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.

Potato Leek Soup

I bought myself an early birthday present, and emulsion blender (AKA a hand held blender.) It is so great, and I've had so much fun making smoothies, soups and milkshakes with out having to bring out the big blender! So, with that being said, I figured I'd spread the love with my version of Potato Leek Soup!

Potato Leek Soup

1 medium yellow onion
3 leeks (white and light green parts)
1 tbsp garlic
2 medium baking potatoes peeled and cut in half then in small slices
1 box of low sodium chicken stalk (I think it's about 36 oz.)
1/4-1/2 cup of half and half
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
olive oil

• In a large pot over med-high heat saute the onions and leeks in olive oil until soft
• Add garlic and cook for another couple minutes
• Add potatoes
• Add bay leaves
• Add chicken stock and bring to a boil
• Once the potatoes are cooked through (fork tender) take out the bay leaves and take the pot off of the heat
• Use your emulsion blender (or regular blender) to make the soup the consistency you desire
• Add half and half and simmer for about 10 minutes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with chopped chives or green onion on top

Pair with a salad and garlic bread, and you've got dinner!

Tamale Enchilada Corn Bread Casserole

Alright, so this dish has had many names, and I still haven't decided the most fitting name for it. You can call it what ever you want, I call it Yummy! One of my old co-workers gave me the idea, and I turned it into my own. It feeds about 8 people, so it's great on a get together night.

Enchilada Corn Bread Casserole
*pre heat oven to 350*
About 1 lb. ground turkey or low-fat ground beef
1 green pepper (diced)
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 14 oz. canned corn (no salt added) drained and rinsed
1 14oz. can of black beans drained and rinsed
1 can (10-12 oz) of red enchilada sauce
1 14 oz. can of diced stewed tomatoes (any kind. I like the one with jalapenos)
6 oz. of chopped olives (green, black or combo chopped or sliced)

Topper: One box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix. Use directions on the back, just like you were making muffins. You can make my jalapeno corn bread mix for this too (see earlier post.)

• In a pan, saute pepper and onion
• Add the ground meat and brown
• Once the meat is cooked add the rest of the ingredients bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes
• Pour mixture into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray
• Evenly pour the corn bread mix over the top
• Cook for 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven)
• At the end of baking sprinkle the dish with shredded cheese (I like a Mexican Mix) Place back in the oven to melt the cheese.

Serve with sour cream and salsa!
This dish is great left over.

Southwest Turkey Burgers & Oven Pom Frites

Get ready for bbq season with this great alternative to regular hamburgers. I love this recipe. It is my version of a recipe I saw on 30 Minute Meals. You can also cook these on the stove top in a pan or on an inside grill!

Southwest Turkey Burgers
1-1.25 pounds of ground turkey
half of a red bell pepper diced
1/4 cup of red onion diced
if you like a little heat add diced jalapeno to taste (fresh or from a jar)
1 egg white
salt & pepper to taste
dash of chili powered and cumin
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 wheat hamburger buns

Combined all ingredients and make into four patties
Cook until completely cooked through (about 7 minutes per side)
Add the pepper jack cheese during the last minute of cooking

Chipotle Lime Mayo
about 1/4 cup of mayo (I use Smart Balance)
a couple dashes of chipotle hot sauce (Tabasco makes a great one)
a dash of lime juice (fresh or from the lime shaped plastic tube!)
**I make the mayo ahead of time and let the flavors combined in the fridge

Oven Pom Frites (aka Fries)
Pre Heat the Oven to 425
1-2 baking potato(s) (about a pound)
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
salt

Quarter the potato then cut slices about 1/8 of an inch tick (or whatever you prefer)
In a large bowl
Mix cut potatoes, olive oil, salt, garlic and steak seasoning
toss well and spread out on a baking sheet
cook for about 20-30 minutes flipping the fries over as needed

Make a green salad on the side and you're good to go!

PS Sorry I missed foodie Friday last week!

Blackend Mahi Tacos

I love fish tacos (well all tacos for that matter) this is a great receipt that adds a different kind of spice to your fish tacos.....blackening seasoning. I use one that I get at our local flea market, but there are several good brands out there or you can make your own.

The following serves 4

Blackened Mahi Tacos
2 large mahi mahi fillets (about a pound total)
1 green pepper julienned
1 red pepper (orange or yellow would work too) julienned
1 medium yellow onion julienned
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded jack cheese
blackening seasoning
olive oil
sour cream and salsa to top tacos

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat
Cover fish in blackened seasoning on both sides
Cover pan with Olive Oil then place the fish in the pan, cook 6-8 minutes on each side
In another pan, heat to medium add a bit of OO, once hot, add the veggies add salt & pepper and cook til soft
Once the fish is done flake with a fork
Each person can make their own tacos: I like to heat the tortilla's on the stove
Place a tablespoon or so of the fish and veggies in the tortilla
Top with sour cream, salsa & cheese

I normally serve the tacos with black beans and chips & guacamole (see past post for receipt)
If you like a little bit more heat, you can add jalapeno to your peppers and onion mix

If you're feeling adventurous, here is what you need to make your own Blackened Seasoning
***Diana Rattray from about.com
2 teaspoons ground paprika
4 teaspoons dried leaf thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to your taste
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wasabi Tuna

Since I will be in Amsterdam tomorrow and not near a computer, this is the first addition of Foodie Thursday!

Wasabi Soy Almond Tuna:
1 piece of sushi grade tuna per person
1 oz. chopped Wasabi Soy Almonds per tuna steak (I used my mini cuisinart)
2 tbsp. EV olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
salt, pepper & soy sauce
*Very Teriyaki

• Heat a non-stick pan over med-high heat add oil and butter
• While the pan is heating salt & pepper tuna steaks then add a little soy sauce to each side
• In a pie tin spread out the chopped almonds coat both sides of the tuna with the almonds
• Cook tuna to your liking 60 second to 2.5 minutes on each side
• *Once the tuna is done to your liking while it rests drizzle warmed Soy Veah (SP?) Very Teriyaki. You don't have to do this step, but it made for a great complement to the almonds!

I served the tuna with Edamame and whole grain sesame rice

I don't know what's up with blogspot, but I can't spell check or upload pictures right now. I wanted to put a picture of the almonds. I guess I'll just try and add it when I get back. The brand of Almonds I used was Blue Diamond (I found them at Target Super Store.)

Marquis Philips

Marquis Philips is a team an Australian wine maker and an American Importer. I had the pleasure of meeting Dan Philips at a wine tasting in Winter Park, Florida a couple of years ago. All of the Marquis Philips wines are good, but Sarah's Blend is my favoriate under $20. You can normally find the 2006 for under $15 and the 2004 for under $20. (As usual, in Memphis you'll pay about $3 more per bottle.)

All the the grapes are grown at the Marquis vinyards in Southeast Australia. This food can stand alone after dinner or is great with bbq'd burgers or steak. This deep crimson colored wine has a Wine Advocate rating of 91.

Sarah's Blend is made of: Syrah, Cavernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabrenet Franc

Chicken Marsala

Last night I made Chicken Marsala for the first time, and it turned out great. Here is my version of the recipe.

4 chicken cutlets (boneless skinless pounded thin)
half cup dry Marsala Wine (for those of you who don't drink, the alcohol cooks off)
1 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup of water with one chicken bullion cube)
8 oz. of baby bella mushrooms
about a half cup of flour
salt & pepper
a pinch of the following; garlic powder, chili powder, dried thyme and oregano
3 tbsp butter (or butter substitute)
2 tbsp olive oil

In a pie tin or glass add flour and all spices listed
Salt and pepper the chicken and put in the flour mix, make sure both sides are totally covered
Put olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a pan over med-high heat, once the pan is warm and butter is melted, add the chicken.
Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, then take them out and put them on a plate to rest
Add 1 more tbsp of butter then add the mushrooms. Let them cook down
Once the mushrooms are soft and brown, add a little salt and pepper then add in the Marsala (be sure to deglaze the pan)
Once the alcohol has cooked off and reduced a bit, add chicken stock bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and place the chicken back in the pan
Let everything combined for about 5 minutes, if your sauce looks to thin, add a little more flour

I served the chicken with a simple pasta and steamed broccoli on the side. I used elbow pasta and added butter and parmesan cheese. You could make any type of pasta you like or have on hand.

*I normally use Barilla Plus pasta and I used a combo of butter and Smart Balance Light

Happy Foodie Friday

Super Bowl Friday

It's Super Bowl time, so I thought for Foodie Friday I'd share a couple of great game day snacks!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (a recipe from my mother-in-law Judy)
16 oz. cream cheese (I use and light/fat free combo)
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup buffalo sauce (Frank's or any other brand) *if you don't like it spicy use a bit less
2 cups cooked chicken - chopped
3/4-1 cup cheddar cheese

• Pre Heat overn for 350
• In a sauce pan, mix cream cheese, celery and buffalo sauce until cheese is soft and smooth
• Add chicken and 3/4 of the cheddar cheese mix well
• Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish
• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
• Bake for 30 minutes

Serve with fresh bread, tortilla chips, cracker or celery

My Guacamole
2 ripe avacados
1 tbsp. red onion
1 small vine ripe tomato (seeded, washed and diced)
1 tbsp. sour cream
hot sauce
chili powder
garlic powder
salt & pepper
lime juice

• Combind avacados with a dash or two of garlic powder, chili powder, salt & pepper and hot sauce to taste
• Add the sourcream and mix all ingrediance together until it's the consistancy you like
• Add onion and tomato
• Sqeeze in fresh lime juice or one dash of lime juice from the bottle
• Place the pit of one of the avacados in the dip. Chill for at least 1 hour

**if you don't want to use onion or tomato, or don't have it on hand, you can use a table spoon or so of your favoriate salsa

Fuego, Fuego

Garnacha de Fuego; This wine is on my "hot" list. 2006 Spanish reds are hard to beat. This wine received a 89 rating and has hints of rich cherry, plumb and a light pepper back end! (yes back end :) de Fuego is not only on the top of my list, but Shawn's too. We had a bottle last weekend and were reminded just how great wine under $11 can be. For those of you on the west coast, you can probably find it under $10. Here is Memphis we always have to pay a premium due to good ole boy laws set in the southern dark ages!

This wine is great with anything, we had it with tuna steaks. You won't be disappointed!

Foodie Friday, Hillary's Chili & Jalapeno Corn Bread

Alright, I'm coming out strong on my first Foodie Friday. This is a recipe that I've been making since the 7th grade. I think that was 1991 or '92. Over the years, and as my taste buds have grown, I've added more heat. I will put more mild options on the side for those of you who don't like your food super spicy!

Hillary's Chili:
1 24 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 14 oz. cans of dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 14 oz. cans of jalapeno stewed tomatoes (you can also use Mexican or green chili stewed for a more mild flavor)
1 lb. lean ground beef (you can sub turkey, but I think gb is best)
1 med-large yellow onion diced
1 med-large green pepper diced
2 tbsp. olive oil (I use EVOO)
1 package chili powder
hot sauce to taste

• In a large soup pot over med-high, put oil in the pot then add the onion and green pepper. Saute until soft, 7-10 minutes.
• Add ground beef and cook until the meat is fully cooked (at this point I like to add a little salt, pepper, a dash of hot sauce and a little of the chili powder I think it's important that the meat is well seasoned)
• Once meat is fully cooked, drain if necessary (many of the low fat meats cook off the little fat that is there and you don't need to drain)
• Put the meat back into the pot and add the rest of the ingredients
• Simmer for at least an hour & add chili powder and hot sauce to your taste

**serve with shredded cheese and sour cream is desired!

NOTE: Once everything is warm together on the stove, you can put the chili in a crock pot on warm and let it sit the entire day!

My take on Jalapeno Corn Bread (Muffins)

• 1 package of Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
• 1 egg
• 1 small can of creamed corn
• 2 tbsp. jalapenos from the jar chopped(plus a splash of the jalapeno juice)
• about 1/8 cup yellow onion chopped
• about 1/8 cup of shredded Mexican style cheese
• milk to add for consistency
• Follow the directions on the back of the package for cooking time (muffins)
• Add all ingredients into a large bowl and combined (the mix will be a bit lumpy, but add milk to make it the right consistency for you)
• Fill muffin tins about half way and cook according to the directions on the box. My gas oven normally takes about 15-17 minutes!
• Enjoy right out of the oven with a little butter or other buttery spread

Here's to Espana & Borsao

For my first wine post, I thought it would be fitting to tell you about my "go to" wine. Borsao 2006 is a great red wine from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. I am in love with Spanish reds, and will be telling you about many more in the near future. In my opinion, this red is prefect for every occasion, and you can normally find it for UNDER $9!! When I first started drinking this wine it was $6.99, I think the wine stores in Memphis have caught on to the demand for it and have upped the price just a tad. Overall, the wine is light and a tad fruity with a hint of spice. The Blend: is 80% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo. Enjoy!

First post.............."End of the Road"

Ok, so most of you know that Monday was MLK Day. Well here in Memphis, where his tragic and untimely assassination took place, we take the day pretty seriously. The Memphis Grizzlies held their 6th annual MLK Day celebration. The game and events were televised on TNT. They honored two NBA stars for their work in civil and human rights. This year's recipients were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Lanier.

Now on to the most exciting part. Boyz II Men sang the National Anthem and did a three song medley at half time! I barley made it to my seat in time for the Anthem. The group might be down one member, but their harmonies were as tight as ever. I remember going to the Boyz II Men, MC Hammer & TLC show in the early 90's. I loved them then, and I loved them Monday night.

As you can see, they looked pretty dapper in their black (matching mind you) pinstriped suits. It was great to see one of my favorite boy bands of the 90's do their thing at a Grizzlies game!

For those of you who'd like the "set list" The Boyz started with two 4-Tops songs "Same Old Song" & "Reach Out." Once that song and dance, yes choreographed dance, was over they did an great acappella (sp? anyone? google doesn't like this word at all) version of "End of the Road." (Hence the blog name :)

Thanks Shawn for bringing Boyz II Men to Memphis! They were great!

Food, Music & Wine

I decided to create a branch off my regular blog, to write about things other then the day to day, or month to month of our life in Memphis. I'll use this sight to keep you up to date on the music I'm listing to, concerts I'm going to, my favorite wines and of course recipes.

Hill