Novice Recipe Box

Flank Steak with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

2007-01-06T11:54:00.000-05:00

Since I rarely post anything with meat, I thought I’d start off the new year on a different note – this is a pretty good steak recipe: minimal enough you can still taste the meat, but enough to give it a kick. Serve with a merlot and you’ll be in heaven.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 lb. flank steak

cooking spray

½ c. onion

1 garlic clove

2 c. shiitake mushrooms

1 c. beef broth

1/3 c. rice wine

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

½ c. green onion

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

To prepare steak, sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over both sides of steak. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from oven; loosely cover with foil.

To prepare sauce, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté for 4 minutes. Add broth, wine, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and cook until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 6 minutes). Add green onions, and cook for 1 minute.

Slice steak diagonally across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Serve steak with mushroom sauce.

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

2006-12-27T01:11:00.000-05:00

This is one of the fun and festive dishes I’m making for the upcoming Christmas/New Year’s dinner I’m having with friends. The nice part is you can make most of it ahead of time and refridgerate if you want, then just take out the cakes to fry them up, add the avocado to the salsa, and serve! A lighter wine is the way to go – but with the spice you don’t want it to be overpowering. An Australian Chardonnay worked well last time and that’s the plan again.

Servings: 10

Prep Time: 80 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Cakes

¾ c. breadcrumbs

¼ c. fresh cilantro

1 egg

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

1 ½ tsp. hot sauce

1 tbs. lime juice

3 tbs. cream cheese

¼ c. green onions

1 garlic clove

1 c. red bell pepper

cooking spray

1 lb. shrimp

Salsa

¼ tsp. salt

1 tbs. lime juice

2 tbs. poblano pepper

3 tbs. red onion

¼ c. fresh cilantro

¾ c. avocado

1 c. white corn

Instructions

To prepare cakes, peel and devein shrimp. Place shrimp in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Finely chop the bell pepper, garlic, and green onions. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add shrimp, green onions, and the next 6 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.

Divide shrimp mixture into equal portions (10), shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Dredge both sides of patties in remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Chill at least one hour.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients; stir gently.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 5 cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining cakes. Serve immediately with salsa.

Slow Cooked Beef with Onions, Carrots and Gremolata

2006-12-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

A hearty winter dish that is great by the fire with a glass of Chilean Malbec. Though I don’t cook a lot of beef dishes, this one was pretty good.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Beef

1 ¼ lb. sirloin stew meat

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. olive oil

cooking spray

1 ½ c. peeled pearl onions

½ c. beef broth

½ c. red wine

2 tbs. sun-dried tomato halves

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

2 chopped large carrots

1 lb. chopped potatoes

Gremolata

3 minced garlic clove

½ tsp. lemon rind

1 1/3 tbs. fresh thyme sprigs

½ c. fresh flat-leaf parsley

French bread

Instructions

Peel pearl onions and set aside. Peel and chop carrots into 1/2 inch pieces, set aside. Wash potatoes and chop into 1 inch pieces, retaining skins. Set aside. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and place in a small bowl - add broth, wine, thyme, red pepper and bay leaf.

Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sirloin meat. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. While meat is browning, line the slow cooker with a liner. Brwon meat on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onions to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until slightly browned. Add contents of the broth bowl to the pan and simmer until onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and place on top of meat in slow cooker. Add carrots on top of the onions, and potatoes on top of the carrots. Pour entire broth mixture over the contents of the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours - use a baster to pull liquid from the bottom of pan to coat over the top of the potatoes and carrots every 20-30 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook 4 hours, basting and stirring occasionally.

Prepare the gremolata by combining parsley, garlic, thyme and lemon rind in a small food processor. Pulse until well chopped and blended. Put gremolata in a small serving dish.

Prior to serving the roast, remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs from slow cooker; discard. Serve meat, potatoes and carrots in a large soup bowl, topped with one tsp. of gremolata. Serve extra gremolata on the side with French bread and olive oil.

Lemon Cake with Winter Fruit

2006-12-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

This was a nice touch to the end of a meal I served for some close friends. The cake is light and tasty, and the fruit adds just the right touch without being too sweet. I served a dessert wine – but I’m forgetting the name of it. It was fairly light in color, so not nearly as sweet as most dessert wines. Quite tasty. I’ll be making this again soon for a special occasion.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Cake

2 tsp. lemon peel

2 large eggs

¼ c. olive oil

2/3 c. buttermilk

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

½ c. yellow cornmeal

1 c. sugar

1 ¼ c. flour

parchment paper

cooking spray

Fruit Topping

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 ¾ c. pear

½ cranberries

½ c. golden raisins

1 c. apple juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Coat paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and rind, stirring well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare compote, combine apple juice and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 6 minutes). Add fresh cranberries to pan; cook 3 minutes or until cranberries pop. Add pear to pan; cook 5-10 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.

Vanilla Balsamic Chicken

2006-12-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

This chicken has a very mild, subtle flavor that I enjoyed immensely! I’ll be making it again soon. Next time I will serve with the honey glazed carrots and plain white rice instead of the wild rice – the wild almost overpowered the flavor of the chicken. For the wine choice, pick a Chardonnay – I recommend Boneterra or Toasted Head as strong complements.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

½ c. chicken broth

½ c. balsamic vinegar

¼ c. shallots, chopped

¼ c. brown sugar

¼ tsp. orange rind

¼ c. orange juice

1 vanilla bean

¾ tsp. salt

8 chicken thighs

cooking spray

½ tsp. pepper

orange rind strips (Optional)

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into broth mixture, reserving the bean for another use. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1 cup (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, trim fat from chicken, and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining salt and pepper. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven, and brush broth mixture over chicken until coated, bake 5 minutes. Remove chicken again, and brush more mixture over chicken; bake 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180 degrees. Remove chicken and brush once more, reserving extra sauce mixture to serve on the side. Garnish with orange rind if desired.

Chicken with Lime Glaze

2006-12-08T09:51:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty simple dish that only requires a skillet – the glaze is fairly delicate, so you’ll want to pair it with less complex flavors. We served with a simple Spanish rice and an uncomplicated sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

4 6 oz. chicken breasts

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

cooking spray

¾ c. chicken broth

1 tbs. brown sugar

3 tbs. lime juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbs. water

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 tbs. butter

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add chicken broth, sugar, 2/3 of the lime juice, and mustard to pan; cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; stir well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in remaining lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts. Return chicken to pan; simmer 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.

Tuna with Avocado Aioli

2006-12-04T11:23:00.000-05:00

I made this for my family in a “day before Thanksgiving” dinner, and it was a huge hit. I’m actually not a big tuna fan, but this recipe really makes it sing – the avocado is delectable with the texture of the fish. Since tuna is a heavier, fattier fish, we had the La Crema Pinot Noir, which is perhaps one of the best Pinots around.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

¼ c. cream cheese

2 tbs. fresh cilantro

1 tbs. fresh basil

1 tbs. fresh parsley

3/8 c. avocado

1 tsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp. salt

1 garlic clove

¾ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 6 oz. tuna steaks

cooking spray

To prepare aioli, combine first 9 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

To prepare tuna, combine coriander and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over tuna.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add tuna; cook 2 minutes on each side or until medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Serve with aioli.

Hot Crab Dip

2006-11-20T16:24:00.000-05:00

By far my own personal favorite for parties – the hot crab dip works wonders. I usually choose the back fin meat since jumbo lump is harder to get on crackers and such.

Servings: 24

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 - 75 minutes

12 oz. cream cheese

¼ c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. parmesan cheese

13 oz. lump crab meat

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Old Bay Seasoning

Combine the cream cheese and whipping cream in the crock-pot slow cooker. Cover and heat on high until cheese is melted, about 45 minutes. Add the parmesan cheese, crab, onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. Shortly before serving add the lemon juice and Tabasco, stirring thoroughly. Sprinkle dip with Old Bay Seasoning to taste and serve with French bread or crackers.

Bee Stings

2006-11-08T11:14:00.000-05:00

An easy addition to any party table. The truffle oil can be a bit pricey, so don’t use more than is called for – a little goes a long way! These bites are delicious with a glass of champagne.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

¼ c. honey

½ tsp. white truffle oil

¼ tsp. pepper

6 oz. parmigiano-reggiano cheese

In a small bowl, combine honey, oil and pepper. Reserve. Cut cheese into irregular bite sized pieces and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle honey mixture over cheese just before serving.

Garlic Vermouth Shrimp

2006-11-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

Very tasty, impressive, and easy to throw together. With all of the flavor, a very dry, simply wine is in order. Try a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 5-7 minutes

¼ c. vermouth

2 tbs. fresh thyme

1 tbs. fresh marjoram

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. tabasco

36 large shrimp

4 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno

2 tbs. olive oil

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes - 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of shrimp; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Repeat with remaining olive oil and remaining shrimp.

Honey Apricot Baked Brie

2006-11-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

This classic is always sure to be a hit! Excellent with Chardonnay, and sometimes a decadent treat if you’re just not in the mood to fix dinner.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

4 sheets phyllo dough

12 oz. round brie

6-12 apricots

6-12 strawberries

¼ c. walnuts

1 tbs. honey

french bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. Lay out phyllo dough gently into pan. Place brie on top of phyllo dough. Top with chopped apricots and strawberries, then walnuts. Drizzle honey over the top, then pull the edges of phyllo dough up around the brie until enclosed. (you may have to use some additional water to mold the phyllo dough to shape around the brie). Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until brie reaches desired consistency. Serve with fresh sliced french bread.

Classic Caponata

2006-10-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

Here is yet another dip from the party. Guests didn’t seem to like this one as much, but it was my favorite. It’s more time intensive than the others – so in the future I probably will make smaller batches when entertaining fewer friends.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

5 tbs. olive oil

1 ½ lb. eggplant

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

14 ½ oz. diced tomatoes

3 tbs. red wine vinegar

¼ c. red wine

2 tbs. caper

Italian seasoning

salt

pepper

pine nuts

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Chop eggplant, onion and garlic cloves and add to skillet. Sauté until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes (with juices), then red wine vinegar, wine and capers. Cover and simmer until eggplant and onion are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season caponata to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Edamame Hummus

2006-10-25T10:37:00.000-04:00

Still trying to keep up with the photos from the party...and not doing a good job of it. October's been a rough month here! I'll try to post more frequently in the next few weeks. This dish was highly experimental, but quite fun. Give it a try if you're up for something different.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

1 ½ c. edamame, shelled and cooked

1 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. coriander

2 garlic cloves

½ c. fresh parsley

3 tbs. creamy peanut butter

3 tbs. water

3 tbs. lemon juice

¼ tsp. dark sesame oil

½ tsp. paprika

pita chips

Prepare edamame according to package directions, omitting salt. Place 1 tablespoon oil, salt, cumin, coriander, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse 2 to 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Add the edamame, parsley, peanut butter, water, sesame oil and juice; process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional sesame oil and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with pita chips.

Pumpkin Dip

2006-10-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

This is the first of several posts of recipes I made at my recent housewarming party. Needless to say, the party was a year overdue – but I was happy that everything went well. Everyone’s been asking me for recipes, so I thought I’d post them here for easy access. This is a great fall dip – easy to throw together AND healthy! Serve with apples and graham crackers.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

6 oz. light or fat free cream cheese

¼ c. dark brown sugar

¾ c. canned pumpkin

2 tbs. maple syrup

¼ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

apple slices

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple slices.

Rosemary Chicken with Wild Rice

2006-10-01T16:37:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite recipes from the Weight Watcher’s cookbook my mother gave me. It’s simple, fast, and the flavors are nice – a tangy of sweetness with the spicy flavor of the Dijon. You can make whatever kind of rice, but the Zartan’s Wild Rice box mix is easy and matches well with the flavors. Always serve with a chardonnay as it’s the best pairing we’ve come up with for this favorite.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbs. olive oil

1 lb. chicken breast

2 carrots

1 tbs. rosemary

1/3 c. orange marmalade

¼ c. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Cut and trim the chicken breasts into cubes. Skin and slice the carrots into bite sized pieces.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the chicken and carrots, stirring frequently 3-4 minutes. Stir in rosemary and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes longer.

Stir in the marmalade, mustard, garlic powder and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve with plain or wild rice.

Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Bell Pepper and Spinach Cilantro Pesto

2006-09-28T22:21:00.000-04:00

Healthy and colorful, this dish has a very earthy flavor (thanks to the pesto). The pasta was okay, but next time I won’t serve it. Maybe some plain white rice would be better – just too much going on with the pasta thrown in the mix. Otherwise, you can pair with red or white wine, we tried white, but I think next time I’ll try a light red – Pinot Noir perhaps.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

½ c. bread crumbs

½ c. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. olive oil

4 large Portobello mushroom caps

½ red bell pepper

½ yellow bell pepper

½ onion

Pesto

pepper

salt

1 tsp. water

1 tsp. lime juice

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tbs. parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. cumin

3 tbs. garlic

¼ c. fresh cilantro

1 c. spinach leaves

Instructions

To make the pesto, process all ingredients, except water, salt and pepper, in a food processor or blender until smooth; add water if necessary for consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add 1 tsp olive oil to a medium skillet and turn to medium heat.

Remove brown gills from undersides of mushrooms using a spoon. Discard gills but reserve stems. Place mushrooms cap side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Finely chop the reserved mushroom stems, the bell peppers and onion. Add each to the skillet, cooking until peppers and onions are just tender about 5 minutes.

Spread some of the pesto inside each hollowed mushroom cap. Add the pepper mixture on top of the pesto. Top the pepper mixture of each mushroom equally with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cheese just browns. Serve over pasta with any additional pesto on the side.

Scallops with Grape Tomatoes, Green Onions and Parsley

2006-09-23T13:57:00.000-04:00

I know, I know – I’ve been gone for a while. I actually lost a bunch of pictures, so I had to wait until I had a few more to work with before resurrecting the recipe blog. Now I’m back with a slew of fun summer recipes, and a few that will gear me up for fall. A friend of mine grew an organic garden this summer, so this dish was particularly yummy – fresh grape tomatoes, onions and parsley made it a hit. Served with a Sauvignon Blanc – other dry, simple whites would be just as tasty.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. large sea scallops

3 tbs. olive oil

3 green onions

10 oz. cherry tomatoes

3 tbs. Italian parsley

2 tbs. lemon juice

½ tsp. paprika

Instructions

Rinse and drain scallops. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add scallops. Sauté until browned on the outside and just opaque in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to plate, cover.

Add 1 tbs. oil to skillet, add white parts of green onions and sauté until almost tender, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and green parts of onions and sauté until tomatoes begin to burst and juice is released, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and paprika.

Return scallops to pan and stir until just heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer scallop mixture to platter. Drizzle with extra oil and parsley and serve.

Bacon-Wrapped Filet with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

2006-08-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

I don’t venture to cook red meat often at home, but every once in a while I enjoy a good steak. This recipe works best, obviously, if you have high quality meat. Simple to prepare, but incredibly tasty. We’ve tried a couple different reds with this – and just about anything will work. I prefer the Cabernet Sauvignon, my partner prefers the Red Zinfandel.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 bacon-wrapped filet mignon steaks

salt

pepper

¼ c. garlic olive oil

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. rosemary

1 tbs. butter

2 c. onion

1 tsp. sugar

4 oz. goat cheese

Instructions

Season steaks with seasoned salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Pour mixture over filets, and turn to coat. Marinate for up to 30 minutes.

While you are marinating the meat, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion slices in butter until soft, then stir in sugar. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized. Set aside.

Preheat grill for high heat on one side, and medium heat on the other side.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the hot side of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. When the steaks are almost done, move to the cooler side of the grill. Top each filet with a quarter of the caramelized onions and goat cheese. Close the lid, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.

Ginger Lime Swordfish with Couscous

2006-08-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

Swordfish is a fairly hefty meal – and hard to find. With all the issues surrounding the fishing and harvesting of swordfish, I only buy it when it comes through the fair trade/wild caught market here. This dish was incredibly easy to prepare, but amazingly tasty. We actually had a Cabernet with this – the red held up well to the stockiness of the fish.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp. lime rind

¼ c. lime juice

¼ c. honey

1 tbs. ginger

1 tbs. green onion

1 ½ tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. garlic

4 6 oz. swordfish steaks

cooking spray

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan. Dip each steak into the lime mixture to coat.

Place fish on a broiling pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish cooks, place lime juice mixture over medium heat; cook until reduced by half (about 8 minutes). Serve sauce over fish with a side of couscous.

Cucumber Salmon Canapés

2006-08-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

This is a quick and easy appetizer to throw together in a pinch – works awesome for parties when you’re waiting on other things to cook. Choose a light starter wine for pairing. Pinot Noir really brings out the flavor of the salmon, but if you want to taste more of the cucumber, chose a Sauvignon Blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

2 oz. light cream cheese

2 tsp. dill

salt

pepper

½ cucumber, sliced

2 oz. lox pieces

1 tbs. capers

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and dill, stirring with a small cheese knife until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread each cucumber slice with the cream cheese mixture. Add lox pieces to the top of the cream cheese. Add 2-3 capers per canapé on top of the salmon. Serve chilled.

Zucchini Penne with Goat Cheese

2006-07-26T09:49:00.000-04:00

I am still on my quest to find as many recipes that include goat cheese as possible. I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff. With all the lovely fresh veggies in season over the summer, I pulled this little recipe and gave it a shot. It’s quite cheesy, but oh so tasty. We had a Chardonnay with it, but it wasn’t quite right – so next time I will be trying a Pinot Grigio.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

½ lb. penne

2 c. yellow squash

2 c. green zucchini

1 c. red onion

1 tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

4 plum tomatoes

1 tbs. garlic

1 ½ tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 c. goat cheese

2 tbs. fresh basil

1 ½ tbs. fresh thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475°. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and set aside.

Combine squash and next 7 ingredients (squash through garlic) in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until browned, stirring after 10 minutes. Drizzle vinegar over vegetables; toss well.

Combine pasta, vegetable mixture, goat cheese, basil, and thyme in a large bowl; toss well. Serve warm with Italian bread.

Salmon with Pineapple Basil Salsa

2006-07-18T17:33:00.000-04:00

This is a very fun summer dish – if you can find salmon at a reasonable price. I’ve only seen it on sale once this summer, so I’ve not been able to make this as much as I’d like. The flavors all blend quite well with this dish, and you can serve white or red wine. I’d recommend a heavier white (like California Chardonnay) or a lighter red (like a Pinot Noir).

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

¼ c. lime juice

¼ c. olive oil

2 tbs. soy sauce

3 tbs. shallots, chopped

1 tsp. sugar

½ c. pineapple, diced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

¼ c. fresh basil

salt

pepper

4 6 oz. salmon fillets

½ c. chicken broth

lemon pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, shallots, and sugar. Stir in the pineapple, tomatoes, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Place salmon in a 9x13-inch pan. Pour chicken broth over the top, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Bake in a preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with salsa over the top.

Riesling Chicken and Strawberry Salad

2006-07-07T17:45:00.000-04:00

I made this summer salad the other day and it was a little slice of heaven on a hot summer day! You can substitute other wines for the chicken, but the light Riesling works well with the strawberries.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 chicken breast

½ c. chicken broth

½ c. Riesling

2 tbs. golden raisins

2 c. strawberries

1/3 c. celery

1/3 c. red onion

1 tbs. sesame seeds

1 tbs. fresh tarragon

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 c. salad greens

Instructions

Place chicken in a small skillet coated with cooking spray. Add broth and wine. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Half way through cooking, add the raisins to the pan and let cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by half.

Remove chicken from head and let cool slightly. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Combine chicken, raisins, strawberries, celery and red onion in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine sesame seeds and next 6 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Pour over chicken mixture; toss well to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour. Serve over salad greens.

Kowloon Chicken

2006-07-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

I love using the crock pot – so simple. Just throw everything in and all of a sudden you have an excellent meal! My partner and I fell in love with this dish, so I try to make it at least once a month. If you cook less than the 6 servings (which I do often), it sometimes only takes 3 hours for the chicken to cook through, so keep and eye on it otherwise it will dry out. We’ve tried a bunch of wines with this one – it definitely needs a white, but the bold Chardonnay is a bit much. Try a Pinot Grigio with this one.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts

1 tsp. ginger

1 tbs. garlic

1 c. chicken broth

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 medium mango

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts

4 green onions

¼ c. cornstarch

¼ c. soy sauce

8 oz. egg noodles

Instructions

Place chicken in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine ginger, garlic, broth, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until chicken is tender. Turn and rotate chicken occasionally during cook time.

As chicken is finishing cooking, pit and chop the mango. Rinse and chop the green onions. Prepare egg noodles according to package directions omitting salt and fat.

When chicken is cooked through, remove from slow cooker. Turn control to HIGH. Add chopped mango, water chestnuts (drained), and chopped green onions. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce. Stir mixture into the juices in the cooker. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Serve chicken on top of egg noodles, and ladle sauce over the top.

Shrimp Cocktail with Tropical Avocado Salsa

2006-06-17T22:26:00.000-04:00

A great summer appetizer. I think I pulled this recipe out of Cooking Light – it’s perfect as a first course and I’m always on the lookout for ways to use avocado. We had Chardonnay with it and that was quite tasty.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ c. pineapple, diced

9 tbs. avocado

½ c. plum tomatoes

1/3 c. green onions

2 tbs. fresh basil

2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. chipotle chile

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

30 shrimp

1 tbs. sherry

1 tbs. soy sauce

½ tsp. cumin

3 tbs. garlic

2 tsp. olive oil

6 lime wedges

Instructions

Chop the pineapple, avocado, tomatoes, green onions and basil. Combine first 8 ingredients (through sugar) in a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and chill.

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Combine shrimp, sherry, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to coat shrimp. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade. Add shrimp to pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done. Spoon 1/3 cup salsa into each of 6 martini glasses; place 5 shrimp on rim of each glass. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, if desired.