Stephanie and John's Recipe Collection

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Dinner table spread with salmon, asparagus, salad, and red carnations Salmon vs Cod Showdown

Lemon Herb Sheet Pan Salmon vs Cod

45 min Serves 2 Easy

A head-to-head showdown: salmon and cod side by side on one sheet pan, both topped with lemon slices, alongside crispy asparagus and caramelized red onions — served with a bright cucumber-tomato salad. Which fish reigns supreme?

Sheet pan with salmon fillets topped with lemon slices, asparagus, and red onions before baking Mixing the fresh cucumber, tomato, and avocado salad with seasonings Overhead view of the full dinner table setting with all dishes Plated lemon herb salmon with asparagus, roasted red onions, and fresh cucumber salad

Ingredients

  • 1 salmon fillet
  • 1 cod fillet
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
  • 2 red onions, quartered
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • Fresh dill & capers
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Olive oil
  • Ponzu sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 cucumber, diced (for salad)
  • 2 tomatoes, diced (for salad)
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced (for salad)
  • Italian seasoning (for salad)

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork, wrap them in aluminum foil, and put them in the oven. Set the oven timer to 45 minutes. (Note: this timing is for small to medium sweet potatoes only.)
  2. Make the salad so it has time to soak up the dressing: dice cucumbers and tomatoes, thinly slice red onion and shock it in an ice bath to mellow the spice. Toss together and dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the sauce: mince the garlic and combine with olive oil, ponzu, soy sauce, honey, and a bit of lemon juice in a small saucepan.
  4. Simmer the sauce on low for about 15 minutes to reduce, stirring occasionally.
  5. Brush the reduced sauce onto the fish. Season everything with salt & pepper and scatter capers over top. Layer lemon slices on top.
  6. At the 12-minute mark, line a sheet pan with foil. Place the salmon and cod fillets on the pan. Arrange asparagus and quartered red onions around the fish.
  7. Bake for the final 12 minutes until fish is flaky and asparagus is tender-crisp.
  8. Top the fish with fresh dill. Unwrap the sweet potatoes, plate everything up, and enjoy!

Who Won?

After tasting both fish side by side, the verdict was unanimous.

Cod takes the crown!
John voted Cod Stephanie voted Cod
Dinner table with gigli pasta, meatballs, charcuterie board, arugula salad, and white wine Date Night In

Gigli with Meatballs & Charcuterie Board

25 min Serves 2 Easy

A cozy date night dinner: gigli tossed in a rich tomato sauce with homemade meatballs, paired with a beautiful charcuterie board of prosciutto, cheese, grapes, and dark bread — plus a simple arugula salad and white wine.

Charcuterie board with prosciutto, cheese, grapes, blueberries, dark bread, and fresh dill Close-up of pasta plates with meatballs, charcuterie board, wine, and red carnations Full table setting with pasta, charcuterie, arugula salad, wine, and flowers

Ingredients

  • Gigli pasta (quarter bag)
  • Jar of tomato sauce (half jar)
  • Precooked chicken meatballs
  • Fresh parsley
  • Prosciutto
  • Hard cheese (manchego or cheddar)
  • Green grapes
  • Blueberries
  • Dark raisin bread, sliced
  • Fresh dill
  • Arugula
  • Charles Frey Riesling (Alsace)

Steps

  1. Boil a big pot of water. At the same time, heat half a jar of sauce in a pan with the precooked chicken meatballs.
  2. When the water boils, add in a quarter bag of gigli. Cook for 7 minutes till al dente.
  3. Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce. Top with fresh parsley.
  4. Assemble the charcuterie board: arrange prosciutto, sliced cheese, grapes, blueberries, and dark bread on a cutting board. Garnish with fresh dill.
  5. Open a bottle of Charles Frey Riesling, plate everything up, and enjoy!