Broiled salmon with avocado cream

Broiled salmon with avocado cream

1 lb salmon filets

1 tsp dill weed

1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 ripe avocado

1/2 tbsp lime juice

1 clove  garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp sour cream

Mash the avocado and add the lime juice. Add the garlic and sour cream, stir or whisk until smooth. Set aside. 

Arrange salmon on broiler pan. Sprinkle with the dill, lemon pepper and salt to taste. Broil until the meat flakes with a fork. 

Serve filet topped with a dollop of the avocado cream. 

Orange Rice

Got this recipe from my friend,Joan. 

Orange Rice

3 tbsp margarine or butter

2/3 cup diced celery

3 tbsp diced onion

2 tbsp grated orange rind

1 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup water 

1 cup raw rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion and celery in the margarine in a large skillet unto the onion begins to brown. Add the rind, juice and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Continue cooking on low, until the rice is cooked and liquid has all been absorbed. 

 10 servings 

Italian cheese ball

This recipe is a modification of theItalian  Cheese Log. 

Mix together 

8 oz fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or provel 

1 package dry Itslian dressing mix 

Shape into a ball or place in a bowl and chill. I left the cream cheese out a too temperature and it got very soft so was too messy to shape into a ball so I just put it in a bowl and chilled. 

Serve with snack crackers. 

This is also very good as a sandwich spread. I put some on rye bread and grilled it.  Yummy!  

Lasagne - two recipes

The recipes are similar - just a variation in the ingredients.

Lasagne With Meat Sauce

9 lasagne noodles, cooked al dente 

28 oz can pasta sauce

1 lb meat of choice ( lean ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey ) browned and drained 

1 container part skim ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (divided) 

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

Cook noodles and drain. Toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking together. I use the No-Boil noodles - but cook them first if I have time. They are a little thicker and sturdier than regular noodles do don't tear as easily once they are cooked 

Mix together the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and the egg. Set aside. 

Take out a couple spoonfuls of the pasta sauce and spread in the bottom of an 11 x 7 baking dish. Mix the remaining sauce with the meat. 

Place 3 noodles side by side on top of the sauce. 

Spoon about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles and spread out. Don't worry too much about getting a perfect layer. 

Spoon about 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the ricotta layer.  When spreading the sauce it might mix some with the cheese but that's okay. It will all be a big gooey mess of cheese, noodles and sauce anyway. 

Repeat noodles, cheese and sauce layers twice. End with the sauce layer. 

Cover the top with the 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan cheeses. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles. 

Let sit 15 minutes before serving. 

Spinach Lasagne  

9 lasagne noodles cooked al dente 

1 carton ricotta cheese

9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thaw and drain well 

1 1/2 cup mozzarella

1 egg 

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

1 tsp basil

28 oz can pasta sauce

Drain spinach well and get rid of any excess moisture by placing in a strainer and pressing with a spoon. You don't want watery lasagne. 

Cook noodles and drain, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking together. 

Mix ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella and the spinach. 

Place a couple spoonful of sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 baking dish. 

Layer 3 noodles over the sauce. 

Spoon about 1/3 ricotta mixture over the noodle layer. 

Spoon sauce over the cheese.  Repeat the layers twice more - noodles, cheese, and sauce. 

Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over top. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. 

Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving. 

 

Sage rubbed pork chop over glazed Brussels sprouts

Sage Rubbed Pork Chops over Brussels Sprouts 

6 boneless pork chops, about 4 oz each

Sat

Pepper

Dried sage, 1/2 teaspoon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 to 1.5 lb fresh Brussels sprouts

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp Pinot Grigio 

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Season chops with salt, pepper and sage by sprinkling on both sides and pressing firmly to adhere to the meat. I was fairly liberal with the salt and pepper. 

Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add pork and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. 

Meanwhile, trim and slice the Brussels sprouts crosswise. Add garlic and sprouts to the skillet containing the pork drippings. Sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Add wine and syrup, cook, stirring constantly until liquid evaporates.

Serve by dividing the sprouts among 6 plates. Place chop partially on the sprouts. 

Crescent Philly Steak Pizza

Crescent Philly Steak a Pizza

1can crescent rolls

7 oz package of Deli thin roast beef

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1 medium bell pepper, sliced thinly 

4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced 

1 tbsp vinaigrette dressing ( I used Ken's Balsamic) 

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch pan. Open up the rolls and lay in bottom of pan. Press down to spread the rolls to cover the bottom of the pan and up about 1/2 inch on the sides. 

Place beef in a sheet of aluminum foil and seal well 

Cook the dough and the beef in the oven for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, spray a medium skillet with cooking spray. Add onions,pepper,and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5-8 minutes. 

Remove crust and beef from the oven. Layer the beef on the crust. Brush with the salad dressing. Spread the vegetables over the beef and top with the cheese.

Bake for 11 -14 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Cut into 8 squares to serve. 

Greek Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

Greek Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 chicken tenderloins

Preheat oven to 375
Stir together all ingredients EXCEPT the chicken.  Spread the mixture over both sides of the pieces of chicken and place them in a single layer in a baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes.
Turn on the broiler and place the dish under the broiler about 5 minutes or until the parmesan topping is lightly browned. 
Serve over rice or pasta.

Fried apples

Fried Apples

2 medium apples

2 tsp margarine

water

sugar and cinnamon to taste

dried cranberries, optional

corn starch

Peel and thinly slice the apples. 

Melt margarine in saucepan or skillet.   Add sliced apples and cook, stirring occasionally.  Apples should start to brown a little. 

Add water to almost cover the apples.  Heat to boiling.  Stir in cranberries, if desired.

Mix a heaping teaspoon of cornstarch in about 1/4 cup cold water.   Pour into the apple mixture, stirring constantly.  As it continues to boil, the sauce will thicken.  When it reaches the desired consistency, remove from heat and sprinkle with some sugar and cinnamon.

This is good served over pancakes instead of using syrup. 



Blueberry Cobbler

Tonight we were having leftovers so I thought I would make dessert.  I usually don't make dessert as I don't need the extra calories.  Tom usually has cookie dough or some other sweets stashed in his man cave and that is his dessert.

This is a recipe I found in a crock pot cookbook.  It can be made with any berries - fresh or frozen.  If using frozen be sure to thaw and drain them first.  I did not do that and mine was very watery after it cooked in the crockpot. I knew I could thicken it with corn starch but have not had much luck doing that in the crock pot so I poured the berries and liquid into a medium saucepan and cooked to a boil. When boiling, I dissolved 2 tsp corn starch in about 1/4 cup cold water. Added that to the blueberries and stirred well. As it boiled and thickened, I kept stirring until it was about the consistency I wanted.



Blueberry Cobbler (can use other berries or combination)

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Mix together in a 3-4 qt crock pot.  Cook on High for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or Low for 5-6 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the dough for the dumplings.
1 cup baking mix (Bisquick or similar)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup milk
cinnamon
Mix together the baking mix and sugar.  Add the milk and stirred just until all is moistened. Turn the crock pot to High if it is not already.   Drop in 6 spoonsful on the blueberries.    Let cook, checking occasionally, until the dumplings are cooked. They will expand and get firmer, a toothpick inserted will come out clean.

To serve, place a dumpling into each of 6 bowls and spoon the blueberries over top.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.


If the blueberry mixture is too watery like mine was, thicken it by placing in a saucepan and boiling.  Mix 2 tsp corn starch into 1/4 cup cold water.  Pour into the boiling mixture while stirring to blend it well.  Let boil for a few minutes to get thick and then drop the dough on top in 6 mounds. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon.
Turn down to simmer and cover the pan.  Allow to cook 5-10 minutes, checking the dumplings occasionally.