FRIDAY FISH

4-5 fish fillets
*I use salmon, talapia, sole, or red snapper.
Fresh is always best, but Costco has frozen fillets, individually wrapped, in a large re-sealable bag. These are great to keep in the freezer and then you have fish available at a moment's notice.
Salt/Pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil- if needed moisten fillets
Fresh lemon slices
Fresh herbs---of your choice
*dill is especially good

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a Pyrex rectangular baking dish with PAM or line a baking sheet with sides, with aluminum foil---then spray foil with PAM.
Place fish fillets, skin side down, onto prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle a few drops of extra virgin olive oil onto each fillet if needed to add moisture (optional).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place a lemon slice or two onto each fillet.
Bake at 400 degrees until fillets reach desired doneness. Fish should be flaky in the center.

BEEFY VEGETABLE SOUP

Here is a great way to utilize the leftover roast beef and gravy from Monday's recipe!  If you want to wait until next week to make this soup, just freeze the beef and gravy and pull it out when you want.

Left over roast beef

Left over roast beef gravy

2 cups potatoes, cut into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 bag of frozen Lima Beans

½ of a  large bag of frozen Peaches and Cream Corn (use more or less if you prefer)

1 large can (28 oz./796ml) diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen okra, chopped into pieces (add last 30 minutes)

Salt/pepper to taste

Beef broth (have a carton on hand if needed)

*Instructions:

Chop cooked roast beef into small pieces.  Discard any fat.  Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot.  Add as much beef broth as necessary to cover all ingredients.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Simmer until all vegetables are tender. Check soup often and stir lightly to incorporate flavors and to make sure soup is not sticking.   Add okra the last 30 minutes.  Season to taste. 

*Add any other vegetables or seasonings you want to individualize the soup for your family.

*Soup leftovers may be frozen in serving size zip-lock bags.

*When reheating leftover soup add more beef broth, water, or tomato soup to thin.

CLAM CHOWDER & POTATO SOUP

CLAM CHOWDER

*I usually double the amounts

2 T . butter

Splash of olive oil

1 c. diced onion

½ c. diced celery

2 T. flour (heaping Tablespoons)

2 cups Milk

1 can baby clams in juice

1 cup diced potatoes (or more if you prefer)

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 t. thyme (optional)  I usually leave this out.

½ c. Half & Half cream (or milk if you prefer)

1* In a soup pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and celery.

 2*  Saute until onion and celery are translucent.

3* Reduce heat and add flour, mixing well with a whisk.  Allow flour to cook as you whisk it continuously with the onion mixture for about 2 minutes.

4* Add milk and whisk vigorously, to get rid of any lumps.

5*  Add potatoes and seasonings; slowly bring to a boil and then reduce to a  simmer until potatoes are tender.

**Once milk and potatoes are added, the chowder needs to be checked often and stirred to prevent scorching and sticking.  Heat should be very low.  If scorching occurs, pour any chowder that is not scorched into another pot to finish the recipe without stirring up any scorched milk from the bottom of the original pot.

6* Add clams and juice and  continue to simmer for 5-8 minutes.

7* Finish with Half & Half cream or more milk if mixture needs to be thinned. 

*Serve with Frozen Butter Biscuits (recipe on blog).

 POTATO SOUP

Potato soup variation 1:

Follow steps 1-5, leaving out step 6

Potato soup variation 2:

To make milk-free potato soup, follow steps 1-3, then skip to 5 (leaving out 4,6 and 7.

Potato soup variation 3:   The one my kids get when they are sick.

For simple potato soup, simply place 2 cups of cubed potatoes into a saucepan.  Cover potatoes with water and boil until tender.  Add desired amount of salt.  Be careful not to stir potatoes too much or you will have mashed potatoes :)

VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

 My beautiful niece just requested a side dish recipe (wouldn't you know it would be on the day I am making carrot cake----hey that's a vegetable dish, isn't it).  Anyway, here's a bonus recipe for today that I think you'll love!!  Basically use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge, garden or even the freezer-----but this is how I usually make it.

Don't be afraid to try different vegetables  each time you make it to find the best combination for your family.

3 Tablespoons olive oil ( regular or extra-virgin, though extra-virgin can burn)

1 Tablespoon butter (optional)

1 small onion, chopped

2 large stalks celery, chopped

1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into small strips

1-2 small zucchini, cut into very thin rounds or  long thin strips

1 cup chopped broccoli (you can even use frozen chopped broccoli—just toss it in)

*Saute the above vegetables, stirring often until onions and celery are translucent

Then add:

1----2  cups of green cabbage, cut into long strips

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

*Place a lid on top of the stir fry after the addition of the cabbage---the steam helps it to wilt a bit faster.

*After about 5 minutes, take the lid off and stir.

Vegetables should be crisp-tender, or you can cook longer until vegetables are done to your liking.

CARROT CAKE

Carrot cake is usually something I think about making in the Spring.  However one of my children requested it so I’m making carrot cake cupcakes today!  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon (I don’t always  put this in because everyone in my family doesn’t like it)

3 cups finely shredded carrots

1 cup cooking oil (veg. or canola)

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

*Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans, or  2 paper-lined cupcake tins (makes 24 cupcakes) or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees for the cakes or 350 degrees for the cupcakes.

*In a mixing bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients (the dry ingredients).  I usually use a wire whisk to do this.

*Using an electric mixer, add the next 4  ingredients to the dry—until well combined.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  This cake can be mixed by hand if you prefer (and you are strong).

*Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake as following:

*For two 9-inch cake pans-bake for 40 minutes or until lightly brown-center of cakes  springs back-- cake begins to slightly pull away from edges of pan—and a knife inserted into center of cakes,  comes out clean.   Take out of oven, run a knife around the edge of each cake and let cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Then turn cakes out and let cool completely before frosting.

*For cupcakes—bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and center of cupcakes spring back.  Let cupcakes cool completely and frost.

*For 13x9x2-inch cake—Bake for 50-60 minutes until lightly brown and a knife inserted into center of cake, comes out clean.   Let cake cool completely and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

6-ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter (1 stick), softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

With an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, softened butter and vanilla.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.  Spread over cooled cake. 

*Store cream cheese frosted cake(s) in the refrigerator.

ROAST BEEF

This is a trusted family recipe that never fails.  I hope it will become special to your family as well.  Serve the roast beef initially with your favorite potato or rice dish, green vegetable and fruit salad.  Then enjoy “hot roast beef” sandwiches.   After that, freeze leftover roast beef and gravy in a Ziploc bag.  Check the blog later in the week for the special recipe that I will give you, to reinvent your roast beef leftovers in a beautiful way.

Roast Beef (any cut)—approximately 3-4 pounds

1 can golden mushroom soup (sometimes I use 2)

1 large carton (900ml) beef broth

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Instructions:

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper (to taste).  Coat with flour.  Brown all sides of roast in a small amount of canola oil (or veg. oil) in a skillet.   In a heavy dutch oven (I use cast iron), combine beef broth, soup and 1 cup of water.  Place roast in dutch oven and turn over once to coat.  Add one more cup of water (or more) to cover roast a little over half way.  Place cover on the dutch oven and cook at 350 degrees for approximately 3 hours or until roast reaches desired doneness.

Take roast out of oven and allow to rest on a carving board for at least 10-15 minutes.  Pour all gravy into a heat-safe serving dish.  Slice roast and serve.

Variations:

*If serving at a later time, spoon a bit of gravy over the roast slices and refrigerate.

*Pour the gravy into a heat-safe very large measuring cup and refrigerate until any fat rises to the top.  Skim of any fat and then reheat the remaining gravy.

*As an alternate preparation---the roast beef can be placed in the oven with the soups WITHOUT being coated with flour first.  Just salt and pepper and then put in the oven with the soups as described above.

*As one alternate cooking method---the roast may be cooked in a crock pot for as long as you wish. Just reduced the amount of liquid you use. 

*As another alternate cooking method the roast may also be cooked on your stove top.  Bring the roast to a boil and simmer until it reaches desired doneness.  Just make sure to leave the lid adjar a bit to prevent boiling over and check on the roast periodically.