Salmon Packets

 It's been a while, eh? Sorry about that. I've been cooking lots of new, yummy things, I just haven't taken time to take pictures or post them. But this was too good NOT to! And so simple!

Put everything in.... 

And Dinner is served. 

Salmon Packets with roasted Squash

Ingredients:

2-4 Sockeye Salmon filets

1/2 onion, halved then sliced thick

handful grape tomatoes per filet

handful of red grapes per filet

2TBS capers per filet

1-2 lemons, quartered

2TBS white wine per filet

1TBS olive oil per filet (grape seed oil would be great too)

sea salt and fresh pepper

For the Squash:

2 Zucchini squash, diced into fairly large chunks

1- 8oz pkg button mushrooms (baby bells my favorite), cut in half (remove the stems)

1/2 onion, diced (fennel would be great too)

2TBS-1/4C olive oil

sea salt and fresh pepper 

1 C. prepared Quinoa

Instructions:

 Preheat oven to 400.

 Line a cookie sheet with foil, then prepare 2-4 sheets of foil for packets. Spray lined cookie sheet with Pam. 

Place salmon filets in center of each sheet of foil. Add sliced onions, tomatoes, grapes, capers and lemons. Starting with one side, fold up edge of foil, creasing the center in as if to form an envelope. Bend the top corner over to seal. Repeat on opposite side, leaving a small opening in the top to pour liquid ingredients. 

 Add white wine and oil. Seal opening shut. Continue until all filets are used up. Line up on one end of cookie sheet. 

For the squash:

On the same cookie sheet, add veggies. Pour oil over, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix around until well coated. Spread out evenly across cookie sheet.

Bake entire sheet for 25 minutes. Once in the oven, start the Quinoa per package directions.

To serve: Divide Quinoa between plates. Fork out salmon and cover with veggies and sauce from foil packet. Side with squash mixture.

Crock Pot Jambalaya

 Now that I live in the South, I thought I should probably start learning how to cook some good Southern food. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked simple and yummy! Doing a little more research, I've discovered this looks more like Gumbo than actual Jambalaya... but it has the rice like Jambalaya. I did add more water than the recipe called for (I thought it was supposed to be "soup-y"!). So all y'all Southerners out there don't be hatin ok! I tried.

The recipe calls for "andouille sausage" well, according to ETNT, Aidells is the best sausage you could eat! Pretty tasty too!! (Found at local Publix)

Oh! And if you're like me and your Cajun Seasoning just happened to "disappear" magically when you needed it and you decide to opt for Creole Seasoning, don't throw in the full 2tsp it calls for, unless you like it HOT. Lesson learned. 

Learn from me (what I'd do differently next time is in parentheses)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes (I used one breast)
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (1 - 12oz package worked perfect)
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 large onion, chopped  (I'd do half)
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano (1tsp next time)
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley (1tsp next time)
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (if using Creole Seasoning, I'd use 1/2tsp - 1tsp)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails (I used about 2 good handfuls of frozen, cooked shrimp, thrown in during the last 30 minutes)

Instructions:

1. In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
2. Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Fish Fry Friday

 --- Fish Tacos two ways, plus sauces... in recipe card form.

Let me know what you think of the new recipe card look... Would you rather me post them this way, or the old way of typing everything out? These can be printed as regular 4x6 photos, then placed into a photo book turned into recipe book.
We had this for dinner last night (grilled version). It was delicious. I didn't have yogurt for the white sauce, so I used sour cream. It wasn't as runny as it should've been... but it had a nice kick to it. The salsa makes a ton, so be ready with a couple of bags of chips (which we are lacking... so not cool). I think this is going on the menu again for next week, it was just that good.

Halibut in a Bag

This recipe comes from one of my favorite series of books: Eat This, Not That, particularly Cook This, Not That. Did you know a Whopper is so much worse for you than a Big Mac? I had no idea! That's why I love these books.
I was going to make this for dinner tonight, using Cod instead, but it's so cold that I really don't feel like cooking. Good for my budget, not so good for my waist-line(in the sense that instead I'll probably end up eating junk food... argh)!
I have made this before and it really is simple and delicious. Instead of fennel, I sliced up a regular white onion. Instead of kalamata olives, I used green olives. And instead of white wine, I used red wine vinegar. I also added a dash of fresh ground pepper and a dash of ginger. And as a side, I made up a bit of Quinoa. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 fillets of halibut or other firm white fish (5 oz each)
1 jar (8 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp chopped kalamata olives
1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced (or onion)
1 lemon, half cut into thin slices, the other half cut into quarters
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine (or vinegar)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Take 2 large sheets of parchment paper or foil, place a fillet in the center of each, and top equally with the artichokes, tomatoes, olives, fennel, and lemon slices. Drizzle with the olive oil and wine; season with salt and pepper. Fold the paper or foil over the fish and seal by tightly rolling up the edges, creating a secure pouch. It’s important the packets are fully sealed, so that the steam created inside can’t escape.

Place the pouches on a baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges.


NOTE on COOKING IN A BAG (from Cook This, Not That!):
The French call it en papillote; the Italians, en cartoccio. It's a technique that combines, health, flavor, and convenience as effectively as any cooking method in the kitchen. By adding a bit of liquid, you create a perfect steaming environment for chicken, fish, and seafood. Toss in tomatoes, onions, zucchini- anything that will cook in 15 min or less- to bolster the flavor. The best part? No cleanup!!

Friday Fish Fry

I wasn't very well prepared for tonight's dinner like I thought I was. First, I thought I had a few boxes of Tempura mix. Wrong. Then, I thought I had potatoes to make homemade fries. Wrong again. Luckily, I did have a few boxes of Panko crumbs and a little bag of frozen fries. So we improvised. And actually... the fish was yummier this time!! And because I used Panko crumbs, it was a lot less greasy!!
So here's my recipe, including dipping sauce (my secret!):

Ingredients:

Halibut steaks, skinned and boned and cut into bite-size pieces
Asparagus spears
1 Lemon, quartered
about 1/2C flour
3 eggs
about a half bag of Panko bread crumbs
3 bowls or plates
about 1TBS Lemon Pepper seasoning
a little salt and pepper
Oil for frying

For the sauce:
2TBS Ketchup
1TBS. Worcestershire sauce
1TBS. soy sauce
1TBS. Cocktail sauce
juice from 1/4 lemon (same lemon as above)
1 tsp. Oyster sauce

Instructions:

1. Combine flour and lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl or onto a plate. Scramble the eggs in a different bowl or plate and pour the crumbs into yet another dish. Heat large pot filled about 1" with oil on med-hi.
For the fish:
Coat with flour mixture, then dip in egg then into bread crumbs covering completely. Drop one piece into the oil to see if it's hot yet. Fish should sizzle right away. Once it does, add fish allowing room for turning. Don't over-crowd. Once firm and golden brown, using tongs, pull them out into a paper towel-lined plate or colander inside a bowl. Repeat and continue until all fish are cooked. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and drizzle with lemon juice.
For the asparagus:
Coat the same as the fish. Drop into hot oil. Cook just until batter is golden and pull out, placing on paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.


For the sauce:
Combine all ingredients in small bowl and either whisk well, or use a fork to mix. Great on french fries and asparagus. I prefer Tartar sauce for my fish. But it works for that also! Enjoy!!
*would work GREAT for onion rings also!