Baked Swai (Catfish) Tacos

This is a super easy (and healthy) way to make fish tacos for dinner.  The Swai fillets can be purchased individually frozen.  Allow 1 fillet per person, or 2 tacos each.  This is a twist on Catfish Tacos that are pan-fried. 

1 cup Panko Crumbs
1 cup  Yellow Cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp  Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
5  Swai Fillets
3  Large Eggs
10  Flour Soft Taco Shells
Fresh Lime Wedges
Sliced Avocado

Chipotle Cole Slaw

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Foil and set aside.

Split each of the 5 fillets down the center to create 10 narrow fillets. Place fillets on a paper towel and set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine panko crumbs, cornmeal, old bay, salt and pepper.  In a second bowl scramble the eggs. 

Next, start your assembly line. Dip each fillet in the egg mixture, then the crumb mixture and place on the foil lined pan.  When all fillets are coated, use an olive oil spray to lightly coat each piece of fish.  This will give the fish a lightly crunchy texture when it is cooked. 

Bake fillets about 15 minutes or until the fillets flake when tested with a fork.

To serve, place one fillet on a flour tortilla shell, top with a few spoons of Chipotle Cole Slaw, a slice of avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy!

Rosemary Chicken

I found this recipe in Food Network magazine and could not wait to try it.  I did adjust the recipe (as usual) so we can get 5 servings out of it and being that we live in tiny-town...there were no cremini mushrooms in sight, so I had to settle for portobellos. 

The flavor of the garlic and lemon on the potatoes was wonderful, but I think next time I would leave out the mushrooms. (It might have better flavor with the creminis though.)  I served this with oven-roasted Garlic Asparagus, and all of the flavors blended really well. Very easy dinner for such an amazing taste.

8  Small Red Potatoes, halved
2  sprigs of Fresh Rosemary (actually had this in the garden)
2  cloves Garlic, smashed
1 tsp  Red Pepper Flakes
Juice of 2 Lemons (save the squeezed halves)
3 TB  Olive Oil
5  Skin-On and Bone-In Chicken Breasts
10 oz  Portobello Mushrooms (or creminis, if you can find them)

Preheat oven to 450.  Cover potatoes with water in medium saucepan, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes;  drain and set aside.
On a cutting board combine rosemary leaves from 1 spring, garlic, 2 tsp kosher salt and the red pepper flakes.  Mince well to combine. 
Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add the juice of 1 lemon plus 2 TB  olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, skin-side down.  Cover and cook about 12 - 15 minutes until the skin side browns.  Turn the chicken and add the mushrooms and potatoes to the skillet and drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon.  Add the rosemary springs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet.  Place the skillet in the oven and roast uncovered until the chicken is cooked thru and the skin is crisp about 25 - 30 minutes.

How Do You Cook Swai Fillets?

Swai is the new fish in town. It has started to appear in markets throughout the country and is a great bargain at about $3 - $4 per pound. First, a little fishy info.

Swai (rhymes with "why") is also known by the names Basa, Panga, or iridescent shark, but it is not a shark at all. Swai is farm-raised catfish from Southeast Asia. It can be found as individually frozen boneless fillets in 2-pound packages, which makes it very convenient if you only need 1 or 2 fillets.

With a mild taste and texture, Swai can be cooked using similar methods used for Tilapia. It has no fishy smell and the fillets cook up solid, so it lends itself to many types of recipes. It can be pan-fried with blackened seasoning, oven-baked with panko crumbs for a healthier twist, or even grilled on a grill pan over a bed of fresh oregano. I'm also thinking it would be great in a chowder once the weather cools off.

The bonus to this yummy fish lies in the nutritional numbers. At just 90 calories for a 3 1/2 oz portion, it is low in cholesterol and high in protein at 13 grams.

So if you find this fish in your markets, buy some and experiment a little. The delicate flavor works great with stronger spices and seasonings, so use your imagination and enjoy!

Salsa Verde Chicken Salad

We grow our own green chilies and use them to make homemade "chili sauce". Green chilies, a little vinegar, and salt and pepper make a delicious, but simple chili sauce. I recently found a new product called Salsa Verde from Pace. Made with tomatillos and jalapenos, this sauce adds a tasty kick to chicken salad. (Even better, this salsa packs a lot of flavor with only 15 calories in 2 tablespoons.) Serve with Fruit Kabobs.

6 (4 oz) Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced into small bite-sized pieces
4 Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1/4 cup Salsa Verde ( I love the Pace brand)
1/4 cup Light Miracle Whip (can also use fat-free or regular)
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and adjust salt and pepper to taste. You might like to add more salsa for more spice. Spoon onto whole wheat buns for a light and tasty dinner.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1 pound Beef Boneless Sirloin or Round Steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash White Pepper
1 pound Broccoli, cut into flowerets (about 4 cups)
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
6 cloves Garlic, pressed
1 tsp Ginger Root, finely chopped
1 (8 oz) can Sliced Bamboo Shoots, drained

Toss beef with salt and pepper, and a dash of white pepper.

Heat a little over an inch of water in a saucepan and place broccoli in the boiling water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook 2 minutes to blanch the broccoli. The broccoli should be bright green. Immediately rinse with cold water; drain and set aside.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix cornstarch and soy sauce, then stir in sesame oil and broth.

In a wok or skillet, heat your oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger root and stir for a few seconds. Quickly add bamboo shoots, then stir in the beef and broccoli and cook until beef is done.

Last, add the cornstarch mixture; cooking and stirring for about 30 seconds or until thickened.  Serve on top of brown or white rice or noodles.

This is a really great wok. Easy to use and easy to clean up.

Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

When you were little and your parents told you fish was brain food, they were right! Recent studies show that people who eat fish at least once a week have a lowered risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.  This is a delicious high-protein meal packed with healthy veggies and a light dressing.

1 lb fresh Tuna Steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1⁄3 cup White Wine Vinegar
2 TB Drained Capers
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Dijon-Style Mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Small Red Potatoes
8 oz Green Beans, trimmed
1/2 cup Red Onion, cut into wedges (1 medium onion)
2 small heads Boston or Bibb (butter) lettuce, rinsed and cored
8 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
3 Hard-Booked organic eggs
1/3 cup Niçoise Olives or Pitted Kalamata Olives

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Set fish aside.

Prepare Caper Vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, drained capers, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well. Remove 1⁄3 cup to use as marinade. Cover remaining vinaigrette and set aside.

Place fish in a shallow dish; drizzle with the 1⁄3 cup vinaigrette. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, peel a strip around the center of each potato; place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add green beans; simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until potatoes and beans are tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Set aside.

Drain fish, reserving marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill fish on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, carefully turning and brushing with marinade halfway through grilling. If desired, place onion wedges and cooked potatoes on grill for the last half of grill time. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Discard any remaining marinade.

Using 2 forks, flake the tuna into pieces. Cut eggs into halves. Line a serving platter or individual plates with lettuce leaves. Arrange fish, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onion, eggs and olives on lettuce. Drizzle with remaining Caper Vinaigrette.

Makes 4 servings.

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Tender chicken breast, crunchy pecans and sweet juicy grapes are a delicious combination. A honey-sweetened mayonnaise dressing accented with poppy seeds adds the finishing touch.

Dressing:
1 cup Mayonnaise
4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
5 tsp Honey
2 tsp Poppy Seeds
Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Salad:
2 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
3/4 cup Pecan Pieces, toasted
2 cups Red Seedless Grapes
3 stalks Celery, thinly sliced

Prepare the dressing by thoroughly mixing together all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from baking pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is completely chilled (about 2 hours refrigerated), dice into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.

Serve atop a layer of chopped romaine or mixed greens.

Pumpkin Pie Shake

15 oz  Canned Pumpkin - 1 can (not pie mix)
1/4 cup  Raw Cashews
1/4 cup  Low-Fat Milk, (or Vanilla Soy Milk)
2 TB  Maple Syrup
1/4 cup  Chai Tea Concentrate
2 TB  Milk Creamer (or Soy)
2  Dashes Cinnamon
2  Dashes Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 cups ice (or for a treat, coconut water ice cubes)
Optional: 1/2  Frozen Banana, Pinch of Flax Seed Oil/Meal for added nutrition

Add all your ingredients, except the ice, to the blender.

Blend on high until smooth. The pumpkin will make this smoothie thick, so be patient while blending. Add a bit more milk if needed.

Keep blending and slowly add in the ice. Make sure it blends icy-smooth! Again, if you need to add a bit more liquid, do it gradually. You can always do a taste test before pouring and modify as needed to suit your own tastes.

If desired, for extra flavor and nutrition, add a few extra cashews.  Pour into glasses, and sprinkle with cinnamon on top. Whipped rice cream-optional, but yummy.

Makes 2 - 3 servings.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Many people only use Pumpkin in the fall months and they are missing out on a delicious and healthy treat. Pumpkin can be used in smoothies, breads, soups or these yummy pancakes. While very low in calories, Pumpkin is rich in potassium, magnesium and iron plus the antioxidant beta-carotene.

1 1/2 cups  Milk
1 cup  Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
2 TB  Vegetable Oil
2 cups  Flour
3 TB  Brown Sugar
2 tsp  Baking Powder
1 tsp  Baking Soda
1 tsp  Ground Allspice
1 tsp  Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp  Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp  Salt
Oil, as needed, for grilling pancakes

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, and oil. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a separate bowl. Then stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve with warm maple syrup.

Creole Salmon Patties with Fresh Salmon

This is another delicious recipe for salmon patties, but it is made using fresh salmon instead of canned.

2 cups Fresh Salmon, flaked, skin and bones removed
1 cup Saltine Cracker Crumbs
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 -2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, to taste
1/4 cup Milk

Canola Oil for frying

Begin with the flaked salmon in a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients through the Old Bay, putting the milk in last. You want the mixture to be moist as it needs to be a little sticky to form the patties. You can add a splash more milk, if needed. (Do not let the mixture get runny.)  Form mixture into hamburger-sized patties and sprinkle each side of the patties with Old Bay Seasoning, then place the patties on a plate.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat briefly, and then add the patties to the pan. Brown about 3 minutes on each side, until golden. (Note: Only flip the patties once during cooking.) Serve immediately with cocktail sauce or a light lemon-dill sauce.

Makes about 5 patties.  Leftovers make great sandwiches!

Southern-Style Salmon Patties

1 (14 3/4 ounce) Canned Salmon
2 Green Onions, finely minced
1/4 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Egg
3 TB Mayonnaise
Canola Oil for Frying

Open salmon and drain thoroughly. Place drained salmon in mixing bowl and flake evenly with a fork, removing any bones.

Add onion, cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, mayo, and egg. Stir until well blended. Shape the mixture into patties about the size of an average burger.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, add patties and brown until crispy on each side. Turn once while frying.

Guinness Ice Cream

If you like Guinness Beer, you are going to LOVE Guinness Ice Cream. The strong, malty flavor of the ice cream can only be made better by sprinkling crushed chocolate-covered pretzels on top.  Enjoy!

2 cups Guinness (16 oz)
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 3/4 cups Whole Milk
15 Large Egg Yolks
1 cup Sugar

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels, crushed, for topping

In a large saucepan, combine the beer, cream and milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.  Slowly add the hot Guinness cream to the yolks, whisking constantly until well blended. (NOTE: Do this very slowly so the mixture will not seperate.)

Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes;  do not let it boil.  Pour the custard into a medium bowl set in a large bowl of ice water.  Let stand until the custard is cold, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturers directions. (You may need to split into 2 batches depending on the capacity of your ice cream maker.)

When the ice cream process in complete, pack the ice cream in an airtight container and store in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Scoop the ice cream into bowls and top with crushed Chocolate-Covered Pretzels.

Low Country Shrimp Boil

Frogmore Stew? Beaufort Stew? Shrimp Boil? Regardless of the name you use, this is a family favorite and since this is a fairly messy meal, kids seem to love it even more. Main ingredients are adjustable according to your personal preferences. Add more or less of each ingredient, just them add to the pot in the same order so all foods are cooked through. This recipe serves 10-12 adults. 

Old Bay Seasoning, to taste ( we use approx. 1/3 cup for a large pot)
Juice of 1 Whole Lemon
1 TB Tabasco Hot Sauce, more or less to taste
3 - 4 pounds small Red Potatoes, scrubbed, cut in half
3 (16 ounce) packages cooked Kielbasa, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 - 10 ears Fresh Corn, husks and silks removed, ears cut in half
5 pounds King Crab Legs, broken pieces work best (can substitute Snow Crabs)
5 pounds fresh Shrimp, deveined, peeled or unpeeled

Heat a very large pot of water using an outdoor turkey pot, or over medium-high heat indoors. Add Old Bay, Lemon and Tabasco and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and sausage, cook for about 10 minutes. Add the corn and crab; cook for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp when everything else is almost done, and cook for another 3 - 5 minutes.

Drain off the water and pour the contants into large servings bowls. Be sure to have 2 -3 large empty bowls for crab shells and trash. Serve with beer and lots of napkins.

A Must-Have for the Hot Summer Months

   Margaritaville DM3000 Tahiti Frozen Concoction Maker  



Now this is what you need! 

Capability to create 6+ different drink types (margarita, daiquiri, colada, mudslide, mojito, smoothie)

Chicken Pesto Pizza

For a last minute dinner, our Chicken Pesto Pizza turned out really good.  We used store-bought (gasp!) Publix Pizza Dough, and I was totally impressed with the flavor and texture.  We will definitely use this again!

After smoothing out the dough with a little olive oil under the crust, we dusted the crust with garlic powder and baked for about 8 minutes, then removed from the oven.

Next added Buitoni Pesto with Basil, another store-bought find that saved a lot of time since my Basil is growing so slow this year. I followed that with a layer of grilled garlic chicken and grated Parmesan cheese, grated Mozzerella cheese and just a sprinkle of cheddar and baked for another 8 - 10 minutes, until the crust was brown and the bottom of the crust was crispy.

I would have loved to add some sun-dried tomatoes to this pizza, but in our gourmet-food-deprived college town, there were none to be found. Boo. Next time for sure!

Caribbean Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich

The distinct flavor of the Caribbean comes alive when mango, lime, shrimp and just a hint of jalapeno are combined to create this tasty sandwich.  Serve with Spicy Guacamole and chips for a quick summer dinner.

1 lb Shrimp, peeled and cooked

1 medium Mango, seeded, peeled and diced
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1 Serrano or Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Green Onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp finely minced Lime Zest
1 TB Lime Juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1 24-inch French Baguette
4 Bibb or Romaine Lettuce Leaves

Coarsely chop the cooked shrimp.

In a medium bowl combine shrimp, mango, mayo, serrano or jalapeno pepper, green onion, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover and chill up to 1 hour.

Cut baguette into 4 equal rolls. Slice in half lengthwise. Remove some of the bread from the bottom half of each roll, leaving a thick shell. Place all rolls, sliced side up, on a broiler pan or baking sheet; broil 3 - 4 minutes or until toasted.

Place lettuce leaf on bottom of each roll. Spoon shrimp mixture onto lettuce, replace top bun and serve.

Classic Pesto Sauce

The word pesto, in Italian, means to pound or to crush. By crushing the basil leaves you create a delicious and quite versatile sauce. Try adding a spoon of pesto to scrambled eggs.

2 TB Walnuts or Pine Nuts, coarsely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled
3 TB Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 cups Basil Leaves (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp Salt

Drop nuts and garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Add oil; pulse 3 times. Add basil, cheese, and salt; process until finely minced, scraping sides of bowl once.

Serve on top of warm pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Hot Chili Sauce

6 oz Hot Chiles (try using Cayenne, Fresnos, Habanero, Jalapeno, Serrano, Thai, or a combination of these), stemmed and chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 TB Sugar
1 1/2 TB Distilled White Vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process to a coarse texture. Taste and adjust the flavor with add extra salt or sugar. Transfer to a small saucepan, bring to a vigorous simmer over medium heat, lower the heat to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Makes 2/3 cup. Use within one month.

Lasagna with Spinach & Italian Sausage

This recipe is a slightly lighter version of the Italian Classic, with only 1 layer of noodles and some healthy spinach in the center.

10 oz Chopped Spinach, frozen
15 oz Ricotta Cheese, part-skim
8 oz Mozzarella Chese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 jar Ragu Parmesan/Romano spaghetti sauce
8 - 10 Lasagna Noodles
2 Basil Cubes (See Recipe) or 2 TB chopped fresh Basil

In a large skillet, brown the sausage and crumble. While the sausage cooks, defrost spinach and squeeze out excess water. In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, garlic powder and oregano. Set aside.

Drain the sausage and add the spaghetti sauce to the skillet. Bring sauce to a simmer and add 2 Basil Cubes and stir until cubes dissolve (or add fresh basil).

Pour all of the sausage mixture into the bottom of a 13 x9 inch baking pan and top with 2 layers of the cooked lasagna noodles, creating 3 rows. (This will make it easy to slice when cooked.) Smooth the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, and top with Mozzarella cheese, then the cheddar.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Mussels and Risotto

You can also serve steamed mussels in this recipe, however, the Cameron Smoker is an easy to use stovetop smoker that allows you to smoke meat, fish and vegetables.

About 6 cups Hot Vegetable Broth or Fish Stock
1 Stick Butter
1 Large Leek, thinly sliced
1 Celery Stalk, finely chopped
2 cups Risotto Rice (Arborio works well)
1/3 cup With Wine
1 tsp chopped Tarragon (optional)
1 lb Mussels
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
Sea Salt and Ffreshly Ground Black Pepper

Wash and discard any mussels with broken shells, or any that are open, scrub them thoroughly, pulling off any beards. Leave them in cold water until you are ready to cook. The wood chips are to be placed at the bottom of the pan under the drip tray. (I’ve used “Alder” because it creates a delicate smoky flavor). When the tray is hot drain the mussels and distribute them on the dripping tray, close it and let them cook for 15-20 minutes.

Put the broth in a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer. Melt half of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan and when melted, add the sliced leeks and celery and cook gently (lowering the heat) for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.

Add the rice and stir until well coated with the butter (this step is very important, it’s how you seal the rice) Add the wine and boil until reduced down, then add the tarragon. Begin adding the broth, a 1/2 cup ladle at time, stirring gently until the rice has almost absorbed each ladle. The risotto should be kept to a low simmer throughout cooking. Don’t let the rice dry out, just add more broth as necessary. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains are still firm (this should take 15-20 min.) Season to tatse with salt and pepper. Now combine the rest of the butter, mussels and the Parmesan cheese and stir gently. Serve in large soup bowls with crusty french bread.