Dinners for a Year and Beyond: 04.2012

amycaseycooks

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Grilled Balsamic Glazed Mahi Mahi

With a few warm days interspersed with to cooler Spring weather, I decided it was time to venture outdoors and fire up the grill. I am lucky to have a family of fish lovers and with mahi mahi on sale, last night was the night to introduce them to this firm, white fish. Grilled Balsamic Mahi Mahi is a super simple recipe that lends itself well to many different types of fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

With the grill fired up, dinner was on the table in less than 15 minutes. I also served basmati rice and fruit salad. We all enjoyed the dinner. My Middle One did comment that mahi mahi was not her favorite type of fish. She is more of a salmon fan. The slightly caramelized balsamic vinegar glaze added just enough flavor to the fish without overpowering its delicate flavor. I grilled some extra fish which will be fish tacos for tomorrow's lunch.

If you are trying to serve more fish to your family, this is a good starter recipe to try. With fresh fish and a quick preparation, you can change those landlubbers into seafaring folks.

Grilled Balsamic Glazed Mahi Mahi

serves 4

1 1/2 pounds of mahi mahi fillets
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium tomato, diced
basil, chopped

Preheat grill and set it to medium high heat.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Place the fish in a glass baking dish and drizzle with half the marinade.

Grill the fish for about 5 minutes. Flip the fish and brush with some of the reserved marinade. Grill for an additional 4 - 6 minutes and flip the fish one more time. Brush with more of the balsamic vinegar and remove to a platter. Top with the chopped tomato and the basil. Serve immediately.

Honey Ham and Fresh Pineapple Pizza

Your Easter dinner was a success!

The guests ate and drank and ate and drank their fill of mimosas, honey glazed ham, twice baked cheesy potatoes, pineapple bread pudding, roasted asparagus, french silk pie and more peanut butter filled chocolate eggs than you can count.

Some of the leftover ham was sent home with your relatives, but there is still 3 pounds of the spiral cut beauty sitting in your refrigerator. After ham sandwiches, omelets filled with ham, and split pea soup with ham, what will you make with all that ham?

Honey Ham and Fresh Pineapple Pizza is what will be for dinner tonight. Flour tortillas stand in for the crust and are topped with a spicy marinara sauce, monterey jack cheese, diced ham and pineapple and a sprinkling of herbs. A few minutes in the oven is all that is need to melt the cheese and crisp up the crust.

Your family will never know you are serving "leftover ham," and there is no need to tell them ;)

Honey Ham and Fresh Pineapple Pizza

serves 4

4 (9-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup marinara sauce
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 1/3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup diced ham
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
dried oregano
dried basil
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place tortillas on 2 large baking sheets. Combine the marinara and barbecue sauces and spread about 2 heaping tablespoons on top of each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese on top of the sauce followed by 1/4 cup each of the ham and the pineapple. Sprinkle with a little oregano and basil.

Bake in oven for 6 - 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown and the tortillas are crispy. Let cool 2 - 3 minutes before cutting in pieces and sprinkle with the parsley.

Lemon Barbecued Shrimp

With a spell of warm Spring weather over the past couple weeks, I dusted off the Weber grill and made a few dinners in the great outdoors. First up was a platter of Lemon Barbecued Shrimp. I love grilling because...

1. I spend time outside
2. Dinner cooks by itself with little help from me
3. No dirty pots and pans to wash

Lemon Barbecued Shrimp includes a homemade marinade with ingredients most kitchens have on hand. Making your own marinades is a quick proposition. With a mason jar, you can add all the ingredients and give it a vigorous shake. Also, you control the ingredients that go in so you can make your homemade marinade as healthy - or not - as you would like.

After spending about 30 minutes in the marinade, the shrimp get a a double flavor boost from the tangy lemon barbecue sauce and the char or the grill. Head outside and prepare this is a quick meal for your family. And you will get the added benefit of getting a dose of vitamin D from some time spent in the sun.

Lemon Barbecued Shrimp

serves 4

for the mariande --
1/4 cup ketchup
3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds extra large shrimp (16 - 20 count per pound), peeled and deveined with tails
12 inch wooden skewers

lemon wedges

In a mason jar with a lid, combine the marinade ingredients and shake well. Place shrimp in a resealable bag and add about 2/3 of the marinade. Place in refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Heat grill to medium high. While the grill is preheating, thread 4 shrimp on each skewer. Grill for 3 - 4 minutes per side, brushing with remaining marinade during the last couple minutes. Can be served straight from the grill or chilled with lemon wedges.