Sautéed Sole in a Lemon Cream Sauce

Simply yummy- sole in lemon cream sauce

This is one of Katie's favorite dishes. We made it after we watched Julie and Julia which launched our all French food week. It was wonderful. We made some incredible dishes. My favorite was the braised chicken with tomatoes and olives. This dish was a lot easier to make. Our entire family is crazy about capers- if you don't like them, don't add them. I also like a bit of spice so I add a bit of Creole seasoning.

Sautéd Sole in a Lemon Cream Sauce

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp of Oil
1/4 Cup (30 g) of Flour
1/4 Tsp of Salt
1/2 Tsp of Pepper
1/4 Tsp Creole Seasoning (Optional)
1-2 lbs (.45-.9 kg) of White Fish, Cut into 4 oz. Pieces
1 Cup (240 ml) of Fat Free Half and Half
Zest from a Lemon
Juice from Half of a Lemon
1 Tbsp of Chopped Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon of Capers

Melt butter and oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 

Butter melting in the frying pan

Dredge fish in a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper. 

Frying fish

Place fish a couple pieces at a time in the frying pan (don't crowd). Depending on the thickness of the fish sauté for a couple of minutes to several minutes. When the fish is ready it is when it turns opaque. Remove fish to a plate and keep warm.

Making the cream sauce

To make the sauce add the half and half and lemon zest to the frying pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Serve the sauce over the fish and sprinkle capers on top.

The finished fish

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes, I love this dish and Katie always asks for it. I will only make with a thin white fish.

Rum Glazed Pan Sautéed Shrimp

Rum glazed shrimp on a bed of lettuce with nectarines

I have no idea why I decided that I had to have rum glazed shrimp. I know why it was pan sauteed and not grilled-- it is unbelievably hot outside. I probably could have cooked dinner on the sidewalk. Grilling was out of the question. I think I will grill this winter in the snow (truly-- be ready for the grilling recipes this winter when I am whining about the lack of summer tomatoes).  Note: You could use the same amount of glaze for a pound (.45 kg) of shrimp. Also the sugar is important- it helps the shrimp caramelize.

Rum Glaze

1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Rum (I used dark rum)
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Lime Juice
2 Tbsp of Honey
1/2 Tsp of Ancho Chile, Chipotle, or Cayenne Pepper

Whisk the rum glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Shrimp

2 Tbsp of Oil
1/2 Tsp of Sugar
Salt and Pepper, to Taste
1/2 lb (225 g) of Shrimp (Peeled)

Everything is ready to go

In the largest skillet you have, heat oil over high heat. Toss the shrimp with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the shrimp (you may have to make this in batches because if you crowd the shrimp they will steam). Saute the shrimp for one minute.

Sauteing shrimp

Remove from the heat and turn and saute for one more minute. If you are making in batches remove shrimp from pan and saute next batch. Return shrimp to pan and add rum glaze. Cover and cook until done (a couple of minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.

Almost ready for the glaze

Oh! I served them on a bed of lettuce with nectarine slices. Excellent!

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes- I am ready to make this again the next night. This winter, I will try grilling the shrimp while basting with the glaze.

Oil Free Pesto

Pesto with roasted tomatoes instead of oil

I love pesto and I make it with all kinds of greens and nuts. I haven't made a bad pesto yet. This time of year when we have lots of new greens it is easy to go outside and pick your dinner. I used a combination of arugula, spinach, parsley, and basil decided to make an oil-less pesto by using roasted tomatoes (frozen from last year's harvest) instead of oil. Yes, it can be done. And it can be delicious. I know I had seconds. I would have had thirds but it was all gone. I need to get a bigger bowl.

1/2 Cup (60 g) of Nuts, Toasted
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 Cups (340 g) of Roasted Tomatoes With Juice
2 Cups (40 g) of Basil, Spinach, Arugula, and/or Parsley
1/2 of Parmesan Cheese, Grated
Salt and Pepper, To Taste

Place nuts, garlic, and cheese in the food processor and process until coarse.

Nuts, garlic, and cheese

Add the roasted tomatoes, salt, and pepper and process.

The pesto with roasted tomatoes

Add the basil, spinach, arugula, and/or parsley and process until pesto consistency is reached.

Adding the greens

Serve over pasta.

Pesto over pasta

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes. It is wonderful even if it isn't a beautiful bright green pesto. It is so good that my husband did not know it was oil-less until we discussed this blog post.

Cheese Filled Manicotti

Cheese filled manicotti

Since I am working again, making dinner has become a bit more challenging. It has also become more important- it is our family time. So dinner has to tasty (and quick). Cheese stuffed manicotti are one of those meals. My family loves these. They can be made the night before and then baked in the oven (the first person home can throw them in the oven). They can also be made ahead (don't bake) and frozen. Just defrost and bake.
The noodles need to cool before you fill them so I either cook the manicotti the night before or have my husband cook them during the day. I use a variety of homemade sauces for these. My daughter's favorite is Sweet Tomato Sauce, my favorite is Vodka Pasta Sauce, but Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce is also good. In a pinch you can use a jar of pasta sauce.

1 Package (8 oz) of Manicotti
1 3/4 Cups (15 oz) of Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
2 Cups (8 oz) of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons of Fresh Parsley, Chopped
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
3 Cups (28 oz) of Pasta Sauce

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and lay pasta flat on foil to cool.

Cooling manicotti

Preheat oven to 350F/176C/Gas Mark 4. In a large boil combine all of the ingredients except the pasta sauce.

The fresh parsley really adds to the dish

Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 inch (30x20 cm) baking dish.

A thin layer of pasta sauce

Carefully spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti and place in a single layer in the baking dish.

Filling the manicotti; don't overfill or you will run out of cheese

Cover with the remaining pasta sauce.

Ready for the oven

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The manicotti should be hot and the pasta sauce bubbly. Serve.

The bottom line: Will I make these again. Yes. I love these. Sometimes I fill them with spinach and cheeses. I also have made meat filled manicotti. The cheese filled are my favorite.

Fish Tacos

Fish taco

I love fish tacos. I really love the deep fried ones... delicate pieces of fish deep fried and smothered with a creamy spicy sauce...... drool.... We didn't have those. We are eating healthier (grrrrrr). So we grilled the lovely fish. Did I miss the deep fried goodness? Strangely no. These were amazing.

Fish Tacos

2 Tbsp of Vegetable or Canola Oil
3 Tbsp of Lime Juice (Juice from One Lime)
1/2 Tbsp of Ancho Chile Powder
1 Hot Pepper, Chopped
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Cilantro
1 1/2 Pounds (.7 kg) of White Fish
Several Flour Tortillas

Combine all of the ingredients, except the fish and tortillas. Add the fish to the marinade and marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Marinating the fish

Grill fish until flaky.

Grilled fish

While fish is resting, grill the tortillas for approximately 30 seconds each side (the tortillas will slightly puff up when ready).

Grilled tortilla

Spicy Sour Cream

1/4 Cup (60 g) of Light Sour Cream
1 Tbsp of Lime Juice
2 Tsp of Ancho Chili Powder
1 Tsp of Cumin

Combine all of the ingredients.

The garnishes

Garnishes

Spicy Sour Cream
Shredded Cabbage
Shredded Carrot
Sliced Limes
Diced Tomatoes

Assembly

Place grilled fish and garnishes in a grilled tortilla.

The bottom line: will I make these again? Yes, they were wonderful. So easy to make and healthy!

Langostinos

Langostinos pasta

I rarely post recipes with hard to find ingredients. Why? Because I have trouble getting them too. On my trek into the "big city" I went to Trader Joes. In the frozen foods  I found langostinos. I haven't had langostinos in over a decade (ok it has probably been two decades). Giddy with food excitement I quickly put the bag of frozen goodness in my cart. Steven asked "what's a langostino?" I channeled my inner food geek and answered: "a langostino is a member of the lobster family; they are caught off of the coast of Chile. Langostinos are about the size of a shrimp and look and taste like a cross between a shrimp and a lobster. I think they taste more like a lobster than a shrimp. They can be substituted for crawfish or shrimp in recipes." Yep, I am a walking encyclopedia of food knowledge.
I have a bag of langostinos that are fully cooked and then frozen. The question is what to do with them. I decided to recreate the dish I had oh so many years ago- langostinos with lots of garlic and olive oil served over pasta. My mouth is already watering.

Langostinos in a Garlic Butter Sauce
3 Tbsp of Butter
3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Shallot, Thinly Sliced
Pinch of Salt
Couple of Turns of the Pepper Mill
12 oz. (340 g) of Langostinos, Thawed, Rinsed, and Drained
1/2 Cup (120 ml) of Dry White Wine
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Fresh Parsley
Parmesan Cheese

Important Note: Depending on the cooking time of your pasta: either have the water boiling and wait to add the pasta or once the water for the pasta is boiling and you are making the pasta start this recipe. Otherwise your sauce could be finished long before your pasta is cooked.

Add the butter and olive oil to a medium size saucepan. Melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Butter melting in oil; this is not going to be a healthy dish

Add the garlic, shallot, and salt and pepper. Sauté until the shallot is translucent.

Time to add the garlic and shallot

Add the langostinos and the wine and cook until heated through about 3 minutes. Do not overcook the langostinos they will turn rubbery.

Adding the langostinos

Add the parsley.

Adding the parsley

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve over pasta (sprinkle with Parmesan cheese).

The finished dish. Beautiful!

The bottom line: will I make this again? Oh my goodness yes! It was incredible, amazing, delicious ...

Spicy Japanese Style Crab Salad

Crab salad

 It is December. It's cold outside and I am already wishing it was spring. Winter is beautiful in its own way, but I love spring. I love watching the world turn green again. Maybe because I am thinking about planting our garden,  I decided we were having a salad for lunch. This salad would be prefect for a spring day. Strangely, it was also perfect for a cold December day. The crab salad surrounded by veggies was a bit of spring. My only regret was I could not find sesame seeds. I searched everywhere for them; I am sure I will find them after we have eaten the salad. So I used panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) instead.

Dressing
1/2 Cup (120 g) of Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp of Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 Tsp of Sugar
1/2 Tsp Sriracha
1/4 Tsp of Grated Fresh Ginger

In a medium sized bowl whisk ingredients together until well combined. Taste and add more Sriracha if needed. (I would prefer this with a teaspoon of hot sauce but that would be too spicy for Katie).

Dressing

Crab Salad

8 oz (227 g) Crab or Fake Crab
1 Tsp of Sesame Seeds or Panko
One Cucumber, Thinly Sliced
A Couple of Handfuls of Baby Carrots
Several Ribs of Celery, Chopped in Pieces

To assemble the salad, mix the crab with the dressing and surround with the veggies.

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes. It is wonderful. I will change out the veggies for what is in season.

Sweet Sweet Tomato Pasta Sauce

Pasta sauce over thick spaghetti

 Every once in a while I have a craving for a sweet pasta sauce. Katie always has a craving for sweet pasta sauce. For our anniversary this year Steven took Katie and me to a little Italian restaurant (yes Katie went with us and it was really nice).  We had some amazing rongini (rice balls); one of my favorite all time Italian dishes. I have never made them because once I did I would make and eat way too many. We also spaghetti with a sweet tomato sauce. It was lovely. Yep, I have a craving for sweet tomato sauce over pasta. I would usually make meatballs to go with it.  But I have some turkey kielbasa that needs to be used so kielbasa it is. I have a range for the brown sugar because how much sugar is added depends on how acidic the tomatoes are (I think it varies from can to can but that may just be me) and how sweet you want the sauce. Usually one tablespoon of brown sugar works great but I taste the sauce and adjust as needed.

Sweet Tomato Pasta Sauce

2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 28 oz (794 g) Can of Crushed Tomatoes in Heavy Puree
1/2 Tsp of Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp of Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp of Dried Parsley
1/4 Tsp of Dried Thyme
1/4 Tsp of Crushed Red Peppers (Optional)
1/4 Tsp of Salt
A Couple Turns of the Pepper Mill
1-2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

Pour oil into large sauce pan and add garlic. Heat over low heat for a couple of minutes until starting to brown (you do not want the garlic to brown).

Heating garlic over low heat

Add the remaining ingredients and heat uncovered over low heat while you cook the pasta (it only needs to cook for 20 minutes or so). The sauce should not come to a boil.

Heating the tomato sauce and enjoying the smell

Serve over pasta (with lots of grated Parmesan cheese) or use as a pizza sauce.

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes and often. It is a great tomato sauce for the winter- it is tasty even though it is made with canned tomatoes and dried spices. So so good.

Arugula Mascarpone Pesto

Arugula pesto

 We have some gorgeous arugula growing in our yard. I love the strong peppery taste of arugula. It is starting to get cold and it is time to use the arugula.
I decided to make pesto. I was a little worried that the arugula would be too strong, so I decided to balance the peppery taste with mascarpone. Yes, mascarpone. Yum.... I love mascarpone cheese.
I make my pesto differently than most people. I add the arugula (or basil or parsley or spinach) last. I don't want to over process the arugula.You may also use walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts instead of pine nuts.If you are serving this with pasta, reserve about a cup of pasta water and add about a tablespoon of the pasta water to each bowl of pasta when you mix the pasta with the pesto.

Pesto

1/2 Cup (68 g) Pine Nuts, Lightly Toasted
1/2 Cup (100 g) of Parmesan Cheese
4 Cloves of Garlic
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Olive Oil
2 Handfuls (56 g) of Arugula
1/2 Cup (113 g) of Mascarpone Cheese

Combine pine nuts, cheese, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth.

Processed pine nuts, garlic, and cheese

Slowly add olive oil until well combined. Add arugula and process until arugula is chopped and well mixed.

Arugula waiting to be mixed in

Place pesto into a bowl and fold in the mascarpone.

Fold in mascarpone cheese

Final pesto

The bottom line: will we make this again? Yes, I like the peppery taste of the arugula and the creaminess that the macarpone adds.

Tomato "Magic Sauce"

Tomato Magic Sauce over pasta

This recipe started when Megan sent me a link for "Magic Sauce" which was loosely based on a chimichurri sauce. The combination of herbs sounded wonderful and it got me thinking. I decided to turn her herb combination into a tomato sauce. Why? Because I love tomato sauce and I still have access to summer ripened tomatoes.

Tomato Magic Sauce
3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 of a Head of Garlic, Sliced
4 Large Tomatoes, Diced
1 Cayenne Pepper, Diced
1 Tbsp of Sugar
1 Sprig Of Thyme
1 Tsp of Fresh Oregano
1 Sprig of Rosemary (1 Tsp Chopped), Leaves Removed and Chopped
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Basil, Chopped
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Red Wine
1/2 Tsp of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp of Sea Salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan

Combine all of the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat over low heat until tomatoes are soft.

The tomatoes are tender and the sauce is ready for the next step

Cool sauce and run through a food mill, process in a food processor, or process with an immersion blender.

The processed sauce

Heat and serve over pasta.
The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes, I will next summer. This sauce is best made with summer ripened tomatoes. I am quickly running out of these special tomatoes.

Grilled Salsa

Grilled salsa

 Ok. I guess I am on a salsa kick. If the roasted salsa is the easiest salsa I make, this is the prettiest. If I want to make a meal out of it, I just add cold pasta and instant pasta salad. It is great with chips, quesadillas, chicken, or just out of the bowl. It is also great as a quesadilla filling.
Make sure you add the salt, it enhances the cumin. Have you ever notice that cumin, a spice I love, smells like dirty gym socks? Maybe it is just me.

Grilled Salsa

3 Ears of Fresh Corn
1 Large (150 g) Sweet Onion, Cut in Half
1 Red, Yellow, or Green Bell Pepper, Cut in Half
2 Large (440 g) Tomatoes, Diced
1-2 Hot Peppers, Diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/4 C (5 g) Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1/4 Tsp of Cumin
1 Tsp of Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Tsp of Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

Grill (over indirect heat) the corn, onion, and pepper for 8-10 minutes.

Grilled corn, peppers, and onions.

Cut the corn off of the cob and dice the onion and pepper. Combine the grilled veggies with the remaining ingredients.

The tomatoes and black beans are beautiful together

Cover and chill for about an hour. Enjoy!

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes. It is so good that we ate the entire bowl in less than 30 minutes.

Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Oh my!

Sometimes I dream about food and wake up with a new idea for a recipe or a twist on an old one. With all of the tomatoes I brought, it is not surprising that I dreamt about tomato sauce. In my dream I used balsamic vinegar. So I decided to create a new roasted tomato sauce by using balsamic vinegar as it focal point. I am using Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in this dish which is a commercially produced imitation of the traditionally made vinegar. Traditionally made balsamic vinegar is made from pressed grapes and is aged in a succession of smaller barrels. It results in a thick dark brown syrup with a sweet and sour taste with hints of the wood from the barrels it was aged in. Katie is crazy about balsamic vinegar and usually asks for a bottle for her birthday. She likes mixing it with olive oil and dipping her bread in it. Needless to say, I had her complete attention while making this sauce. She thought adding the honey was a great idea and wanted to lick the bowl when I was done.

Roasted tomato sauce over pasta

Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce

4 Lb (1.87 kg) of Tomatoes
1/2 C (120 ml) Olive Oil
1/2 C (120 ml) Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp of Honey
8 Cloves (20g) of Garlic, Sliced
1/2 C (10 g)  Chopped Basil
1 Tbsp of Chopped Oregano
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400F/204C/ Gas Mark 6. Half tomatoes, then quarter, and then cut the quarters in half. Remove the stem end of the tomato. Combine the tomatoes with the remaining ingredients and place on a large cookie sheet.

Ready for the oven

Roast in the oven for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to be soft and blackened.

Roasted goodness

Carefully remove from oven (there will be a lot of juicy goodness in the cookie sheet with the tomatoes) and cool. Once cool, process in a food processor.

Finished sauce

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes, it is an amazing sauce. I love the roasted tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar and a bit of sweetness from the honey.