Blackened Cod Loin

Blacken Cod Loin
Original recipe by Harbor Seafood


Ingredients:

4 ounce cod loin
1 ounce olive oil
1 ounce lime juice
1 teaspoon cilantro, freshly chopped

4 tablespoons cajun spice

6 ounce corn, frozen
1 red pepper, freshly diced
1 tablespoon canned jalapeno
1 ounce olive oil
1 ounce lime juice

3 ounce olive oil


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dry thawed cod loin.  Mix oil, lime juice, and cilantro.  Marinate fish in mixture for 1 hour.

Remove loin from marinade and coat in cajun spice. 

In a separate bowl, mix corn, red pepper, jalapeno, olive oil, and lime juice and set aside.

Heat 3 ounces olive oil in a large saute pan.  Sear cod fillet on all sides, then place on a cookie sheet in oven and cook until fish is flaky, approximately 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, place corn mix on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  When finished, place roasted corn on a plate with 4 ounce slice of cajun cod fillet on top. 

Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serves 1

Italian Rum Cake

Italian Rum Cake

This is the easiest and best tasting rum cake ever! 

Ingredients:

1     box of yellow cake mix
1     package of vanilla instant pudding (4 1/2 cup serving size)
4     eggs
1/2  oil
1/2  cup water
1/2  cup dark rum

1     cup crushed walnuts

Glaze Ingredients:

1    stick of butter
1    cup of sugar
3/4 cup of dark rum

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Step 1:

Grease and lightly flour the bundt pan.  Pour the crushed walnuts over the bottom of the pan.

Step 2:

Mix all the cake ingredients together, and blend well.  Pour the batter over walnuts.

Step 3:

Bake cake for 1 hour.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze.

Step 4:

Glaze directions:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in the sugar and rum.  Boil the glaze mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Step 5:

Putting it all together:

While in the bundt pan, prick the rum cake with a sharp utensil.  Drizzle 1/2 OF THE GLAZE MIXTURE evenly over the sides and top of cake.

Remove the rum cake carefully by inverting the bundt pan.  LOOSEN THE CAKE FIRST BY DROPPING THE PAN LIGHTLY ON A HARD SURFACE.

Once again, prick the cake (top) with a sharp utensil and slowly pour the rest of the glaze mixture over the cake.

Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine

What does Florentine mean in cooking?

Although the term "Florentine" can be interpreted as the cooking style of Florence, Italy, in modern parlance it has come to mean cuisine that includes spinach as an ingredient. .

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
8 ounces fresh spinach
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
shredded mozzarella cheese

3 cups prepared "All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce"  (see recipe post)
 http://crowdedkitchen509.blogspot.com/2012/04/all-time-favorite-tomato-sauce.html

Directions:

Rinse the spinach in water and dry.

Coarsely chop the spinach, and place in a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter.  Cook the spinach until wilted.  Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken breasts until an even thickness of 3/4-inches.  Beat the 2 eggs and place in bowl.  Season the flour with salt and pepper and place in another bowl.  Dredge the chicken breasts in the egg mixture, and then dredge the chicken pieces in flour mixture until coated.

In a large frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and melt the remaining butter.  Cook the chicken breasts on medium-high heat until brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and top each piece of chicken with the reserved spinach, dividing evenly.

Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on each chicken breast. 

Carefully pour the prepared tomato sauce into the frying pan.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO COVER THE CHICKEN BREASTS.

Cook uncovered over medium heat until bubbling, and then reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.

Serves 4 - 6

New Orleans-Style Shrimp and Rice

New Orleans-Style Shrimp and Rice
Original recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 green bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 can ( 28-ounce) crushed plum tomatoes
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste
1 pound large raw shrimp (21 to 30), peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Direction:

1.  Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add flour, and stir until light brown, 4 to 7 minutes. 

Add bell peppers, onion, and celery;  cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes.

 Add tomatoes, broth, parsley, spices, salt, and hot sauce.

2.  Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are soft and mixture is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes, or if you want, simmer the sauce for longer.  I simmer the sauce for two hours. 

Stir in the shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through, about 4 to 7 minutes.  Do not over-cook the shrimp.  ALWAYS PUT THE RAW SHRIMP IN LAST, AFTER SIMMERING THE SAUCE.

3.  Springle shrimp with parsley, and serve over rice.

Serves 4

New Orleans Baked French Toast

New Orleans Baked French Toast

Ingredients:

1 loaf day-old French bread
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, slightly melted and cut into bits
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.  Cut bread diagonally in 1-inch slices.  Place in baking dish.

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk and vanilla.  Pour over bread, turning slices to coat well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter until crumbly and sprinkle over bread. 

Sprinkle blueberries over sugar mixture. 

Bake for 40  to 45 minutes or until brown.

Cut into squares.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli
by Cooks Country


Ingredients:

1       pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin
         salt and pepper
6       tablespoons olive oil
1       large onion, chopped fine
5       Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/4    tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2    tsp. dried oregano
1/2    cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups water
2       cups low-sodium chicken broth
8       ounces (2 1/2 cups) penne
8       ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2       ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving

Direction:

1.  Pat sliced chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add chicken in single layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
 

Stir chicken and continue to cook until nearly cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to bowl and cover to keep warm.

2.  Add 2 tablespoons oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in wine and simmer until nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Stir in water, broth, and penne.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook at vigorous simmer, stirring often, until penne is nearly tender, about 12 minutes.

3.  Stir in broccoli and cook until penne and broccoli are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Stir in chicken, along with any accumulated juice, and cook until warmed through, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Serves 4

Best-Ever Summertime Pesto Pasta Salad

Best-Ever Summertime Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. dry penne pasta
2 cups frozen green peas

1/2 cup purchased refrigerated pesto
3 tablspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup pecans, crushed

Directions:

Cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; add peas during the last three minutes.  Transfer penne and peas to a  bowl of ice water; drain well.

Whisk together pesto, lemon juice, oil, zest, and garlic in a large bowl.

Stir in penne, peas, spinach, Parmesan, and pecans; season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate salad before serving

20 servings