Late Summer Salmon Salad with Smoky Maple Dressing

This is one of the tastiest salad entrees you will ever eat.  The recipe calls for Smoky Maple Syrup. If you cannot find it, you can simply add 1/4 tsp. of Liquid Smoke to the maple syrup and it will give you the same taste.

Ingredients

Salmon Filet for 2, cooked according to your technique (see below for mine)

Arugula

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into thin slices

Fresh lemon juice

Sliced cremini mushrooms

Dried fruit, unsweetened (I used cranberries & blueberries)

Glazed or toasted pecans, halves or chopped

White NY Cheddar

Dressing:

1/2 c Smoky 100% Maple Syrup

1/8 c Grey Poupon Course Grain Mustard

While salmon is cooking, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside. 

Prepare apple and toss with a squeeze or 2 of lemon juice. On 2 plates put a handful or so of arugula. Layer with apple slices, mushrooms, dried fruit, pecans, and slices of cheddar. Place one piece of salmon in center of each plate and drizzle with Smoky Maple Dressing.

Here's how I cook my salmon:  Make a foil packet big enough for the piece of salmon, place the salmon in the middle of the packet, skin side down. Drizzle with maple syrup and close up the packet. Place the packet in a cast iron pan (you can use any heavy bottom pan or pot) and place the lid on. Steam over medium heat for about 8-12 minutes depending on how thick the salmon is and the doneness you prefer. Using a spatula, lift the salmon off the skin. That's it!

Recipe inspired by Crown Maple.

Crunchy French Toast

Ingredients

3 whole Eggs

1/4 cup Half-and-half

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 cup Sugar

4 slices Cinnamon Raisin Bread (or any bread)

1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

1 stick Salted Butter, Melted

 Softened Butter And Maple Syrup, For Serving

In a pie pan, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and half the cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate pie pan, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Use a fork to stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter so that the crumbs are slightly moist. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the rest of the melted butter over medium-low heat.

One by one, dunk the bread in the egg mixture (turning to coat), then lay them in the dish with the panko crumbs, turning them over and pressing them gently so that they stick and totally cover the surface.

Place them into the skillet with the butter and let them cook on the first side for 5 to 6 minutes, watching closely to make sure the crumbs don't burn. (If they start to darken too fast, turn the heat slightly lower and watch.) Turn them over and let them cook for 3 minutes on the other side.

Transfer the pieces to individual plates and serve with butter and syrup. 

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Delicious!