Test.

Saucy Salmon by Whimsical Wend

Hit the Jackpot today with a made-up Salmon recipe.
Heat shallow baking dish under broiler for 2 minutes, add splash of olive oil, heat another 2 minutes.
Add salmon, skin side up.
Broil salmon for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small bowl mix diced red onion, sliced green onion, add a splash of balsamic vinegar, mix in WF's Sesame Goddess Dressing.  Heat sauce for 30 secs in nuke machine.
Turn Salmon over, spread on warmed dressing.
Broil salmon about 4 more minutes.
Immediately sprinkle crumbled feta and diced calamata olives on top.  Cover with lid or a plate.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
It is an amazing combination of flavors!

Uncle Rob's Go-Get-It Cabbage Salad

This is a Robbie special. In an email from Uncle: "Of course, a guy who can present good food is going to score points with the ladies!" Let me just say, this was an instant hit with Lakshmi. It's also super quick after you make it a couple times.

Dressing (make first):
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce(start with 1)
1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons honey or sugar
¼ cup olive oil (optional)

Salad:
Dry heat ¼ cup of sesame seeds and ¼ cup sliced almonds in a frypan.
Cut a fistful of mushrooms into flat sections
Fine slice, then chop a quarter red onion (fine=2-3mm)
Fine slice a whole red capsicum, into strips 2-3 inches in length.
Place all of these in the bottom of a curved bowl, and pour enough dressing to marinate the above.
Very finely slice a Chinese cabbage from its flower end into thin frills (3-4mm) until about 3 cups. Then from the lower stalk end, chop off the stalk, and less finely slice about 4 rounds of the crunchy white leaf bases. About 1 cup.
Throw the cabbage on top of the marinating veges, but don’t mix in as yet.
Throw the seeds and nuts over the top of the cabbage.
Throw about ¼ cup of dry fried noodle on top (Top Ramen does the trick too)
Just before eating, mix the dressing in from the bottom.

Kale Smoothie

Lakshmi likes kale. Thanks to her good influence, and the cutting flavor of orange juice, Charles does too!

1 head of kale (slice the leaves off the stems)
1 large apple
Lemon juice
2 tablespoons chia seeds (see Born to Run)
1-2 cups orange juice
4 ice cubes*

*Note: The ice cubes are optional. Charles thinks they add a crispness to the texture. But his acupuncturist, Dr. Peters, says that cold beverages block his spleen channels.

Midnight Charles Quesadilla

When I'm hungry in the middle of the night, and there's no leftovers, I get furiously creative. I pretty much put these things in a pan, one after another, as fast as I can. Cooking time: 5 minutes.

Tortilla
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Whatever meat I can find in the fridge
Sliced avocado
Salsa (or the Patak's Indian pickle that Mel buys)
Garnish with lime

Seed of an Idea: Cookbook of "Mommy Recipes" illustrated with family photographs

Charles, it is totally awesome that you are illustrating recipes!!

Mel asked me to make her a baby shower gift of handwritten mommy recipes .. illustrated with photos from our past .. eg. you and John eating spaghetti with my Mom's recipe for meat ragu. I am really excited by what a nostalgic project this will be. My stash of photos keeps yielding possibilities! MomPom xx

Mozzarella Salad

This is the simplest salad in the world. You cut up some mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, mix them in a bowl, and pour a half olive oil half balsamic vinegar emulsion over the top. Voila! You're done!!

There is one tricky part though. You have to acquire a plot of land in a beautiful Mediterranean climate, turn your back yard into several wood-divided beds of rich and fertile soil, plant some heirloom tomatoes, wait until they're perfectly ripe, and pick them! If you don't have time for all that, you can visit the Narayan family farm (Fremont, CA) in the middle of September, and they'll have some waiting for you.