Summer Recipe: Orange Glazed Salmon

Courtesy of Foodnetwork.com

There appears to be a new social happening spreading across the country for people who like to cook.  “Dinner clubs” are sprouting everywhere for those of us who like to get together, try new recipes, and enjoy a meal with friends.  Whether you gather and actually cook the entire meal, each person brings a dish and recipe, or members take turns hosting the full dinner event; the rules and customs of the dinner clubs are informal and are created by the members.

If this is something that interests you, memberships can grow through mutual friends, church groups, posting notices in gourmet grocery stores, cookware stores, or the cookbook section of bookstores.

A recipe to enjoy yourself or perhaps to be tried at your first “dinner club” meeting is below:

Orange-Glazed Salmon:

• 3 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning (salt free)
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
•  boneless, skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• ¼ cup Seville orange marmalade
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• Lime wedges

1. Combine Cajun seasoning, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.  Rub over all surfaces of fillets.
2. Saute fillets in oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Turn and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Blend marmalade and lime juice; swirl in skillet until melted.  Carefully turn fish to glaze on all sides.  The salmon is done when it begins to flake when tested with a fork.
4. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy!

Donna Bellavance
A. G. Gordon, Inc.
Insurance & Risk Management

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MA Insurance: Grilling Safety

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 Summer for most Americans means “busting out the grill” and hosting some barbeques in the warm weather, whether it be with friends, family, or both. According to the Insurance Information Institute, Americans enjoy more than three billion barbeques each year. By my calculations that’s enough chicken and steak to reach around the circumference of the Earth four times! (I just made that up, but still, there’s a lot of grilling going on). As you prepare a succulent host of BBQ food this year, remember to keep grilling safety in mind!

Some things to remember:

1. Wear a protective fire-resistant apron or similar garb, and mitts that reach up to your forearms to avoid burns.
2. Keep you grill’s gas cylinder AWAY from your house or flammable structures.
3. Check for leaks often by sprinkling soapy water around the gas valve; if there’s a leak, bubbles will form. Never check for a gas leak by using a match. This can happen.
4. Make sure the gas is off whenever the grill is not in use.
5. If using a charcoal grill, only use lighter fluid specified for charcoal grills. NEVER USE GASOLINE. Also never add more lighter fluid once a fire has already started; if needed, add small sticks or other tinder to augment the flame.
6. When finished, douse coals with water before disposing of them in the trash.
7. Our specialized outdoor flame/fire consultant advises you to take extra caution when grilling in the woods. Only you can prevent forest fires.
8. Check grill hoses for cracks or leaks; make sure the hose doesn’t kink.
9. Keep additional open flames away from the grill.
10. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
11. Never attempt to repair a grill yourself.
12. Remember that grills can remain hot long after the fire is out.
13. Be safe and have fun!

 

Corbin Foucart
Andrew G Gordon, Inc.
Insurance & Risk Management

Adding Fuel to the Fire

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Did you know that the #1 cause of house fires is COOKING? With the transition into the fall, which inevitably means grilling less and cooking more, we think a kitchen fire awareness post is due. After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, two holidays notorious for their food. The National Fire Protection Association provides the following information for dealing with cooking fires; use them to make sure you cook without too warm a welcome from your kitchen. 

Microwave Fire:  Keep the door closed!  And unplug it. Be sure to have it serviced before you use it again. (Personal experience has taught me to watch anything cooked in the microwave.  Overcooked microwave popcorn can fill your home with an acrid smoke that is impossible to breathe in). 

Oven Fire:  Again, KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED and turn off the heat. If the fire doesn’t go out immediately, call the Fire Department! 

Grease Fire:  Nothing smells better on a Sunday morning than bacon cooking and coffee perking, but the potential for a grease fire is high.  The best way to handle a grease fire is to carefully slide a lid over the pan.  Turn off the burner, DON’T MOVE THE PAN, and keep the lid on until the pan cools completely. (Baking soda can also be used to suffocate the fire.) NEVER put water on a grease fire – water causes the grease to splatter and the fire to spread.  

This all having been said, here’s a tasty recipe for your next brunch or cookout: 

Cut Italian Sausages (mild or hot, whichever you prefer) into 1” pieces.  Put the sausage pieces into a one gallon ziplock bag, along with green pepper and onion slices.  Drizzle generously with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and let sit for an hour or two. When ready to cook, put the mixture in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the sausage pieces are cooked through.  Delicious! 

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Fall Recipe- Chicken Broccoli & Ziti

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A great fall recipe. You can even freeze it and send it with your college students back to their dorms. They’ll be eating something halfway decent 

Ingredients:
1 lb box of ziti (no lines)
2 bunches of broccoli (or a large, frozen bag)
2 lbs of chicken tenders (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 qt of heavy cream (or 2 jars of Paul Newman’s Alfredo Sauce)
2 cups of grated romano cheese
3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
flour
garlic powder
olive oil
black pepper & salt
very large bowl, baking pan
aluminum foil 

1. Boil water for ziti in a large pot
2. Boil water for broccoli; add garlic powder
3. Add oil to a large frying pan (enough to cover the chicken)
4. On a plate, mix flour, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder 
5. Roll the chicken in the mixture and then fry both sides lightly in the pan
6. Mix cooked ziti, broccoli, chicken, Paul Newman’s alfredo sauce, mozzarella,  and romano cheese together in a large bowl. Mix well. If you use heavy cream, pour on top after contents are in baking pan.
7. Transfer the mix into a baking pan and cover with foil.
8. Bake 30 mins, remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

As an insurance company, we encourage safety in the kitchen tackling any kind of cooking project. Here are some quick tips: 

1. Don’t leave food cooking unattended. This is the #1 cause of kitchen mishaps.
2. Never use water to put out a grease fire; it can splash the grease and spread the fire. Use the lid of a pan or a dry chemical fire extinguisher to safety put out the fire. Note: a fire extinguisher will ruin the food.
3. If an oven fire starts, close the oven door and turn it off. Always call the fire department, even if the oven fire seems to have gone out.
4. Turn pot and pan handles to the center of the stove. This will prevent accidental spills and is a great young child safety tip.
5. Keep napkins, dish towels, etc. away from cooking areas in the kitchen.
6. If a fire starts in a microwave, CLOSE THE DOOR and unplug the microwave. The fire will lose oxygen and burn out.
7. Cool all burns with cool water. Know the difference between first, second, and third degree burns.

For more insurance information and relevant resources, visit the A. G. Gordon, Inc. Website.
  

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Summer Recipe

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Summer is a time for grilling and sharing good stories, good times, and of course good barbeque recipes. One of my favorites is this Steak Rub recipe.
The name of this recipe is WILD WILLY’S NUMBER ONEDERFUL RUB, though I honestly don’t know where the name originated from! Odd name aside, rest assured that nothing less than “onderful” will emerge from your grill should you choose to try it.  

Ingredients:  

¾ cup ground paprika
¼ cup ground black pepper
¼ cup salt
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper  

Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl. Store in a sealed container.
Use as a rub for meat before grilling ( about 2T per pound of steak) Makes 2 cups.
Hint: You can buy all of these spices inexpensively at most discount stores (Ocean State Job Lot, etc.)
Some experimenting I’ve done with this rub:  

Grill shrimp on a skewer, coated with lime juice, then steak rub.
Coat hamburger patties with this rub.
Grill swordfish with a coat of this rub.
In the winter, I’ve been known to sneak a bit in the Meatloaf.  

And of course as an insurance company, we prefer everyone have a safe grilling experience; here are some tips:  

Always use caution when grilling. Never leave grills unattended. Do not store LP gas tanks indoors. Never use gas grills above the first floor or place  close to your house, the gas is heavier than air and can combust if accumulated. Never pour charcoal fluid directly on flames or on briquettes. Follow these steps to make sure the only thing that gets cooked is the food.  

~Bill Cordaro, Commercial Accounts Manager, A.G. Gordon, Inc.  

And for more relevant insurance information and resources, visit us at our website or get a quote from us now!  

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