Recipe(tried): Baked Salmon Fillets with Potato Chip Crust,, Champagne Salad with Caramelized Almonds, and Mrs. Teddy Donahue's Lemon Cake

Good Morning Everyone!

It has been quite nippy around here...Cold enough to have made chili and minestrone soup to keep us warm. One of my very favorite things in life are lemons. I love to squeeze lemon juice on my chicken soup and over baked chicken. I love to use lemons in baking and especially in cookies and cakes. I have posted this cake recipe before and it still is one of my very favorite ones! It is a good cake to take to a party or to a sick neighbor. Once again, I will be making Carolyn's Korean SPinach...it is to die for! Later on today I will also make her Spinach Phyllo Pie to have for lunch during the week.

After spying some beautiful lemons at my favorite vegetable stand yesterday, I was inspired to make tonight's dinner...

So pucker up and enjoy tonight's menu!

Keep Warm! Gina

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Tonight I will be serving:

Baked Salmon Fillets with a Potato Chip Crust (recipe follows)
Carolyn's Korean Spinach
Florida Sunshine Glazed Carrots
Champagne Salad (recipe follows)
Mrs. Teddy Donahue's Lemon Cake (recipe follows)
Mama's Ice Cold Sweet Tea

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BAKED SALMON FILLETS WITH POTATO CHIP CRUST
Servings: 6

1/2 cup crushed potato chips
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp. dried dill
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 large salmon fillet, about 3 lbs.
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
fresh ground black pepper
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
fresh dill sprigs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the crushed potato chips, bread crumbs, dill and pressed garlic; set aside.

Put the salmon skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush the salmon with the mustard. Sprinkle on the potato chip mixture and pack it in using your fingertips. Season with the pepper.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully transfer the fillet in one piece to a serving platter. Leave the skin on the baking sheet. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

NOTE: Any leftovers can be used the next day for lunch. Salmon is quite delicious cold with crackers. Or, you can mix it with a little bit of mayo and capers for a delightful salad.

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CHAMPAGNE SALAD
Servings: 6

FOR THE CARAMELIZED ALMONDS:
2 tsp. butter
1/3 cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
FOR THE SALAD:
1 bag of romaine or any butter-type lettuce
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
4 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup garlic-cheese flavored croutons
1/2 cup chopped red sweet bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced thin white mushrooms
Caramelized almonds (recipe follows)
Girard's Champagne Dressing*

TO CARAMELIZE ALMONDS:
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and saute until golden, about 2 minutes.

Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, separating them. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, the almonds will have a hard, candied coating.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the onion, bleu cheese, cranberries, mandarin oranges, red bell pepper, mushrooms and dressing to taste. I use enough to coat the lettuce leaves. Sprinkle the almonds and croutons over the salad and serve immediately.

*We love the flavor of Girard's Champagne Dressing. It can be found in any local grocer's salad dressing aisle.

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MRS. TEDDY DONAHUE'S LEMON CAKE
Source: Lemons: A Country Garden Cookbook by Christopher Idone
Servings: 10

There is a reason for packaged cake mix and this is it!

FOR THE CAKE:
1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake mix
1 (3 1/2 oz.) box jello instant lemon pudding
1/4 cup lemon juice
cold water
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2/3 cup canola oil
FOR THE GLAZE:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
TO SERVE:
fresh berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a Bundt pan.

PREPARE CAKE:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the cake mix and instant pudding and set aside.

In a measuring cup, add the lemon juice and enough cold water to make 2/3 cup. Add the eggs, lemon water, and lemon extract to the dry ingredients and combine. Pour in the oil and beat at medium speed for 6 minutes or until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and the cake is springy to the touch.

WHILE THE CAKE IS BAKING, PREPARE THE GLAZE:
In a small bowl, whisk the confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, zest, extract and until smooth. Set aside.

When the cake is done, cool down for 5 minutes, invert, and unmold. Using a fork, poke holes on top of the cake. Spoon the glaze over the cake and let cool.

Serve with fresh berries.