Phyllo Wrapped Halibut

It's been a while since I've talked about my precious boyfriend, so..... I was in the kitchen making this dinner and Stephen was watching TV. All of a sudden he started talking about a meal I had made for him recently. He asks, "Baby, what you were those black things in the rice?" I say, "Oh those are kalmata olives." He then tells me, "Well, I don't like those things." So, I immediately stopped chopping up the olive tapenade I was making and start looking through the refrigerator to find something else to wrap up with the halibut.


Phyllo Wrapped Halibut
6 phyllo dough sheets, thawed
3 T. butter, melted
2 halibut filets
Salt and pepper
Dried thyme
Matchstick carrots
Green onions, cut on bias
Shrimp, thawed
Ground red pepper
Half and half

Season halibut with salt, pepper and thyme. On flat surface, lay 1 phyllo sheet. Coat with thin layer of melted butter. Layer next phyllo sheet and melted butter. Continue until you have layered all 6 phyllo sheets. Cut the phyllo sheets in half. In the middle of each phyllo layer, add carrots and green onions, then top with halibut. Wrap phyllo around fish and lightly press to seal. Put on baking sheet with the seam down and put thin layer of melted butter on top. Put small slits in the phyllo to allow steam to release. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until phyllo dough is browned.

While baking, season shrimp with salt, pepper and ground red pepper. In skillet, reduce half and half until thick. Add shrimp, cook through. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes.

Ahi Tuna Salad

You gotta love a special birthday meal. And of course, my nephew and niece, Luke and Siena, had to decorate daddy's birthday cake. Since I knew the cake would end up with an excess of decorative frosting, I made lunch nice and healthful.

Ahi Tuna Salad

Ahi tuna steaks

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Sesame seeds

Lettuce, sliced thinly

Red cabbage, sliced thinly

Matchstick carrots

Green onions, cut on the bias

Bean sprouts

2 limes, juiced

1/2 t. fresh ginger, grated

Salt and pepper

1 t. soy sauce

1 t. sesame oil

1/3 c. olive oil

Coat both sides of tuna steaks with oil, salt and pepper. Spread sesame seeds onto a small plate. Press both side of tuna in sesame seeds, shaking off excess. Over medium-high heat, saute tuna for 3 minutes per side. Let cool slightly and slice. Mix together lettuce, cabbage, carrots and green onions. Whisk together lime juice, ginger, salt, pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil and olive oil. Toss with salad. Top salad and tuna with bean sprouts.

Chocolate Cake

Basic Buttercream Frosting

Mediterranean Rice Bowl

Ok, I think that I am in a cooking rut. I'm getting bored with myself. I need to start thinking outside of my comfort zone of foods. I'm giving myself this push right when I'm starting my summer break, which could be difficult. I have a tendency to 'turn my brain off' during summer, so we'll see how this works out for me.

Mediterranean Rice Bowl

Chuck round steak

Greek seasoning

Rice, cooked

1 cucumber, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

Kalamata olives, chopped

Pepperocini's, chopped

Feta cheese

Salt and pepper

Red wine vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Season steak with Greek seasoning. Cook to desired doneness. Let meat rest, then slice it thinly. Mix together cooked rice, cucumber, tomato, olives, pepperocini's, feta, salt and pepper, oil and vinegar. Serve meat on top of rice mixture.

Daddy Sized Burger

I think that Father's Day is not complete without a big burger for dad. It's funny how Mother's Day makes you think of brunch and going out to eat, but Father's Day is about grilling big food. Ok, so I am not a master on the grill, and some people are afraid of me being too close to an open flame. So, my grilling was done inside using a grill pan.

Daddy Sized Burger

2 lb. ground beef

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder

Dried onion flakes

Worcestershire sauce

4 portobello mushrooms

1 leek, sliced and cleaned

Balsamic drizzle

Provolone cheese slices

Tomato, sliced

Season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried onion and Worcestershire sauce, mix well and form into 4 big patties. Cook burgers to desired doneness, using desired cooking medium. Drizzle mushroom with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in 375 degree oven for 5-7 minutes. In skillet, saute leeks with salt and pepper, for 4-5 minutes. On plate, put mushroom on bottom, top with leeks, balsamic drizzle, burger, cheese and tomato slice.

Oven Onion Rings

Adapted from Hungry Girl

1 large onion

1/2 c. Fiber One cereal, Original

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

salt and pepper

Grind cereal in food processor. Slice onions to desired onion ring size. Mix together eggs, milk and salt and pepper. Dip onion slices in egg mixture, cereal, in egg mixture again and then cereal again. Lay onion slices in single layer of baking sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Tilapia and Roasted Broccoli

It really is amazing to me that my 9 year old nephew, Luke, likes roasted broccoli. He's been eating it at least since he was 7. I don't remember how old I was when I started eating broccoli, but I highly doubt that it was this young.

Tilapia

Tilapia filets

Salt and Pepper

Dried Rosemary

Dried Thyme

Season tilapia with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Saute in skillet.

Roasted Broccoli and Onions

Broccoli, trimmed

Onion, sliced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper

Garlic Powder

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll onion slices in oil, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan. Roast in oven for 10 minutes. While onions in oven, roll broccoli in oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan. Add to onions in oven. Roast onions and broccoli for 10-15 minutes.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

As I've mentioned before, when my boyfriend, Stephen works a long shift, I try to make him something to take to work. I came up with this last minute, but it went over well with Stephen.

Carmelized Onion Stuffed Chicken Breast

2 chicken breasts, butterflied

1 large onion, thenly sliced

salt and pepper

dried thyme

2 swiss cheese slices

Season onion with salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until carmelized. Season chicken breasts. On one side of each chicken breast, layer some cheese, onions and top with cheese. Close up chicken breast and secure with toothpicks. In skillet, brown both sides of chicken for 3-4 minutes. Finish cooking in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.

Asian Pork Tenderloin

I am a teacher, so though I do work a little but in June and July, I am technically off for the summer. That being said, I have no idea why it seems like I have less time now to post on my blog than I did during the school year. It's not that I haven't been cooking, I just haven't been posting. In fact, I cooked this so long ago, it took me a while to remember how I marinaded the pork tenderloin.


Asian Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. Hoisin sauce
2 t. fresh ginger, grated
2 scallions, chopped
2 garlic clove, crushed

Marinade pork with all other ingredients for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator. In skillet, brown all sides of pork for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to 350 degree oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through.

Sauce

1 c. Hoisin sauce

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar

1 t. fresh ginger, grated

Mix well, warm through. Drizzle on top of thinly sliced pork.

Mom's Birthday Cake

My mom wanted me to post this picture. My nephew, Luke and niece, Siena, decorated it. They had such a good time with the icing, and were very proud of the outcome. And Siena only squeezed a little bit of the icing directly into her mouth before I was able to stop her...

Carrot Cake

*I left the nuts out and added raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting

2-8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 box powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix well. Stir in vanilla.

Grilled Kabobs

On Sunday, I gave my dad the job of grilling the food I prepared. And there is a reason why I gave him the job. I kept going out there with him to try to 'learn' more about grilling, but then I kept trying to take over. And my dad is a very laid back person, so he let me. And he should have stopped me, because I took the potatoes and the steak off early. All still edible, just not quite as done as everybody would have preferred. But all still good.

I kabobed, the meat together, the potatoes together and the veggies together. Then I took them all off for plating and served it family style.

Chicken and Steak Marinade

Greek Seasoning

Balsamic Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix well in a gallon storage bag. Add cut up meat. Let marinade in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. * Marinate meats seperately.

Smoked Salmon Crepes

Deep breathe... I had a great weekend with my parents, but man was it busy! I cooked lots, but just haven't had the time to blog about it. I don't even remember when I made this. It was for lunch and Mom and Dad liked it, but the rest is a blur... Fun, but a blur.

Smoked Salmon Crepes

Basic crepes

Cream cheese, softened

Capers, chopped

Smoked salmon

Baby spinach

Tomato, sliced

Mix together cream cheese and capers. Spread on crepe. Top with smoked salmon, spinach and tomato slice. Wrap.

Shrimp and Corn Salad

With my parents in town, you will see more vegetables in what I cook. It's not that I don't like veggies, I do. I just have an anti-vegetable boyfriend. Hey, we all have our downfalls. (Trust me, he could have far worse downfalls) But this post isn't about him, it's about my family. They loved that the salad wasn't hot, but it also wasn't cold. It was just right for Goldilocks.

Shrimp and Corn Salad

1 lb. shrimp, cooked and slightly cooled

4 ears corn on the cob, cooked and cut from the cob

1 tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 c baby spinach, roughly torn

salt and pepper

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Feta cheese

Mix all but feta cheese while shrimp and corn are still warm. Top with feta.

Tuna Melts

My mama and daddy are in town!!! Yea! So there will be lots of cooking going on at my house this weekend. My mama does not like Mayo. In fact, she hates it and won't allow it in her house. So, I came up with a tuna melt for her that contains no mayo. I used smoked gouda because I love it, though it is not the best melter, so you may want to use something smoother.

Tuna Melt

3 cans tuna, drained well

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/4 c. onion, finely chopped

2 T. capers, roughly chopped

salt and pepper

2 T. dijon mustard

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Italian bread, sliced

Smoked gouda cheese, thinly sliced

Lightly toast bread in oven. In bowl, whisk mustard vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly add oil as you continue to whisk. Mix tuna, celery, onion, capers and dressing. Top bread with tuna mixture and cheese. Toast in oven.

Chicken Burritos

This weekend I was having a creative cooking block. I just couldn't think of something different to make for my family. Now, I'm not saying that I have made this exact meal for the fam before, but I'm sure it's very close. But they still loved it, and that's all that really matters.

Chicken Burritos

Large sun dried tomato tortillas

Chicken breasts

Chili powder

Cumin

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Salt and pepper

1 can chicken stock

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Tomatoes, chopped

Red onion, thinly sliced

Avocado, chopped

Lime

Season chicken with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook, then shred with fork. Put chicken, chicken stock, more of seasonings and black beans in pot and let simmer 4-5 minutes. Squeeze lime over avocado. Wrap up all ingredients in warm tortilla.

Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto

Every time I mentioned risotto to my boyfriend, Stephen, this weekend he gave me a funny look and said, "The What?" Finally I wised up and started calling it Shrimp and Rice, which worked out much better. Don't we all prefer to hear words we understand...

Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto
1 lb. frozen shrimp, thawed
Salt and pepper
Chili powder
1 pint mushroom, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 c. aborio rice
1/2 c. white wine
4 c. chicken stock, simmering on stove
Fresh parsley, chopped

Season shrimp with salt, pepper and chili powder, cook 2-3 minutes and set aside. In large skillet, cook mushrooms and shallot over medium heat. Add rice, and toast 2-3 minutes. Add wine, stir with wooden spoon and let cook until wine in absorbed. Add a ladle of chicken stock, stir and let cook until absorbed. Repeat this process until all of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy. Stir in shrimp, remove from heat. Top with parsley.