Flounder Francaise

Light, tasty, lemony.....what more could you ask for?  Oh yeah.....easy!  Yup this dish is all that!  And let's not forget quick!  I have served this on pasta, rice and with a side of mashed potato.  (Believe it or not the sauce works well with garlic mashed potatoes!)  To make this dish you will need:
1/2 cup egg beaters or 2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of flounder fillets

 

1.)  Put the eggs or egg beaters in a shallow bowl.   In a quart size plastic bag add the flour, the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper.  Squish this together to combine.

2.)  Heat a large skillet.  Melt the butter and the olive oil.  It needs to be very very hot.

3.)  Once at a time dip the flounder fillets in the flour mixture.  Then dip them in the egg mixture.  Put them in the pan.  The egg should sizzle.  If it doesn't the pan isn't hot enough.  Do not discard the flour mixture.

4.)  They should fry in 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Do fry them in batches to not crowd the pan.  Once down, move them to a warm place while you make the sauce.

 

Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup white wine

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon parsley (optional)

lemon slices  (optional)

1.)  Remove any remaining oil from the skillet.  Add the butter and melt down.  Next add the leftover flour mixture and whisk until smooth.   Add the remaining ingredients, stirring constantly until smooth.  Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

2.)  To serve, place a fillet on a platter and top with a spoonful or two of the sauce.
 

Pumpkin Pasta Risotto and roasted squash (vegan!!!)

I really wanted to use Orzos to make this.  Upon opening the cabinet, I realized I didn't have any!  This worked well anyway!  The pumpkin risotto is excellent!  Great flavor!  To make this dish you will need:
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 half medium onion chopped
1 turn of the pan olive oil
1/2 pound of angel hair pasta broken up
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper

1.)  In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vegetable stock and the pumpkin puree.  Once it is hot, turn the temperature to low and allow this to stay hot.
2.)  In the meantime, in a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft.  Add the broken up angel hair and allow the angel hair to brown up (about 10 minutes).
3.)  Once the pasta is browned, pour in the white wine.  Allow the pasta to absorb the wine.  Once it does salt and pepper the mixture.
4.)  Add a ladle of the stock/puree at a time until the pasta absorbs the liquid.  Keep going until all the liquid is absorbed in the pasta.  Test the pasta for doneness.  If it is not done, add little bits of hot water until soft.


Roasted Squash
1/2 squash per person (acorn or any of the new varieties) cut in half
balsamic vinegar
butter or Earth Balance
brown sugar, Agave or Maple Syrup
1.)  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2.)  Take the seeds out of the center of the squash.   Brush each half with the balsamic vinegar.  Put a tab of butter in the center of each half.  Top with a tablespoon of the sugar, Agave or Maple Syrup.
3.)  Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes.  Test for doneness with a knife, but don't go all the way through (you don't want the butter syrup to leak out)!

Sausage and Lentil Soup

This is my version of Carrabba's Sausage and Lentil soup.  I have lightened it up a bit and changed a few things, I just make it so I like it!  Nice stick to your ribs kinda soup.  I know a lot of people don't like lentils.  Try this one, you will be pleasantly surprised!  To make this you will need:
Circle of the pan of olive oil
1 package of Italian Turkey Sausage, casings removed
1 onion chopped in the food processor
2 carrots chopped in the food processor
1 stalk celery chopped in the food processor
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
6 cups of chicken stock
2 (14 1/2ounce) cans of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups of dry lentils
dash of:
black pepper, red pepper, cumin, Italian seasoning, thyme
1.)  In a large pan over medium heat, crumble in the sausage using a wooden spoon or a potato masher to break it up.  As it is browning, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  (Vegetables are just starting to soften)
2.)  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil.
3.)  Reduce heat and cover.
4.)  Simmer for about an hour.  (or until the lentils are soft)  You might need to add more water, depending on how you like the consistency of your soup.  My preference is very thick so that it is almost stew like.
Serve.  Some enjoy some grated Parmesan cheese on theirs.

Tasty Sauteed Spinach

This is the perfect accompaniment for yesterdays French Onion potato.   Many people complain that when they make sauteed spinach, it is bitter.  The secret ingredient to good sauteed spinach is basil, it removes the bitterness and makes the spinach sweeter and more flavorful.  To make this dish you will need:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 small onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bunch of basil, chopped
2 bags of baby spinach
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and Pepper to taste
1.)  In a saute or fry pan, over medium heat, heat up the olive oil.  Add the chopped onion and the minced garlic.  Saute until the onion is translucent.
2.)  Add the basil.  Then add the spinach in bunches.  It will cook down quickly.
3.)  Add the tomatoes and let them get soft and incorporated.  Serve.



If you wanted to adapt this for Steakhouse style creamed spinach, omit the tomatoes and add a few tablespoons half n half and a dash of nutmeg.
 

French Onion Baked Potato (Can be made Vegan)

Dig that title.  It's like eating onion soup and instead of croutons, you've got a potato.  Next time at the end of the cooking time I might try to open up the packet, put some Swiss or Gruyere cheese on top and let it melt!  I was so full from one half of this potato, I had the other half for lunch the next day!  You will need:
Idaho baking potatoes
1/2 small vidalia onion per potato
Beef or Vegetable soup base
tabs of butter or vegan margarine
2 sheets of foil per potato
1.)  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  (This can also be cooked on the grill).  Wash and scrub your potatoes.  Pat them dry. 
2.)  Cut slices in the potatoes about 1 inch apart.  Being careful not to cut all the way through the potato.  Place each potato onto the sheets of foil.
3.)   Slice the onion into moons.  Insert the moons in between the slices.  Put some additional slices of onions on top.  
4.)  Top each potato with a few tabs of butter/margarine.  Gather the foil to the top and crimp.
5.)  Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake until the potatoes are done.  This will depend on the size of your potatoes.  Check for doneness by inserting a knife in the top of the potato.  Being careful not to go through the bottom of the foil.  (You don't want to lose the juices on the bottom!)
6.)  Carefully remove the potatoes from their foil packets and drizzle the sauce in the bottom of the packet over the potatoes.

Oh and excuse the plated picture,  my husband had at it before I remembered to take a picture!
 

Flavorful Meatloaf

I make quite a few different varieties of meatloaves.  This is an adaptation from French's Meatloaf.  It's almost too easy!  I made a few changes, but the result was awesome!  You will need:
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef or ground turkey
1 can Progresso Tomato recipe starter
1 large can of French's French Fried Onions
1  tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
2 slices of bread put through the food processor
1 package of McCormick's Meatloaf mix

1.)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.)  In a bowl mix together the meat, 1/2 cup of the recipe starter, 1/2 the can of onions, the Worcestershire sauce, the bread crumbs, and the meatloaf mix. 
3.)  Place the mixture in a baking pan and form loaf.  Spoon 1/2 the remaining recipe starter over the meatloaf.
4.)  Bake for an half and hour and then add the remaining recipe starter over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake another half hour.
5.)  Sprinkle with the remaining onions and return to the oven until the onions have browned. 
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore



A great dish for fall and for entertaining.  Also good game day food!  This will make your house smell like an Italian restaurant!  And it is super easy!  For my version of Chicken Cacciatore you will need:
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 large green pepper, cored and cubed
1/2 large onion, cut in half moons
1 small can of sliced olives
1 medium tomato cored and sliced
1 8 ounce package sliced mushroom
1 can of Hunts prepared spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup red wine
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon sugar, agave or honey
Small dash of red pepper flakes
1 pound of pasta



1.)  Combine all ingredients (except the pasta) in your slow cooker.
2.)  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
3.)  Cook the pasta following the package directions.  Drain the pasta.
4.)  Serve the cacciatore on top of the pasta.