Shrimp Feta Salad

Photo courtesy of Epicurious

      My last installment for this fall's @ home cooking/recipe series encompasses the healthier choices.  When I plan our weekly menu about every 6-7 days is 'Salad Night'.  Although we have smaller side salads with some dinners throughout the week, this one night is dedicated.  We have many we like such as Middle Eastern Couscous Salad, Chef Salad, Crab n Cuke Salad, Sumi Salad, or Crab Louie.  This salad is very much Greek with all the ingredients to make it tasty as well.  Your choice of lettuce is just that.  Romaine, Butter Crunch, Arugula, Spinach, or Iceberg; wherever your individual preferences lead you.  Although this salad could be an accompanying salad, I always serve a large one as a main dish.
      Of course the secret is fresh ingredients.  Lettuce should not be bought till the day you plan to use it to prepare this.  Shrimp, however, can be bought earlier.  I have never had a problem with the bagged, precooked shrimp purchased at your local Wal Mart, but fresh shrimp is never a bad thing.  

      You can use whatever size you wish, but for this recipe we used the small shrimp.  PLENTY of shrimp for everybody.  You can buy bigger shrimp, but then you have less meat per person.  Although the recipe can be found at www.lowfatlifestyle.com/salads/saladrecipes/shrimpandfetasalad.htm#.Wd1137pFyM9  this site will also provide many other healthy salad recipes.  

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar (may use 1/2 teaspoons depending on taste)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound medium fresh or frozen uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 - 2 clove garlic, minced, according to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces spring mixed spring salad greens
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
In a medium bowl combine vinegar, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Slowly whisk in the 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in medium skillet over medium heat add shrimp, garlic, red pepper flakes and remaining 1/3 tsp salt.  You need only to reheat the shrimp as they are precooked, unless you are using uncooked shrimp.  In addition we add chopped tomatoes, pepperoncini, and capers.  Combine shrimp with dressing and the greens and toss well to coat. Additionally, we like to add a bit of chopped tomato.  Garnish top of salad with the feta cheese and serve.

      Even though most salads are sometimes viewed as necessary to simply accompany the other food we eat, I am trying to provide recipes that are indeed delicious on their own as well as healthy.  This recipe has it all, whether you serve it on the side or as a main dish.  The combination of flavors from shrimp to the essence of Greek, pepper, garlic, vinegar, and wine enhance any dining experience.  Enjoy.  

"Prince Charles is very relaxed at the table, throwing his salad around will-nilly.  I don't find him stiff at all"

Madonna

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Reuben Stuffed Baked Potato

    Barb and I LOVE SAUERKRAUT.   We are definitely a German family.  We have thoroughly enjoyed a recipe we found for Reuben Casserole http://12tomatoes.com/reuben-casserole/ , but when this one surfaced on Facebook we just had to try it.  Being retired and with our schedule we miss growing/curing our own Late Flat Dutch Cabbage and making about 20 quarts of sauerkraut each fall.  Kraut and Sausage, Kraut and Ribs, and Cabbage Melts among a few others are the recipes that we loved on our fall harvest.  Now, we just get it on the road when we can. 

       I have to say we love 'bagged fresh kraut' (always fresher) in the refrigerated section, but canned Frank's Kraut can be a good product.  I love that this recipe is submitted by "The Krautfather".  With the rich list of ingredients it is indeed a 'one dish meal'.  For those that love 'Anything Reuben' you could be approaching the very edge of Nirvana.  When it comes to corned beef FRESH DELI IS ALWAYS THE BEST, but in a pinch a can of this will do.  

www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/recipe/ruben-stuffed-baked-potatoes/  Of course I am posting the recipe which lists everything you need to know, but the link as well will provide access to the other tasty recipes.  This recipe is modified for the two of us.  

Reuben Stuffed Baked Potato

1 or 2 large Russet baking potatoes

1 cup finely cut corned beef

1 cup (your choice) sauerkraut

1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

3 Tblspn. diced green onions

1 Tbspn horseradish

1 pkg. cream cheese (softened)

3 Tblspn. Parmesan cheese

Paprika 

       Bake Potatoes @ 425 for 60 (+-) minutes or until tender, cool.  In a bowl combine cornbeef, Frank's Kraut, Swiss Cheese, onion, garlic, horseradish.  Either cut both potatoes in half lengthwise or slice a single potato lengthwise and open to accommodate ingredients.  Carefully scooping out potatoes leaving just the skins of the potatoes.  Mash potatoes with cream cheese and stir in the corn beef mixture, then mound potato mixture into the skins of the potatoes.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and paprika, return to the oven for 30 more minutes or until heated through.  This very much resembles "Twice Baked Potatoes".  The mix is always much more volume when it is returned and sometimes the final baking eliminates the original baked potato profile.  It will be heaping full when done.

      This recipe will be so very welcome during the fall or winter weather, but for aficionados of cabbage or corned beef it could be anytime.  Just imagine the smells in our RV as we prepare this dish this fall either on the road or in hunting camp.  Joie de Vivre

"When General Lee took possession of Chambersburg on his way to Gettysburg, we happened to be a member of the Committee representing the town. Among the first things he demanded for his army was twenty-five barrels of Saur-Kraut."
Editor, The Guardian (1869)

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Creole Baked Rockfish

Photo courtesy of Washington Fish & Wildlife

      Even though we did not make it to Alaska this summer, as an unexpected benefit Barb and I brought back many pounds of rockfish fillets from our trip out west to Washington this summer.  We love the meat.  The fish and meat resembles Yellow Eye Rockfish from Alaska as well as Red Snapper from the East Coast, and as such lends itself to a wide variety of recipes.
      We have thoroughly enjoyed this fish in recipes from blackened, tacos, sandwiches, pasties, and now Creole.  We began with over 25 pounds of individual frozen vacuum sealed packs of rockfish and have searched for a variety of recipes by which to enjoy them.  It wasn't a difficult search.  This is one of the world's most enjoyed fish.  This recipe is a bit out of the norm, but with our love for Cajun and Creole cuisine it was an easy fit.  I LOVE Tony Chachere's spices and recipes.  I have used them for years.  The meal is delicious.  Creole being a bit more sauce than Cajun yet this meal thrives on the sauce created by the tomatoes, margarine, white wine, bell pepper, and celery.  Nonetheless, yummy! www.tonychachere.com/-Baked-Red-Snapper-P215.aspx   The only difference is that our fish was already in fillets rather than whole.  Additionally we scaled down the recipe for just the two of us.

INGREDIENTS:

3 pound Red Snapper

2 tablespoon Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning

2 tablespoon Margarine

1 can Tomato Sauce

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 cup Chopped Onions

1/2 cup Bell Pepper

1 Tablespoon Garlic (the website recipe calls for 4 bushels of garlic......lol, typos)

1 cup Chopped Celery

1/4 cup Dry White Wine

Sautéing the sauce

Spread the sauce over the fish before baking

DIRECTIONS:

1: Season fish, inside and out;  place in open baking pan.
2: In a saucepan, combine margarine, tomato sauce, sugar, and vegetables cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
3: Pour wine over red snapper, followed by the sauce.
4: Place in 300 degrees oven cook for 1 hour, (single fillet 45 minutes) basting occasionally.
5: Serve. 

Creole Rockfish w/Garlic Bread

      Serve with white wine and some garlic bread and a salad on the side.  There is still quite a bit of rockfish in the RV freezer and will occupy a spot on our menu about once a week.  

"It's okay to eat fish because they don't have any feelings"

Kurt Cobain

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