The nice thing about a simple pasta in a simple tomato sauce is that is makes for a great Catholic Friday Night Supper or a side with other awesome Italian entrées. (And by entrée, I am referring to the American definition as in the main course or main dish. Why is that, by the way? I mean, why does the same word have different meanings depending upon which continent you happen to be standing on – shouldn’t it mean the same thing in America as it does in Europe?)
Category: Catholic Friday Suppers
Bayou Country is Calling Me
While I have wintered in the South Pacific and summered in the Pacific Northwest, I have never stepped foot in the state of Louisiana. That’s not a reflection on the great state of Louisiana, I’ve just never been there. Yet, for reasons I have never understood, every June I get a hankering way deep down inside my soul for bayou country. I hear Credence Clearwater Revival playing in my head.
Pan-Seared Scallops with a Tomato-White Chocolate Beurre Blanc
Today is my birthday. So indulge me here . . . Hubby suggested we go out to dinner. For me, going out to dinner is a problem – when it comes to food, I have very expensive, elaborate tastes. In our little neck of the woods, there are no Five-Star French Restaurants. I’m not sure we have any Five-Star restaurants close by. I suppose we could drive to San Francisco and splurge with a ten-course supper at Quince. Both the menu and the price are fixed – oh bother!
Continue reading “Pan-Seared Scallops with a Tomato-White Chocolate Beurre Blanc”
Bourbon-Glazed Lemon Salmon
I don’t know what it is about this time of the year and a strong yearning to eat salmon. As soon as the weather turns and the trees bud out, I want salmon. Are they running now?
Southern Deep Fried Lobster
Why is it that when we think of Southern Foods, we think deep-fried. Those Southern people will deep fry anything, right? Well, yes and no. Deep frying isn’t as much a regional thing as it is a poverty thing.
Triple Dipped Fish Fingers with Tarter Sauce
If it’s Friday, it must be fish. At least that’s the way it is in our Catholic house most Fridays. Not all Fridays, but most Fridays. As a kid, I hated Fridays. What, fish sticks again! As a young adult, it meant egg salad or tuna salad sandwiches. Okay, are you depressed yet? It gets better.
Continue reading “Triple Dipped Fish Fingers with Tarter Sauce”
Steamed Broccoli Fish Bake
Here it is, another Catholic Friday. Fridays are great, the start of the weekend. While I don’t need to stress over work any more, I still look forward to the weekends. Everything slows down, even when we have a hundred things to do. Somehow on the weekends, we manage to remember the little things like holding hands and lingering over a nice meal.
Smokey Balsamic Herb Glazed Salmon
One of the great things about living in Farm Country are all the little fairs and festivals celebrating all things of the earth. We adore small country fairs. What I like best are all the cottage industries that get to strut their stuff. We’ve come home with jars of local honey, blends of spices and locally made cheeses. There are the farms dedicated to olives, with all sorts of flavored oils. And balsamic vinegars, made like fine wines. Kiddo and I love to walk among the various booths, sampling their creations, lingering over the flavors and discussing menu ideas. Kiddo truly is my sous chef.
National Shrimp Scampi Day
On this day, we honor the deliciousness of shrimp sautéed in butter, garlic, lemon juice and white wine. Oh my stars, can the day get any better?
Continue reading “National Shrimp Scampi Day”Chili Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Back before Hubby, Kiddo and I relocated to Stanislaus County, get togethers with family were just a little easier. Not that the distance has reduced our time with extended family, but rather complicated the pot luck aspect since transporting food around the corner was a whole lot easier than taking it for an hour-long drive through the country. Space is another consideration. Making multiple trips around the corner were doable. Not so now. Planning must incorporate certain limitations and require some creative thinking.
Codfish a La Lyonnaise with Tender Fiddleheads
A few years back, while hiking through the dense coastal redwoods of the Pacific Northwest, I could not help but be taken in by the beauty of the forest floor. It was thick with lush green ferns. July was far too late to be hunting for fiddleheads, yet I could not help but to look – you never know. Hubby watched me for a few minutes, an odd look on his face. I explained that I was looking for an edible part of the fern. I’ve never seen fiddleheads in the markets and have been curious about them.
Continue reading “Codfish a La Lyonnaise with Tender Fiddleheads”
Lemon Pepper Broiled Tilapia
Surprise, it’s me again. I know it’s not the norm for me to share three recipes in one day. However; I realized that my Lenten Offering for Holy Thursday has actually been shared twice. The first time I shared the Tilapia recipe was back in March, as part of diabetic awareness and alert day. As a diabetic, these health issues are important to me personally.
Italian Tilapia and Zucchini Skillet Supper
Today is Holy Thursday, the 38th Day of Lent. Catholic Tradition tells us that today Christ dined with his disciplines in an upper room for their Passover Meal. It was to be their last night together. This was a solemn night.
Continue reading “Italian Tilapia and Zucchini Skillet Supper”
Easy Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
We haven’t had anything Stir-Fried in a while, have we? Stir-fry is always a hit in our house. While stir-fry isn’t complicated, it can involve a ton of prep work. What I’ve found that works best is to read through the recipe completely, gather the ingredients, measure everything out into little whiskey-shot size bowls and line it all up. That was when it comes time to stir-fry, everything is ready and at my finger tips.
Cajun Seafood Paella Risotto
I suppose you could argue that a Risotto cannot be a main dish. Risotto is a side dish, right? Well, yes and no. This Paella Risotto is so packed with things like pepper, tomatoes and corn. Better yet, there’s plenty of shrimp and bay scallops. This dish has got it all. Served with a crisp salad, you’ve got dinner. The best part about this particular “Paella” is that you don’t need a special pan or an open fire or anything beyond a pot and your stove top.