Giada's Lemon Thyme Bars

Lemon Thyme Bars on the Food Network

Amazing! This dish boasts so many virtues: lots of butter, thyme in a dessert, and it's super-easy!

We had them for breakfast today. I do have to emphasize Giada's directions to let them cool and let the glaze set. It makes a big difference.

Simple Dinner

Sometimes I don't come home smiling, laughing, and loving life. Sometimes I come home dragging my feet, yawning, and complaining. And as much as I love cooking, it's those very times when I just want a simple meal to create for the night.

Tonight was one of "those" nights, so I made one of my favorite easy fixes: Baked salmon, penne pesto, and roasted aspragus. There are lots of health benefits here- Omega 3s! Fiber! Vitamins and minerals! Sanity!

Here's how:

Salmon

1/2 lb. salmon filet
1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh)
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash black pepper
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degress. Place a large square of aluminum foil in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle about a Tbsp olive oil in the center of the foil. Place the salmon on top of the oil drizzle.

2. Drizzle another Tbsp or so olive oil on top of the salmon filet, and then sprinkle the salt and pepper over top. Sprinkle the thyme on top of that.

3. Fold over the sides of the aluminum foil until you've created a pocket around the salmon. Cook the salmon in the oven for about 20-25 mins.

4. Uncover the salmon, serve, and smile!

Penne Pesto

Whole Wheat Penne
Pesto in a jar (I know it's cheating, but Trader Joe's Basil Pesto is quick, easy,
and better than any homemade pesto I've found)
Grape tomatoes, halved

1. Boil a big pot of water with some sea salt in it. Use a lot of water so the pasta
has plenty of room to cook.
2. Cook the pasta in the boiling water. Note: Whole wheat usually takes a few minutes
longer than regular- but it's higher in fiber and complex carbs!
3. Drain the pasta. Add the pesto and the grape tomato halves and toss.
4. Sprinkle anything over top you'd like: fresh basil, pine nuts, bacon pieces, or
grated parmesan- but just pick one, you don't want to overwhelm the already
flavorful pesto

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
sea salt
pepper

The asparagus can go in the same 425 degree oven with the salmon (how easy does it
get?!)

1. Cut off about 1/2 inch of the bottom of the asparagus spears.

2. Drizzle a Tbsp or so olive oil all over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the asparagus out evenly over the dish.

3. Drizzle another Tbsp or so olive oil over the asparagus spears and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Cook in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until it reaches your desired doneness (some people like it crispier, some like it more cooked)

And that's it! I love this dinner with a light Pinot Grigio and a good TV show (but you didn't hear that from me!)

Iced Tea!

A sure sign that summer is here is my family's increasing desire for iced tea, which we have worked down to a science, albeit a simple one!

The Basic Formula:

3-4 tea bags
1-2 Tbsp raw, local honey
1 quart boiling water
pitcher

In a pitcher (which we like to hunt for in thrift stores), place the tea bags and squeeze or spoon in the honey. Boil 1 quart of water, and pour it over the tea bags and honey in the pitcher. Stir and let steep for 10-15 minutes, depending on how strong you like it. I like my iced tea to have a light flavor. Let it stand and cool to room temperature, and then serve over ice or refrigerate, covered.

We like to experiment with different flavors, especially fruity flavors. Our favorites come from Celestial Seasonings. I also like just plain chamomile because you can dress it up with different flavors. My favorite is a combination someone once showed me using chamomile tea, honey, fresh thyme, and fresh plums. It is AMAZING and very unique.

We keep a pitcher of iced tea around all the time during the summer, and it's a much healthier alternative to soda. There are so many benefits to tea- bioflavanoids and quercitin in black tea, antioxidants in green tea, calming properties in chamomile, and digestive properties in peppermint, just to name a few. The important thing is that it's homemade- unlike the store bought brands, which are loaded with sugar, flavorings, and preservatives, and which I don't even think taste like tea. It's a healthy, inexpensive, non-alcoholic drink that is truly refreshing during the summer months.