Scallops provencal

Inspiration: Ina Garden
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Serves:2

Description:  I found scallops on sale at my grocery store and have been wanting to experiment with a few recipe's. This dish was incredibly easy to make and was ready in under 30 minutes. This can be a nice light dinner, 1st course, or pair it with some pasta and make it a hearty main course.


Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour
1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2


Directions:

1. If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. 

2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.

3. In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling.
4. Add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, tops.
5. Remove the cooked scallops to a paper towel or plate.
6. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes. 7. Add the scallops back into the pan and tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning.
8. Serve right away with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Not Your Grandma's Noodle Casserole

Inspiration: grandma
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 6

Description: Many American's grew up on tuna noodle casserole. I remember my grandma making it for us regularly. I have made it here and there through the years and crave it from time to time. This version is lighter, healthier, has more veggies, but still cheesy and comforting. 

Ingredients:
 6 oz noodles
1 tbs butter
1 medium onion, minced
3 tbs flour
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of milk
10 oz of mushrooms sliced into small pieces
1 cup of peas
1 cup of broccoli, chopped
2 cans of tuna
1 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Cook noodles until al dente and set aside
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and stir well about 2 minutes.
4. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until well combined.
5. Add milk and bring to a boil.
6. Add peas, broccoli, mushrooms and simmer until thickens, about 6 minutes.
7. Add drained tuna and stir.
8. Remove from heat and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add the cheese, and noodles to the sauce and mix well until evenly coated.
10. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle extra cheese and panko crumbs on
top for a nice crunch
11. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Nutrition:

Calories-289

Carbs-32

Fat-9

Protein-20

Sugar-5

Fiber-4

Tips and Tricks:
chopping up the mushrooms super small will help hide them from pesky picky eaters
if tuna isn't your thing shredded chicken or canned chicken is a quick alternative

Salmon Patties

Inspiration: various crab cake recipes
Prep: 15 minutes
Inactive prep: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 8 minutes
Made: 5 medium salmon patties

Description: I had canned salmon in the pantry and was wanting a light dinner on a hot August evening.
This involved little kitchen time and even less oven oven time. It would be great for parties too! To bump this up a notch grill a buttered bun and add tomato and lettuce and tarter sauce and you've got an excellent salmon burger. 

 Ingredients:
1 can of salmon
1 egg
1 tbs chopped garlic
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
1 tsp of Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup of panko crumbs + more for crust

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined
 2. Using a biscuit cutter, or 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop out patties onto plastic wrap or foil covered sheet pan.
3. Cover with plastic warp and freeze for at least 20 minutes
4. Remove from freezer, remove plastic wrap, and press panko crumbs onto top and bottom of Pattie.
5. Brown patties on a well oiled pan over medium heat. Cook about 4 minutes a side.  


 Tips and Tricks
- If making ahead and are freezing for longer than 20 minutes, pull the patties out about 10 minutes before you are ready to cook them allowing them to thaw a bit.
-The salmon is already pre-cooked, so only worry about browning the panko crumbs

Variation
- for an Asian twist add to the ingredients 1 tbs ginger, 2 tbs soy sauce, and sesame seeds to the mixture.

Shrimp Scampi

Ina Garden
prep:30 minutes
Cook 14 minutes
serves:6

2 pounds shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 1/2 sticks butter at room temperature
4 cloves of  minced garlic
1/4 cup minced shallot
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

3. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

4. Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish.

5. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Crab Cakes

Inspiration: Studio six morning show
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: Less than 30 min
Makes: 6-8 crab cakes depending on mold size

Description: This crab cake is much less "breadier" than any others. The egg and mascarpone   cheese replaces the normal mayo or any  other binder. This allows the delicate flavor of the crab to come through.

                                                                                    

Ingredients:

1 oz finely diced yellow onion
1 oz finely diced celery
1 oz finely diced carrot
1 oz finely diced fennel
2 egg yolks
4 oz. Mascarpone cheese
3/4 lb. Dungeness crab meat finely shredded
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. White pepper
1/4 cup Panko crumbs


Directions:
1. Saute onion, celery, carrot, and fennel in saucepan until translucent and fragrant.
2. In medium bowl, mix together egg yolks, mascarpone, crab and S&P.
3. Add sauteed mixture to crab mixture, stir well.
4. Use a small 4 oz ramekin or circle cookie cutter create crab cakes.
5. Put crab cakes on cookie sheet covered with saran wrap and cool for 12-24 hours.
5. Pour Panko crumbs onto a shallow plate.
6. Take the cooled crab cakes and dip them into the panko crumbs. Make sure to coat the crab cake evenly.
7. Over medium heat in a well oiled skillet, cook the crab cakes until they are a golden brown.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use the same mold to ensure the crab cakes are the same size and have the same cook time.       
2. freeze crab cakes before coating in panko crumbs for future use.

Steamed Mussels

Inspiration: Intermediate cooking series
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Description: These little critters have always intimidated me. This dish I learned in cooking class and it was quick, easy, and very very tasty. Pulling the beards off the mussels wasn't as gross as I had imagined!

Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh mussels, cleaned and washed
1 tbs olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
12 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 large tomato, diced medium
1/2 cup of white wine
1 1/2 cups of fish stock
8 sprigs of thyme
2 tbs of chives, chopped
2 tbs of parsley, chopped
1/4 cup of cream
2 tbs butter
1 tsp red pepper flakes
S&P

Directions:
* need a large shallow pan with a lid
1. Rinse mussels under cold water and remove beards.( just pull the string at the bottom of the mussel)
2. Over medium heat sweat out shallots and garlic. Add tomatoes and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
3. Add white wine and reduce.
4. Turn heat to high and add mussels, stock, thyme, cream, and chili flakes.
5. Place lid over pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mussels open.
6. Turn heat to medium low and add butter and remaining herbs and stir into the broth
7. Season with S&P, take out thyme leaves before serving.

spanish style steamed clams

Inspiration: intermediate cooking series
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8


Description: This dish is full of wonderful Spanish flavors. Be careful of the type of charizo you add to the dish. It will affect the heat level and the spiciness of the broth. This is a great start to a meal or with some chunky bread a filling main course.

Ingredients:
3 lbs of manila clams, rinsed and cleaned
1 tbs olive oil
10 oz Spanish style dried chorizo, sliced thin
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1/2 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
10 saffron stems
2 cups of fish stock
2 tbs butter
1/2 white wine
1 tomatoes seeded and diced small
1 sweet onion, julienne
S&P


Directions:
1. In first small sauce pan, over medium high heat, add fish stock and saffron.
2. simmer together and reduce by 1/4th.Set aside and keep warm.
3. In 2nd large sauce pan (with a lid) over medium low heat, add olive oil, and onions.
4. In 2nd pan cook onions slowly until very soft. Add chorizo, shallots, and garlic.
5. In 2nd pan add wine and reduce.
6. When wine has reduced, turn the heat to medium high, add clams and the first pan of saffron fish stock.
7. Cover and cook 7 minutes or until clams start to open.
8. Turn the heat to low and stir in butter, tomatoes, and half the cilantro.
9. Season with S&P
10. Place clams and broth in large bowl and garnish with remaining cilantro.

beer battered fish fillets

robin miller
15 minutes
4 servings

olive oil
3/4 c flour
2/3 c beer
1 egg beaten
1 1/2 tsp b powder
4 fish fillets (tilapia or flounder)
S&P

1. mix 1/2 c flour, beer, egg, and b powder in shallow dish. 2nd shallow dish put rest of flour and S&P.
2. dredge fish in seasoned flour. Dunk fish in beer mixture and coat both sides.
3. add fish to hot oil and cook 3 minutes per side. Place on a paper toweled lined plate

Ginger Teriyaki with Snow Peas

Inspiration: Beginning cooking series
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
serves: 4

Description: This dish is light yet still packs a flavor punch.I have made this many times for friends and family.  Serve it with rice for a complete meal. My kids gobble this up and get excited when they see it on the menu.  I like this for both chicken and tilapia fillets.

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts or tilapia fillets
S&P flour
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 c mirin (Asian food isle)
1/2 c chicken stock
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 c snow peas

1. Lightly flour the chicken or fish with seasoned flour (salt and pepper), brown in hot oiled pan until both sides are browned, remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, saute ginger and garlic until fragrant about 1 min.
3. Combine mirin, stock, soy,and vinegar together in a separate bowl and pour into pan the hot pan. Scrape off any crusty bits that are in the bottom.
4. Bring to a light simmer and add honey.
5. Return chicken or fish  to the pan to finish cooking the meat through.
6. Finally add snow peas and cook until bright green ( about 3-5 minutes.)

Tips and Tricks
For a reduced serving, I like to butterfly 2 chicken breasts to make 4 chicken breast pieces.

Shrimp Bisque

Intermediate cooking class

6-8 servings

1 hour

1/2 c butter

1/2 c flour

2 quarts shrimp stock  (in a pinch use store seafood stock)

1c heavy cream

1lb peeled and cleaned shrimp

S&P

1. In large pot over medium heat, melt butter and mix in flour to form a roux.

2. Slowly add shrimp stock whisking to form a smooth creamy looking mixture.

3. Add shrimp and cook on low until soup thickens.

4. Once thick add heavy cream and bring back to a simmer.

5. Using a hand blender/blender, puree soup and

6. Strain through a five sieve or cheese cloth.

7. Season with S&P.

* Used a hand blender, had to strain 3 times to get desired smoothness.

* Made ahead and put in fridge. Warmed in pot and poached full shrimp when ready to eat.