Baked Lobster Tails

Happy New Year, everyone!  Getting back into your old routine?  TGIThursday...that's all I have to say :)

This was the first year since I was maybe 8 years old that I wasn't up to see the ball drop.  Oh yeah, it was a rockin' New Year's Eve in our house.  Plus I did nothing as far as cooking - we went out for a late lunch with our nieces and ate enough to keep us full for the rest of the day.

Fortunately, I made our "fancy" meal a few nights before.  I guess you could call this our faux NYE meal.  It snowed that day, so our plans to go out were foiled.  Frank picked these babies up and although they were frozen, I was able to thaw them in a cold water bath in about an hour.

I prefer to keep the shells on them while baking...it keeps the meat moist.  It may not be as pretty as putting the tail on top, but it sure is tasty.

I know some people are intimidated by making these at home, but you shouldn't be!  It's super easy and costs WAY less than ordering them in a restaurant.  Give them a try...maybe for Valentine's Day...


Baked Lobster Tails
4 lobster tails
melted butter
lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using kitchen shears, cut the top of each tail down the middle.  Do not cut all the way through the meat - just a little deep.

Place tails in a baking pan.  Brush the tops with butter.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, depending on size.

Squeeze lemon into melted butter and serve on side for dipping.

Baked Salmon with Basil Mayonnaise & Tomatoes

It must be October!  I have my first cold of the season.  It's actually more than just a cold...it feels like someone twisted my neck and upper back and then threw something at my head before sticking it down my throat.

How's that for a description?  Hope it's a good enough explanation for not writing a new blog post these past few days.  I'm hoping to get some rest today, aside from my plan to make the soup that cures everything.  And I'll continue to drink gallons of hot tea.  Flush it out, I say ;)

But enough about me.  Let's move on to the delicious stuff.  I made this dish back in August, when tomatoes were still in their heyday...but since they're baked, you could make this anytime and still yield a good result.  We really loved this and plan on making it again soon.


Baked Salmon with Basil Mayonnaise & Tomatoes
from Life's Ambrosia

2 salmon filets
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
tomato slices
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.  Place salmon on sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.  Place tomatoes on top of salmon and drizzle with oil.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Combine mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove salmon from oven.  Tent foil on top of fish and leave covered for 10 minutes.  Remove fish carefully from pan and plate.  Dollop mayonnaise on top of tomatoes and serve.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread

What new shows have you watched this season so far?  Anything you really love?  Hate?

I have a bunch that I'm looking forward to...but, I can't even begin to contain my excitement about the Dancing With The Stars All-Stars season that started this week.  I LOVE the show and having all the great ones from seasons past on at the same time makes me giddy.  Well, actually, Joey Fatone is the one who makes me giddy...

(did I say that out loud?)

So, now my nights are filled with TV watching, once again...good thing I can multitask and write my blog posts at the same time :)  And this sandwich is perfect for when life gets busy, thanks to back-to-school and the new primetime season.


Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread
slightly adapted from Cake, Batter and Bowl

for the avocado spread:
1 avocado, mashed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the tilapia:
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tilapia filets
1 tablespoon canola oil

4 buns
sliced tomato
sliced onion

To make the avocado spread, mix avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate.

Mix all spices together in a small bowl.  Massage spice mixture evenly on both sides of each fish filet.  Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and cook filets on each side, about 3-4 minutes.

Spread avocado spread on one side of bun.  Add fish, tomato and onion.  Cover with other half of bun and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Parmesan Tilapia

Our latest recipe swap was "blogger's choice" (pick any recipe from your assigned blog), and I was assigned Coleen's blog, Does Not Cook Well With Others.  I had a few different recipes bookmarked when I first started browsing through her recipe index, like honey glazed drumsticks (which I will be trying soon!), but ultimately chose a recipe that I thought I'd never make.

This parmesan tilapia recipe has been floating around our cooking board for a while, and I have to admit, I've been skeptical about it every time someone posted it.  To me, it just didn't "go"...I don't know why, but it just never sounded appetizing to me.  

Well, I was wrong.  I'm so glad I tried this, and so is Frank...he really loved it!  The flavors were delicious, and really tasted good with the fish.  

I served it on top of sauteed broccoli rabe, which made the dish even better.  I highly recommend trying this soon!  Oh, and it takes about 15 minutes, in TOTAL, to make.  Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

Parmesan Tilapia
slightly adapted from Does Not Cook Well With Others

1 pound tilapia filets
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Turn oven on broil setting.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Place fish on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine butter, mayo, cheese, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.  Set aside.

Broil fish for 3 minutes, then flip over and broil for 2 more minutes.  Remove from oven, spread cheese mixture on top, and return to oven until lightly golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Shrimp with Creamy Ginger Dressing

Grilling season is still going strong, but right about now people might be starting to get bored with the same old, same old.  As much as I love variety, I could enjoy a good burger off the grill just about every day :)  but options are a great thing.

At my sister-in-law's bachelorette party, we took a cooking class that was Japanese themed, and one item we made was an amazing ginger dressing, typically served on salad.  I thought it would be perfect to use as a marinade for some great looking shrimp that my dad bought.  We didn't have skewers, which I think would have made them even more delicious, but this cooking method was just fine.

I didn't have my camera with me either (we were at our shore house) so please excuse the lame photo...

These were so good!  Perfect to go with steak, or thrown in a salad for a lighter meal.

Grilled Shrimp with Creamy Ginger Dressing
dressing recipe from Viking Cooking School

2 pounds (approximately) extra large fresh shrimp, cleaned and peeled, tails off
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced celery
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise (the original recipe calls for Japanese mayonnaise, so if you feel like buying it, go for it!)
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup canola oil

Place shrimp in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine garlic, ginger, celery, vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce in a blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Add ketchup, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper, and blend to combine.  Stream in oil while motor is running until creamy and well combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Pour into bowl with shrimp and mix until evenly distributed.  Place on grilling pan (or on skewers) and put on hot grill.  Turn once while cooking.  Grilling time varies, depending on size of shrimp.  Be sure not to overcook.

Pan Fried Lime Salmon with Zucchini

Zucchini season is among us once again.  And I love it.  Anything that is so simple to prepare yet tastes so delicious is aces in my book.

Which reminds me...I need to raid my uncle's garden...

This dish was an amazing 10 minute creation that I could probably eat twice a week.  Frank loved it too.  It would also taste great with lemon, but I used lime since that's what I had.  And really, does it get any healthier than this?

Pan Fried Lime Salmon with Zucchini

1 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper

2 salmon filets

1 lime

Heat skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil and garlic, followed by zucchini.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove zucchini and set aside.

In same pan, place salmon in leftover oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 4 minutes on one side and flip.  Add more salt and pepper, then squeeze lime juice over it.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Serve on top of zucchini.

Linked to:  Tastetastic Thursday
                   Seafood Blog Hop

33rd & Galena Pork and Shrimp

So, the first day of summer REALLY hit us.  Like, close to 100 degrees hit us.  It's too soon for this!  I'm not a fan of extreme heat.  AT ALL.  Our air conditioning is already getting a major workout.

Oh well.  At least I'm not the one manning the grill in this crazy weather.  I'll leave that to the man in the house :)

I knew pretty much nothing about Penzey's until about 6 months ago, when I ordered a special gift pack from them which consisted of about 8 spices....for $5.00!  Saying it was a score was an understatement.  

I've yet to be in one of their stores (there are only one or two in my area...it's not very popular around here) but you can tell from their website that there's a lot to choose from.  Everything I've tried so far has been great, including this:

I used 33rd & Galena Chicken and Pork Rub on a pork tenderloin as well as some shrimp.  The pork was grilled and the shrimp was quickly sauteed.  It doesn't get much easier than this, and it was really good!  Salt free, too.

Take my advice and browse their site.  Pick a few blends and go to town...they're great!

Pesto Topped Tilapia

If this post doesn't hint at how rushed I've felt lately, I don't know what will.

2 things.  Tilapia.  Pesto.

Dinner in a flash.

Pesto Topped Tilapia
tilapia filets
pesto (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Place fish on pan and top with pesto.

Bake for about 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

{told you I was in a rush!  doesn't matter because it was still delicious :)

Tilapia & Veggie Packets (Secret Recipe Club)

How was your holiday weekend?  We had a great one...lots of food, family and fun.  Everything was delicious, but as usual, I just ate way too much...which is when meals like this come in handy.  Something light to kick off the week after a big holiday meal is always a good way to go.  So, the timing of this Secret Recipe Club post couldn't be more perfect, even though I made this dish about 3 weeks ago.

My assignment this month was Erica's blog, Itzy's Kitchen.  Erica has a lot of good recipes, many which are light and healthy.  I had a hard time choosing one to pick, but ended up making this on a Friday which were meatless for us these past 6 weeks.

If you haven't used this technique at home, don't be afraid to.  It's easy and delicious, and yields great results.  A healthy one-pouch meal that hits the spot!  Feel free to use whatever type of protein and veggies you have on hand, and whatever seasonings you prefer.

Thanks for a great recipe, Erica!

Tilapia & Veggie Packets
slightly adapted from Itzy's Kitchen

tilapia filets (one per packet)
chopped vegetables (I used tomato, red onion, green beans, mushrooms, garlic)
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice
chili powder
parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in a pan and saute veggies until slightly soft.

Cut parchment paper in a piece and place fish in the center, then sprinkle chili powder over it and top with lemon juice.  Place veggies on top and fold parchment into a sealed envelope.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let sit 5 minutes and use caution when opening since steam will come out.

Salmon with Lemon Compound Butter

Our recipe swap theme this time around was a repeat of the Secret Recipe Club style swap we did a few months ago.  It was a such a big hit that we chose it again!  It's always fun to go shopping on someone's blog and picking a favorite :)

My blog assignment was Jenna's Cooking Journey, which had some great recipes to choose from.  Being that we're in the middle of Lent, I'm more on the hunt for different seafood dishes than usual.  When I saw this one, I knew it was a keeper.  Not only did it look delicious, it was REALLY easy and made in minutes.

Yum.

I cut back on the amount of butter from the original recipe but left all of the seasonings and flavors as they were (well, except I added more garlic, of course).  It was more than we needed and still tasted great.

Give this a shot tonight if you're observing Lent...or any weeknight that you want an easy and satisfying (and healthy!) meal.  We loved it!

Salmon with Lemon Compound Butter
slightly adapted from Jenna's Cooking Journey

1/2 stick butter, at room temperature
2 lemons, zested
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon thyme
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
kosher salt
3 salmon filets
extra virgin olive oil

Combine butter, lemon zest, dill, thyme and garlic in a small bowl and mix.  Season with salt to taste.  If using right away, keep out at room temperature, otherwise refrigerate and bring to room temp before using.

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium.  Season salmon with salt and add oil to both sides.  Brush and oil grill and place salmon skin side down.  Cook for about 3 minutes, turn 90 degrees, and cook another 3-4 minutes.

Turn salmon over and cook another 3-4 minutes.  Plate and top with butter.

Roasted Salmon, Potatoes, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes

I have a confession to make.  I've been struggling lately with juggling work, my daughter and everyday life - and my dinner prep.  I try...I really, REALLY try to make a menu plan every week.  And then I never stick to it.

I need a meal plan intervention!  Any volunteers?

All I have to say is, it's a good thing I have this blog...it's definitely keeping me motivated to stay on track and keep cooking delicious stuff.  Like this one.  Delicious, and easy, and one pan, and healthy...what else do you need?

A great meal for tomorrow's Lent observers!

Roasted Salmon, Potatoes, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes
3 salmon filets
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
12 small potatoes, cut in half
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a baking dish, add potatoes and drizzle with oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 15 minutes.  Add asparagus and cook for another 15 minutes.

Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to pan with tomatoes.  Drizzle vinegar over all ingredients, return to oven and cook for 10-12 minutes.  Serve right out of the pan!

Ginger Soy Glazed Tilapia

Lent is here, which means that for many of us, meatless meals are in demand.

So once again, I turn to good ol' tilapia.  This dish was a big winner in our house!

Easy with a capital E.

Ginger Soy Glazed Tilapia
heavily adapted from Epicurious

4 tilapia filets
canola oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons sliced fresh ginger
chopped scallions

Season fish with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a skillet and add fish to pan.

While fish is cooking, add remaining ingredients to a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken a little bit.

Remove fish from pan and plate.  Add sauce on top and sprinkle chopped scallions over it.  Serve immediately.

Tilapia Francese

Tilapia is a beautiful thing.  And it can be turned into many beautiful things.

And what makes it even more beautiful is that it takes just minutes to make.

Beautiful.

Tilapia Francese
slightly adapted from Vero Italiano

3 pieces tilapia
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Place flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Beat egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a bowl.  Gently place tilapia on plate and coat lightly with flour on both sides.  Place in egg wash, then back in flour.

Add butter and oil to hot skillet over medium heat.  Place tilapia in pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Add lemon juice and wine and cook for another 5-7 minutes.  If sauce gets too thick add a tiny bit of water.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Top with lemon slices and chopped parsley.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Almond Tilapia with Wilted Tomatoes & Spinach

Our monthly recipe swap took a different twist this time around - our theme was Secret Recipe Club style (as you've seen me blog here before), so we had a lot of freedom as far as what to cook or bake.  The blog I was assigned is one I'm very familiar with, and one I've chosen other recipes from in the past...The Jey of Cooking, which belongs to my friend Jessica.

Jey has some great dishes to choose from, so it was no easy task to pick just one.  I had a few on deck, but ultimately chose one that used tilapia, since I knew I wanted to prepare it one night this week.  So, I was all set to go and headed into my pantry to get the ingredients, when I realized that I had no almonds (yikes!) which are a main ingredient to the dish.

Hmmm.

I looked further and saw an unopened bag of almond meal.  Why I bought it a while back is beyond me, but it finally came in handy.  Just be careful when you turn the fish in the pan...the almond meal is delicate and will come off easily.  There was still plenty of coating on the fish but I'm putting it out there so you handle with care.

I may have made a few adaptations to the dish, but it was delicious...we both loved it, and it was a nice, light meal to have after all the recent holiday indulging.

Another great recipe from Jey...be sure to check out her blog!

Almond Tilapia with Wilted Tomatoes & Spinach
adapted from The Jey of Cooking

4 tilapia filets
extra virgin olive oil
cherry tomatoes
fresh spinach leaves
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
fresh parsley
lemon slices

Heat oil in skillet and add tomatoes.  Cook until they pop or are close to it, about 8-10 minutes.  Put spinach on plates and place hot tomatoes on top.  Set aside.

Beat egg with lemon pepper, red pepper and garlic powder.  Put almond meal and cheese in another shallow bowl.  Dunk each filet in egg mixture, followed by almond meal mixture, and place in same skillet used for tomatoes.  Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side.

Place fish on top of spinach and tomatoes (spinach will wilt from heat of fish).  Add lemon and parsley to plates and serve.

Linked to: Fish Blog Hop

Dill-icious

Once again, I lucked out on another great recipe from our latest swap!  The theme was seafood, and I was fortunate enough to get a nice salmon recipe.  Frank's been loving salmon (he even cooks it for himself when I'm not home) so it's always good to have easy options in our collection.

I made a few changes to this recipe, submitted by Coleen from Does NOT Cook Well With Others.  One was the use of fresh dill instead of dried.  It makes a big difference!  I upped the other spice amounts, too...of course, you can use whatever amounts you're comfortable with.

I also squeezed lemon on the salmon prior to cooking it.  I thought it would be a good replacement for the butter, plus, the only place I saw lemon in the recipe was in the sauce (which I didn't make).  So, in order to make to make it lemon-dill salmon, I had to add it in :)

This dish was quick, easy and tasted great...nice and fresh and light.  I served it with broccoli and my garlic roasted potatoes.  This would work well on the grill, too.  Too bad it's been raining here ALL WEEK!! :(

Thanks for the recipe, Coleen!

Lemon-Dill Salmon
adapted from Does NOT Cook Well With Others

3 salmon filets
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped dill
juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

Place salmon skin side down on the foil.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and dill, then squeeze lemon on top.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Another way to fire things up

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway - click HERE for details! *** 

Do you love wasabi as much as I do?  You already know I'm a fan of spicy, and this is just another way to get my fix.  It's a good thing they make prepared wasabi mustard - makes it even easier.

Spice up your fish with this marinade.  Truth is, it isn't really THAT spicy, but just enough to give it a kick.  And, the extra mustard on top certainly doesn't hurt :)

It's SO easy, and delicious, and versatile...you can make it on the stovetop, bake it in the oven, or grill it.  LOVE this.

Wasabi Salmon
1 3/4 pounds boneless salmon filet
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons wasabi mustard
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

Combine all ingredients and marinate salmon for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet or pan and place salmon on/in it.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon is opaque.  Top with extra wasabi mustard, if desired.

Boiling over

Now that we're heading into mid-August (wow, already?!?!), I've begun to reflect back on what dishes I've made so far this summer and taking note of what I still need to do.  There are so many options...it's sometimes hard to decide what to make each night.

Frank is a huge clam lover and one day, while we were down the shore, he was seriously craving them.  My mother-in-law had been talking about doing a boil for a while.  So, we combined the two wishes and crossed off one of those dishes I thought of from my to-do list.

Although there are several steps to making a boil, there's no reason to be intimidated.  All of them are easy, and the end result is well worth it.  It's also easy to add, substitute or omit items...just make sure you keep the timing just right so you aren't overcooking any ingredients.

Also, we cooked this in 2 separate pots (two 8 quart ones) because we didn't have a larger one.  Worked just fine.  So don't let that scare you off, either.

Don't forget the ice cold beer.  It's a must.  Oh, and some crusty bread as well.

It's a fun one to get down and dirty with!


New England Shrimp Boil
adapted from Old Bay


3 tablespoons olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 quarts chicken broth or stock 
1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, crushed
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
12 ounces pearl onions, peeled, left whole
1 pound mild Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 dozen small littleneck clams, scrubbed and drained
2 1/2 pounds unpeeled extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 count)
2 lemons, cut into wedges


Heat oil in 12-quart stockpot on medium heat. Add garlic; cook gently 2 minutes without browning. Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Old Bay and pepper. Bring to boil.

Stir in potatoes. Return to boil. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add onions and sausage. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add corn and clams. (If ingredients are not covered by broth, add up to 2 cups water to cover.) Cook, covered, 10 minutes or until clams open and corn is tender, stirring occasionally. 


Add shrimp. Return to boil, stirring gently. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 to 8 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Old Bay. Serve with lemon wedges.

Linked to: What's On Your Plate?

Chicken of the Sea

My mother-in-law gets very excited when we come down to their shore house to visit.  The main reason, of course, is because she gets to hang with Bella.  As most of you newer parents know, we mean nothing once we start popping the kiddies out...it's all about the grandchildren.  Melissa who???

Another big reason: she gets to eat the foods she loves and misses because my father-in-law refuses to eat them.  Like seafood.  FIL won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.  He won't even let her cook it on the grill because it'll "ruin it" and poison his meat.  So, she waits until I'm there so she has someone to enjoy these forbidden foods with.

My sister-in-law's fiance recently went fishing and caught tuna.  He had it cleaned and cut, and left a bunch of it at the inlaws' house, where it's been patiently waiting in the freezer to be used.  So, MIL was happy to bust it out of there so we could indulge.

I threw together a quick marinade that tastes great in the broiler - I've used it on the grill many times before and it's really delicious.  It would work well with other fish too, like swordfish, mahi mahi, scallops...try it on your favorite today.

Old Bay Tuna

3 fresh tuna steaks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 2 limes

3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag.  Marinate for at least 2 hours.  

Set oven on broil and place tuna in a baking pan.  Pour excess marinade over tuna.  Broil for approximately 5 minutes on each side.  

King of the Sea

Ah, summer. As someone famous once said, "cause down the shore, everything's alright..." (bonus points if you can name that someone and aren't from NJ and/or related to me)

Treat yourself today. And don't be intimidated. Just boil 10 minutes for the first pound, and 3 minutes for each pound thereafter. Then you too can enjoy the luxuries of summertime, right in your own home.

Beating the heat

I took Bella to Sesame Place yesterday for the first time.  So much fun!  The day was long, HOT and exhausting.  I had all intentions of ordering in (Frank actually suggested he pick up burritos)...no way was I turning the oven on in 100 degree weather.

Then I remembered an old favorite that's perfect for beating the heat.  All it requires is turning on the stove for 10 minutes, cutting up some veggies and opening a few cans.  It's the perfect recipe for the weather we've been having, and since today is supposed to be a repeat of yesterday, I thought this may help someone out who's looking for an easy meal without working up a sweat.

What's great about this salad is that you can use whatever you have on hand.  I've made it many times and rarely has it been the same.  The recipe below is last night's version, but again, sub what you like/have.

Soooo good.  And light.  And cool.  And easy!  Try it tonight.

Tuna Pasta Salad

1 pound rotini pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup green beans, cooked and cooled

1/2 cup edamame

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cans solid white tuna packed in water, drained

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon garlic powder

juice from half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.  For best results, chill at least one hour before eating.

***Other ingredients I recommend:  peas, peppers, olives, broccoli, artichoke hearts, garbanzo beans, celery, carrots.  But really, anything goes!

Linked to:  These Chicks Cooked