I love, love, love smoked salmon. My Jewish friends have adopted me into their breakfast culture of cream cheese and lox bagels. This recipe for Avocado Salmon Rolls lets me cut out the carbs and focus on the smokey salmon with buttery avocado.

image and recipe via ZOMBTbakes

Avocado Salmon Rolls Ingredients
Smoked salmon
Avocado
Cream cheese
Fresh dill
Lemon juice
Method
Combine equal parts of the avocado and cream cheese with a splash of lemon juice and dill to taste. Mix until well combined. Spoon onto smoked salmon and gently roll up. Serve immediately. Easy!

Here are some serving dishes that would be perfect for these rolls!

Oval Platter – Frontgate

Colorcode Serving Platter – White

Mikasa 11×8-in. Rectangular Indigo Bloom Serving Platter

One huge perk of working at an internet company is the access to unlimited cereal via our cereal bar. But, when you’ve eaten cereal everyday for the past year, all you yearn for in the morning is a substantial REAL breakfast. Enter, from stage right: smoked salmon. I saw this image on JessicaLettuceTomato, and knew it was a winner. Smoked salmon, creme fraiche, scrambled eggs and toast. Simple, delicious and fast.

Don’t forget a really sharp knife when slicing smoked salmon–you want the paper-thin slices to melt in your mouth! It’s also safer!

Chroma Salmon/Ham Slicer type 301 by FA Porsche

WMF Spitzenklasse Salmon Slicer, 17-inch

Arcos Color Prof 12-in Salmon Knife with Granton Edge

Okay, so “Healthy Dessert” sounds like an oxymoron, right?

But try fruit fondue–using dark chocolate is a must!  Throw some cinnamon and nutmeg into the chocolate and you’re in for a complex treat that is sweet and satisfying.

Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot

West Bend 3 Qt. Fondue Pot

It’s been non-stop rain here in Los Angeles, and the only thing to fight these winter blues is a piping hot bowl of Thailand’s most famous soup: Tom Yum Goong. Filled with fragrant lemongrass and a hearty dose of shrimp and mushrooms, this soup is comforting, filling and strangely as satisfying as a meal.

We had this for dinner last night at RCA, Los Angeles’ popular go-to for Thai food. I haven’t attempted this soup before, but with how much rain is coming down, we might just need to stay home and follow this recipe from blogger Going with my Gut. Find Going with my Gut’s recipe here.

Here are some tools that will be mighty helpful for me for Tom Yum Goong!

OXO Shrimp Cleaner from Sur La Table

Mushroom Slicer by Westmark

This table top bowl heater is similar to how tom yum goong is traditionally served at restaurants. It keeps the soup hot!

Stainless Steel Mongolian Hot Pot

It’s the holiday season… you know what that means… Turkey Time!  My family is really small–there are just three of us, so it never makes sense to make a large turkey, but we do need something substantial to remind us that it is the holiday season!  These Turkey Meatloaf Muffins from blogger, For the Love of Cooking are perfection!

Find the recipe here.  Some items you may need before you get started:

1. Skillet like this Le Creuset Cast Iron 12-Inch Skillet.

2. Muffin tray like this Faberware Muffin Pan

3. Ice cream scoop like this Crate & Barrel Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

I have a confession. I have been ordering-in Chinese. Broccoli Beef to be more specific. Here’s a simple recipe from New Asian Cuisine that should give me a kick start to back away from my bad, bad habit of lazy eating!

Jaden Hair says, “The secret ingredient to the absolute best Broccoli Beef is Chinese black vinegar, which adds a mellow sweet tang. If you don’t have Chinese black vinegar, substitute it with a good, dark balsamic vinegar. Speaking of sauce, there’s nothing I detest more than goopy brown sauce that normally drags this dish down at most Chinese restaurants.I want my broccoli to be tender-crisp and taste like broccoli, not like cornstarchy brown goop. The secret is to cook the broccoli separate and to use minimal amount of cornstarch – but only in the steak marinade. We’ll simmer the sauce to let it thicken naturally.”

Chinese Broccoli Beef Recipe

1 lb (460 g) top sirloin or flank steak, sliced into 1/8-in (3-mm)-thin strips

For the marinade
1½ teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon cooking oil

For the Stir-fry Sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons black vinegar

For the Broccoli
1½ lb (700 g) broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Marinate the beef in soy sauce, cornstarch and the ½ teaspoon of oil for 10 minutes at room temperature.

In a small bowl, mix together the stir-fry sauce ingredients.

In a wok or large frying pan, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and salt and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. Broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Heat the pan over high heat and when hot, add the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat a back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

***
More Options
- To keep this dish vegetarian, replace the beef with fresh, thick, meaty shitake mushrooms (cut in half) or even Portobello (cut in ½ in/13 mm slices).

The Fig Test Kitchen takes the simple Honey Roasted Fig recipe to a whole new level. The Fig Test Kitchen offers up different ways to taste these yummy treats and have beautiful images to boot. I re-posted their recipe, but you MUST visit their site here.

Basic Honey-Roasted Figs

14 figs (about a pound), 1/3 cup honey, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme (optional), Salt and pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2) Slice figs in half and place cut side up on cookie platter (Oneida Bakeware Professional Large Cookie Sheet)lined with foil and lightly greased with olive oil

3) Brush (Rachael Ray 2-pc. Nylon Tools Pastry Brush Set) figs with honey and sprinkle rosemary or thyme evenly over them (herbs optional)

4) Season with salt and freshly ground pepper

5) Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the honey begins to caramelize. Let figs cool to room temperature

Butternut Squash Soup is warm and comforting. It’s just what the doctor ordered as we bid summer adieu. This beautiful picture is from Bay Area Foodie who used Thomas Keller‘s recipe. Yum!

Butternut Squash Soup With Brown Butter
1 3-to-3 1/2-pound butternut squash
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs sage
1 cup thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons honey
6 cups vegetable stock, more if needed
Bouquet Garni made of 8 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs Italian parsley,
2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, all wrapped in a
packet made of 2 green leek leaves
1/4 cup creme fraiche
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced chives
Extra-virgin olive oil.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the neck off the squash and set it aside. Cut the bulb in half and scoop [Rosle Ice Cream Scoop] out and discard seeds. Brush each half inside and out with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the canola oil. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and pepper and tuck a sprig of sage into each. Place cut-side-down on the baking sheet and roast until completely tender, about 1 hour. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool, then scoop out and reserve the flesh (discard sage).

2. Meanwhile, using a paring knife, peel away the skin from the neck of the squash until you reach the bright orange flesh. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups).

3. Put the remaining canola oil in a stockpot [Infinite Circulon 7 Qt. Covered Straining Stockpot]  over medium-high heat, add the leeks, carrots, shallots and onions and cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes. Add the diced squash, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook gently for 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to keep the garlic and squash from coloring. Stir in the honey and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.

4. Add the roasted squash and simmer gently for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Remove from the heat and discard the bouquet garni. Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches, and puree. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Place the creme fraiche in a small chilled bowl and stir in nutmeg to taste. Whisk until the creme fraiche holds a shape. Cover and refrigerate.

6. Gently reheat the soup until just hot. If it is too thick, add a little more vegetable stock. Heat a medium skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the butter and rotate the skillet over the heat as necessary to brown the butter evenly, scraping up any bits that settle in the bottom. As soon as the butter is a hazelnut brown, pour it into the pot of soup — keep a safe distance, it may sputter — then stir.

7. Ladle the soup into six serving bowls. Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche. Grind some black pepper over the top and sprinkle on the chives. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Serves 6.

Adapted from ”Bouchon,” by Thomas Keller.

When I saw this recipe on Healthy Food For Living my mouth dropped, watered, and then dropped again. I’ll let Lauren’s pictures do the talking.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 oz uncooked macaroni or other pasta, preferably whole wheat or whole wheat blend pasta
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 oz (about 4 Tbsp) 1/3-less-fat neufchatel cream cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese (can sub in any good melting cheese, such as monterey jack)
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper, or more depending on heat preference
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together and heat pumpkin puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot.
3. Reduce stove heat to low. Whisk in cheeses until fully melted.
4. Stir in nutmeg and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir drained pasta into the pumpkin-cheese sauce and mix until thoroughly combined.
6. At this point, the mac & cheese might appear a bit soupy. If this is the case, let the mixture sit off of the heat for a few minutes. The cheese sauce will firm up as it slightly cools.
7. Serve with an extra dusting of nutmeg, if desired.

You’ll need:

All-Clad Stainless-Steel Measuring Cups

Microplane Coarse Grater Soft Touch

Cuisipro Frosted Egg Whisk

This Butternut Squash Orzo recipe from The Little Red House looks, in a word, perfect.

Sheena Jibson’s wonderful recipe with suggestions by me!:

Butternut Squash Orzo
Serves 4

1 roasted chicken
1/2 butternut squash
1/2 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper and thyme
1/2c-3/4c chicken broth
1 cup orzo, fully cooked according to package directions
3 strips of bacon (I am not a bacon lover so this was just the right amount for me….if you love bacon, add a few more:)
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese

-Halve and clean squash
-Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme and s&p (Le Creuset® Silicone Basting Brush – White)
place squash (cut side up), onion, and garlic cloves on a lined baking sheet and roast at 425 until veggies are fork tender, about 30 minutes (onion and garlic will need to be removed before squash) Squash will easily scoop right out of peel when it is done roasting.
-Add all veggies to a food processor, along with 1/2c chicken broth and puree. (Cuisinart 9-cup Food Processor)
-Add a bit more broth if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste.
-Combine cooked orzo, chicken, crumbled bacon, and butternut sauce.
Top with parmesan. (Microplane Rotary Parmesan Cheese Grater)