I'm Backkkk

I had this blog for a bit when I was in college but with a busy senior spring and the fear of being ridiculed I got rid of it. With the stressors of graduate school and a dwindling personal life, I have recently realized that cooking keeps me afloat.  I typically find that I succeed more in my baking adventures but I recently gave up sweets for lent. I decided that the countless instagramed photos of my food aren't enough. Friends usually see my food and ask for the recipes. So, I've decided to bring back The Book's Cook! Hopefully this will be a stress reliever and something I can dedicate my time (as little as it is) to when I'm not in classes.

Mom's Japanese Noodle Salad:
A huge favorite in my house and I think only the second time I've made it on my own. This is the first time I cooked it with whole wheat pasta- it tasted a bit different but hey, gave it a little healthier swap.

Ingredients
-8 oz. vermicelli (I used whole wheat)
-1/3 cup sesame seeds
-1/4 cup chopped green onions
-1 bunch of broccoli
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-1/4 cup hot water (if you want a stronger taste, cut the water in half)
-2 T white wine
-2 tsp sugar

Cook noodles in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water, then drain thoroughly and transfer to large sized bowl.
Toast sesame seeds (I bought already toasted ones) in a small skillet over high heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add to noodles and toss lightly.
Cut broccoli florets into bite size pieces, then steam for 3 minutes or until tender and crisp; rinse in cold water and drain well. Add the cooked broccoli and green onions to the noodles and mix lightly

Honey Baked Salmon
I've become a fan of pinterest recipe searches.  I went to Whole Foods this weekend and spent way too much money.  In my canvas bag was some salmon and I was left searching for a baked Salmon recipe.  I usually don't think to cook fish because I consider myself to be a seafood snob being from Boston. On this rare trip to Whole Foods, I thought that if anyone in Nashville were going to have decent fish it would be my hipster friends at Whole Foods. I found this recipe when I searched "Japanese style Baked Salmon" on pinterest. Here is a recipe adapted from Fancy Frugal Life previously adapted by All Recipes.

Ingredients
-2 cloves of freshly minced garlic
-1/3 cup soy sauce
-1/3 cup orange juice
-1/4 honey (I eyeballed it)
-1 green onion chopped
-1 1/2 pounds of salmon

Combine garlic, soy sauce, orange juice, honey and green onion in a large plastic bag.  Add the salmon and coat well. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 and bake salmon for 15-18 minutes per inch of thickness. I baked it for 25 minutes because although the salmon wasn't much more than an inch thick, I am wary of uncooked fish.
*Next time I make it, I think I'll add a bit more honey. The original recipe called for fresh ginger but Whole Foods got overwhelming and I abandoned that ingredient for my sanity.