Spinach-Stuffed Sole For Dinner

 Spinach-Stuffed Sole 

Serves 2

Ingredients

Stuffing

1/2 cup cooked, chopped spinach 

2 tablespoons cream cheese 

1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic1

½ teaspoon dried minced onion

/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Ground black pepper, to taste

Fish 

2 lemon sole or  flounder) fillets, each 5 -6 ounces

2 teaspoons butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil.

Combine the stuffing ingredients in a mall mixing bowl.

Place the sole fillets in the prepared baking dish. 

Place half of the spinach mixture in the middle of each fillet and roll up. Place the rolled fillets seam-side down in the baking dish.

Top each fillet with a teaspoon of butter. Bake until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife,12-15 minutes.

Transfer to individual plates and serve immediately.

Serve with Mac & Cheese and Baked Zucchini 

Easy Baked Zucchini 

Ingredients

1 zucchini trimmed and cut lengthwise into 8 sticks

Extra virgin olive oil 

Topping:

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon thyme leaves 

¼ teaspoon  garlic powder 

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon sweet paprika 

¼ black pepper

pinch  of salt

½ teaspoons. kosher salt

Directions 

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the grated Parmesan, thyme, and spices until well combined.

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil. Lightly brush with olive oil (or use a healthy cooking spray.) Arrange the zucchini sticks, skin-side down, on the baking rack and brush each zucchini stick with extra virgin olive 

Sprinkle the Parmesan-thyme topping on each zucchini stick

Bake in heated oven for 15 minutes or until tender. Then, for a golden crispy topping, broil for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Easy Stone Top Macaroni & Cheese

6-8 servings

Ingredients

16 oz elbow or shell macaroni

5 cups whole milk [reconstituted powdered whole milk also works well]

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup diced Velveeta cheese

½ cup butter, unsalted 

½ teaspoon dried  ground mustard

Salt to taste

Directions

 

In a Dutch oven add milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Add dried macaroni and 1 teaspoon salt. cook until al dente.  Most of the milk will be absorbed by the pasta.

Make sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking or burning on the bottom of the pot.

Add butter and mustard. Mix everything together until the butter has completely melted. Add the Velveeta cheese and stir gently until melted. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix until fully melted. Add the other 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix. Then, remove it from the heat source. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Beef Stroganoff For Dinner

 Ingredients

1 pound beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin steak, silver skin, and all visible fat discarded

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon canola or corn oil

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added beef broth, heated

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1/8 teaspoon dried dillweed, crumbled

1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream

Directions

Cut the meat into thin strips about 2 inches long. Sprinkle with the pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Cook the beef for 1 minute.

Stir in the mushrooms and onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth and flour. Pour into the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the sour cream. Stir into the beef mixture. Simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the beef is tender.

Transfer about 1/4 cup sauce to a small bowl. Whisk in the sour cream. Stir back into the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, or until warmed through.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

Florets from 2 stalks  of broccoli

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Juice from one fresh lemon

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a plastic zip-lock bag combine all the ingredients except the cheese. Shake well.

Line a baking sheet with foil and oil the surface.

Pour the contents of the zip-lock bag and spread evenly.

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve hot.

Scallop Piccata For Dinner

 

Scallops

2-3 servings

12 oz medium sea scallops 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 small shallot, minced 

⅓ cup white wine

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Juice  And zest of one fresh lemon 

2 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons capers

Directions 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper over scallops. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan; swirl to coat. Add scallops; cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chopped garlic to the pan; cook for 10 seconds. Add wine scraping pan for 2 minutes. Add shallots, fresh lemon juice, zest, remaining butter, and capers, stirring until butter melts. Return scallops and chopped parsley to the pan and warm the scallops. Serve immediately.

Sautéed spinach 

Baked potatoes 

Tortilla Soup

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

6 burrito-sized tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

 1 onion, chopped 

2 carrots, diced 

1 celery stalk, diced 

1 jalapeno pepper, diced 

1 cup fresh corn 

4 large cloves garlic, smashed 

1 tablespoon paprika 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon ground coriander

 1 teaspoon chili powder

 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

28 oz canned crushed tomatoes 

1 tablespoon Tomato paste 

1-2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1- 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded 

1/4 pound cheddar, grated 

Sour cream for serving.

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.

Line 2 large

Baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and tortilla strips in a plastic bag.

Shake well and distribute the strips evenly on the two baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden. Set aside.

Hear the remaining oil in a Dutch Oven. Add the onion, carrot, celery, jam, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, and remaining salt.

Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Add the chicken and cheese. Bring the soup back to a simmer, and simmer until hot.

To serve, put some tortilla strips in bowls and pour in the soup. Top with sour cream.

I like to serve a grilled cheese sandwich with soup for a light dinner.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Penne Pasta

 Ingredients 

▢1 large chicken breast or

▢½ teaspoon Salt and pepper to season the chicken

▢3 cups broccoli florets

▢8 oz short pasta 

▢1 teaspoon salt for cooking pasta

▢4 tablespoons butter, divided

▢3 cloves garlic minced or grated

▢1 cup cream 

▢1 cup Parmesan grated

▢½ teaspoon salt

▢¼ teaspoon white pepper

Directions

In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta as per instructions, to al dente texture. When straining the pasta, make sure to reserve ¼-½ cups of the pasta water for the sauce.

Place a sieve or a steamer basket over the pasta pot and add the broccoli florets. Cover with a lid and steam for 6-7 minutes. Set aside. Alternatively, pre-cook the broccoli by blanching it in a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain and place in icy cold water to retain its vibrant green color. Strain and set aside.

Cut chicken in 4 strips and season with a little salt and pepper. Pan-fry in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes each side, until golden brown. Remove to a cutting board and rest for a few minutes. Then, slice the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Using the pan from the chicken, melt the butter and garlic and cook for 1.5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Pour in the cream and add the Parmesan cheese. Heat through and cook for about 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. It will simmer and bubble away gently and the sauce should thicken enough to leave a coating on the spatula.

Taste and add pepper and salt, adjusting the amount to your taste. Remember that the Parmesan cheese is already salty, so you may not need to add too much additional salt.

Combine the dishes. Add the sliced chicken, pre-cooked broccoli, and penne pasta. Add about ¼ cup of the pasta water and toss everything through the sauce until well coated.

Garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley.

Chinese Beef and Peppers

4 servings 

Ingredients

Marinade

12 ounces flank steak 

1 1/2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons soy sauce 

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the stir-fry:

Saucr

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons sesame oil

¼ teaspoon white pepper

Stir-fry 

2 medium green bell peppers

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium orange or yellow bell pepper

1 medium onion

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, grated 

Directions

Slice the beef into 3-inch long strips, about ¼” thick. To make slicing easier, do it when the beef is still slightly frozen and firm. 

in a medium bowl, mix the beef with water, cornstarch, oil, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and baking soda. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. 

Make the sauce by mixing together the chicken stock, cornstarch, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and white pepper. Set aside.

For the Stir-Fry:

Cut the bell peppers and onion into thin strips.

Heat a wok or deep skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the wok. Sear the beef on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. Give everything a final stir, transfer to a bowl, and set aside. 

Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add in the ginger and caramelize for about 10 seconds. Then add the garlic, bell peppers, and onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Then add the beef along with any juices. Stir-fry for 15 seconds until combined. Increase the heat to high. Stir up the sauce to re-incorporate the cornstarch, and add it to the wok.

Stir-fry to coat everything in the sauce, which should thicken from the cornstarch. Once the sauce is simmering and thick transfer to a serving plate, and serve with steamed rice.

Pecan Crusted Salmon Fillet Fall Dinner

 

Salmon Fillets 

2 salmon filets (4-6 oz. each)

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 tablespoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Preparation:

Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place the skin side down on the baking sheet.

brush honey mustard over the salmon.

Mix breadcrumbs and pecans together and press on the salmon.

4. Bake at 400°F 12-15 minutes or until flaky. 

Yield:

2 servings

Simple Roasted Acorn Squash 

Heat the oven to 400° F. With a very sharp knife, cut a thin sliver off of both ends of the acorn squash, and then cut it in half crosswise. (Cutting the slivers off the ends will help each half sit flat in the baking vessel, rather than rolling around.) 

Line a shallow baking dish or small heavy sheet pan with foil or parchment paper and arrange the halves in it. Sprinkle them with salt. For each acorn squash you are baking, combine 1 ½ tablespoons of unsalted butter with 1 ½ tablespoons of maple syrup and a small squeeze of lemon (or dash of balsamic vinegar or soy sauce) in a small saucepan. Heat until the butter melts, stir, and brush all over the squash halves. 

Most of the liquid will pool in the center of the squash; that’s okay—just be sure that you’ve brushed the tops. Bake until very tender and nicely browned, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for a small acorn squash, and 10 to 15 minutes more for a larger squash.

Copycat Velveeta Shells and Cheese.

Ingredients

1 pound small shell ll past

1 tablespoon butter 

4 oz Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Evaporated Milk

2 cups, shredded Cheddar Cheese

Salt, to taste

Optional topping

½ cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons 

Butter 

Directions

1Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot

of boiling, salted water. Drain.

Place the empty pot over low heat.

Add the butter, cream cheese, and evaporated milk, stirring to combine.

Once the cream cheese is melted, add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted and well combined. Stir in pasta and heat.

Add salt to taste. 

If you like a crunchy topping 

Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.  Combine butter and Pablo. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta.  Place under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.