Tag Archives: main course

Shrimp with Crab Grits

Main Course, Seafood/ Fish, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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I recently went to a fantastic restaurant in Maryland with my daughter and youngest son. We were doing an overnight visit with baby girl so I treated us all to dinner. The restaurant was eclectic with modern tables, a small library of books to purchase, great artwork, a stage for poetry readings and wonderful service. The crowd was diverse and so was the food.

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I was amazed at the variety of dishes on the small menu which had a basic organic theme but offered foods anyone could enjoy. I decided to try a shrimp dish that was layered over crab grits and smothered in a light sauce with crisp veggies. After the first bite I knew I would have to try and re-create this dish when I got home.

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What I created does not taste exactly like the wonderful dish in Maryland but it comes pretty close. The key was to make sure each layer of flavor complimented the next. The grits were nice and creamy with the subtle hint of crab. The veggies were crisp and naturally sweet. The shrimp added their own layer of flavor along with an underlying level of spicy heat just enough to make your taste buds tingle. Although I used jumbo shrimp for the recipe, I think scallops or a nice grilled fillet of salmon or cod would be enjoyable too.

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Shrimp with Crab Grits

Ingredients:
1 lb lump crab meat shelled
2 shallots diced
2 cloves garlic sliced
1 tomato seeded diced
1 cup coarsely ground grits
1 cup thin asparagus chopped
2 cups water
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup half and half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
juice from ½ lemon
Bring water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Stir in half and half then add grits and reduce to medium heat. Cook until thick and tender approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted and well blended. Gently stir in crab and try not to break up the lumps of meat. Set aside and keep warm. Add a little milk if needed to thin out grits.

In a medium pan melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. When heated add shrimp and sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cook until shrimp are pink and remove from heat. Set aside.

In a large pan saute shallots in olive oil and 1 tbsp butter until slightly browned. Stir in garlic then add asparagus, tomatoes, parsley and seasonings. Let simmer for 3 minutes then remove from heat.

Place grits into a bowl then spoon veggie mixture over the grits. Top with shrimp and sprinkle a little fresh parsley over the top. Yummy!

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Mixed Baked Beans

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , , ,

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Summertime is usually the time when folks make baked beans for every picnic, bar-b-que (yes, there is a difference between the two) or outdoor kids birthday party. But, we like to have baked beans year round because they taste so darn good. Plus, baked beans pair well with a lot of different meats like hot dogs, kielbasa, hot sausages and burgers. The list goes on and on.

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Now that I have said how wonderful baked beans can be I think I should add that they sometimes need to be “doctored up”. I came up with Mixed Baked Beans because I wanted to make a slightly different side dish to go with some oven baked spare ribs I was fixing for dinner. I had a shelf full of a variety of beans so I decided to mix them all together to see how it would taste. If I do say so myself, they tasted absolutely delicious. The flavors of the cannellini, black beans and the homestyle baked beans blended together very well and were fantastic with the ribs.

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The next time I tried making Mixed Baked Beans  I added some kielbasa and andouille sausage to the beans to kick up the flavors even more. Imagine all those wonderful flavors mixing together all in one simple dish. Hmmm…. I think I know what we are having for dinner tonight. Mixed Baked Beans with a few added surprises. Excellent!

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Mixed Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can homestyle baked beans
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced green pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
½ tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ diced jalapeno pepper

Optional:
2 slices of bacon diced
kielbalsa sausage
andouille sausage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients into the casserole dish. Stir to mix well. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.

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Sunny Side Burger

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

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I wrote my recipe for Sunny Side Burgers back in the fall but I just recently took the time to really try out the recipe. Actually, I forgot that I had not tested the recipe on my family. Mostly, because it takes a little time to make a good burger and on week nights I am rushing to get dinner on the table after work. On the weekends I am also running around or I have some other ideas in my head and just forgot to try out the burger.

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Anyway, I was flipping through the journal I use to do my writing and ran across my Sunny Side Burger recipe so I thought it would be a good time to try it on hubby. I decided to surprise him and make them for lunch rather that pick up a sandwich from our favorite deli. One of the keys to making a good burger is to form a medium sized patty and create a indentation in the middle of the patty. This helps prevent a big bubble from forming in the middle of the patty that you naturally want to mash down. When you press down on your burgers you are releasing all of the wonderful juices which is a no-no.

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Burgers, I think, are a very individualized food. Everyone likes their burgers prepared in a different way whether it is rare, medium rare or well done. We also like to put different toppings on our burgers. The Sunny Side Burger has basic ingredients but can still be customized to your own tastes like any other recipe you find on dmariedining.com. Try making my version then let me know what you think and if you add a little something to it.

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Enjoy!

Sunny Side Burgers

Ingredients:
1 lb ground sirloin (4 burgers)
8 slices crispy bacon
4 eggs
4 slices beefsteak tomatoes
4 slices pepper jack cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
4 ciabatta rolls sliced

Optional:
shredded lettuce
shredded cheeses

Form ground sirloin into 4 patties. Sprinkle with worcestershire, salt, pepper and onion powder. Make a thumb impression in the middle of the burger.

Place vegetable oil in an iron skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add hamburger patties and brown on one side until a crust is formed. Flip burger and cook on the other side to your desired level of rareness. Do Not flatten the burger or all of the delicious juices will escape. Remove burger from the pan and place on a paper towel to rest.

In a non-stick pan melt butter then add egg. Cook until desired hardness of the egg. Slice ciabatta rolls. Toast slightly (optional). Assemble burgers by placing burger on bottom half of the ciabatta roll. Top burger with slice of cheese, egg, lettuce, tomato then two slices of bacon. Place the remaining bun on top and enjoy.

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Vera Cruz with Tilapia

Main Course, Seafood/ Fish, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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During a conversation with my sister-in-law a while ago she told me about a wonderful fish dish she prepares for her family. I had never heard of Vera Cruz but it seemed interesting and simple to make. I guess I am behind the times because when I told a few of my friends about wanting to try out the dish for the blog they said they often make the dish.

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Since I did not want to be the only one left off of the Vera Cruz boat I thought I would come up with my version of the standard recipe. The only real difference between my version and the standard version my sister-in-law shared are the few additional seasonings I used. As always my crew likes a little heat so I added some to the sauce.

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I was pleasantly surprised at how the Vera Cruz with Tilapia turned out and even more surprised that my youngest son really liked it. Typically, my son likes fried fish versus what he would consider to be baked fish. Once his plate was cleaned from eating the Vera Cruz with Tilapia I could only smile then I let my sister-in-law know what a great recipe Vera Cruz with Tilapia turned out to be.

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Vera Cruz with Tilapia

Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets
1 small onion sliced
1 small green pepper sliced
2 scallions diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno pepper diced (remove membrane and some seeds)
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato puree or sauce
¼ cup capers
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season fish with a little salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Melt butter along with olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add two pieces of fish and brown lightly on both sides. Place fish in a long casserole dish. Repeat with remaining fish and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium then add onion, scallions, green pepper and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir for 1 – 2 minutes until veggies soften a little and watch carefully so that garlic does not burn. Add roasted tomatoes and tomato puree/ sauce along with remaining seasonings. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Pour mixture over fish and sprinkle with capers. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes until fish is fully cooked.

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Spicy Meatball Stew

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

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I enjoy hearty stews in the winter but I also enjoy them in the warmer months just because I like stews. Since my family doesn’t eat beef too often I decided to create a stew that replaces a typical beef stew using spicy meatballs but still remained hearty.

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When you think meatballs you usually think of beef but meatballs can be made out of ground turkey, chicken or pork. In most recipes that call for a ground meat I use turkey. The one thing about ground turkey is that you must season it really well otherwise it will taste bland. Lately, I prefer baking my meatballs instead of frying them. This eliminates having the meatballs absorb a lot of excess fat. Plus, it is easier to control the heat so the meatballs don’t dry out too much while cooking.

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Spicy Meatball Stew was somewhat of a surprise for my family. I received a few strange glances when I placed a bowl full of stew on the table for dinner. They were use to seeing meatballs floating around in a nice tomato sauce not swimming with veggies and gravy. However, it did not take long for them to trust I had worked my cooking magic so they lunged into their bowls and came up saying “Hmmm… not bad”. The second and third bites had them totally convinced that Spicy Meatball Stew was fantastic and produced smiling faces. It is always nice when the family requests a second helping.

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Spicy Meatball Stew

Ingredients:

Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground spicy sausage
2 eggs beaten
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup half and half
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp parsley chopped
½ tsp Adobo
cooking spray

Stew
1 jar beef au jus
1 small bag baby carrots cut in half
1 small bag frozen peas
1 small onion diced
2 stalks celery dice
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 red potatoes cubed
1 cup beef broth
½ cup water
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl mix ground turkey, ground sausage, seasonings and worcestershire. Form meatballs and place on a rimmed baking sheeting sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. If not quite done, meatballs will finish cooking in the stew.

While the meatballs are cooking heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes to let veggies sweat. Add garlic and stir for 1 – 2 minutes. Be careful not to let garlic burn. If necessary, reduce heat. Add remaining ingredients except for peas. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add meatballs and peas. Cook for an additional 20 – 25 minutes. May be eaten alone or served over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

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Black Bean and Corn Gazpacho

Appetizers, Main Course, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

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I am one of those people that enjoys soup year round. Similar to my Auntie M who drinks hot tea 365 days a year no matter what the temperature is outside. Of course on the hottest of days in the summer when I have a craving for soup, I prefer a gazpacho style soup.

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Gazpacho is a soup made with raw veggies and is usually served chilled but can be warmed. Most gazpacho soups have a tomato base with multiple layers of flavor and textures. The ingredients and thickness of the gazpacho often depends on the region in which it is made. While researching the history of gazpacho I learned that in Spain some of the original recipes included bread, vinegar, water,oil and garlic. Other recipes added fruits and nuts to the recipes.

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I decided to create a very simple version of gazpacho that would be delicious whether served chilled or slightly warmed. Black Bean and Corn Gazpacho fits that description as both black beans and corn are good when served hot or cold. The best thing about this soup is that it is relatively light and is very flavorful with fresh corn. So, the next time you have a craving for a nice healthy soup in the middle of a hot summer day think about making some Black Bean and Corn Gazpacho. Hot or cold you can’t go wrong with this soup.

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Black Bean and Corn Gazpacho

 Ingredients:
3 15.5 oz cans black beans rinsed
1 small onion diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels
½ cup fresh salsa or diced tomatoes
¼ cup half and half
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Place beans, onions, broth and seasonings in a large pot over medium high heat. Cook for 20 minutes until beans and onions are tender. Remove from heat and puree beans using a hand blender or in a regular blender. Place pot back on the heat and reduce to a simmer. Stir in sour cream and half and half. Simmer for another 5 minutes then stir in corn and salsa. Continue simmering for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

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Buffalo Chicken and Spinach Flatbread

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

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Cooking with flatbreads is an easy way to get a meal on the table when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare something more complex. I am not a big “pizza” fan but I do enjoy them now and then. The rest of the family can eat pizza any time. If I am going to eat pizza, I want it to be special and not the basic cheese or pepperoni pizza you find every where.

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One of my son’s favorite pizza choices is Buffalo Chicken so I thought I would try making my own version. The great thing about flatbreads is that they are versatile. You can use just about any topping you like on the flatbread and it will taste wonderful. Of course you need to add a few seasonings to give it an extra kick. We like spicy flavors in my family so besides using Buffalo wing sauce on the chicken I also added pepper jack cheese and red pepper flakes to the toppings. Depending your tolerance for “heat” you can add or subtract the amount of spice you use.

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The first time I made my Buffalo Chicken Flatbread we had it for lunch. This turned out to be a very hearty meal with the thick slices of chicken, spinach, onions and cheese. Protein, veggies and dairy! What more could you ask for in a meal? As you can imagine we had a very light dinner that night.

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Look for more flatbread recipes on dmariedining.com. You cannot beat them for a healthy, quick and easy meal!

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Buffalo Chicken Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 14oz flatbread (Trader Joe’s Ciabatta Flatbread)
1 pkg pre-cooked sliced chicken (Trader Joe’s)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup baby leaf spinach
½ cup buffalo wing sauce
½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
½ cup thinly sliced red onion or shallots
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp red pepper flakes
salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place chicken in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle buffalo wing sauce over chicken then toss to coat the chicken.

Place flatbread on a cookie sheet then brush flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle ½ cup mozzarella cheese over flatbread. Layer flatbread with spinach then sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper. Next layer chicken, onions and remaining cheeses over the spinach. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until cheese melts and turns slightly brown. Let cool for a few minutes then cut with a pizza slicer.

For a crispier crust place the flatbread directly on a rack in the oven. Check flatbread package for full instructions on cooking crust.

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Eggplant Wheels

Main Course, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Eggplant Wheels are kind of like individual eggplant parmesan servings. The elements are basically the same but arranged for individual servings. I like the idea of making a simple serving of eggplant as opposed to the longer process of layering and assembling an eggplant parmesan casserole.

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Why do I call them eggplant wheels? To be honest, it is because I could not think of what else to call them. It is not really a casserole so since the eggplant slices are shaped like a wheel I called the dish eggplant wheels. Corny? Maybe. But, for now the name eggplant wheels is fitting.

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The wonderful thing about this dish is that the servings are just right. One thick slice of eggplant is just enough of a side dish to go with whatever else you are serving. Of course if you are eating this as a main course you can eat as many Eggplant Wheels as your tummy can hold. If I am eating Eggplant Wheels as an entree, I may add pasta as a side dish or I may top the pasta with the eggplant. Yum!

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Eggplant Wheels

Ingredients:
1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 medium wide eggplant sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 large beefsteak tomatoes sliced
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl mix the ricotta cheese, basil, oregano. onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes seasoned salt and grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Spoon a little spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a long casserole dish. Place eggplant wheels on top of the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper. Top each eggplant wheel with a spoonful of the ricotta cheese mixture. Spoon spaghetti sauce over the ricotta cheese then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the eggplant is cooked and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

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Chopped Salad

Main Course, Seafood/ Fish, Side Dish, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Salads! A quick and light meal during warm weather. A refreshing side dish with heavier meals during cooler weather and good for you all year round. I am in salad mode which means I am into preparing some type of salad for my family almost every night for dinner. Fortunately, my family loves salads as long as I give them variety.

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It really isn’t hard to come up with new combinations of of ingredients when I create salads. However, I do have to make sure the combination of ingredients work as a salad. A few times I have had some wild salad ideas but I decided against posting them because although I like sauerkraut it just didn’t seem to work well with tomatoes, cheese and carrots.

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One of the best things about chopped salads is that chopping up everything that goes into the salad keeps it simple. The only thing I worry about is making sure there is a great combination of flavors and textures. Like the crunch of salty bacon and the smooth creamy taste of boiled eggs and avocado. Plus, lots of sweet tomatoes and just the right bite from carrots and red onions.

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There are so many options of veggies to use when making a chopped salad. If you like certain veggies and they compliment each other, go for it. Chop them up. Put them in a bowl and dress it up with a nice salad dressing. You cannot go wrong.

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Chopped Salad

 Ingredients:
2 heads of romaine chopped
2 salmon fillets blackened and flaked
6 slices crisp bacon chopped
3 boiled eggs chopped
1 avocado diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ cup green or red peppers diced
½ cup shredded carrots chopped
½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
¼ cup oil based dressing
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp red onion small diced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently.

Optional:
grilled chicken chopped
grilled turkey chopped
grilled shrimp

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Salad (Italian Sub Style)

Main Course, Side Dish, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

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I was eating a small Italian sub the other day and started thinking about my promise to cut back on eating bread. As we all know, eating too many carbs is not good for you. I was feeling guilty since I had already eaten a bagel for breakfast and I was trying to limit my bread intake to once per day if at all.

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While eating my sandwich I was thinking of ways I could ditch the roll and just eat what was inside the roll. Then I thought why not turn my sandwich into a salad. Viola! I could still have the ingredients of an Italian sub but no bread. I decided to create a Salad (Italian Sub Style) with lots of romaine lettuce and a sprinkling of meats, cheeses, tomatoes and Italian seasonings. This salad can be either a nice small portioned start to a meal or a meal unto itself. Either way I think you will enjoy it.

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Salad (Italian Sub Style)
Ingredients:
1 bunch romaine lettuce chopped
½ cup pepperoni sliced into strips
½ cup capicola sliced into strips
½ cup salami sliced into strips
½ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ cup provolone cheese sliced into strips
¼ cup sweet peppers (optional)
½ tbsp parsley chopped
½ tbsp red onion chopped small (optional)
¼ cup black olives sliced
¼ cup olive oil

Seasonings:
2 tbsp Italian salad dressing
½ tbsp lemon zest
½ tbsp oregano
½ tsp onion powder
½ tbsp dill
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salad dressing, salt, black pepper, oregano and dill. Set aside.

Combine romaine, tomatoes, red onion, black olives, sweet peppers, meats and cheeses in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil dressing then drizzle over salad. Toss gently. Enjoy!

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