Coconut Mahi Mahi

All you landlubbers... We're havin' fish tonight! Recipe adapted from Fish Ex...

Hot cooked Orzo pasta or rice

4 Mahi Mahi fillets

1 (14 oz.) can light coconut milk (reserve 2 Tbs. for rice or pasta)

1 small onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbs. butter, melted

1 Tbs. flour

1 tomato, diced

salt, to taste

black or cayenne pepper, to taste

1/3 cup flaked coconut

1. Cook Orzo pasta or rice according to package directions. Reserve 2 Tbs. coconut milk to stir into the rice or pasta and stir in after it is cooked and drained.
2. Meanwhile, add remaining coconut milk to a deep sauté pan. Add onions and bell pepper and bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently. Add mahi mahi fillets and poach fish until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Fish should be firm and should flake easily with a fork. Remove fish and place on a serving dish.
3. Keep the coconut milk simmering over medium heat. Mix melted butter with flour and add to the coconut milk, stirring immediately with a whisk to prevent lumps.
4. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and flaked coconut and top with the fish fillets. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve fish fillets over hot pasta or rice and spoon coconut sauce over the top. Serves 4.

Malted Milk Cookies

When I need a chocolate fix, these unique cookies do the trick every time!

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1 cup butter

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup instant Malted Milk powder

1 1/2 cup malted milk balls, such as Whoppers, cut in half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt unsweetened chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir and heat for 30 seconds more, or until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

Cream together butter, sugars and baking soda. Beat in the melted chocolate, eggs and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl to mix completely. Add the malted milk powder and flour gradually, beating slowly. Stir in the malted milk balls.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons (or use cookie scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. *These cookies are best a bit undercooked and left to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before cooling on a rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Quick Yeast Rolls

We've tried 3 different kinds of quick yeast rolls this month and these get my vote for the best! They take about an hour and a half from start to finish. This recipe only makes 8 rolls, but it would be simple to double. We love these for lunch sandwiches! Recipe from allrecipes.com

2 Tbs. shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)

3 Tbs. white sugar

1 cup hot water

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp.)

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Grease 8 muffin cups and set aside.
2. In a glass measuring cup, mix the shortening, sugar and hot water. (I heat for about 35-40 seconds in the microwave). Add yeast to the liquid, mix thoroughly and let stand for about 5 minutes. 
3. Pour liquid into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the beaten egg, salt and flour. Mix until dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Dough should still be slightly sticky.
4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and scrape the dough into the bowl. Cover and let sit for about 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5. Punch dough down and divide the dough into 8 balls and place in greased muffin cups. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake rolls for 8-10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a roll comes out clean. 

Makes 8 rolls.

Herbed Cheese Pasta with Spinach & Chicken

My grandma gave my mom this recipe a few years ago. We hadn't made it in a while and when we made this for dinner this week, my brother exclaimed, "This is my favorite food ever!" Recipe from Linda Elggren. 

          1/2 cup onion, chopped

          2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

          1/2 cup chicken broth

          1 (6.5 oz.) container light garlic & herbs spreadable cheese (such as Alouette)

          1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach, stems removed

          3 cups hot cooked cavatappi or campanelle pasta (8 oz. uncooked)

          1 cup tomato, diced

          1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

          1/4 tsp. salt

          Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Sauté onion in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray. Cook for 4 minutes, or just until tender. Add shredded chicken; sauté 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add cheese, stirring until smooth. Add spinach and cook for 4 minutes, or until spinach just begins to wilt. Add pasta, tomato, pepper and salt; toss well. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Nutrition info: (per 2 cup serving) 388 calories, 11 g. fat, 48 g. carbohydrates, 6.8 g. fiber

Herbed Cheese Pasta with Spinach & Chicken

My Mother-in-Law gave me this recipe a few years ago. I hadn't made it in a while and when I made this for dinner this week, my son exclaimed, "This is my favorite food ever!" Recipe from Linda Elggren. 

          1/2 cup onion, chopped

          2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

          1/2 cup chicken broth

          1 (6.5 oz.) container light garlic & herbs spreadable cheese (such as Alouette)

          1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach, stems removed

          3 cups hot cooked cavatappi or campanelle pasta (8 oz. uncooked)

          1 cup tomato, diced

          1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

          1/4 tsp. salt

          Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Sauté onion in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray. Cook for 4 minutes, or just until tender. Add shredded chicken; sauté 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add cheese, stirring until smooth. Add spinach and cook for 4 minutes, or until spinach just begins to wilt. Add pasta, tomato, pepper and salt; toss well. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Nutrition info: (per 2 cup serving) 388 calories, 11 g. fat, 48 g. carbohydrates, 6.8 g. fiber

Ham & Cheese Noodle Bake

            8 oz. wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
            1/2 cup onion, chopped 

            1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (I also like red or yellow peppers)

            1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup

            1 cup sour cream (I use Light)

            2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

            2 cups ham, diced

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook and drain noodles. Sauté onion and green pepper in a small saucepan with a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Mix sour cream, soup and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl. Add onion and green pepper, noodles and ham and mix well. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve. Serves 6-8.

Cranberry Fluff

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! 

Ingredients:

1 lb. cranberries

1 pt. whipping cream
1 c. sugar

2 (20 oz.) cans crushed pineapple, drained

1 pkg. mini marshmallows 

Directions: 

place cranberries in blender or food processor  until chopped. Pour on 1 heaping cup of suger and refrigerate at least 2 hours... whip 1 pt. whipping cream. Fold in pineapple, marshmallows and cranberry mixture. Refrigerate overnight.