Balsamic and Honey Roasted Carrots

Balsamic vinegar and honey is one of those classic combinations, I love it with these carrots.  If I can find them, I like the multi-colored variety, it added a beautiful color to the plate.  Roasting brings out a caramel, almost nutty quality to the carrots and the sweetness of the honey mixed with the subtle bite of the vinegar is terrific.  Don't forget the lemon zest to finish the dish, it's bright punch really makes a difference and elevates the dish.  Enjoy!

serves 4

1# Carrots, washed and cut into 2" pieces

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Lemon zest

1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F

On baking sheet spread out carrots, toss with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Put in hot oven and cook, turning every 15 minutes.  This will take 40-50 minutes, you are looking for the carrots to be just about fork tender.  Carefully remove from oven, drizzle vinegar and honey on carrots and place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle with lemon zest.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper, top with chopped parsley.  Serve and Enjoy!

Salmon with Horseradish, Dill, and Capers

I made this for dinner last night, serving the fish with braised leeks, roasted carrots, and sautéed Swiss Chard.  The mixture of horseradish and caper roasted on top of the fish was excellent.  And, the punch of dill made a very nice compliment.  These are classic flavors for the salmon to drink up.  Enjoy!

makes 4 servings

Sauce-

4 Tbsp. Japanese Mayo (can substitute regular)

2 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, chopped

1 Tsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. fresh Lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Fish-
2# Salmon fillet, skin on
2 Tbsp. prepared Horseradish
3 Tbsp. Capers, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Parsley
3 Tbsp. Olive oil, plus extra for fish
1 Tbsp. chopped Shallots

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400°F

First make the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and hold in refrigerator. (this can be done the night before if you wish)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle a little oil on paper.  Set fish, skin side down on oiled baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and set aside.  In a mixing bowl combine the rest of  the ingredients, mix and top the fish with mixture.  Place fish in hot oven and cook for 10 minutes.  

Now, turn broiler on and carefully move fish to top oven shelf under broiler.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes so top gets a lovely golden brown.  Remove fish, let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with Dill sauce and Enjoy!

Weekly Menu

 Monday-

Roasted Mushrooms, Spinach, and Delicata Squash Pasta

Green Leaf Salad, Creamy Garlic Dressing

Tuesday-

Oregano and Lemon Grilled Chicken

Hummus with Vegetables

Grilled Zucchini Squash

Wednesday –

Oven Roasted Salmon with Capers

Broccoli with Red Onion

Thursday-

Vegetable Chili

Jalapeno Corn Bread with Maple Butter

Friday-

Steak and Red Wine Night

Saturday-

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Chicken

Sweet Potato Fries with Green Onion

Broccoli with Garlic and Parmesan

Sunday-

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs

Grilled Zucchini and Roasted Tomato Vegetable Medley

Baby Green Salad with Sweet Mustard Dressing, Crispy Jalapenos and Onions

Oven Roasted Tilapia with Shrimp and Spinach Stuffing

 serves 4 people

4 Tilapia fillets, rinsed, then dried with paper towel
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Paprika
Salt and white pepper, to taste (black pepper works fine also)
Squeeze Fresh lemon juice
 
Stuffing:
8 oz. Shrimp, peeled and deveined, minced (shells reserved for sauce)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Celery, small diced
2 Tbsp Green Bell pepper, small dice
2 C. firmly packed fresh cleaned spinach
¼ C. white wine
½ C. Fresh breadcrumbs + extra for topping
1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 Tsp. Old Bay seasoning
¼ C. Parmesan
¼ C. Colby Jack cheese
 
Sauce:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Shallot, sliced thin
¼ C. white wine
Shrimp shells from shrimp for stuffing
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 C. clam juice
½ C. butter
Salt and pepper (white pepper if you have), to taste
 
Preheat oven to 400° F.
 
In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add onions, celery, and green pepper.  Sweat until soft, 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute. Increase heat to high and add spinach and wine.  Cook until spinach has wilted and released its liquor.  Continue to cook until most of the liquid has cooked off but spinach is still moist.  Remove from heat and transfer to large mixing bowl.  Stir and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.  Add shrimp and rest of ingredients.  Mix well, reserve on the side.
 
Prepare a large sheet tray with parchment paper on the bottom.  Drizzle some of the olive oil on the paper and lay the fish (dark line of the filet side down) on oiled paper. Season top of the filets with salt and pepper, onion, garlic powder, and the paprika.  Squeeze lemon juice over fish.  Take the stuffing and top each filet with an equal amount.  Gently press stuffing down onto top of fish.  Sprinkle a little extra breadcrumb on each filet and drizzle with olive oil.  Place in hot oven for 20 minutes. Once done and golden brown, remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve with sauce.
 
 
While fish is cooking make your sauce.  In a small saucepan heat oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and shrimp shells, cook until shallots have softened, and shells have turned a ruby pink.  Increase heat to high, add wine and clam juice, reduce by half.  Lower heat to medium and add thyme sprigs and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes. Strain sauce base into new pan, discard solids and over very low heat whisk butter into strained reduction a little at a time making an emulsified sauce.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Reserve sauce on the side warm, do not boil or it will separate. Serve with fish, enjoy!

Oven Roasted Tilapia with Potato Chip Crust, Grilled Summer Vegetables

Though I'd add some crunch to a fish we already love, really enjoyed how it came out.  I then served it on a bed of grilled vegetables that I dressed with a little balsamic vinaigrette, accompanied with a great glass of chilled French Sauvignon Blanc and this just became a go to summer recipe.  Enjoy! 

Serves 4

4 Tilapia fillets
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. each onion powder, garlic powder, paprika
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Vegetable Medley-

1 bunch Swiss Chard, leaves only, stems removed and retained for another day
3 Zucchini squash, washed and sliced into 1" strips length-wise
2 Red Bell Pepper, washed, stem and seeds removed, cut into quarters
12 Cherry Tomatoes, washed and put onto wooden skewers 
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh Lemon Juice
1 clove Garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp. minced green onion
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°

Preheat grill, medium high heat.

Place vegetables on a large rimmed baking pan.  In a small bowl prepare vinaigrette for vegetables.  Put vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic and green onion in a small bowl.  Whisk in oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss vegetables in vinaigrette right on the baking sheet.  Reserve on the side and prep your fish.

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle a little olive oil on the parchment and then place the fish down (rounded side facing up).  Season with spice blend, salt and pepper.  Spread each fillet with some mayonnaise, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with crumbled potato chips.  Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and place in hot oven.  Cook for 20 minutes until fish is done, but still moist.  While fish cooks grill your vegetables.

Take dressed vegetables to the hot grill.  Place all on the grill except the swiss chard and grill until tender, turning often, about 12-15 minutes. The tomatoes will only need about 7-8 minutes  Once zucchini and peppers are almost done, add swiss chard to grill for last 2-3 minutes, turning often.  Remove cooked vegetables and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.  Roughly chop (fork sized bites) everything except the tomatoes, reserve warm.

Once fish is done serve with the vegetables.  I like to plate with grilled vegetables as a bed, fish on top and drizzle each plate with some extra virgin olive oil and a grind of black pepper.  Enjoy!

Restaurant styled Chopped Salad

Last night I put together this salad, which will look like an "everything but the kitchen sink", but it was awesome (if I should say so myself).  I topped it with a  piece of beautifully seared Salmon, delish!! But, you could serve on it's own or any other protein that strikes your fancy.  Be creative and have fun with it, remember it's just salad people!  

Salad mix

2 C. Romain lettuce

2 C. Red leaf lettuce

1/3 C. each of the following;

Red onion, small dice

Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

Pepperoncini’s, stemmed and sliced

Sunflower seeds

French’s fried onions

Cannellini beans, drained and washed

Grape tomatoes, halved

canned beets, small diced

canned artichokes, sliced

Mushrooms, small diced

Fuji Apple, small diced

Dressing

¼ C. rice wine vinegar

Juice of halve fresh Lemon

2 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Capers

1 clove Garlic

1 Tbsp. fresh Parsley

1 Tsp. Oregano

1 Tsp. Dill

1 green onion

2 Tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ C. Olive oil

½ C. Vegetable oil

S&P to taste

Garnish

Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Green onion, sliced thinly

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or large measuring cup, if using a wand mixer.  Process until emulsified and smooth.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Wash lettuces with very cold water and spin dry, chop to desired size.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add other salad ingredients.  Drizzle desired amount of dressing on salad mix and mix well. Plate portions in large bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and green onion (I like lots of fresh ground black pepper).  Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Noodles with Vegetables

So, Mondays are "meatless" in our house and I was feeling like Chinese. If you want this to be truly vegetarian, you can swap out the beef broth for vegeatable broth, water, etc.  This preparation is all about the prep, if you've got everything ready to go ahead of cook time, this goes really quickly.  Obviously, you could easily add other vegetables or any protein of your choice to this and it would be terrific.  I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but the outcome is as good as any Chinese restaurant I've been to.  Enjoy!

4-6 servings

2 Tbsp. Avocado oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 zucchini squash, seeds removed then sliced thinly
1 head broccoli, florets only- cut small

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp lemongrass paste

2 eggs, scrambled, cooked, chopped and cooled
1# spaghetti, cooked al dente then cooled and tossed with drizzle of oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce-

1/2 C. Beef broth
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 C. Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Fish sauce
1 Tbsp Rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 - 2 Tbsp sriracha
1 tsp Dark sesame oil

Garnish-

1/4 C. Chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
Toasted Sesame seeds
3 green onions, sliced thinly
Red chili flakes (optional)

In a large mixing bowl combine all sauce ingredients and reserve to the side.

Place large skillet over medium high heat and add avocado oil.  Once hot add onion, carrot, and celery, cook until they start to turn translucent 4-5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms start to release their liquid.  Now add broccoli, stir and cook until the florets turn vibrant green, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and cook for another minute; add zucchini squash, stir and add reserved sauce.  Let come back to temperature, about a minutre and add noodles, stir to coat well and continue to cook, letting liquid reduce and thicken.  Check broccoli (vegetable needing the longest to get tender) to make sure they are al dente.  Then add chopped scrambled eggs and cilantro, stir to incorporate.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve hot on a platter; top with peanuts, sesame seeds, and green onion.  If you want to kick up the heat add red chili flake and serve.  Enjoy!