SUMMER TACO SALAD

                 

Last night was quite a blessing for me since my kids came over for supper.  What a great way to start off the week!  I had some pork chops that I wanted to grill and some steak stir fry strips and a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit.  So, here is the Summer Taco Salad that we enjoyed.  I also had whole wheat flour tortillas for those who wanted them.  I hope you will  use what you have available in your fridge and garden to create a family supper you can be proud of tonight!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 to 6 pork chops –Marinated for at least 2 hours if possible in the fridge.  I put the chops in a large Ziploc bag with:  the zest and juice from one lemon, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup fresh mint.

½ to 1 pound of steak stir fry strips: Stir-fried with teriyaki sauce

Lettuce of your choice (washed and dried):  I used a mixture of romaine,  mesclun (Spring Mix) and spinach.

Tomatoes of your choice:  I use halved grape red tomatoes, yellow cherry tomatoes and miniature heirloom tomatoes.

Red bell pepper:  chopped

Avacado:  sliced

Black beans

Red kidney beans

Jalapeno peppers (chopped)

Pickled Banana peppers (hot)

Green onions (chopped)

Low-fat sour cream

Mexican Cheese Blend (shredded)

Fritos

Doritos

Catalina Dressing

Ranch Dressing

Whole Wheat flour tortillas

Instructions:

*Grill pork chops and slice into thin strips

*Saute steak strips in olive oil and teriyaki sauce

*Arrange ingredients buffet style and let everyone assemble their own salad or taco.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH FRESH HERBS

I am excited to share today’s recipe with you.  It is delicious!  The cooking time will vary based on the size of the chicken that you use, so be patient-- but it is so worth the wait!! The preparation is extremely easy.   Have fun and be ready for your family to sing your praises! 

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

Fresh parsley

Fresh sage

Fresh rosemary

Fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Olive oil

Instructions:

*Spray a roasting pan and it’s roasting rack with PAM

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees

*Place chicken, breast side up, onto  the rack in roasting pan.

*Carefully loosen the skin over the breast area by running your fingertips just under the skin and then turn over to loosen the skin over the back area of the chicken.  Take care to not puncture the skin. 

*Place approximately equal amounts of the 4 herbs under the loosened areas of skin on the back and the breast area of the chicken.  You may also place more fresh herbs in the front and back cavities of the chicken.

*Spread very light layer of olive oil over entire chicken.

*Sprinkle salt over entire chicken.  Return chicken to “breast side up” position on the roasting rack in the pan.

*Place chicken in oven and roast for one hour.  Check for doneness.

*Tent foil over chicken and continue roasting until chicken is done.

**It may take up to two hours if your chicken is large and you can reduce the heat slightly and tent the chicken with foil earlier if you wish.

**You’ll know the chicken is done when the juices are clear (not pink) and the meat is firm and no longer pink.   A taste test is best.

BAKED FISH IN PARCHMENT (en papillote)

                 

Here is a wonderful dish to prepare when you are having company or if you just want to treat your family!  It’s really easy and healthy!  En Papillote literally means “in parchment” or “in a paper bag”.  You can cut and fold your own bags (directions follow)  from parchment paper or buy ready-made ones from the grocery or specialty store.   I enjoy cooking with this method because the steam that forms as the fish and vegetables cook in the paper pouch, cooks the ingredients perfectly.  I hope you have fun using the fish and the vegetables that you most enjoy when you try this recipe.  As an alternative, just bake the fish in the parchment and prepare your vegetables any way you wish. 

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1  large wild salmon fillet –cut into 4 portions

4 small wild tilapia fillets

1 small sweet onion (sliced into slivers)

1 bunch asparagus (washed, with ends broken off and discarded)

3 small zucchini (peeled and sliced into thin strips, the same width as the asparagus)

1 medium lemon, washed and sliced into 8 slices

Fresh dill

Fresh parsley

8 pats of butter

Kosher salt and Black pepper to taste

1 medium tomato, washed and sliced into 8 slices

½ red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

8 fresh brussel sprouts, washed and sliced thinly with a mandolin

Instructions:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees

*Prepare parchment paper in the following way:

-Cut 8 pieces of parchment paper into 24- inch lengths.

-Fold each piece of parchment in half and lay them in a stack.

*Load each parchment bag in the following way.

-Place each folded piece of parchment in front of you with the fold on your left.

-Open the paper and begin placing the food on the right half of the bag. The food should be touching the center point of the fold—but on the right side.

-Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the parchment paper on the right side beginning at the fold.

*Stack the ingredients in the following way from the bottom up, being careful not to overload the bags.

-asparagus

-zucchini

-onion

-salmon or tilapia

-lemon

-dill and parsley

-salt and pepper

-butter

-tomato

-bell pepper

-shaved brussel sprouts

Sealing en papillote:

*After stacking all the ingredients, make sure the stack is in the center- at the fold of the right side of the parchment paper.

*Lay the left side of the paper over the right side with the food.

*At the right side of the fold, begin folding the edge in to create a small triangle, then another triangle on top of the last, and so forth- until the entire edge has been folded in on itself.  This creates a rounded edge.  If you find that you have excess paper, you may trim in a semi-circle to make the folding process easier.

*When you have folded around the entire exposed edge of the pouch, and have reached the other side, simply twist the final edge and fold under the pouch

Baking en papillote:

*Place each sealed pouch on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until the fish and vegetables have properly cooked.   This takes about 20 minutes (or less depending on the thickness of the fish).  The parchment may puff up and become a bit brown on top during the baking process.

*When the cooking is complete you make place each pouch on  individual serving plates and allow each person to cut open the top of their pouch to eat the contents or you may open the pouches and serve the contents on a bed of rice or pasta.

BAKED FISH AND CHIPS WITH MUSHY PEAS

                  

You will love making this fun dish for your family.  Use whatever fish you most enjoy.  I used  cod and salmon—and don’t forget to serve mushy peas with it!   I’ve included the recipe for them after the fish and chips---they are really tasty!! 

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin sticks

2 large sweet potatoes (pink ones are the sweetest), peeled and cut into thin sticks

¼ cup olive oil

2 splashes of balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Black pepper

2-3 pieces of fresh cod, salmon or halibut –cut into large cubes or strips

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup self-rising flour

2 cups panko bread crumbs

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

*Use only panko if you don’t want to include the flour.  You may also omit the eggs and substitute olive oil if you wish.

Instructions:

FOR THE CHIPS---

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees

*Line 2 baking sheets with sides- with heavy duty aluminum foil (one for the potatoes, one for the fish.  Spray the aluminum foil with PAM.

*In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar, salt and pepper

*Place all the potatoes into the oil and vinegar mixture and stir to coat.

*Drain the potatoes from the oil and place them on one of the prepared baking sheets.

*Roast the potatoes until they are tender (approximately 25 minutes), stirring occasionally.

FOR THE FISH---

*Dip each cube or strip of fish into the beaten eggs.

*Lightly coat each piece of fish in the flour/panko mixture.

*Place each piece of fish on the prepared baking pan.

*Bake at 425 degrees until fish is done  (approximately 15 minutes).

**You may bake the fish and chips at the same time, just start roasting the potatoes first since they take longer to cook.  Start the chips on the middle rack and then move them to the lower rack-- when it’s time to put the fish on the middle rack.

MUSHY PEAS:

*Cook green peas (English peas) in boiling water until tender.

*Drain the water from the peas and add 2 T. butter

*Puree peas using a wire whisk, blender or mixer until desired consistency.

*Add a bit of milk, half & half or cream to loosen up the puree if it is too thick.

DELICIOUS LOBSTER BISQUE

I don’t make this very often because I prefer to use fresh lobster, which is traumatic (since it involves my causing the demise of a living creature).  I swear I thought I was going to need therapy after the last “lobster boil”.  I usually get my grown kids to come over and help me with this event.  We usually scream so much we probably scare the poor lobster to death before he even hits the water.  All that said, you have to know that this is one of my very best recipes!  The flavor is amazing (if I do say so myself)!  You can use frozen (canned) lobster or substitute snow crab meat if you wish.  Have fun!

Ingredients:

4 T. butter

1 small sweet onion, finely diced

2 large stalks celery, finely diced

1/3 c. flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups chopped cooked lobster meat (chopped cooked snow crab meat may be used)

2 cups heavy cream or half and half

¼-1/2 cup fresh, chopped tarragon

 (chopped, cooked shrimp may be added, if desired)

sea salt or kosher salt

black pepper

Instructions:

*In a soup pot, melt butter. 

*Add onion and celery and sauté until translucent. 

*Remove from heat and whisk in flour.  Return to heat and whisk vigorously, cooking flour slightly.

*Whisk in chicken broth.  Slowly bring to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce heat to simmer. 

*Add cream.  Continue to simmer without scalding milk.  *Add lobster (and shrimp if desired).

* After about 8 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste and fresh tarragon.