Blackened salmon with scampi

One of our favorite restaurants in town is called The Talk.  It is owned by the Keuchkarian Family, who has been in the restaurant business for years.  One of the specials that they frequently have is blackened salmon with shrimp.  I order it every time they have it, and it is so delicious!  The flavors are fresh, light and crisp from the lemon.  I like to pair it with steamed asparagus and pearl couscous that I mix with a little bit of pesto and parmesan cheese.  It is a quick and easy delicious dinner, especially during the lenten season.  You could certainly substitute another firm fish such as swordfish or a thick cut of cod or haddock if you prefer.  I make my own blackening seasoning, but there are several that you can buy at the grocery store that are good too.  Happy eating!

Blackened salmon with scampi

for the salmon:

1 lb. salmon filet

1 tbs. blackening seasoning (either store bought or see recipe below)

1 tbs. olive oil

Heat a cast iron or non stick pan over medium high heat. Dry salmon with a paper towel on flesh and skin side.  Rub salmon with seasoning generously on both sides. Place salmon, skin side down,  in hot pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Flip the salmon over and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until cooked through and the surface is well browned.  Place 2-3 large shrimp on the salmon, and spoon on some sauce.

for the scampi:

6-8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined

3 tbs. butter

1 lemon juiced

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 2 tbs. butter in a medium size pan over medium heat.  Once melted, add the shrimp and cook about 2 minutes each side, till opaque and cooked through.  Remove to a place.  Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.  

Squeeze lemon juice in pan, and add remaining tbs. of butter.  Add shrimp back to pan to warm.

Blackening seasoning:

2 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional but adds a nice smoky flavor!)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp ground dried thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place. 

Greek Wings

My family loves chicken wings!  I have two favorite wing recipes, one of which I made last night.  This is a quick fix dinner, but if you have the time, marinate them overnight.  It really does intensify the flavor.  I serve them with my homemade rice pilaf and green beans.  Make sure to spoon the sauce from the wings onto the blanched green beans and rice!

Greek Chicken Wings

3-4 lbs. chicken wings - drumette and wing seperated, tip cut off

5 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 lemon juiced 

1 tsp. fresh rosemary chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tbs. chopped parsley for garnish

2 tbs. crumbled feta cheese - optional

In a bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, the 2 halves of the lemon you juiced, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper well.  Put chicken wings in a large sealable plastic bag.  Pour marinade over wings and make sure they are all coated.  Marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put the wings on a baking sheet in a single layer.(use two sheets if you have to.) Take the leftover marinade and heat it on low in a small saucepan while the wings are cooking.  Reserve the two lemon halves.  Roast wings in oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Move the oven rack to one notch up from the center.  Turn the oven to broil and place the wings as well as your reserved lemon halves on the rack to broil..  Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn!  When they are a light brown, take them out and flip. Be sure to flip the lemon as well.  Return to the oven and brown the other side.  Place the wings on a platter, pour any juices from the roasting pan over the wings, as well as the heated marinade.  If you are using feta, sprinkle feta over the hot wings and garnish with parsley and additional lemon slices.   Enjoy!

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

Living in New England is always an adventure!  We have had a really easy winter as far as snow is concerned...but then came March!  Last night we had about a foot of snow!  As they say, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.

I am a sucker for a good scampi recipe.  When you go to a restaurant and they have shrimp scampi on the menu, it is so wrong!  Scampi, in Italian, means shrimp.  They are telling you that they have a shrimp shrimp recipe.  Evidently, they don't know the Italian language.  I make a Shrimp in garlic sauce.  It is delicious!!  It can be made over pasta, or if you are living low carb, is just as good over spiralized zucchini.  I sometimes add a handful of scallops which makes it even better!  A good olive oil is key.  My friend Holly traveled to Spain last year to play in the World Cup for field hockey and brought home a delicious Spanish olive oil.  The flavors are so deep, and I have ordered more from Amazon.  It is worth every penny and actually a good buy through them.  It is used just to drizzle, not for cooking. (I use it on my avocado toast, bruschetta, and most pasta dishes.)  Enjoy! 

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced

1 shallot finely minced

4 tbs. butter divided

2 tbs. olive oil (not the one for drizzle, but still good quality)

1/3 cup white wine

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

crushed red pepper to taste - optional

either 1 lb. linguini or spiralized zucchini

Add 3 tbs. butter and 2 tbs. olive oil to a pan over medium heat.  Once it is hot, add garlic and shallot.  Saute over low heat for about 5 minutes, do not brown!  Add the shrimp and saute about 2-3 minutes per side, just until pink.  Remove shrimp from pan to a plate.  Turn heat up to medium high.  Add the white wine.  Cook until reduced by about half.  Add the remaining tbs. of butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper and swirl until sauce thickens.  Return shrimp to the pan and heat them through, about 1-2 minutes.  Pour sauce over linguini or zucchini and top with crushed red pepper if you want to spice it up!  Serve with remaining lemon wedges.

It's been a long time!

It has been way to long since my last post, but I'm back!  Not much has changed in the way of the family, with the exception of my boys being way to grown up!  I still love cooking, feeding my family and friends, and eating.  I have recently discovered a new breakfast favorite...avocado toast!  It is probably one of the easiest, but tastiest recipes that is also so good for you.  I like to serve it with thinly sliced radishes and a lemon wedge.  There is one thing that you must use, good salt.  I have recently purchased Aztec Sea Salt from Amazon and it is truly life changing!  When you open the bag, it is moist, very course, and nothing like the salt you buy in the store.  It has so many health benefits, and lasts a long time because a little goes a long way.  There are directions to dry and grind it, but I love it just as is.  I have the link below, seriously, try it!  Enjoy the toast for breakfast or a snack.

Avocado Toast

• 1 avocado
• sea salt
• lemon
• black pepper
• good quality olive oil
• Bread - I prefer a sturdy pane or multi-grain
• 1 clove garlic, cut in half

Cut avocado in half, remove pit, and scoop into a small bowl.  Add about 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste. Squeeze a little lemon onto avocado and mash leaving it somewhat chunky.  Toast your bread.  Immediately after taking it out of the toaster, rub the cut side of the garlic on the toast.  Spread avocado mixture onto your toast, and drizzle with olive oil.  Squeeze a bit more lemon if desired.

Family First, Always...

As I get older, I wish that I had a really big family.  Growing up, we lived on a street that had 72 kids on it!  I only have my brother Sean, and there was only one other family on the street with 2 kids.  We had a lot of big families, one had 12 children!

My Mother has one sister, my Aunt Johanna.  She is only 16 years older than I, so we are close.  Unfortunately, she lives in Maryland.  I was about 12 when she got married and moved, and I remember crying a lot when she left.  Fortunately we have remained close.  She married a wonderful guy, Bill Kramer, and I must say, they are a really special couple.  

Johanna and Bill had 2 children, Elizabeth and David.  Elizabeth got married 2 years ago to Brian, and is expecting a baby in July.  David married Cindy this past October.  I remember when they were both babies, and find it hard to believe how fast the time has gone!  I am proud of what they both have become and accomplished, and I would expect nothing less after the guidance and love they got from their parents!

I love the ocean, which makes sense since I am a Pisces!  For the past 3 summers, Johanna and Bill have shared their beautiful home with us in Stone Harbor, N.J.  For those who have never heard of Stone Harbor, I won't tell you too much because you'll want to go there, and then it would get crowded, we wouldn't like that at all!!!  It is a quaint, beautiful town on the coast of New Jersey, about an hour south of Atlantic City.  This past summer, we were able to be there at the same time as the entire Kramer family, and it was wonderful.  

So where is this story going, oh yeah! Johanna and Elizabeth are both fabulous cooks.  We love to share recipes, and do so often.  Before Christmas, Elizabeth gave me a recipe that I have made several times, and have already given it to others.  I love brussel sprouts, and this recipe really takes them to another level.  Thank you to my cousin Elizabeth, I love you and can't wait for the new baby to come!  And to my Aunt Johanna, I wish you were closer, I love you!

This recipe is simple and oh so delicious, it will turn brussel sprout hater around!

Crunchy Brussel Sprouts

1 lb. sprouts

2 tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Slice sprouts thinly. Warm oil in a large skillet.  Add sprouts, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring until sprouts are wilted.  About 5 minutes. Add walnuts and cranberries and toss.

My new Fitbit!

Well, as you may know, I have been on a healthy eating plan since the beginning of the month.  So far, so good!  I have some friends who own Fitbits, so I thought I would give it a try, and I love it!!!  It is  a great motivator for me.  For those of you who don't know about it, it is a fitness device that tracks your steps, food, sleep, water and lots more.  You download the app either on your phone or computer and sync.  It can also be synced with My Fitness Pal which is another great app.  Here is a picture of what it looks like.

Mine is the Fitbit Flex.  I have been averaging about 13,000 steps per day.  It tells me my calories burned and what calories I have left in my bank.  It costs $99.00 and you can buy them at Best Buy as well as on Amazon or the Fitbit site.  I suggest it to anyone who is working on loosing weight.

Now, on that note, I have been coming up with some low calorie/fat recipes to help me out!

The town where I live is a very ethnically diverse neighborhood, which is fabulous, especially when it comes to food and cooking!  We have some many ethnic grocery stores to choose from, as well as fantastic restaurants.  One of my favorite Middle Eastern food to eat is Kofta Kabab. 

Kofta is usually made with either ground beef or lamb, or a combination of both.  I love mine with a tzatziki sauce which is made with yogurt, mint and cucumber.  I have lightened my version up using ground turkey, and I must say, it is just as good!  You can put the kebabs on skewers when you grill, but it is not necessary.

We like to eat the kebobs on warmed pita bread with the sauce, and some salad greens on top of that with a squirt of lemon juice, delicious!!!

Turkey Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce

20 oz 93% lean ground turkey

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp bread crumbs

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tbs. tomato paste

salt and fresh pepper (to taste)

Directions:

In a large bowl combine all ingredients until evenly blended. Divide into a heaping 1/4 cup portions so you get 12; roll into log shaped ovals. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. When ready to cook, grill on each side for about 6-8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

16 oz. plain nonfat greek yogurt

2 seedless english cucumbers, seeds removed and diced 

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tbs. dried mint

1 clove garlic, minced fine

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Before dicing cucumbers, slice and remove seeds.  Put them in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Let them sit for about 1/2 hour.  This will allow the liquid to drain from the cucumber.  Lightly rinse and dry with a paper towel and dice.  Mix all ingredients together well.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors can come together.  Spoon over the Kebobs.  The sauce can also be used as a dip for almost anything!

Happy New Year!!!  One of my resolutions is to start posting more on my site, so here is my first post of 2014.  It has been a wonderful Holiday season filled with family, friends, and of course, lots of food!  I haven't stopped cooking since December 23rd!  As an added bonus, we had 2 extra days off in Massachusetts because of a great big snowstorm, which meant we had 2 total weeks off from school.  It gave me a few days extra in the kitchen experimenting.

I love soup on cold days.  This soup is unbelievably good.  I took from different recipes, tweaked a bit, and came up with this recipe. Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, they all go in the crockpot together and cook, it's so easy!  It is worth the time and effort to make your own enchilada sauce. I have listed the recipe below, but in a pinch, you can use a can.  Make sure you buy good quality tortilla chips.You will not be disappointed, I promise!!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado Relish

1. 1 lb. chicken breasts (no need to cut up
2. 1 15 oz. can rotel tomatoes or whole tomatoes mashed
3. 1 medium onion chopped
4. 10 oz. enchilada sauce - either canned or recipe below
5. 1 small can chopped green chile peppers
6. 2 cloves garlic minced
7. 3 3/4 cups chicken broth
8. 1 tsp. cumin
9. 1 tsp. chili powder
10. 1 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
11. 1 tsp. salt
12. 1/4 tsp. black pepper
13. 1 bay leaf
14. 1 10 oz. bag frozen corn
15. 1 16 oz. container sour cream
16. crushed tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients except for sour cream in a crockpot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.   Take out 2 cups of your soup and blend in a blender or use an immersion hand held blender and blend right in your crockpot.  Add your sour cream and and stir well.  Serve with Avocado relish, tortilla chips and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Avocado Relish

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1 tsp. grated lime zest

3 oz. crumbled queso fresco (mexican cheese - can be found in most grocery stores)

1 peeled and diced avocado

mix all ingredients well and cover.  

Easy Enchilada Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup chili powder

2 cups chicken stock

10 ounces tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings..