Feeling a Bit…Fishy

It’s Monday, and I am feeling a bit fishy—but I would rather feel fishy then to have the flu feeling like so many people out there. We got a notice saying two people at our University were confirmed with the Swine flu. When I got the message, I immediately called my mom and said, “What should I do?”(Of course I knew the probable answers.) She casually replied, “Well just stay home.” But unfortunately it was the last of my mid-term tests, so I had to tough it out. I armed myself with hand sanitizer and a pack full of Lysol wipes—no way am I getting this flu!

Have you dodged this flu bug??

So I suppose your wondering why I am feeling a tad on the fishy side. This weekend I tried out two new recipes that feature an under the sea specimen. First up is a Tuscan Salmon Sandwich Spread. It’s such a good sandwich spread to make on Monday and have all week to put on homemade bread, hero rolls, pita bread, sandwich thins, bagels, etc. Next up is simple yet semi-gourmet looking/tasting Confetti Crab Cakes.

So grab your scuba suit, and join in on the under sea scrumptiousness!

Tuscan Salmon Sandwich Spread

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c bottled light Italian dressing
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 14.75 oz. can red or pink salmon
• 15.5 oz can rinsed cannellini beans
• 1/2 c diced celery
• 1/4 c chopped red onion
• 1/4 c chopped black olives
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried

Directions:

• Mix Italian dressing with mustard.
• Flake salmon in a bowl; toss with beans, celery, red onion, olives, parsley and dressing mixture.
• Split mixture up into 4 equal parts and serve on your preferred bread.

Confetti Crab Cakes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 oz lump crab meat
• 1/2 c unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 c chopped scallions
• 3/4 c finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tsp seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper (optional)
• 2 Tbsp light mayo
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp canola oil or butter

Directions:

• Combine crabmeat, breadcrumbs, scallions, bell pepper, Old Bay seasoning, and ground red pepper (if using) in a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice; mix with a fork. Form mixture into 8 patties about 3 inches in diameter.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry crab cakes until browned on the bottom (about 4 minutes); turn and cook 4 more minutes, or until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the crab cake reads 155°. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Hope your Monday treats you well! Don’t miss Wednesday’s post—it will make your hump day just a bit better! :-)

Semi-Fine Dining

Well, Sunday is here and that means Monday tomorrow, but hopefully you all had a super weekend! We had Friday off of school for homecoming and such, so I was not complaining of a 3 day weekend =) So what did I do with 3 days? Homework, cleaned, shopped, and cooked a meal for my dad and I! He hasn’t seen my apartment since it was all boxes because he’s a over-the-road trucker, so our schedules usually conflict. This weekend my mom was gone, so it was perfect!

Not seeing my dad for 3 months was extremely crazy—he makes me laugh, and I needed a dose of dad humor and of course a big hug! I already knew what was on the menu for us—he and I are huge seafood fans (my mom doesn’t like it), so here’s our menu! It turned out fabulous!

Dad & Daughter Menu

• Crab Stuffed Chicken (recipe here)
• Homemade Roasted Garlic Wheat Bread (recipe below)
• Sliced Garden Tomatoes
• Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, and Fennel (recipe below)

My dad was so excited—check out when I delivered his plate to him! (don’t mind the hat hair ha ha)

Love him!

With a look at this, could you blame him for his excitement?

Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, and Fennel

(This was so flavorful, and perfect as a side dish for any fall meal!)

Serves:4

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 3 large carrots
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp olive or canola oil
• Salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Peel sweet potatoes and carrots in to your desired size/shape.
• Slice fennel bulb and cut into four sections.
• Toss all veggies with oil and brown sugar. Add salt and pepper.
• Take a casserole dish or roasting pan and spread veggies in a single layer.
• Cover pan with tinfoil and roast for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15-20 mins. Roast until sweet potatoes and carrots are tender and fennel starts to brown.

Roasted Garlic Wheat Bread (bread machine)

Makes 2 pound loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 c water
• 1/2 sour cream
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 c bread flour
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp wheat germ
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Directions:

• Place ingredients in bread machine in above order.
• Choose wheat bread cycle if available, otherwise just the standard.

If you do not have a bread machine, you could easily make this my prepping yeast, mixing, and letting rise, then baking. I would suggest following another similar oven-baked bread recipe for a basic time guideline.

Under the Sea

 Spongebob is my favorite thing under the sea, but tuna and crab come in at a close second! That doesn’t mean I still don’t want to try a Krabby Patty sometime, but it would have to be vegetarian style—soy Krabby Patties anyone?

I’ve been trying my best to save money on groceries by making sure I use up what I have before buying more. It definitely stretches my creativity!! I came across this tip for impulse buying at the grocery store..

Before you put something in your cart, ask yourself, “Will I use it this week?”

Do you have a recipe, or a meal plan that includes the item you are debating on?

Of course this doesn’t pertain to super sales and bulk non-perishables, but basically just be aware and plan ahead to save money!

 Now lets get to what you came for! Today’s recipe was a attempt to use up things in my fridge, and it turned out surprisingly good for a use-what-I-have meal. =) Not only was my lunch mighty tasty, I used a wonderful appliance that I have had for about 2 years, and sadly has been collecting dust. Do you have any kitchen appliances you don’t use or forget that you have?

Under the Sea Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 1-8” tortilla
• 1/4 c shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1/8 c chopped bell pepper
• 1/8 c flaked crab
• 1/8 c pouch tuna, or canned
• 1/8 c of canned beans {I used chili beans, yum!"}
• 1/4 c of fiesta shredded cheese blend
• Salsa for dipping, optional
• Any other veggies or add-ins you want!

Directions

• I used my quesadilla maker to make these, but if you don’t have one, you can still make quesadillas! Go here for a stovetop method.
• Plug in your quesadilla maker and lightly spray with non-stick spray.

• Get out your tortilla and start layering your filling. I start with lettuce, then meat, cheese, and finally the veggies and beans.

I used Buena Vida Low Carb Tortillas because they’re whole wheat! And then these Chili Beans really added some pizzazz to my quesadilla. If you ever happen to see these, get em’ because you can use them in so many ways!

• Once the light on the maker says ready, fold your quesadilla in half, carefully place on the grill and close the lid until the ready light comes on again. Then lift up the lid and use a spatula to take your quesadilla out.

 

Happy Hump Day!

Start Your Week Off Stuffed

Monday’s can sometimes be the worst day of the week—back to school, work—you know the feeling. But there is something that can make it a tad bit better. How you ask?? With a super stuffed recipe of course ;-) What can be so good that it would transform a whole day, even a Monday? Here’s a clue..

If you guessed chicken, you’re right! But not just your everyday chicken—this recipe was inspired by one of my favorite restaurant meals. It’s cheaper than the restaurant ($2.28/serving vs. $9.99), and even though it took awhile to compile the ingredients to perfection, it was soo worth it. And lucky for you, it’s pretty easy as well!

Crab Stuffed Chicken Breast

*Serves 1, but you can easily double or triple.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz skinless/boneless chicken breast
• 2 Tbsp FF block cream cheese, room temp
• 6 tsp imitation flaked crab, 1oz
• 1/6th an envelope of Lipton savory herb&garlic mix(about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp butter or butter spread (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
• Handful of spinach, optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 F and smear butter spread in a 12-inch skillet on stovetop.
• In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, crab, and Lipton soup mix.

• Take 4 oz chicken breast and slice into it horizontally, stopping about 1-inch towards the opposite end.

• Spread the inside of the chicken breast with the cream cheese mixture and flip the opening shut. If you’re having trouble getting everything to stay inside, you can seal with a toothpick, just remember to take it out before you eat it—ouch!

• Roll chicken breast in egg whites until completely coated. Then dredge it in the bread crumbs—you may need to add a few more breadcrumbs if you can’t cover the whole piece.
• Cook for approximately 10 minutes on MED-HIGH heat, flipping once. If the outside starts to get extremely charred, turn down heat.
• Next place in baking dish, and bake, uncovered for 15 minutes, and you’re done!!
• Serve on a bed of baby spinach if desired.

Have a great start to your week!