Coconut Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salad

This is a SUPER simple recipes that requires only a few ingredients.  I love to make this in the summer because it is so light and fresh, yet filling!  I usually serve this with Jasmine rice, either plain or Cilantro-Lime (which is lime juice, salt & oil whisked together and stirred in to taste).  Enjoy!

Coconut Crusted Tilapia
Serves 4-6
What you will need:

-  4-5 fillets of Tilapia
-  1c Plain Panko Breadcrumbs
-  1/2c Shredded Sweetened Coconut
-  1/2t Salt
-  Egg Wash (1 egg whisked with about 1/4-1/2c milk)


1.Make egg wash in a bowl large enough to dip each Tilapia fillet and set aside.  Combine Panko, coconut and salt in square baking dish.  Get out your cookie sheet and preheat oven to 400F.

2. Dip fillet in egg wash allowing it to get thoroughly coated.  Then, transfer to Panko mixture (don't the wash be to drippy for this part).  Coat well, patting gently on both sides and place on baking sheet.  Repeat until all fillets are coated and sprinkle any remaining Panko & coconut on top.  Bake 12-18min or until golden brown and crispy and fish is flaky inside. (The timing really always depends on the size of the fillets)

Mango Salad

What you will need:

-  2 Mangos, pitted, peeled and diced (Ripe, but firm)
-  3T minced Red Onion
-  2t finely chopped fresh Mint
-  1 1/2T Brown Sugar
-  2T Red Wine Vinegar

1. Combine all ingredients, stir and chill until ready to serve :)

Dinner Menu Plan 8/7-8/14/10

     

To be eaten in no specific order other than what we're craving, have thawed or have time/energy to make that night......

• Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Galette (from Smitten Kitchen) with Strawberry Salad

• Grilled Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries and Fruit

• Coconut Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salad & Cilantro Lime Rice

• Cheddar Chicken with Wild Rice and Creamy Parmesan Salad

• Hamburger Helper with Greens Beans or Broccoli (Yep! We eat this crap.)

• Sage Browned Butter Chicken with Glazed Cauliflower and Salad

• Chicken, Mushroom & Asparagus Crepes with French Cut Greens Beans & Slivered Almonds

Links to Recipes & Pictures coming soon!

Blessings,
  Sarah

Pupus In The Park

This has been an incredible weather weekend here in Music City! After a long, hot summer this Labor Day weekend was the first of temperatures resembling early Autumn. It has surely brought many people outdoors to enjoy the natural beauty, arts, music and street festivals this town has to offer. Tonight we will be heading over to Centennial Park to watch my brother-in-law Andrew, an amazing musician, perform the pre-show music for Shakespeare In The Park. We had already planned on a light dinner of Pupus, or "small plates", so what better idea than to have a Pupu Picnic in the park while soaking in the setting evening sun, listening to intelligent tunes, and watching the children run around? Sounds pretty sweet doesnt it?

On the menu tonight:

• Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Necterines
• Grilled Goat Cheese Stuffed Baby Sweet Peppers
• Eggplant Caviar with Pita Chips. YUM!!

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Buttery Grilled Corn

Sometimes a few ingredients is all you have, but it can also be all that you need. These quick and easy recipes only call for 3 ingredients each.
My three children have all developed their own quirky likes and dislikes, which can make it difficult to please everyone. Keeping it simple seems to be our best bet with this bunch, so this was a hit at my dinner table.
The pork tenderloin was indeed tender and the warm sweetness of the brown sugar mixed with the tangy, slightly spicy, Worcestershire sauce and smokiness from the grill was a welcomed combination summer and fall flavors. The corn was so amazing! I imagine I'll add butter and scallions to my corn all the time now!

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

-1 package pork tenderloin
-4 tbl brown sugar
-1/2 c Worcestershire

1. Whisk together brown sugar & Worcestershire sauce. Reserve 1/2 of the mixture for serving over cooked pork.

2. Sprinkle pork with salt & pepper and grill over med-high heat, turning frequently, until internal temp reaches 150 degrees F, 20-25 min. Brush with remaining sauce mixture during last 5 minutes of cooking.

3. Serve sliced pork medallions with reserved sauce and a side dish (I recommend the Buttery Grilled Corn!).


Buttery Grilled Corn
(serves 4-5)

Ingredients:

- 4-6 ears of corn, shucked
-2 tbl butter
-1 stalk of scallions, sliced (chives would work beautifully too!)

1. Grill shucked corn over med-high heat until tender and slightly charred, 6-8 min.

2. Cut kernels off the cob and toss with butter and chopped scallions.

3. Serve with a smile & watch it disappear!

*I practically double this recipe because it goes fast and reheats well.

Sesame Red Curry Chicken with Bok Choy & Sweet Coconut Rice

My husband loves it when I make this. It seems to have the perfect combination of savory, almost spicy and sweet. It's really relatively easy to make considering you chop a few things, whisk a few things, and throw it all in a crock pot for 6-8 hours. When I can motivate myself to start a crock pot meal in the morning I'm always so grateful that I did when 5:30 pm rolls around. Not to mention that there is usually a good amount of leftovers for lunch the next day. Actually, this is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.

Sesame Red Curry Chicken with Bok Choy & Sweet Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped bok choy (one med-large head, I never measure)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper

1/2 c chicken broth (reduced sodium is fine)

1/2 c sake (rice wine)

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbl minced fresh ginger
1 tbl red curry paste
1/4-1/2 c sweetened flaked coconut

2 c jasmine rice

2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk (lite is fine, too)

1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1. Arrange bok choy and red pepper in bottom of slow cooker

2. Season chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper and place on top of bok choy and peppers

3. In a small bowl, whisk together broth, sake, sesame oil, ginger, and curry paste

4. Pour mixture over chicken

5. Cook Low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours

6. Cook rice in coconut milk

7. In a small skillet toast coconut flakes, 5-8 minutes

8. Stir toasted coconut into cooked rice, set aside.

Spoon rice onto a serving platter, or individual bowls, and top with chicken, vegetables and sauce from crock pot. Garnish with cilantro.

Chicken, Mushroom and Asparagus Crepes

As a special request from my sister-in-law, I am posting this recipe a little bit early. This delicious version of French Crepes takes a little more work, so have your whisking arm ready. You can make your own crepes, but I prefer just to get a package from the produce section of the grocery store. I usually serve this alongside french cut green beans with toasted, slivered almonds. Bon Apetit!

Chicken, Mushroom and Asparagus Crepes

Ingredients:

6 tbl unsalted butter, divided
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c whole milk
1 1/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c shallots, sliced in half moons
1/2 c mushrooms, chopped (I've used white buttons and baby portabello, both were great)
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and finely chopped(I use a roasted chicken from the deli)
3 tbl medium-dry Sherry
1 lb thin asparagus, trimmed
1 lg egg yolk
5 tbl chilled heavy cream
1 tbl unsalted butter

1. Make filling:
-Heat 5 tbl butter in a 2 qt heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides.
-Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, until pale golden, about 2 minutes.
-gradually add milk and broth, alternating, WHISKING, and bring to a boil, WHISKING.
-Reduce heat and simmer gently, whisking frequently, until veloute sauce is thick and silky, about 25 minutes.
-Reserve 1/2 c sauce for topping! (I always forget this and have to go back)
2. Cook shallot in remaining tbl butter in 10 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir into veloute sauce and add chicken and Sherry.
Take a moment here to smell these wonderful aromas!
3. Cut tips from asparagus and set aside. Cut stalks in to 1/4 inch pieces to measure about 1 cup.
4. Cook tips in salted boiling water until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water (ice bath, to stop the cooking process) with a slotted spoon. Scoop them out after 2 minutes and drain on paper towels, then reserve for topping.
5. Cook remaining asparagus stalks in the same manner, then stir into veloute sauce/filling and salt & pepper to taste.
6. Assemble & Bake Crepes:
-Pre-heat oven 350 degrees F
-Spread 1/4 cup of filling across center of crepe and roll into a cylinder (quickly, or they'll fall apart in your hands) and transfer, seam side down, to a buttered 13x9 buttered baking dish.
-Continue with remaining crepes and filling and bake center rack for 15 minutes.
7. Make topping while crepes bake:
-Stir together egg yolk, 2 tbl cream and reserved 1/2c veloute sauce until smooth.
-Beat remaining 3 tbl cream with a whisk until soft peaks form, then fold into yolk mixture.
8. Remove crepes from oven after 15 minutes and spoon topping over crepes. Broil, 5-6 inches from heat, until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. (Watch closely! I've cried over this before!)
9. Heat 1 tbl butter in small skillet, saute reserved asparagus tips, and toss until warm.
10. Top crepes with warm asparagus tips and serve 2 crepes on each plate.

Bon Apetit!

serves 4-6

Holy Mole, Enchilada!

HOLY MOLE! That was literally my reaction when I first tasted this (Ok, so it began as Holy Moly)! My favorite mexican restaurant in town serves a mole sauce over their enchiladas. I had never had anything like it at another mexican place and at $50 for our family to go out to eat, I was determined to mimic these amazing flavors in my own kitchen. Not to mention that my hubby makes much better Margaritas! This is what I came up with. Now, I learned alot making this for the first time, so I will post the recipe as I will make it from now on. I used a pretty dated, mediocre, chili powder and will soon be purchasing a newer and better quality jar of it for next time. I reccomend the same for you, but the sauce was still awesome. Soooo bueno!
Though I could probably eat this sauce with a spoon, I made some yummy Spinach Enchiladas to go with it. Served up with black beans and saffron rice, it was a hit with the family; even our 2 year old gobbled it up!

Mole Sauce

Ingredients:

1-2 tbl vegetable oil
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbl all-purpose flour
4-5 tbl hot or regular chili powder (depending on your taste)
4 cups chicken broth (1 box)
1/4-1/2 square semisweet chocolate (I used 1/2 and felt a little less would have been perfect)

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat.
2. Saute onion until tender
3. Stir in garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon; saute a few minutes
4. Stir in flour and chili powder, keep stirring as it gets thick
5. Slowly whisk in chicken broth
6. Reduce until desired consistency (reduce to almost to 1/2 - leaving about 2 1/2 cups of sauce - it will seem a bit thin, but it will thicken a little and is supposed to be runny)
7. Stir in chocolate until melted and well blended. Spinach Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 boxes frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 medium onion, sliced in half moons
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbl butter
1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) cream cheese

1. In a skillet saute onion, salt, cumin and nutmeg in butter
2. Add spinach and cream cheese
3. Cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted and blended through, set saide.
4. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into medium round flour tortillas, and fold/roll to close.
5. Place in 13x9 inch baking pan and continue filling tortillas until pan is full.
6. Pour sauce over enchiladas and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve with extra sauce poured over enchiladas and a sprig of cilantro on top.