Marry Me, Bobby Flay!

My parents bought me 2 new cookbooks for Christmas: Giada At Home and Bobby Flay's Bold American Food.  I've been playing around a bit and have cleaned up recipes from both cookbooks.  I've really been enjoying my time in the kitchen lately.  I eat something different EVERY day, I'm feeling fantastic. 

All of the salsas and relishes listed below can be paired with anything - fish, pork, chicken, steak.  I like to plain-grill stuff when I'm lazy and then just serve some of the salsas on top.  They're very versatile.


Stuffed Baby Peppers
PAM olive oil cooking spray
2 T evoo
3-5 slices turkey bacon
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 c reduced fat or fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 c chopped green onion
salt/pepper
20 baby peppers, give or take a few

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.  Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Spray a medium non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook the turkey bacon fully on both sides until crispy.  Remove and chop, and set aside.  Add a little olive oil to the same skillet and cook the onion until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.  Set aside and cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the onion, turkey bacon, ricotta cheese, and green onion.  Season with salt and pepper.

Using a paring knife, cut 1/2 inch from the stem end of each pepper.  Remove the seeds and veins.  Using a small spoon, fill each pepper with the cheese mixture.  Place all filled peppers on the baking sheet and bake 15-18 minutes until the peppers soften and the cheese is warmed through. 

Tomato and Basil Salsa
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
1 T finely diced red onion
1.5 t minced seeded jalapeno
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 c basil chiffonnade (roll up a basil leaf and chop, length-wise only once)
1.5 t evoo
salt/pepper

Spicy Mango Salsa
1/2 c coarsely chopped mango
2 T finely diced red onion
1 t finely diced jalapeno
2 T coarsely chopped cilantro
3 T fresh lime juice
salt/pepper

Avocado Relish
1 ripe Haas avocado, coarsely chopped
1 T finely diced red onion
1 T minced jalapeno
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
salt/pepper

Black Bean-Mango Salsa
1 c cooked or canned black beans, drained
1 medium mango, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
1/2 c coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 c fresh lime juice
2 T evoo
salt/pepper

Pineapple-Red Onion Relish
1/2 c medium-diced fresh pineapple
1/4 c thinly sliced red onion
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1.5 t coarsely chopped cilantro
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T rice wine vinegar
salt/pepper

Black Bean-Roasted Corn Salsa
1/2 c cooked or canned black beans, drained
1/2 c roasted corn kernels
2 T finely diced red onion
1/2 T finely diced jalapeno
2 T fresh lime juice
2 T basil chiffonnade
2 T evoo
salt/pepper

Red Chile-crusted Salmon Steaks
1/4 c ancho chile powder
2 T ground cumin
salt/pepper
6 salmon steaks, about 6oz each

Combine chile powder, cumin, and salt/pepper in a small bowl.  Dredge the salmon steaks in the mixture on 1 side only.  In a large saute pan over high heat, heat some evoo until it smokes.  Cook salmon steaks, pepper side down, for 1 minute or until a crust forms.  Lower the heat to medium, turn the steaks, and cook for 5 more minutes.  Fish should be rare to medium at the most.

Corn and Grilled Pepper Relish
1 c roasted corn kernels
1/2 c finely diced red onion
1 T finely diced red onion
1.5 T balsamic vinegar
1.5 T coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1.5 T evoo
salt/pepper