Apr 21

Tangy Grouper Sandwich

Now you can have a restaurant style grouper sandwich in your own kitchen. The marinade used during grilling gives the grouper a great flavor, while the mayonnaise sauce adds a great tang to the sandwich. I have found I prefer to double the mayonnaise sauce, plus make it a little ahead of time, and refrigerate it so the flavors marry well together. Enjoy!

Tangy Grouper Sandwich
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. minced onion
2 tsp. dill pickle relish
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 1-lb. grouper fillet, cut into 4 pieces
4 hamburger buns toasted
lettuce and tomato

Combine first 5 ingredients; set aside. Combine mayonnaise and the next 3 ingredients; set aside. Cook fish over medium/high heat on grill covered 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes, basting with lemon mixture. Layer lettuce, tomato and fish on buns, and spoon the mayonnaise mixture on fish.

Apr 17

Plank-Grilled Salmon

If you do not eat salmon because of the strong fish taste, you will like this recipe! The flavor is light, refreshing, and pleasant. With salmon being extremely healthy for us to eat I look for recipes that remove as much of the fish taste as possible, because I only eat fish due to the health benefits. I am not a fish lover. Use whatever grilling plank you would like. I had hickory and the flavor was nice. If you cannot find mirin substitute with Sherry or Marsala. Enjoy!

Plank-Grilled Salmon

1 grilling plank
2 C. apple juice
1/4 C. sliced green onion
1/4 C. mirin*
1/4 C. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 (2-lb) skinless salmon fillet
1 lime, thinly sliced

Soak plank in apple juice for 2 to 4 hours. Meanwhile, in a large resealable plastic bag, combine green onion and next 5 ingredients. Add salmon fillet. Seal bag, turning to coat salmon, and chill for 2 hours.

Remove plank from apple juice, discarding juice. Preheat one side of grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400). Remove fish from marinade, discarding marinade. Place fish on prepared plank. Arrange lime slices on top of fish. Place plank on rack on unlit side of grill, and grill, covered with grill lid, for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

*Mirin is a low-alcohol, sweet, golden-colored wine. It is also referred to as rice wine. Look for it in the ethnic grocery aisle in stores.

Apr 12

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef is full of flavor, quick to prepare, and will satisfy your desire for chinese take out. The original recipe called for 1 cup of soy sauce, but I cut that in half and it was still delicious and half the sodium. Enjoy!

Mongolian Beef

2 Tbsp oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger, or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 lbs. flank steak
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 C. green onions, sliced
2 C. cooked rice

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add garlic and ginger. Continue cooking for 2 minutes then add soy sauce and water. Bring to a boil and add brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice flank steak into strips, cutting against the grain. Place beef strips into a bowl and toss with cornstarch to lightly coat.

Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and cook until well browned on each side, working in batches if necessary.

Pour soy sauce mixture into pan and add all of the beef and the green onions. Cook 2-3 minutes or until thickened then remove from heat. Serve warm over rice.

Serves 4

Apr 07

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

These chewy oatmeal cookies are loaded with coconut, chocolate chips and pecans. Even though the recipe says it yields just a dozen cookies I always seems to come out with more. When you don’t need a lot of cookies sitting around calling your name this will make just the right amount. Enjoy!

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
1/4 C. butter, softened
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 C. quick-cooking oats
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C flaked coconut
1/4 C. chopped pecans

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually stir into creamed mixture. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, coconut and pecans.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove to a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Apr 03

Hash Brown Casserole

You know the comforting potato casserole that calls for that famous condensed canned soup? Well, you don’t have to use that anymore to be able to enjoy the same taste, but without the processed soup. I toss a few seasonings like oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper to the bread crumbs for a little extra flavor. Add according to your taste. Also, if you haven’t tried making your own stock which is used here, it couldn’t be much simpler(recipe at a later date). Enjoy!

Hash Brown Casserole

1 lb. frozen Southern style hash brown potatoes, thawed
5 Tbsp. butter, divided
4 to 6 green onions
4 Tbsp. flour
3/4 C. chicken stock
3/4 C. whole milk or half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 C. soft bread crumbs

Spray a 1 to 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with a non-stick spray. Heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter; add green onions and cook for 1 minute over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir to blend well. Gradually stir in the chicken broth and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt, pepper, potatoes, and cheese. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.

Put bread crumbs in a bowl. melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter; drizzle over bread crumbs and toss to blend. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over the casserole. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and topping is nicely browned.

Serves 4

Mar 25

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Coffee cake is good anytime of day especially with a hot cup of coffee. This one gets its moistness from blueberries and cream cheese, and I find it best eaten warm. If you don’t have fresh blueberries but have frozen, there is no need to thaw them before adding to the batter. Enjoy!

Blueberry Coffee Cake

1/4 C. butter, softened
2/3 C. sugar
1 egg
1 C. plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. milk
1 C. blueberries
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

Topping:
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cold butter

For batter, in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Toss blueberries with remaining flour. Stir blueberries and cream cheese into creamed mixture (batter will be thick). Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Yields:6-8 servings.

Mar 22

Spaghetti Sauce

This is my own recipe for sauce that everyone seems to enjoy. When preparing this sauce for pasta I always add ground beef. I first cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink and then add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and go from there. If you’re in a hurry this is still a quick sauce to make since simmer time is up to you. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 med. green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
8 oz. tomato sauce
3 oz. tomato paste
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
3/4 tsp. basil
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. fennel seed
2 bay leaves

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan; add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for as long as you would like. Before serving remove the bay leaves.

Mar 18

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This is a great salad dressing that is quick to make, and you might just have all the ingredients already in your pantry. Feel free to use this as a marinade for grilling also. Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 C. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 C. olive oil

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in oil. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 1/3 Cups

Mar 12

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

Have you stopped cooking pork chops because they turn out tough and bland? The key is not to over cook pork. If you’re not sure of times, there are plenty of web sites explaining how long to cook different cuts of pork. The parmesan crust on these chops make them very flavorful and far from bland. If I happen to use a thicker cut chop I finish them off in the oven. Enjoy!

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops
2 large eggs
1 C. dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 oz.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. olive oil

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, cook until golden brown and the center reaches 145 to 150 degrees, about 3 minutes per side. Let chops rest for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Mar 07

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

Here is a blueberry muffin that is not bland; they are moist and bursting with blueberries. When you add the sprinkle of sugar on top it gives you a little sweetness and texture to each muffin. If you do not have buttermilk you can make your own by mixing 1 tsp cider vinegar to 1/3 cup of milk. Mix well, and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Now you have buttermilk. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
2 C. fresh blueberries
2 C. flour, plus 1 Tbsp.
3/4 C. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/3 C. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry using as few stirs as possible; you want slightly lumpy batter, a few streaks of flour is fine. Do not over-mix. Toss the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding them gently into the batter. This will prevent them from falling to the bottom of the muffin. Line muffin pan(12 muffins) with liners or spray with non-stick spray. Fill each cup all the way to the top with batter. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden and springy to the touch. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.