4 to 6 tilapia filets cooking spray 8 to 12 ounces baby spinach, cleaned 1/4 cup chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon onion powder salt and pepper Creole seasoning blend 1 small tomato, chopped 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the spinach. If necessary to make the spinach fit it into the baking dish, steam or saute the spinach for a minute or two to wilt slightly. Sprinkle spinach with salt and pepper and onion powder; add the chicken broth. Sprinkle tilapia filets lightly with salt, pepper, and Creole seasonings. Arrange the filets over the spinach and sprinkle with chopped tomato and sliced green onion. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350° for 25 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serves 4.
Haystacks
1 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup peanuts 2 cups chow mein noodles
Microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50 percent power for 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend to coat noodles thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Biscotti
1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon anise extract, or 3 drops anise oil 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2-inch thickness. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each 1 crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Cookie slices should be lightly toasted.
Salmon Alla' Luna
Baking salmon on top of Swiss chard keeps the fish moist and eases the removal of the delicate fillets from the baking dish. The fresh cucumber relish pairs very well with the salmon. Use the freshest looking cucumber you can find. I used an English or hothouse cucumber because its quite mild and has very small seeds and a very thin skin.
Cucumber, preferably English 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 or 3 green onions, finely chopped 1 tsp chopped fresh dill 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (or other sweet white wine vinegar) 2 1/2 tbsp sugar 1/8 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 8 green Swiss chard leaves salt 4 salmon fillets, skin removed freshly ground pepper
About 1 hour before serving, make the cucumber relish: Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut the cucumber into 1/4-inch dice; you should have about 1 1/2 cups.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, green onions and dill. In a separate small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the sweetened vinegar to the cucumber mixture and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside at room temperature for 50-60 minutes, stirring frequently.
Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 425°F. Select a baking dish that will accommodate the salmon fillets comfortably in a single layer. Brush the bottom of the dish with some of the olive oil.
Rinse the chard leaves. Trim the white stems from the chard, including the first 2 inches that protrude into the leaves. Discard the stems. Fold the leaves in half crosswise, sprinkle them with water and arrange in 4 stacks of 2 leaves each in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the chard with a little salt and lay a salmon fillet, skinned side down on each chard stack. Brush the salmon with olive oil and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake, uncovered, until the salmon is opaque throughout, 12-15 minutes.
Using a spatula, carefully transfer the fillets with their chard leaves to warmed plates. Top each fillet with 3-4 spoonfuls of the cucumber relish. Serve.
Crabs Alla' Luna
De-shell the crab and clean out the inside. Lay flat on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Fill the cavity with grated cheese, breadcrumbs and butter. Either put on the grill or oven at about 375, take out once they turn red..... Enjoy. This is one of the best ways to make these.
Stripped Bass Cakes
2 lbs fresh skinned striper fillet (red meat removed) 2 heaping TBS mayo 1 heaping TBS dijon mustard 2 eggs 1-2cups Italian breadcrumbs (w/o added cheese)--you use these to bind, so measurements are approximate--too much, you get hockey pucks. 1 c. finely chopped red pepper 1c cooked corn kernels (frozen work best) 1-3 tsp Old Bay seasoning (to taste) red pepper flakes (to taste) 1/2 c chopped celery
Cooking: cut fillets into manageable pieces and poach until flaky but not overcooked (white wine and bay leaf, or plain salted water) saute corn, peppers and celery until tender. Set aside In mixing bowl, combine mayo, mustard, eggs and sauteed veggies. Mix in old bay and pepper flakes, if using. drain fish of all excess moisture and mix fish with above until you have a crab-meat like consistency. Add bread crumbs a bit at a time until mix binds well (do not use too much!) either fry cakes in butter or olive oil or bake in 350 degree overn for 40 minutes. Enjoy!
Great with tartar sauce.
SUPER-RICH VIRGINIA CRAB CAKES
2 cups backfin crab meat (about 3/4 pound), picked over 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 large eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream a dash of hot sauce, or to taste 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons grated onion 2 tablespoons unsalted butter In a bowl, combine crab meat and bread crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk eggs well and add cream, whisking. Add cream mixture, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, onion and salt and pepper to taste to crab mixture and combine well.
In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and into it drop half of crab mixture by tablespoons. Cook crab cakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes, on each side, and repeat with remaining tablespoon butter and crab mixture. Serve crab cakes warm.
BLACKFISH AND CLAM CHOWDA’
First make a FISH STOCK: 1/2 onion 1 carrot 1 stalk celery 2 tog racks (no head, gills, fins or skin, JUST BONES and any extra meat) 1 bay leaf 10 peppercorns TSP salt 10 cups water
Bring up to a boil and then simmer for an hour or two. Strain it and reserve. You can make that ahead of time and freeze/refrigerate it.
Now for the Chowda'.. 5 slices of Bacon (small dice) 2 stalks celery (small dice) 1 medium onion (small dice) 2 tbls Butter 2 Tablespoons of Flour 4 small potatoes (small dice) I used red w/ skin on, but you can use any. 1 can of BUMBLE BEE or another brand of whole baby clams (save liquid) 1 small can whole kernel Corn (Drained) 2 cups heavy cream (NOT BOILING but heated!!) 4 tog fillets (diced about the size of Dice) I used fresh, but frozen will work Teaspoon Fresh Thyme 8 cups of your Fish Stock or CLAM JUICE (heated!!)
In a heavy bottom pot cook the bacon on low heat until rendered but NOT crispy. Remove it and set aside. Leave about 2 tbls of bacon fat in the pot. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into that and stir for 1 minute. Now add your onions and celery and saute' until translucent. Add butter and the cooked bacon now. Sprinkle w/ S & P. Add the heated Fish stock slowly and stir while adding it. Bring that up to a boil and now add the corn, potatoes, 1/2 of the clams w/ the juice and fresh thyme. NOW simmer that for about 1/2 hour. Now slowly add the heated cream. Bring back to a boil and simmer LOW for another hour. Now add your TOG meat and the rest of the clams and cook for another 1/2 hour on low. Add S&P to taste and more fresh thyme if you like. Make some Pillsbury biscuits on the side.
This will feed about 5 people. Tastes better the next day
Quiche
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half 2 eggs 2 pinches kosher salt Freshly grated nutmeg 1 frozen 9-inch pie crust
Any of the following combinations: Cooked spinach, cheddar cheese, cubed cooked ham Bacon, Sauteed leeks, and Gruyere cheese Cooked spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and Parmesan cheese Roasted chicken, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes Blanched asparagus and smoked salmon Port Salut and Spam
In a nonreactive, stainless steel bowl, combine the cream or half-and-half and the eggs. Whisk until combined thoroughly. Add the salt and the nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
Quiche Pie Rules:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Evenly distribute the pie fillings in the pie crust. Do not overfill the crust with the filling ingredients. Do not pour too much royale into the crust. The eggs will expand upon cooking. Bake the pie until it is firm to the touch like set Jell-O, about 45 minutes. Cool the pie for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Crust
1 Chocolate cookie curst 1 egg white 1/4 cup shaved semisweet chocolate Peanut butter filling
Peanut Butter Filling: 8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter (smooth or chunky) 1/2 cup milk 3/4 cup powered sugar 1 cup cream, whipped 1-ounce semisweet chocolate for shaving on top
Brush egg white onto cookie crust. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes to toast slightly. As soon as it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the crust bottom with the shaved chocolate and set aside. It should melt in. then set up later.
Peanut Butter Filling: Using mixer cream together the cream cheese, peanut butter, milk and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture and pour it into the pie shell. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours. Two hours before serving place pie in the refrigerator. Shave chocolate over the top just before serving.
Bring 2 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the barley. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until the vegetal are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the barley and heat through.
Pan-Seared Chicken with Garlic Sauce
1 tsp paprika 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 1/2 tsp table salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces 1 tsp olive oil 12 medium garlic clove(s), halved 1 cup fat-free chicken broth, reduced-sodium, divided
Preheat oven to 450. Combine paprika, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with herb mixture. Heat oil in a large oven proof non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 2 minutes on each side. Add garlic and 3/4 cup broth. Place pan in oven. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until chicken is done and garlic cloves are soft. Remove pan from oven. Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth to pan. Mash garlic with a fork. Cook garlic mixture over medium heat 2 minutes or until through heated; stir. Serve garlic sauce over chicken. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast and 2 tablespoons garlic sauce).
Pasta Alla' Luna...
Ingredients
4-6 fluke Fillets cut into cubes 1 lb small bay scallops (2) 15 oz cans of Progresso White Clam Sauce with garlic and herb (2) 6.5 oz Cans of Minced Clams -- drained Fresh Parsley Minced Garlic EVO Linguine Parmesan Cheese salt & pepper Italian bread
make your pasta and put aside....
I used a wok but EVO in with a tablespoon or 2 of minced garlic... then dump in the bay scallops and salt and pepper to taste.... do not over cook..... remove to a bowl dump the watery juice, add more evo and then add the cut up fluke... quick stir fry gently so not to break apart the fish..... when done add the Progresso sauce and minced clams and a handfull of the fresh chopped parsley....bring to a slow boil then cover and simmer slowly for 10 minutes over LOW flame.... add Scallops back in simmering only a few more minutes....... pour or spread over individual bowls of linguine, top with the Parmesan Cheese, cut bread for dunking, and enjoy.....
