Day 25 - it's only Monday?

I can't believe it's only Monday. It seemed like today went on forever!

Now that I'm home, however, I'm getting a little cooking done. Hopefully I can relieve my stress in the kitchen!

Tonight's dinner? Asian Spinach Salad with Hoisin-Glazed Salmon - another gem from the "Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford". I did cheat a little bit. I guess I didn't read the recipe carefully and I didn't buy hoisin sauce. Instead I found an asian sesame ginger teriaki sauce in the cupboard. I used that instead.

Dressing:
1 and 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 table spoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Dash of chili oil or chili sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salad:
6 cups baby spinach
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, chilled and drained
1/4 cup chopped green onion, both white and green parts
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
2 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/3 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chow mein noodles

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and vegetable oil in a jar. Cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly blended.

Combine spinach, mandarin oranges, green onions and mint in a large bowl.

Put the salmon in the center of the foil. Spread the top of each fillet with 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and wrap the foil loosley around the salmon, creating a sealed package. Cook until the salmon is just opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.

Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat, divide between 2 bowls/plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and garnish with the peanuts and chow mein noodles. Serve immediately.

I thought it was great! Dennis isn't a huge salmon fan, nor a big sesame fan (the dressing has a definate sesame flavor) but he said he liked it. Another hit from our Bride & Groom book!