Category Archives: Lent

May 30, 2011 · 2:18 pm

Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce

I love poached salmon because it is really hard to mess up. You can not dry out poached salmon…it will be moist and tasty no matter what.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
4 salmon fillets (4 ounces each)

Sauce:
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash hot pepper sauce

Instructions:
In a large nonstick skillet, combine the water, wine, onion and celery. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add salmon and poach, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until fish is firm and flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Serve with salmon.

Did I change anything? I cooked all of the fish, but it was too much for us to eat so I am going to save the rest of it for salmon salad later on this week.

What did the family think? Hubby and I were the only ones who ate the salmon. The boys had fish sticks…fish nuggets to be exact.

Where did this recipe come from? Taste of Home

photo from Taste of Home

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Filed under Easy, Fish, Lent

May 24, 2011 · 12:01 pm

Almond Encrusted Fish

No more fish sticks (even the really good for the environment/made out of real fish ones) for our kids. We took the leap tonight and we all ate fish.

Ingredients:
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 or 3 more tablespoons for cooking the fish
1 1/2 lbs pounds white fish (I used cod, but something like tilapia or grouper would work as well)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped into small bits or crushed in food processor
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients:
Pour the white wine and 1 tablespoon of cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook gently until it is reduced by half.

Meanwhile mix together the almonds, breadcrumbs, and cheese in a shallow dish.

Next, coat the fish with the egg and then transfer it to the almond mixture. With dry hands coat the fish thoroughly with the almonds, breadcrumbs, and cheese.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a non-stick sauté pan (if you have one) and set it over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the fish and cook it for several minutes on each side adding more butter if necessary to keep the coating “wet”. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired and cover with a lid.

While the fish is cooking check on the wine. Once it has been reduced by half add 1 more tablespoon of cream and then 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk the sauce together and keep it warm until the fish is ready.

Once the fish is flaky in the middle it is ready to be served. Whisk the sauce one more time and then pour it on top. Enjoy!

We had this with a salad and a baguette.

Did I change anything? One pound of fish was not enough for our family of four, so I bought a little more.

What did the family think? They ate it! Our youngest, of course, insisted he eat his with ketchup. Whatever, he ate it.

Where did this recipe come from? 100 Days of Real Food

from 100 Days of Real Food

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Filed under Everybody Ate It, Fish, Lent

May 16, 2011 · 8:36 am

Cajun Orange Glazed Salmon

Sunday is usually fish night at our house which usually means salmon. I am always looking for new tasty ways to prepare it and this one from Aggie’s Kitchen was not a disappointment and was pretty easy too.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions:
Combine Cajun seasoning, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Rub over both sides of fillets.

Saute fillets in oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Cover and continue to cook turning occasionally.

Blend marmalade and lime juice; swirl in skillet until melted. Carefully turn fish to glaze on all sides. The salmon is done when it begins to flake when tested with a fork.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked it. The boys had fish sticks.

photo from Aggie’s Kitchen

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Fish, Lent

May 15, 2011 · 10:06 pm

French Toast Bake

I picked up this recipe recently at our grocery store knowing that eventually I would need it. This weekend both sets of grandparents were in town for our oldest child’s First Communion, so before church we had a Mother’s Day/First Communion brunch and this recipe was a huge hit.

Ingredients:
12 (1 inch) slices of day old French bread
5 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup-2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh

Instructions:
Arrange bread in a greased pan (about 13×9).

In a bowl mix eggs and milk. Then add 3/4 cup brown sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Pour mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove bread from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Combine melted butter and remaining sugar and drizzle over top. Sprinkle with blueberries.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.

Did I change anything? The recipe called for 1 cup chopped pecans which I left out.

What did the family think? It was so tasty and the blueberries on it made it look pretty too. It was a great addition to our special feast.

Photo by Me

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Filed under Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Vegetarian

April 25, 2011 · 2:18 pm

Jessica Seinfeld’s Scrambled Eggs

We had a few days off of school last week, so with lazy mornings often comes “fancier” breakfasts. In other words, not waffles or cereal. I hadn’t tried Jessica Seinfeld’s egg recipe yet and I just happened to have everything I needed in the fridge.

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup cauliflower puree *recipe below…super easy…if you don’t have (or don’t want to make it) then leave it out
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Pinch of salt
Nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, sour cream, cauliflower puree, Parmesan and salt.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then set the pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil.

Add the egg mixture, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are scrambled—firm but nice and moist—2 to 3 minutes.

Cauliflower Puree
Boil a bag of frozen cauliflower per the directions on the package, but cook it longer than it says because you want the cauliflower to be super soft. Put cooked cauliflower in a food processor or a blender. Blend until pureed…you may need to add a little water to it. Voila!

What did the family think? Only two of us were in the mood for eggs this morning, but they were really good.

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Lent, Vegetarian

· 2:07 pm

Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs

We pretty much only eat eggs that are scrambled around here. Occasionally I can sneak some hard-boiled eggs into the line-up, but that is rare. So, I have been toying with some variations on the scrambled egg. My mom used to always make scrambled eggs like this and I LOVED them…they aren’t super fancy, but they sure are good.

Ingredients:
Eggs
Cream Cheese

Instructions:
Scramble eggs in a skillet as you normally would. When eggs are just about done stir in about 1/2 tsp. of cream cheese per egg and stir until melted. You can always add more or less depending on your preferences.

What did the family think? YUM!

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

April 22, 2011 · 9:14 am

Springtime Lunchbox Wrap

My hubby takes his lunch to work about 99% of the time and since he doesn’t like to take leftovers, that really limits what can go in his lunchbox. He has probably been eating a turkey and cheese wrap practically every day for the past five years. He has been toying with some other options and was looking for a vegetarian alternative as well, so he came up with this and it is mighty good.

Ingredients:
Sandwich wrap, we have been using spelt…whole wheat would be good too
Hummus-any flavor, we have been using roasted red pepper
Lettuce or spinach leaves
Cucumber, sliced
Shredded Carrots

Instructions:
Spread the hummus on the wrap and then pile on the toppings making sure not to add too much so that you can actually roll it up.

What did the family think? Hubby and I have been having these for lunch all this week and they are so good. I think I also like them because they are light and “springy” and I love how different foods start making their way onto our plates as spring and summer arrive.

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Filed under Easy, Lent, Sandwich, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

April 18, 2011 · 8:41 am

French Bread Pizza

This is just something I threw together because the boys seem to think that French Bread Pizza day in the school lunchroom is THE best thing ever. I wanted to show them what French Bread Pizza is supposed to look like because the ones they are serving at school look like charred bricks.

Ingredients:
Loaf of French bread
Italian seasoning (optional)
1 jar pizza or spaghetti sauce
Favorite Pizza toppings
Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut bread in half so it looks like a hot dog bun. I then cut it into smaller rectangular pieces so that I could make individual pizzas.

I sauteed some Italian sausage and peppers together. While that was cooking I sprinkled Italian seasoning on each piece of bread and spread pizza sauce on top of that. I then topped some of the bread pieces with the Italian sausage/pepper mixture and cheese and then the others I just sprinkled with cheese.

We had this with strawberries and salad.

What did the family think? Well, I made the Italian sausage pizzas for me and hubby and the cheese ones for the boys, but when the boys saw the Italian sausage ones THOSE were the ones they wanted. Luckily, there was enough of those for everyone and everyone was happy.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

April 15, 2011 · 9:33 am

Creamy (Chicken) Spaghetti Casserole

This was a super duper huge hit at our house! No complaining whatsoever and even a few folks who went back for seconds. You could easily leave out the chicken in this and add more mushrooms or some zucchini and make it a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:
1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken (or leftover chicken)
1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced (I used zucchini instead)
¼ cups Dry White Wine
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
3 cups Chicken Broth (reserved From Chicken Or Canned)
1-½ cup Whole Milk
¼ cups (additional) Dry White Wine
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Whole Black Olives, Chopped-make sure you buy the ones that are already chopped/diced
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Instructions:
Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has totally evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly.

Did I change anything? My family does not do mushrooms and this recipes calls for A LOT of them, so I used chopped up zucchini instead. I also used about 1/2 the olives it calls for. Also, next time I will probably use macaroni noodles instead just so it will be easier to eat.

What did the family think? Everyone loved it!!! Our oldest even asked it I would pack the leftovers in his lunch for the next day.

from The Pioneer Woman

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Vegetarian

April 14, 2011 · 4:04 pm

Crockpot Country (Hamburger) Lentil Soup

Hubby found this recipe and thought it would be good on baseball nights since when the boys have a game we don’t get home until pretty late. He was right…it was perfect after we got home from sitting through a pretty chilly baseball game…it was warm and it was ready to eat. This could also easily be made without the hamburger too if you are looking for a vegetarian option.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
8 ounces lean ground beef, turkey or chicken (browned)
3 ounces celery, thinly sliced (3 stalks)
3 ounces baby carrots, thinly slieced (good-sized handful)
1/2 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups broth (I used chicken broth.)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 -2 bay leaves

Instructions:
Brown ground beef.

Combine all ingredients in 4-5qt crock pot.

Cook on low at least 10 hours or high for 6 hours.

Remove bay leaves before serving.

What did the family think? The boys didn’t eat this since I fed them early because of the baseball game (and because I knew they wouldn’t like this…the only soup they like is miso soup and an occasional chicken noodle). Hubby and I liked it though and it was nice after sitting in the cold for two hours.

from food.com

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Filed under Easy, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Stew/Soup, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian