Baked Halibut over Mashed Carrots and Potatoes

I decided to switch things up with the mashed potatoes and used a Parmesan Basil Sauce instead of milk. It gave it a great extra flavor and I used up the extra sauce I had in the fridge from yesterday’s dinner.
 

2 Halibut filets (I bought one 1 lb piece and cut it in half)
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 large red skinned potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
About 10 asparagus spears
2 Tbsp butter, split into two slices
5 oz of Alfredo sauce (I used the Vons brand, Open Nature, Parmesan Basil Sauce), split into two

Marinate fish in EVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper for about 30 minutes.

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil with potatoes and carrots. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add asparagus.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until flakes easily with a fork and is not longer translucent in the middle.

Using a slotted spoon, add carrots to a large mixing bowl with 1 Tbsp butter and about 2 ½ oz of Alfredo sauce. Puree or blend until smooth. Salt to taste. Spread a spoonful of carrots to each plate.

In the same mixing bowl, add drained potatoes with Tbsp butter and about 2 ½ oz of Alfredo sauce.

Puree or blend until smooth. Salt to taste. Spread a spoonful of carrots to each plate.

Top with asparagus spears and fish filets. Add extra salt and pepper, to taste.

Homemade Granola with Nuts and Dried Fruit


When my parents come to visit, it means we’re going to cook and eat…A LOT. Among the many things we cooked that week, we made a batch of homemade granola with toasted nuts and dried fruit. For breakfast every morning, my husband and I eat yogurt topped with fresh fruit and granola, so it was nice to create a batch of granola with the combination of flavors that we love. 


Mom & Larry making granola.



Whisk syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and oil.

Fold in oats until coated.

Spread mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Press down until mixture is compact and then it is ready to bake.

Serve over yogurt and fresh fruit.

1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar

1/3 cup brown sugar

4 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt
½ cup vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried cherries  

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk syrup or nectar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and nuts until well coated.

Spread a thin layer of the mixture to the baking sheet. Press mixture down until compact. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Rotate rack half way through.

Remove from oven and let cool completely for about 1 hour. Break granola into desired pieces. Stir in dried fruit. Store into an airtight container.

Try these variations to create your perfect flavor combination:

·         Add dried apples
·         Add shredded coconut
·         Add 2 Tbsp orange zest
·         Add dried mango or pineapple for a tropical flare
·         Try a variety of nuts like hazelnuts or macadamias

Brussels Sprout Sauté with Bacon, Pecans and Goat Cheese

My parents are in town, and you know what that means...good eats! Here's the side from our first dinner together. 

 

About 10 large Brussels Sprouts
5 strips of bacon, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Crumbled goat cheese (about 3 oz or to your liking)
Salt, season to taste
 
Prepare Brussels Sprouts but removing outer leaves and cutting in half. Steam for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan cook diced bacon until crispy. Add steamed Brussels Sprouts, garlic and pecans; toss, coating Brussels Sprouts in bacon grease. Season with salt, to taste.

Serve and top with crumbled goat cheese. Enjoy with grilled fish and garlic bread.

Variations:

·         Substitute pecans for walnuts or pine nuts
·         Substitute goat cheese for feta cheese

Fried Polenta with Black Bean Salsa

A little bit of Italy with a Central American flare.

 

Polenta originates from Italy and is a porridge like substance made from cornmeal. It has a smooth, creamy consistency, similar to cream of wheat or grits. Polenta can be used in place of rice, potatoes, pasta or bread and served as an appetizer or as a part of the main dish.

2 servings

1-18 oz tube of precooked polenta (I used  a brand from Quinoa)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Black Bean Salsa:

1 can of black beans (I used ½ a can)
½ small red bell pepper, diced
½ small yellow bell pepper, diced
½ large avocado, diced
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
Juice from one lime
Salt, season to taste

Cotija cheese

Cut polenta into ½”slices. I cut 4 slices per person. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle just a little EVOO. Cook polenta for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for black bean salsa. Carefully toss to combine without mashing the avocado.

Top fried polenta slices with black bean salsa. Top with crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve with grilled chicken.

Note: To prepare the chicken, I rubbed the chicken pieces with chili powder and salt, then drizzled with lime juice. Let marinate for 30 minutes and then grill until cooked through.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Where the flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean meet and create happiness in your mouth.

 

1 lb dried Orzo pasta

1 cup mozzarella cheese pearls

½ cup sliced Kalamata olives

1/3 cup diced sun dried tomatoes

1 large bunch of basil, chopped

2 green onion sprigs, chopped

1/3 cup minced Italian flat leaf parsley

Marinade:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Juice from one lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Cook Orzo according to directions on packaging; cook until al dente. Set aside and allow to cool.

 

In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients and whisk together; set aside. 

 

Toss cooled Orzo pasta with remaining ingredients. Add marinade and mix together until well combined.

 

Helpful hint: For a more flavorful pasta, make this dish a day ahead to allow the flavors to marinate overnight. 

 

Variations:

·         Substitute the sun dried tomatoes for halved fresh cherry tomatoes

·         Substitute the  marinade for a pesto sauce

Grilled Pork Chops with Sautéed Veggies over Mashed Potatoes

Nothing fancy, but tasty and filling.

 

 

Serves 2

2- 3/4" Pork chops

Lemon Pepper seasoning

Seasoned salt

 

Veggies:

¾ cup baby carrots, halved

1 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1” pieces

½ small yellow onion, sliced

1 Anaheim pepper, sliced (you can use a regular bell pepper too)

1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced

2 Tbsp of freshly minced cilantro

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

 

Mashed Potatoes:

2 large red skinned potatoes, cubed

2 Tbsp butter

¼ cup milk (add more to get a creamy consistency)

Salt and black pepper, taste

 

Starting with the potatoes since they have the longest cook time, in a large pot of boiling water, cook cubed potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain water and add back to pot. Add butter and milk and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Cover and set aside.

 

Preheat grill to medium heat. Season one side of pork with lemon pepper seasoning and the other side with seasoned salt.  Grill pork for about 4 minutes per side, or depending on thickness until no longer pink in the middle.

 

Lastly, prepare the veggies. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO. Start sautéing with carrots first. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add zucchini , onion and peppers. Sauté another 3-4 minutes. Last, add garlic and cilantro. Cook another 1-2 minutes, until carrots are tender. 

 

Serve pork chops over a plate of mashed potatoes and sautéed veggies. Enjoy!

 

Variations:

·         Grill chicken, fish or steak instead of pork chops

·         Pan sear the meat instead of grilling

·         Substitute any of the veggies by adding your favorites or removing those you don’t like

·         Add a variety of herbs to the veggies, such as rosemary, parsley and/or chives

Meatball Stroganoff

A quick and tasty meal with a spin on the traditional beef stroganoff.

 

 

Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 small onion, minced

1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced

1 egg

¼ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (if mixture is too wet, add more) 

 

4 large white or Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

 

McCormik stroganoff seasoning (yes, I'm cheating and using a packet...that's what makes it quick!) 

 

In a large bowl, mix ingredients for meatballs together until well combined. In a large frying pan over med-high heat and drizzle oil. Using wet hands, form walnut sized balls from meat mixture and drop onto frying pan. Fry all sides until browned. 

 

Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring around meatballs. Following the directions on the seasoning packet, add water mixed with seasoning to the pan with the meatballs and mushrooms. Before serving , stir in one cup of sour cream.  

 

Serve over egg noodles or rice. Garnish with minced fresh parsley or sprinkle with paprika and freshly cracked pepper.   

Green Chilaquiles with Chicken (Chilaquiles Verdes Con Pollo)

This is my take on a traditional Mexican dish, Chilaquiles. These are like salsa drenched nachos topped with nothing but yummy goodness.

Serves 2-3

Salsa Verde:

1/2 lb tomatillos, husks removed
1 jalapeno, deveined and seeded
2 garlic cloves
Salt
 
Homemade tortilla chips

1 can of black beans
1 cup of shredded chicken
Sour cream
Red onion, minced
Avocado, sliced or roughly chopped
Cotija cheese
Cilantro, chopped

Salsa Verde:

Add tomatillos into a saucepan, cover with water and boil for 5 minutes, until tomatillos have changed color and are soft. Use slotted spoon to remove tomatillos into a blender. Add jalapeno, garlic cloves and a cup of the cooking liquid. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste.

Add salsa to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for a couple minutes. Add tortilla chips to the salsa. Gently turn over chips until they are all well coated. Remove from heat.

To assemble chilaquiles:

To serve chilaquiles, make a bed of black bean on your plate, top with salsa coated chips, chicken, a dollop of sour cream, onion, avocado cheese and sprinkle with cilantro.

Variations:

·         Use red salsa instead of green
·         Serve for breakfast and top with an egg instead of chicken
·         Serve for dinner and top with carne asada instead of chicken

Stuffed Chicken over Almond Pesto

A nice dinner for my hubby's Birthday: I started off with a Caprese Salad and then this main dish of sundried tomato and spinach stuffed baked chicken over homemade almond pesto pasta.

Stuffed Chicken:

2 chicken breasts
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
4 slices of mozzarella cheese
¼ cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out, split in four parts
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped, split in four parts
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Almond Pesto:

2 cups of packed basil leaves
¼ cup of slivered almonds
2 garlic clove
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Juice from one lemon
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

½ lb pasta (bow tie or tube)

In a blender or food processor, add basil, almonds, garlic, salt, pepper, cheese and lemon juice; blend and slowly add EVOO while blender is on. Blend until smooth. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary to taste. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice each chicken breast in half and pound until about ¼” thin. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Layout out filets, add a slice of cheese, ¼ forth the spinach and tomatoes on each filet and roll up; secure with toothpicks.

In a sauce pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and brown all sides of the rolled chicken. Then bake for 15 minutes, or depending on thickness, until cooked all the way through.

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Then drain and toss with pesto sauce.

Serve pesto pasta with sliced chicken. Drizzle chicken with remaining juices from pan. Enjoy!

Tuna Poke and Avocado Stack

Yesterday, my husband’s coworker asked him if we liked tuna. Of course! Then she went on to tell him her brother just came back from a fishing trip with several pounds of fresh Bluefin tuna. Would we like some? Again…OF COURSE!  And this was how this little beauty was created!

Top layer:
¾ lb Bluefin tuna (or Ahi), cubed
¼ cup soy sauce
2 green onion sprigs, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame oil
½ Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (I used both black and white)
1/2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

Middle layer:

½ red bell pepper, minced
1 ½ Tbsp minced red onion

Bottom layer:

1 avocado, diced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
Juice from one lime

Garnish:

Thinly sliced cucumber
Cilantro
Extra sesame seeds

In a small bowl, combine cubed tuna with the rest of the ingredients for the ‘top layer’. In a separate small bowl, combine bell peppers and onion. In a third small bowl, combine ingredients for the ‘bottom later’.

Using a greased cylinder shaped measuring cup or 2 1/2” circle ring, add a layer of tuna mixture and gently press down with the back of a spoon. Then add a thin layer of bell peppers and onions. Lastly, add a layer of avocado and gently press down.

Take a small plate and layer a circle of thinly sliced cucumbers. Place the tuna and avocado stack in the middle of the plate and gently tap out. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve with homemade tortilla chips.

Jalapeno Crab Stuffed Salmon

I wanted to do something different for dinner with my salmon, so I opened up my cupboard to see if any brilliant ideas would jump out at me. A can of crab and a can of diced jalapenos caught my eye. I love crab stuffed jalapenos, so I wondered what would happen if I stuffed that inside of salmon. Viola! Jalapeno crab stuffed salmon…delicious!

2 salmon filets

1 can of white lump crab, drained
2-3 oz of canned diced jalapenos
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 green onion sprig, chopped
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine crab, jalapenos, cheese and green onion, but do not over mix. Set aside.

Season filets with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in the middle of each filet. Stuff filets with crab mixture. Place filets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn to broil, move fish to the top of the oven and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Helpful tip: To know if your fish is cooked, it should easily flake with fork and no longer be translucent in the center.

Grilled Shark with Summer Relish

This grilled fish dinner has a Latin flair and uses fresh summer ingredients.

2 Thresher shark fillets
Fish seasoning: Cajun, seasoned salt or lemon pepper

Relish:
¼ cup corn (roasted and cut off the cob)
About 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ large avocado, diced
1 Tbsp diced canned jalapenos (or one fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced)
1 green onion sprig, diced
Juice from one lime
Salt

Rice & Beans:

½ cup rice
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
½ can of black beans

In a rice cooker, cook rice in broth and EVOO.  Once rice is cooked, stir in beans to heat through.

Meanwhile, season and grill heat over med-high heat. Depending on thickness, grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked all the way through.

While fish is grilling, make relish. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with salt and set aside.

To plate, create a bed of rice and beans, top with fish and spoon relish over fish.

Helpful hint: Make sure you rub the fish with oil before seasoning or spray the grill to prevent the fish from sticking.

Pesto Vegetable Pasta Salad

A great pasta to bring to a BBQ and serve with  grilled chicken.

1 lb bowtie pasta

1 small jar of marinated, quartered artichoke hearts
½ red bell pepper, diced
About 10 asparagus spears, steamed and cut into 1”pieces
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, diced
2 green onion spears, diced
4 oz. of jarred pesto
Feta cheese

Cook pasta according to directions on packaging. Drain and toss with the rest of ingredients. Serve warm or cool the next day. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Vegetable Frittata Squares

I made these for a Birthday breakfast celebration at my work. I prepared the sauté veggies the night before then just added the eggs and baked it in the morning. Include your favorite vegetables and then serve them warm or cool.

6 eggs

½ small red bell pepper, diced
½ small green bell pepper, diced
About 10 thin asparagus spears, cut into ½” pieces
3 large baby Bella mushrooms, diced
2 green onion sprigs, diced
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
A few dashes of red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp butter
Shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté all the veggies over medium high heat in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Meanwhile, beat eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy and bubbly. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; stir in sautéed veggies.

Pour mixture into a greased 9”x9” casserole dish. Dot mixture with butter pieces and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Strawberry Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A perfect summer time Birthday cake!

Cake:

1 package of white or vanilla cake mix
1-3 oz. package of strawberry gelatin
20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, undrained
Flour, for dusting

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Strawberries, to decorate top of cake

2 oz. pecans pieces, to decorate sides of cake

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, gelatin and pineapple. Grease two 9”x9” dish and dust with flour. Bake according to directions on box.

Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and completely cooling on a wire rack.

For the frosting, in a large bowl combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Place one layer of cake on a plate. Spread a layer of frosting and a layer of sliced strawberries. Top with second layer of cake. Cover cake with remaining frosting. Gently brush pecan pieces around sides of cake. Decorate the top with strawberries.

Variations:
·         Instead of pecan pieces use shredded coconut
·         Instead of filling the cake with frosting, use strawberry jam

Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus

This easy to prepare side dish is healthy and tasty. A perfect compliment to grilled chicken, baked fish or pan fried pork chops.

1 small head of cauliflower
About 10 thick asparagus spears
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
½ lemon
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
½ tsp garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower into florets and place into a shallow casserole dish. Snap off ends of asparagus, cut into 1 ½” pieces, and add to casserole dish. Drizzle with EVOO and lemon juice. Then sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Toss ingredients together.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Variations:
Try adding freshly minced Rosemary, parsley and/or garlic.

Wild Rice

I found this gourmet blend of wild and whole grain brown rice from Lundberg Wild Blend at the grocery store. I’m not usually a fan of brown rice since the texture can sometimes be tough. I cooked the rice according to the directions and it this was actually tasty (and of course healthy, which is the point of eating this in the first place, right?).

½ cup Lundberg Wild Rice Blend

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
¼ small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper

In a pot, add rice, broth and EVOO. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, turn heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan with EVOO, sauté carrots, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Once rice is done, stir in veggies and fluff rice. Set aside and let sit covered for 10 minutes.

Serve with grilled salmon and asparagus. Garnish salmon with a lemon slice.

Baked Stuffed Jalapenos

I made this for two separate BBQs this weekend and they were a hit. These will spice up any fiesta!

15 jalapenos, sliced, seeded and deveined

Crab filling:
1can of crab, drained
4 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper
1 green onion sprig, minced

Bacon and Cheddar filing:
4 bacon slices, crispy and chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened
½ shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a bowl, mix filling of your choice and stuff jalapenos halves. Bake on 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Summer Corn and Zucchini Saute

I love summer and eating LOTS of fresh corn! I like to add to everything and anything….almost.

2 small zucchinis, chopped

1 ear of corn, corn cut off the cob
Salt
Pepper
¼ cup walnuts pieces
Crumble goat cheese
Fresh chives, minced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook corn for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut corn off the cob.

In a skillet over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and sauté zucchini for about 4 minutes. Add corn. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in walnuts.

To serve, top with crumble cheese and sprinkle with minced chives. Enjoy with BBQed chicken or fried pork chops.

Variations:

·         Use feta cheese
·         Use toasted pine nuts

Steak and Veggie Salad

Who says salads are boring?

½ sirloin steak
Cajun seasoning
2 crushed garlic cloves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For Salad:

2 boiled eggs, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced
3 large radishes, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 green onion sprigs, sliced
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Crumbled blue cheese
Mixed green salad

In a bag, marinade steak in Cajun seasoning, garlic and olive oil for 30+ minutes. Over med-high heat, grill steak for about 4-6 minutes per side, until desired doneness. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

To serve, make a bed of lettuce, add veggies and top with sliced steak. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with your favorite dressing.

Variations:

-          Use marinated chicken instead of steak