Fresh Tomato-Basil Pasta

This is a perfect dish, simple yet flavorful, that can be served at room temperature or chilled. It is perfect for one of those hot summer evenings when the last thing on your mind is cooking. I used fresh organic basil and early girl tomatoes from the Portland Farmer's Market. It takes less than 15 minutes before you can enjoy your first delish bite :).

Jerk Chicken with Habanero-M​int Glaze & Mango-Cila​ntro Salsa

As I was walking through the produce section in the local market, I noticed some mushy dragonfruit sitting next to a basket of beautiful mangoes. I knew at that moment that I wanted to make mango salsa.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of mango salsa is the one from the mexican grill restaurant, La Salsa. Although it is by no means the world's best mango salsa, I always look forward to it since it's only in season for a few weeks out of the year. Plus, I always eat spoonfuls of that salsa on its own, and love it.

I decided to grill some jerk chicken and pair it with some homemade mango salsa. I love how sweet and spicy things always complement each other so well. The jerk chicken is perfect enough to eat alone. If you simply add the glaze to the jerk chicken and stop there, the flavors will dance in your mouth. Add the mango salsa, and you will have fireworks. This is truly a meal that holds insanely well together, yet can be thoroughly enjoyed in parts. You could even eat spoonfuls of the mango salsa on its own :).

Crispy Salmon with Fresh Herb-Caper Sauce

For this meal, I chose to use Coho salmon (my second favorite to the Chinook) - mainly because it was on special and since I was planning to pan-fry it, I would be ok settling for the less fatty one. The part that really makes this meal is the fresh herb-caper sauce. Since it's summertime, there is no shortage of fresh herbs. Plus, if you have a herb garden, this will be a great way to use some of everything. With the perfect blend of rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and chives brightened up by a hint of lemon juice, capers and garlic, this is one refreshing go-to summer meal.

Pair this crispy salmon with a few asparagus parm-manchego puffs and some blanched asparagus stalks with a drizzle of dijon-oil dressing for a perfect evening meal.

Asparagus Parm-Manchego Puffs

Although I made these bite-sized cheese puffs as a side to a salmon entrée, I felt these deserved their own post since they would be something I'd make again, simply as an appetizer or for a quick snack. It would also be a recipe that could be easily varied - i.e. adding chopped bacon, some ham, or even using spicy sausage instead.

Manchego (if you haven't heard of it before like me) is a cheese from the La Mancha region in Spain. It's made from the milk of the Manchega sheep, and is aged from 2 months up to 2 years. It has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery texture, and the cheese has a distinctive flavour: well developed but not too strong, creamy with a slight piquancy, and leaves an aftertaste that is characteristic of sheep’s milk. Be sure to cut off and discard the rind, as it is not edible or usable.

Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Chipotle Honey Glaze & Roasted Pepper Relish

When I first started baking and cooking, people used to ask me whether I watched any cooking or baking shows. And the truth was, I didn't. Even when asked the same question a year ago, my answer was still no - mainly because I don't have cable TV (yes, I know what you're thinking... no cable TV?!).

But, I do have a confession to make. In the past month (on the days I manage to convince myself and my hubby to hit the gym), instead of watching "How I Met Your Mother", I found myself occasionally watching "Iron Chef America". (I used to wonder why people would exercise and watch cooking shows at the same time, and now I understand). It's rather entertaining watching fast-paced celebrity chef cook-offs. They have an hour after the Chairman yells "Allez Cuisine!" to create multi-course meals - from appetizers to desserts - with a secret ingredient which is revealed last minute. Out of the 4 celebrity chefs, I like Bobby Flay's flair and how he seems to always have everything in control.

Herb-Roasted Chicken Provençal

Don't you hate it when you see a picture of something you want to make only to find out it requires a million ingredients, half of which you can't easily find in your neighborhood supermarket? Through time, I've come to realize not everything that tastes good requires a ton of fancy ingredients. I've also discovered not everything that appears complicated is actually complicated. And, although it's hard to admit, not everything that is complicated will end up tasting good.

This is pure comfort and simplicity at its best. Slow roasted vegetables and chicken seasoned with fresh herbs are an excellent weeknight dinner meal as it doesn't require much hands-on preparation time. I love how the fresh rosemary and thyme really enhance the flavors of the roasted carrots and potatoes, and how the olives bring out the flavor in the herbed chicken leg. It is an amazing provençal dish and really brings back flavors of comfort food in southern France. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Blueberry Buckle with Almond-Cinnamon Streusel

Continuing summer blueberry fest...

After getting a suggestion from Megan on my Facebook page, I decided to make a blueberry buckle. A buckle is a type of coffeecake made with fruit (usually blueberries) and a sugar-spice topping. The name apparently comes from the way the cake "buckles" as it bakes (rising around its fruit topping, which is also sinking) so that the cake finishes with an uneven top surface.

I decided to make a traditional blueberry buckle and added some almonds for an extra crunch (that, and I love almonds). It is a very moist cake and is best served hot out of the oven (with whipped cream or ice cream), or warm. If you let it sit over 12 hours or so, the buckle starts to become mushy. You can try making it with all different varieties of fruits, just be sure to drain them well.

Homemade Blueberry Jam!

After my blueberry picking adventure, I had 26 pounds of blueberries starring at me, patiently awaiting their fate. While cleaning them, I ate handfuls. I froze several large bags. And, I used some for making a chutney for some pork tenderloin.

It was inevitable that after my first jam making experiment with Hood strawberries, there would be another one soon to come. During my college days, I remember visiting a friend who's parents had a whole collection of jams and preserves in the pantry - from apricot to peach, cherry to strawberry. The best part was, they were more runny unlike the pectin-filled ones at the supermarket. Somehow, it just feels wrong when you have to smear out jam like you're spreading jello across a buttered toast.

The best part of homemade jam is that you can make it without pectin. The flavors are richer as you can add more fruit, make it a bit chunkier [or not], less sugary, and skip all the preservatives. It really does taste that much better. Plus, with just a bit of time spent canning and making jam, you can still enjoy the flavors of the summer fruits long after the season has passed.

Seared Salmon with Tangy Pineapple-Basil Salsa

I've been eating out all weekend since my uncle was visiting, and after all the pastries, spanish tapas, duck confit, pork belly, juicy burgers, onion rings and other fatty foods I've consumed, I just wanted a simple home-cooked meal. But after all the days of taking my uncle around from the coast to wine country, I was a bit tired from all the fun I was having so I didn't want to spend more than half an hour to prepare a meal.

Yes, there are days when I feel so lazy that I don't even want to go out to find food. Sometimes, it's simpler just making dinner yourself. This is a quick and simple way to serve salmon. I love the fresh basil paired with the tangy pineapple and a kick of spicyness from the jalapeño. You can easily serve the salsa over chicken as well. I paired my salmon with some steamed haricot verts, but it can easily go over rice or with a frisée salad.