Perfect Fish Batter

I came across the recipe for this basic batter, and decided to try it on some cod I had been planning to make. I wasn't expecting it to be so good, but for me this really was the perfect fish batter! It coats the fish just right, and when you fry it comes out super light and very crispy.

The cod started like this...

...turned out like this...

...and was practically perfect in the fish tacos we enjoyed last night. My husband and I kept raving to each other how good our dinner was!

*That slaw you see on the taco was my husband's creation, and it was a-mazing! Too bad he cooks like me and just adds a little of this and that and doesn't keep track of how he makes something...I told him he must try to re-create it so I can share it!

But back to the batter, it would work great on any type of fish, or shrimp, and I'm going to try onion rings next...the possibilities are endless!

Basic Fish Batter

3/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add water and stir to combine.

*Notes: The consistency should be a little thinner than cake batter. I added more than 3/4 cup water to get it this way, so just add a little at a time to get it perfect.

I also added some garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder to the batter as well, but the spices really didn't come through much, which was perfect for making tacos since the yummy slaw we had on top packed lots of flavor. If I was going to enjoy the fish on its own though I would probably experiment a little more with some seasonings to give it a little extra flavor.

Biscuit Taco Cups - No Recipe Needed

These cute little guys are something I came up with as a fun alternative to a traditional taco. The best part is - no recipe needed!

Press biscuit dough (I use the large, Pillsbury "Grands" biscuits) into muffin tin, pushing into the bottom and up around the sides of each muffin cup.

Fill each biscuit cup with some prepared taco meat (the meat will help to hold the biscuit in shape). I like to add some salsa to the meat as well for a little extra flavor. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake until the biscuits are puffed up and golden. Pop out of the muffin tins, and top with shredded lettuce, black olives, sour cream, more salsa and cheese, etc.

Lemon Chicken Puff

I'd seen this recipe on Marci's blog and had always been curious about it (exactly how does that puff work?), but never got around to trying it until now. This dish is like two of my favorites...a chicken pot pie with just a bottom crust...or the chicken divan that I like to serve with biscuits or puff pustry cups on the side, but here the biscuit is built right in! I liked all the veggies and the filling had good flavor, just a hint of lemon. My curiosity about the puff was also solved, it just puffs right up as it bakes - wow :) This one is also so easy to put together, and I'm going to be on the hunt for more fillings for this fun puff!


From On My Menu

Ingredients

*Popover Puff:
3 T. butter, divided
1 c. milk
6 eggs
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt

*Chicken and Veggie Filling:
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 medium potato, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper (or more)
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 2 T. butter in microwave and whisk together with milk and eggs. Put 1 T. butter in bottom of baking dish and place in oven until melted.

2. Add flour and salt to egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into dish (on the melted butter) and bake 20 min. (I take out the top rack in my oven - it's gets pretty "puffed")

3. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10-15 more minutes until puffed and golden brown.

4. While the shell is baking, melt 1 T. butter in large sauce pan and stir in carrots, broccoli, potatoes and onion. Cook until veggies are tender. Add lemon juice, chicken and cream of chicken soup. Stir in spices and continue stirring until heated through. Stir in cheese keep warm until the puff is ready.

5. Remove puff from oven and allow to cool and middle to fall, forming a shell.
Spoon filling into center of puff and enjoy.

Turkey Suiza Tamale Pie

As always, you'll have to excuse the less-than-stellar pictures. This time I not only blame my lack of photography skills, but also the fact that this one was just not very photogenic. It lookedp pretty in the pan but not so much served up on the plate. Luckily it made up for it in taste! I actually saw this recipe on an episode of Rachael Ray's talk show, and it sounded interesting and looked really good as she made it, so I had to look up the recipe and try it. I had never cooked with polenta before, and this was a good introduction to it. I'm definitely a fan...Must find more polenta recipes!

The final product has almost a shepherd's pie feel...meat mixture on the bottom, polenta subbing for the mashed potatoes, and lots (lots!) of cheese on top. It reheated very well the next day too. I definitely want to make this one again!

Note: I followed the recipe almost exactly as-is, but only used 1 lb. ground turkey. I would suggest using the 2 lbs. as written, because with one I did have to drain off some of the sauce so it wouldn't be so runny.

From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 poblano chili peppers
2 large jalapeño peppers
6 tomatillos, husks peeled
1 quart chicken stock, divided
A small handful cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palmful
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey breast or dark meat, patted dry
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 bottle of lager beer
1/2 cup sour cream or heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking polenta or cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup Chihuahua cheese, queso Asadero or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Red onion rings, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat broiler to high with the rack in the upper third of oven. Char peppers and tomatillos, turning peppers occasionally to char evenly all over. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool. Peel and seed peppers.

2. Place charred peppers, tomatillos, 2 cups stock, cilantro, salt, pepper, honey and cumin in food processor and process until smooth.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large, cast-iron or other heavy pan over medium-high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan. When oil smokes, brown and crumble meat then add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook to soften onions, 5 minutes. Deglaze with beer and stir in salsa. Bring to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in sour or heavy cream.

4. In a saucepot, heat remaining 2 cups stock and milk. Whisk in polenta or cornmeal and let thicken 2-3 minutes until very thick but still pourable. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in butter. Spread the corn topping over the turkey filling, place under the broiler and char to set polenta. Top with cheese then melt cheese under broiler. Serve directly from skillet, topped with red onion rings.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

I love Fall because of all the great new recipe options it brings - especially for pumpkin! I was a little skeptical about this recipe at first, despite reading all the great reviews, just because I wasn't sure how the pumpkin/sausage combination would come together, especially with the cinnamon and nutmeg...but I'm glad I decided to try it because it is a definite winner! The final dish is a yummy, creamy pasta with a subtle pumpkin flavor that is just perfect. And sprinkled with some extra sage (which I LOVE) this dish just says "Fall" to me. I better stock up on canned pumpkin now so I can make this one all year long!


From Rachael Ray


Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade,about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating (I used Parmesan)
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Directions

1. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

2. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

3. Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

I found this recipe on Everyday Food, and Marci had also posted an adaptation on her blog, so I decided to stray from our usual Perfect Enchiladas and try this...and I was glad I did! I used elements from both versions to make mine. I love chipotle flavor and was already planning on doing my favorite Mexican Chicken Lime Soup this week, so this was a great way to get more use out of the chipotles I was going to buy anyway. The only thing I worry about with chipotles is that they can be too overwhelming, but this sauce used just the right amount where the flavor comes through without too much heat. I'm already trying to think of more ways I can use this sauce!


Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8-10 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add flour and cook, whisking occasionally, 1 minute. Add broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, chipotle and adobo sauce, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, stir in 1/4 cup cilantro and simmer until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

2. Make filling: In a nonstick skillet, add onion, garlic, and beef; season with salt, pepper, and some cumin (optional). Cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 450°. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside. Make enchiladas: Heat tortillas about 30-45 seconds in the microwave to soften. Fill each with a heaping 1/4 cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese; tightly roll up.

4. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with additional cilantro.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Panini - No Recipe Needed

I've never been a sandwich person, so I blame my recent interest in them on this pregnancy. The flavors of this one all work really well together, and the ciabatta is the perfect bread to use because it gets nice and crispy once cooked. And, you can definitely change it up according to what you have on hand!

Here's the basics:

Ciabatta roll (I got individual sized ones from the bakery section)

Wholly Guacamole (or mix some fresh avocado with a little mayo)

Sliced turkey breast

Roasted red peppers

Baby spinach

Pepperjack cheese

Cut the ciabatta roll in half and spread both sides with guacamole. Top one side with turkey, red peppers strips, spinach and cheese, then top with the other side of the roll. I don't have a panini maker, so I put a little olive oil on the outside of the roll and then cooked in a pan, weighing it down with some heavy pans, a few minutes on each side until the cheese melts and the bread crisps. Enjoy!

Chicken Tamale Casserole

I didn't take a picture of this one, but trust me when I say you need to make this! Its definitely going to be added in to our regular rotation. Easy to put together and its simply delicious...even my almost 2 year-old willingly cleaned her plate.

I wanted leftovers, so I sort-of doubled the corn bread mixture but left everything else the same and I actually think it turned out perfect that way. I posted my version here, but you can see the original recipe from Cooking Light here.

Ingredients

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
2/3 cup fat-free milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
2 (8.5-ounce) boxes corn muffin mix
1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I cooked a breast, then shredded it and simmered it a while in some water with taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin)
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into pieces; top each serving with sour cream.

Fettucine Carbonara

Pasta. Cream. BACON.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
12 oz. bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. fettucine
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3/4 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, at room temperature
1 - 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook until the onions are translucent and the bacon is beginning to crisp. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettucine according to package directions until al dente, about 11-12 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander and return to pan. Add in the bacon and onion mixture. Stir over high heat until pasta is coated with the pancetta mixture.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and half-and-half and add to the pasta, along with the Parmesan and mushrooms. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated and the egg has had time to cook. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Rolls

I've been craving seafood lately, especially shellfish. And since it seems as though we only enjoy shrimp two ways - in tacos or in pasta - I decided to come up with something a little different this week. These sandwiches, loosely based on a lobster roll, were fabulous. For never having made something like this before, I was surprised at how great the shrimp mixture turned out(it would be great on crackers as an appetizer too!), and these were a perfect meal to be enjoyed on a hot summer evening.

Ingredients

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt (or Old Bay)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh crab meat (optional)
4 sandwich rolls
A few pinches of dried dill weed

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine shrimp, seasoned salt, chili powder, and paprika. Mix well. heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the shrimp. Cook, stirring frequently, until pink and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from pan and reserve any remaining liquid/butter from the pan. Cut shrimp in half and let cool slightly.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, celery salt, green onion and crab meat (I had some snow crab that I removed from the shell and used for this; not necessary but I love crab and it did add great flavor!). Stir in cooled shrimp. Let rest in the refirgerator at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat broiler. Cut a v-shaped slit in the top of each sandwich roll and remove the top. Scrape out any excess bread from the center. Brush the inside of the rolls with the reserved shrimp butter, and sprinkle with dill weed. Broil 2-3 minutes until butter melts and bread begins to crisp.

4. To serve, stuff rolls with the shrimp mixture. Enjoy!