Beer Battered Fish and Shrimp with Asian Coleslaw

I have one memory of deep frying from my childhood. We had one of those deep fryers with the basket that came out. One day my Mom made donuts. We fried them on the picnic table in the backyard so the house wouldn't smell like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I think the donuts were good, but we never did that again.

I decided to tackle deep frying on my own. Beer Battered Fish and Shrimp with Asian Cole Slaw was the menu on Saturday night. I don't have a deep fryer - used my big stock pot instead. The pot is still sitting on the stove top as I decide what to do with the oil.

I checked out recipes in my cookbooks and online. I put a few recipes together and came up with a pretty good version of fish and chips. Besides the fact that I never deep fry and the calorie count and cholesterol level are somewhat higher (a lot!) then I usually cook, the fish and shrimp were great. The house did smell like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I had every door open, fans running and candles glowing to combat the smell. I made enough for fish tacos and for The Husband's lunch the next day and night. I served it with a cole slaw with a twist. Mine had an Asian inspired dressing and some toasted almonds. Also very nice.

As usual, 3 of the 5 of the family members enjoyed dinner. No Thank You Boy is used to the tiny popcorn shrimp so he said, "the shrimp tasted funny." He has been studying up on nutrition and was shocked we were eating a "fried" dinner. My Middle One did not like the coating on the fish. She is turning into No Thank You Girl. The Husband, My Oldest and myself had a great Saturday Night Fish Fry.

Beer Battered Fish and Shrimp

serves 4 with plenty of leftovers

about 2 pounds of cod, cut into 3 inch pieces
12 large shrimp, 20 - 24 count per pound, peeled with tails on
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups beer

tartar sauce - 1 cup mayo to 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish and a squeeze of lemon
lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the beer. The batter will be thick, like pancake batter. Drink the rest of the beer.

Pour about 3 inches deep of vegetable oil in a large stock pot. The large pot with high sides will help keep splatters to a minimum. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Dip the fish and shrimp (a couple pieces at a time) into the batter and then gently place in the oil. Fry for about 2 - 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on a brown paper bag. As fish and shrimp is fried, place on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven.

Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.


Asian Cole Slaw

5 cups shredded cabbage, I used the pre-shredded cabbage and carrot mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup toasted almonds, slivered

Mix together mayonnaise, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, hot sauce, and sugar. Add cabbage and almonds and toss to coat. Chill for about 30 - 1 hour before serving.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches with Broccoli Salad

I have a couple meals I will posting about today. I try to post as I prepare meals but, not the case all the time. Life seems to get in the way.

I love checking cookbooks out of the library. After reading through them, I decide if they are good enough to purchase. One that I have checked out a couple times (and is currently overdue) is Perfect Party Food. It is more than just a recipe cookbook. It has party ideas, menus - everything need to stress-free entertaining. It is also great for getting ideas for meals that can be made ahead of time.

I perused the book the other night and picked out a couple recipes to try. The first one was for Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches. The recipe is a two step process. First is roasting the beef in the oven and then finishing it in the crock pot. I have not had too much luck with my crock pot. The only recipe I love is for Pulled Pork. Either I am not a crock pot aficionado or they are not all they are cracked up to be. Anyway, the recipe worked well, everyone liked it, and dinner was a snap. It even made enough for me to put in the freezer for some weekend sandwiches. I served it with a Broccoli Salad. Pretty generic recipe but, 3 of the 5 of us like it. It is one of those recipes that would be served at a potluck dinner in a church basement.

Italian roast Beef Sandwiches
adapted from Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips

serves 10

2 tb olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
One 4 pound sirloin tip, rump, or eye of round roast
4 cups beef stock or broth
2 tsp thyme
10 rolls
pepperocinis

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine oil, salt, pepper and garlic and rub over roast. Place in a roasting pan. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours until a thermometer registers about 135 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Slice the roast in thin slices. Put sliced roast, beef stock, and thyme into crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve slice roast beef on rolls with pepperocinis and extra au jus for dipping.


Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Raisins

2 bunches of broccoli, florets cut in bite sized pieces
about 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tb sugar
dash of hot sauce
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raisins

Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and hot sauce in a bowl. Put broccoli, sunflower seeds, and raisins in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Chill until ready to serve. Keeps well in the frig.

Roasted Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Fresh Corn, Chicken and Goat Cheese

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Last night's dinner was an inspiration from a Martha Stewart Living magazine recipe.  My Husband and I loved the peppers! I know my last post said that I don't make different things for each member of my family, but, I wanted to try this recipe. I know there would be a tirade of backlash from the peanut gallery if this was the centerpiece of the dining room table. Therefore, I pretended we were out to dinner and each family member ordered what they wanted - kinda. Turkey Sloppy Joes for My Oldest and The Middle One, Ham Rollups and Apples for none other than No Thank You Boy, and Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Fresh Corn, Chicken and Goat Cheese and Mexican Brown Rice for the parents. Everyone was happy and it didn't break the bank to pick up the check.

We really enjoyed the The Stuffed Peppers. I have never made any kind of stuffed pepper before. The typical green pepper stuffed with ground beef and rice never appealed to me. This recipe was easy to make - less than 45 minutes prep time and I made it all ahead of time. Just popped it in the oven after daily running around with the kids.

After last night's stuffed pepper success, I am going to try different fillings. I have opened the door to a whole world. Watch your peppers.

Pecan Crusted Salmon Filets with Roasted and Spiced Butternut Squash

I spend a lot of time reading recipes. I find them on the Internet, in cookbooks, in magazines, in newspapers, on the back of cans and packages, almost anywhere. I also have recipes written on little scraps of paper in my purse, on the counter, tucked in a book as a bookmark. My problem lies in finding a particular recipe after I have put it "in a place I won't forget." I have so many recipes that I want to make that I sometimes get overwhelmed and just need to pick one. Many times I am trying to please 5 different palettes -- one that only likes meat, one doesn't like spicy, one can't get food spicy enough, one who has preconceived notions on certain foods, and one that wants to try something new and funky every night (that's me).

No meal can please everyone. And I'm not one to make different meals just because someone says they don't think they will like what is on the menu. Tonight I made Pecan Crusted Salmon Filets. The whole tasting panel likes salmon but, tonight was a new variation. I can hear it now "I don't like nuts!" and "Why can't we just have it the way we usually do?" Too bad kiddies! I'm the chief shopper, recipe picker - outer, and chef.

3 out of the 5 of us really liked the salmon and the butternut squash. One said it was o.k then promptly asked, "Can we have steak tomorrow?" No Thank You Boy came home from football practice in a downpour, took one look at this new fangled salmon, and ate rice with soy sauce, colby jack cheese, and apples. I left him to his own culinary demise as far as his dinner was concerned.

Pecan Crusted Salmon Filets

serves 6

2 tb Dijon mustard
3 tb butter, melted
3 tb honey
3/4 cup panko - Japanese style bread crumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tb lemon juice
3 tsp chopped parsley
6 salmon filets - about 6 ounces each
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine Dijon mustard, butter, and honey; set aside one half for the prepartation of the fish and the other half for a drizzle after it comes out of the oven.

Combine panko, pecans, paprika, lemon juice, and parsley; set aside.

Season each filet with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet. Brush salmon with one half of the mustard mixture. Top each filet with a portion of the pecan mixture. Make sure to flatten it out to evenly cover the top of the filet. Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes. Do not overcook the salmon or it will become dry. Drizzle fish with remaining honey mustard sauce.



Roasted and Spiced Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into large dice
olive oil
sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves
2 tb brown sugar
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle squash with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes.

The 5 o'clock martini

I have a collection of clocks. One is always set to 5 o'clock. I made up a new martini to celebrate the 5 o'clock hour. Give it a try.


The 5 o'clock Martini

makes 1

2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce raspberry flavored vodka
1 ounce triple sec
dash of lime juice
dash of cranberry juice

combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker. Shake really hard. Pour into a martini glass. Enjoy!

Hoisin Grilled Pork Chops, Balsamic Roasted Farm Stand Vegetables, and Parmesan Orzo

The Grandparents are coming! The Grandparents are coming! Actually they have come and gone by now. We spent a couple days with the Grandparents over the weekend. That means I spent a little time trying to plan the meals for their 24 hour visit. Pumpkin Pound Cake, Caramelized Onion Dip and Kettle Chips, Fiery Carrot Dip with Multi Grain Crackers, and the above mentioned dinner menu (I'm putting up the recipes for the dinner. If you want the other recipes, send me a comment and I'll either post them or email them to you).

Our weekends are usually booked. I'm not complaining and it is not any different than most families. A couple softball games and a football game on Saturday sandwiched around watching the Illini beat up their latest opponent on Saturday. Then off the the Jersey Shore for a couple days. 85 degree weather and no wind made for some great beach days. I actually had to convince My Oldest to join us. She now has a social life. The beach won out in the end. Who would turn down the beach?

As my days are filled, I tried to make recipes that were quick to prepare but had great flavor. I have realized that making a few items ahead of time (the dips were made on Friday) saves me loads of time. I can go off and play and not worry about slaving in the kitchen all day.

The dinner menu took about and hour and a half to prepare. You can cut down on that time if you don't brine the chops. Brining them makes them really juicy. Don't skip it. A bunch of vegetables are roasted in the oven for about 40 minutes. The orzo is cooked and seasoned. Voila! Dinner is served. This menu makes enough for about 8 people with good appetites.

Hoisin Grilled Pork Chops

1 pork roast - about 2 - 3 pounds - cut into inch thick chops - about 8
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tb red wine vinegar
1 tb soy sauce
dash sesame oil
dash red pepper flakes


Brine
1 and 1/2 quarts water
3 tb sugar
3 tb salt

Combine the water, salt and sugar for the brine. Place the chops in a glass dish and pour brine over. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small pan combine garlic, hoisin sauce, chicken broth, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. After the hour, remove chops from the brine. On a hot grill, cook the chops for about 3 minutes per side. Brush the hoisin glaze on the chops but watch for flare ups.


Balsamic Roasted Farm Stand Vegetables

1 eggplant
2 red peppers
1 zucchini
2 portebello mushrooms
1 vidalia onion
olive oil
salt
pepper


1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the vegetables into large chunks - about 1 inch dice. Spread on a large baking sheet and toss with a good drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of salt and pepper. bake for about 40 minutes (stir after 20 minutes).

Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and thyme in a small bowl. When vegetable come out of the oven, generous drizzle with the balsamic mixture. Can be served warm or at room temperature.


Parmesan Orzo

1 pound orzo, cooked and drained
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tb olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

While the orzo is still warm, toss with the cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve warm.