Month: September 2011

Categories
Main Dish Seafood

Fontina Stuffed Baked Salmon with Herb Jus

Salmon:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups coarsely chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup (4 ounces) cubed fontina cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 (6-ounce) skinned salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Hazelnut-Herb Couscous:
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Basil sprigs (optional)
To prepare herb jus, combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 8 minutes). Add fennel and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until reduced to 2 cups (about 30 minutes). Add 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped basil, and rosemary; simmer 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To prepare salmon, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup shallots and 2 minced garlic cloves; saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms; saute 2 minutes. Add sherry; cook 4 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in fontina, shredded Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons thyme. Cut 1 (3/4-inch-deep) diagonal slit from the center of 1 fillet; cut another slit in the opposite direction to form an X. Pull back salmon to form a pocket. Repeat with remaining fillets. Stuff 1/3 cup cheese mixture into each pocket. Place fillets on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with white wine, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with herb jus and Hazelnut-Herb Couscous; sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and parsley. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.
6  Servings
Categories
Chicken Main Dish Mexican

Fajita-Style Chicken Tenders with Corn & Black Bean Salsa

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb chicken tenders
1 pkt (1.12 oz) fajita seasoning mix
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn
1 cup salsa
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Note: Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips or warm flour tortillas.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add tenders and cook over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 minutes or until lightly colored. Sprinkle with fajita seasoning and 2 Tbsp water; toss over medium heat 1 minute until coated and chicken is cooked through.  While tenders cook, combine beans, corn and salsa in a medium saucepan or microwave dish. Heat until hot. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve along with the tenders.
4  Servings
Categories
Main Dish Seafood

Emperor’s Shrimp

1/4 cup Spicy Sesame Sauce (see below)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon loose green tea, preferably gunpowder
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch-long matchstick-size strips
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 2-inch-long matchstick-size strips
1 medium white onion, cut into 2-inch-long matchstick-size strips
6 tablespoons cashew nuts, toasted
Combine sauce and cornstarch in a bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick wok or cooking pan over medium-high heat and swirl to coat pan. Add the tea and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. Add the bell peppers and onion and stir-fry until peppers soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the wok and stir-fry until heated through. Stir in cashew nuts. Serve hot
Categories
Casseroles Italian Main Dish Vegetables Vegetarian

Eggplant Parmesean – Light Version

Use whole-wheat panko in this recipe; the regular type became soggy in a test.
Eggplant:
2  large eggs, lightly beaten
1  tablespoon  water
2  cups  whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2  (1-pound) eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/2  cup  torn fresh basil
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
1 1/2  teaspoons  minced garlic
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1  (16-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1  large egg, lightly beaten
Remaining ingredients:
1  (24-ounce) jar premium pasta sauce
1/4  teaspoon  salt
8  ounces  thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
3/4  cup  (3 ounces) finely grated fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 375°.
To make eggplant, combine 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere and shaking off excess. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden, turning once and rotating baking sheets after 15 minutes.
To make filling, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through egg).   To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top with about 3/4 cup pasta sauce; spread half of ricotta mixture over sauce, and top with a third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup pasta sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Remove foil; top with remaining third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts; cool 10 minutes.
10  Servings
Categories
Casseroles Italian Main Dish Vegetables Vegetarian

Eggplant Parmesan

4 eggplants, sliced 1/2″ thick
dash salt
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle salt on slices of eggplant.  Let sit for 30 minutes, blot moisture from eggplant slices. Dip each slice of eggplant in egg then in bread crumbs.  Fry in a small amount of oil until browned on both sides.  Drain on paper towels. Put one cup of sauce on bottom of 13×9″ baking dish.  Layer eggplant slices, top with sauce then cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until cheese is bubbly.
8  Servings
Categories
Casseroles Chicken Ham Main Dish Make Ahead Pasta Turkey

Easy Day Before Casserole

7 oz. macaroni (uncooked)
1 can celery soup
1 can mushroom soup
1 small jar pimentos (optional)
4 oz. mushroom pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. milk
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese diced
1/4 c. green pepper diced
2 c. ham, chicken or turkey, cooked and chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
Combine all ingredients. Place in buttered 3 quart or 9×13 inch pan. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Bake one hour.
8  Servings
Categories
Beef Main Dish Slow Cooker

Dump Swiss Steak

Very good and super easy.  My kids love this and ask for it often.
1 lb round steak (approx)
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 (1 1/4 ounce) package beef and onion soup mix (dry)
1/2 (1 1/4 ounce) package brown gravy mix (dry)
Mashed potatoes
Cut steaks into portion sized pieces. Combine all ingredients together in a gallon ziploc bag. 
Freeze at this stage, if desired. (Note: If frozen, thaw before baking).  
Transfer to baking dish, Bake covered at 350 for 1 ½ hours. Or cook on low for 4-6 hours in greased slow cooker.  
Serve over mashed potatoes.
4  Servings
Categories
Asian Chicken Main Dish Slow Cooker

Crock Pot Thai Chicken Thighs

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 (16 ounce) jars cilantro salsa (or any salsa you prefer)
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 teaspoons ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice
Put all ingredients in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.  Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and peanuts.  Serve with jasmine rice made with half coconut milk and half water (1 cup raw rice, 1 cup water, 1 cup coconut milk).
     
8  Servings
Categories
Main Dish Pork Slow Cooker

Crockpot Pulled Pork

5 pound pork loin – fat trimmed off
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
dash of allspice
salt and pepper
Grease the inside of your Crockpot with cooking spray or use a Crockpot liner.  Combine the wet ingredients and pour into the Crockpot. Combine the dry ingredients and rub on the outsides of the pork loin. Place the loin in the Crockpot and cover with the lid. Cook for at least 4 hours or until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove cooked pork to a large bowl or deep sided platter and pull apart using two forks, or your hands if the meat has had time to cool. Strain the liquids remaining in the Crockpot and pour over the pulled pork. Serve on sandwich rolls or buttered grilled Texas toast.
8  Servings
Categories
Chicken Main Dish

Crispy Sesame Chicken

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) broiler-fryer, cut up
1/2 cup butter, melted
Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Dip chicken in butter; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
 6  Servings