Blackened Salmon

Yummy yum yum

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com. I found it to be a bit spicy, so I've reduced the cayenne pepper here by about half.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 
  
• 4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.
2. Brush salmon fillets on both sides with butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with remaining butter. 
3. 
   
4. In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, butter side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Zuppa Toscana

Oh my gosh, this was so good. Way better, in my opinion, than the one Olive Garden serves. Yum yum yum. One batch made plenty for my family of 6 with a little left over.
Credit for this delicious recipe goes to That's Some Good Cookin'

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

7 cups chicken stock

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups chopped kale

1 cup heavy whipping cream

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces. Drain, set aside.
2. In the same Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon; remove and set aside to drain on paper towels. Leave two tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
3. Sauté the potatoes, onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat over medium or medium low heat. Sauté until the onion begins to be translucent and the potatoes are still a little firm, but are beginning to soften.
4. Add the sausage, bacon, 7 cups water, and 3 chicken bouillon cubes to the pot. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in kale and cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat until warm throughout.