Fried Catfish Recipe

Fried Catfish Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

4-6 catfish fillets, about 1-2 pounds
1 cup milk or buttermilk
Salt
3/4 cup fine cornmeal (do not use coarsely ground cornmeal)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
Oil for frying (use peanut oil if you can)

METHOD

1. In a heavy frying pan (I prefer to use cast iron), pour enough oil to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high. Turn your oven to 200° and lay a cookie sheet inside. Place a wire rack on top of the cookie sheet.

2. While the oil is heating, soak the catfish in the milk or buttermilk. Mix the cornmeal, flour and spices together. (Or you can substitute your favorite seasoning instead.) Let the oil reach 350 degrees — a good test is to flick a little of the dry breading into the oil, and if it sizzles at once, you're good to go.

3. Once the oil is hot, sprinkle the catfish fillets with salt and dredge them into the breading. Shake off the excess and gently lay into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes, depending on how thick the fillet is. Use a metal spatula and gently turn the fish over and cook for another 2-4 minutes. Cast iron heats up and stays hot, so monitor the heat as you fry; you may need to lower the heat on the burner at some point.

4. Once the fish is ready, move it to the oven while you cook the rest of the catfish. Keeping the fried catfish warm in the oven will help keep it crispy. When they're all done, serve at once with your favorite hot sauce, cole slaw and some hush puppies.

Source: simplyrecipes

Fried Chicken with Spinach and melted Mozzarella

Fried Chicken with Spinach and melted Mozzarella

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

500g chicken breast, pounded thinly

300g fresh spinach

3tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

200 g buffalo mozzarella

METHOD

1. Wash your spinach and trim it carefully.

2. Prepare your chicken breast by marinating it in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chilli flakes, minced garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper. Put it aside.

3. Add the oil and garlic in a small pan and preheat it over medium heat. The garlic has to turn lightly golden, do not burn it, it will get bitter. At this step you can add more herbs (rosemary, chilly, oregano) that you like.

4. Add the fresh spinach to the pan and cook it for 5-8 minutes on medium heat with 1/3 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper and allow the spinach to cook down. Place the spinach into a separate plate.

5. In the same pan, add a little more olive oil and place the chicken breasts. Brown them on each side for 4-5 minutes. While still in the pan, top the chicken breasts with the cooked spinach and add slices of mozzarella. Place the lid on the pan to allow the cheese to beautifully melt.

6.Serve with a tossed salad or keep some of that fresh spinach ad drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.

Source: Freecookingrecipes

Chicken Florentine Pesto Pasta

Chicken Florentine Pesto Pasta Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8

We've used fresh spinach in this recipe, but you could easily use frozen. Just defrost and drain.
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INGREDIENTS

12-16 ounces dried short pasta (bowties, penne, gemelli, etc)
4 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
Salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine or stock
8-16 ounces of fresh spinach*, washed, long stems removed and chopped
Black pepper
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup (or more) pesto

*To wash spinach, fill up a clean sink basin with cold water and let the spinach soak in the water. Move it around a bit to loosen any dirt. Fresh spinach is usually pretty dirty, so you may need to do a couple of soakings. Remove the spinach and shake off excess water. Lay the spinach leaves down on a clean towel and pat dry.

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water (add enough salt so that the water tastes salty) to a boil. Add the dried pasta and cook until al dente.

2. While preparing the pasta, cook the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and brown the chicken breasts on both sides over medium-high heat. They don't need to be cooked all the way through, just browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

3. Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the onions cook, slice the chicken into strips. Put any pieces that are cooked all the way through in one pile, and put the ones that still need a little cooking in another pile.

4. When the onions are just beginning to brown, add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the white wine or stock and boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced by half.

5. Add the spinach and the undercooked pieces of chicken to the pan. Using tongs, turn them over to coat them with the juices in the pan. Continue to cook, turning and stirring often, until the spinach is wilted and the chicken cooked through, about 2 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat and add some black pepper, the pile of cooked chicken pieces and the pesto. Stir to combine. Drain the pasta put it in a large bowl. Add the cream to the saute pan and stir well to combine. Add the contents of the pan to the bowl with the pasta and mix well. Serve at once.

Source: Simplyrecipes

Fish Filets

Fish Filets

Instead of being deep-fried, these flaky, golden fish filets are coated with crackers and panfried in a small amount of canola oil. Serve them plain or create a fish sandwich with a hamburger bun, a slice of Cheddar cheese, lettuce, and a small dollop of homemade tartar sauce (see recipe for Fast and Light Tartar Sauce)!

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound white fish (such as grouper or cod)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 cup crumbs from wheat crackers (such as
Wheatsworth), preferably low-sodium and low-fat, ground in a food processor or crushed with a rolling pin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

METHOD

1. Cut the filets into 4 squares, each about 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, rinse them, and dry well.

2. In a small bowl, add the flour. Pour the buttermilk in another small bowl. Combine the wheat cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh parsley in a medium, shallow bowl and blend well with a whisk.

3. Dip each fish square into the flour, then the buttermilk, then the cracker crumb mixture. Set the pieces aside and heat a medium nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.

4. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil in the frying pan, then place in all 4 fish squares. Fry the fish until the bottoms are golden brown (about 4 minutes), then flip over the fish to brown the other side (about 3 minutes more). If you're making sandwiches, turn off the heat, lay the cheese slices over the hot fish squares, and cover the pan for a minute to melt the cheese.

Source: Familyfungo

California Sushi Wrap

California Sushi Wrap

Introduce your kids to the art of sushi rolling with these easy sandwiches. The tortilla does double duty as a rolling mat and a tasty wrapper.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked sushi rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/4 cup chopped green onion

4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

4 sheets nori, or 2 cups spinach leaves

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 4 spears (we used the European variety)

1 (8-ounce) package imitation crabmeat

Soy sauce packets

METHOD

1. In a small bowl, mix the rice with the salt, vinegar, and green onion.

2. For each wrap, heat a tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds. For an authentic sushi taste, place a sheet of nori on the tortilla (or use 1/2 cup of spinach if your family's not game for the nori). Spread about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture on top of the nori, then add a layer of grated carrot. Next, place a cucumber spear and a quarter of the crabmeat near one side of the nori. From that side, roll up the wrap and tuck in the ends.

3. Tightly cover each sandwich in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cut in half and serve with soy sauce for dipping. Makes 4 wraps.

Source: Familyfungo

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces frozen Banquet® Popcorn Chicken

1 pkg (16 oz each) frozen bell pepper stir-fry vegetables

2 cans (8 oz each) pineapple chunks in juice, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved 

2/3 cup La Choy® Sweet and Sour Sauce

2 tablespoons La Choy® Soy Sauce

METHOD

1. Prepare chicken according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen vegetables and reserved 1/4 cup pineapple juice to skillet.

2. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Add pineapple, sweet and sour sauce and soy sauce to skillet; stir to combine. Heat 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly. Add hot chicken to mixture; stir gently.

COOK'S TIPS

Serve Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken over hot cooked rice, if desired.

Source: Readyseteat

Avocado Salad with Peaches

Avocado Salad with Peaches 

Serves: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 almost-ripe avocados

8 cups arugula or sorrel

2 peaches, diced and peeled

METHOD

1. Roast bell pepper. Peel and chop pepper; purée with red wine vinegar, vanilla, and sugar in a blender until smooth.

2. With machine running, gradually add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Halve and pit avocados and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and place cut side down on a medium-hot grill until nicely charred, about 5 minutes. Peel and thickly slice.

4. Toss with arugula or sorrel and peaches. Drizzle dressing over.

Source: Epicurious

Herbed Turkey Burger Recipe

Herbed Turkey Burger Recipe

Serves: Makes 8 Turkey Burgers

Ground turkey is typically much leaner than ground beef. In order to keep the burger from being too dry it helps to use ground dark meat from thighs and legs if you can get it. Adding a little olive oil to the mix helps too.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, minced
4 minced garlic cloves
2 pounds ground turkey meat, preferably from the legs and thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

METHOD

1. Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, or until the garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat. Transfer the onions, garlic, and oil to a large bowl to cool down.

2. Once the onions are cool to the touch, add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, and herbs into the bowl. Using your hands, gently mix everything until well combined. You want the herbs mixed in without overworking the meat (which would make the burgers tough).

3. Form the meat into patties. Here's a burger patty tip: use your fingers to form a slight indentation in the middle of the patties. When burger patties cook, the meat contracts from the edges. Having the middle part slightly thinner than the edges when raw will help the patties finish with a more even shape (less bulge in the middle).

4. Cook on a hot grill or in a hot cast iron frying pan for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through (165°F if using a meat thermometer). If using a grill, coat the grill grates first with a little vegetable oil. If using a frying pan, put a little oil in the pan first to help keep the burgers from sticking. A trick my mother uses when making burgers in a cast iron frying pan is to sprinkle the bottom of the pan with a little salt. The salt acts sort of like ball-bearings, keeping the patties from sticking when you go to flip them.
Serve with toasted buns, and the accompaniments of your choice—sliced onions, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, bacon, mayonnaise (especially good with mayo), mustard, relish, ketchup.

Source: Simplyrecipes

Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce Recipe

Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

We used skin-on salmon for this recipe, but you can use skinless fillets if you want. The skin tastes great when it is fried and crispy. When buying skin-on fish, make certain the fish has been scaled. Ask your fishmonger to do this at the store.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chicken stock (or fish stock or clam juice)

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp canola or grape seed oil

1 1/2 pounds skin-on salmon fillets

Salt and pepper

Parsley for garnish

METHOD

1. Pour the lemon juice, broth and cream into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Immediately drop the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. While the sauce is cooking, rinse the salmon in cold water and check for any stray scales (if skin-on). Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Add the canola oil to a sauté pan large enough to fit the fish in one layer. Set the heat to high and let the pan heat up for 90 seconds.

3. Lay the fish skin side down in the hot pan and turn the heat down to medium. Salt the exposed side of the fish. Let this sizzle away steadily for 3-5 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. An inch-thick fillet will take about 5 minutes. With a metal spatula, turn the fish, making sure the skin remains attached to the salmon. Salt the skin side of the fish. Cook for another 1-5 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your fish. We like our salmon a little rare in the center, so we cook the second side of a 1-inch fillet about 3 minutes.

4. Set the salmon down on the plate skin side up, then pour some of the sauce over it. Garnish with the parsley and serve at once.

Source: Simplyrecipes