My friend, Sid of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking, has chosen the theme for this month's Fish Friday Foodies. I started Fish Friday Foodies in January of 2016 in an effort to add more fish and seafood into our diets. It was a great idea....how can you not add more fish and seafood into your diet when you are inundated with wonderful recipes on the third Friday of each month?
We take turns hosting and choosing a theme for each month. Sid chose the theme "Preserved Fish" for this month's challenge. This means that we all had to create and share a recipe that included fish preserved by canning, pickling, smoking, drying, etc.
The minute Sid gave us this challenge I thought I would go with smoked fish. I love smoked fish, especially smoked salmon. But I had just shared a Smoked Whitefish Dip and I have shared several recipes using my beloved smoked salmon including a Pasta and an Appetizer.
My decision was finally made for me when I was entertaining and wanted another salad to serve at my buffet table. I opened the cupboard and spotted some Cannelini Beans. I love white bean salads and pulled them out when, lo and behold, sitting behind those cans were two cellophane packets of tuna packed in water.
During the few minutes it took to throw this salad together, I spied a half a loaf of good bread sitting on my counter.
I immediately changed my mind about adding another salad to the buffet and decided instead to have it out with the appetizers before dinner.
I sliced up the bread, drizzled it with olive oil and put it in the oven to toast. I got busy and forgot all about the toast until I started smelling it.
I caught it just in the nick of time. The chickens only got 2 or 3 slices that were completely over done (read burnt).
I am definitely keeping this in mind. It is fast, easy, economical and I normally have all the ingredients in my pantry. Great for those times unexpected guests drop by.
White Bean and Tuna Bruschetta
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch basil
2 (single serving size) foil packets of tuna in spring water
salt and pepper to taste
1 small loaf or 1/2 large loaf of good rustic bread
extra virgin olive oil for brushing
Rinse and drain the beans. Place in a bowl with the basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Gently fold in the tuna. Taste and season again with salt and pepper if needed.
Slice the bread, 1/2" thick and into approximately pieces about 2" and the length of the bread. Place on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 400* oven for 6-8 minutes until dry and toasted golden brown.
Spoon the salad over the bruschetta and serve. Print Recipe
Hi guys. We have been home one week after being at sea for one week and Frank now has the photos edited and ready for showing.
Day one we arrived to the cruise ship around noon. We grabbed some lunch, walked around to get our bearings and relaxed with drinks by the pool. Ship set sail around 6 pm and Marina joined us for dinner at one of the specialty restaurants, Giovanni's.
Day two was at sea. We relaxed, got massages, played trivia and attended an impromptu concert by Jim Brickman followed by dinner with Marina in the main dining room.
Day three took us to Juneau. We had made reservations for a fishing charter on our own as the cost was much less than the excursions offered by the ship. Our operation never showed up and when we called they said the owner wasn't feeling well so it was canceled. We were disappointed but, as I always believe, everything happens for a reason. We went whale watching instead and saw a pod of about 15 humpbacks. You can see them in the video "bubble netting". This is a learned behavior for these whales, it is not instinctual and only about 15% of the whale population has learned to do this so it was quite a treat to see it in person. One whale completely breached the water giving us a great finale to the show. It was amazing. Dinner was at another specialty restaurant, Izumi, featuring Japanese Cuisine. My favorite meal of the trip. We enjoyed a show after dinner.
Day four we arrived in Skagway, had lunch at a crab house in town and then went to a Mushing Camp where the dogs who race in the Iditarod are trained during the off season. It was a very interesting day.
Day five we cruised through the Fjords. That is where you see all of that gorgeous scenery, glaciers, icebergs, waterfalls.....just breathtaking. This is also the day we attended the Chef's Dinner which was jaw dropping awesome, as you can see in the video.
Day six was a sea day but we still had plenty to do. Marina had arranged for us to be given tours of the Bridge, the Galley and backstage of the Theater. We had dinner with Marina in the buffet restaurant and then we went to the comedy show which was a lot of fun.
The final day was spent in Victoria, BC. One of Marina's friends lives in the area and arrived at the ship to take us touring. We went to Butchart Gardens which were amazingly beautiful. The weather was perfect and the smells were heavenly. We enjoyed lunch at the gardens and then went into the city to have "beavertails" for dessert. Marina's friend, Elena, said that they are only sold there on the island. It is a long fried pastry that you can enjoy with many different toppings. We made ours half cinnamon sugar and half chocolate and banana. YUM. Dinner on this final evening was with Marina and her beau, Devin, at the Steakhouse on the ship, Chops. Getting to meet someone who Marina holds dear was one of the highlights of the trip.
I hope you enjoy the video. This past week has been spent catching up on things we missed while we were gone. Primarily spending time with the Angel Face who came to see us on Saturday and spent the night and all day Sunday with us, returning again Tuesday and Wednesday for her normal visit.
Tomorrow we are going to my nephews
Please excuse that hour long break. We had to go and deskunk dogs, thankfully only two of them were outside with the skunk. Had it been all four I would still be scrubbing them down with peroxide/baking soda/ dawn detergent concoction.
So......tomorrow we are going to my nephews. Selfridge Air Base is having their annual Air Show and Jack's house is right under the flight pattern. We are all gathering to enjoy the show and some time together.
Sunday John and Kirsten, their son, Mike and his wife, Amy, and their two sons are coming over for dinner. You may know Amy from her wonderful blog, Amy's Cooking Adventures. It will be wonderful spending some time with them.
The rest of the week is pretty quiet. Angel Face will be here Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday evening we are meeting with all the kids at Louis' Chop House to celebrate my birthday. Friday night my TC family is coming into town. Lili is being moved into her dorm at Wayne State University on Saturday. It seems like only yesterday she was my little LiliBug.
I swear this was just last Christmas!!!!
I must have blinked!
How is it possible this little bug is starting college?
Ahhhhh.......time flies and life is bittersweet. Lili has grown into a gorgeous young lady. She is kind, smart, empathetic and loving.....but not as easy to pull onto your lap and smother with kisses.
Oh well, enough of that. Here is the Menu I will be serving up this week. Please stop by and visit as time allows.
Our theme for this month's Bundt Bakers, chosen by Tammy of Living The Gourmet, is Strawberries.
I found this recipe from Betty Crocker and decided to make it substituting Lemon Cake for the White Cake because I love the Lemon/Strawberry flavor combo.
I simply baked a bundt using a boxed lemon cake mix. Once baked I used the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the bottom of the bundt.
A puree made of fresh strawberries, sugar and lemon juice is then poured into the holes and the cake is refrigerated for at least 2 hours. I let mine refrigerate overnight.
I had a little mishap when removing it from the pan so I decided to make more of a fluffy frosting for the cake rather than the glaze called for in the recipe. Frosting can hide a lot of oopsies.
When you cut into the cake you find this wonderful sweet surprise awaiting you inside. The cake is spongy from the addition of cream cheese and the liquid soaked up from the puree. Each bite is Strawberry Shortcake Heaven but better because of the hint of lemon in the cake and frosting.
This cake was being sent to the church for a funeral luncheon. So I sliced it into pieces and filled it with fresh strawberries before wrapping it up for transport. It traveled very well making it perfect for taking to picnics or pot lucks.
Lemon Strawberry Poke Bundt Cake
adapted from Betty Crocker
1 box lemon cake mix
1 c. milk
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 pt. strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. lemon juice
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, room temperature
2 T. cream cheese
1 T. milk
1/4 t. lemon extract
Mix together the cake mix, milk, 4 oz. cream cheese and eggs. Pour into a bundt pan that has been liberally treated with baking spray. Bake in a preheated 325* oven for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted removes cleanly.
Meanwhile, place strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
When cake is baked, remove from oven and, using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes around the bottom of the cake. Pour the strawberry mixture from the measuring cup into the wholes, guiding with a spoon if necessary.
Place cake on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake and pan and turn onto a serving platter.
In the small bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the powdered sugar, butter, 2 T. cream cheese, milk and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Spread over the top of the bundt cake and fill center with whole strawberries, if desired. Print Recipe
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.
Hosting: Tammy from Living the Gourmet
You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.
I LOVE rum.....I love Island life....I love the tropics....I love scuba diving....I love alcohol.....I love girly drinks....I love umbrella drinks....I love fruity drinks......
I refuse to make a drink for this month's challenge!!
It was very difficult for me not to make a drink. Rum drinks hold a special place in my heart. We enjoy Mojitos. We love adding rum to teas, like this SpIced Tea and this Roobois Tea. We serve Rum Punch at nearly every dive party we have. I added it to this Indian Mango Cooler and we serve it hot and buttery during the cold winter months.
I knew I wanted to use it in a savory presentation!!
I just wasn't sure what I should make. I had previously shared recipes for Pulled Pork containing Rum. Knowing that Rum and Pork are so compatible I decided to try it again.
I found this recipe for Rum Glazed Pork Tenderloin by Bobby Flay and immediately knew that I wanted to make it for this Fight. I changed things up a bit to make it my own, pulled on my boxing gloves and jumped into the ring.
I did make some adjustments to the recipe. Most notably, I used our homemade Rib Rub to flavor the meat and omitted some of the spices in the glaze. I also grilled the scallions along with the pineapple for the salsa, and substituted pineapple juice for chicken broth. Other than that just simple substitutions to use what I had on hand.
I served this up at a dinner party for some of my sister in law's family who came to visit while she was in town. It was a huge hit. The pork was cooked to a perfect medium rare which is perfectly acceptable by the USDA. It was tender and juicy.
The salsa was the perfect accompaniment to the meat. Slightly acidic, full of flavor with just a touch of heat from the jalapenos.
Sprinkle both sides of the tenderloins with the rib rub massaging it in. Set aside while making the sauce.
In a large saucepan over med high heat cook the onion and garlic in the oil until softened and fragrant. Add the brown sugar, rum, juice and jalapeno to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Heat a grill to med high heat. Grill the tenderloins, occasionally brushing with the sauce until crisp and charred on the outside and an internal temperature of 145* is reached. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with Pineapple Salsa (recipe below). Print Recipe
Grilled Pineapple Salsa
adapted from Bobby Flay
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 bunch scallions, ends trimmed and outer leaves removed
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
juice of 1 lime
1 t. agave syrup
Brush the pineapple and scallions with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over med high heat until slightly charred and grill marks appear. Remove from grill. Chop the pineapple into chunks and place in a bowl. Slice the scallions and add to the pineapple. Place the lime juice, agave and jalapeno in a small jar with a lid and shake until emulsified. Pour over the pineapple mixture and toss to coat. Print Recipe
Today is Julia Child's Birthday. The iconic chef who taught so many that cooking a great meal was not only possible but a lot of fun as well.
She was the first "tv"chef, years before anyone ever dreamed that there would be an entire network devoted to nothing but cooking and food.
Julia has been an inspiration to many home cooks and professional chefs. The movement brought about by her and her friend and cohort Jacques Pepin has evolved into quite the following of people who also document their food journeys on the internet through blogs.
We food bloggers dream of one day influencing just one person as much as Julia influenced the whole cooking community. In honor of Julia's birthday, our friends, Ellen of Family Around the Table and Cynthia of Feeding Big, invited a group of us to share a recipe that was written by Julia or one that we thought she would love.
I had just gotten back from the Farmer's Market where I had picked up this gorgeous head of cauliflower. I pulled out my favorite Julia Child Cookbook and went to the Chofleur section.
Like all of Julia's recipes in this book, this is a simple process but is broken into several parts with each part being on a different page. In this case, the bechemal is located in another section. I have combined it all into one recipe to make life easier for you. You're welcome.
This dish is not only easy but it can be made any time during the day and finished when you are ready to have dinner. Cauliflower is blanched, combined with the sauce and topped with bread crumbs and shredded Swiss cheese.
A half an hour before serving, place the casserole in the oven and let it get bubbly and crispy brown on top.
Cauliflower Gratin
(Chou-Fleur a la Mornay Gratine)
source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
Florets from 1 head of cauliflower
4 T. butter, divided
3 T. flour
2 c. whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 T. dried bread crumbs
2 T. shredded Swiss Cheese
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the cauliflower florets. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Melt 2 T. of butter in skillet over med high heat. Stir in the flour and cook until slightly nutty smelling. Whisk in the milk. Cook and stir for a minute or two until thickened. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Butter the inside of an 8x8" baking pan. Pour 1/3 of the milk mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add the cauliflower and pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Combine the bread crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Melt the remaining 2 T. of butter and drizzle over the top.
Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly and the top is golden brown. Print Recipe
One of my favorite things about vacation is that there is lots of reading time. I was able to get 3 books in during our Alaskan Cruise. This, that I am sharing with you today, was read while enroute to the ship.
This novel was offered either free or very inexpensively through my Kindle account and has been on my to read list for a while.
The story follows the dysfunctional Tangle family to a vacation on Martha's Vineyard during which a terrible tragedy occurs. As with so many dysfunctional families, the children learn to ignore the elephant in the room. They quickly learn that secrets are theirs to keep, tears are to be shed privately with the shades drawn and questions are to be evaded, if possible, and answered with a positive spin if they cannot be evaded.
We all know that the sins of the parents rain down upon the children who, in turn, become parents and rain down sins upon theirs. This story is no different and tells of the struggle of the adult children trying to cope with their memories and private demons. Family is learning to love each other despite our shortcomings and forgive each other for all wrongs, real and imagined.
I enjoyed my journey with the Tangle family and I think you will as well. This was not a foodie read at all but it did have a lot of food in it. Granted, most of it was inedible as the mother was not much of a cook and food, when it was served, was often burnt, raw or microwaved from frozen dinners.
However, there were glimpses of good food..... cookies provided by the neighbor who often tossed lifelines to the eldest daughter in the family. Ice cream outings with Dad and Lobster Rolls to celebrate their first night on "the island".
I have never been to the Northeast States. It has been on my bucket list for quite a while and when I do go, I will definitely visit Martha's Vineyard. Until then, I live vicariously through others who have gone, through books, through blogs.
When I do finally get there, you can be sure that I will be hitting all the local places and eating all the local foods, including Lobster Rolls.
Then, I will know how my version stacks up to the authentic Lobster Rolls that you find on every street corner in the area.
I imagine that when you have the best seafood available you would want it to shine. So when I make a Lobster Roll, I don't add a lot of ingredients. I buy the best lobster I can find and afford. I mix it with a small amount of mayonnaise, fresh tarragon, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. I cut open a good, fresh roll and butter both sides before toasting. In this case, I toasted the roll on the grill . A bit of lettuce and it is ready to be served.
I have joined Foodies Read 2017 and am challenging myself to read 12-16 books this year, posting a recipe inspired from each. There are a lot of great bloggers who have joined this challenge as well. You can see what they are reading and cooking over at Based on a True Story. join in the fun
Lobster Roll
2 small lobster tails
kosher salt for water
2 t. mayonnaise
1 t. fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 leaf red lettuce
1 hot dog or hoagie roll
2 t. butter
Fill a stock pot with 1" of water and add a generous pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lobster tails, cover and steam until bright red and cooked through. Remove the tails from the steamer pot and plunge into ice water.
Slice the roll in half and butter both insides. Toast in the oven or on a grill until light brown and crisp. Set aside.
Remove the chilled tails and cut along both sides of the bottom of the tail removing the thin membrane. Loosen the meat from the top shell and remove to a cutting board. Coarsely chop the lobster into bite sized pieces and place in a small bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, tarragon, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Add to the bowl and gently fold in the lobster.
Line the bottom roll with a lettuce leaf, top with the lobster mixture and cover with the top roll. Print Recipe
The theme for this month's Sunday Supper is Back to School Dinners. This recipe that I am sharing today is perfect for Back to School. It is quick, easy and economical. It reheats well so it can be made ahead of time if you wish or leftovers can be used for lunches the next day.
It contains chicken which most kids love and as a bonus has grilled fruit that adds a little sweetness to the dish.
I had this dish in a restaurant and fell in love with it. It is lightly spiced with mild curry so it is flavorful without heat. While looking to recreate this dish I found many recipes, many in Swedish and all with different variations. Some used coconut milk, some used fruit cocktail. Some used rice pilaf, some used white rice. Some added almonds or raisins. Some poached the fruit, some added it raw. None of them grilled the fruit which is what the restaurant where I had it did.
So I took a bit of this recipe and a dash of that recipe and a snippet from another and a smidge from the dish I ate and did my best to recreate this wonderful dish.
My dish was good....not as good as the restaurant but good enough that I will make it again.....tweaking until I get it just right. Some of the things I will change from the recipe I am sharing. I will double the sauce next time. I will also add a bit of sweetener (perhaps honey) to the sauce. I will brush my fruit with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper and I will use bananas that are not quite ripe.
Casimer Rice
2 lg. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 T. olive oil
1/2 T. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
2 t. minced ginger
1/2 c. white wine
1 1/2 c. half and half
1 T. mild curry powder
1 t. cornstarch
2 bananas, peeled and quartered
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" slices
3 c. cooked rice
Melt the butter with the olive oil over med high heat in a large skillet. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic, cook and stir for half a minute until fragrant. Add the chicken. Cook and stir until no longer pink and lightly browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the wine to the hot pan and deglaze, scraping up any crispy bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in the curry powder and cornstarch, cook and stir until incorporated. Add the light cream. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Return the chicken to the sauce and cook until warmed through.
Meanwhile place the fruit slices on a hot griddle or grill pan and cook on both sides until browned and caramelized.
To serve, place 1/2 cup of rice into the center of a shallow dish. Surround with 1/4 of the chicken and sauce, top with 2 banana slices and 2 pineapples slices. Print Recipe
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
