Fish & Seafood

Scallops ala Mediterranea

I love coming up with dishes made with those delicious bay scallops. They are so versatile and full of protein and goodness! This dish was another dinner when I had no idea what to make and just looked in the fridge and freezer to see what was there. And voilà! A great hearty protein filled dinner that was easy to make. I used a can of mushrooms in this recipe because I had them in my pantry, if I had fresh I would have used them instead. I am also a big fan of the chicken sausages out there on the market. I used the sun-dried tomato ones in this recipe. So good and less of the bad things usually in sausage. I use al Fresco brand quite a bit. They are gluten-free and no preservatives added either! If you can’t find any ingredient you can always substitute it with something you do have. No worries! The dish looks a bit like the Italian flag in color! Green, white and red! Very colorful if I do say so myself! And it is even good as leftovers, though there usually isn’t too many leftovers in my house!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound bay scallops

1 medium sweet (Vidalia) onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (draining isn’t necessary as the liquid is good for this dish)

2 chicken & sun-dried tomato sausages, sliced and cut into bite size pieces

1 cup crumbled light feta cheese (or fat-free if you can find it)

¼ cup light sour cream

4 ounce can Portobello or shiitake mushrooms

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

3 tablespoons olive oil

Locatelli Romano cheese to top finished dish (remember we love cheese!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large sauté pan heat olive oil and sauté onions for a few minutes till they start to soften. Add garlic and sauté till it starts getting a little translucent.

2. Add scallops and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove scallops from pan and set aside.

3. Add the chopped sausage to pan, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir well, cook another 5 minutes.

4. Add the mushrooms to mix and lower the heat to medium low and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.

5. Add the scallops back to pan, stir well. Add the tomatoes and sour cream. Stir well till heated. Add the feta cheese, stir and serve! Top with the romano cheese as needed!

Serves 2-4 (depends on how hungry you are!)

Mussels Ala Genua

I never knew I liked mussels for most of my life until I had them at a friend’s house about 10 years ago. Who knew I’d love them so much! We have tried mussels in most of our favorite restaurants in our travels and have found such a range of styles and tastes! In Florida our favorite place to get mussels is at our favorite Italian restaurant EVO in Tequesta. (www.evoitalian.com). And strange enough our all time favorite place for mussels was in one of the oddest places you would think, North Conway, NH at a wonderful place called The Muddy Moose Restaurant and Pub (www.muddymoose.com)! We were there at the outlets a few years ago on while on our trip to Maine and decided to get a beer, they are a microbrewery also so they have great beers. We were hungry as well so decided to give their mussels a try and they were outstanding! Go figure, a local pub serving bikers and tourists and they all loved the mussels! A full pound of Maine mussels sautéed with garlic, shallots, white wine, butter, lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Incredible to say the least! We compare everything to theirs now. EVO’s recipe is fresh Prince Edward Island mussels pan sautéed with white wine, roasted garlic, pecorino romano and tossed with a touch cream, finished with fresh basil and toasted crostini. Also to die for! But mine is my own recipe and it’s still really good. I have been actually buying my mussels frozen from Wal-Mart, no joke. I get two whole pounds for $3.50! They are already cooked and frozen! And they are really good! Go figure! I always have some on hand in the freezer for a quick snack when company comes by. They don’t take too long to cook and they are pretty low-calorie too. It’s the cream sauces and bread that makes them higher in calories. Anyway, without further ado (as my Dad always says…) here’s the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of frozen mussels

2 -15 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes with garlic and basil

olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup wine, red or white, which ever you have open

thin sliced italian bread toasted, if you wish

grated parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large sauté pan, pour enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan and heat on medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until lightly brown. Careful not to burn it.

2. Add the wine and sauté with garlic for a minute or so.

3. Add the tomatoes to pan and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes until heated thoroughly.

4. Add the mussels and mix thoroughly. Cover and heat for about 7 minutes. Remember they are already cooked so don’t overcook.

5. Serve in a large bowl with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Serves 6 (or 3 really hungry people!)

**Check out the Muddy Moose when in North Conway, NH!! You won’t be disappointed!

Sour Cream & Onion Tilapia

I made this dish for the first time last night and it was incredibly delicious! Quick, easy and healthy. Usually when I make tilapia I fry it with panko bread crumbs but I had just cleaned the stove and didn’t want the mess of oil all over it again! So I looked around online for tilapia recipes that were baked. I found quite a bit but none of them had everything I wanted so I took a little bit from a few of them and came up with this recipe. There were no leftovers and there was a request to make it again! Always a good thing! It is a light and refreshing twist on a baked fish dish. And did I mention it was really easy and quick? I wish I had leftovers for lunch! Cleanup was also a snap because it was all in one dish. I just served it with some veggies and dinner was served!

Sour Cream & Onion Tilapia

INGREDIENTS:

6-8 tilapia fillets

salt and pepper

½ cup light sour cream

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (1 tsp dried)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (1 tsp dried)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Parmesan Cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350º. Grease or spray a 13×9 inch baking dish or baking dish large enough to hold the tilapia in a single layer.

2. Place tilapia in the baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Combine remaining ingredients (except for parmesan cheese) and spread evenly over the fillets. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the fillets.

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. When done you can broil for a couple of minutes to brown the cheese on top if you wish.

Serves 3-4

Baked Stuffed Shrimp (Shrimp Aragonate)

This dish can be used as an appetizer or as a side dish to steak for “surf and turf”. Double the recipe because I am positive these will disappear really fast. (Especially if our friend Andre is around! No shrimp is safe then!) You can use freshly made bread crumbs but most of us don’t have the time to do that these days, so I recommend using Italian flavored Panko breadcrumbs. They crisp up better and have a really great flavor also. This can be served hot or at room temperature.

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Italian flavored Panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

About ¼ cup olive oil

1½ pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined (tails left on)

2 large lemons, cut into wedges

salt and freshly ground pepper


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Oil a large baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ¼ cup olive oil, or just enough to moisten the crumbs.

3. Arrange the shrimp in the pan in a single layer, curling each shrimp into a circle. Spoon a little of the bread crumb mixture onto each shrimp.

4. Bake until the crumbs are browned and the shrimp are cooked through when cut in the thickest part, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature, with the lemon wedges.

Serves 6

Scallop Primavera

I am always looking for recipes for scallops. I really like the bay scallops better than the larger sea scallops. Mainly because you never really know if you’re actually getting real sea scallops. But the bay scallops are easy to keep frozen and have on hand when you’re in the mood. I came up with this recipe one day when I was cleaning out the fridge. I used carrots and broccoli in this but you can also use any other vegetable you want. If you don’t have any fresh veggies on hand a bag of mixed frozen vegetables will work just fine. I also like the broccoli/cauliflower mix for this recipe. If you are watching your carbs use a lower carb pasta or my favorite Shirataki Tofu Noodles. Or leave out the pasta all together and add more veggies. Another variation is to throw in some grated cheese of your choice and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and butter and bake it! I’m getting hungry just writing about this! Have fun with whatever you choose!

Scallop Primavera

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound bay scallops

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 cups broccoli florets

10 oz. can of cream of chicken soup, reduced fat or fat-free

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ pound  pasta (elbows, small shells, cavatelli, spaghetti, your choice) cooked and drained

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon parsley

Parmesan cheese, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan sauté the garlic in the olive oil. Add the scallops and sauté for about 5 minutes. (Don’t overcook). Remove scallops from pan and set aside.

2. Add carrots and broccoli to pan and sauté for about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender, not mushy.

3. Add the cream of chicken soup and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes and add the scallops back into mix. Toss to coat.

4. Add the cooked pasta and mix thoroughly. Cook a couple more minutes till heated through.

Serve with parmesan cheese for topping if you want.

Salmon in Scallion and Ginger Sauce

This recipe I originally got from the South Beach Diet book, though the recipe called for Orange Roughy. Orange Roughy is not always easy to get so I swapped the salmon for it. You can also use cod, sole or flounder as well. It’s quick, simple and full of all those good Omega fats. I serve it with any of my favorite veggies or a stir-fry or asian side dish. The recipe calls for fresh grated ginger but if you don’t have any use ground ginger. It also calls for sesame oil but I never have that in the house so I use olive oil. The sauce that the salmon cooks in is also a great topping for the veggies or side.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup dry sherry or vermouth

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

¼ cup finely chopped green onion (green and white parts)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 salmon fillets (4-8 oz. each)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix the sherry or vermouth, soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.

2. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof casserole dish. Drizzle the marinade over the fish and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serves 2

Andrea’s Tuscan Casserole

This is a recipe that I posted back on Facebook in October 2009. It was created because I couldn’t figure out what to make that night and just put together what I found in the refrigerator. It was so good and filling and the leftovers were just as good of course! The ingredients aren’t written in stone so please omit what you don’t want or add something you think fits better! So sit down with a nice glass of wine and relax and pretend you are in Tuscany.

Andrea's Tuscan Casserole


Ingredients:
1- 10-12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thin into strips or bite size pieces
6-8 oz. uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined, and cut into pieces
8 oz. approx. frozen, thawed spinach (doesn’t have to be drained)
1 medium sweet onion chopped
6-8 cloves garlic chopped (I like garlic so if it’s too much for you add less)
2 large scallions, chopped (green and white parts)
1 small tomato, chopped
1- 8oz. package Shirataki Tofu Noodles (follow prep instructions on package/found in Produce organic section) or you can use your own cooked noodles.
2 TBS or so light or regular sour cream
1 wedge Italian Herb Laughing Cow Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
– Heat oven to 350 degrees.
– In a large saucepan heat oil and sauté onions till translucent, maybe about 5 minutes or so. Add garlic and scallions and sauté about 2 minutes.
– Add chicken and cook till no longer pink.
– Add spinach and mix thoroughly.
– Add shrimp and tomato, stirring till all mixed.
– Add Laughing Cow cheese and sour cream, mix well. Let cook a couple more minutes.
– Add noodles, mixing well. Let cook about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
– Add half of the mozzarella cheese till mixed in and starting to melt. Pour into casserole dish, round or whatever you have.
– Sprinkle rest of mozzarella cheese on top of mixture and place in oven till mixture starts to bubble and cheese melts and browns a bit. About 15 minutes.

Leaner, Meaner Shrimp Scampi Follow-up

Hi everyone. Okay I made this dish tonight. It was delicious! It wasn’t so heavy as shrimp scampi sometimes is with all the butter and oil. The noodles were coated nicely and the parmesan cheese of course made it perfect. I also added fresh basil to the finished dish which gave it a great flavor as well. The recipe says it makes 2 servings and that is correct. If you have another dish to serve with it then you can stretch it to maybe 4 servings. And to try yet another dish I decided to try the “Braised Cucumbers” recipe I had seen the other day in Julie & Julia. I didn’t use real butter and it still came out very good! I am trying to cut calories so I used “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Mediterranean Style”. It was still delicious! And of course John added parmesan cheese to his. So I followed his lead and it was even better! Very tasty. I was surprised. The sauce turned into a sort of syrup and it was just a very different taste all around. I would make it again, though I may make it Italian by adding a little garlic. So a success for two new dishes tonight! Oh and by the way the name Leaner, Meaner Shrimp Scampi, was my stab at being witty. ♥

Leaner, Meaner Shrimp Scampi & Braised Cucumbers

Leaner, Meaner Shrimp Scampi

One of my all time favorite shrimp dishes is Shrimp Scampi. I love the butter, the oil, the garlic and of course, the shrimp! I am actually going to make this recipe tonight. I found it today in my email from Hungry Girl. Who is Hungry Girl? I am sure some of you have heard of her lately or seen her on TV. She’s on Rachael Ray quite a bit as well as all the talk shows. She shows us a healthier way to eat all of our favorite dishes. I have to say that I use quite a lot of her recipes and love them all. I have all her cookbooks, there are three. One of the newest ingredients for me that she uses as a noodle/pasta substitute is “House Food Tofu Shirataki Noodle Substitute”. I  can hear some of you groaning…Tofu?? Yes, tofu. It’s not a horrible thing. Really!! When you prepare these noodles with sauces they are delicious. No they do not taste like real pasta, but they are still fantastic. Loaded with soy protein and fiber! GOOD!!! They come in pouches covered in water in the organic section of the produce department. I buy them all the time and use in casseroles, for fettuccine alfredo and a ton of other dishes. Today’s recipe calls for the Fettuccine style noodles. They come in spaghetti style and angel hair style as well. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my regular pasta but living with a carbophobe makes me nuts so I have to make substitutions.

(Check http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx for recipes and information) So tonight’s recipe is courtesy of Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien. I will take a picture and post it afterwards but for now I am including a picture of hers.

One more thing on this recipe that I really like. The shrimp calls for the tails removed! Hooray! This is one of my pet peeves. Why must the tails be left on with almost all shrimp dishes? Besides that it looks nice? Really? Is that the only reason?  I hate having to make a mess attempting to remove these tails while I am eating. Especially in a restaurant! Come on, cook without the tails! You’re not going to eat them anyway so why leave them on? Okay I feel better now!

INGREDIENTS:

1 small lemon

2 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute

¼ cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon chopped garlic (I will add more garlic as we are LOVE garlic)

8 oz. raw shrimp, peeled, tails removed, deveined

1 plum tomato, chopped

1 tablespoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter w/Olive Oil)

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Optional: Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, chopped parsley, fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut lemon in half, and squeeze the juice from one half into a small dish; remove any seeds, and set aside. Cut the other half into wedges, and set those aside as well.

2. Use a strainer to rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave for 1 minute. Drain excess liquid. Dry as thoroughly as possible, using paper towels. Cut noodles up a bit, using kitchen shears if you have them. Set aside. (The noodles are very long so this is why you need to cut them up a little)

3. Bring a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray (butter flavored if you have it) to medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes.

4. Add shrimp and tomato. Stirring occasionally, cook until shrimp are opaque, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and continue to cook and stir for 1 minute.

5. Raise heat to medium high, add shirataki noodles, and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until entire dish is hot and shrimp cooked through. Add butter and stir.

6. Plate (or bowl) your scampi and top each serving with 1 teaspoon Parmesan topping. Garnish with lemon wedges and, if you like, season to taste with optional ingredients. Enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

Serving Size: ½ of recipe (about 1¾ cups)

POINTS® value: 5 (for all you WW fans)

Crab Cream Puffs.

I found this recipe over 15 years ago in a newsgroup online somewhere. It’s been a while since I’ve made them but they are so good that I think I’ll make them for my next party! They are certainly worth the extra effort it takes to make them. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can freeze the un-baked puffs and then bake them as needed! If you decide to do this make sure they are totally thawed out before baking or they will not puff up as much. To freeze them, place an entire baking sheet of un-baked puffs in the freezer for about 2 hours or until frozen solid. Once they are frozen they can be stored in a plastic bag or freezer container in your freezer!

This recipe also reminds me of a funny story when I made them last. I had made them and was serving at a get-together with some friends. (Kerry I think you’ll remember this!) My friend Kerry’s then husband John, insisted he hated crab meat and would never eat it. (same thing with lobster but that’s another story!) Well we knew if he tried them he’d like them. So we told him they were cheesy zucchini puffs. He believed us and ate about 6 of them before we told him the truth! He loved them, though he kept insisting he didn’t. Either way, they were delicious! They are pretty rich so go easy on them. Enjoy with a nice glass of Prosecco or Champagne!

Crab Cream Puffs

(Photo is for illustrative purposes only, I did not have a picture of my own so I found one closest to what they should look like)

INGREDIENTS:

10 ounces crab meat, drained & flaked

¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup water

½ cup butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the first five ingredients; stir well and set aside.

2. Combine water and butter in saucepan; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; add flour and stir vigorously until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a smooth ball. Constant mixing is very important to prevent the batter from sticking to the pan.

3. Remove from the heat and allow flour mixture to cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the eggs when added.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing with a strong spoon (wooden one) after each addition until the mixture is smooth.

5. Stir crab mixture in the pastry batter.

6. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons (not too big) onto ungreased baking sheet. A large cookie press or pastry bag with a large star tip could also be used to place the individual puffs on the baking sheet.

7. Bake fresh pastries at 400ºF (375ºF convection) for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350ºF (325ºF convection) and bake another 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

Makes 36 servings

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