Japanese Salmon with Cold Pasta Salad

 There is a restaurant here in Fort Worth called the Tavern that serves this amazing Japanese Salmon.  I end up getting it every time I go there and have been craving it.  With the economy we are living in and the cost of everything being so high right now, I decided to recreate this at home and it was so yummy!  And healthy too!!!  It is still a work in progress because I wasn't as crazy about how I made the salmon, but the pasta was spot on.  I wanted to document it though now with the changes I made to the several recipes I followed and write it out in the way in which I plan to make it again next time!  This may change as I make it again and again!!!

Ingredients

• For the miso lime dressing:
• 2 frozen cubes of ginger
• 2 TBS of diced garlic
• 1/4 cup lime juice (around 2 limes)
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoon red, white, or yellow miso
• 2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 TBS of honey
• 2TBS sweet chili sauce
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• For the salad:
• 8 ounces of cooked green tea noodles (I couldn't find these so I used edamame noodles and angel hair pasta)  
• 8 ounces edamame beans outside of their shells (cooked)
• 1 cup of diced mangos
• 1 cup of diced cherry tomatoes
• 4 diced baby cucumbers
• 2 diced green onions
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn or snipped, plus more for garnish (I really like fresh basil in this recipe over dried but you could use dried if it's what you have)
• sesame seeds, for garnish
• (You could add mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy, spinach or sugar snap peas or whatever else you want to this that sounds good to you.  You could also make chicken or steak instead of salmon if you wanted to or just make the pasta without the meat and add it as a side)

• For the salmon:
• 1 pound wild caught salmon
• salt
• pepper
• Cooking spray
• Some of the reserved dressing made above.

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1. Make the dressing:  In a bowl add together all of the ingredients listed above for the dressing and mix well.  I eyeballed some of these measurements and made more than the above.  I added about half to the pasta and next time will use it to coat the salmon as well.  Reserve some on the side to add more to your individual serving if you desire.  

2.  Assemble your salad.  Add about half of the dressing and toss well.  Chill.  

3.  Preheat oven to 375.  Place salmon on a sprayed foil covered pan.  Season your salmon with salt and pepper.  Coat it with some of the dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is almost done and opaque, then broil for 1-2 minutes until it reaches 125-130 degrees in the center.  (I find that depending on the thickness of the salmon, cooking times can vary wildly.  I usually read the cooking instructions on the package of whatever I have bought and reduce it by 1-2 minutes from the shortest time suggested in hopes of not overcooking it.)

4.  Plate it and enjoy!!!  

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Adapted from this recipe:

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/steak_noodle_bowls_with_miso_lime_dressing/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+Recipes+Ice+Cream+Sandwiches+Steak+Noodle+Bowls+Air+Fryer+Mozzarella+Sticks+and+MORE&utm_content=New+Recipes+Ice+Cream+Sandwiches+Steak+Noodle+Bowls+Air+Fryer+Mozzarella+Sticks+and+MORE+CID_a3974ced838195f78988e0ee09044c81&utm_source=Email&utm_term=Steak+Noodle+Bowls+with+Miso-Lime+Dressing

Lobster Tails

Another favorite that my BIL and his wife taught us to make is lobster tails.  We often do these on the grill but they can also be done in a skillet.


Ingredients:

• Lobster Tails
• Chopped Garlic
• Butter

Directions:

• Melt your garlic and butter and let it sit to cool.
• Cut a slit in your lobster tail down the back side leaving the belly in tact.
• Once the butter has cooled some, pour it into each tail.  You can also add extra seasoning if desired.
• Grill: place tails belly side down on the grill.  It will change to a pinkish color on the shell and the meat will turn white (like a huge shrimp) and sort of pull away from the shell once it is cooked which isn't very long.  Probably 10 minutes.
• Here are several different methods for cooking them:
• http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Lobster-Tails
• It seems that my SIL prepares them the same way as we do for grilling.  I think she put a little water in the bottom of the skillet and cooks them flesh side down for 3 minutes, then shell side down for about 7, and cover for the last 6 or so minutes.

Crab Legs

Man do we love crab legs!!!  I was always intimidated by them until my BIL and his wife came over and taught us how to cook them.  Now they are one of our very favorite treats and they are so easy to make!


We usually serve ours with garlic butter, crusty bread and a simple green salad.


Ingredients:

• Crab Legs (We got he long ones) Approx 3 bundles per person
• Butter
• Chopped Garlic

Directions:

• In microwave melt several TBSP's of butter and a heaping spoonful of chopped garlic and place in a bowl for dipping.
• In a large tall pot, bring about 1/2-1 inch of water to a boil. 
• Place crab legs in pot fingers down. 
• Boil covered for 10 minutes.
• Remove and place in a big bowl for eating.

Lemon Butter Shrimp with pasta and veggies

This is by far a very favorite meal in our house.  Both of my kids shovel it in and usually ask for more.

Ingredients: 

* 1 package of cooked, pealed and deveined frozen shrimp
* 1 package of favorite veggie mix (I usually get one with squash, zucchini, green beans and carrots but have tried many variations)
* linguine noodles
* chopped garlic
* butter
* lemon juice
* dill, basil and oregano (dried)
* greek seasoning or salt and pepper

Directions:

* Preheat a skillet that has a top to a low temperature.
* In a measuring cup add a 4-5 TBS of butter.  Add lemon juice to taste (I like a lot), dill, basil, oregano.  Put in microwave and heat until melted.  Usually around a minute for me.  Set aside until you are ready for it.
* Cook about 10-12 oz of noodles.
* In skillet add garlic then frozen shrimp and frozen veggies.  Cover it and let them steam while the pasta cooks.  When you are about ready to add the pasta and lemon butter, and the shrimp/veggies seem defrosted and warmed, I pour off the excess water.   
 * Add in your pasta.  Mix well then pour the lemon butter mixture over it and season with greek seasoning.  Mix well again.  Turn to the lowest setting, cover and let the butter sort of cook onto the pasta.  Keep an eye on it and mix occasionally.

When I serve it, I often add more lemon juice to my serving.  It really just depends on how lemony your like it and I like a lot! 

I have also often adapted this into a side dish by removing the shrimp and veggies and just doing the pasta. 

Easy Cajun Jumbalaya

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 Servings                    

 

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

* 2 teaspoons olive oil

* 8 ounces kielbasa or other precooked sausage, diced (you can also substitute or add shrimp)

* 1 bell pepper, diced

* 1/2 cup diced celery

* 1 can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic

* 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* salt and ground black pepper to taste

* 4 cups of instant cooked rice (2 bags usually)

* 1 can chicken broth

* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

* 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Saute sausage/shrimp until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, celery and garlic. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, or until celery and bell pepper are tender. Add cooked rice, then stir in chicken stock and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.

 

 

Adapted from here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-cajun-jambalaya/detail.aspx

Low-Fat Oven Fried Meat

This is a very regular meal at our house which is happily eaten be each member if our family, even the overly picky ones! I make this with chicken, center cut pork chops or a good white fish (tilapia, swai, flounder etc).

Ingredients:
*water
*greek seasoning or other seasoning of your choice.
*Italian seasoned bread crumbs
*corn meal
*meat
*cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. In a wide shallow bowl mix 2 parts bread crumbs with one part cornmeal. Season with Greek seasoning or any other seasoning of your liking and mix well.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Rinse each piece of meat in cold water then dredge through bread/cornmeal mixture, flipping and covering until thoroughly coated. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with each piece of meat until finished. Spray the tops well with cooking spray to help it crisped while baking.

Place in oven.

Here are my average cook times at 400 which might need to be adjusted as needed.

Chicken for 30 minutes.
Pork Chops for 25 minutes.
White fish for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cedar Plank Fish

Cedar Plank salmon has long been one of my very favorite meals.  We recently decided to try a few different versions of cedar plank fish at our house.  I will update this as we find ones we like!

Be sure to soak your cedar planks for at least an hour before you grill it.  When you remove them from the water (or wine or whatever else you soaked them in) be sure to dry them off really well.

Cedar Plank Salmon with Brown Sugar

Ingredients:
*Salmon-or any other fish this sounds good with
*Brown Sugar
*Dijon Mustard
*garlic
*Salt
*Pepper

Directions:
Place fish on the planks skin side down.  Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add a dollop of dijon mustard and brown sugar and rub into the side facing up. 

For cooking time, I often look to see how long and at what temp the fish should normally be baked in the oven and improvise based on that depending on what type of fish it is.


Cedar Plank Fish with Pesto

Ingredients:
*White fish filets, salmon, or whatever other fish you think would be good with pesto.
*Knorr Pesto mix
*garlic
*2 TBS olive oil
*garlic (optional)
*Lemon Juice

(You could also make your own pesto sauce or buy it premade.  I chose this route so that I could control the amount of oil and calories and I didn't have time to make it from scratch)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together pesto mix, 2 TBS olive oil, 2 TBS lemon juice (or more to your liking), and 1 TSP garlic if you like.    

Place fish on the planks skin side down.  Spread evenly over the top side of the fish.

For cooking time, I often look to see how long and at what temp the fish should normally be baked in the oven and improvise based on that depending on what type of fish it is. 

Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole

I often make a casserole just like this with pasta but this week, I am already making pasta another night, so it will be rice! This would probably also be good with shrimp or even tuna! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 3-4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups instant brown rice, precooked
- 1/4 cup milk
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic 
- 2 cans of LF cream of chicken soup, undiluted
-  1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
- Greek seasoning

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat inside of casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a bowl, combine rice, milk, mixed vegetables, garlic, cream soups, a handful of cheese and chicken.  Add a generous amount of Greek seasoning. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: You can also make the same dish but substitute 2 cups of cooked pasta-I use tricolor rotini instead of rice.  Or change it up and add any different veggie you like and adjust the amount of cheese according to your taste!

Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole

I often make a casserole just like this with pasta but this week, I am already making pasta another night, so it will be rice! This would probably also be good with shrimp or even tuna! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 3-4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups instant brown rice, precooked
- 1/4 cup milk
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic 
- 2 cans of LF cream of chicken soup, undiluted
-  1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
- Greek seasoning

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat inside of casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a bowl, combine rice, milk, mixed vegetables, garlic, cream soups, a handful of cheese and chicken.  Add a generous amount of Greek seasoning. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: You can also make the same dish but substitute 2 cups of cooked pasta-I use tricolor rotini instead of rice.  Or change it up and add any different veggie you like and adjust the amount of cheese according to your taste!

Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole

I often make a casserole just like this with pasta but this week, I am already making pasta another night, so it will be rice! This would probably also be good with shrimp or even tuna! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 3-4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups instant brown rice, precooked
- 1/4 cup milk
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic 
- 2 cans of LF cream of chicken soup, undiluted
-  1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
- Greek seasoning

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat inside of casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a bowl, combine rice, milk, mixed vegetables, garlic, cream soups, a handful of cheese and chicken.  Add a generous amount of Greek seasoning. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: You can also make the same dish but substitute 2 cups of cooked pasta-I use tricolor rotini instead of rice.  Or change it up and add any different veggie you like and adjust the amount of cheese according to your taste!

Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole

I often make a casserole just like this with pasta but this week, I am already making pasta another night, so it will be rice! This would probably also be good with shrimp or even tuna! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 3-4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups instant brown rice, precooked
- 1/4 cup milk
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic 
- 2 cans of LF cream of chicken soup, undiluted
-  1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
- Greek seasoning

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat inside of casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a bowl, combine rice, milk, mixed vegetables, garlic, cream soups, a handful of cheese and chicken.  Add a generous amount of Greek seasoning. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: You can also make the same dish but substitute 2 cups of cooked pasta-I use tricolor rotini instead of rice.  Or change it up and add any different veggie you like and adjust the amount of cheese according to your taste!

Paula Deen's Shrimp Gumbo Casserole (Adjusted)

Ingredients
Gumbo:
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
Heavy spary of olive oil cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tsp garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10-ounce package frozen cut okra
2 cups shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined
2 cups of cooked brown rice

Topping:
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
12-ounce package corn muffin mix

Directions
In a skillet, spray with cooking spray and then saute onion and celery. Add thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning and garlic. Pour in stock and add tomatoes and okra. Cover pot and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shrimp. Transfer to a 9 x 13 glass baking dish that is coated with cooking spray.

To prepare the topping, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together egg and milk, add to muffin mix, and combine until just well-blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of hot shrimp mixture, leaving the center uncovered. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Chicken Rotini Casserole

We love this meal! Super easy, healthy and makes great leftovers. Chris and I love to put tabasco, green or red, on top of it! You could also make this recipe with a can of tuna instead of chicken.

Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked chicken cut into cubes
1 small box of cooked rotini pasta
approx 1/2 cup skim milk-just enough to thin mixture a bit
1 can LF cream of chicken soup
1 can LF cream of mushroom soup
1 bag frozen mixed veggies
1 8 oz bag 2% LF cheddar cheese (I never use an entire bag)
Bread crumbs


Directions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.

In a 9 x 13 pan mix chicken, milk, soup, pasta and veggies. Add a little of the cheese to the mixture and seasonings as desired. Mix together well. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and a light coating of bread crumbs and spray crumbs with cooking spray to help it harden a little bit.


Cover pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes and then serve!

Shrimp Stir Fry

This has become a favorite go to meal for us lately!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp fresh garlic
1-2 squash, sliced in long strips
1-2 zuchini, sliced in long strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced in long strips
1 small tub of mushrooms
1/4 red onion sliced in 1 inch strips
1 package 71-90 count cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (defrosted in cold water)
8 oz fetucine
1/4 bottle Soy Vay Very Terriyaki

Instructions:

In a skillet saute vegetables and garlic until they are cooked. In another pot cook noodles according to package directions and drain when done. Add defrosted shrimp to veggies to warm through. Add noodles and soy vay, warm and serve!

Campbell's Tuna Noodle Casserole (Modified)

Ingredients:


1 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)
1 can Cream of Chicken
1 cup milk
1 bag mixed frozen veggies
2 cans (12 oz. each) tuna, drained
4 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter, melted



Directions:



Stir soup, milk, veggies, tuna and noodles in 3-qt. casserole.

Bake at 400°F. 30 min. or until tuna mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir tuna mixture.

Stir bread crumbs and butter in small bowl. Sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake 5 min. or until bread crumbs are browned.

source: http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeSource=MealIdeas&recipeID=50684&rc=890&page=1&index=3&Lastindex=false

Shrimp Enchiladas Verdes

1 pound peeled cooked shrimp (see Ingredient Note), tails removed, diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (not drained)
2 cups canned green enchilada sauce or green salsa, divided
12 corn tortillas
1 15-ounce can nonfat refried beans
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese, such as Mexican-style cheese blend, Monterey Jack or Cheddar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine shrimp, corn, chiles and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (or salsa) in a microwave-safe medium bowl. Cover and microwave on High until heated through, about 2 1/2 minutes.
3. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (or salsa) in the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of 6 overlapping tortillas. Spread refried beans evenly over the tortillas. Top the beans with the shrimp mixture, followed by the remaining 6 tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce (or salsa) over the tortillas. Cover with foil.
4. Bake the casserole until it begins to bubble on the sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle cheese on top. Continue baking until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Taken from here: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/shrimp_enchilada.html