Lemon Garlic Soy Salmon

From allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound salmon fillets
• lemon pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons water
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Parmesan Chicken

From Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• Unsalted butter
• Good olive oil
• Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
• 1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Cook's Comments:

Did this with an arugala/cherry tomato/red onion salad on top or on the side and it was delicious!

Chicken Marsala

From Williams Sonoma

Chicken with a creamy Marsala sauce is a standard of old-school Italian restaurants, where you might find it prepared or finished tableside in a chafing dish. Cooking it at a more leisurely pace in a slow cooker or on the stovetop eliminates much of the fuss and produces very tender, flavorful results. Substituting tangy Italian mascarpone, a soured cream cheese, for the usual cream adds a sophisticated touch.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each about 6 oz.
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 shallots, minced
• 1/4 lb. pancetta, diced
• 2 1/4 cups Marsala
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 lb. cremini or button mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

On a plate, stir together the flour, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. One at a time, turn the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, gently shaking off the excess.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbs. of the butter with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add the shallots and pancetta to the pan and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the Marsala, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the wine is reduced and thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the broth and oregano and return to a boil.

Stovetop method: Transfer the chicken to a large Dutch oven and add the Marsala mixture. Cover the pot, set over low heat and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout and very tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large fry pan over high heat, melt the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. butter with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the edges begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone, bring to a boil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the mushroom mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup Marsala to the Dutch oven. Cover and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes more.

Slow-cooker method: Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker and add the Marsala mixture. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the chicken is opaque throughout and very tender, about 2 1/2 hours on high or 5 hours on low. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, in a large fry pan over high heat, melt the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. butter with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the edges begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone, bring to a boil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the mushroom mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup Marsala to the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes more.

Spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken, garnish with the chives and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Cook's Comment: don't use as much salt as they say, its salty enough

Maple Braised Pork Chops

From Williams-Sonoma Slow Cooking


3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops, each about 12 oz. and 1 1/2 inches thick
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chile powder
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

On a plate, stir together the flour, 3⁄4 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper. Turn the pork chops in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork chops until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour off all but a thin coating of fat in the pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chile powder and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the maple syrup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

STOVE TOP: Transfer the pork chops to a large Dutch oven. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chops to cover them. Partially cover and cook over very low heat until the pork chops are very tender and the sauce is thick, about 2 hours.

SLOW COOKER: Transfer the pork chops to a slow cooker. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chops to cover them. Cover and cook until the chops are very tender and the sauce is thick, 4 hours on the high-heat setting or 8 hours on the low-heat setting.

Arrange the chops on warmed plates. Top with the sauce, garnish with the chives, and serve at once.

Cook's Comment:

- it's optional to add apple slices for the last hour....we did this and it was amazing

Maple Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

From food.com

"Plan ahead this needs to be refrigerated for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. I tossed the bread cubes with a couple teaspoons of cinnamon before placing in the baking dish, but that is optional, if you prefer a less sweeter taste just omit the white sugar completely --- this is *very* good!"

Ingredients

• 10 cups bread cubes ( cut into about 1-inch cubes, use stale bread but not hard for this)
• 1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 3 -4 tablespoons sugar ( optional or to taste)
• 8 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups full-fat milk
• 2/3 cup half-and-half cream ( or use all half and half cream)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• powdered sugar

Directions

1. Place the bread cubes in a buttered 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
2. In a bowl beat the softened cream cheese with sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined.
3. Add in eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.
4. Add in milk, half and half cream, maple syrup and vanilla; beat until well combined.
5. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish, using a fork or spoon gently lift the cubes so that they coat evenly with the egg mixture.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
7. Next morning set oven to 375°F.
8. Remove the dish from the fridge and let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
9. Bake uncovered for about 45-50 minutes or until set and a golden brown colour.
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple more maple syrup.
11. Delicious!

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

From Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 3/4 cup grated Romano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot (we used about half of this)
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella, halved
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.

In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add the Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.

Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns

From Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 cup vegetable stock (we once had to use chicken broth and it was fine)
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1 pound prawns, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 to 1 cup whole milk (we use skim)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (we put closer to a cup!)

Directions

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes.

In a large pot over low heat combine the cooked pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, basil, and cheese. Stir until warm and serve.

Scallops Succotash

Blended recipe, made it once and have since adapted

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ears corn, or 2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans, thawed (**we have also switched out for edamame)
• 1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/4 pounds large sea scallops (about 16)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• **we also sometimes add black beans and/or avocado

Directions

Parsley Drizzle, recipe follows

If using ears of corn, cut the kernels off and set aside. Discard the cobs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the corn, lima beans, zucchini, and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Spray a large nonstick skillet or grill pan with cooking spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.

In the meantime, prepare the scallops. Pat them dry and season them with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add the scallops and cook until the inside is opaque, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once.

Stir the vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with additional salt and pepper, to taste, and serve topped with grilled scallops. Garnish with Parsley Drizzle.

Parsley Drizzle:

• 1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water, as needed to slacken

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Sweet Kielbasa

Borrowed from Marsha

Equal amounts of brown sugar and ketchup mixed together (however much you like, some people like it soupy, some like it thick), then add the cut up kielbasa and cook over medium/low heat for as long as you think necessary.

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

From Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups medium-diced fennel
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Pernod
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds (16 to 20 per pound) peeled shrimp with tails on
• 5 ounces good feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (see note)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 lemons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-or 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, Pernod, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle over the shrimp.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp. Serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

Cook's Comments:

Have made without the fennel and without the Pernod and it was just as good!