Cioppino

 

"A wonderful seafood stew! Serve with a loaf of warm, crusty bread for

sopping up the delicious broth!"

 

 

Original recipe makes 12 to 14 servings

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup water

1 1/2  cups white wine

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined

1 1/2 pounds bay scallops

18 small clams

18 mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

1 1/2 cups crabmeat

1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cubed

 

Directions

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.

Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread!

 

BLT Wedge Salad

Ingredients
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup garlic herb mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon water
1/3 cup bacon pieces


Prep

• Trim 1/4-inch off bottom of romaine; cut in half lengthwise.
• Halve tomatoes.

Directions:

1. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, and water until thoroughly blended.
2. Place romaine on serving plates, drizzle with dressing and top with tomatoes and bacon.
3. Serve.

 

Shrimp Diablo (spicy)

Ingredients

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon pepper flakes

2 teaspoon garlic power

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 stalk celery (diced)

1 large onion chopped

2 tablespoon Olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

 

Directions:

1.       Rinse and season shrimp with seasoning

2.       Heat sauté pan on medium and add olive oil and butter

3.       Add diced celery, stir, cover and let cook for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to get translucent

4.       Add chopped onion cook for another 3 minutes

5.       Add shrimp, toss until cooked for a few more minutes

6.       Remove from heat and serve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drunken Polish Hoagies

 

1 (12 ounce) can beer

1 large onion, diced
1 red sweet pepper
1 yellow sweet pepper
Polish sausage (sliced)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½  teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Directions:

1.       Set a Skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the bottom

2.       Once the pan is hot, add the sliced polish sausage and stir fry for 5 minutes.

3.       Add sweet peppers, onions and seasoning (salt & pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes) and stir fry for another 2 minutes

4.       Pour in half the can of beer and cover for 3 minutes to steam

5.       (Enjoy the other half while it cooks)  J

6.       Remove cover and reduce heat, let simmer until the liquid evaporates

7.       Serve on hoagies rolls

Bang Bang Shrimp

 

 

Since the very first time, I tried these at Bone Fish Grill, I’ve been playing with the recipe to get the taste perfect, and the result is AMAZING. It’s a perfect starter for having friends over, its super easy and taste just like your waiter just delivered it to you - very delicious!

½  cup mayonnaise

¼  cup Thai-style sweet chili sauce

3 dashes Sriracha hot chile sauce, or to taste

½  cupcorn starch, or as needed

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

oil for frying

8 lettuce leaves

1 bunch green onion, chopped, or to taste

 

Directions 

1.       Whisk mayonnaise, sweet chile sauce, and Sriracha hot sauce together in a bowl.

2.       Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl.

3.       Gently press shrimps into cornstarch to coat; shake off any excess.

4.       Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5.       Working in batches, cook the shrimp until they are lightly browned on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

 

6.       Put cooked shrimp in a bowl and pour chile sauce mixture over the shrimp. Toss gently to coat.

 

7.       Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves.

8.       Pour shrimp into bowl and top with green onion.

 

Cassava (Yuca) Pone

Mmm pone. A delectable childhood memory. It's a cross between pudding and cake and a halleluah with every bite.  Pones are made from root vegetables, cassava (yuca) sweet potato, carrots or pumpkin.

 

Cassava is excessively dry when in its raw state, once baked it melts and it becomes a wonderful tasti treat. 
 

 

Ingredients:
 

4 cups grated cassava

1 cup grated coconut (or dry flakes)

1 1/4   cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground all spice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoon melted butter

1 cup milk

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup seedless raisins (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

 

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)

2.     Grate the cassava, the coconut, and spices, etc.

3.     Mix together the cassava, coconut, sugar, raisins, spice and nutmeg.

4.     Cut in the butter until melted.

5.     Stir in the milk.

      6.     Add baking powder, vanilla essence, clove, and the raisins and Mix well.
      7.     Pour into a well greased 9” × 9” (23cm × 23cm) loaf pan.

8.     Bake for 1 hour in a moderate oven or until crisp and brown.

9.     Cool and cut in into bars.

 

 

Sweet Potato Pone

 

 

Ingredients

 

4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

 1 pound yellow yam, peeled (optional)

 3 packets Grace Coconut Milk Powder

 4 cups warm water

 2 ounces Grace Helo Margarine

 1 cup raisins, soaked

 1/4 cup Cornmeal

 1/4 cup flour

 1 tablespoon nutmeg

 1 pound dark sugar

 1 tablespoon mixed spice

 1 tablespoon vanilla

 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder

 1 teaspoon salt

 1 cup wine

 2 tablespoons rum

  

Directions

1.       Grate sweet potatoes and yam and set aside.

2.       Dissolve Coconut Milk Powder in warm water, melt Margarine.

3.       Combine grated sweet potatoes, yam, soaked raisins, Cornmeal, flour and dark sugar in a large pudding pan or a bowl.

4.       In another bowl, combine the Coconut Milk, melted Margarine, mixed spice ,vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon powder, salt, wine and rum and mix well.

5.       Add the liquid ingredients to the grated potato mixture and stir well.

6.       Scrape the mixture in a greased dutch pot lined with banana leaf, pudding pan, or a baking tin

7.       If baking it authentic style over a wood fire: Place over a three stone wood fire Place a flat baking sheet with lit charcoals on top of the baking container.  Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

8.       Or if you are new aged and want to bake it in your oven:  Preheated oven at 350⁰ degrees and Bake for 1hr 15mins.
 

Quiche

Ingredients:

1 ready-to-use refrigerated deep dish pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)

1 cup Shredded Cheese of your choice

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, well drained

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

4 eggs, beaten

3 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/2  tsp. salt

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Dash pepper

 

Directions:

1.    HEAT oven to 350°F.

2.    LINE 9-inch deep dish pie plate with crust; flute edge.  (or ready made is fine )
3.    Beat eggs with seasoning, bacon, cream and milk.

4.    Add cheese, bacon and spinach to crust (or topping of choice)

5.    Pour egg mixture into crust.

6.    BAKE 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

 

VARIATIONS:

Substitute, SPINACH for HAM, PEPPERS, COOKED GROUND BEEF, or just GREEN ONIONS, or add  it all in.

 

 

 

Chicken and Mushroom

Here’s what you need…

• 4 medium (12 oz. total) boned skinless chicken breast halves
• Nonstick spray coating
• 1 and 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¹/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ¹/4 cup cooking sherry

Instructions

1. Place 1 piece of chicken, boned side up, between 2 pieces of clear plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, pound lightly with a meat mallet to about 1/4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves.
2. Sprinkle both side of chicken breast with lemon pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika
3. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray coating. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender and no pink remains. Transfer to a platter; keep warm.
4. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves. Carefully add mushrooms, green onion, water, and salt to skillet. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 3 minutes).
5. Add cooking sherry to skillet. Heat through. Spoon vegetables and sauce over chicken.

Roasted Pecan-Corn Salad

TOTAL TIME - 15 minutes

 (Makes 4 servings)

 

Ingredients
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 medium poblano pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh sugar snap peas, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 can corn (frozen works also)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons honey

Directions

1.       Chop pecans, poblano pepper, and sugar snap peas.

2.       Preheat large sauté pan on medium 2–3 minutes.

3.       Place pecans in pan; cook and stir 1–2 minutes or until toasted.

4.       Place oil and corn in pan; cook 2–3 minutes or until warm.

5.       Stir in peppers, peas, salt, and pepper; cook 2 more minutes or until peppers are tender. Remove pan from heat. Stir in honey and pecans and serve warm.

 

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms are very tasty and hearty, and are considered the meatiest of the mushroom family. They can be transformed into an excellent main or side dish that even your picky eaters will love.

Make them tonight or make them later, either way you'll need the recipe so read more

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved

Salt and pepper to taste

Stuffing:

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Mushrooms stems, finely chopped

1 (10-ounce) bag fresh chopped spinach or frozen, defrosted and squeezed dry

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano

Balsamic vinegar (to drizzle)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly brush or rub each Portobello mushroom with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

1. Remove sausage from casing and crumble
2. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet, add crumbled sausage and cook on medium until browned, about 4 minutes. Add paprika, salt, black pepper and oregano.

3. Add in the onion, celery, and mushroom stems and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir garlic and spinach into stuffing and let cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat. 




4. In a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, fresh chopped parsley and 2 tablespoon olive oil together until everything comes together slightly. (if you have a food processor put everything in & pulse for 30 seconds)

1. Divide the filling among the mushroom caps, about 1/2 cup for each mushroom. Place the filled mushrooms on a baking sheet.

1. Bake until golden brown on top and the mushrooms are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.  


2. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of parsley, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

It seems like a few nationalities claim cabbage rolls as their own – Jewish, Polish, Slovak and Russian. Cabbage is a wonderful accompaniment on any plate; whether its raw, steamed, blanched, parboiled, or being wrapped into something to create a wonderful side, appetizer or main dish.

Jamaicans love cabbage, because its cost effective, its low in calories, packed with vitamins and nutrients, amino acids, and has anti-inflammatory properties, not to mention we cultivate it. So don’t be surprised if you purchase food from your local Jamaican eatery and get a spoon of it on the side of your plate. J

I first learned to make this divine, one pot dish from a family member, the cooking method is the same but over the years, I’ve tweak it abit, to cut back on the calories, but feel free to add in your favorite ground meat or chopped veggies, roll them up and enjoy.

Ingredients

1 head (medium) green cabbage    

1 lb ground turkey

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion (chopped)

½ bell pepper (chopped)

½ cup button mushroom (chopped)

1 stalk escallion (green onion)

1 teaspoon pepper flakes (optional)

1 tsp garlic powder    

1 tsp black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sazon

½ teaspoon ground ginger    

½ teaspoon salt    

½ teaspoon dried celery  

1 can diced tomato (12 oz can Hunts basil, oregano & tomato)      

Directions:

Boiling Cabbage

There are 2 ways to boil the cabbage:

Either by cutting the whole head in half, (2 pieces) and removing the core, then boiling it with the leaves in tact or you can try removing the leaves and boiling them. (use method most comfortable)

1. Bring enough water to a boil, enough to cover the cabbage
2. Boil until leaves are pliable and soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain hot water; when leaves are cool enough to handle, cut off thickest part of vein from bottom of leaves, keeping leaves intact.

Prepping Turkey

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Add ground turkey, and stir frequently until no longer pink.
3. Add chopped onions, escallion (green onion), mushrooms and peppers.
4. Stir in seasoning; salt, black pepper, paprika, pepper flakes, garlic powder, sazon, ginger and dried celery cover and let it sauté for about 7 minutes

Building Wraps

1. Place a small amount of turkey mixture (enough to fit in the palm of your hand) onto center of each leaf.
2. Fold in sides of leaves and then roll up tightly from one end to other, making sure filling is fully covered by leaf, repeat until all leaves are rolled up.

Bringing it all Together

1. Pour a small amount of tomatoes into a skillet so a thin layer covers bottom of pot. Place cabbage rolls in pot, packing them tightly to prevent opening during cooking; pour in remaining tomatoes and sprinkle top with fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt.
2. Turn heat to medium-low, cover pot and let simmer for 15 minutes
3. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Baked Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Trim Asparagus
• Preheat oven 450 degrees
• Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake 8-10 minutes

Tip: Once out of oven, add either a squeeze of lemon juice or some grated parmesan cheese