Donna's Perfect Strawberry Preserves

Hello Friends, there is not much of anything more flavorful to me than fresh strawberry preserves made with the best local fresh berries you can find.  Try this out and see for yourself!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Perfect Strawberry Preserves

Ingredients:

2 quarts fresh strawberries, cleaned and mashed into chunky pieces

One 1.75 ounce box Ball Fruit Jell, No Sugar Needed

¼ cup lemon juice

¾ cup water

3¼ cups sugar

Method:

Mix berries, juice and water; stir in fruit jell and bring to full boil.  Add sugar and bring to full, rolling boil for 1 minute.  Place in 8 ounce canning jars.

Makes 7-8 eight ounce jars.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Grilled Bleu Cheese Burgers

Hello Summertime!  With company coming to visit and summer now here, I wanted to prepare a casual supper starring grilled burgers and several tasty vegetable side dishes including easy Microwave Corn on the Cob (place 2 unhusked corn cobs in microwave for 4 minutes, i.e., 2 minutes per cob).  All of the recipes except the following Grilled Bleu Cheese Burgers are already posted on this blog at these locations:

• Pretzels with Honey Mustard Dip - see 15 February 2015
• Zesty Italian Vegetable Salad - see 15 April 2015
• Fast Smashed Potatoes - see 15 November 2014
• Mexicali Turkey Burgers - see 23 May 2015

Here's hoping your summer is bright and sunny!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Grilled Bleu Cheese Burgers

Ingredients:

3 pounds ground chuck hamburger

1 cup Bleu cheese crumbles

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Gently mix meat with cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Shape into 9 patties and grill over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side.

Serves 6 – 8.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Balsamic Vinaigrette Marinated & Grilled Portabella Mushrooms

Dear Friends, tonight's menu is purely vegetarian:  The marinated and grilled mushroom caps were joined with my Sesame Oil Roasted Green Beans (see 2 June 2015 post for recipe) and my Millet, Quinoa & Rice mix (see 6 December 2014 post).  The "meatiness" of the mushrooms made an excellent replacement for animal protein and we left the table more than satisfied!  Cheers, Donna:

Donna's Balsamic Vinaigrette Marinated & Grilled Portabella Mushrooms

Ingredients:

4 – 5 large Portabella mushroom caps

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive or canola oil

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Mix together vinaigrette ingredients and pour over mushroom caps in marinating container.  Allow to marinate for 2 – 4 hours.  Drain, and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper, if desired.  Grill caps over indirect medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side taking care not to burn or char them.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3 - 4.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Simple Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Happy Father's Day and Summer Solstice!  With so much going on this weekend, we wanted to get many chores done and also spend time with family so cooking time was short.  For dinner, I prepared a very simple fried fish that has lots of flavor from the butter, lemon pepper and lemon juice.  I sliced up the first pineapple we grew and its sweetness was a perfect accompaniment to the fish!  Enjoy, Donna:

Donna's Simple Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 pound tilapia fillets (about 3)

Lemon pepper to taste

Lemon wedges

Method:

Melt butter in large frying pan over high heat.  Sprinkle one side of fillets with lemon pepper and place seasoned side down in pan.  Sprinkle top of fillets with lemon pepper and cook about 3-4 minutes.  Flip and cook for another few minutes just until fish is white and flakes easily. Squeeze lemon juice on top of fish and serve immediately.

Serves 2-3.

Copyright 2015. 

Donna's Slow Cooked 3 Cup Chicken

Hello!  Tonight's meal is based upon a traditional Chinese meal of which there are hundreds of variations.  I took it upon myself to develop a slow cooked version with the level of spiciness that we prefer.  I was so pleased with the results, and scooped on top of my Five Spice Basmati Rice (see 8 February 2015 blog entry for recipe), it tasted heavenly!  Give this recipe a try and let me know how it worked for you!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Slow Cooked 3 Cup Chicken

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons sesame oil
One 3-inch piece of ginger root, sliced into coins (~12)
1 clove of Elephant garlic, peeled
4 whole scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in with skins (~8) 
2 Tablespoons raw sugar
½ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup Tamari sauce
Fresh cilantro leaves

Method:

Heat a large frying pan over high heat, and add 2 tablespoons sesame oil.  When the oil shimmers, add the chicken, skin side down, turning after 5 or so minutes until skin is browned.  Remove from pan and layer in sprayed slow cooker.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and stir fry the ginger, garlic, scallions and red pepper until fragrant, about 5 minutes, and add to top of chicken in slow cooker.

Mix the vinegars, Tamari and sugar in 2 cup measuring cup and microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring well after heated to dissolve any remaining sugar crystals.  Pour mixture over ingredients in slow cooker and heat on Low setting for about 8 hours.  When ready to serve, top with cilantro leaves. 

Serves 4.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Sauteed Rainbow Trout Almondine with Lemon Pepper and Brown Butter Sauce

Dear Culinary Companions, being near the water makes me want to indulge in fish and, with an incredible sale on Rainbow Trout at our local Meijer's store, I was able to produce a tasty and quick meal for less than $10!  With a side dish of Golden Potatoes, Corn and Onions (see my 21 August 2014 blog for recipe, the meal was a fulfilling end to a lovely day.  Best, Donna:

Donna's Sauteed Rainbow Trout Almondine with Lemon Pepper and Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

One pound fresh rainbow trout fillets (about 2)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) + 1 Tablespoon butter

Salt and Lemon Pepper to taste

¼ cup sliced almonds (or chopped chestnuts)

Lemon wedges

Method:

In small saucepan, heat and stir the stick of butter over medium-high heat watching closely until it just turns brown.  Set aside.

Heat medium frying pan to medium-high heat.  Add almonds and stir constantly until toasted, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Return frying pan to stove and heat olive oil and remaining 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle with seasonings and saute about 5 minutes, flipping once if desired.  Heat until just cooked through when fish flakes easily with fork.

Divide fillets onto plates, top with toasted almonds and brown butter sauce.  Squeeze juice from fresh lemon wedges over top and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Grilled Pork Chops with Chipotle-Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

Dear Friends, Summer is almost officially here and we are dusting off the grill up north.  For a light but filling meal, we tossed together a fresh salad with ingredients from the local fruit market and came up with a simple yet spicy-sweet glaze for grilled boneless pork chops.  What a meal!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Grilled Pork Chops with Chipotle-Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops (~1.25 pounds)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

¼ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

¼ cup jalapeno pepper jam

Method:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Mix together BBQ sauce and jam and set aside.  Spray or drizzle olive oil over each side of chops and season with salt and pepper.  Grill for about 3 minutes per side, depending upon thickness of chops, just until cooked through.  During last minute of cooking time, top each chop with BBQ sauce mix.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3 – 4.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Roasted Mahi Mahi in Shrimp & Crab Louise Sauce

Salutations!  This is the last of my freezer and pantry purging efforts, and sometimes they say "save the best for last"!  As a take-off on Crab Louis (my middle name is Louise!), I made a creamy marinara sauce with a touch of sweet and sour that enhanced the seafood combination so deliciously.  And it was so easy to pull together.  With rice and a salad, dinner was complete!  Sending my Best, Donna:

Donna's Roasted Mahi Mahi in Shrimp & Crab Louise Sauce

Ingredients:

Two 6 ounce mahi mahi fillets

1 cup Marzetti’s Simply Dressed Lemon Vinaigrette

One 15 ounce jar Alfredo sauce

One 5.5 ounce can low sodium V-8 juice

1 cup crab meat (or imitation crab), chopped

1 cup salad shrimp

½ cup Donna’s Roasted Grape Tomatoes (see 19 February 2015 blog entry)

1 teaspoon sugar

Zest of one lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

Place fillets in shallow dish and cover with vinaigrette.  Marinate in refrigerator for about 2 – 4 hours.  Drain when ready to cook.

Preheat oven  to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking oil.  Mix together all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Add fillets to pan and top with sauce and cheese.  Loosely tent foil over top to protect against splashes to oven.  Bake for about 18 minutes or until fish is flaky and white in color.  Serve over gluten free pasta or rice if desired.

Serves 2.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Open Faced Croque Monsieur with Spicy Crab Salad

Hi Everyone, as you know, I am still on a mission to clean out my pantry and freezer which resulted in this French grilled cheese sandwich topped with one of my favorite lunch stand-bys, my Spicy Crab Salad.  You may want to grill them with 2 slices of bread instead of my open faced option but I was able to stack on the salad nicely while doing these as open faced sandwiches.  Substituting mayonnaise for butter as the spread makes the bread crispier and darker and just as delicious!  Enjoy, Donna:

Donna's Open Faced Croque Monsieur with Spicy Crab Salad

Ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise in two ¼ cup portions

1 pound crab pieces (or imitation crabmeat)

1 celery stick, finely chopped

½ red or green bell pepper, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon Emeril’s Essence spice mix

4 slices gluten free bread

4 small slices Gruyere cheese

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

Mix the first ¼ cup portion of mayonnaise with all ingredients except bread and cheeses.  Set aside.  (Note:  Any extra salad may be served separately in lettuce leaves, if desired).

Spread each side of bread slices with remaining ¼ cup mayonnaise.  Heat frying pan to medium-high and add bread, turning to brown each side.  Top each bread slice with crab salad, then cheeses.  If melted cheese is desired, place lid on pan and heat a few minutes (or run under the broiler or microwave); otherwise, remove from pan, sprinkle with additional spice and serve immediately.

Serves 2 – 4.

Copyright 2015.

Donna's Coconut Crusted Sweet & Spicy Grouper Tacos and Sesame Oil Roasted Green Beans with Macadamia Nuts

Hello to All, I remain committed to using up items in my pantry and freezer and so created these dishes to use up fresh green beans and frozen grouper.  The beans were so flavorful that I had a hard time waiting until they were on my plate before devouring several of them!  The grouper stayed firm which made the tacos easier to handle.  As a bonus side dish, I mixed a half cup of sweet corn with my Gluten Free Millet, Quinoa and Rice recipe (see 6 December 2014 blog entry) and was pleased with the result as well.  I hope you have fun trying these recipes or creating your own!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Coconut Crusted Sweet & Spicy Grouper Tacos

Ingredients:

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup orange marmalade

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Two 6-ounce grouper fillets

½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Gluten free corn tortilla shells

Lime wedges

Salsa

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line small baking pan with foil and cover with cooking spray.

Mix first 5 ingredients and spread on each fillet on all sides.  Press coconut into coating on all sides and place on foil in pan.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until fish is turns white and is flaky.

Place fish inside taco shell, squeeze with lime if desired, and top with salsa.

Serves 2.

Donna's Sesame Oil Roasted Green Beans with Macadamia Nuts

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, washed, dried and stems removed

½ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.  Mix together all ingredients and place on pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Copyright 2015.