Cioppino

I love seafood like shrimp, mussels, scallops and clams. I have seen Cioppino made and seen it done on TV but never actually tried it. I recently saw in the local grocery store they had live clams, mussels, and fresh halibut. I decided I would make a Cioppino. It is a fish stew that stemmed from San Francisco and it is usually made with what ever fish or seafood you have on hand. This recipe I came up with turned out really yummy, even my 4 year old son ate it! It has a lot of ingredients but is well worth the amount of ingredients.


Tools:


Large Sauce Pan
Cutting Board
Knife
Strainer
Measuring Cup


Ingredients:


1 Filet Halibut
1/2 lb Shrimp
1 lb Clams
1 lb Mussels
1 Onion, diced
3 Stalks Celery, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Tomato, de-seeded, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
4 Tbs Tomato Paste
1/4 C Sweet White Wine
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbs Parsley, minced
2 tsp Salt
64 oz Seafood Stock


Directions:


Start by dicing all the veggies, then clean all the seafood. Make sure the clams and mussels have no sand or dirt on them. Heat up the sauce pan with the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the veggies and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent. 

Add the tomato paste. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the wine. Cook for 2 minutes and add the spices. Then add the seafood stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Then cut the halibut into 2 in chunks. 

Once the 30 minutes is up add the clams and mussels and let them cook for about 7 to 10 minutes. Then add the shrimp to the soup.  Then finally add the halibut to the soup. Let the fish cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. 

Once that is finish it is ready to serve, be sure to check the clams and mussels that they are open. The ones that are not open just toss out. 

Enjoy!

Bountiful Baskets

Bountiful Baskets is something I have mentioned in many of my posts. They have great deals for fresh fruit and vegetables among many other side options available. Their conventional basket is $15.00 for vegetable and fruit. This week there was a tropical pack add on to the conventional basket that was available for $10.50.  


Lets take a look at what $15.00 got me in fruits and veggies.

This had 1 bunch of romaine lettuce, 1 head of cabbage, 4 tomatoes, 6 bell peppers, 4 onions, 7 apples, 3lbs of red potatoes, 7 oranges, 1 bunch of asparagus, 1 container of blueberries, and a huge bunch of green beans.  All of this for only $15.00! 

But even with such a great deal of the conventional basket, the biggest deal was the tropical pack.

Lets see what came with the $10.50 tropical pack. 

It came with 2 mango's, 1 green plantain, 6 kiwis, 4 lemons, 1 coconut, 1 pineapple, 1 large bunch of mint, and 2 vanilla beans. This is such a great deal with just one of the items: vanilla beans. In their vanilla bean pod form they are expensive any where you go. I was at the local grocery store tonight and decided to see the cost of just the vanilla bean.

That is right $11.39 for vanilla beans.... correct that for a single vanilla bean. With bountiful baskets just for one single ingredient saved me at least $12.28 and that doesn't even include the other items that came with the tropical pack. 

Bountiful Baskets is such a great deal for everyone and anyone that loves saving money and eating great fruits and veggies! 

Big Thanksgiving Post

So I hope everyone's holiday was wonderful and spent with lots of loved ones. Ours was small with just my family, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. It was nice and relaxing, I know, I know saying cooking Thanksgiving dinner "relaxing" but it was. It was relaxing because I prepped everything before I started cooking so it would just be easy to put together. I cut up the veggies and made the dessert the night before.


So now onto the recipes, I will be posting about the Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes,  Peppermint Cheesecake(a special diabetic recipe) and Mason Jar Apple Pie. 


Tools for all recipes:


Cutting Board
Knife
Roasting Pan
2 Large Pans
1 Medium Sauce Pan
4 Mason Jars
2 Casserole Dishes
Basting Brush
2 Medium Mixing Bowl
2 Large Mixing Bowl
Cookie Sheet
9in Springform Pan
Whisk
Hand mixer or Stand mixer 
Aluminum Foil
Meat Thermometer 


Ingredients for Turkey:


Turkey (whatever size you want)
1 C Broth
1 C Soften Butter, 1/2 C for herb mixture and 1/2 C for basting
1 Tbs Rosemary, diced
1 Tbs Thyme, diced
1 Tbs Sage, diced
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Black Pepper


Directions: 


Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Clean out turkey and set aside the neck and gizzards, which we will use in our gravy recipe. Separate the skin from the meat. Mix the soft butter with the herbs and spices. put butter mixture in between the skin and meat. Smooth over the meat. Place turkey in roasting pan with broth(any kind) and cover with aluminum foil, basting the turkey with the other 1/2 C butter every hour until done. The last 30 minutes take off the foil to brown. If you want stuffing in the turkey I have a recipe to follow. If you are stuffing the turkey you will add an extra 30 minutes to an hour of cooking. I cooked 13lb turkey and it took 4 1/2 hours. You will want to take it out when it reaches 160°F because it will continue carry over cooking while it rests.
  

Ingredients for Stuffing:


12 oz Dry Bread Cubes
1/4 C Butter
1 C Low Sodium Broth(any kind)
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Celery, diced
2 tsp Sage
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Rosemary
2 tsp Thyme


Directions:


Saute celery and onions with the butter.  Combine the sauteed veggies and butter with the bread cubes. Add the herbs and broth and mix until combined. Then place the stuffing into the turkey and bake until the bird is done. If baking in a dish place in oven for the last hour of while the bird is cooking. 


Ingredients for Gravy:


Neck from turkey
Gizzards from turkey
8 C Water
2 Stalks Celery
1 Carrot
1/4 Onion, Chopped
1 Clove Garlic
1 Sprig Rosemary
4 Sprigs Thyme
3 to 4 Leaves of Sage
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Black Pepper
4 Tbs Flour


Directions:


Place all ingredients except flour into medium sauce pan and boil. 

When the turkey is done strain into an a bowl, then place back into sauce pan except for about 1/4 cup of the broth. Whisk into the 1/4 cup the 4 tbs of flour then slowly add the flour mixture back into broth, continuously whisking on medium heat. Heat to a boil then let boil for 1 minute then turn of heat until ready to serve.  


Ingredients for Green Bean Casserole:


1 lb Fresh Green Beans
1 Can of Cream of Chicken
1/4 C Milk
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Container of French Fried Onions


Directions:


Slice the green beans into bite size pieces and boil them until soft, for about 10 minutes.

Combine the soup, milk, pepper, and beans into a casserole dish. Mix in 1/2 of the french fried onions into the mixture. Place in oven while the turkey rests.

Turn up the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes. For the last five minutes add the remaining french fried onions on top, until brown.  


Ingredients for Candied Sweet Potatoes:


1 lb Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Salt
1 C Marshmallow


Directions:


Peel, cube the sweet potatoes and boil for 10 minutes or until soft. 

Melt butter and add the sugar and spices. 

Then add the potatoes and mix until completely covered. 

Pour into casserole dish and top with small marshmallows. Bake with the green bean casserole until done. 

  


Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes:


1 lb Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Sprig Rosemary
3 Sprigs Thyme
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbs Salt
1/2 C Butter
1 C Milk
1 Tbs Black Pepper


Directions:


Peel and cube potatoes. Place in large pan of cold water with the all the herbs except the salt and pepper. 

Place pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes and remove the sprigs of herbs then remove the leaves of rosemary and thyme and place into pan with the potatoes. Add the milk, butter, salt, and pepper into the potatoes and mash until desired consistency.


Ingredients for Peppermint Cheesecake:


1 C Chocolate Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 Tbs Reduced Fat Butter
2 8oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
1 8oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
1 14oz Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tsp Peppermint Extract
2 Eggs
12 Peppermint Patties(if using large patties), divided 8 and 4
1 Tbs Flour


Directions:


Pre heat the oven to 325°F. In medium mixing bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, mix until all crumbs are coated with the butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 in spring form pan.  Then bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool. 


In stand mixer, combine all cream cheeses and mix until smooth. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and eggs, mix until combined. Chop up 8 peppermint patties and toss in 1 tbs flour. Then mix into cheese mixture. Then add the 1 tsp of peppermint extract. Pour over crust and smooth. Then bake for 32-40 minutes or until the center is almost set. 

Cool and run a knife around the edges then refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. I like to chill overnight. Right before serving use the remaining 4 and cut in half and surround the cakes edges with them. I used the mini ones for my recipe though. 

Ingredients for Mason Jar Apple Pie:


Apple Pie Filling( you can use pre-made or make your own)
1 Pie Crust


Directions:


Pre heat the oven to 375°F. Line the 4 mason jars with the pie crust about half way up. 

Then fill with the apple pie filling. Then place a round or special design top crust on top of filling. 

Then bake on a cookie sheet for 35 minutes or until tops are brown. 

I hope you enjoy the recipes and use them through out the year!

Happy Holidays!

Bruschetta~Americanized

So I love Italian food, among all other types of food which I love as well. I made tonight some yummy Bruschetta; which is usually toasted bread that has garlic rubbed into with some olive oil topped with a tomato, onion, herbs and garlic mixture. The mixture is usually served cold or room temperature as an appetizer. Well how I Americanized it was I add mozzarella to the mixture and heated until the mozzarella melted into the toasted bread. I hope everyone enjoys my take on this classic Italian dish.

Tools:

Cutting Board
Chef Knife
Bread Knife
Mixing Bowl
Cookie Sheet

Ingredients:

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1/2 Onion, diced
2 Clove Garlic, one diced one whole
1/2Tbs Parsley
1 Sprig Thyme
1tsp Rosemary
2Tbs Basil
1tsp Salt
1tsp Black Pepper
1tsp Red Pepper Flake
Olive Oil
1 Loaf Ciabatta Bread
8oz Fresh Mozzarella

Directions:

Slice bread in half an inch slices. Place on cookie sheet and put in oven with broiler on. Toast until golden brown. Pull out of oven and with one of the whole garlic cloves rub across the bread until all is covered with the garlic. Drizzle olive oil on top the bread. Set aside.

Pre-Heat oven to 350°F. Dice tomatoes, garlic, and onion, place into mixing bowl. Crumble the mozzarella or use the little pearls of mozzarella into mixing bowl with salt, pepper, red pepper flake, and minced herbs.

Then place mixture on top of the bread and bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until mozzarella is melted. Then enjoy!

Baked 3 Cheese Eggplant

The only time I ever had eggplant was at a Thanksgiving dinner with basically my second family, The Riley's. It was an Italian themed dinner. I remember it so well because all the food was so wonderful. Especially the eggplant lasagna that Michelle Riley made. When I went to make eggplant for the first time I remembered the Eggplant Lasagna she made. So sometime this week I will be making another eggplant recipe for eggplant lasagna.

Tools:

Cutting Board
Large Mixing Bowl
Knife
Large Baking Dish
Medium Sauce Pan
Food Processor

Ingredients:

1 Medium Eggplant
1 Onion
5 Roma Tomatoes
3 Cloves Garlic
5 Basil Leaves
1tsp Salt (for sauce)
4Tbs Salt (for "sweating" eggplant)
1tsp Pepper
12 oz Ricotta
6oz Mozzarella, shredded
4oz Parmesan, grated
4Tbs Olive Oil

Directions:

Slice Eggplant into half an inch discs(you can peel the eggplant, but it isnt necessary) Place in large mixing bowl with 4Tbs salt, mixed so all eggplant discs are salted. Set aside for 30-40 minutes to "sweat" the eggplant to get excess liquid out, if not done the sauce will become very watery.

While eggplants are sweating use the food processor to dice tomato, garlic, onion, basil, salt, pepper, and 4Tbs olive oil into small chunks and completely blending together. Then add to sauce pan and cook on medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Then drain eggplant and pat them dry. Place eggplant into baking dish. You can add some olive oil and pepper if you would like.



Then add the sauce over the top of the eggplant. Then layer the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan on top of the sauce.

Then place in pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and sauce is bubbling.

Then Enjoy!