Author: Chez Starz

I have a passion for food and travel. I am always looking for delicious recipes to cook and share with my family. This site is simply a way to share family recipes and those I find in cookbooks and online.

Crispy Cod Sandwiches with Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw and Roasted Potato Wedges from Blue Apron

 

 

I received a gift card from Blue Apron from a family member (thank you Pat and Fred), and I decided to give it a try for a week. 2 dishes and only one was a keeper that I will continue to make on my own. My assessment of Blue Apron was, although convenient and everything was fresh, it is over priced if you don’t have a coupon. Above pictured is the 2 meals I received from Blue Apron, pork dish is not reflected here because we didn’t really like it. Here is the recipes we all enjoyed:

Ingredients:

  • 4 cod fillets
  • 4 potato buns
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 apple
  • 1 lb. red cabbage
  • 2 russet potatoes
  • 3 TBS sweet pickle relish
  • 2 TBS red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning (they provided their own spices, but this one is a great substitute since I don’t know what was in there’s)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch wedges. Remove and discard the core of the cabbage, thinly slice. Core the apple and cut into matchsticks. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions, thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Peel the carrots and grate on the large side of a box grater, place in a bowl with 1/4 of the vinegar, season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes

Place the potato wedges on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, toss and arrange skin sides down, roast for 28-30 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting make the slaw: combine sugar and  remaining vinegar and whisk until dissolves. Add cabbage and apple, stir thoroughly, season with salt and pepper, set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

While the slaw marinates, make the sauce: combine mayo, relish and white bottoms of scallions, season with salt and pepper.

Once the potatoes have roasted for at least 10 minutes, place the Old Bay Seasoning on a plate, pat the cod fillets dry, season with salt and pepper, coat with seasoning, tapping off excess. In a large , non stick pain, heat 1 TBS olive oil on medium high, add cod fillets and cook 5-7 minutes on one side, flip and cook 2-3 minutes on reverse side, or until lightly browned. Leave browned bits in the pan as you transfer fish to a plate and set aside in a warm place.

Add the buns, cut side down, to the pan you used to cook the fish, toast for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly browned

Spread a layer of sauce on the buns with the cooked fish and marinated carrots

Serve with potatoes and slaw and garnish with green tops of scallions

 

 

 

Chow Mein (Panda Express Copycat)

I know, I know, when you think of Panda Express you don’t think of yummy; or maybe you do?  My daughter brought this recipe home from her cooking class at school and I have made it several times. It is a simple and delicious version of chow mien.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2 gloves garlic, minced
  • 1 TBS brown sugar, packed
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 package refrigerated Yakisoba noodles, seasoning packets discarded
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery. sliced diagonally
  • 2 cups (heaping) shredded cabbage

Directions:

Combine soy, garlic, sugar and pepper in a bowl, set aside. Pierce noodles (all 3) and microwave for 1 minute. Loosen noodles and rinse in colander; place aside. Heat oil in wok or skillet. Add onion and celery until wilted (3-4 min) then add cabbage until soft and heated (2-3 min). Add noodles and soy mixture until all is well heated and mixed. Enjoy!

Hazel’s Fudge

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My best friend Georgette’s mom, Hazel, makes the best fudge I have ever tasted. I am not joking, no other fudge has compared. Well, I have the recipe and I have yet to master it. When I do, I will tell you how I did it. For now, I am going to get the recipe up and see what you can do with it.

Ingredients:

  • 4 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 2 bags semisweet chocolate chips , 18oz total, so 1 full 10oz bag and 1 cup and 2 TBS from 2nd bag
  • 8 ounce marshmallow cream
  • 2 cups softened butter
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts (I prefer no nuts, so I omitted this)
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Use a deep pot and bring sugar and milk to a boil. Stir constantly for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add all additional ingredients, use a hand mixer for this (that’s one of her secret moves that makes this recipe so tasty). Pour into a buttered pan and refrigerate.

 

Vegan Thanksgiving Wrap

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The holidays are upon us so I am going to try to start being more diligent with adding recipes to this blog. For all my vegetarian and/or vegan friends out there, this is recipe I made for my daughter during our last Thanksgiving celebration. There is a lot of moving parts to it, so of course, omit what sounds good to you and reinvent this wrap anyway you please. Original recipe found on http://www.minimalistbaker.com.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 TBS grape seed oil

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

optional; pinch of cayenne pepper

Chickpeas:

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and thoroughly dried in a  towel

1 TBS grape seed oil

1 tsp fresh or dried thyme

Pinch ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

scant 1/2 tsp sea salt

optional: healthy pinch each ground coriander and cardamom

For serving:

4 flatbreads; homemade or store bought, use your imagination

Some type of delicious sauce (I personally love tzatziki, Greek/cucumber yogurt sauce) but it isn’t vegan. If you want to stay true to the vegan lifestyle you will have to pick something else.

Toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Dried cranberries (chopped)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thoroughly wash and dry sweet potatoes, then slice (skin on) into bite-sized rounds or pieces.

Add to a mixing bowl with oil, thyme, cinnamon, salt and cayenne. Toss to coat then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

To the same mixing bowl, add rinsed, dried chickpeas and oil with thyme, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt and coriander/cardamom if using.

Toss to coat then add to the same baking sheet with potatoes if there’s room, if not, use a second baking sheet of course.

Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once at the 15 minute mark. They are done when the potatoes are fork tender and the chick peas are golden brown and slightly crispy.

Warm your bread, add the baked ingredients and top with sauce and any optional goodies you are using. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta Salad with Peas and Summer Beans

 

I am posting more vegetarian dishes because it seems as though my daughter is serious about this no meat business. Being a vegetarian myself for nine years, off and on, I understand where she is coming from and I am trying to make new dishes to keep her fed and healthy. Here is a good one for the summer that was found in Martha Stewart’s Living magazine.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz penne pasta (recipe calls for whole wheat but you can use what ever you prefer of course)
  • 8 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
  • 8 oz wax beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
  • 6 oz peas (1 1/4 cups) recipe calls for frozen but we used fresh from the Farmer’s Market
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced (2 TBS)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest, plus 1 TBS fresh juice
  • 1 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6 minutes, add beans, cook until pasta and beans are al dente, 4 to 5 more minutes. Add peas and immediately drain. Run cold water over pasta and vegetables until completely cool, drain and transfer to a bowl.

In a small skillet, heat oil, add garlic until golden, 1-2 minutes, Remove from heat and stir in lime zest and juice. Combine with pasta and salt and pepper to taste, toss cilantro in and serve or refrigerate.

Spinach & Artichoke Quesadillas

IMG_4353It has finally happened. My daughter has decided to become a vegetarian. I asked her to find me some recipes she might enjoy and she gave me this one from her pinterest. The recipe was found on domesticsuperhero.com. After visiting the farmers market in the morning and buying some local artichokes, we replaced the canned artichoke portion of the recipe with fresh ones boiled until tender.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 TBS oil
  • 8 ounces artichoke hearts drained and chopped (or fresh boiled until tender)
  • 6 ounces baby spinach leaves
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded
  • 8 tortillas

Directions:

Warm each tortilla on a skillet for 1 minute on each side.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the artichoke pieces and cook for 1 minute, add the spinach until wilted, turning often. Mix in the cheeses until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Spread 1/4 cup on 4 tortillas, than top with remaining tortillas. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and heat filled tortillas until desired crispness.

 

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Soy Ginger Glaze

I absolutely love a fresh piece of wild caught salmon. If I haven’t said it before, I never buy farm raised fish, no matter the cost. If wild is too expensive I buy something else. I tried this recipe the other night because I didn’t feel like getting the grill going. It is simple and incredibly delicious. I found the recipe on Food & Wine’s website and added minced garlic.

Picture above from our fabulous trip to Italy in 2018.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (my add on)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Four 6 ounce skinless salmon fillets (I left the skin on my fillet)
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, ginger and garlic and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the honey and mustard.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet. Season the salmon with pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over high heat until golden and crusty (2-3 minutes). Turn the salmon and spoon the ginger-soy glaze on top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

 

Chocolate Mousse

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Chocolate Mousse is one of the most decadent desserts. I have tried to make it several times with some successes and some not so much. This batch was yummy and the recipe I used was from the Professional Chef app, which is the Culinary Institute of Americas book in app form.

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 oz. butter
  • 5 eggs, separated
  • 2 TBS water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Rum, as needed (optional)

Directions:

Before preparing assemble desired dishes for mousse. Combine the chocolate and butter and melt over a hot water bath or double boiler. Combine the egg yolks with 1/2 the water and 1/2 the sugar over a hot water bath or double boiler until it holds at 145 degrees for 15 seconds, remove from the heat and whisk until cool. Combine the egg whites with the remaining sugar in a mixer bowl and whisk over a hot water bath or double boiler to 145 degree. Remove from heat and whip to full volume, continue whipping until cool. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the chocolate into the egg yolks. Then, fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk-chocolate mixture. Fold the whipped cream and add the rum if using. Immediately pipe or ladle the mousse into dishes or molds.

 

Filet Mignon with Green Peppercorn Sauce

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Cooking the perfect steak is not an easy task. Getting the temperature just right takes practice. I spent many years of my life as a vegetarian and now that I am eating meat again, filet mignon is my favorite cut of beef. Medium rare is the temperature I strive for. I found this technique on floatingkitchen.net under the how to cook the perfect filet mignon heading, and she isn’t joking around, it is perfect. However, I did add the butter and an extra 4 minutes cooking time in the pan.

Picture above from a restaurant in Florence, Italy, one of my best meals there; filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce, sauce recipe below. Picture below a perfectly cooked filet mignon.

Ingredients:

  • 2 filet mignons, approx. 2 inches thick
  • 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 TBS butter

Directions:

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them get to room temperature, approx. 20 minutes. Set oven to 425 degrees. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof sauté pan to medium-high heat (I use a cast iron). Add olive oil and let it heat up.

Add steaks an let cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip them over and cook on the other side for another 4 minutes. Place 1 TBS butter on each filet and immediately place in pre-heated over. Cook for another 7 minutes or to your desired temperature.

5 minutes=rare

6 minutes= medium-rare

7 minutes= medium

Transfer steaks to a plate and let rest for 5-10minutes while tented with foil.

Green Peppercorn Sauce

Original recipe found on http://www.thespruceeats.com, I have made minor modifications to directions.

Ingredients:

  • Fine Sea Salt
  • 4 TBS dried peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup cognac, brandy or Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup cream

Directions:

Coarsely grind 3 TBS of the peppercorns with a mortar, blender, food processor….whatever you have. Spread the coarsely ground peppercorns onto both sides of fillets before cooking. Cook the fillets as described above.

Add the cognac to a skillet and stir well over medium heat. If you are using the same skillet you cooked the fillets in its a bonus. I use a cast iron and transfer my fillets to a cooking pan for the oven. Add the cream and remaining TBS of peppercorns. Salt to taste. Let the sauce thicken slightly then spoon over fillets.