Grilled Balsamic Glazed Mahi Mahi

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.

Lemon Barbecued Shrimp

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.

Pesto Gnocchi with Shrimp and Broccoli

Pesto Gnocchi with Shrimp and Broccoli



I thought our home life could not be much busier than it was during the school year.  I was wrong.  The last week of school and the following week were jammed with state high school softball games and a championship, two graduations, numerous parties, packing for a trip to Costa Rica for My Middle One, visiting the grandparents at the Jersey Shore, and planning and cooking for my EAT! clients.  Needless to say, dinner prep for my own family fell be the wayside.

I threw together a quick dinner one night after work, and I must say a tasty one too.  Gnocchi, a bag of frozen wild shrimp, a few cups of fresh broccoli florets, a couple tablespoons of pesto and a handful of Parmesan cheese all came together for a satisfying dinner in all of about 15 minutes.

Even if your schedule has your family running in many different directions, a nutritious and pleasing dinner is only minutes away.

Skip the drive thru.  Make dinner at home tonight.


Pesto Gnocchi with Shrimp and Broccoli

serves 4

1 pound gnocchi, I like De Cecco Potato Gnocchi
1 1/2 pounds extra large (21 - 25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups broccoli florets
2 - 3 tablespoons pesto, I like De Cecco Pesto alla Genovese
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Cook gnocchi according to the package directions.  Drain and and place in a large bowl.

Fill the same pot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Add shrimp and broccoli and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, until the shrimp is just cooked through and the broccoli is tender crisp.  Drain and pour into bowl with gnocchi.

Add 2 tablespoons of pesto to the gnocchi, shrimp and broccoli and toss to coat.  Taste and add more pesto if desired.  To serve sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp

Baked Feta Shrimp

3 starving kids who were looking for something hearty for dinner after a softball game and lacrosse practice = a big pot of pasta with ricotta marinara sauce.  )Just add about 1 cup of ricotta cheese to 2 cups of  homemade marinara sauce or purchased marinara sauce and viola....ricotta marinara sauce.)

2 parents looking for more than pasta for dinner on a Friday night during Lent = Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp dinner.

With a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer and a couple pantry and refrigerator ingredients, our Friday night dinner was on the table in 20 minutes.  Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp had all the flavor of a restaurant quality dish without the added expense of dining out.  I like to eat out just as much as the next person, but when making a delicious entree is so simple, it was just as easy to eat at home.

Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp is loaded with garlic panko crumbs, fire roasted tomatoes, jumbo shrimp and salty feta cheese.  With a loaf of crusty bread and a salad of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette, dinner is complete.

Enjoy dinner at home tonight.  Your wallet will thank you.


Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp

This recipe is just as tasty as one from your favorite seafood restaurant.  It can be made up to the point of just before roasting and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.  Add a couple extra minutes to the roasting time if putting the entree directly from the refrigerator to the oven. 

serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for baking dish
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup panko
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, 21 - 25 per pound, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium heat add butter and olive oil.  When butter begins to just bubble, remove the pan from the heat and add the garlic.  Let sit for 3 - 5 minutes.  Add the panko and stir to combine.  Set aside.

Brush a 9-inch baking dish with a little olive oil.  Add the shrimp and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.  Top with the tomatoes, the garlic panko and sprinkle the feta.  Bake for 12 minutes or until the shrimp are just cooked through.  Remove from oven and top with the basil.

Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon

Dinner ready in less than 30 minutes is what I aim for on a weeknight.

And if most of my family likes what I have prepared, that is an extra bonus. 

On this night, dinner was on the table in 25 minutes and most of the family commented that they would like to have Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon again.

At least once a week we have seafood of some sort.  Sweet Lemon and Soy Glazed Salmon are salmon fillets brushed with soy sauce and then glazed while roasting with a sweet lemon sauce.  Served with rice pilaf and roasted asparagus and dinner was ready in no time at all.

A stressfree and delicious dinner for you to prepare for your family.  Applause all around.

Sweet Lemon and Soy Salmon

adapted from a recipe in Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats: A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners

serves 5

olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
5 salmon fillets (6-ounces each)
lemon slices for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, add the brown sugar and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is slightly thickened.  Keep warm.

Heat a non stick saute pan to medium high heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil.  Meanwhile, brush both sides of the salmon with the soy sauce.  Add the fish to the pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.  Flip the fish over, bush with some of the brown sugar and lemon sauce and transfer to roast in oven for an additional 5 - 6 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through.

Remove from the oven and brush with any remaining sauce and serve with lemon slices.

Wild Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Jasmine Rice

The key to a great meal on a weeknight is one that does not taste like it was made in less than 20 minutes.  I like to make meals for my family and peersonal chef clients that taste just like one that you can get at a fine restaurant but without the steep price tag.  Wild Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce with Jasmine Rice is a stellar recipe with complex flavors with a minimal amount of effort on the cook's part.

I came across the recipe on the Fine Cooking magazine website.  I made a few adaptations (I cooked the entree entirely in a  large saute pan and served it with jasmine rice instead of chickpeas) and this quick, one dish meal was on the table in no time.

A bonus of this dinner is that it can be made ahead of time and reheated gently in your microwave at dinner time.  To heat on 70% power for 1 minute and continue heating at 30 second intervals until heated through. I like to package meals for my refrigerator in reusable glass dishes; just doing my part to help save the environment and they make your storing neat and easy.


Wild Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce with Jasmine Rice

Adapted from a  recipe  in Fine Cooking magazine.  Wild shrimp was used in this recipe and is more and more readily available in your grocery's freezer or at your local fish market.

4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fire roasted tomatoes, diced
1 1/4 pounds large sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill
salt
pepper
3 ounces feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled), plus more for sprinkling on top

1 1/4 cups jasmine rice, cooked to package directions and kept warm

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.

Add the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue simmering until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Add the herbs and feta cheese and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice and sprinkle with extra cheese if desired.

Grilled Old Bay Shrimp

A week of sun, sand and surf at the Jersey Shore is our summer vacation. We spend our time reading trashy magazines on the beach, floating on tubes in the ocean, digging super deep holes in the sand, concocting new drinks for happy hour, and discussing what we will have for dinner while we are still eating breakfast. Each night, a different group takes on dinner detail. It could be a couple, a bunch of kids, or Grandma and Grandpa who plan, cook, serve, and clean up our nightly feast.

When The Husband and I took our turn preparing dinner, we decided on a typical beach meal that we knew everyone would love. We dined on a couple appetizers of Garlic Clams on the Grill


and Grilled Old Bay Shrimp


followed by 15 pounds of steamed lobster claws,


Sweet and Tangy Slaw


a huge caprese salad of fresh mozzarella, Jersey tomatoes, and basil drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and crusty loaves of Italian bread.


The shrimp appetizer was the first to be served


and was gobbled up in no time.


After a request from Grandma for the recipe and the speed at which the shrimp disappeared, I decided that the incredibly easy recipe was a keeper.

The clams were devoured just as quickly with The Husband practically drinking the garlic infused wine sauce they were cooked in.

Next up were two huge pans of steamed lobster claws that we picked up earlier in the day from Point Lobster Company in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. This is the best way to have a lobster feast because the claws are all meat and by enlisting a couple family members as the crackers of the claws, retrieving the meat from the shells is a breeze.


The leftover lobster meat is removed from the shells by a couple more diners



and becomes tomorrow's lunch of Lobster Rolls.

Taking on the role of supervisor in the kitchen, I make sure that dinner runs smoothly. And with the help of many family members and a few cocktails, it always does.



Happy Summer!

Grilled Old Bay Shrimp
1/2 stick of butter melted and cooled
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 pounds of large shrimp (21 - 25 per pound) peeled with tails on and deveined
about 24 (12 inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 10 minutes
spicy cocktail - there are many tasty store brands to choose from

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic and Old Bay Seasoning. Place shrimp in a large resealable bag and add the butter mixture. Squish around the contents of the bag so that all the shrimp are well coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and let the shrimp marinate for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, prepare a hot grill and skewer the shrimp. To skewer the shrimp, lay 2 skewers parallel with each other and thread the top portion of about 5 shrimp onto each pair. By threading the shrimp on two skewers, it is easier to grill them as the shrimp does not spin around when being turned over on the grill.



Grill the shrimp for about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp as they will be tough. Remove the skewers from the grill and take the shrimp off the skewers and place on a large serving dish. Serve with cocktail sauce if desired.

Print recipe

A special thanks to my nephew Will for being my photographer for the evening.

Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce

The sign of a great recipe is one that you want to make over and over again, and you never tire of eating it. Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce is one such recipe.

I prepared this recipe no less than three times yesterday - twice for clients and once at home. My personal cheffing clients can chose their weekly menu items from a list I provide them or they can suggest new items they want to try. My Tuesday client recently had dinner at a local restaurant and loved the lightly breaded coconut fish she had on a recent visit. She requested it for her next cookday and proclaimed the coconut crusted flounder I prepared was even better than the restaurant version. The addition of the sweet yet spicy dipping sauce put it over the top she said.

Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce is super easy to prepare and comes together quickly. This recipe will keep coming to the top of your recipe pile because you will want to make it often.

Coconut Crusted Flounder
adapted from a recipe on the Food Network

serves 5

canola oil
5 fish flounder filets, about 5 - 6 oz each
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Chili Orange Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.

In pie plate, combine the panko and coconut. In another pie plate, beat eggs and dash of salt and pepper. In a third pie plate, mix flour, onion and garlic powder together.

Dredge fish in flour, then eggs, then the panko/coconut.

Saute in batches, until crisp and golden brown; 3 - 4 minutes per side watching carefully so the coconut does nut burn. Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Serve hot with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce on the side.

Chili Orange Dipping Sauce:

1 (6-ounce) jar orange marmalade
1/4 cup Asian garlic chili sauce
1/2 lime, juiced

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Note - when making this recipe ahead of time, reheat the fish on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. This will insure the filets are crispy.

The Crab Cake

As a God-fearing, church-going Catholic, I follow the Lenten regulations of abstaining from meat on Fridays mainly because I want to improve my chances of making it to Heaven. It is only these Fridays during Lent that I crave a huge, juicy cheeseburger because I am "not supposed" to eat meat on these days.

As a backup to my burger desire, I keep a can of fresh crab meat on hand to make The Crab Cake instead. A mostly crab meat filled patty with barely enough egg and panko to bind it together reminds of warm summer days spent at The Shore instead of the burger of my dreams.

Crab cakes are a weekly request from my clients. I think I will put in a request to make them for myself this Friday.

The Crab Cake

Use crab meat from the refrigerated section near the seafood department of your local grocery store or Costco. I use Phillip's backfin or special varieties.

makes 12 crab cakes or about 4 servings

1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1 pound of fresh crab meat, either backfin or special varieties
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup panko plus more for dredging crab cakes in before sauteing
canola oil and butter for frying

for classic tartar sauce --
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
squeeze of lemon juice

shredded iceberg lettuce

In a large saute pan, heat about a tablespoon of canola oil and saute the onion and celery for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, gently combine the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, dry mustard, parsley, egg, crab meat, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup of panko and the onion-celery mixture. Make sure that you do not mix too much because you do not want to break up the crab pieces.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, form the crab mixture into 12 crab cakes. If you have time, refrigerate, covered for 30 minutes to help the crab cakes hold their shape while sauteing.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high. Drizzle about 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter into pan. Place about 1 cup of panko in a shallow dish. Dredge each side of the crab cakes in the panko and saute for about 3 - 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

For the tartar sauce, in a small bowl combine the 1 cup of mayonnaise, pickle relish and lemon juice.

Serve crab cakes on top of shredded iceberg lettuce with a squeeze of lemon and classic tartar sauce.

Top 10 Recipes on Dinners for a Year and Beyond

Last year during the Christmas season, I undertook a task that I thought was a difficult one but by no means unattainable. I decided to post my 12 Dinners of Christmas which is a collection of dinner recipes to make during the busy hustle and bustle of the month of December. Surely I would be getting dinner on the table for my family and why not help others do the same?

I started off preparing dinner and posting my family's reviews of the meals with a bang. With the first post for Dinner #1 on December 1st, the second dinner and post on December 3rd, and the third recipe and accompanying post on December 4th, there was no stopping me. Or so I thought. The posts came fewer and farther between as the month progressed and lo and behold I did not finish my 12 Dinners of Christmas endeavour until two weeks after Christmas on January 14, 2009!.

This year, I am giving myself a Christmas gift. Even though I love experimenting in the kitchen and cooking up new recipes, I will be serving my tried and true family and blog favorites for dinner this Christmas season. I will be putting my feet up and perfecting those recipes I know my family enjoys and my readers have commented on as their favorites.

Give one, two, or all of these recipes a try. They are easy to prepare and hopefully will become family favorites in your home too.

Happy cooking and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Roasted Orange and Thyme Chicken Thighs with Crispy Parmesan Potatoes




Korean Barbeque Short Ribs



Pan Sauteed Chicken and Mushrooms with Garlic Spinach



Pan Roasted Salmon with Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts



Chicken a la King



Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls



Beef Kebabs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce



Raspberry Hoisin Glazed Roast Pork Loin



Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine

Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp and Chicken

It may not look like much and my photo does not do it justice but, this simple pasta dish sneaks up to "wow" your tastebuds. Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp and Chicken is my version of an Italian favorite found on the menu of every pizza joint and Italian restaurant in New Jersey where Italian food is king. Count the number of restaurants in any Jersey town and more than half of them will have "Pizza", "Ristorante", or "Trattoria" in their names and Penne with Vodka Sauce on the menu.

One of my Italian clients requested this entree last week along with 2 other meals. Being of Polish descent with not an ounce of Italian blood in my body, I channeled my inner Giada (with a little less of a plunging neckline as I am partial to turtlenecks) to replicate an authentic version of Penne with Vodka Sauce. A request for the addition of shrimp and chicken made this a complete one dish meal.

I adapted a recipe of Lidia Bastianich therefore, I felt I had a good base sauce with which to start. The sauce comes together in about the same time as it takes to cook the pasta resulting not only in a quick dinner but a mighty tasty one too. I paired the rich tomato sauce laced with vodka, garlic, and Parmesan cheese with a whole wheat penne. I am not usually a fan of whole wheat pasta but, this sauce held its own with the hearty penne. Feel free to use regular pasta if you would like.

Along with a Caesar salad with homemade croutons and dressing and cheesy garlic bread, dinner was waiting in my client's refrigerator when they returned home. I will making the same dinner for my family and then they will have a personal chef too.

Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp and Chicken

adapted from a Lidia Bastianich recipe in her cookbook Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen

serves 6

3/4 pound whole wheat penne
olive oil
salt
pepper
1 pound chicken tenders, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup vodka
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup light cream
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add the penne and cook for 9 - 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the penne and the chicken are cooking, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the both cans of tomatoes and bring sauce to a boil. Season with salt and the red pepper flakes. Boil for 2 - 3 minutes. Pour in the vodka and simmer for about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, take out the garlic and add the shrimp. Continue cooking the sauce until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Add the cream, butter and chicken and stir to combine. Place the pasta in a large serving dish and add the sauce and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and add more salt and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

New England Clam Chowder



New England Clam Chowder

 I think life will slow down at different times of the year. But, actually it rarely does. It is not that we are super busy in our family. We are each just doing our own activities that as a whole make life seem sometimes a little more than hectic.

Having a few quarts of soup in the refrigerator makes for a quick lunch or dinner. I always have fresh bread on hand to serve with the soup. I wholeheartedly recommend finding a good bakery close to your home because good bread makes such a difference.

I usually make soup about every other week during the fall and winter months. My two oldest usually request a thick and creamy soup and are hoping that I replicate one of the soups served in bread bowls available at our local Panera. I am not sure which they like more -- the soup or the bread bowl. No Thank You Boy likes Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup minus the little bits of the supposed chicken parts or Ramen noodles. Adventurous. Very adventurous. The Husband likes any kind of soup. He is a simple man.

My most recent pot of soup was New England Clam Chowder. The thick chowder is loaded with chopped clams and potatoes and served in individual bread bowls. I picked up some large, crusty dinner rolls and hollowed them out for the perfect single serving of soup.

After a day of holiday shopping, lacrosse games, and volleyball practice, you will be happy to serve New England Clam Chowder to your family and friends.


New England Clam Chowder

Serve this chowder in large, hollowed out dinner rolls. The two kinds of potatoes add different textures to the chowder. The russet potato gives the chowder a smooth texture while the red potatoes hold their shape making the chowder chunky.

makes about 2 1/2 quarts

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 stalks of celery, chopped
5 cups of clam juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 large russet potato, unpeeled and diced
3 red potatoes, unpeeled and diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
3 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams
6 large dinner rolls, hollowed out, reserve bread for dipping in the chowder

In a large stock pot over medium high heat add the butter, olive oil, onions, and celery. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the clam juice, thyme, and Old Bay seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the potatoes. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender.

Whisk the flour into the half and half and slowly whisk into the stock pot. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add the clams and continue cooking until just heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve in individual bread bowls.

Garlic Clams and Mussels on the Grill

Everyone has a favorite meal. It's the meal that is enjoyed so much that it is requested for birthday dinners or any special occasion. Just thinking about "The Meal" makes your stomach growl.

The Husband loves a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage. Once a year on St. Patrick's Day is never enough for him. My Oldest always orders fettuccine alfredo when we are dining out at an Italian restaurant. My Middle One dreams about chicken pot pie. No Thank You Boy devours a juicy steak and baked potato. For me, the best meal includes clams. Littlenecks are my first choice. I have posted about them here and here. I enjoy clams just about anyway they are prepared, so it was time to try something new tonight.

Garlic Clams and Mussels on the Grill was what was on tap for dinner. 2 dozen littlenecks were joined by 2 dozen mussels for a smokey barbecue. The grill does all the cooking and all I did was drizzle some garlic butter and sprinkle chopped tomatoes and basil over the shellfish when they were done cooking.

No Thank You Boy's friend was dining with us and favored the mussels. A look of disbelief came over his face when he found out the shellfish was alive when it was put on the grill to cook. It did not deter him from eating them though. No Thank You Boy favors lobsters and opted out of eating the clams and mussels. Instead he ate the rest of the dinner including angel hair pasta with fresh marinara, grilled vegetables, charred kielbasa, and Pillsbury biscuits. The Husband was running out the door to a meeting so he pretty much dined and dashed. He had two plates of shellfish and kielbasa leading me to believe that all was right with the meal. I especially liked the smokiness that the grill added to the clams and mussels. And the cleanup only involves rinsing out the disposable aluminum pan and tossing it in the recycling can.

If you could have your favorite meal tonight, what would it be?



Garlic Clams and Mussels on the Grill

4 tablespoons butter
3 large garlic gloves, chopped
2 dozen clams, scrubbed clean, I like using littlenecks
2 dozen mussels, scrubbed clean
1/2 cup fresh tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Heat a grill to high heat.

Place the butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt the butter and infuse it with garlic. Turn the heat off and leave the saucepan on the burner.

When the grill is ready, place a disposable aluminum pan (9 x 13 inch) directly on the grill grate. Add the clams and cover the grill with the lid. Cook for about 15 minutes; the clams will just beginning to open. Add the mussels to the pan along with the clams and replace the lid. Grill for another 5 - 10 minutes or until all of the clams and mussels have opened. Drizzle the garlic infused butter over the shellfish and sprinkle with the tomatoes and basil. Serve immediately.


Print recipe

Tilapia 2 Ways

A frequent request I receive from readers of my blog is for dinner ideas that appeal to kids and adults alike. Many people find it a challenge to make dinner let alone one that pleases everyone at the dinner table. Many of my dinners include something for everyone albeit grilled chicken, creamy mac and cheese, or black bean and corn salad.

Even though I am not an advocate of making two different dinners to satisfy all members in your family, this meal is easy enough to prepare without any extra effort. We frequently have white fish like flounder, halibut or tilapia. Our whole family likes fish, so that is one battle I do not have to fight.

Tilapia 2 Ways includes a simply to prepare crab topped tilapia with a slightly spicy kick and roasted tilapia with seasoned breadcrumbs and melted butter. The Husband and I love the crab and fish combo while the kids always ask for seconds of their roasted tilapia. It is actually less work to make half of the dinner for the kids so I feel like I am coming out ahead.

This entree can be prepared ahead of dinner time in one of two ways; either assemble, refrigerate, and bake just before dinner or prepare, bake and reheat on 70% power when ready to serve. We opted for the second prep method because tonight we ate in shifts with softball practice for My Middle One and her Coach Dad. I also served a Black Bean and Corn Salad. I wasn't counting on My Middle One and No Thank You Boy eating the salad. Their loss.

An entree with seafood is my favorite to serve. Tilapia 2 Ways is a delicious preparation which will make everyone happy at your dinner table.


Tilapia 2 Ways

serves 5 - 6

8 tilapia fillets
1 cup crab meat
3 Ritz crackers, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
chipolte seasoning
2 - 3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tilapia on a large rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.

Prepare crab stuffing in a small bowl. Combine crab meat, Ritz cracker crumbs, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and mayonnaise. Divide the crab mixture into 4 portions and mound slightly on 4 of the fish fillets. Sprinkle with a small amount of the chipolte seasoning. On the remaining fish fillets, sprinkle with a generous amount of the breadcrumbs. Drizzle all of the fillets with the melted butter.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

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Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine

I like shrimp for many reasons.

The large 21 - 25 per pound variety are on sale for about $15 for a 2 pound pound bag at least once a month at my grocery store.

Shrimp is packaged individually frozen, peeled and deveined.

Shrimp thaws in practically no time at all.

Shrimp cooks in minutes.

When we have shrimp for dinner, it feels a little fancy.

I can pretend I am on vacation at the Jersey Shore.

Tonight's dinner of Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine took about 20 minutes of prep time plus an additional 15 minutes to thaw the shrimp. The quickest way to thaw frozen shrimp is in a large bowl of cold water. Just place the shrimp you need for your recipe a bowl. I usually serve about 1/4 to 1/3 pound of shrimp per person. Cover with cold water and let the bowl sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. You can change the water once during the thawing time and this helps speed up the process.

When I typically make a pasta dish, it involves some sort of sauce. It may be a tomato, cream, or wine sauce. For tonight's entree, I used a technique I have seen on many Italian cooking shows that involves reserving some of the hot water that the pasta cooks in to make a light sauce. Before draining the pasta, set aside about 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water. By adding the starchy water to the cooked shrimp, sausage, spinach and pasta, it loosens any of the tasty bits from the saute pan adding subtle flavor to your dish.

You have about 35 minutes to make dinner, don't you?


Spicy Shrimp, Sausage, and Spinach Fettuccine
serves 5

1 pound fettuccine
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 links of hot Italian sausage, removed from casing, about 1/4 pound
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 pounds of large shrimp (21 - 25/pound), peeled and deveined
4 large handfuls of baby spinach, about 4 cups loosely packed
1 cup corn
1/2 cup pasta water
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated and not packed, plus more to serving
salt
pepper

Cook fettuccine in a large pot of water according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the sausage in small pieces and the garlic and cook until until the sausage is cooked and browned.

Add shrimp to pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until it is slightly wilted. Add corn and pasta water to saute pan and scrape up any bits cooked on to the bottom of the pan. Add pasta and toss to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a serving bowl and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve with extra cheese.

Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables

Do you ever get that feeling that you have been eating too much bread, pasta, cheese, bacon, butter, and eggs? That was me last week. I satisfied my insatiable cravings all week with hardly a vegetable in sight. Falling behind on my dinner planning, the vegetables served at dinner time last week were ice-crusted frozen edamame and a sad looking tossed salad of romaine, mushy tomatoes, and sliced carrots. I needed to get back in the swing of planning meals for my family. Thanks to my husband's bum knee, I had plenty of uninterrupted time to plan a week's worth of new dinner recipes loaded with vegetables as I sat in the waiting room while he had knee surgery.

I came across a recipe for roasting spring vegetables that looked intriguing. I decided to roast seasoned shrimp right along with the red potatoes, carrots, asparagus and portebello mushrooms for a colorful and healthy dinner, and I would have only one pan to wash when dinner was done.

Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables is a one pan meal that completely cooks in the oven. The recipe is loaded with vegetables and has something for everyone to enjoy. Some friends dropped by with their 4 kids as well as an extra friend of My Oldest over for dinner and all were happily fed with this meal.

I served the Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables with a big pot of pasta, fresh marinara sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese allowing diners to design their own dinner. Some had pasta topped with the shrimp, roasted vegetables and marinara. Others ate the shrimp and roasted vegetables sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. And the really adventurous eaters had buttered noodles. Add a few bottles of wine for the adults and a couple pitchers of lemonade for the kids and all were very, very happy.

And my husband even did the dishes.


Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables

A versatile recipe that can feature different vegetables such as vidalia onions or radishes. Just make sure all the vegetables are cut in the same size chunks.

serves 5

olive oil
salt
pepper
6 red potatoes, cubed in bite-sized pieces
1 pound asparagus, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups quartered baby portebello mushrooms
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 pounds shrimp (21 - 25/pound) peeled and deveined
1 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning such as Penzey's BBQ of the Americas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a large, rimmed baking sheet, place red potatoes and toss with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once.

Remove sheet form oven and add asparagus and carrots and drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return sheet to oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and add the portebello mushrooms and drizzle all the vegetables with balsamic vinegar. Return baking sheet to oven and roast for 5 minutes.

Toss the shrimp with the grill seasonings and place on top of the roasted vegetables. Return pan to oven and roast an additional 5 - 7 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove pan from oven and serve in large bowls.


Thanks to everyone who left comments for The Great Beef Giveaway. The winners of The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir-fry, and More - Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion are Martha, Lori, and Angela. And the winner of the $100 American Express gift card was The Paskins. Please email me your addresses so I can send your prizes to you. Congratulations to all and thanks for participating in Beef Week.