Another Dinner on a Cookie Sheet

On nights I’m home alone, sometimes it seems like a lot of effort to cook a whole dinner.  But I’m trying to eat less take out and I’ve stopped buying cereal, so lately this has been my go-to solo meal.  I spread a few things out on a cookie sheet and bake or broil it.  No fuss, real food, and best of all, no dishes!

Now don’t get me wrong.  This isn’t only a method that works when you’re cooking for one.  I do this when the kids are home too.  It’s just so easy and versatile.  The possibilities are endless.

Dinner on a Cookie Sheet, take 2

Dinner on a Cookie Sheet – Broiled Salmon, Asparagus, and Peppers

1 salmon filet
Lemon pepper
Salt
Olive oil
Lemon slices
6-8 spears asparagus
1/2 red pepper, sliced in thick strips
1 oz. goat cheese (optional)
1 tsp. pesto
1/2 tsp. mayo
Squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat broiler.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Spray with cooking spray.  Place salmon on the pan.  Spread out asparagus and peppers in a single layer.  Sprinkle everything with lemon pepper and salt.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Dot peppers with goat cheese. Top salmon and asparagus with lemon slices.

Cut veggies so everything is a similar size for more even cooking.

Broil 7-10 minutes until fish flakes easily and veggies are tender.  While dinner is broiling stir together pesto, mayo and lemon juice for a quickie sauce to top the salmon and asparagus.

Want another option for Dinner on a Cookie Sheet?  Check out Honey Mustard Chicken with Smashed Potatoes and Green Beans!

Parmesan-Crusted Salmon

Getting my kids to enjoy seafood was a challenge.  This recipe (and a few similar ones) were the turning point for them. A cheesy, crunchy topping is something any kid recognizes and loves, no matter what it’s on.  Doesn’t hurt that I love it too.

The mayo may seem like a weird choice, but it keeps the fish moist, the breadcrumbs stick to it beautifully and it’s non-dairy, which was essential when the kids were younger because Luke had a milk allergy.  Even though he doesn’t have that problem now, it works so well I’ve just kept using it.

Parmesan-Crusted Salmon

Parmesan-Crusted Salmon

1 or more salmon fillets
1-2 tsp. mayonnaise
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
Salt & pepper
1/4 tsp. dill
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400˚.  In a small bowl mix panko, parmesan, lemon pepper, a pinch of salt & pepper and dill.  Put your fish on a baking pan covered with foil.  Coat surface of fish with mayonnaise.  Pile on the breadcrumb mixture and press into it to make sure it stays put.

Ready to go in the oven.

Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until fish flakes easily in the middle.

Parmesan-Crusted Salmon, right out of the oven. By the way, the little crispy breadcrumbs that fell off the salmon make great crouton-ish salad crunchies.

Tilapia Verde

The food around this time of year is enough to make my heart sing, my taste buds dance, and my tummy ache.  It’s so easy to overdo it and I’m guilty of that all too often.  To get through the holidays without gaining too much around my middle, I like to intersperse the food frenzies with some lighter meals here and there.

This simple fish dish used some leftover verde sauce (from black bean enchilada stacks) that was waaaaay to good to throw away.  A little time baking/poaching in the oven and dinner was served.  I served mine over a bed of rice, but it’s just as good by itself if you’re watching the carbs.  If you have leftover sauce, just stick it in the freezer for next time you have a craving.

Tilapia Verde

Tilapia Verde

Verde Sauce:
12 oz. tomatillos (7-8 large)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped roasted green chiles (canned works fine)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped

Tilapia filets (or any other mild white fish would work just as well)
Salt & pepper
Feta
Rice (optional for serving)

To make sauce, remove husks and stems and wash tomatillos.  Cover with water in a saucepan and boil about 10 minutes, until tender.  Put tomatillos and all other ingredients in a blender and puree.  Set aside until ready to use.

Heat oven to 400˚.  Sprinkle fish with salt & pepper, spoon sauce over fish, enough to cover and have a little extra in the pan, especially if you are serving over rice.  I used about 1/2 cup for 1 filet.  Sprinkle with feta and pop in the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes or so, until fish flakes easily and feta is starting to brown a bit.  Remove from oven.  Serve over rice if desired.

 

 

Saucy Salmon

After minimal cooking for the better part of a week, I bought a bunch of groceries, visited farmer’s market and got back in the kitchen.  Even better, I’m feeling somewhat healthy and adventurous.  Although I have nothing against carbs – in fact those who know me know that I have quite a love affair with some of them – whenever I want to shed a few pounds I also shed a few carbs to help me along.  I don’t go entirely no carb because that’s simply a miserable diet in my opinion, but cutting down on the amounts and having at least one no-carb meal a day does seem to make a difference, at least for me.

So tonight, I made a low-carb dinner with some fresh salmon and whatever I could find in my fridge to slather over the top of it.  I ended up with a tangy sauce with an Asian flair. Served with a garden salad and mashed cauliflower (tune in tomorrow if you’re interested), it was delicious and satisfying.  And I feel skinnier already.

Saucy Salmon

Saucy Salmon

Salmon filets
1 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. honey

Heat oven to broil. Place salmon on a cookie sheet or pizza pan covered with foil (you don’t have to use foil but it eliminates the need for washing the pan so why not?) Mix hoisin sauce, ginger, soy sauce and honey in a small bowl.  Brush or pour over salmon.  Broil 10 minutes or so, until sauce starts to caramelize and fish flakes easily.  Do not overcook.

Blackened Rock Cod & Black-Eyed Slaw

Oh look, a new Food Network magazine on the rack.  Can I resist?  Um…no.  I’m weak.  A cooking magazine addiction is a terrible (but tasty) thing.  This one was chock full of recipes to use up summer produce and eat light.  And not so light.  But for now we’ll avoid the Banana-Coconut Marshmallow Meringue Pie (oh yeah, that’s happening) and start with something healthy-ish.  I especially like the weeknight cooking section with recipes that are quick to make.

Growing up in Oregon, I didn’t ever eat black-eyed peas as a kid.  In fact the first time I ate them, somewhere in the wilds of Arkansas, I was shocked to find that they weren’t gross at all, as I had always suspected, but actually pretty darn tasty!  In fact, there are places where people eat them all the time!  Some people even eat them for luck every year on New Year’s Eve.  I have no idea if that works but there are certainly worse traditions out there.

I think you could use any kind of white fish fillet to make the blackened fish dish.  I happened to have rock cod, so that’s what I used, although the original recipe called for tilapia.  I also played a bit with the slaw recipe.  I guess I’m just not that great at following directions, but the results were terrific!  I made some incredible corn bread to go with it.  If you’re interested in that, tune in tomorrow.

Blackened Rock Cod with Black-Eyed Slaw & Cornbread

Blackened Rock Cod
(Adapted from Food Network Magazine)

1 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt & pepper
4 rock cod or tilapia fillets

In a small bowl combine paprika, cumin and salt and pepper.  Rub most of the rub on one side of the fillets, using any leftover for the other side.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Add fish, spicy side down.  Cook 3-4 minutes.  Flip carefully and continue to cook another 2 minutes or so until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Black-Eyed Slaw

Black-Eyed Slaw
(Adapted from Food Network Magazine)

1/3 cup prepared salsa verde (I like the Herdez brand)
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. sour cream
3 tbsp. olive oil
4 cups shredded cole slaw mix (one 14 oz. bag)
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

In a large bowl whisk together salsa verde, vinegar, sour cream and olive oil.  Add cole slaw mix and black-eyed peas and gently toss until all ingredients are combined.  Taste for seasonings, and add salt & pepper if needed.

Onion-Crusted Rock Cod

I had every intention of making oven-baked fish & chips for this meal, but with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, there was no way I was turning on my oven.  So we’ll save that for another day.  Instead I opted for a quick pan-fried fish and cool cucumber and tomato salad.

Rock cod is not only nice and mild tasting, but its firm texture holds up well for pan-frying, keeping its shape and not falling apart.  The onions mixed with the breadcrumbs caramelize as they cook, adding a nice bump of flavor and a subtle sweetness.

Onion-Crusted Rock Cod

Onion-Crusted Rock Cod

Rock cod filets
3/4 cup panko
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
Salt & pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt

In a shallow dish combine panko, onion, olive oil and a pinch of salt & pepper.

Bread crumb mixture. Love the extra flavor from the onions in the mixture!

Rub cod filets all over with yogurt and then press into bread crumb mixture until well coated on both sides.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Flick a few drops of water into the pan.  If they sizzle, it’s ready to go.  Add filets to pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown on both sides.

Pan-frying rock cod filets

Serve with your favorite tartar sauce or wedges of lemon.  Or mix up your own fishy sauce with a bit of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon and squirt of sriracha.

Creamy cucumber salad is the perfect complement for this fish dish.  Since I had a couple of garden tomatoes I added them to the recipe as well.  Add a little fresh fruit on the side and you have a perfect summer meal.

Rock cod with creamy cucumber salad and fruit.

Broiled Salmon & Padron Peppers

Last year when I was in Spain I ate tapas.  Mmmmm….tapas.  Little plates of different goodies that are just one wonderful thing after another.  One of the best tidbits were padron peppers.  I had never had these before and I’m still amazed that these little peppers, cooked with nothing more than a bit of olive oil and sea salt, were so dang good!  Not spicy, just full of flavor.  Imagine my surprise and delight when I found them at farmer’s market this weekend!  I snatched up a pint, took them home and cooked the whole  mess of them up just for me, along with a lovely piece of salmon.  Leftovers were thrown into my scrambled eggs the next morning.  Absolutely delicious.

Broiled Salmon with Pesto Mayonnaise & Padron Peppers

Broiled Salmon with Pesto Mayo

Salmon (I used a 6 oz. portion, enough for 2 servings, or one big serving)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 tsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. pesto
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Sprinkle the salmon with salt & pepper.  Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil.  Broil for about 8 minutes, until it pulls apart easily in the middle with a fork.  In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, pesto and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Drizzle over the top of the salmon and serve.

Pan-Roasted Padron Peppers

1 pint padron peppers
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add peppers.  Cook 8-10 minutes, tossing once in awhile until tender and browned in spots.  Toss with sea salt and serve.  I cooked these with the stems on.  It makes them easier to eat since you can pick them up by the stem and munch.

Island Tacos

I could live on an island.  Blue skies, palm trees, hammock, sunshine, umbrella drink and a stack of books.  And fish and fruit for dinner all the time.  It doesn’t sound too bad.  Okay, I’d probably be sick of it after a few weeks and miss the trees and rain, but I’m a little crazy like that.  But sometimes on rainy days (in June!) I pretend I’m on an island and cook something tropical.  And it makes me smile.

Island Fish Tacos

Island Fish Tacos

3 tilapia filets
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt & pepper
1 cup pineapple, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Corn tortillas
Salsa (optional)

Make pineapple salsa by combining pineapple, pepper, jalapeno, onion, lime juice and cilantro in a bowl.

Pineapple Salsa. Use on tacos or eat by itself!

Sprinkle fish with seasonings on both sides.  Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the fish 1-2 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.  They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them.

Tilapia cooking

To build tacos, put a piece of the fish (each filet will make 2-3 tacos) on a tortilla and top with pineapple salsa.  For some extra zip add a spoonful of your favorite tomato salsa on top.  Take a bite and let your taste buds dance the hula!

 

Feta-Crusted Tilapia

In our journey to moving to a more veggie-based diet, I’ve found my thinking has started to change.  I used to think of the days we ate fish as “light eating” days.  Now I think of those as the “meaty” days.  Although I’ve always loved seafood, I now find it more satisfying than ever before.  But I do find myself compelled to find more creative ways to cook it to add variety and fun to our menu.

Tilapia is almost always in my freezer.  Whenever I’m at the fish counter, I pick up an extra package of it for a speedy meal at some later date.  It’s quick to cook, mild enough to go with almost any flavors, and very affordable, which is a nice plus.  Combined with some of my other goodies from farmer’s market this week, I had a quick and satisfying dinner in minutes that was so good I caught myself making yummy noises while I was eating.

Feta-Crusted Tilapia with Lemon Cashew Asparagus

Feta-Crusted Tilapia
(This recipe is for one serving, just repeat or multiply for more servings)

Tilapia filet
1 tbsp. panko (japanese style bread crumbs)
2 tbsp. feta cheese
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Combine panko, feta and lemon zest in a small bowl.  Pat entire mixture on top of tilapia filet.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake at 400˚ for about 10 minutes until crust is light brown and fish flakes easily.

All dressed up and ready to cook.

Usually when I make something like this, I roast the veggies right along side the entree, and this was no exception.  And if you cover your pan with foil first…no dishes, woot!  See below for my asparagus recipe.

Lemon Cashew Asparagus

One bundle of fresh asparagus
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup chopped cashews
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Lay the asparagus on a pan in a single layer, sprinkle lemon zest, cashews and salt & pepper all over.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400˚ for 10 minutes.

Candied Salmon & Spicy Snap Peas

On the rare night the kids are gone, and I’m on my own for dinner, it’s tempting to go for the PB&J and just not mess with cooking at all.  But sometimes I like to treat myself and cook something simple that’s just for me.  A pretty plate, happy taste buds, a glass of wine, a good book or something on the TV that the kids aren’t allowed to watch.  It all adds up to a relaxing, peaceful evening, which sometimes is just what the doctor ordered. So I always keep a couple of single servings of fish in the freezer for just such an occasion.

This is one of my favorite salmon recipes.  It’s simple, it’s quick.  Perfect for a single serving, but also easy to multiply if you have more people to feed.  The brown sugar and honey caramelize as they cook under the broiler, creating a sweet candy coating.  To balance the sweetness of the salmon, I like to make something a little spicy on the side.  Tonight it was a quick side of pan-sauteed spicy snap peas, a beautiful contrast.  And it looks pretty, which is just a bonus.  A little fresh pineapple on the side works great to cool things off after you heat them up.

Candied Salmon & Spicy Snap Peas

Candied Salmon

1 – 6 oz. salmon filet
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. country-style dijon mustard
Salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients and smear all over the surface of the salmon.  Put under the broiler and cook about 10 minutes.  Check occasionally, the fish should flake easily with a fork when done.

Spicy Snap Peas

1 cup snap peas
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add snap peas and red pepper flakes.  Saute, stirring often, until peas are tender, 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.