Lemon/ Butter Scallops

Scallops are one of Jud's favorite foods so on our anniversary every year, I try to find a recipe that uses scallops.  I'm not a huge fan of scallops, but this was nice and he liked it.  He grilled vegetables and that was my favorite part.

Ingredients:

 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 pound scallops Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cloves garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Season scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, add scallops to the skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and translucent in the center, about 1­2 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm. To make the lemon butter sauce, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve scallops immediately with lemon butter sauce, garnished with parsley, if desired

Classic Stuffed Shells

I made two of these. Shared one and ate one. This recipe was on the back of the H.E.B. Jumbo Shells.  I added the ground meat.




Ingredients:
1 pkg (12 oz.) H.E.B. Jumbo Shells                                   2 Tablespoons Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil                                                1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped onion                                                     1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced                                                        1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 (12oz.) cans Tomato Juice                                               1 (16 oz.() container Ricotta Cheese
1 (6oz.) can Tomato Paste                                                 2 eggs, beaten

1 pound ground meat
3 cups (12oz. ) shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon dried Parsley Flakes
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Method:
1. Cook Jumbo Shells as package directs, drain, Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook ground meat in a medium skillet while shells are cooking. Cook until browned.
3. Add onions and garlic. Cook until tender. Stir in next 6 ingredients, simmer 10 min., uncovered, stirring occasionally.
3. Blend Ricotta cheese and eggs in medium bowl. Stir in 2 cups Mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley flakes, seasoned salt and pepper.
4. Pour 1/2 of the tomato sauce into a 13"X 9" baking dish. Fill shells evenly with Ricotta mixture. Place in baking dish.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot.

Pine nut crusted chicken tenders

I had some left over pine nuts in the freezer and decided to use them in this dish. I think they would have been better if I had not frozen them. When I put them in the coffee grinder it made more of a paste.  But then again, it did go on the tenders easily.












Ingredients:
chicken tenders
pine nuts
Method:
Put the pine nuts in the coffee grinder and pulse until desired consistency. Rinse the chicken and dredge in the pine nuts.  Place on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy clean up) and bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn 1/2 way through.  I thought this was o.k. Probably not a repeat for me.

Honey Lime Tilapia

This may be my favorite tilapia recipe . You can find it Here
I have started following some of her pinterest boards. Looking forward to finding more gems.

Fish and Marinade:
• 4 tilapia fillets (about 4-5 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
Coating and Cooking:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and garlic. Place the tilapia in a gallon-sized ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top of the fish. Press the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate the fish for at least an hour and up to 4 hours. It helps to lay the bag in a flat dish and turn it over once or twice during the marinading time since the marinade won't completely cover the fish.
2. Before cooking, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish like a pie plate. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until rippling and hot. Dredge each tilapia fillet in the flour, coating both sides lightly. Cook the fillets for 3-5 minutes per side without moving the fish while it cooks on each side; this will ensure a more even browning. Adjust the cooking time as needed depending on the thickness of the tilapia and the heat of the skillet and work in batches if necessary so the skillet isn't overcrowded.
3. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from One Lovely Life, found via Pinterest

Mushroom Gravy Smothered Pork Chops

 Found this recipe Here  I cut this recipe in 1/2 using only 3 pork chops. I forgot to take the picture until we were almost finished. I only used one can of mushroom soup, but think I would use both next time because we had mashed potatoes and would have enjoyed more.
Printable Version
Ingredients

• 6-8 large pork chops, bone in
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp of ground sage (I usually don't measure this out - I just go by taste)
• Vegetable oil
• 2 (10oz) cans reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
2. Season the pork chops with sage and ground pepper.
3. Coat the chops with the bread crumbs making sure that all sides are covered.
4. Heat some vegetable oil in a large pan.
5. Once the oil is hot enough (Med. Heat) fry up the chops so that they are browned on each side.
6. Once browned lay the pork chops on a baking sheet lined with a couple layers of paper towel to help remove any excess fat.
7. Once they have all been browned and set on the paper towel lay them in a large rectangular baking dish or casserole dish. It's fine if the pork chops overlap some.
8. In a large measuring cup or mixing bowl combine the condensed soup with the milk. Make sure it's well combined.
9. Pour the sauce evenly over the chops.
10. Bake the chops in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I found this in my recipe box, but don't know where I got the recipe. I tried googling it, but still had no luck finding the recipe.







Printable Version
Ingredients for Filling:
3 cups rotisserie chicken
1 (4oz.) can mild green chilies
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
Ingredients for Sauce:
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 Tablespoons flour
1/3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
9 flour tortillas
chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine cream cheese and green chilies. Mix well and add chicken and black beans. Mix well and set aside. In a medium skillet melt butter. Add onions and cook until softened (3-4) min.  Sprinkle flour over onions and stir well (1 min.) Slowly whisk in chicken stock and milk. Cook until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and add enchilada sauce and sour cream.  Spread 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of an 8" X 10" baking dish. Fill softened tortillas with chicken mixture. and place in the baking dish. Continue with all 9 tortillas. Top with rest of the Sauce and top with cilantro and cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until hot.

pickled okra

We have a community garden plot and as luck would have it, we have okra running out of the kazoo. We like okra, but it is only July, and we don't know what to do with it all.  I did what any Southern girl worth anything would do.  I googled pickled okra, and CLICK,  Here is the recipe.




2 pounds young, small to medium okra pods
4 small dried chiles, split in 1/2
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
12 sprigs fresh dill
4 cloves garlic, whole
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 cups rice wine vinegar
2 cups bottled water
Directions
Special Equipment: 4 pint-sized canning jars, sterilized*

Wash the okra and trim the stem to 1/2-inch. Place 1 chile, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 3 sprigs of dill, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns in the bottom of each of 4 sterilized pint canning jars. Divide the okra evenly among the 4 jars, standing them up vertically, alternating stems up and down.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the salt, vinegar and water to a boil. Once boiling, pour this mixture over the okra in the jars, leaving space between the top of the liquid and the lid. Seal the lids. Set in a cool dry place for 2 weeks.

*Tips on Sterilizing Jars

Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

Sterilizing Tips:

Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.

To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.

Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.

As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.

After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2006

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pickled-okra-recipe.html?ic1=obinsite&oc=linkback 

Baguette

Tomorrow is Lord's Supper Sunday at church and I decided to try my hand at making a baguette for our appetizer tonight. The rest will be served at church tomorrow.  Jud said this was the best baguette he has ever tasted.  I consider that a success. This recipe makes two loaves, but I have the other dough in the refrigerator. I plan to make it at the first of the week. You can find the recipe Here
I did not grease the bowl or use the cornmeal or ice cubes. Check the original recipe if  you want to use those.


Ingredients:
2 envelopes dry active yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons honey
3 1/2  - 4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine honey, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to combine and let the mixture stand until the yeast is activated and begins to foam, 5 minutes.

Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl with a dough hook and slowly add in the yeast mixture. Gradually add 1 additional cup of warm water and mix until the dough comes together into a ball that is not too wet. You may not need the full cup so add it slowly. I needed it all and I only used 3 1/2 cups of flour. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 2-6 minutes. You can do the thumbprint test: press in the dough with your thumb and it should bounce back with it is ready. I did not use additional flour, but just kneaded it on my cutting board until smooth.

Punch down the dough and divide it in half. I let mine rise for 25-30 minutes in a bowl.  Shape into 2 baguettes by making a flat rectangle out of the first half. The rectangle should be about 16 inches long and about 12 inches wide.  I did not do this part like the recipe. I rolled the dough from the16" side into a baguette. Press the middle to disperse the dough evenly. You can watch a video Here
Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 375 degrees.  As you can see, I combined two recipes. It was so much easier than I thought. I may never buy another baguette.