. Slice the other half of the lemon into 6 thin slices and reserve. Cut the salmon fillet into 6 serving portions. Tear 6 pieces of aluminum foil for your salmon, approximately 12 x 12 square. One at a time, spray the aluminum foil square with the canola cooking oil. Place one salmon fillet in the center and top with about 3 Tbsp. of the tomato mixture. Place one lemon slice on top. Bring the sides of the foil together over the salmon and fold down. Then, fold up each end to create a packet. After all 6 packets are folded up, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.


This cooks up with that yummy, chunky tomato mixture that reminds me of almost a bruschetta. Instead of pasta, I serve it with quinoa cooked in low-sodium chicken broth and EVOO. A chopped Italian salad would perfectly complete this dinner. Enjoy!

Kick off Spring with a Sparkling Sweet Rum Punch

 Hey y'all! Long time no post! I have been super busy working on some new recipes to post, so keep checking back over the next couple of weeks, or subscribe. I hope everyone is outside and enjoying the beautiful warm spring weather. The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming and it seems that the pollen may be almost gone. HOORAY! It's time to breakout those BBQ grills, invite over some pals and cook some good ole' outdoor comfort food. This is the perfect time of year to eat outdoors, and while you are, you definitely need a cold cocktail in your hand. I made this rum punch by accident really. Have you ever made a drink way too strong and you ran out of mixer? Then, you were looking around frantically for some other liquid to add to the drink that wouldn't ruin it so you could still drink it? Of course. Everyone has. And, this is how this recipe was developed! I mixed some rum with V8 Splash and it was WAY too strong. So, I added some sprite. Voila! Rum punch! I hope y'all will give this one a try at your next casual spring dinner party. I know your guests will love it. WARNING: It is very smooth but packs a punch, so feed them lots of bread! Enjoy!

Sparkling Sweet Rum Punch


4 Cups V8 Splash Orange Pineapple Juice
1 Cup Captain Morgan's Original Spiced Rum
1 12 oz. Can Sprite
Thin Sliced Lemon/Orange/Lime


In a 2 quart pitcher (preferable a glass pitcher but any will do) add V8 Splash juice, rum, and sliced fruit. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving, add 1 can of sprite and some ice. Stir gently. (Feel free to adjust rum and/or V8 Splash amounts to your personal tastes.)


Note: Kids at your outdoor shindig??? No problem! Make them a pitcher of mocktails by omitting the rum. Add some grenadine and little paper umbrellas to their glasses to make little ones feel special too!

Wake Up!! It's Breakfast! Come and Get the Sausage Bars!

Hello y'all! Happy New Year! I hope everyone survived the holidays and that you have taken down the Christmas decorations and packed them away for another year. If you haven't done that yet- no worries. Just leave them out... Christmas will be here again before you know it! I have an AWESOME new recipe for you. We just got back from a long weekend in Valle Crucis, NC. We rented a beautiful cabin with some great friends of ours. The men were in charge of breakfast every morning. You know, because us women like to sleep in. One morning they (well... not my husband- my friend's husband- my husband was the sous chef) made us sausage bars. OMG! Savory, flaky, cheesy deliciousness. It's like sausage strudel- sausage and cheese nestled between soft, buttery, flaky, pastry... Ahhhhh.... Heaven on the taste buds. We had 8 people in attendance- 4 adults & 4 kids- and this dish was loved by all, even my picky eating son! Best of all, it's fast and easy. We had it for breakfast, but I could see having it for brunch, lunch, a party, or a snack. It's fabulous warm or cold. In fact, after a long day of ice skating and snow tubing, we were fighting over the last 2 pieces!


If y'all are regular visitors to The Diner you will know that I never post breakfast recipes because I am rarely up early enough to cook breakfast. We have brunch at my house somewhere around 11:00 or 12:00. Hey... don't judge. My kids are old enough to make themselves something to eat before I get up. However, this recipe is worth getting up for! Here it is!


Sausage Bars


2 cans flaky crescent rolls (like Pillsbury)
1 8 oz. bar cream cheese softened (you can use 1/3 less fat if you like)
1 lb. bulk sausage (any type you prefer- spicy, mild, etc.)


Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread one can of crescent rolls evenly over the bottom so you have one complete layer. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. While this bakes, brown the sausage in a skillet. If it is very greasy, drain it. If it is slightly greasy, leave it in the pan. Add the bar of softened cream cheese and stir until smooth. Pour the sausage mixture evenly over the baked crescents in the pan. Layer the second can of crescents over the top. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let cool slightly and cut into bars.


P.S. A BIG thank you to my GOOD friends Hank & Cheri Mason for sharing this one! Love y'all!

The Fresh Market Holiday Dinner

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving holiday. We had a great long weekend- no cooking, plenty of shopping, and GREAT food! How did I manage no cooking and great food on Thanksgiving???? I bought the Fresh Market Holiday Dinner silly! It was fabulous. I ordered the Traditional Holiday Dinner for $79.99. It included a 11-13 lb. rotisserie turkey, 3 lbs. of mashed potatoes, 3 lbs. of dressing, a large turkey gravy, cranberry relish, and a dozen yeast rolls. Of course, we added a few dishes of our own, but WOW what an easy and delicious way to go! I placed the order the week before Thanksgiving and picked it up on the Wednesday before. It all came pre-packaged in a neatly packed box. I slept in on Thanksgiving morning (since I didn't have to cook much), and I had plenty of time to prepare for dinner at 2:00. The turkey required about an hour and a half of cook time in the oven and it was tender, juicy and delicious. It literally fell apart while carving! The dressing was perfectly seasoned and only took about 30 minutes in the oven. I microwaved the mashed potatoes in a covered dish and added some butter. That took about 6 minutes, and they were delicious. The turkey gravy whisked up in a pan in about 5 minutes to a perfect consistency. The yeast rolls baked for about 8 minutes. I poured the cranberry relish in a pretty serving dish and VOILA! Dinner was served! Everything was delicious and super easy to prepare. Also, we had 6 people for dinner. There was plenty of food for everyone and left overs for the weekend. I highly recommend this Holiday Dinner to everyone. If you don't have time for 3 days of cooking and preparation, or you are looking to simplify the holidays and spend more quality time with family and friends, then this is the option for you. I believe this dinner is available through the holiday season. In addition, they have a larger package you can purchase, and you can add additional sides if you choose. Oh... one more thing... y'all might remember that last year I gave the Fresh Market a bad review for their cranberry sauce. I want to make a distinction here. The jarred Fresh Market brand cranberry sauce is awful- that's the one I bought last year. However, the cranberry relish that came with this dinner package was very good. It had an overall tart and citrusy taste with chunks of apple and some orange peel. It gets a thumbs up! Happy Eating to ALL!!!!!

What To Do With Cauliflower??????

Cauliflower is a vegetable that gets little praise. Sometimes, it gets tossed in a vegetable stir fry, or you get a piece in a restaurant with your order of steamed veggies. I have never heard anyone say they LOVE cauliflower. My family won't eat it. Resembling broccoli, you would think the cauliflower would be more popular. However, it is not. I think there are several reasons for this...

1. Cauliflower is ugly. It's white and colorless, and raw or cooked it looks unappetizing. (There are other colors cultivated, like purple and orange, but they are hard to find and still an unusual color.)

2. Cauliflower stinks. Raw or cooked it is smelly.

3. Cauliflower doesn't really taste like anything except cauliflower which no one likes.

For these three reasons, this veggie from the Brassicaceae family, is often overlooked at the market. Even though it's high in fiber, folate, vitamin c, and contains many cancer-fighting phytochemicals, no one I know eats it regularly. A few weeks ago while grocery shopping, I decided to buy a head of cauliflower- knowing full well no one likes it at my house except me. And, truth be told, I don't really like it, but I occasionally eat it because it's a vegetable, and I feel like I don't eat enough of them. So, I brought home the cauliflower. For days I pondered what to do with it... How could I prepare it and trick the family into eating it? Oh, the endless woes of the mother!

I found some recipes online for mashed cauliflower. It is supposed to resemble mashed potatoes and is made much the same way. Why not? It was worth a try. The original recipe called for a blender or food processor for "mashing" the cauliflower. Unfortunately, I don't have either of these appliances. I used to have a blender, but my husband and two kids blew it up trying to make milkshakes with ice cream, candy bars, and Little Debbie Cakes... Sometimes I feel like a single-parent with three children... Anyways, I decided to use an electric hand mixer to do my "mashing". I also added a few ingredients to give this concoction more flavor. The hand mixer gave it the consistency of rice which was good. Everyone loves a rice dish! Here's the recipe. I know it's cauliflower, but just try it. You might like it!

"Mashed" Cauliflower

1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
4 oz. Cream Cheese- Softened
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
4 Tbsp. Butter
6 oz. Light Cream (you could substitute heavy cream, whole milk, or even half & half here.)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Strip away the green leaves and thoroughly wash the cauliflower. Cut the buds off the head, then cut into smaller pieces. The "white curd" differs from broccoli in that it's not a flower bud. Broccoli doesn't really fall apart much when you chop it up. However, the cauliflower will. Put all of the little white curd pieces and chunks into a medium sized pot filled with enough water to cover. Add the chicken bouillon cube and boil for about 10 minutes. You want it to have a very soft and tender feel. Don't cook any longer because nutritional value will be lost the longer it cooks. (For 10 minutes of boiling, you lose 40-50% of the nutritional value. Any longer and that percentage increases with every minute.) Drain in a colander and return to the pot. Add butter, softened cream cheese and garlic powder. Add the cream and beat slowly on low until it starts to come together. Beat at medium speed (maybe higher) until you get the consistency of "cheesy rice". You may need to add more butter or more/less cream depending on your tastes. Add some fresh ground black pepper (or white pepper if you don't want to see black specks). Cook on low just until heated and slightly reduced, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

Hey y'all! I hope everyone reading is doing GREAT! Other than a lack of time to cook dinner, I'm doing fine. I have a very easy recipe for you today. It's Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie and it is quick and delicious! It also can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for cooking later. It's a good one to have in your recipe box for busy days. Best of all, it is a comforting, tasty meal for Fall. My family loves chicken pot pie but making a homemade version on a weeknight after work is daunting. "Ain't nobody got time for that!" So, I have this cheaters version...

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

1 Rotisserie Chicken- deboned and chopped (If you have that precious commodity of time, you can cook your own chicken. But why??????)
1 Large can Veg-All
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup with Herbs- (or plain... just roll with it.)
1 Tsp. Seasoned Salt
1/2 Tsp. Dried Thyme
2 Frozen Deep Dish Pie Crusts- (They have to be deep dish or else the filling won't all fit inside.)
Softened Butter- (YES! Real Butter!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let the pie crusts thaw slightly for about 5 minutes. (You don't want it frozen solid, but you don't want it too warm or the dough will break apart. So, use your judgment.) In a large bowl, mix the chopped rotisserie chicken, DRAINED Veg-All, cream of chicken soup, seasoned salt and thyme. Pour the chicken mixture into one of the pie shells. Gently remove the other pie crust from the tin pan. (GENTLY! Or, it will break and your pie will look deformed- which is totally fine for eating, but people will tell you how ugly it is.) Place it on top of the filled pie crust. Press the edges together using a fork or your fingers to seal the edges and make it look pretty. If there are air pockets just gently pat them down. If the crust tears, use your fingers to seal it up. Use a knife to cut 3 or 4 vent holes in the center. Rub the softened butter over the top of the crust. Put the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how golden brown you like it. Toss a salad, and you got a Winner! Winner! Easy Chicken Dinner!

Quick Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

Hello everyone! I hope you are all FABULOUS! I, myself, have been slammed with school starting back. The summer really spoiled me. Sleeping later, less laundry, less cooking, no school activities. Unfortunately, those days are over, and for the next nine months it's back to the grind. I have a simple and quick recipe to share for all the busy Mom's out there (and others too...). It's a boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe. It has some spice and some bacon, so you can't go wrong! Best of all, it cooks in a snap in the oven. So, you will have time to get caught up on the laundry. :)

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 Slices of bacon uncooked (more if you really like bacon)
Seasoned salt
Chili powder
Fresh ground black pepper
Honey mustard sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Put a raised baking tray over the baking sheet and spray with cooking oil spray. Cut the chicken breasts in half long ways so that you have thick chicken strips. Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt, chili powder and black pepper. Wrap bacon around chicken strips and secure with toothpicks. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is crispy and brown. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce. In addition, you can top with your favorite cheese and melt it in the oven for a few minutes. Steam some veggies and dinner is ready! Fast-tastic!