Friday, February 22, 2013

Crab Meat Stuffed Fillet of Sole

Crab Meat Stuffed Fillet of Sole
Last week as I was walking past the fresh Seafood Counter in my local grocery store, Big Y, the Fillet of Sole sure caught my eye!  Suddenly, I recalled a recipe that I had not baked for a number of years:  Crab Meat Stuffed Fillet of Sole.  Yum!

Quite a while ago so long ago that my older son would ride in the grocery cart while we were doing our weekly shopping the always cheerful, helpful woman at Food Mart's Seafood Counter would see me every week.  One day as I glanced at the Fillet of Sole, she asked if I had ever baked Stuffed Sole.  I responded that I had not.  She then went on to explain how EASY it was.

She had no name for this recipe - just verbal instructions.  Oh, it was worth a try - I was learning how to deal with Fish and if you do not try - you do not learn.  I baked the fish using my new recipe that evening.  It was delicious - scrumptious!  The next week I went back to the Seafood Counter and purchased another 1 lb. of Fillet of Sole.  Once again, we dined on Stuffed Fillet of Sole, but I added about 6 oz. of canned Crab Meat into the stuffing... Crab Meat Stuffed Fillet of Sole!  

Out of the Oven... Ready for Dinner
Every so often I remember this recipe that I made so often, years ago... sometimes with, sometimes without the Crab.  A few months ago canned Crab meat was on sale, so I purchased 2 cans, with this recipe in mind!

Crab Meat Stuffed Fillet of Sole   

Oven Temperature:  350°F        Yield:  3- 4 Servings
Time:  22 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb. Fillet of Sole- larger fillets to roll
5-6 oz. Crab Meat, cooked
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil for sauteing & baking
1 Carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon Parsley
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice or Lemon Juice

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray baking dish with PAM.
  3. Add 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice or Lemon Juice to baking dish.
  4. Shred Carrot.
  5. Heat 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil in saute pan.
  6. Saute shredded Carrot.
  7. Add 1 teaspoon Parsley to pan.
  8. Remove crust from bread.  
  9. Tear bread slices into small pieces & add to pan.
  10. Add 1/4 teaspoon Thyme to mixture.  Combine.
  11. Add Crab Meat.  Combine.
  12. Rinse Fillets of Sole under cold running water.
  13. Place on paper towel covered plate, to drain.
  14. After placing 1 Fillet of Sole on another plate place spoonful of mixture on one end. 
  15. Starting with filled end, roll fillet.
  16. Place stuffed fillet in baking dish with "seam side" down.
  17. Stuff remaining Fillets of Sole.
  18. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice or Lemon Juice on top.
  19. Bake for 22 Minutes in 350°F oven.
Serve with Rice + veggie.  Any pieces remaining can be covered/refrigerated and reheated in the microwave.

Do you stuff + bake Fillet of Sole?  So good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!
 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

~Creamy Cheesy Pie~

 It's very peaceful...listening to the water trickle down into the gutters as the snow on our roof melts.  Today it was 40°F and the bright sunshine filled my Computer/ Sewing room as I was typing.  Yesterday, my hubby used our Snow Rake to remove snow from the edges of our roof.  We are not looking for a repeat of the winter of 2011!  The water moving downward is a welcoming sound today.
Hubby Working!
Tomorrow is a day of FuN!  It's always great to make a fave dessert for Valentine's Day!  So many to choose from.  Suddenly, the vision of a Creamy Cheesy Pie appeared!  It's an easy dessert that my mother-in-law tempted me with so many years ago.
Ingredients
We were visiting in the sunny state of FL during the winter.  The week before I had baked a delicious creamy Cheesecake.  Much Cream Cheese, Sugar, a homemade crust, and much prep time in my creation.  After sampling the first bite of her treat, I knew I'd never spend that much time again using my recipe.  Hers was so easy...hers was so tasty...hers was a lot less effort!  It was delicious!  From that time on I make it for a special occasion.  Valentine's Day is definitely a special occasion this month!

Creamy Cheesy Pie 

Ingredients:

(1) small pkg. Cook & Serve Vanilla Pudding Mix
(1) pkg. 8 oz. Cream Cheese
(2) Cups Milk
(1) Pre-made Graham Cracker Pie Shell

Method:

  1. Prepare Pudding according to package directions.
  2. Place Cream Cheese in a medium bowl.
  3. Pour hot Pudding over Cream Cheese and whisk until smooth.
  4. Pour mixture into Graham Cracker crust.  Smooth mixture to crust edges.
  5. Cool - maybe 30 minutes and cover with plastic wrap.  I leave small amount unwrapped on edge.
  6. Refrigerate overnight.
  7. Cut into slices.  Add whipped cream on top.
  8. Place berries on the side.
  9. Refrigerate remaining pie to enjoy again.  Yum!
  • My family uses 1% Milk, so I add 1 Tablespoon powdered milk into pot before making pudding.
  • Sometimes I substitute Neufchatel Cheese for Cream Cheese. 
  • I use Jell-O brand pudding mix, because when using the Jell-O brand I do not burn the bottom of the pot.  :)

My older son has made a Chocolate Creamy Cheesy Pie - using Chocolate Cook & Serve Pudding

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Enjoy!
Yummy!


    

Saturday, February 9, 2013

18"

Well, really need to chat it up a bit with "Punxsutawney Phil"!  The large amounts of snow at once throughout the northeast ... before spring arrives is... exhausting!   

Our picnic table is our go to "snowfall counter" for us. 

~February 9, 2013~





18" of Snow

So happy our snowblower is always good to go!

Enjoy!

Friday, February 8, 2013

~Baked Mac & Cheese~

Baked Mac & Cheese with Salad
This AM a little after 9 AM the flakes started to float down.  Suddenly, the sky was filled with white powder falling.  Here in the northeast we did heed the precautions.  "Winter Storm Nemo" is in our future.  We've learned from the past two Octobers that Mother Nature rules.  We are "hunkering down".  Our snowblower is ready! 

Today my knitting needles will be clicking and my Janome will be humming.  Dinner will be a potpourri of entrees enjoyed earlier this week.  One is Baked Mac & Cheese!  Once or twice during the winter season I bake this "comfort food".  My ideal method when baking this family fave is to bake it in two 8"x 8" GLAD OVENWARE baking pans.  By doing this, 1 black container can be placed in the freezer... for dinner again on a busy evening or it may travel down the Mass Pike!  :) 

These baking containers are great!  *Follow the usage instructions on the package!*

Two 8"x 8" Pans... Out of the Oven!

Baked Mac & Cheese   click for printable recipe card


Oven:  350°F        Bake:  35 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) Pkg. Elbow Noodles
1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Butter or Margarine
6 Tablespoons Flour
4 Cups Milk
8-10 oz. Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese, cut in cubes
2 Tablespoons Dry Bread Crumbs
2-3 Tablespoons Butter/ Margarine

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray PAM into Glass Baking Dish ( about 9” x 13”) 
  3. Prepare pasta, cooking 7-8 Minutes.
  4. After draining return pasta to large cooking pot.
  5. While preparing pasta, make sauce.
  6. Melt Butter/Margarine in a 3 qt. pot.
  7. Add & stir in Flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.
  8. Slowly add 1 Cup Milk, stir well.
  9. Then, slowly add remaining milk.
  10. Stir & cook until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
  11. Add in cheese and stir until cheese melts.
  12. Add this mixture to noodles in pot & stir.
  13. Pour mixture into Baking Pan.
  14. Sprinkle with dry Bread Crumbs, dot top with small slices of Butter/Margarine.
  15. Bake for 35 Minutes.
***If using the GLAD OVENWARE, follow directions on package for usage!

Do you use Glad OVENWARE?  What is your "comfort food"?

Enjoy!
Yummy!
     

Friday, February 1, 2013

Super Bowl Chili

Super Bowl Chili
Super Bowl Sunday!  The time to get comfy and watch the commercials on t.v.!  Oh, definitely, also focus on the game!  We all have our fave team.  Even years before attending my first Boston College Football game, watching football was a weekend fave activity.  My sons were SuperFans watching their BC Eagles in Alumni Stadium during home games.  Parent Weekends were great!  The tradition lives on, attending games and also following the careers of former BC football players in the Pros!

This Sunday we'll be enjoying the big game.  My West Bend Slow Cooker will be put to work... Chili is on the menu.  Yummy!  Placing the ingredients in the Slow Cooker's pot, adding the cover, setting the temperature to High later reducing to Medium...dinner will be so tasty & it will cook itself!   

(Usually, I place one veggie in the Slow Cooker's pot and then add the meat/chicken.  The pot has a nonstick surface, but I use this precaution, so the browned Ground Beef, in this case, will not become crispy on the bottom.  Green Pepper chunks that have been defrosted from my freezer stash are placed on the bottom.)
Cut into chunks before adding to the pot.
Super Bowl Chili is bursting with flavor.  We enjoy it topped with a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream.  The creamy mild sour cream is a great contrast to the spicy tomato sauce in the Chili ...Yummy!  There will be extra portions...these will be placed in the fridge...reheated & enjoyed on Tuesday.  :) 

Super Bowl Chili  see:  recipe posted 1/17/12

Ingredients:
1 to 1¼  lbs. Ground Beef
1 small Green Pepper, cut into small chunks
(1) 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, drained
(2) cans Red Kidney Beans (about 19 oz. each)
Chopped Onions (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Onions.)
Chopped Parsley (I use 1 Tablespoon dehydrated Parsley.)
2- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
(2) cans Tomato Sauce (15 oz. each)
≈  ≈  ≈  ≈  ≈  ≈
Fat Free Sour Cream - add when serving
Rye Bread - for dunking

Method:
  1. Spray nonstick cooking pot of Slow Cooker with PAM.
  2. Brown Ground Beef in a frying pan.
  3. Place Green Pepper chunks in cooking pot.
  4. Add browned Ground Beef.
  5. Add drained Diced Tomatoes.
  6. Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain again.
  7. Place on top of Tomatoes.
  8. Sprinkle on desired amount of chopped Onions & chopped Parsley.
  9. Then, sprinkle Chili Powder, Garlic Powder & Oregano on top.
  10. Pour Tomato Sauce over top & spread.
  11. Place lid on top.
  12. Set temperature to High for 2 and 1/2 hours.  Then, reduce to Medium for 1/2 hour.
  13. Stir before serving into bowls. 
A bowl of Chili served with a dollop of Fat Free Sour Cream on top...add in a slice of Rye Bread for dunking...Yummy!

Are you getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday???

Go 49ers!!!