Salmon and Rainbow Peppers!

The peppers in the grocery looked so wonderful when I stopped the other day that I decided to make one of our favorite and healthy meals - Salmon and Peppers.  This recipe is SO easy.  I found it years ago on Reynolds Wrap website under "packet cooking."  I don't think it is on the site any longer...so here you go!

2 sheets of Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap

2 salmon fillets, 4-6 oz. each

2 medium red, yellow, green, or orange peppers

2 Tablespoons of butter or margarine

1 teaspoon of dried basil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees or grill to medium/high

Wash and cut peppers...I usually use 3 different colors and chop to make the equivalent of two peppers.

Center one salmon fillet on each sheet of heavy duty wrap ( or just double up regular wrap).

Put the pepper pieces around the salmon, then top with 1 Tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with the dried basil.

Wrap the packets up and seal...leaving some room for steam.

I put them on the grill on our patio.  When making the packets in the oven I put them on a baking sheet in case there is any leakage.
Cook for 18 - 20 minutes.

CAREFULLY open the packets...

And serve with rice...I use brown rice.

The color of the peppers goes great with my Fall table...this is set for 6.  You can easily double/triple/? this recipe - it's a great make ahead dish for company.

The napkins are from Kohl's a few years ago.
The place mats are from Dollar Tree.

Table center is a combination of some fresh flowers from the grocery store and silk sunflowers from Dollar Tree.   The place mat under the centerpiece is a place mat from Pier One...there was only one left on a clearance table and it works fine for this purpose.

I always like to have a little take home sweet for guests....I had just made a batch of the Rollo Pretzel bites ( recipe can be found on the Rollo Candy bag) and topped them with pecans and Autumn colored M&M's.  

Put in clear treat bags wrapped with raffia I added some Fall tags that were a printable download from On Sutton Place - Thank you, Ann, for sharing!

Hope you enjoyed the recipe and ideas.  Do you have any easy "packet" recipes to share?   Any good salmon recipes?   Please leave a comment and thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista 🙂🙂

Ready for FALL!

I am SO ready for Fall!  While I never have been the kind of person who is bothered by the weather, for some reason this year all the rain, gloom, and humidity has really made me lazy.  Just want to sit and read.  Not that that is a bad thing, but I am anxious for the crisp, cool mornings and the wonderful colors when the leaves change. 

Finally got out all my Fall decorations last Sunday when the weather was cool and it rained all day.   It was also the perfect day to make my favorite Vegetable Beef ( or no Beef ) Soup.  I have posted this recipe in the past, but this time I remembered to take some photos of the process - and made it a little differently than in the past.

Vegetable Beef ( or No Beef ) Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained.  BUT...I use one package of soy crumbles.   They are easy, on hand in the freezer, and we do not notice the difference as the soup cooks all day and takes the taste of the other ingredients.

1 14-1/2 ounce can of stewed tomatoes

1 15-1/2 ounce can of tomato sauce (I use a can of diced tomatoes instead of sauce.)

1 packet of dry onion soup mix

1 10-1/2 oz. can of beef broth( I use vegetable broth.)

1 15 oz package of frozen mixed vegetables ( and any other leftover veggies that are in the refrigerator!)

Mix all together in a slow cooker.  Stir in one soup can of water.   Cook on low temperature for 8 to 12 hours.  Enjoy with a loaf of crusty bread.

I made this yesterday before breakfast.   It was a raw, rainy day and we ventured out only to go to a great presentation on The First Ladies at the Cultural Center here at Willow Valley.   We spent the afternoon reading, watching a great old movie ( The Lady Vanishes, 1938), and enjoying the scent of a good soup simmering for our supper.   This meal makes enough for 6 dinner sized servings.  I put the remaining soup in freezer containers and am all set for the next cold and chilly day - just reheat in the microwave and enjoy.

This recipe is a great crock pot choice - and I spray the crock with non-stick spray just to make clean up easy.

The difference this time was that our neighbors were leaving for a trip and gave us all these home grown tomatoes from their garden.   I chopped up the tomatoes and used them instead of the can of stewed tomatoes in the recipe.

They were so fresh and juicy - I had to sneak a few pieces to taste!

This is where the NO BEEF comes in - I use these vegetable/soy crumbles and they are wonderful in this recipe.  Everything cooks for so long and absorbs the flavors that you would never know it was not ground beef.  I use this product in Chili as well - but not in Lasagna as you notice the difference in that dish.

Mixed vegetables...

Tomato sauce...

Broth - I use Vegetable Broth, and I use more than the recipe calls for...I like a lot of broth!

Then add one packet of Onion Sip mix...

Then mix it all together, cover, and cook all day.   It is so comforting on a cold and rainy day, perfect with some crusty bread and a nice glass of wine!  Since it is just the two of us I freeze the leftovers and they reheat well for a quick and easy meal some other day!

While the soup was cooking I started the Fall decorations...and of course, the EAGLES football had to be on display for the first game of the season!

Changed out the tray ( anybody else loving using trays???) and  added pumpkins, little apples, and my leaf candle holder.

Always like to add a seasonal touch to this book of poetry...

Some more apples ( love that plate, it used to sit in my kitchen window and caught the light...no more kitchen window so I use it here...), pumpkins, and still some sunflowers for September.

I changed out the lighter pillows to a darker tone for Fall/Winter and added this leaf pillow I found at Ross a few years ago.

Love my reader statue ( Thank you, Joanne!) and always add something to her to celebrate the season.

Dining table...still a work in progress.  The leaf placemat was a "there is just one, it is a great price" at Pottery Barn last year.

Added some faux mums near the front door...

Some fall colors in the foyer and stuck some leaves into the Powder Room wreath...

Can't forget to add a little Fall to the outdoor table...yesterday it was finally dry and cool enough to enjoy lunch outside!

And lastly a Fall wreath to greet visitors!  We will enjoy this one until October 1...when it will be time for the Halloween decorating to begin!

Do you decorate for the Fall ?  I have cut way back on what I do, but still trying to simplify.   Any tips for me ?  Have you tried the soup recipe?  Thank you so much for stopping by Our New Vista - please leave a comment - and have a Fabulous Fall!