Foil Packets and Fish...on the grill

These fish fillets are wrapped up with vegetables and tarragon so you end up with a great tasting meal wrapped up in a simple packet. The tarragon is a really nice add. I happened to use "Texas Tarragon" also known as "Mexican Mint Marigold"...is heartier in terms of growing for the dry Texas soil, but taste like French Tarragon.
Ingredients:
2 6 oz tilapia fillets (or any light white fish for that matter!)
1/2 zucchini cut into julienne strips
1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips....if you know me, you know I skipped this!
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1 carrot cut into julienne strips
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon butter
Preparation:Preheat grill. Heat oil in large skillet and quickly cook vegetables. About 2-3 minutes on a medium-high heat. Take two large pieces of aluminum foil. Place one piece of fish on each. Top with 1/2 tablespoon butter, half the vegetables and half the tarragon. Repeat for the other piece. Wrap tightly and place on grill. Grill over a medium heat for 12 - 18 minutes. Open carefully because the steam can be very hot.
I also served with a side of aioli.

An easy side dish for a summer night...

Sherry Potatoes from one of my fav's Simply Recipes

Ingredients
1 lb russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick), melted
1/4 cup dry sherry
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method
1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 Arrange potato slices in layers in a gratin pan or baking pan, sprinkling salt and pepper over each layer. Pour sherry over the potatoes. Pour the melted butter over the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are well coated.
3 Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked, but not mushy, and they are slightly browned on top. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
Serves 4.

A new spring/summer twist to asparagus

I know it's been a while...I am waiting for another cooking show to be inspired...in the meantime I thought you might like this.

Baked Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 lb asparagus
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-1/2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1-1/2 Tbsp bread crumbs
2 tsp margarine
MethodPreheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss asparagus spears in 1-2 tsp olive oil and arrange in baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake uncovered until asparagus is just tender, approximately 15 minutes.

Steak ala Spinach

Having just returned from a ski trip, I learned a few things from an expert chef who graciously allowed us to stay at her condo.

We cooked filet for our evening dinner and instead of cooking a green side, we simply placed the steak on top of some spinach leaves while the steak was piping hot. The steak essentially cooked the spinach just slightly and it was very yum! (The bernaise mixed in as well and added some really nice richness.)

This one is definitely a keeper! Griddled corn cakes with greens and andouille sauce

This one is compliments of Jamie from Top Chef Season 5
Serves: 2-3
Corn Cake: a box of jiffy corn mix will do and use the pancake recipe on the side

Collards: 8 leaves collard greens, chiffonade

½ Small Onion, minced

½ t Butter

Salt to taste
***Husband does not do any kind of fish/seafood :( so I skipped the crayfish, but it sure sounded good!

Cream Sauce:10 crayfish tails, blanched, shocked, and cleaned

½ onion, minced

1T Dried Thyme

½ Serrano chili, minced

2oz Tasso, diced

2oz Andouille, crumbled (fresh is best)

½ C White Wine

2/3 C Cream or half and half

1T Butter

2 Bay Leaves
Collards: Sauté onion until soft in butter. Add collards, season with salt. Cook until semi-soft (green still should have texture).
Cream Sauce:In a sauté pan melt butter over medium heat. Add Tasso, andouille, Serrano, and onion. Season with salt. Cook until onion is soft. Add dried thyme, bay leaves and white wine. Cook until wine reduces. Add cream and reduce until sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning, add crayfish, reserve warm.
To Serve: Griddle a corn cake in a non-stick pan with a small amount of butter or oil. Top with sautéed collards, then with a poached egg...I skipped the egg. Spoon cream sauce on top.

Rick Bayless Green Rice

GrEeN RiCe
Great accompaniment to flank steak!
Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can broth, or better than bouillon
1-2 poblano peppers, stemmed,seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 small onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
1. Place chopped peppers and broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
3. Allow mixture to cool (if you blend it hot, it will fly out of the blender and burn you), then puree in a blender (broth and all) along with cilantro and salt.
4. Place onion and rice into a saucepan with the oil, and cook, stirring, until rice is opaque and onions are tender.
5. Add garlic and cook briefly, until it becomes fragrant.
6. Stir in broth mixture from the blender.
7. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
8. Allow to sit with the pan lid on away from heat for 12-15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Practice for a ski trip

I always go on a late season ski/eat fest with friends. I thought I would try Potato Skins from scratch and if they were good, introduce them to my friends as a mid-afternoon snack!

I must admit scooping out the potato to get a perfect skin is not as easy as it looks!

Compliments of one of my favorite sites, Simply Recipes

Potato Skins

Ingredients
6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes (total 3 pounds)
Olive oil
Canola oil or grapeseed oil ....80/20 I used vegetable oil and it worked fine.
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 strips of bacon
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions
Method
1 Scrub the potatoes clean then bake the potatoes using your favorite method, either oven or microwave. If using an oven, rub with olive oil and bake in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed. If using a microwave, rub all over with olive oil and cook on the high setting for about 5 minutes per potato. I have found that baking the potatoes in a conventional oven yields potatoes that are easier to work with (cut and scoop out), the potato seems to adhere to the skins a little better, but there is hardly a discernible difference in the final product.
2 While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.

3 Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.
Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush or rub grapeseed oil or canola oil (or another high smoke point oil) all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp, use a roasting pan or broiler pan that can take the heat). Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

4 Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with freshly ground black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Use tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Add a dollop of sour cream to each skin, sprinkle with green onions.
Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.