Time for Fish

So another month has passed. Seriously, where did the summer go. On that note; here's a fish recipe for ya. I shall call it............Italian stewed tomato/olive/caper tilapia!

ISTOC Tilapia (or any other white fish)
1-1.25 lb. tilapia (or other white fish)
1 can diced Italian stewed tomatoes
1 shallot
1/2 can black olives (sliced)
1 large tbsp capers
1 tbsp. butter
salt/pepper
olive oil
Fresh graded parm cheese

• Salt & pepper the fish
• Over medium heat add olive oil to a saute pan cook fish 4-5 minutes on each side til done...remove from pan
• Add a little more olive oil, saute shallot (2 minutes) then add capers
• Add olives
• Add stewed tomatoes
• When that comes to a boil, add 1 tbs of butter
• Put the fish back in the pan and let it combined for a few minutes
• Once you plate the fish sprinkle fresh graded parm over it

I served this with steamed broccoli and green salad

Chicken Sausage Orzo

This receipt is an easy meal any day of the week. I love orzo pasta. It is totally versatile and is a great alternative to rice. I've yet to find it in whole wheat, but I'll keep looking.

Chicken Sausage Orzo Pasta:
4 chicken sausages (you can use the pre-cooked ones like Amy's or I prefer the fresh ones from Fresh Market....my fav is mushroom, spinach, asiago cheese! I know that Fresh Market and finer grocery stores also carry fresh chicken sausage, pick what you like best)
1 bag of baby spinach
1 pepper (any color you like)
8 oz. mushrooms
1/2 yellow onion (or one small)
Garlic (to your taste)
fresh Parmesan cheese
about 1/2-3/4 box of orzo (cook as directed on box)
butter**
salt & pepper
Worcester sauce
1/4-1/2 of a light beer (again the alcohol cooks off, this is also an optional item! You can use water in it's place)

• Cook orzo according to package
• In a medium saute pan, pre-heat and add olive oil, then add chicken sausage, after they start to brown, add beer or water and cook with the lid on until chicken sausage is fully cook
• At the same time in a large saute pan, turn on med-high heat add olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook til brown, then add onion and peppers. Once they've cooked for about 7 minutes, add the garlic and finally fold in the spinach. Add worch, salt & pepper to taste.
• Once the chicken sausage is done, cut it into bite size pieces and add it to the veggie saute pan.
• Once orzo is done, drain and add butter* salt & pepper.
• Mix the orzo into the veggies sausage mixture
• Grate fresh parm cheese over the top and serve

*I don't use real butter in this receipt, I use Smart Balance!

Really, you can use any veggie and any kind of sausage, this is just the way I like it!!

Because I'll be in Cali on Saturday

Here is a great California Red. I actually shared this bottle with Meg when she was in Memphis.
It's a great all around red.


Marietta Old Vine Red #46. I'm sure this is an easy wine to find in California considering we've got it in a couple of wine stores here in Memphis.



Here is what is says about the wine on Marietta's website: http://www.mariettacellars.com/
“When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.”-Henry J Kaiser
Old Vine Red is a proprietary red wine that is round, smooth, “Zinfandel-like,” and noted for its balance, approachability, and consistency. It is primarily comprised of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane as well as smaller amounts of Cabernet and Syrah. Various Italian varietals round out the blend."

Enjoy!

I know, I'm bad

Wow, I knew it had been awhile since I posted on this blog, but almost two months is not OK! Sorry to those of you who actually read my blog regularly and use the recipes. On that note, I do want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has tried my recipes. I have received some amazing compliments!

I will have a new food and wine post up before the end of the week. Including a yummy eggplant, tomato, mozzarella cheese app that you make on the grill!

Eggplant Parm

Eggplant can be tricky. Last summer I would go to our local farmer's market, and they would always have beautiful fresh eggplant. Sometimes eggplant can be hard to cook with, so by the end of the summer I had my version of eggplant parm down. Here ya go!

Eggplant Parm:
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-1 inch slices lay on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt
1 egg whipped
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (you can also use plain breadcrumbs and add Italian seasoning)
1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1 jar of your favorite red sauce
Parmesan & Mozzarella cheese
Your favorite noodles

Preheat oven to 250

Put enough olive oil in a large saute pan or cast iron skillet to cover the bottom and come up about a 1/4 on an inch

In a three step process: cover the eggplant in flour, wash in egg, cover the eggplant in breadcrumbs and place the eggplant into the hot oil (you want to hear it sizzle!)

Once you start your first batch, boil water and cook noodle and warm your sauce

It will probably take two or three batches to get off the the eggplant cooked. Make sure that the eggplant is brown and crispy on both sides, you can tell if they're done by putting your finger in the center of the eggplant, if it's soft and crispy.....it's done.

You might need to add more oil as you go

Once the eggplant is done, place it on paper towl to get off the excess oil

To keep all of the batches warm, place the eggplant on a cookie sheet and keep in the oven. Once all the eggplant is cooked and in the oven, sprinkle with parm and mozzarella, let the cheese melt.

Serve with pasta, red sauce and a big green salad!

I know there are a lot of steps, but it doesn't take too long, and it turns out so good!

Italian Turkey Burgers

The other day we were in the mood for turkey burgers, and I decided to give them a different twist. Here is my quick and easy Italian turkey burgers. Perfect sides are steamed green beans and a warm potato dish I made up (recipe below).

Italian Turkey Burgers: Servers 4
1 package of ground turkey (packages are normally 1-1.25 lbs.)
half of a small onion (or quarter of a larger one) diced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1-2 tbsp of Italian seasoning
1 egg whisked
salt & pepper
4 slices of white cheese (muenster, mont. jack, etc.)
4 whole wheat buns

• Combined the first 6 ingredients together (if you have time, put in the fridge for 30 minutes)
• Divide the meat into 4th
• Cook all the way through
• During the last minute or so add one slice of cheese to each burger

Hill's warm bacon, dill, leek, potatoes
3/4-1 pound of red new potatoes (cut in half then sliced)
1-2 leeks (just the light green and white part at the end)
6 slices of center cut bacon (you could use turkey bacon instead)
a couple pinches of dill weed
salt & pepper
1 tbsp of butter or butter substitute

• Boil the potatoes til about half way done (10 minutes or so)
• While potatoes are boiling cook bacon until crisp, drain the pan leaving just about a tsp or so of the bacon grease....crumble bacon
• in the same pan saute leeks until soft
• add in the butter, potatoes, dill, salt & pepper cook until the potatoes are cooked through and start to brown.
• During the last couple minutes of cooking add the bacon back in
• Serve warm

Foodie Friday Pause...cocktail time

Hi All-
Work has been crazy, and I didn't have time to get a recipe together for today. Hopefully I'll get one up at some point this weekend. In the meantime, here is a great cocktail recipe that the a bartender at PF Chang's in Walnut Creek came up with. My mom loved it and asked them how to make it. This cocktail is a sure to be a hit at your next party!

Key Lime Martini:
Vanilla Vodka
Pineapple Juice
Rose's Lime Juice
Ice

In a shaker with ice, combined 4 oz.* vanilla vodka with 6-8 oz. of pineapple juice
Add a couple dashes of lime juice and shake for about 30 seconds.
Strain into martini glasses and enjoy.
You can even pretend that you are in the FL Keys!!

*You can change the vodka to juice ratio to your taste. I don't really ever measure any thing, so the above ounces is a total guess.