LOBSTAH PASTAH

Devoured in minutes. Super yummy. Such a decadent Friday night nom nom!

Ingredients
1 live lobster (1.5 to 2 pounds)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine 

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup fresh arugula or baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

In a giant pot (big enough to fit Mr. Lobster), boil salted water. Wait till it's a rapid boil, then drop in your lobster. Cook about 12 minutes or until he's bright red. A 2 pound lobster should boil for 13 minutes and a 1 1/4 pound lobster should boil for 11 minutes.

Carefully remove lobster meat from shells; cut into 1-in. pieces and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute garlic in oil until for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomato puree, salt and pepper. 

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat. Stir in lobster; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until lobster is firm and opaque.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; add to lobster mixture and toss to coat. Stir in the arugula, lemon juice and peel; cook for 1-2 minutes or until arugula is wilted. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I saw this on a friends FB page and it was all over IG for a hot minute too so I decided to make it. It tasted really similar to a ceviche (and especially since I chopped my shrimp). Super yummy!

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 7/8 cup • Old Points: 4 pt • Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 210.4 • Fat: 9.2 g • Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 7.8 g • Fiber: 3.6 g • Sugar: 0.6
Sodium without salt: 260.8 mg

1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 hass avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 limes, juice of
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Moroccan Shrimp

Got this recipe from Fresh Direct who got it from Real Simple magazine. I love that you can add a recipe to your shopping cart and it adds all the ingredients you need. Super helpful! You can add some extra flavor and color to this dish by stirring about 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or scallions into the couscous just before serving.

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Makes 4 servings


1 10-ounce box couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemon, halved

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions.* Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Cover and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the bell pepper and raisins and cook for 4 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and heat for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place the shrimp in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the cumin, cinnamon, and the remaining black pepper. Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp and toss to combine. Add the shrimp (but not the liquid) to the tomato mixture in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork, divide it among individual plates, and spoon the shrimp mixture over the top.


NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 561 (11% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 1g); PROTEIN 35g; CHOLESTEROL 172mg; SODIUM 670mg; FIBER 8g; CARBOHYDRATE 92g

Toasted Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Snowpeas

Found this on a website and it called for scallops instead of shrimp. I also upped the amount of snow peas and bell pepper for my dish. Came out slammin'!

Active Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari, or soy sauce, divided
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well (see Tip)
2 teaspoons grated or minced garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups trimmed and diagonally sliced snow peas, (1/2 inch thick)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

PREPARATION
Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bell pepper, cover and let stand for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons canola oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), vinegar and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa mixture; toss to combine.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil and cook the shrimp until pink. Gently stir the shrimp into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with cilantro and scallions, if desired.

Crab bisque with Avocado, Tomato, and Corn Relish

I had a big bowl of this and now I am completely satisfied and in a seafood coma. I was reluctant on the salsa but the contrast of cool and hot was nice. The acid in the salsa and the creaminess of the avocado paired nicely with the richness of the bisque. I used 16 ounces of crab instead of 12 because that's how the container came. Plus, you can't really go wrong adding extra crab.

Makes: Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup soup and 1/4 cup relish each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
RELISH
1 small avocado, finely diced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tips) or frozen, thawed
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

BISQUE
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tips) or frozen, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced peeled russet potato
3/4 teaspoon sweet or hot smoked paprika (see Notes), plus more for garnish
1 cup dry sherry (see Notes)
2 cups seafood stock or broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups low-fat milk
12 ounces crabmeat (see Tips), drained if necessary
1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION
To prepare relish:
Combine avocado, corn, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl; gently toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the bisque.

To prepare bisque:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add corn, onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onion and pepper have softened, about 5 minutes. Add potato and paprika and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add sherry and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add stock (or broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Working in two batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the puree to the saucepan; stir in milk, crab and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve each portion of bisque with about 1/4 cup relish; sprinkle with additional paprika, if desired.

TIPS & NOTES
Ingredient Notes: Smoked paprika is made from ground smoke-dried red peppers. It’s available in some large supermarkets with other spices and at tienda.com.
Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.
Tips: To remove corn kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on one end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife.
Crabmeat (already removed from the shell) can be purchased canned, in shelf-stable pouches, frozen or pasteurized. Pasteurized usually has the best flavor; look for it in the fresh seafood section of the market. Crabs from both the U.S. and Canada are considered good choices for the environment.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 230 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 35 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 4 g fiber; 441 mg sodium; 719 mg potassium.

Shrimp over Cumin Scented Beans

This dish was really easy and super satisfying. I thought the beans would be really spicy but they weren't that spicy at all. I paired my dish with store bought Mediterranean Couscous. 

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 small jalapeño pepper(s), cored, seeded and minced (or to taste)*
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced (or to taste)
15 oz canned kidney beans, undrained
1/4 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 tsp dried oregano, or to taste
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 pound(s) uncooked shrimp, large, peeled, deveined
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp paprika, hot variety
2 Tbsp chives, minced

Instructions
Coat a small pot with cooking spray. Add jalapeño and garlic; sauté over medium heat, 2 minutes. Add beans, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper; cook over low heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place shrimp in a bowl with lime juice and paprika; toss to coat. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray; arrange shrimp on pan. Place 4 inches under broiler and broil 3 to 4 minutes. Turn shrimp over and broil until cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

Spoon beans into a serving bowl; top with shrimp and sprinkle with chives. Yields about 3 1/2 ounces shrimp and a scant 1/2 cup beans per serving. 5 points per serving. (11 with couscous).

Sauteed Shrimp with Penne and Roasted Asparagus

These Patagonia shrimp reminded me of Icelandic lobsters! I ordered these off Fresh Direct and prepped them simply with a saute of mainly onion and garlic. The penne and roasted asparagus made it a meal. 12 points total.

Ingredients
2 cups Whole Wheat Penne
1 bunch asparagus, washed and chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp (I used Wild Patagonia Shrimp)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallots, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook 2 cups of penne. Heat oven to 400. Take cut up asparagus pieces and coat in 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20 minutes. Spray a pan with cooking spray and put on medium heat and garlic and shallots. Cook and stir for 1 minute until soft. Add the lemon juice and chicken broth, give it a stir and let it cook down for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Put the shrimp in the pan and coat in the lemon sauce. Add pasta, asparagus and remaining EVOO and give it a good stir. Let sit one more minute to marry the flavors. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Crab-and-Shrimp Étouffée

I wanted to make an Étouffée (Pronounced ay-TOO-fay) to round off my New Orleans' themed cuisine for Superbowl. I literally said, "F&CK YES", when I was doing my final stirs. This dish smells amazing and is loaded with such wonderful seafood goodness. One pound of crab meat and two pounds of shrimp make me a happy girl! It's not as spicy as I thought but the creole seasoning is nice - it's a subtle heat. I am in heart with this dish. I don't care who wins the Superbowl as long as I have a bowl of this.

Ingredients
2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp*
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon low-sodium Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 container fresh crabmeat, drained and flaked (I used a 1 lb container)
5 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

2. Melt butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until caramel colored. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add minced garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

3. Stir in chicken broth, white wine, and next 6 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

 CRAB!!!

SHRIMP!!!

4. Stir in crabmeat; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

5. Spoon shrimp mixture into individual serving bowls. Spoon hot cooked rice on top of shrimp mixture. Garnish, if desired.

*2 (16-oz.) packages frozen unpeeled, raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.

Lemongrass Cilantro Mojo Papillote

I know this isn't much to look at, but I really enjoyed this dish a lot. My sous chef wasn't as crazy on the flavor of the lemongrass. If you want, add less lemongrass and add more to taste when you're blending the mixture in step 1. The recipe below serves four people. I served mine with a parsnip puree.

Ingredients:
5 (4-inch) lemongrass stalks, white bulb only, root end trimmed, outer layers peeled off, and stalk bruised with the back of a knife, thinly sliced
1 tightly packed cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tightly packed cup fresh mint leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 jalapeños, halved, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 (6-ounce) skinless tilapia fillets, 3/4- to 1-inch thick

Directions:
1. Place lemongrass, all but 2 tablespoons cilantro, mint, water, garlic, jalapeno, paprika, and salt in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Place fish in a large baking dish, cover with mojo, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place four 16-inch long pieces of parchment paper on your work surface with the short side facing you. Crease each down the middle horizontally. Place a fillet in the center of the bottom half of the rectangle. Pour about 1/4 cup mojo on top and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon remaining cilantro. Fold the parchment over so that the top and bottom edges meet. Tightly crimp from one end around to the other and fold the edges of parchment to seal the package. Repeat with remaining fillets. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 9 to 10 minutes for 3/4-inch thick fillets or up to 12 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets.
3. Place fish packets on a large serving dish and open tableside. Serve with juices from the packets and sprinkled with mint leaves.

Note: I didn't use as much EVOO and I didn't have parchment paper so I put my fish in a glass dish, covered them with the sauce and baked it covered in foil. Calories per serving: 375 calories.

Blue Crab Cakes

These gems were a crowd pleaser! You really taste the flavor of crab because there is hardly any filler - just1/4 cup of panko. That's really it. I wished I served a little spicy aioli to go with it but it was fine without it too. Baking it shaved tons of calories off the dish and the light mayo did as well. You should make these!!!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup Light Mayo
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions:
1. In a non-reactive bowl, whisk together egg, mayo, lemon juice, Worcestershire, thyme, Old Bay, and mustard. In a separate bowl, gently pick through crab to remove any shells, being careful not to shred the crab. Pour whisked mixture over crab and gently toss crab with your hands, allowing it to fall between your fingers. Sprinkle in panko and gently toss again. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow panko to soak up any liquid.
2. Scoop crab mixture into a small mold ring and spread evenly to form a cake. Gently press out any excess liquid and place in a pan that has been lined with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining mixture and refrigerate until ready to cook.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Spray a pie tin with nonstick cooking spray and place crab cakes in the tin. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until hot all the way through. Remove cakes from the pie tin using a fish spatula to plate.

*I didn't have a mold ring so I filled a serving cup and emptied it to make a mound of perfectly shape crab. Worked perfectly. Only thing is mine baked about double the time.

Nutrition score per serving: 215 calories, 8g fat, 8g carbs, 25g protein. Serves 6.

Healthy Lobster Bisque

 This is my first time making a lobster bisque. So - what do I do? I try and make this one healthy! I found a really good recipe in Prevention magazine and I kind of blended it with other ideas from other low fat recipes (which - there aren't many). A unique twist here is adding sherry vs. white wine to the soup. Everyone thought this had a kick and they loved it. In fact, one of my dinner guests asked for bread to eat up the yummy broth!

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups fish, vegetable, or chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 lobsters, shells removed and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
First - cook those lobsters. Bring a pot of salted water up to a rapid boil and drop both in for 4 minutes total. Remove from pot. Discard water. Rinse pot.
In pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Stir in the broth, tomato, sherry, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Use a hand blender and blend up the soup a bit. Get the tomatoes nice and blended but leave a few chunks for the soup. Break down lobster and remove meat from shell. Save juices.Add the lobster and juices to pot and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with chopped parsley.

Bouillabaisse

Oh hell naw... You don't even know about this yummy concoction. I can't say how happy I am about this dish. I'm jumping out of my pants excited! You MUST make this!

For dippin':
12 to 16 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved

For soup
1 (1- to 1 1/4 -lb) live lobster
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb boiling potatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds (sometimes called anise)
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 cups white fish stock (or store-bought)
1 pound white fish fillets (such as monkfish, turbot, red snapper, striped bass, porgy, grouper, and/or cod), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound cockles or small hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
1 pound cultivated mussels, scrubbed and any beards removed
1/2 pound large shrimp in shells

Preparation:

Make croutons:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.

Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.

Make soup:
Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.

Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, lobster, including juices, and remaining fish and simmer, covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.

Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Steamed Crab Legs

We are having our fair share of crab legs this holiday season! We spent the other day with friends and ended the evening with yummy crab legs. Crab is so delicious and totally worth it.

Ingredients:
4 lb frozen crab legs
4 cups water
1/2 lemon, quartered and squeezed
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 tbsp Old Bay
1 1/2 sticks butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. In a large aluminum baking dish (like the kind you cook a turkey in) or in a giant roasting pan add 4 cups water. Add 2 to 3 bay leaves and lemon. Add your crab legs one by one and then gently sprinkle with a hint of Old Bay. Cover in foil. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. (For 2 lbs of crab legs you can cook for about 20 minutes). 1 pound is about 2 to 3 clusters. Serve with melted butter. Enjoy!!!

Chesapeake Bay Style Shrimp

Made this awhile ago and just now getting around to posting about it. I thought I would be entertaining last weekend and our company cancelled, so I made these yummy guys and got to eat them all. I was in a shrimp coma afterwards.

Ingredients:
BIG shrimp. Nothing smaller than 31/35 (31 to 35 shrimp to a pound) I used 21/25 cause I couldn't find what I wanted: U/10s!!
1/2 stick Butter
2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning (or more if you want it - I used LOTS!)
Parsley

Make it:
I bought my shrimp frozen (cleaned with tail on) and let it defrost. Then I melted my butter and added the Old Bay. Tossed in shrimp. Coated everything well. Sprinkled with parsley. I ate mine immediately but you could chill these bad boys and eat them later too. Mmm...I love me some Old Bay. Reminds me of home!

Baked Maple-Mustard Glazed Salmon

This was so freaking easy to make. Literally took 30 seconds to make the topping and then I just threw it in the oven. I really enjoyed the sweetness and the mustard together. Salmon isn't cooked that often in my house, but with dishes like this it will be.

Ingredients

2 6-oz. salmon fillets (thawed, if frozen)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 tbsp coarse-grain mustard

1 tbsp light brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°

Lightly coat shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place fillets, skin side down, in baking dish.

Whisk together maple syrup, mustard and brown sugar in small bowl.

Pour over salmon.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.

Blackened Tuna Steaks

Made blackened tuna steaks last night. I served mine with roasted brussel sprouts and pancetta with a little bit of butter noodles. I coated my fish on either side. Don't do that. It ends up being really salty that way. I LOVE salt, so please believe me when I say - just coat the one side.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna steaks, 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning*
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Generously coat tuna with Cajun seasoning.
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. When oil is nearly smoking, place steaks in pan. Cook on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until blackened. Turn steaks, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or to desired doneness.










*Ingredients for Cajun Seasoning

2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
dash Old Bay

Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

This is a great dish: easy to make, makes you feel healthy, cool/warm combos - chilled creamy sauce with baked salmon. I will definitely make this again, not only because it's delicious but because I only needed 2 tbsp of dill and bought a bundle 1000X that size. :)


Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoons chopped capers

Directions
Lightly brush salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on aluminum foil lined baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, capers, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the salmon with sauce.

Red Snapper with Tarragon Sauce

I don't cook fish that often. Usually when I do, it's because I feel like I've been eating horrible and want to feel better about myself. This dish did the trick.

What you need:
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 pound red snapper
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp Fresh tarragon; chopped
1 sm Shallot; peeled and minced

Preheat oven to 350. Place fish skin side down in a foil-lined pan. To make the sauce, heat oil and shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. (You should have about 1/2 cup.) Preheat the broiler. Place the sauce on top of fish and cover with another piece of foil. (Note: I also threw in some baby potatoes that I had rinsed and quartered). Bake 20 minutes then remove foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Colossal Crab Asparagus Bisque

This bisque is ridiculously good. I swear, when I cook like this I feel like I'm a real champion. The soup is creamy and delicious and when the warm soup pairs with the cold crabmeat it's unbelievable. The effort is not even that hard! You'd think making a bisque this good would be super complicated, but it's not. I found this recipe on the Food Network's website. I cut down the recipe by almost half since I was only making enough for two people. If you like crab and asparagus you need to make this!


Ingredients for the soup:
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths (tough ends removed and discarded)
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (approximately, or as needed to create roux)
1/2 pint heavy cream

For the crab souffle:
1/2 pound colossal crabmeat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced plus 1 or 2 lemons cut in wedges, for garnish

Directions
Bring stock and bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Cook asparagus until tender and add to stock pot. Melt butter in a separate saucepan and gently saute onions, celery, and carrots (miorepix - A mixture of diced carrots, onions, celery and herbs sauteed in butter. Sometimes ham or bacon is added. Mirepoix is used to season sauces, soups and stews, as well as for a bed on which to braise food, usually meats or fish) until tender, then gradually add flour (with a non-reactive utensil such as a wooden spoon), and cook until similar to a roux. Transfer to the pot of stock to thicken soup. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves from soup. *Blend to a puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Add cream to the soup, and keep warm over low heat. (Good ol' NYC living required me to do mine in batches since I don't own a blender - just a tiny food processor).

For the crab "souffle," mix crab, mayonnaise, thyme, salt and pepper, and squeeze of fresh lemon juice, trying to avoid breaking up the lumps of crabmeat. Place a scoop of the crabmeat in the center of soup bowl and ladle the asparagus soup around. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Carribean Coconut Tilapia

If you want to get technical, I've made this and posted about this before - but it was WAY back in 2010 and I don't think you guys read my blog like that so guess what? It's back! Oh, and I gave you step by step photos this time. YAY! You love it... This is a crowd pleaser - I know because back in 2010 I made it for like, my whole family - grandmother, uncle, cousin, parents - everyone enjoyed it. Except they were a little weirded out with the lemongrass. I don't think they knew what it was. I served my fish over couscous but you can use whatever you want. (e.g. last time I used rice).

To do this too you will need:
Lemon Grass, 4 - 5 stalks, quartered
Cilantro, 4 tablespoons finely chopped
Coconut Milk, 1 10 oz can
Onion, 1 small whole chopped
Butter, 3 tablespoons
Garlic, 3 tablespoons
Tomato Sauce, 1/2 cup
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Favorite fish, 4 large steaks

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a small sauce pan heat up onions, garlic, and butter.

Saute for two minutes, pour in tomato sauce and cook for two minutes.

Pour in a can of coconut milk, cilantro, lemon grass, salt and pepper. Turn off heat and let sit.

In a baking dish place the fish and pour coconut sauce over top. (You can't even SEE my fish! HA!) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes or until fish is fork tender. Tip: Don't eat the lemongrass!