Monthly Archives: June 2013

A Major (for me) Milestone – My 100th Post!

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So as my husband and I are off to galavant around the city of Chicago for a fun-filled wedding weekend, I realized I couldn’t leave y’all hanging without a delicious recipe for your weekend.

And then I noticed something. Something I couldn’t just leave alone.

Y’all, this is my 100th post! As in the 100th recipe or random thought I’ve shared with you.

So obviously, I had to make it a special one.

Well, recently I’ve had a major craving for seafood. Probably because it’s feeling like summer and I love fish during the summer. It’s just light and refreshing. However, I was wanting something a little more “special” that I could whip up for a special date night.

Holy moly people, did I find one! This would be a great recipe to make for a dinner party because it’s tasty, all of the elements take less than 15 minutes each…and it looks preeeeety.

So we’re celebrating a special occasion this weekend, I think you should too!

Sauteed Grouper with Shrimp Sauce (Serves 2 / 8 WW points per serving)

Ingredients

12-14 pieces asparagus, raw

olive oil, salt and pepper for asparagus

For Fish:

2 grouper fillets, 4-5 oz. each

Lemon pepper and garlic salt for sprinkling

2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1/2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 lemon

1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire

Cajun seasoning

For Sauce:

1/2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. yellow onion, diced

4 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped

1 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1/3 cup fat-free half and half

2 1/2 Tbsp. vermouth

2 1/2 oz. cooked shrimp, cut into about 3 pieces per shrimp

Begin by roasting your asparagus. Spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to low. Sprinkle grouper fillets with lemon pepper and garlic salt, just a dusting on each side. Dredge fish in flour and coat well. Saute in butter for 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning. Broil 5-7 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, go ahead and make your sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and artichokes for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in flour, half and half, and vermouth and whisk until thickened. Add the shrimp and cook another 2-3 minutes until shrimp is heated through.

Step by Step

Add the cooked asparagus to your plate. Top with a fillet of fish, and pour sauce over top.

Plated

I wasn’t sure what the asparagus would add at first, but it really give the flavor a new level – definitely make sure you have some in each bite…

Sauteed Grouper with Shrimp Sauce

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

Shrimp and Crab Dip

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Do you ever come across a recipe and think “that looks so incredibly amazing I want to eat it all right now” and then you start reading the ingredients and kind of cringe at the mental calorie count?

For instance, when you see a recipe by a certain Southern baroness of butter, do you automatically cast it aside?

I often do – but recently, I found one I knew I could makeover into a tasty and lightened up dish!

Y’all may have caught on to the fact that I LOVE appetizers and finger foods. I’m talking I get excited when I throw a party and have leftovers because I can make meals of fingers foods the next day or two.

So last weekend during the golf tournament, it was time for a little shindig to kick off the festivities. I had come across this recipe and figured it was time to give it a try. I made a few adjustments – mainly reducing the fat content, but also adding a little flavor. I don’t like to toot my own horn or anything, but um, beep beep – cause this dip was delicious. I’m honestly wishing I had some in front of me right now.

The best part about dips is that they don’t require assembly after they cook, and this one is great for cookouts or fancier meals – so I’m sure it would go perfectly with whatever meal you have planned for Father’s Day! I served it with some blue corn tortilla chips and original flavor Pretzel Crisps, and it disappeared rather quickly.

Shrimp and Crab Dip (Serves 10 / 3 pts. per serving + chips/crackers/pretzels)

Original recipe “Shore is Good Seafood Dip” found here.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 medium ribs celery, chopped

1 6 oz. can lump crab meat

1 6 oz. can shrimp, roughly chopped

1/2 can of condensed Cream of Shrimp soup (use bottom half and discard top half)

1 cup fat-free mayonnaise

6 oz. reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Sauté bell pepper, onion and celery 5-7 minutes until softened.

In a large bowl, mix together crab, shrimp, mayonnaise, Parmesan, pepper and Tabasco. Add sautéed vegetables and stir until ingredients are blended well.

Step by Step

Pour mixture into a medium-large baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Baked Dip

Serve with crackers, chips, pretzels, vegetables, etc.

Seriously give this one a try at your next party – even if you’re the only guest!

ShrimpandCrabDip

Have a great weekend y’all, and happy Father’s Day to my “Duddy” and all of the other Daddies and Daddies-to-be out there!

Cola Glazed Grilled Chicken

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It’s finally here.

It’s golf tournament weekend.

This weekend my fine city hosts the FedEx St. Jude Classic played at TPC Southwind, and I could not be more excited. Back in the day (pre-employment), I got to sit outside and enjoy 5 solid days of golf. Now, I’m a little more limited to the weekend, but man do I love every single second.

Now, some of you silly people think that Summer begins on June 21st. But in Memphis, it’s like reverse groundhog day – Summer starts 2 weeks early. Seriously, I can walk outside and stand there for 5 minutes and break into a sweat. I know, I’m amazed I’m married too.

So for me, this weekend brings seersucker and linen, a Pronto Pup date (or two) with my Biffer, the infamous “Hush Y’all” signs, cold beer, exciting golf…and, of course, the urge to break out the grill.

I know some people are intimidated by the grill, but I assure you, it’s so easy once you learn! Grilling is a great way to add a little extra flavor to anything, including this delicious recipe I came across via one of my favorite magazines, Cooking Light.

This weekend I urge you to get outdoors, fire up your grill, and throw together a delicious meal featuring this simple, smoky and sweet recipe!

Cola Glazed Grilled Chicken (Serves 2 / 5 WW pts. per serving)

Adapted from original recipe here.

Ingredients

3/4 tsp. canola oil

8 oz. chicken breasts (2 – 4oz. pieces)

1 Tbsp. minced onion

1/4 cup Coca-Cola

1 1/2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 tsp. cider vinegar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Chili powder

1 tsp. smoked Paprika

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and spray with non-stick spray.

Heat a small saucepan to medium-high. Saute onion in oil for 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook an additional minute. Pour in Coke, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire and chili powder. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally until sauce thickens. Set aside 2 Tbsp. and use the rest on the grill.

StepbyStep

For the chicken, mix together sugar, salt, paprika and cumin and sprinkle over both sides. I sprinkled a little more paprika and cumin over the chicken to make sure it was thoroughly seasoned.

Add chicken to grill and baste with sauce. Turn after 3-4 minutes and base again. Repeat until sauce is gone and chicken is cooked through. (I use the thin chicken breasts – so they cook in under 10 minutes).

Plated

Plate the chicken and brush with remaining sauce. I grilled some corn on the cob with the chicken and made my delicious Parmesan and green bean casserole, and it all came together perfectly.

Cola Glazed Grilled Chicken

Hope y’all have a great weekend…I know I will!