Author Archives: Jessica

Salmon Katsu

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Since it’s the new year, I’m going to make an effort to eat fish at least once a week, and though it maybe fried, it is in fact, fish for dinner! This is always a go to dinner when I want something quick without a fuss, and if you don’t like salmon, you can always make this with boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, or tilapia or flounder fillets. I serve it with katsu sauce, and this past time I tried ponzu as well, and I still like the katsu sauce the best. A bok-choy salad with Asian dressing, and a boil-in-bag of white rice goes great along side!

For the salmon:

  • 2 lbs salmon, skin removed and cut into 1 inch strips
  • 1 cup panko
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • dash pepper

To prepare fish, fill a large skillet 1/3 full with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the panko in one medium mixing bowl, and beat 2 eggs in another. When the oil is hot, dip salmon the beaten egg, then the panko. Fry in batches of four at a time, about 1 to 2 minutes per side until salmon is firm. Place on a paper towel lined plate.

To prepare sauce, pour all ingredients for sauce in a small mixing bowl. Serve along side the salmon. Eat it while it’s hot!

Easy Beef Wellington

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A Christmas Eve tradition, (and whenever else I feel like it! ) I’ve tried making traditional Beef Wellington, and I wasn’t very happy with the outcome or the time and effort it took. This recipe uses steaks so everyone gets their own little bundle of goodness, and the internal temperature can be adjusted for those that like their steaks well done, AND it’s easy!

  • 3 tenderloin steaks, cut 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Bring the steaks to room temperature and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the steaks on all sides, about 45 seconds per side (for medium doneness. Adjust searing time for internal temperature preference). Remove from the skillet to a plate. Cover the steaks with foil and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onions to the skillet and cook until soft. Stir in mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally about 15 minutes, until any liquid has been cooked out of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Add heavy cream, and cook until mushroom mixture forms a paste. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool while preparing puff pastry.

On a lightly floured suface, roll out a sheet of the thawed puff pastry. Cut away one- third of the puff pastry sheet and set aside. You should have a sheet of pastry in the shape of a rectangle. Place one of the steaks, centered, about 2 inches from the bottom of the puff pastry sheet. Cover the top and sides of the steak with 1/3 of the mushroom mixture. Pull the top of the pastry sheet down firmly so it covers the steak, and cut away any excess dough so it will take the shape of a circle. Press ends together to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry. Lay the 2 remaining 1/3 pieces of dough together, and press edges together to form another piece of pastry for the remaining steak.

Brush the tops of the “wellingtons” with the beaten egg. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with roasted asparagus and a glass of red!

Chicken Liver Pate

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And don’t turn your nose up! This isn’t fried chicken livers, or liver and onions, or any of that. This is really good stuff! I don’t like any of the above mentioned and have been known to leave the room if I even smell it, but for some reason, ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved pate! This is made even better with the addition of crushed pistachio nuts and heavy cream. If you’ve always wanted to try pate, this is the recipe for you! Very easy, and inexpensive! 

  • 1 lb chicken livers
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup water
  •  1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp sherry
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

In a medium saucepan, combine livers, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove livers, onion, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper, then add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, blending well between each addition. Add sherry, heavy cream, and pistachios, and blend until well combined. Spoon pate into 2 ramekins and top each with a layer of melted butter. Cover tightly and let refrigerate for 4 hours up to over night. Serve with toasted French bread slices, or crackers.

Death-By-Chicken Chili

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This is my most favorite chili of all time! It uses a whopping 4 pounds of chicken! I’m not sure when or how I came up with this recipe, I’ve been making it for so long, but I know I’ve changed it several times and it keeps getting better! The seasoning measurements are approximate, so feel free to adjust to your taste!

I roast Poblano peppers to dice up and throw in there, but if you don’t want to go through the trouble, canned diced green chilies can be substituted, but I think the flavor of the home-roasted Poblanos takes this chili to another level!

  • 1 12 oz bottle low-sodium garlic and lime marinade
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 lbs ground chicken
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
  • 3 Poblano peppers, roasted, seeded, and chopped (See Below)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp cilantro
  • 2 tsp white pepper
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 15 oz cans Cannellini beans
  • 1 recipe for Salsa Verde (Click Here) or, 1 16 oz jar store bought Salsa Verde
  • 32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place chicken breasts in a ziplock bag and pour in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours up to overnight.

To roast peppers, place on a foil lined baking sheet, and place under the broiler in the oven, turning to char on all sides. Remove peppers from the oven and place in a paper bag. Close bag, and let peppers rest 20 minutes. Peel skin from peppers, remove seeds and stems. Rinse peppers, and pat dry. Chop peppers, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place marinaded chicken breasts on a greased, foil lined baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

In a large stockpot, crumble ground chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally,  over medium-high heat, until chicken is cooked through. Drain any fat from the pan. Add onions, jalapenos, chopped Poblanos, and garlic. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft. Add cumin, oregano, cilantro, white pepper, and cayenne pepper, and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in beans, salsa verde, and chicken broth. Reduce heat, cover and simmer.
Remove chicken breasts from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Cut into bite size pieces and stir in to chili. Let chili simmer for an additional 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir in shredded cheese until well blended. Serve with additional cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips!

Skippy’s Southwestern Breakfast Bake

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My hubby and his buddies camp out every year at Daytona for the Rolex 24. It’s 24 hours of watching cars go fast, enjoying libations, and most importantly, eating. Last year, our good friend Skippy brought this casserole to have for breakfast , and my hubby brought back the recipe. It’s a hardy breakfast best enjoyed after a long night, but will also impress any Holiday house guests that maybe looking for a great breakfast from a wonderful host. It can be a bit on the spicy side, so for the not-so-big-a-fan of heat first thing in the morning, use mild Rotel and unseasoned hashbrowns.

  • 1 20 oz package refrigerated Southwestern flavor hashbrowns
  • 1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 10 oz can Rotel
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 lb cooked, crumbled sausage
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups Cornflakes
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine first seven ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish.

Mix together cornflakes and melted butter. Spread evenly on top of hashbrown mixture and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Super Quick Lemon Garlic Salmon

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This time of year, everyone’s running round, Christmas shopping, and spreading Holiday cheer, leaving little time for a healthy dinner. This dish is ready in 20 minutes and not only fast, but a lot better for you than that drive thru meal you think is all you have time for.

This does require marinating time, but that can be done over night or before you head into work, so all you need do is take it out of the marinade and throw it in the oven. While the salmon bakes, you’ll have plenty of time to fix a box of pasta or slice up some zucchini and cook with a little garlic and butter, or both like I did!

  • 4  8 oz salmon fillets, skin removed
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp Lemon Pepper seasoning
  • 1 12 oz bottle Lemon Pepper marinade

In a mixing bowl, combine marinade, olive oil, garlic, and seasoning, and mix well. Place salmon in a large ziplock bag, and pour marinade mixture over fillets. Press air out of bag, and seal. Let marinate for at least 4 hours up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Place fillets about 2 inches apart on baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with veggies, and olive oil and herb seasoned pasta. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Pie

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Years ago, we had a restaurant in town called “The American Cafe”. They had these pasta dishes called “Pasta Pies” and of the three they sold, this was my second favorite! (My first being the Smoked Chicken.) Since it’s been way too long since my last Pasta Pie fix, I decided to create my own! It’s an easy recipe, but has several steps that make you feel like it takes a while, but you’ll find the end result well worth it!

 

For the sauce:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp parsley
  • 1 tbsp basil
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 6 oz water

For the chicken:

  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cutlets
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp water
  • 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup flour
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 12 oz Penne pasta
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare the sauce first. In a stock pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt. Let cook 10 minutes until onions are soft. mix in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, seasonings, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a slight bubble. Reduce heat, cover and simmer while preparing the chicken.

In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil to a height of 1 inch, and heat on medium high. Set up a frying station; breadcrumbs in one bowl, beaten eggs and 1 tsp water in another, and flour in a large zip lock bag. 

Place chicken cutlets in the bag with the flour and shake well to coat the chicken. Take cutlets, one at a time, and dip in egg mixture, coating well, then dredge in breadcrumbs. Fry cutlets two at a time until golden brown and center is firm, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate to cool for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
While chicken is cooling, cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Stir pasta into sauce. Cut cooked chicken into bite size pieces and stir into pasta. Pour pasta into a greased 13×9 inch casserole pan. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and bake, uncovered for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted on top. Serve with a salad! 

Mexican Meatball Soup (Albondigas Soup)

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That’s it! I’m done! No more turkey for a year! After a full week of turkey salad sandwiches and turkey alfredo, it’s time for something beefy! I love this soup! It’s great comfort food! I call it Mexican Meatball Soup, so if anyone asks what I’m cooking for dinner, they’ve got an idea of what’s in it. Look on the internet and you’ll find many versions of this recipe, but like my other dishes, this one is as simple as you can get!  I like to serve this with cheese quesadillas to scoop up the chunks of tomato!

For the meatballs:

  • 1 1/2 lb ground sirloin
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tsp minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • salt
  • pepper

For the soup:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cilantro
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 64 oz beef broth
  • 16 oz medium Picante sauce
  • 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 3/4 cup white uncooked rice

To make the soup, heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook 10 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano, cilantro, salt and pepper, beef broth, tomatoes, and Picante sauce. Bring to just a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer while making meatballs.

To make the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients listed above in a large mixing bowl, and mix well. Shape into bite size meatballs, about a 1/2 inch in diameter. The easiest way to do this is by rolling them out into a log then cut that into even pieces, then roll up. Drop meatballs into simmering broth and stir. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Stir in rice, then continue cooking for 25 more minutes, stirring occasionally, so rice doesn’t stick. Serve with quesadillas! Enjoy!

“Man Approved” Quiche

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Real men do eat quiche! Especially when it’s loaded with bacon, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, and cheese! Since it was the day before Thanksgiving, I wanted to cook something light, and not spend too long in the kitchen since I would be cooking for hours the next day. This recipe uses refrigerated pie crust, so it’s very easy to prepare. Just serve with a pre-washed salad blend from the store, and you’ve got tasty meal!

  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces, rough ends removed
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pepper
  • 1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup half & half
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
  • dash nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

While onions cook, unroll pie crust into a greased 9 inch pie plate or flan dish. Pierce dough with a fork in several places in the bottom and sides to keep crust from bubbling up while baking. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes.

Stir in asparagus and mushrooms with onions, and cook until asparagus is slightly softened, then stir in bacon, and simmer 5 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs until well beaten, then whisk in half & half. Add a sprinkle of salt, about 2 turns of a pepper grinder, and nutmeg (if desired).

Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the baked crust, then spoon veggies evenly on top, the sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over cheese and veggies. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned, and center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy! (We sure did! :))

French Onion Soup With Stuffed French Loaf

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A few years ago, I was lucky enough to travel to Paris with my “adoptive” sisters. It was October, it was cold, and rained two out of 3 days we were there. On a trip to Versailles, we stopped at a little cafe just outside of the palace gates, and Lori ordered classic French Onion Soup, (though I think the menu said “onion soup”) but now, anytime it’s cold and rainy, I crave this soul-warming treat!

Whenever I serve a homemade soup as a main course, I usually serve this stuffed French Loaf along side, as it’s quick and makes the perfect size sandwich for dipping! I used ham and Swiss cheese this time, but depending on the soup, I’ll change the meat and cheese to better pair with the soup.

For Soup:

  • 2 large white onions, sliced
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 32 oz container beef broth
  • 15 oz can chicken broth
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup red wine (I used a Cab from Sonoma)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 4 slices French bread, cut 1/2 inch thick, and toasted
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 4 slices mozzarella cheese

In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until onions are carmelized.

Add broths, garlic, red wine, vinegar, soy sauce, parsley, and thyme. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 30 minutes more.

Ladel soup evenly between 4 oven proof bowls. Top each with a slice of toast, and a slice each of mozzarella, then Swiss. Place bowls on a baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese has melted, and is browned on top. Serve with slices of stuffed French loaf.

For Stuffed French Loaf:

  • 1 can refrigerated French loaf
  • 1/4 lb thin sliced ham
  • 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 green onions, chopped ( optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap French loaf from packaging, and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Find the seam and gently unroll loaf until it’s flat. Spread mustard on dough, leaving 1/4 inch on all sides. Place sliced ham in a single layer, and evenly sprinkle cheese on top of ham. Sprinkle with onions , if desired. Gently roll up loaf, place on greased baking sheet. Pinch ends together to keep cheese in, and cut 5 small slits in the top of loaf. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let loaf sit for 5 minutes before slicing into 1 inch sandwiches. Enjoy!