Crab Spread - Great for Christmas Gatherings!

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup crème fraiche

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tbsp snipped chives

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

¼ pound Manchego cheese, shredded (1 cup)

One 9-ounce jar piquillo peppers, drained and cut into strips

Crusty bread or crackers

1. Preheat the broiler
2. In a bowl, combine the crabmeat, mayo, crème fraiche, parsley, chives, mustard, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of the Manchego.
3. Spread in an 8 x 11 baking dish, top with piquill peppers, and sprinkle with the remaining Manchego.
4. Broil until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through.
5. Serve hot with bread or crackers. 

Grilled Tuna with Jicama and Cucumber Relish

1 cup diced peel jicama

1 cup hot house cucumber

½ cup diced red onion

½ cup diced green bell pepper

2 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

2 12 oz. tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper (can be prepared 6 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate)
3. Preheat grill. 
4. Brush tuna with soy sauce
5. Broil 6 inches from heat until just cooked and still pale pink in center, about 4 minutes per side
6. Top fish with relish and serve. 

Quick and easy Salmon with Lentils

Package of Trader Joe's cooked lentils  

Olive Oil - we use the spray bottle kind to keep it light on the oil 

2 cups chopped sweet Maui onions  - about one large onion 

2 cups well washed chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (if you don't have fresh 1/4 tsp dried works) 

1 teaspoons sea salt

Garlic salt 

¾ teaspoon or more if you love pepper  freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 ½ cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 (8 oz.) salmon fillets. We love the frozen wild caught salmon from Costco. If you can get fresh that is awesome! 

1. Spray a pan with a bit of olive oil. Saute onions, leeks, thyme, garlic, celery, 1 tsp salt and carrots in a pan until cooked through.
2. Add lentils and cook until the lentils are warmed through. 
3. For the salmon, preheat the oven to 450*. Rub the fillets with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes. Or grill the salmon - we prefer to grill but we also live in a sunny place where you can grill year round! 
4. Serve with lentils.

My boys loved this dish and it's so easy!!! The lentils also are great for lunch the next day - if you have left overs.