"Fried" Catfish with Carrot and Red Cabbage Slaw, Okra Crispies and Hubby's Tartar Sauce

I do love fried catfish! My waistline, however, does not. I know I've posted my oven fried catfish recipe before, but this time I pan fried them in cooking spray and used more of a blackening seasoning. I did shallow fry the okra, but one fried thing won't kill me, right? :) I also really rather enjoy my husband's version of tartar sauce, so I'll give you a quick overview of how he makes it!

I like fried okra sliced thin better than thick, 

then it's crispy and almost like a chip!

Here is how to get the fish on your table!

This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prep and cook!

2 catfish filets, cut in half crosswise on a bias

2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
1/4 teaspoon pepper
cooking spray
2 teaspoons flavorless oil (Canola or vegatable)
1/2 lemon, sliced

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat and add oil, swirl around to coat.

Mix seasonings together. Sprinkle over both sides of the fish, coating them well. Add to the skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness, on each side until cooked through, spraying the pan with additional spray once you lift up the fish to turn it. Once it's firm and flakes easily with a fork, you are finished, pull it out of the pan and onto your plate, topping with a slice of lemon!

This recipe serves 4. (Although my husband would have eaten two servings, anyway, so I just left his whole and is the one I photographed!)

Sexy Hubby's Tartar Sauce goes a little like this;
mayonnaise
mustard
dill pickle relish

Add everything into a bowl in whatever amounts suit your tastebuds and stir until well combined! Simple to make and really yummy!!

On to the Okra!!
This takes about 15 minutes to make!
A handful of okra (I think it's about 1/2 a pound, I'm not sure.), sliced thinly on the bias
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon cayenne
salt
pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk
canola oil

In a shallow bowl, combine cornmeal and seasonings, and pour buttermilk into another bowl. In a small pot, add about an inch or two of oil and heat over medium heat until a sprinkle of cornmeal sizzles when you put a little in.

Run the okra slices through the cornmeal, dip in buttermilk, and dredge again in cornmeal (Add more cornmeal and seasonings if you need it). In small batches, carefully drop into the oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until crisp and slightly browned. Using a spider, fish them out of the oil and onto a paper towel lined plate. Blot the top with another paper towel and season with a small sprinkle of salt. Continue with remaining okra. Use it to prettily garnish your plate and enjoy! They are crunchy and delicious!

This recipe serves 4 to 6.

For the yummy slaw;
This recipe takes about 5 minutes to assemble and 30 to marinate.

4 cups grated carrot
4 cups finely shredded red cabbage (about half of a head)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon Canola or vegetable oil
salt
pepper

In a large bowl, toss together carrot, cabbage and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, splenda, oil, salt and pepper. Taste and reseason accordingly. Pour over vegetables and let sit 20 to 30 minutes until the vinegar starts to soften the onion a bit. If you want the onion to stay in it's raw state, wait to toss the dressing into the vegetables until you are ready to serve. That's it! Easy peasy!

This recipe serves 6.

Chicken Noodle Cassarole

This was originally a recipe for tuna noodle cassarole. My husband despises warm canned tuna more than just about any other food. I never really noticed it's weirdness, as I grew up happily eating super cheesy tuna cassarole, but it is a little funky, although I still enjoy a good cheesy bowl of tuna, noodles, and peas! So, to satisfy my craving and in the interest of my husband eating, I made it with chicken! I also let go of most of the cheese, in favor of my girlish figure, and went with a homemade cream of mushroom base. 

If you want tuna, make it with tuna!

Here is how to comfort your poor little grumbling tummy!

This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook.

cooking spray

3 1/4 cups curly egg noodles

1 chicken breast, cubed

salt

pepper

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced, stems chopped

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup sherry (or chicken stock or apple juice)

2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup evaporated skim milk

2 teaspoons lemon juice (It only takes about 1/4 of a lemon.)

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

3 slices whole wheat bread, torn and ran through a food processor for coarse crumbs

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, or a mixture of any of them, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

fresh basil and/or oregano, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

In a pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions.

Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs until cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

Spray again with cooking spray, lower heat to medium, and add onions. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until they start to give off liquid, about two minutes. Add soy and saute, stirring, until liquid has evaporated, just a couple of minutes. Add sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Add broth and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Slowly pour 2 tablespoons of the hot broth into the cornstarsh, whisking continuously, and slowly pour the mixture into the pot, whisking continuously. Return to a boil if it isn't still boiling, reduce heat to medum low to low, whisk in milk, and simmer, whisking occasionally 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Stir in lemon juice and chicken. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Gently stir noodles amd peas into pot. Pour into prepaired cassarole

In a small bowl, toss together bread crumbs, cheese, and dried herbs. Toss with oil and sprinkle over cassarole. Bake until bubbly and top is crisp, about 30 minutes. Garnish with basil and/or oregano. Devour!

This recipe serves 6.

Southwestern Shephard's Pie

I really love Shephard's Pie! I have always made it as a way to use up leftover meatloaf, since I have some strange aversion to leftover meatloaf, so most of the time it consists of crumbled meatloaf mixed with whatever vegetables I have on hand and topped with potatoes and cheese! When I was doing my meal plan, I was really craving a shephard's pie, but I didn't want meatloaf, so I thought I'd actually make one all the way through, and change it up a little, so this is what I chose to do!

In a perfect world, the potatoes would have been all sweet potato. But, I'm trying to get my husband out of his sweet potato issue from having way too many sweet potato dishes growing up, so I used part sweet and part Russet potato, but you can use whatever you like. I'm trying to slowly introduce him to savory sweet potatoes. That's why I picked cheddar for the cheese, so he wouldn't see orange, realize it was sweet potato, and decide he didn't like the potato portion of the meal before trying it (By the way, he loved it!! Hopefully I've broken the sweet potato problem...)! I don't blame him for his aversion, however, he's always had them in sweet dishes, and I'm not the biggest fan of that, either. Sweet potato waffles, on the other hand, are amazing!! I should make some again, soon!

To put this big cassarole of amazing on your table, this is what you do:

This recipe takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to prep and cook.

1 pound sweet potatoes, cubed small (Leave on that yummy, healthy skin!!)

1/2 pound Russet Potatoes, cubed small (Or whichever potato you like, use all sweet if you want, I was just trying to dilute the flavor a little for my weird husband! Haha!!)

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

salt

pepper

Cooking spray

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced (about a tablespoon)

1 medium jalapeno, minced (a tablespoon or so)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt
pepper
1 pound lean ground beef (I use 94/6 or 96/4)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup black beans (Rinse if you're using canned or if you salt your beans when you cook them.)

1/2 cup chredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add potatoes to a large pot, cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy. Drain, add butter, milk and spices and mash to desired consistency.

Meanwhile, heat a large pot coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno and spices, cook for two more minutes before raising the heat to medium high and adding beef. Cook and stir until brown, about 10 or 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook 2 more minutes  and add tomatoes, lower heat and simmer until liquid reduces, 10 to 15 minutes. Add corn, beans, and cilantro.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, and spoon meat mixure in. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with cheese and broil for a minute or two until the cheese has melted and started to brown. Garnish with additional cilantro, and a wedge of lime, if desired. Stuff your face, but blow it, it's hot!

This recipe serves 6, or 8 if you serve it with other yummy stuff!

Hoisin Chicken with Ramen Veggie Stir-Fry

This, again, is an outcome of my trying to use everything perishable in my refrigerator before the move commenced! This could only be more simple if you are one of the Jetsons and simply have to push a button for the meal of your choice, wait 0.5 seconds, and have a delicious, hot meal ready for your gastronomical pleasure! Oh, how I miss that show!

Tasty, yes? Let's begin!

For the lovely chicken;

This takes roughly 12 minutes to make!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise

salt

2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder

cooking spray

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

green onions, bias sliced

roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and 5 spice on both sides. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray and oil, cook chicken for two minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for three minutes. Baste with Hoisin and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, until cooked through. Garnish with green onion and peanuts.

This recipe serves 4.

Here's how to throw together the stir fry!

This recipe takes 10 minutes to prep and cook.

2 packages Ramen noodles, any variety you choose (I used Oriental this time.)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, bias sliced, divided

salt

2 carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into short strips

2 teaspoons chinese 5 spice

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

black sesame seeds

In a small pot of boiling water, stir in the seasoning packet from the noodles until dissolved and add the pasta. Cook until tender, about 3 or 4 minutes, breaking the block apart with a spoon as it softens up. Drain, reserving a little liquid (I usually keep about a cup), add back to the pot, toss with oil, and cover to keep warm (I know the seasoning packet sounds pointless, since you drain it away, but it helps season the ramen,).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet prayed with cooking spray over medium heat, add the onion, reserving enough for garnish (I would save one onion) and garlic. Season with a little salt and cook until they begin to soften, about a minute. Add in carrot, celery and bell pepper, a touch more salt and 5 spice, cook, stirring often, until crisp tender, about three minutes. Add the pasta in (adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed) and stir-fry another minute or two until warmed through. Garnish with reserved green onion, peanuts, and black sesame seeds (I know there are none in the picture. It was an afterthought!).

This recipe serves 4.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Broth and Noodles

My husband was all sick and gross one day, so I ran out and got a chicken to make him some soup! That would be because I am an amazing wife, if I do say so myself!! :) Chicken noodle soup is one of only two soups my husband will eat, but he will only eat these two soups when he's sick. The other is a potato soup I make with ground beef or shredded chicken and chicken stock which is incredible as well! When I make a broth forward soup, where it is the star, I always make it myself, because then it is eight thousand times better! I also make my own noodles, so I'll just break this recipe into it's three parts!

Ya, of course I put cheese on there! What do I not put cheese on??

To start, you need to make broth;

I don't salt my stock. You can if you chose to, but I prefer to add the salt to whichever dish I'm using the broth for.

This takes at least three hours, but you can simmer as long as you wish.

1 stewing chicken plus boney parts you may have in your freezer from butchering another bird, or three pounds of scraps from butchering. (Neck, backbone, wings, any scrap with a bone.)

3 stalks of celery with leaves, cut into large chunks

2 carrots, cut

1 large onion, unpeeled and cut up

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (If you have none, use 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.)

4 sprigs parsley

2 bay leaves

2 large garlic cloves, smashed and unpeeled

8 cups cold water

(If, whenever you're making stock, you're making another dish, throw in the scraps from the veggies you're chopping for it as well. So, go ahead and prep the veggies for your soup now, it will add more deliciousness to your broth.)

If you are using leftover pieces from butchering a bird, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and roast the bones for 20 to 30 minutes until browned.

Place chicken and bones into a large stock pot, with at least a 6 quart capacity. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for at least 2 1/2 hours. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove the bones and vegetables. Discard the bones and give the veggies to your cat. Or throw them away, better yet, compost them. Whatever you choose!

Strain broth through a fine seive lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Skim the broth or clarify it by returning strained broth to the pot and stir in an egg beaten with 1/4 cup cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes and strain again. If you're chilling it for another use, you can refrigerate and scrape off the hardened fat from the top, but I find clarifying to be the easiest method for defatting broth.

This makes about 8 cups.

While the broth is doing it's thing, make the noodles:

I like to add dried herbs to my homemade pasta, and used basil for these, you can leave it out if you like or use whatever herb you like. I've also used frozen, drained spinach, which is in my pasta recipe from earlier.

These noodles take about 1 hour to prep and cook.

2 cups whole wheat flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)

2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (Save the two whites for an omelette.)

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together 1 3/4 cups flour and salt. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, water, and oil together. Pour into well in flour and mix well. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour onto a clean kneading surface. Turn dough out and knead until it is smooth and elastic, a good 8-10 minute arm workout! Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each out into a 12x9 inch rectangle, about 1/16 inch thick. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Lightly dust dough with flour, loosly roll up into a long log, and cut 1/4 inch wide strips and shake to seperate. Cut into 2 inch lengths. To use immediately, cook for 2 minutes and drain. To dry for storage, lay out on a wire cooling rack and let dry for an hour, until completely dry. Store, refrigerated, in an wirtight container for 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

When I make these noodles as part of a soup, before I add the stock to the veggies for my soup, I pull out enough to cook the noodles and then place a strainer over my soup pot when draining my pasta to return the stock to the pot, toss the noodles with a little extra virgin olive oil and store in an airtight container in my refrigerator, and add them to the bottom of the bowls before I add the hot soup, it warms them through very well, and that way I don't have fresh noodles sucking up all of the moisture and falling apart in my leftovers.

This makes about 5 servings if you plan to have them as a main player of your meal.

For the main event, the soup;

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook.

1 cooked chicken, from making your stock

1 onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen green beans

2 teaspoons salt

8 cups chicken broth

pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Siracha sauce (optional)

Remove and discard skin and fat from chicken. Cut the meat from the chicken and shread.

In a large pot sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, carrots and celery, seasoned with salt. Add chicken and saute so some of the meat becomes a little crispy on the edges. Add the broth, peas and green beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered,  for 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in the parsley. Ladel into bowls, grate parmesan cheese over the top, and sprinkle with additional parsley. If you're wanting to open your sinuses, or just dig spicy soup, add some Siracha to taste! This soup is also really good with a teaspoon of basalmic vinegar stirred in, even with the Siracha!

This recipe makes 8 to 10 servings!

Enjoy! This is some delicious soup!!!

Roasted Shrimp Alfredo and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Here I go again with the roasted veggies!! You can't stop me!! :) I wanted a different spin on shrimp, sauteed is awesome, but I've done it alot!  So I roasted it, and it came out amazingly!!

Mmmhmm, looks good, doesn't it?

To get that amazing alfredo on your table;

This takes about 20 minutes to prep and make.

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (Leaving the tails on may be pretty, but it's annoying to eat, so leave them off, please!!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

8 ounces whole wheat pasta, whatever cut you have around the house

1 small to medium clove garlic, minced

1 cup evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 to 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (Pre-made seasonings are usually mostly salt, so go easy with it, parmesan adds a good bit of salty flavor, as well.)

1/2 tablespoon butter

basil, cut into a chiffonade

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together shrimp, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Lay out in an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Roast until pink and firm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta one  minute short of package directions, to al dente doneness.

In a small saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat, saute garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds and add milk. Bring to a light bubble, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken and stir in butter, cajun seasoning, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and add parmesan. Drain the pasta well and toss with the sauce. Plate as prettily as you can and top with shrimp. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and basil. Enjoy! It's very awesome!!

This recipe serves 4.

For the Brussels sprouts:

This recipe takes about 40 minutes to prep and cook.

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim any ends off of the sprouts and peel off any yellow outer leaves. Halve each one and toss in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until browned on both sides, turning halfway through. Plate and top with cheese!! Mmmmm!!

This recipe serves 4.

Onion and Mushroom Sauced Steaks with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes

I'm sorry I haven't updated my blog in so long! Once my son started waking up as soon as I end my workouts on the weekdays, I haven't had a ton of time to update! Add to that planning a move, packing, moving, and trying to get settled, and being overwhelmed with how many meals I didn't post, I procrastinated a bit! So, let's see how many I get done today! :)

This is my "Fantastic. I want steak but didn't plan a steak meal this week." recipe! It also happens to be my husband's favorite way that I make steaks, so this was actually planned, but I tend to use it when there are a few rogue steaks in my freezer from packs of 6, which seems to be how most steaks I buy come. My favorite pan sauces always include some sort of alcohol, and when I come across a recipe that calls for a different liquid, I always substitute part of it with wine, beer, or liquor, whatever's in my house. I have even made beer and bourbon gravies! If you don't have any in the house, or don't cook with alcohol, you can always use a stock that matches the meat (or a vegetable stock if you aren't eating  meat that night) you're serving the sauce with. Pan sauces are my favorite things to play with, you can make them with juice and soda, even, and they're amazing!!

My favorite way to make any vegetable, which you may be able to tell if you have read a few of my blogs, is to roast them. I adore the caramelization you get when you roast, and, of course, the cheeseaholic I am gets an excuse for gratuitious cheese use!! What goes better with that roasted flavor than a nice slightly sharp cheese?? :)

Looks awesome, right?

To make the steak;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook, but depends on what kind of steak you use.

4 steaks, whichever you like (I used chuck that was leftover from a large package this time.)

grill seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce, divided

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced thick or quartered, about half of a 10oz package

1/4 cup dry red wine (This time I used a Cabernet/Shiraz blend)

1/4 cup beef stock

1/2 tablespoon butter (3 teaspoons if you're scooping it from a tub)

salt

pepper

1 tablespoon thyme, divided

Season the steaks liberally with grill seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sprayed with cooking spray and coated with oil, cook steaks to desired doneness (I like medium-rare, so I cooked my chuck steaks about 4 minutes on each side.), sprinkling with the  tablespoon of Worstershire after you flip, and remove from pan to let rest and tent with foil.

Spray the pan with more cooking spray, if necessary, lower the heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until the onion is tender and mushrooms begin to brown. Add the 2 teapoons Worchestershire, stir to coat the veggies, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat so you don't burn your house down, and add wine. Scrape the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan, let come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until it has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. If you dip a spoon into the sauce, run your finger down the back, and the line stays put, it is ready. Stir in butter until it melts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in half of the thyme leaves. Plate the steaks and top with the sauce and veggies. Sprinkle the top with the remainin thyme.

This recipe makes 4 yummy servings!!

For the roasted broccoli;

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prep and cook.

2 heads broccoli, cut into long spears (Use those stems! They're yummy and you already paid for them!)

2 tablespoons olive oil (Don't waste your extra virgin to cook with.)

salt

pepper

juice of 1/2 of a lemon (Juice from half of an orange is amazing, as well. Just use an actual orange, don't use what you drink with breakfast. It usually has sugar added, and won't work as well.)

freshly grated parmesan (I also is use swiss on them, which is delicious, also!) 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay the broccoli spears on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Spread out in an even layer and roast for 20 minutes, until the florets brown. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the broccoli to brighten it up, and garnish the top with some parmesan cheese.



This serves 4!

To make roasted potatoes;

My husband loves the crispy, brown potatoes on the edges of the foil packet when his mom grills potatoes. I wanted to make them a bit healthier, and the crispy ones are the best, so why not just make an entire sheet pan of crispy potatoes?

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook.

4 medium to large Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, sliced to a medium thickness (Not paper thin, but not terribly thick. Yukon Gold is my favorite!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with remaining ingredients. Spread out on an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 20 minutes. Switch on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the tops turn a nice golden to medium brown and crisp up.

This makes 4 servings, or two and a half if my husband is eating them!