Good For You Dinner

 Roasted Salmon Fillets

2 servings

INGREDIENTS

 2- 6oz Salmon fillets, 

 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

 2 tablespoons orange marmalade

 Salt and black pepper to taste.

½ cup panko bread crumbs 

Directions 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the Dijon mustard and marmalade.  

Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper e.

Spread the tops of the fillets with the glaze.

Press the Panko crumbs on top of the glaze.

Place the pan into the top half of the oven. Bake for forty 15-18 minutes.

Serve with roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes.

Salsbury Steak

 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 large egg, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced,

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon Barber spice

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

½ onion, sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

One jar of Heinz brown gravy

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, egg, garlic cloves, ketchup, Dijon mustard, oregano, Barber spice, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.

Using your hands, mix all the ingredients really well. Form the mixture into 4 equal oval patties, around 1-inch thick.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the steaks; cook on each side for around 2 minutes, until they brown. You don't have to cook them completely in this step; you just want to develop a nice crust. Once browned, transfer the steaks to a plate and set them aside.

In the same skillet, cook the onion until tender. Add the brown gravy and stir constantly for 30 to 40 seconds. 

Add the partially cooked steaks and their juices back to the skillet and nestle them into the gravy. Cook for around 8 minutes, until they're fully cooked through. 

Serve with potatoes and a salad.

Smothered Chicken and Rice

 I shop at Whole Foods, so my ingredient sizes may be different from the brands you use. 

Ingredients

20 oz pkg frozen brown rice, defrosted 

Cooking spray 

Flour mixture:

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt 

½ teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Chicken 

½ cup unsalted butter

6 chicken thighs

For the sauce 

2-10.5 os cans of cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz each)

1 1/2 cups milk

4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

Directions 

Prepare the rice.

Spray a 13 in x 9 in baking dish with cooking spray and spread the rice in the bottom of the dish.

Combine the flour breading mixture in a plastic bag, add the chicken, and shake until the thighs are well coated.

Heat a large skillet, and add the butter. When melted, add the chicken and cook over low heat until very brown, about 15 minutes on each side.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chicken on top of the rice.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken and rice. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake at 5 p.m., then remove the foil.

Bake 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest 5 minutes before serving.

Celebrate The Year Of The Horse-Happy Chinese New Year 2

 HoneyWalnutShrimp

This dish originated in Hong Kong and found its way to American Chinese restaurants.

1 cup walnuts

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup cornstarch

Vegetable oil for frying

Saice

1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. honey divided 

2 Tbsp. heavy cream

Cooked white rice, for serving

Dried 94 fresh chives for garnish 

Directions 

In a dry large skillet, place the walnuts in a single layer and toast on both sides. Pour into a bowl and add the 1tablespoon of honey. Stir well.

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place eggs in a shallow bowl and cornstarch in another shallow bowl. Dip shrimp in eggs, then in cornstarch.

In the same large skillet over medium heat, heat emoigj oil to cover the bottom of the skillet.

Add shrimp in batches and fry until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl with the walnuts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, remaining honey, and heavy cream. Toss shrimp and walnuts in the sauce. Top with chives. Serve over rice.

Ramon Broth Stir- fried Green Beans

Ingredients:

Sauce

- ¼ cup ramen broth, bottled or made from a noodle package

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch

- 1 tablespoon sesame oil

- 1 lb green beans. Cut into thirds

Peanut oil

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the ramen broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch until smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.

Add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry until they are crisp-tender

Pour the sauce over the stir-fry and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened.

Serve with rice.

Celebrate The Year Of The Horse-Happy Chinese New Year

 Chinrse Sea Bass

2 servings

Ingredients

2- 6-ounce wild-caught Chilean sea bass filets

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce 

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon light brown sugar packed

¼ teaspoon grated garlic 

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Instructions

You can also cook the fish in the oven or in the air fryer. See directions below.

Position the top oven rack about 6 inches under the broiler.

Preheat the broiler on high.

Pat the Chilean sea bass filets dry with a paper towel and place them on a sheet tray.

Whisk together the hoisin, soy, honey, brown sugar, garlic powder, and vinegar in a small bowl.

Brush the glaze all over the filets.

Broil for 7-9 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so they don’t burn.

The fish is ready when an internal temperature reaches 140-145°F. If your fish is browning too quickly, you can reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the fish until it reaches the desired internal temperature. Aie-fru at 390 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Chinese Stir-Fried Vegetables 

Ingredients

2 servings

15 oz can of bean sprouts, rinsed

1 can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed 

1 can of bamboo shoots, rinsed

1 cup Chinese long green beans

1/2 cup carrots, julienned

1 teaspoon ginger, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Heat the wok, and add sesame oil.

Then, add vegetables followed by ginger and garlic, over medium heat for 1 minute.

Add Chicken stock and soy sauce, and cook until vegetables are tender.

Serve with rice.

Sausage and Peppers Pizza

 Ingredients

1 lb pizza dough

Ingredients

1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped

3 links mild Italian sausage (about 1 lb)

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

3/4 cup pizza sauce

2 cups shredded (or fresh) mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 

Direct

Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand one hour (do not remove from bag until stand time is completed).

Preheat oven to 405°F.

Chop peppers and onions.

Remove sausage casing: cut almost in half lengthwise (butterfly); turn sausage over and peel casing away.

Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan, then add the sausage; brown 5–6 minutes, stirring to crumble the sausage, or until no pink remains. Let stand 2–3 minutes to cool.

Prepare crust. For a thick crust: flour hands lightly and pat dough evenly into a lightly greased or nonstick 16" pizza pan. For a thin crust: turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to the desired thickness. Place on a lightly greased or nonstick 16" pizza pan.

Top with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, peppers, onions, and sausage. Brush the outer edge of the crust with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 18–25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pizza) or until crust is golden, cheese is melted, and the toppings are thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. 

Turkey and Barley Stuffed Peppers

 

Ingredients

6-7 medium  red bell      peppers

1- pound ground turkey

1/2 of a small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 c cooked barley

1 t salt

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

15-ounce canned tomato sauce 

3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions 

Cut off top of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Reset the tops.

Cook ground turkey, onion, and garlic in olive oil.

Stir in barley, seasoning, and tomato sauce.  Heat through. Suit on mozzarella.

Stuff each pepper with stuffing mixture and stand upright in an ungreased baking dish. Place tops on prppets.

Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with a salad or your favorite vegetable.

Italian Chicken Roll-Ups

 Ingredients 

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese 

4 slices capacola-hot Italian  ham

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets

1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F

Pound the cutlets between pieces of plastic wrap to ¼ inch.

Place 1 tablespoon of grated mozzarella cheese on each slice of ham. Fold the ham in half and lay it on top of the cutlets. Starting at the narrow end of the cutlets roll the cutlets up and divide with toothpicks.

Brush each with mustard and coat in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the butter and oil in an oven-proof skillet. Add the chicken rolls and brown them on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with your favorite vegetable or salad,

Mediterranean Baked Red Snapper Fillet

 

Ingredients

12 oz red snapper fillet

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup sliced roasted red peppers

12 pitted olives (I used a combination of kalamata olives and green olives)

¼ sliced red onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush a baking dish with a little extra virgin olive oil and put the fish in it. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the top of the fish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, peppers, olives, onions, garlic, and spices. Add a very small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, toss to combine.

Pour the mixture over the fish.

Bake 20 minutes (this will depend on the thickness of your fish).

Remove from the heat and serve.

I served the fish with roasted asparagus.

Pork Chops With Creamy Cabbage and Sweet Potatoes

 Ingredients

2 bone-in thick pork chops, about 12 oz each

4 teaspoons honey mustard

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Directions

Season the chops with salt and pepper. Add the Italian seasoningto the breadcrumbs.

Brush the chops with the mustard and press on the crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the cabbage.

Add just enough oil to a medium skillet and heat until hot but not smoking. Add the pork chops and cook until crispy brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve over the cabbage.

Add baked sweet potatoes to complete the meal.

Cabbage

Ingredients

Half a head of cabbage, shredded

1 cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cabbage and cook over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, cream, and cheese. Heat until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Italian American Seafood Stew (Cioppino)

 

Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread for dipping in the delicious sauce. You can use any seafood that you like.

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1  large onion, chopped

2  carrots, chopped

1  celery rib, chopped 

5  cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups chopped Italian tomatoes in juice, crushed

1cup dry white wine

4 large leaves of basil

2 pounds firm, skinless fish fillets (such as red snapper, grouper, cod, mahi-mahi, or halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. scallops

2 meat lobster tails, removed from the shell and cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté 10 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, basil, tomatoes, and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer the and cook for 30 minutes.

Next, add the fish pieces and shrimp to the sauce, pushing them down into the liquid a little. Cover the pot and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the lobster and scallops and simmer for 2 minutes. 

Immediately scoop the stew into large bowls, garnish with chopped parsley.. Serve