crockpot chicken jambalaya

Perfect for a Mardi Gras celebration at home or just a cold winters day!

 

1/2 pound andouille sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
1 white onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 14 oz cans HUNTS diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1-3 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 pound frozen fully cooked white shrimp, thawed (optional)

In medium saucepan, cook sausage until lightly browned and rain of fat. Combine sausage with all ingredients except rice in crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hours. Increase heat to HIGH and stir in rice and cook for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add shrimp, stir, cover and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until shrimp is heated through. Enjoy!!

watermelon "salsa"

this is a perfect yummy quick salsa for a hot summer's day!!

3 cups ripe seedless watermelon finely cubed
1 green pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped
2 medium jalapeno pepper's chopped
1 cup sweet onion chopped
1 bunch minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
salt to taste
Tabasco hot sauce to taste

Mix the above together, add salt and Tabasco to your taste and heat preference.  Cover and let salsa rest in refrigerator for  1 hour to macerate. You can serve it with fish, grilled chicken or just with tortilla chips. Enjoy!!

spring asparagus season!!

Why Eat Asparagus???

It is high in vitamins B6 and C, plus fiber, folate and glutathione, an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant, asparagus is an excellent nutritional choice. It comes in three colors: white, green or purple, although the green variety is the most common. Long considered a luxury vegetable, often with a luxury price tag, fresh American-grown asparagus appears in stores in late February. But asparagus is at its best—and is usually cheapest—in April and May. And sure, while there’s frozen and canned asparagus, which can be enjoyed year round, nothing beats the delicate flavor of fresh asparagus.

Choosing and Storing Asparagus...

Asparagus spears can be thick or thin. Some people prefer one kind over another but size is not necessarily an indicator of quality. Thicker spears may have tougher, woodier ends, but these are broken off before cooking anyway. The key is to select straight, firm, uniformly sized spears with closed tips. Since asparagus deteriorates rapidly, it’s important to select bundles that are refrigerated or on ice. For the same reason, asparagus should be used within two or three days of purchase, preferably sooner. If you do need to keep it for a day or two, the best way is to place the spears upright in a bowl (or even a small vase) of cold water. Alternatively, you can wrap the ends of the spears in a damp paper towel and refrigerate them.

What to Do With Asparagus...

To prepare asparagus, you will need to rinse the spears and break off the tough ends. After that, how you cook asparagus is up to you.
Soem people enjoy their asparagus with nothing more than a drizzle of good-quality olive oil, but you can enjoy asparagus in many different dishes: in soups, salads, stir-fries, risottos, scrambled eggs, pasta, and many more dishes.

Asparagus and Scallops

This scallops with asparagus recipe is a very simple and elegant dish. It’s only has a few ingredients, and it’s fast and easy to prepare. Scallops and asparagus are a terrific combination and the white wine butter sauce really brings them together.

1 lb medium asparagus, trimmed, cut in 1-inch pieces, tips left whole
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb large sea scallops, trimmed if necessary
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tbsp cold salted sweet cream butter, cut into cubes

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté asparagus, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving skillet off heat (do not clean). Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté the scallops, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer scallops to another plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Add wine and vinegar to skillet (mixture may spatter) and boil, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add any accumulated scallop juices on plate and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Plate scallops and asparagus, spoon sauce over and serve immediately. Enjoy!!

shrimp and steak kabobs

A yummy surf and turf for your bbq!!

2 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 lb. mushrooms, cleaned
1 Green, Red and Yellow Bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1 Sweet Onion, cut into 1 inch squares
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Basting Sauce
1/4 c. melted butter
2 tbsp. white wine
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Alternately thread steak cubes, shrimp, mushrooms, peppers and onions on 4 metal 12 inch skewers. Mix together basting sauce. Cook kabobs over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, basting with butter mixture occasionally. Enjoy!!

mussels & pernod cream sauce

While in Nice, France we had lunch at this charming little cafe and I had the most amazing mussels!!  They were in a Pernod cream sauce and I have been dreaming about them ever since.  They are a great main course or appetizer :) Jouir de!!

1 Tbsp butter
1 fennel bulb
2 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bottle white wine
1/2 cup good quality heavy cream
2 tsp Pernod (French licorice flavored liqueur)
1 bag mussels
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Clean mussels completely, you can find the how to here...(http://whiskusaway.blogspot.com/2009/07/mussels-in-creamy-garlic-sauce.html)

In a large pot, melt butter and cook fennel and shallots over low heat with a little salt until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook. Season with salt and pepper. Add Pernod and reduce. Add white wine and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add mussels and cover. Once they begin to open, remove them one at a time with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Pour sauce over mussels and serve. Jouir de!!

maple salmon

This is one of my boys favorite dinners. If you love Salmon , you will love this!

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 table spoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork. Enjoy!!

creamy clam chowder

perfect on a cold day!

5 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups diced potatoes
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (approximately 7 ounces each) chopped clams
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk

Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan. Remove bacon to paper towels with slotted spoon; drain. Add onion to bacon drippings; sauté until softened. Add potatoes and clam juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Add minced clams with their liquid. Whisk flour into milk; add to chowder with half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clam chowder thickens and bubbles, or about 3 minutes.

dijon salmon

This is an easy low fat yummy salmon recipe that everyone will love!!

1 cup low fat or fat-free sour cream
2 tsp dried dill
3 Tbsp scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ lb salmon fillet with skin, cut in center
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
fat-free cooking spray, as needed

Whisk sour cream, dill, scallions, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard together in large bowl until well blended. Preheat oven to 400º F; while waiting, spray baking sheet with nonstick fat-0free cooking spray. Place salmon, skin side down on baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, then spread with sauce. Bake salmon until opaque in center, or about 20 minutes...do not over bake. Renee's tp....steamed broccoli is always a perfect compliment to salmon!

renee's easy "kung pao" shrimp

when you need a little Kung Pao....

1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1 pound shelled, deveined shrimp
1/4 cup oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 small red pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 ounces cashews

Sauce:
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons rooster chili sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese bean paste, optional
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Combine garlic, ginger, 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, sugar, and salt and pepper. Add shrimp, mix, and let stand 20 minutes. Heat oil in a wok. Add the shrimp and stir fry over high heat about 20 seconds, or just until shrimp change color. Remove. Add onion to the same oil and stir fry 1 minute. Add zucchini and red pepper and stir fry about 30 seconds. Mix sauce ingredients together and add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the shrimp and nuts and heat through completely.

renee's crab cakes

1 pound lump crab meat
1/2 cup cracker crumbs or bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a bowl, mix together eggs, mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Add crabmeat; mix evenly and gently. Add cracker crumbs evenly. Shape into 6 cakes. Saute in a frying pan with a little oil for 5 minutes on each side. Serve with Renee's mayo...Yummy!!

teriyaki salmon

This is an amazing salmon recipe, simple and delicious!

boneless salmon ( I use boneless and skinless)

Your favorite steamed vegetables for side

1 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbsp. ginger, freshly shredded

2 tbsp. Mirin (Japanese rice wine)

1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place salmon fillets into greased baking dish. Combine last 5 ingredients into mixing bowl, whisk until sugar dissolves. Pour glaze over fillets. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 15-20 minutes depending on how thick your salmon is (Should be flaky but very moist and tender). When cooked thoroughly, let salmon sit for 5 minutes to lock in moisture and flavor. Use remaining glaze as gravy. Serve with steamed rice, brown rice, steamed vegetables or salad.

Serves 2-6

san diegan fish tacos

I don't even care for fish tacos, but these are delicioso!

Blue Water Grill inspired.

1 lg. salmon fillet, mahi mahi, swordfish or 6-12 shrimp or prawns

3 c. cabbage(red or green), thinly sliced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 c cilantro

1/2 c. purple onion, diced

2 limes

lime juice

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

white corn tortillas

garlic salt

pepper

Cook your seafood or meat of preference. We use salmon, mahi mahi or shrimp most of the time.

Fish fillets:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 8x8 baking dish. Place fillet inside dish and sprinkle garlic salt, lemon juice and a lot of freshly ground pepper on top. Cover with foil and cook about 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Remove when it's cooked thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes to lock in flavor. Cut fillet into fourths in long strips.

In large skillet on medium heat, lightly cook each side of tortillas. Melt 1 oz. of cheese on each tortilla and place meat on top of melted cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 c. of cabbage, onions, tomatoes and cilantro on the meat(it should be overfilling). Mix, plain yogurt, garlic salt, pepper and 2 tbsp. of lime juice. Pour 3 tbsp. yogurt mixture over fish tacos and serve. Garnish with lime wedges that you can freshly squeeze.

Serves 2 per fillet (2 tacos each)

alaskan king crab legs with butter sauce

Crab House style!

2 lbs. king crab legs

1/2 c. butter

5 garlic cloves

1/2 lemon, juice of

1/8 c. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt (optional)

dried parsley (optional)

1/2 lime, juice of (optional)

crab shears (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. In small saucepan, on medium low heat, melt the butter, add garlic and lightly saute. Squeeze in the juice of the citrus of choice. If using a lemon, squeeze the juice into your hands so you can remove the seeds with ease. Turn the heat to low and let those flavors mesh until the oven is nice and hot. Toss in salt (to taste) and a couple pinches of parsley. Then whisk in your olive oil. Turn turn burner off. Arrange your tasty crustaceans in a 9x13 baking dish, brushing each leg with butter sauce. Pour remaining sauce into baking dish. Place in center rack in oven. Bake your crabs for 25 minutes or so depending on the thickness of legs. Work in juices from the pan and onto the legs every 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on parsley for garnishing. Using tongs, place crab legs onto a platter and pour remaining sauce into ramekins for dipping.

Quick Steaming Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, set in steam insert (double boiler). Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. In small sauce pan, melt butter, add minced garlic (optional), and squeeze in lemon juice. Turn off sauce burner. Whisk in 1 tbsp. olive oil add salt and parsley to taste and Voila!!!

shrimp ceviche

I got this recipe from my favorite little fish market on the San Diego Bay!

12 oz. shrimp in shell (16) (I use precooked most of the time)

3/4 c lime juice

1/2 c. olive oil

1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeded and rinsed

1 tbsp. ginger, freshly grated

1/4 c. red onion, finely sliced

1/4 c. cilantro
1/4 tomato, chopped (I don't use these in my ceviche unless if it's on top with avocado)

1 avocado, diced

salt and pepper and honey to taste

baked corn tortilla chips

In a pot, boil the shrimp until pink. Remove from heat, strain, and cool down by running them under cold water. In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, salt and pepper until honey dissolves. Add the shrimp to the marinade and let the flavors blend together in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Distribute shrimp among 4 serving bowls. Top with avocado. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa on the side.

*Always be careful when using hot peppers. Wear gloves.

mussels in creamy garlic sauce

Mussels are a family favorite in our house and once you prepared them once, it was really easy. There is some prep work to clean them but the end result is worth it. You can get a fresh 5 lb bag at Costco on Friday mornings for about $12.00 but go early because they are gone quick...

How Much To Buy: Figure one pound per person of unshucked mussels as a main course, half a pound or more per person as a starter..

Selecting and Storing Mussels: As with clams and oysters, mussels must be cooked while they are still alive. A good fishmonger sells them loose or in mesh bags bathed in water. Smell them. They should smell like the sea. Never buy mussels that are cracked, chipped or broken. If any in the package are open, test them to make sure they’re alive (see below).

Are They Alive? Fortunately, you can determine if the mussels are alive. The shells of live mussels will be tightly closed. If gaping slightly, they should close if you tap on the shell. If any don’t close, discard them.

Cleaning & De-Bearding Mussels.... You want to get rid of as much sand as possible.

Soak the mussels in cool fresh water for 20-30 minutes before cooking. The mussels will expel most of the sand inside the shell as the “breathe.”Then with your hands or a firm brush, clean the mussels under running water. If you harvested the mussels yourself off the rocks at the shore (lucky you!), the barnacles on the shells will take quite a bit more cleaning to get the sand and grit out.Some mussels may have a “beard,” a small web of vegetative matter with which the mussel clings to the rocks. Wait to de-beard the mussels until just before cooking. When you’re ready, the beard is easily removed by gripping it and giving it good tug towards the hinge edge of the shell. If it’s stubborn, you may need to use a knife or kitchen scissors. After steaming mussels (recipes below) remove them to your serving dishes and let the broth rest a few minutes to allow any remaining sand to settle to the bottom. Then carefully ladle or pour out the broth, but not all the way to the bottom.

3 lbs fresh mussels, well scrubbed
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup good chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 carrots, diced
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

In a large stock pot combine butter, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cream and white wine. Simmer on low for 5 minutes until veggies are soft. Add mussels and cover tightly and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, or until mussels open. Taste broth, then add the parsley, salt and pepper. Throw away any mussels that don't open and let sit for 2 minutes to allow any remaining sand to settle to the bottom. Transfer the mussels to a deep serving dish and carefully ladle or pour out the broth, but not all the way to the bottom. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on the top just before serving. Serve with some crusty bread like a good french baguette to soak up the yummy juice.....my boys think this is the best part!! ENJOY, I know you will ;)

cocout shrimp with sweet and sour sauce

One of our family favorites :)

1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon seasoned or garlic salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 cups shredded coconut
1 lb large shrimp, de-veined and peeled

Heat 1 inch of peanut or other vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan to 365°F (or when a one inch cube of bread will brown in 1 minute in the oil it is hot enough). Using a wire whisk, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and paprika in a medium size bowl. Add water and whisk until batter is smooth; set aside.In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs and coconut to make the coating. Drop the shrimp, one by one, into the batter, then roll in the coconut mixture, turning the shrimp to coat well. When the oil is hot enough, fry the shrimp in batches of 5-6 at a time until they are golden brown, turning over once. Remove from hot oil using a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot shrimp with a pinch of paprika to add color before serving.

Sauce:
1 20oz can pineapple chunks in juice
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 jalapeno pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Remove seeds and cores from peppers. Prepare the sauce by combining pineapple chunks (including juice from can) in a blender with garlic, soy sauce, cornstarch; belnd until smooth, then add peppers (use half or less of the jalapeno if you don't want the sauce to be hot). Blend until peppers are in small, but visible chunks. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Stir in vinegar. The sauce may be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve (serve warm or cold). Any leftover sauce can be served over rice the following day (or as a side dish for the shrimp).