20 minute meal

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Broiled Honey Soy Salmon

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Broiled Honey Soy Salmon

My absolute favorite way of preparing salmon is broiling. I only recently discovered this method over this past year or so. As my kitchen in my Hong Kong apartment is simply equipped with a hot plate, microwave, and toaster oven, I have really learned some new cooking techniques. For the first 4-6 months I had been living here, I didn't touch the toaster oven. I grew up with a toaster oven but we only really used it for well, toasting things. English Muffins, melting cheese, etc. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that a toaster oven can do everything a real oven can. Bake, roast, broil. It's incredible and the reason why there have been so many toaster oven recipes on the blog this year, lol! 

Broiling salmon sounds so...aggressive. However, once you've got the timing down pat, you are in for the flakiest, butteriest (is that a word?), moist, and tender salmon ever. The amount of time needed to broil a piece of salmon simply depends on its size (and thickness). I find that a normal fillet takes between 5-8 minutes. The finished fish will be firm but still bounce back to the touch. Any time I have broiled it beyond 8 minutes, the flesh will lean towards rubbery and over-cooked. Again, play with timing for yourself.

My favorite preparation for salmon is simply salt and pepper, and then served with tons of lemon juice after it's cooked. I feel like simple seasoning allows the real flavor of the fish to come out, especially when it's perfectly cooked. And of course, you need a ton of acid with fish. Today I'm sharing a simple classic marinade for salmon that you can enjoy with brown rice and veggies. Simply whisk it together and marinade the fish for at least half an hour. Of course, the longer the better. When it comes time to cook, prepare everything else in the meal first, since the fish will only take 5-8 minutes. You can prepare more marinade on the side, to warm and thicken for serving if you'd like. 

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Lazy Chicken Wings for One

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Lazy Chicken Wings for One

I'm going to let you in on one of my tried and true 'recipes', which is totally just a little trick I've been doing since high school whenever I'm really lazy and REALLY hungry. I love chicken wings - and here in Hong Kong, grocery stores sell bags of frozen mid-joint chicken wings. These are my favs - don't get me wrong, I like drumsticks too, but I really love just the wings. In my little HK kitchen, I don't have a proper oven (just a toaster oven). This method of cooking chicken wings on the stove-top is quick, fail-proof, and super flavorful. 

Sometimes you don't have time to go grocery shopping, but you can bet that there'll be some frozen chicken wings in your freezer. You can make these wings with virtually any sauce or marinade that you have in the kitchen, making this the perfect lazy meal! There are simply 2 steps, and 3 ingredients. Simmer the chicken in chicken broth until they're nice and plump (my trick to knowing when they're finished is when the blood clots come out :) and then tossing them in sauce in a skillet. 

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

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Lemon Cream Stuffed French Toast

Mother's Day is just around the corner! For some reason, this holiday always makes me think of French Toast. Maybe it's because Mother's Day feels like one of those mornings you wake up to sneak to the kitchen and surprise Mom with breakfast in bed. Or going out to brunch with family - either way, French Toast is pretty to look at, simple to make, and delicious to eat. Check out my other French Toast recipes for Hot Chocolate French Toast, Pumpkin French Toast, and King's Hawaiian French Toast! :) 

One of the most popular items on a brunch menu is often a Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast. The idea of making this at home was intriguing to me - how hard could it be? Turns out, it's super simple and only takes 20 minutes. What I love about this recipe is that you can substitute ricotta for mascarpone or cream cheese like I did :) Adding fresh lemon zest and juice to the filling gives the perfect punch to this sweet breakfast. Top it off with your Mom's favorite fresh fruit and you'll be chalkin up all kinda Brownie points :) Let's get cookin! 

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20 Minute Buttery Tomato and Shallot Pasta

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20 Minute Buttery Tomato and Shallot Pasta

You can never have enough good pasta dishes in your recipe box :) When you don't have time to simmer a sauce for a couple of hours, it's nice to have a quick 20 minute dish to throw together. You can use any pasta you like - this is wonderful with shells, pappardelle, even angel hair - whatever you've got in the pantry. Blistered cherry tomatoes, shallots, and fresh basil make for a lightly coated pasta that is perfectly filling. This is an easy, meatless weeknight meal! Find out how quickly you can be chowin down on this pasta next! Let's get cookin :) 

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

This is of my favorite recipes since it's so easy, delicious, and straightforward. The results are great every time. A nice cheesy crust, tender lasagna noodles, creamy ricotta, savory Italian sausage, and zesty tomato sauce simmer on the stove for a mere 20 minutes and magically become the world's easiest lasagna. Once you've got all the ingredients prepped, the actual cook time is a breeze. Throw everything in one pan and impress your loved ones. I generally have a bunch of these ingredients on hand in my pantry so it's a great dish to make for last minute dinners. Find out how next...let's get cookin! 

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20 Minute Chicken with Honey-Beer Sauce

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20 Minute Chicken with Honey-Beer Sauce

I love last minute meals that are not only quick and easy, but on the lighter side. This chicken is so freaking good. It’s simple to make, and the recipe can be used for chicken thighs or breasts :) You can use any cheap domestic beer. I took a consensus from several guy friends to see what beer they thought would work the best with this recipe, and in the end, I chose to go with local brewed Anchor Steam. The sauce is a delicious mixture of whole grain mustard, soy sauce, honey, and beer. It all cooks down and leaves the chicken in an amazing glaze that is the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy. Fresh flat leaf parsley brightens it all up. I devoured this while sitting in my garden immediately after shooting this recipe. It’s hella good, lol. Definitely my favorite new go-to during a busy weeknight. Let’s get cookin :) 

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One Skillet Mediterranean Orzo

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One Skillet Mediterranean Orzo

One-skillet dinners are domestic salvation. Personally, I loathe pre-heating the oven. This dish is done in 15 minutes on the stovetop - easy enough for the guys in your life ;)  I love the idea of not having to boil pasta or wait for dinner to bake up in the oven! Most of my favorite recipes are done in one pan - check out my One-Skillet, No-Bake Lasagna! I love simple tricks that help you cut down on time and save extra steps in the kitchen! :) 
This recipe made me almost cry into my bowl. I’m serious - it’s so good. It’s packed with rich Italian flavors that remind you of your favorite baked pasta dish. Tender orzo pasta, hearty ground beef, tomatoes, bright spinach, and the glorious nuttiness of grated Parmesan. In 15 minutes. It’s easy, I promise :) Let’s get cookin!