I will start off by saying we forgot to take a picture because we ate this dish all up and then declared “hey, we didn’t take a picture”. Sorrrrry! It is delish.
- 1 lb. mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 – 6 oz. skin on Trout fillets
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
Clean the mushrooms and cut in quarters. Mince the garlic cloves and strip the leaves off the thyme sprigs. With a paper towel pat the trout dry and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet that has a cover until it starts to shimmer. Add the trout, skin side up, and sear until a golden colour (3 1/2-4 minutes).
Remove the fillets, skin side down, on a plate (we know it is not cooked through yet). Melt the butter in the skillet and add the mushrooms and sear, without touching, until the bottoms are well browned. Now add the garlic and thyme. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and pepper, cook stirring once or twice until the mushrooms are just tender (about 3 minutes).
Reduce the heat to a medium temperature and now return the trout skin-side down in the pan letting them nestle into the mushrooms. Cover and cook until the desired doneness (2 -5 minutes). Use a thermometer to see that it registers between 135 – 145 degrees for a medium rare cook. Longer if you want it more well done.
Serve with a crisp garden salad.
This is so yum!
Teriyaki Trout Burgers
Oh my goodness! You gotta love these treats.
This recipe is for 4 burgers, so if you have more mouths to feed, simply adjust the recipe.
- 4 x 6 oz. Trout fillets
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 cup teriyaki sauce (we use Edo of Japan’s Teriyaki sauce)
- 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. grated ginger
- 1/2 pineapple, cored and cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 4 Brioche burger buns
Sprinkle the trout with the salt and sugar. Place on a plate and refrigerate for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and rinse them completely. Pat dry with paper towels.
Heat the teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan over a medium heat until it is reduced by almost half.
Preheat the bbq to a medium temperature and grease the grills with 2 tbsp. of the oil. Rub the remaining 1 tbsp. oil on the pineapple and trout.
Grill the trout for 3-4 minutes each side until you have reached your level of doneness, brushing with the teriyaki sauce.
Grill the pineapple slices 3 minutes each side. Remove the trout and pineapple from the grill.
Heat the buns on the top rack of the bbq.
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sesame oil and ginger well.
To assemble these delightful treats, spread the mayonnaise on both insides of the bun, place a fillet on the bottom bun and drizzle with any remaining sauce and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Top each one with a pineapple slice and lettuce leaf. Add the bun top and you are ready to dine. Make sure you have a few napkins handy and, of course, a glass of chilled beverage (your choice).
Hamburger Helper – New Way, Homemade
When my daughter was very young, and I was a single Mom on a limited wage, this was an alternative to meal I used from time to time. but it came in a box.
Don made his own version and it is yummy. You want to have an easy, quick meal to serve, go for it. It is very tasty.
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 2 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- fresh parsley for garnish
Add the oil to a large skillet and heat to a sizzle. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and broken up. This will help in an even browning.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender for 2 minutes.
Now add the tomato paste and mix well to incorporate the ingredients and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
Add the milk, broth and macaroni. Stir this well and cover. When it has started to boil reduce the temperature and simmer for 9-10 minutes. The macaroni should be tender but not mushy. Stir this really well so it does not burn or stick to the pan.
Add the cheddar cheese and simply stir until the cheese has melted.
Sprinkle a light touch of chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Potatoes – Greek Style
We all have tried a zillion recipes for potatoes. I bet you haven’t tried this one. Don did these up when we had Souvlakis (from Costco yet) the other night. OMG! These are so yummy, we made him go out and buy more potatoes to make more and then we will remember to take pictures. We ate them all the other night and then realized “oh oh did we take a picture?”
Remember the name: Lemon Greek Style Potatoes
- 4-5 potatoes, peeled and sliced in wedges
- 2 tsp. Oregano
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 390 degrees.
In a large roasting pan, place the wedges in an even layer and drizzle the olive oil over them. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano.
Combine the chicken stock, lemon juice and garlic and pour into the pan.
Cook, uncovered, in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the potatoes are crisp and golden.
Halfway through the cooking time, gently stir them to ensure an even browning.
Okay, get ready to chow down. I mean it when I said we cooked the Souvlaki from Costco. Easy-peasy and so good. Don, of course, doctors them up a tad to make them really tasty and special. Glass of chilled wine, small side salad and you are going to be happy!
Grilled Shrimp Salad
The nice weather has finally arrived and this is a great way to enjoy a lunch on the deck or a starter for dinner. Your choice…but maybe you’ll want both. A salad with a protein is always welcomed.
Soak wooden skewers in water for about an hour.
- uncooked pineapple wedges cut into 1 inch chunks 12-15
- 20-30 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4-5 cups mixed greens
- add your favourites such as: green seedless grapes, halved,
- 4-5 strawberries- hulled, baby tomatoes, toasted pecans or salad toppings, raw mushroom slices
- The above ingredients will serve 4-5 people.
Marinade
- 1/2 cup Pear juice
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
In a blender, puree all the ingredients until really smooth.
In a small bowl briskly drizzle the olive oil and whisk into all the ingredients to form a dressing type of marinade. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Add the shrimp and toss to coat well. Set aside for 30 minutes.
In a separate large bowl, prepare the salad and your toppings.
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup of the reserved marinade
- 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
- 3 tbsps. pear juice
- 1/2 tsp, Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- pinch of salt and pepper
Preheat your grill to a high heat. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread them onto the soaked skewers. Cook each side for 1-1 1/2 minutes until they are opaque throughout.
On separate skewers, thread the pineapple cubes and cook a few minutes longer than the shrimp so the centers become soft.
Serve the salad onto individual plates, add the shrimp and pineapple cubes and drizzle the Vinaigrette over the top. Here you get to use as much as you want on your plate.
Warm rolls and you have a wonderful meal.
Warm Mushroom Salad With Wonderful Additions
Warmer weather is upon us and the mind wanders to salads. Try this one, it is really yummy.
- 1 tbsp. shallot, finely minced
- 3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- sea salt and ground pepper to taste
- 9 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 -1 1 /2 lbs. white mushrooms, dusted clean and rough chop
- 2 tbsp. butter, divided
- 2 tsp. thyme leaves, divided
- 6-8 large handfuls of mixed green salad, washed, dried and chilled
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 lb. block Asiago cheese, shaved
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
In a small bowl mix together the shallot, vinegar and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper to make the vinaigrette. Let this sit for 10-15 minutes, then add 5 tbsp. of the olive oil and set aside.
Heat a large frypan over high heat until hot. Add 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter to the pan. When the butter begins to foam, add 1/2 the mushrooms. Season with 1 tsp. of the thyme and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have to, reduce the heat. The mushrooms should be tender and a little crispy. transfer these to a plate and repeat the procedure with the remaining oil, butter, mushrooms and thyme.
When this is done, return the first batch of the mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine and heat through. Toss them and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the greens and parsley. Spoon the hot mushrooms over this.
Return the pan to the stove and add 3/4 of the vinaigrette, scraping all the bits. When this is hot, pour over the entire salad and toss to coat the salad leaves and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, arrange the salad on a platter and, using a vegetable peeler, shave the Asiago cheese over the salad and top with the pecans. Enjoy!
Teriyaki Trout At Its Best
This is sooooo good. Don made this last night and this morning, he wanted to know if we kept the left over sauce. What left-overs I asked. We ate the whole lot up. Try it and you will see. Awesome!
- 2-3 lbs. trout filets, sliced in 2″ wide pieces
Teriyaki Sauce
This is so good, you will wish it was bottled.
- 3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
- 3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
Spray a baking sheet. Cover with oil and spray for easier clean-up.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small saucepan combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk together until the brown sugar is dissolved.
Place the individual trout slices in a mixing bowl and pour half of the sauce over all the trout. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 20-25 minutes at room temperature.
Transfer the trout to the prepared baking sheet, liberally brush the marinade on the trout slices and bake for 10-12 minutes until the trout is flaky and cooked through. Your time for baking will depend on how thick your slices are.
While this is baking, bring the sauce in the saucepan to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until it becomes thicker (3-4 minutes) and remove from the heat.
Now brush the trout with the teriyaki syrup, (spoon it on really), plate with a medley of cooked rice, whole corn and peas, and heritage carrots. This was our choice tonight, and you can make it up as you wish.
Note: Don said to save the remaining sauce for another fish dish. We just laughed and said “oh for sure, tee hee”. There was not a drop left.
Mushrooms In A Lemon Butter Sauce (a la Bordelaise)
This is a simple but amazing appetizer to make and enjoy on your deck this summer. I use the brown and white button mushrooms (the really nice large size) but you can use whatever mushrooms you like. Try to avoid the tiny ones for fear you would over cook them.
- 1 lb. mushrooms
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. finely minced shallot
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Artisanal bread, toasted
To begin, brush the mushrooms to remove any debris, remove the stems and cut each mushroom in as equal a size as you can and set aside.
In a large frypan, melt together the butter, lemon zest and juice. Stir in the mushrooms and toss them in the pan to coat. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add the olive oil. Increase the heat and cook for about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Stir in the shallot, garlic salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes until they become tender and have softened.
Remove from the heat, add the salt and pepper. Toast your bread and sprinkle the mushrooms with the chopped parsley leaves. Enjoy!
It is truly a different way to serve mushrooms but is truly fantastic to consume.
Sirloin Tip Roast
Don did it again. This roast is fabulous and will make your Sunday dinner really special. Great also for company.
- 3-4 lb. Sirloin Tip roast
- cracked salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tsp. each of thyme and rosemary
- fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 large white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
Mix the herbs and spices and coat the roast. Place in a gallon zipper lock seal bag for a total of 4 hours prior to cooking.
One hour before serving, remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Heat a Dutch oven and add the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the beef, onion and garlic and sear the meat on all sides for about 2 minutes each side.
On a cookie sheet pan, set an oven proof rack in it. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and cook the meat for approximately 90-95 minutes. Test with a thermometer for an internal temperature of 140-145. (After removing it from the oven it will continue to cook, so if you remove it at a temperature of 135, it will be perfect when ready to serve.)
Tent the meat with tin foil and rest for 15 minutes. Test for an internal temperature of 140 – 145 degrees. Slice on an angle. If more liquid drips while cutting, just add to your gravy.
Any bits left in the Dutch oven should be discarded. It is only the burned herbs and will not be usable for gravy.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables of your choice. Add a lovely glass of Sangiovese wine and you have a wonderful finish to your day.
Arroz Con Pollo – Cinco De Mayo Day
Last night Don made the greatest meal. It was so yummy! I am sharing it now because we were too busy enjoying it last night. Sorry!
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 chicken breasts, cut up
- 3 chicken thighs, cut in half
- 1/2 cup flour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- touch of paprika
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 3 cups (approximately) chicken stock
- 1 heaping tbsp. tomato paste
- pinch of oregano
- pinch of salt
- 1 can of Juanita’s Foods Mole
Heat the oil in a large skillet and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Dust the excess off and cook in the skillet to brown. Cook only enough on each side to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the uncooked rice to the skillet and stir to coat with the oil. Add more oil if necessary. Don’t stir too hard or it won’t brown. When starting to brown, gently stir so more of the rice will brown.
Add the onion and garlic, cooking for about 4-5 minutes so the onion softens.
Now place the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Add the stock, paste, salt and oregano and pour over the chicken.
Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the type of rice. Fluff the rice with a fork.
Heat the mole in a saucepan and after each portion set out, spoon the sauce over the top. This is so yummy.
If you feel so inclined, make a Mexican cocktail or pour a glass of wine and simply enjoy. thanks Don.
*Picture will follow when we serve some leftovers. As I said, it is YUMMY.
Awesome Appetizer On Mom’s Special Day
What a special treat for your Mother on her great day. It is simple, delicious and with a glass of her favourite wine will show her just how special she is and how lucky you are to have her with you.
Get ready!
- 16 oz. pizza dough, pre-made
- 5-6 roasted garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup pecan pieces
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (whole)
- 3-4 thyme leaves
- 1 cup cooked baby shrimp (no shell or tails)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 – 2 tbsp. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set baking sheet aside.
On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Transfer to the baking dish and bake for about 6-8 minutes. It should be cooked but not browned.
Spread the garlic cloves that have been mashed over the surface of the dough and then add the shallot slices, cheese and pecans evenly on top. Using a teaspoon, drop dollops of cranberry sauce over the surface. Bake now for about 10 minutes until it is golden brown and bubbling.
Sprinkle the surface with the honey, oil, thyme leaves and baby shrimp. Slice and serve immediately on a pretty plate, glass of wine and a smile.
Amazing Shrimp Stroganoff
We had this last night for dinner and the flavours are truly amazing. It is not difficult to prepare so give it a go at the earliest time.
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream (not the light variety), room temperature
- 1 tsp. salt
- white pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/4-1/2 cup cream (if needed)
In a large frypan saute the onion in 1/4 cup butter until softened.
Add the shrimp and saute for 4-5 minutes until pink and just cooked. Transfer the mixture to a heated dish, and keep warm.
In the same skillet add 1 tbsp. butter and add the mushrooms. Saute over a medium high heat until browned. Sprinkle flour in and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce the temperature and now stir in the shrimp mixture, sour cream, salt and pepper, stirring for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is heated through. Here is where you may need to add the cream, to ensure a smoother sauce. Just DO NOT BOIL.
Add some broad noodles or rice and spoon the mixture over (equally portioned, of course). Pass the crisp green salad and the evening is yours.
If you wish, enjoy a glass of chilled white wine as well. YUM!!!!
