Sunday, November 29, 2015

Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Turkey Meatball Stir-Fry and Pineapple, Meyer Lemon & Ginger Marmalade

Hello and Welcome!  Tonight's Sunday stir-fry dinner was a combination of fresh ingredients with leftover meatballs that had been frozen from the prior week to make a fast and substantial meal with just the addition of rice.  While the stir-fry was cooking, I had another pot going with a very easy pineapple marmalade that was cooked in 15 minutes!  This jam can be used as a typical spread or as a topping on cake or ice cream if desired.  Bon Appetit!  Best, Donna:



Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Turkey Meatball Stir-Fry

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet bell pepper, any color, sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 pound fresh pineapple cubes
24 Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Turkey Meatball (see 22 November 2015 blog for recipe)
½ pound snow peas
½ cup Sweet & Sour sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Heat oil in wok until hot.  Add peppers and onion and stir-fry about 5 minutes.  Add pineapple and meatballs until heated through and stir in snow peas.  Mix in sauce and seasonings and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, being careful not to overcook.  Serve over hot rice if desired.


Serves 4.

Donna's Pineapple, Meyer Lemon & Ginger Marmalade

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh pineapple chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
Grated rind from 1 Meyer lemon
2 Tablespoons candied ginger, chopped

Method:
Mix all ingredients together in a heavy, tall pan.  Cook over High heat for 15 minutes until thickened being careful to not overcook.  Ladle into jars and refrigerate once cooled.

Makes 3 eight ounce jars.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Garlic Butter Grilled Crab Legs and Baked Latkes

Dear Friends, after a tremendous Thanksgiving with friends, we were in the mood to prepare something simple without venturing out on Black Friday.  These crab legs and latkes came together quickly and tasted great side-by-side.  The best part about this crab recipe is that you do not need to dip the crab into butter since the flavor is imparted into the meat giving it a smokey, buttery flavor without the extra calories!  The latkes have been one of my favorite recipes for several years now and is a delicious side dish that can be made for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  Best, Donna:


Donna's Garlic Butter Grilled Crab Legs
 Ingredients:
1½ pounds crab legs
5 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Place crab legs in large bowl.  Mix together remaining ingredients and pour onto crab legs, stirring to evenly distribute coating.  Preheat grill on High (~400 degrees F), place crab legs on grill and cook about 7 – 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time.  Remove from grill and serve immediately, no melted butter needed.

Serves 2.

Donna's Baked Latkes

Ingredients:
One 20 ounce package shredded hash browns
½ large sweet onion or 4 green onions, chopped
1 large egg
2½ Tablespoons gluten free flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Ground nutmeg

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.  Mix together all ingredients and place ¼ cup scoops on pan.  Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the latkes and bake for another 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Makes 12 – 16 latkes.

Copyright 2015.


Sunday, November 22, 2015

Donna's Slow Cooked Meyer Lemon Chicken in Garlic Mushroom Sauce and Butternut Squash Au Gratin

All, today is the beginning of Thanksgiving week and tonight's menu echos traditional poultry and vegetables in advance of the big holiday.  I prepared the chicken yesterday and kept it chilled in the slow cooker crock until this morning when I simply placed it in the cooker and turned it on to Low.  I developed the squash recipe from a potato au gratin recipe that we love and was very pleased with the results!  Adding a side salad made an excellent Sunday dinner, capping off a great start to a blessed week of thankfulness and gratitude.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  Best, Donna:




Donna's Slow Cooked Meyer Lemon Chicken in Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
24 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
One 4 pound chicken, gizzards removed and dried with paper towels
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Meyer lemon, quartered
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and turn on low setting.  Heat olive oil in large frying pan and add garlic, stirring until cloves turn golden.  Spoon garlic into bottom of slow cooker and add mushrooms.  Heat butter in same pan and brown the chicken on all sides.  Place in slow cooker and sprinkle salt and pepper on outside and inside chicken, and stuff with lemon wedges, squeezing juice into cavity before inserting.  Add milk to slow cooker and cook for 8 – 10 hours.  Serve chicken with garlic mushroom sauce on top of meat, if desired.


Serves 4.

Donna's Butternut Squash Au Gratin

Ingredients:
6 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
3 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix together squash and onion and place in 9x9 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking oil.  Heat milk in microwave on High for 4 minutes; set aside to cool slightly.  Add salt and pepper, stirring to mix.  To avoid curdling, mix a small amount of milk into egg; then mix egg-milk mixture into remaining milk.  Pour milk mixture over squash and onions in baking dish.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  Top with cheeses and sprinkle with additional nutmeg.  Place dish on cookie sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender and cheese is golden.  Let cool for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Cranberry Citrus Port Sauce and Sunshine Basil Green Tea

Hello from the Sunshine State!  I know many of you live in parts of the country that have been hit by snow already and so I want to offer you a little bit of sunshine in the form of recipes.  The port sauce is so easy to make and just in time for Thanksgiving.  While making the sauce, you may want to enjoy a glass of chilled basil green tea - it is very refreshing and the basil adds a subtly minty flavor.  Enjoy!  Best, Donna:


Donna's Cranberry Citrus Port Sauce

Ingredients:
One 12 ounce package cranberries, washed and drained
1½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup red port
½ cup white port
2 Tablespoons citrus juice (choose lemon, lime, or orange)
Zest of entire citrus (choose lemon, lime, or orange)

Method:
Mix together all ingredients in tall saucepan.  Heat on medium high, stirring constantly for 15 – 20 minutes or until berries have ruptured and the mixture has thickened.  Place into jars and seal.


Makes 24 ounces (or 3 eight ounce jars).


Donna's Sunshine Basil Green Tea

Ingredients:
2 – 4 green tea bags, depending upon tea strength desired
2 quarts cold water
1 sprig fresh basil

Method:
Place tea bags and water in ½ gallon Ball jar, cover and place upside down in sunny place.  Let sit in the sunshine for 2 – 4 hours.  Add basil sprig and refrigerate.

Serves 6 – 8.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Sesame Broccoli

Dear Friends, weekends are fun because there is time to actually obtain groceries and make luscious meals!  Saturdays are especially good because a good chunk of time in the kitchen can result in multiple meals for the upcoming week.  These meatballs can be used in a variety of ways like this sweet and sour version that we had last night.  Accompanied by deliciously crunchy sesame roasted broccoli, this will be a meal you will remember!  Best, Donna:



Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey
1 cup basmati rice, cooked
1 cup finely chopped Baby Bella mushrooms
One 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons dry sherry
3 Tablespoons Tamari (or soy) sauce
1 Tablespoon raw sugar dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water
2 teaspoons ginger root, grated
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet & Sour sauce

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Gently mix together all ingredients (except sweet and sour sauce) being careful not to overmix.  (If desired, mix liquid ingredients separately and add to rest of ingredients).  Using small scoop, either scoop free-form onto baking sheets sprayed with cooking oil, or place in sprayed mini-muffin cups.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce over rice, or place in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Makes 54 meatballs.

Serves 8 – 10.
Donna's Roasted Sesame Broccoli

Ingredients:
One bunch broccoli, washed, drained and cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 400° F.  Mix all ingredients in large bowl and place on large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and toss with spatula.  Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3.

Copyright 2015.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Grilled Tuna

Happy Friday, Everyone!  It is time to relax and take a break with a simple yet satisfying meal.  Tonight's dish meets these criteria and comes together quickly while lending a sweet/sour/salty flavor to the tuna that kicks it up a notch!  Have a great weekend and we will catch up soon!  Best, Donna:


Donna's Hawaiian Teriyaki Grilled Tuna

Ingredients:
1 pound tuna steak
1/3 cup pineapple juice
3 Tablespoons dry sherry
3 Tablespoons Tamari (or soy) sauce
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon raw (or brown) sugar
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
Ground black pepper to taste
Mango chutney

Method:
Mix together all ingredients except tuna, reserving and setting aside ¼ cup marinade.  Pour rest of marinade on top of tuna in non-reactive container.  Marinate for 15 minutes on each side.  Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.  Remove tuna from marinade and grill over direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side depending upon desired degree of doneness being careful not to overcook.  Serve with reserved marinade and mango chutney, if desired.

Serves 2.

Copyright 2015.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Donna's Baked Skate and Basil Butternut Squash in Foil Packets

Welcome to Tuesday Dinner!  This meal is so simple and versatile - you can pick any vegetable you want and just about any fish (as long as the fillets are not too thick), season and bake them in foil packets for 30 minutes and dinner is complete!  Tonight I chose skate fillets which are thin and luscious placed on top of a butternut squash-onion-basil mixture.  Choose your seasoning, add butter and you have your very own creation which is a meal unto itself :).  Enjoy the rest of your evening!  Best, Donna:



Donna's Baked Skate and Basil Butternut Squash in Foil Packets

Ingredients:
2½ cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and sliced thinly into “noodles”
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves
1 pound skate fillets (~ 2)
Old Bay or Lemon Pepper seasoning to taste
½ lime, sliced
3 Tablespoons butter, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chives

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line baking pan with foil so that it can be folded and closed on the top and sides. (If desired, you may make individual packets for each serving).  Spray foil with cooking oil and add remaining ingredients in order given.  Top with chives and close foil. Bake foil packet for 30 minutes.  Remove promptly and serve immediately with rice or salad, if desired.

Serves 2.


Copyright 2015.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Donna's Thai Red Curry Mussels & Shrimp and Stir-Fried Coconut Butternut Squash Noodles

UPDATE 23 March 2016:  I added two 3 ounce lobster tails to the pot at the same time as the rest of the shellfish and they were done perfectly!

Dear Friends, making a meal out of fresh and delicious seafood is easy with just a bit of preparation.  Tonight's dinner consisted of shrimp and mussels steamed in a spiced, creamy curry sauce that was served over butternut squash "noodles".  The natural sweetness of the squash beautifully balanced the flavors in the seafood and curry sauce.  Give this a try - you will be glad you did!  Best, Donna:



Donna's Thai Red Curry Mussels & Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh mussels, debearded
½ pound large uncooked shrimp, 16/20 count
Two 3 ounce lobster tails (23 March 2016 update)
One 15 ounce can lite coconut milk
¼ cup fresh salsa, medium
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 Tablespoon ginger root, minced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon red curry paste
½ teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon chives

Method:
Soak mussels in cold water with 2 Tablespoons of gluten-free flour for 30 minutes. Rinse well 3 times discarding any mussels that are not tightly closed.

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except mussels, shrimp and chives.  Bring to boil over high heat and add mussels and shrimp.  Cover pot and steam for 5 minutes or until mussels have opened, discarding any that do not open.  Serve mussels and shrimp immediately with sauce, adding chives on top, if desired.

Serves 2. 


Donna's Stir-Fried Coconut Butternut Squash Noodles

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and sliced thinly into “noodles”
2 Tablespoons unsweetened coconut, shredded
1 Tablespoon ginger root, minced
1½ teaspoons cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons Tamari (or soy sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Heat sesame oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add squash and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Copyright 2015.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Donna's Alternate Versions of Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde and Grilled Lemon Pepper Asparagus

Hi Everyone, I purchased a nice wild caught halibut fillet and happened to have leftover salsa verde so decided to adapt my previous recipe for Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde & Sweet Pepper Sauce (see 05 August 2015 blog post for recipe) by replacing the salmon with the halibut and using 1 cup of salsa verde mixed with 1 cup fresh salsa.  Baking time was 15 minutes.  Also, I adapted my Grilled Lemon Pepper Asparagus for the oven (see 03 November 2014 blog post) by preheating oven to 400 degrees F (same as grill) but baking for 15 minutes.  I hope you agree that a  few simple changes can create delicious results!  Best, Donna:


Serves 2.

Copyright 2015.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Donna's Tex Mex Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Welcome!  Although it may look like there are quite a few ingredients and steps to this dish, it comes together fairly quickly and is a meal all in one!  The spicy stuffing is a delicious contrast to the nutty, mellow sweetness of the squash.  When serving, cut the filled squash in half to get 4 servings.  Enjoy!  Best, Donna:



Donna's Tex Mex Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeds removed
One 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup Beyond Meat's Beyond Beef, Beefy Crumble flavor, meatless protein product
1 cup quinoa, cooked (use ½ cup rinsed seeds, ¾ cup water, 1 Tablespoon butter, salt to taste in rice cooker)
½ cup corn kernels (~ 1 cob), cooked (microwave with leaves on for 2 minutes)
½ cup Herdez salsa verde
½ cup fresh tomato salsa, medium
2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, quartered

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking oil and place squash in pan cut side down.  Bake for 60 minutes. Turn halves cut sides up and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

While squash is baking, mix together the rest of ingredients except cheese, avocado and lime.  Stuff the mixture into the squash halves, spoon the cheese on top of each and bake for 15 more minutes.  Serve with additional salsa verde, avocado slices and lime wedges.

Serves 4.


Copyright 2015.

Donna’s Coconut Crusted Sea Scallops with Pineapple-Lime-Ginger Sauce, Roasted Pesto Green Beans, and Green Papaya Macaroon Crisp

Hello All!  This week's Sunday dinner was quick, tasty and actually fun to pull together.  If you can find large dry pack sea scallops, they work best for this dish and only require a minimum amount of cooking.  The beans are very simple and were cooked at the same time as the scallops.  The dessert is a take-off on the traditional apple crisp but with a tropical theme using papaya and coconut.  Have a good week!  Best, Donna:



Donna’s Coconut Crusted Sea Scallops with Pineapple-Lime-Ginger Sauce

Ingredients:
Scallops:
1 pound sea scallops, dry pack, 10-20 count
½ cup cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash ground red cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded coconut
Sauce:
¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon pineapple juice
3 Tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ginger root, finely minced
Salt to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a cookie rack inside a cookie sheet and spray all with cooking oil.  Place the 1) cornstarch, 2) egg and 3) coconut into 3 separate shallow bowls.  Add salt and cayenne pepper to the egg and mix well.  Using tongs, dip each scallop into the bowls in the order given and place on cookie rack.  Spray tops of scallops with cooking spray.  Bake for 10 minutes. 

While scallops are baking, mix together pineapple and lime juices, and add cornstarch, ginger and salt.  Heat over medium-high heat about 5 minutes until thickened.  Spoon sauce on top of scallops before serving.

Serves 2 – 3.


Donna's Roasted Pesto Green Beans
 Ingredients:
½ pound green beans, washed and stems removed
2 Tablespoons pesto sauce
Pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 400° F.  Mix all ingredients and place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from oven and toss with spatula.  Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Donna's Green Papaya Macaroon Crisp

Ingredients:
3 cups green papaya, cut into thin strips
3 Tablespoons raw sugar
1½ cups flaked coconut
½ cup sliced almonds
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Salt to taste
3 Tablespoons butter
Cinnamon to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9” x 13” pan with cooking oil and spread papaya on pan bottom.  Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the sugar on top of the fruit.  Mix together remaining ingredients except butter and spread on top of fruit layer.  Slice butter thinly and place on top of macaroon layer.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 4 – 6.

Copyright 2015.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Donna’s Spicy Turkey Rice Mini-Burgers

Hello Again!  This recipe is a riff on my Pesto Quinoa Turkey Patties (see 04 August 2014 blog post for recipe) since I ran out of pesto sauce and had leftover Forbidden Rice all ready from the weekend.  This incarnation was spicy yet tender and very fast to mix together and get on the table after a work day.  Give it a try!  Best, Donna:


Donna’s Spicy Turkey Rice Mini-Burgers

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1¼ cup cooked rice (white, brown or black)
3/4 cup fresh salsa, medium
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Sriracha sauce

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking oil.  Gently mix together the first 4 ingredients.  Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop meat mixture into each of the muffin cups.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top decoratively with Sriracha sauce.  Bake for 30 minutes. 

Serves 4.

Copyright 2015.


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Donna's Grilled Hawaiian Tuna and Tropical Green Papaya Waldorf Salad

Welcome to November!  How the time is flying by, and 2016 is just around the corner.  This meal was quick to pull together and the flavors of the fish and the salad complemented each other very well.  I created the salad from a green papaya half given to me by my dear friend and came up with a tropical version of the traditional Waldorf salad.  The green papaya reminded me of celery and with the addition of apples, nuts, basil and chutney, the salad turned out to be a winner!  Best, Donna:


Donna's Grilled Hawaiian Tuna

Ingredients:
2 tuna steaks (~3/4 pound)
1-1/3 cups pineapple juice
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup Tamari sauce
2 teaspoons garlic

Method:
Mix all ingredients but tuna and pour over tuna in bowl to cover fish.  Marinate 2 or more hours in refrigerator.  Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.  Drain tuna and grill on each side for total cooking time of 5 – 10 minutes depending upon desired doneness.  Serve immediately.


Serves 2.

Donna's Tropical Green Papaya Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:
2 apples, cored and quartered
¼ large unripe papaya, peeled and seeded
½ cup almonds, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
¾ cup mango chutney
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime wedges

Method:
Using mandolin, cut apples and papaya into thin strips.  Mix with rest of ingredients except lime.  Chill 2 or more hours before serving.  When ready to serve, add a lime wedge to each serving to squeeze juice on top.

Serves 6.

Copyright 2015.