Sherry Shrimp

1 pound shrimp
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped fine
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons sherry
1 Tablespoon fresh Basil, chopped into ribbons
2 teaspoons fresh Oregano, chopped into ribbons
Juice of 3 key limes
4 Green onions chopped, divided, reserve green parts
1/2 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

In large nonstick skillet over high heat add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add garlic, cook for one minute.  Add sherry, red onion, Green pepper, and white part of green onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, cook until the shrimp just turns pink. Add lime juice. turn heat to medium high, reduce liquid by 1/4. Add remaining butter and stir until melted . Garnish with remaining green onion. 

This works great as a fajita or burrito filling.

Serves 2-4 easily doubled for large appetites. 

Pork marinade

This works well with almost any cut of pork. I love a nice pork loin or chop.

Pork marinade

1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
6 Tablespoons mushroom or light soy sauce
6 Tablespoons olive oil
1.5 Tablespoons NE oyster/ shrimp sauce
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Clove garlic crushed
1 Tablespoon basil
1 Tablespoon Tony's creole seasoning
2 Tablespoon key lime juice
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon lemon pepper

Mix all ingredients in zip lock bag. Add pork. Remove air. Refrigerate at least 2 hours-24 is better. Grill or roast pork to internal temp of 160º. Remove from heat, cover with foil let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

I like to use a cast iron skillet or dutch oven on top of the stove first to sear the meat on all sides. Put a bit of oil in the pan. Let it get hot enough for the oil to just start to smoke. Then add the meat. let it cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until the meat doesn't stick to the pan. This seals in the juice and flavor. Then finish it in the oven.

Garlic Bread

I know most people don't need a recipe for garlic bread, but you might be able to improve a good thing.

Good bread is subjective. In my area there is a bakery that isn't very good at making the bread they say they are making. Their "French baguette" only resembles it's namesake in shape. It does, however, make great garlic bread.

1 loaf good quality Italian, Greek or French Bread
3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chef's salt. (see note)
1/2 teaspoon basil (fresh or dried)
1/2 teaspoon oregano (fresh or dried)

Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet.

In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. when melted butter coats the bottom of the pan add the crushed garlic. Keep pan on low heat for at least 10 minutes without letting the garlic burn or the butter bubble. This will let the garlic release the natural sugars and give you a sweet garlic flavor instead of a pungent taste. Crushing the garlic will aid in this process. After 10 minutes of cooking over low heat add remaining ingredients. Cook for another 2 to 5 minutes. You will notice some white bits in the bottom of the pan, those are the milk solids and the source of the best flavor.

With a tablespoon, spoon butter, garlic and other solid bits in the pan onto the bread. Use the back of the spoon to work the butter into the nooks and crannies of the bread. Let the butter soaked bread stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or more before placing in a 400º oven. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or to desired crispiness. Don't forget about it! You'll get garlic bricks or set your oven on fire.

Note:
Chef salt is a blend of salt and seasonings. There are several available commercially. I like Miracle Blend™ from Alden Mill House www.aldenmillhouse.com (free plug). Or I make my own using kosher or grey salt, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, basil and thyme.

Creamy Chicken

4 Chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenders
10 oz can cream or mushroom soup divided
½ cup Sherry
1 cup Orzo cooked
1 pound Mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon Chives, chopped
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
¼ cup Chicken stock

Arrange chicken in shallow oven safe casserole. Cover with ½ can of chicken soup. Bake in 400º oven for 20 minutes or until juice runs clear.

In frying pan combine butter & olive oil over medium high heat until butter is melted. Add mushrooms. Stir to coat mushrooms with butter and oil mixture. Cook until mushrooms are tender.

In mixing bowl combine remaining soup, sherry, chives, paprika, thyme and chicken stock. Stir until smooth. Pour over mushrooms in frying pan, stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Reduce until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add cooked orzo to pan, stir, and warm through.

Pour mushroom and orzo mixture onto platter. Top with chicken.

Serves four.

Mushroom Coated Fish

If you want a nice hearty, woodsy meal that is still light and healthy give this a try.

1 pound Salmon or Rainbow Trout filets
4 oz Oyster Mushrooms, roughly chopped
4 oz Enoi Mushrooms, roughly chopped
4 oz White Mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons White Wine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 clove Garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon Fresh Parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon Fresh chives, chopped
1 sprig Fresh Thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a mixing bowl combine everything except the fish filets mix gently. Let stand 10 minutes.

Cut one sheet of aluminum foil 5 inches longer than fish for each filet. Drizzle olive oil over skin side of fish. Place it skin side down on the center of the foil. Fold the edges of the foil up to form an envelope. Sprinkle remaining ingredients evenly over each filet. Fold foil to seal envelope. Place on medium hot grill or in 400º oven for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness of filets, or until fish is mostly cooked through, moist and flakey. Open foil and cook an additional 2 minutes.


Don't over cook it. Fish changes color and opacity when cooked. It will just start to flake apart when you push on it with a fork.

You can use any combination of mushrooms you like. Just make sure they are cut into similar sized pieces. A wild mushroom blend is another option.

If you don't like salmon try orange roughy or whitefish.

Veggie Bake

This is a great way to get a bunch of veggies in one simple side dish. It's so tasty even 14 year old boys like it. You can always substitute dried herbs for fresh if you must.


4 Small potatoes sliced in 1/8 inch rounds
2 Large portabella mushrooms Sliced in ¼ inch strips
2 Large tomatoes sliced in ¼ inch rounds
3 Cloves garlic, Minced and divided
½ pound Spinach
2 cups Large bread crumbs or hearty bread cubes processed into crumbs in food processor
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
¼ cup Fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Chives, chopped
1 sprig Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 sprigs Fresh thyme
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper

Toss potatoes slices with olive oil and half of the garlic. Place in 9x13 inch oven safe casserole dish. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Turn potatoes over half way through cooking.

While potatoes are baking, process bread into crumbs, large chunks preferred. Mix bread-crumbs with remaining garlic, rosemary, basil, thyme, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Remove potatoes from oven when fork tender. Remove half the potatoes from dish. Spread remaining potatoes evenly over bottom of casserole dish. Top with a layer of mushroom slices then top with tomato slices. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top of tomatoes. Add layer of spinach over bread crumbs. Top with remaining potatoes. Bake in 400º oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for 4 minutes or until cheese melts.

Seafood Carrie

It's lent. I'm Catholic. We don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent. This is one solution for the "what do I do for dinner" question. I hope you like it.

4 Talapia filets
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
1/2 pound Fake crab
1 10 oz can minced or baby clams
1 8 oz bottle clam juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one large lime
1 medium onion, diced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons salt

Heat 1/2 of olive oil and butter in large skillet. Add Garlic and onions, saute one minute. Add talapia filets, saute until cooked half way through. Add shrimp. Cook until just pink. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Saute for two minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cook for 5 minutes. If necessary thicken slightly with thickening flour or cornstarch. Serve over pasta.

Serves 8+