Happy 4th of July!

This year, the 4th of July marked one month at my new job. I was totally digging my new job and getting into a groove, when, of course, like clock work, things started to go wrong. Not just one thing. Oh no. That would be far too simple. One thing after another stopped working and I was (and still am) getting frustrated.

So as you may imagine, a 3-day weekend was just what this doctor ordered. I wish I could tell you that the weather was gorgeous and I went to the beach and partied and drowned my work sorrows in a weekend o' fun, but I would be lying. It is in the 60s here in La Jolla, it is windy, and rainy, and I haven't seen the sun in 4 days. And although the weather is not causing my work funk, it is definitely not helping it either.

Due to this weather rut, I spent most of my weekend indoors. Although this doesn't rank high on the excitement meter, it was very relaxing and I got to catch up on my Netflix queue, as well as some much needed rest. I also got to get back in the kitchen and try some new recipes. And really, what better excuse for mid-summer cooking is there than the 4th of July? I made my first attempt at homemade bbq sauce, as well as some patriotic desserts, and more than a few tasty beverages. If you live somewhere chilly like me, bake this salmon and warm up your kitchen. If you live somewhere warm, fire up your grill and try your hand at grilling this salmon. I promise that you won't regret it!

You can find this bbq sauce recipe here. As you can see from the number of ingredients required, it's kind of a kitchen sink approach, but it sure is tasty!

Here's what it looks like once you start boiling it in the pan. The brown sugar makes a nice glaze. It was great on salmon, but would go really well with red meat too.

I made this couscous to accompany the salmon. Pearled (or Israeli as it is also known) couscous is delicious and tastes heartier than regular couscous. Give it a try if you haven't already.

The finished product (not the most gorgeous plating, but you get the idea).

Paul enjoyed some boiler makers while I worked on the meal.

We tried to get Charlie in on the festivities.

To finish the meal, I made mini cheesecakes. The recipe is as follows:

Mini Cheesecakes

Crust:

6 honey graham crackers
1/8 stick of butter (1/4 cup)

Filling:

2 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

Topping:

fresh berries (I used blackberries and raspberries, but blueberries would be nice too)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Coat 4 small pyrex custard cups with non-stick spray. Grind graham crackers (I used a mortar and pestle, but you could also crush them in a ziploc bag). Melt butter and toss with graham crackers in a small bowl. Place 3 Tbsp of the graham cracker and butter mixture in pyrex dishes. Press down with fingers to form loosely packed crust.

Graham crackers before . . . .

And after.

Mini crusts.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl for about two minutes. Add eggs and yolks one at a time, blending well after each addition. Divide filling evenly between pyrex cups. Place cups in casserole dish and pour enough hot water in the casserole dish to reach halfway up the sides of the cups. (I know it's not easy to make out the water with the blue dish, but hopefully you can see it below.)

Bake for 45 minutes at 325 F. Remove cheesecakes from water bath immediately after baking and place on baking rack to cool completely.

After cooling, wrap each cheesecake in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (up to overnight). Top with berries and serve.

My lame attempt at making a star.