Sweet Crusted Bluefish with Corn Vinaigrette and Apple Cheddar Beer Bread

I love bluefish. Have I said that before? This time I tried it with a sweet crust cooked right onto the fish (think brown sugar, among other things) with a tart corn vinaigrette drizzled over the top to cut the sweetness for a tantalizing combination. It made for a very different way to prepare bluefish than I have tried before and one I'm very likely to repeat.

To go with the bluefish I cooked an apple cheddar beer bread - a twist on one of my favorite types of bread. It was warm and delicious with a perfect blend of fruit and cheese as an aftertaste. I also whipped up a succotash. Check out my past recipe for a general idea of how to make a succotash. This one, however, was slightly different. It included mushrooms, fresh corn off the cob, cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans, and black pepper. Cilantro would be a good addition as well if you have some of the herb fresh on hand.

Time: 1 hr 20 min
Difficulty: medium
Cost: $21.07

Spiced Cornmeal Crusted Catfish with a Zephyr Squash Casserole

Haven't heard of Zephyr Squash? No worries - I hadn't either until a few weeks ago. A new farmer's market started in the square right outside of my building and I love it. Not only is it full of fresh fruits and vegetables that taste lovely (along with cheeses, breads, and gelato) but they have interesting varieties of vegetables as well. For instance, instead of just yellow summer squash and zucchini I learned about at least four other kinds. And this recipe tackles one of them - the Zephyr Squash.

Zephyr Squash is similar in taste to summer squash or zucchini, but is far prettier. You can see a picture here, but it has a green bottom and a yellow top. And who doesn't enjoy a two-toned squash? They have a light, sweet-ish flavor that I very much enjoyed.

Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Cost: $11.61 (see caveat)

Arctic Char over Arugula with Tomato Vinaigrette

The caveat here is that I really, really love tomatoes. I love them. I love them in all forms and in everything I eat. Large tomatoes, plum tomatoes, vine tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, yellow tomatoes... in a dish or plain. I love them. And this dish strongly incorporates this confusing fruit/vegetable. However, this is even for you non-tomato lovers. If you hate tomatoes, you might be out of luck, but just think they're okay? That's fine! I served this to two people who are fairly neutral on tomatoes and the focus group says its delicious. Every tomato was eaten - which is sad since I didn't get to eat the tomato leftovers.

I paired this meal with one of my favorites - roasted cajun fingerling potatoes. Please note that those are included in the cost below!

Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: medium
Cost: $21.15

Cost Caveats

I just wanted to list out the things to keep in mind as you glance at my costs that will now be included in most posts going forward!

1) This only includes new ingredients I must purchase. This means that typically spices and baking basics (think flour, sugar, vanilla, cornmeal, etc.) are already included because I keep my kitchen full of those.
2) This also means some "staples" will not be included. For instance, rice. I buy large portions of rice at once and only use a cup or so at a time, making the bags last a long time. I do not include this in my cost, but also believe it would not add much since just a fraction of a container is used each time.
3) All costs are based on meals for TWO people, but I will note when the portions came out much too large or much too small (which is rare for my kitchen.) Please adjust the cost accordingly if you are cooking for a different number.
4) I purchase all of my meats, seafood, and vegetables from Whole Foods. I only purchase sustainable seafood and grass-fed free-range meat (a standard for Whole Foods.) This means these are at the high-end of a cost for a meal but I believe you achieve the best results with the best ingredients. However, clearly you can spend less by going to a non-gourmet supermarket.
5) Costs are by the meal. So the cost includes the entree as well as the side dishes. You'll have to estimate on your own to determine what just a piece of this meal would be.

Shrimp, Mango, Vegetable Rice Salad with Lemon Broccoli

This meal was full of as many veggies as were possible to squeeze in but left you feeling full of carbs (rice) and protein (shrimp) which I find to be quite the nice little trick. This refreshing and light, summer-y meal was different and delicious. I especially enjoyed the enticing colors as I put on the finishing touches.

But I must admit, I'm also excited for this post for another reason. Today we debut the cost line along with the time and difficulty ratings at the top of each post. I started tracking how much each meal I cook costs, adding up the ingredients at Whole Foods and the local supermarket (as well as the occasional farmer's market.) Please tell me in the comments what you think of this new feature!

A few things to know about the costs:
1) This only includes new ingredients I must purchase. This means that typically spices and baking basics (think flour, sugar, vanilla, cornmeal, etc.) are already included because I keep my kitchen full of those.
2) This also means some "staples" will not be included. For instance, rice. I buy large portions of rice at once and only use a cup or so at a time, making the bags last a long time. I do not include this in my cost, but also believe it would not add much since just a fraction of a container is used each time.
3) All costs are based on meals for TWO people, but I will note when the portions came out much too large or much too small (which is rare for my kitchen.) Please adjust the cost accordingly if you are cooking for a different number.
4) I purchase all of my meats, seafood, and vegetables from Whole Foods. I only purchase sustainable seafood and grass-fed free-range meat (a standard for Whole Foods.) This means these are at the high-end of a cost for a meal but I believe you achieve the best results with the best ingredients. However, clearly you can spend less by going to a non-gourmet supermarket.
5) Costs are by the meal. So the cost below includes the shrimp rice salad as well as the broccoli. You'll have to estimate on your own to determine what just a piece of this meal would be.

And so let's go!

Time: 1 hr 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Cost: $24.84, but enough for at least 4 people

Crunchy Pink Peppercorn Crusted Mahimahi with Vegetable Kebabs with Tzatziki

The tropical and middle eastern came together in this dish! I tracked down pink peppercorns to make a brightly colored (and flavored) Mahi that is paired with a tropical salsa. Perfect for the summer! This was paired with some freshly grilled vegetable kebabs served with a homemade and healthy classic tzatziki sauce. Middle eastern meets the tropics and it works out quite well.

Finally, I roasted some red potatoes to go along with the rest of the meal. A light cajun spice provided their flavor, but the tzatziki cooled down any mouths that had a touch too much cajun. To round it out, pair this meal with a crisp white wine that complements the salsa and vegetables.

Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: easy

Crunchy Pink Peppercorn Crusted MahiMahi
Time: 25 minutes

Roasted Vegetable Frittata

Tonight was about utilizing leftover vegetables in a new and interesting way. I decided to delve into frittatas for the first time, and after taking a bite quickly decided that this would certainly become a staple of my kitchen. My boyfriend, hesitant that an egg dish could possibly constitute an entree, quickly became a convert.

I had leftover stir-fried veggies from a previous meal, but feel free to cook them up just for this as well. You can put nearly any vegetable (or many meats) into this dish, so it is a great meal as the week comes to a close and you want to make sure that nothing goes bad.

Worried about the health? The cholesterol? As you'll see below, I trimmed down the fat, cholesterol, and calories with some egg substitute and low-fat cheese. Yet I still used a few real eggs to make sure that the frittata tasted as delicious as possible.

Time: 35 min
Difficulty: easy

Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 equivalent egg beaters (probably 3/4 c)
1 c. shredded cheese (low fat)
1.5 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup roasted vegetables of your choice
1.5 tbsps vegetable oil

As you will see, this recipe is open to many variations, but that's what makes it so terrific. If you already have roasted vegetables, start by raiding your fridge and finding them. If not, we must cook them!

Slice into bite-sized pieces whatever vegetables you would like to include. I used onion, yellow squash, zucchini, and mushroom. However, tomatoes, caramelized onions, eggplant, spinach, bell pepper, broccoli, and potato would all be good additions as well.

Heat a pan over medium to medium high heat on your stove and add about 1/2 tsp of olive oil. When the oil is heated add your vegetables to the pan. Stir frequently to keep them from burning and to make sure they cook evenly. Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes depending on what type of vegetables you are using. When they are cooked through and soft, remove them from the stove and dump them from the pan onto a plate to cool. Let the vegetables cool a little.

Once your vegetables are assembled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, a typical frittata is prepared by cooking the egg on the stove until it is just about set and then broiling it. However, to do this you need a dish that can go on the stove AND in the oven. If you are like me, you have nice teflon plans with black handles that do not get hot. But that means they are most likely made of plastic and cannot go in the oven. So this recipe is adapted and prepared in an ethnically Moroccan way to get around this barrier and provide a delightful taste.

As your oven preheats, get your eggs ready. Beat 3 eggs until just combined in a large bowl. Add the equivalent of 3 egg beaters. Usually, 1/4 cup of egg beater is equivalent to one egg but check the container to make sure.

Shred 1 cup of cheese of your choice and add that. I used low-fat mozzarella, but any kind will work. Add the pepper, basil, Thyme, and salt. Mix well.

By now the oven should be hot. Take an 8x8 or 9x9 glass baking dish and pour the vegetable oil into it. Tilt the dish back and forth to make sure it is well coated. Place the oiled dish in the oven and leave it there for 15 minutes. You want the oil to be very, very hot for the next step with it.

As the oil heats, finish letting your vegetables cool enough to touch. Add them to the egg mixture. Mix well.

(Read through the next steps to make sure you understand. You will want to move very quickly without having to keep checking this recipe!)

After the oil has heated in the dish for fifteen minutes, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, being careful not to burn yourself by splashing the oil. Immediately pour the egg mixture (with the vegetables in it) into the dish. The egg should start sizzling and cooking immediately; the hot oil makes sure the egg instantly sears on the outside and starts to cook as soon as it is poured in. Right away, return the pan to the oven.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the egg is set. The time will vary based on the egg/egg beater combination you used and the size of the dish, so check by lightly shaking the dish. If the egg swirls around, it's not ready.

When the egg is just about set, turn your oven to a high broil. Broil for 3 minutes or just until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, cool for a couple minutes, and bite into this delectable dish.

Tropical Mango-Kiwi Salmon with Squash Gratin and Peach-Raspberry Crisp

Considering the heat wave right now, tropical food just seems appropriate. That's right - today is 102 degrees outside and anything cold and refreshing sounds absolutely amazing. So pick up some mango, kiwi, and Salmon on the way home and whip up a meal that truly cements the feeling that you're standing in the middle of the tropics. Oh, and you might want to take some water with you as you walk to and from the grocery store even if it is just half a block away.

With the Salmon I served a squash and sweet potato gratin, flavored with some freshly grated Port Salut cheese which is one of my favorites. And to round out the meal we had a Peach and Raspberry Crisp. It's both healthy and delicious, satisfying your sweet tooth without packing on the calories. Use fresh fruit from your local farmer's market and you'll feel even better about it!

Time: 1 hr 15 min
Difficulty: medium

Squash Gratin
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2.5 cups yellow squash
2.5 cups sweet potato, sliced
3/4 c. 1% milk
1/3 c. vegetable broth, no salt added
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 c. freshly shredded Port Salut
1/4 c. panko

Get your oven preheating to 400 degrees. As it heats, wash your squash and slice them lengthwise in half. Put them in microwaveable dish and sprinkle with a couple teaspoons of water. Microwave for 3-5 minutes, testing after 3 minutes to see if they are tender. Stop when they are tender. Let them cool to the touch and slice them.

Wash and slice the sweet potatoes. I prefer to keep the skin on (so much nutrition in the skin!) but you can remove it if your prefer. Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let them simmer for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Drain the potatoes.

Grease a 9x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray and mix the squash and sweet potatoes together in the pan.

Pour the milk in a pan and turn it to medium high heat. Add the broth and pepper and whisk. Add the flour and whisk. Keep whisking but let it cook for 4-5 minutes or until it just starts to thicken and little bubbles form at the edge. Add the shredded cheese and keep whisking, stirring just until the cheese is melted. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour the cheese mixture evenly over the vegetables in the baking dish.

Sprinkle the panko over the top of the mixture and bake for 20 minutes.

Tropical Mango-Kiwi Salmon
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb Salmon (sustainable varieties only!)
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp soy sauce, low-salt
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 c. diced mango
1/2 c. diced kiwi
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp olive oil (again)

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Place the salmon in a large plastic bag. Mix together the honey, soy sauce, olive oil, and black pepper until well combined. Pour the mixture into the bag with the salmon and shake well to coat the Salmon. Set the bag aside and let it marinate for 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

While the fish is marinating, peel, chop, and combine the mango, kiwi, cilantro, and orange juice in a bowl. Toss well and set aside.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Let it heat for a couple minutes and then add the olive oil. Let this heat for another couple minutes. Remove the Salmon from the bag and place on the grill pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes and then flip. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. When the fish is done flip it back over so the skin side is down and pour the salsa over the fish. Immediately remove from the heat and enjoy.

Peach-Raspberry Crisp

Time: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients:
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. butter, chilled and then cut into small pieces
6 cups sliced peaches
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup raspberries
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. raspberry jam, melted

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Get your oven preheating to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Add the little pieces of butter and use two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture. It should resemble coarse meal by the end.

Toss the peaches with the lemon juice in a large bowl. (Lemon juice will help to keep your fruit from browning once it is cut.) Add the raspberries, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Toss lightly to avoid crushing the raspberries.

Grease an 8x8 glass baking dish with cooking spray and pour the fruit mixture into the dish. Drizzle your melted jam evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture evenly over the fruit and jam.

Bake for 45 minutes. The top should be browned when it's done. Enjoy as is or serve it with creamy ice cream for a special treat!

Potato Crusted Haddock with a Southwestern Salad with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Potatoes - yumm! Haddock - yumm! Salad chock full of veggies - yumm! That's right, this meal makes me happy. It's a generally simple meal but adds just enough excitement to make it stick out. Haddock is a generally plain and simple fish, but crusting it with garlic mashed potatoes adds an interesting flavor and the contrasting textures work out very well.

Then to add color and excitement we have a southwestern salad that could nearly stand on its own as a meal. It has beans, veggies, chips, and lettuce all at once. Make a big salad (oh, Elaine) and then take the leftovers to work for a healthy, yet delicious and filling, lunch for the week.

Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: medium-easy

Potato Crusted Haddock
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 lbs potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1.5 tbsp butter
1/2 c skim or 1% milk
1 lb Haddock
1/2 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Wash your potatoes and cut them into chunks that are 1-1.5 inch cubes. I prefer to wash the potatoes well but leave the skin on (for nutrition as well as taste) but if you strongly prefer you could peel them as well.

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let the potatoes simmer for 15 minutes. Drain well and then return the potatoes to the pan and keep the pan on low heat.

Also at this point get your oven preheating to 450 degrees.

Mash the potatoes with a masher. Add the salt and pepper and continue to stir well. Slowly add the 1.5 tbsp butter (it works best if it is already at room temperature) and the milk. Mix and mash until they have the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Grease a glass baking dish or baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the Haddock fillets on the dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Spread the minced garlic evenly over all of the fillets so they have a nice garlic topping. Finally, use a large spoon to crust each fillet with the potatoes. If you have extra that's okay, but make sure they have a very generous crusting on top.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over all of the fillets, on top of the potato mixture. Use a spoon to lightly tamp down the cheese into the potato mixture so it won't burn on top by itself.

Bake the fillets for 8-10 minutes or until nearly done. Then broil for 2-3 minutes. The potato crust should be crispy and lightly browned on top.

Southwestern Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
Time: 20 minutes

This salad is good on its own, but the dressing truly makes it terrific. The cilantro lime vinaigrette is light, tangy, and refreshing. Even if you're not into southwestern salads make this for any other salad to spice it up!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tbsp shallot, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

2 corn on the cob
1 bag romaine lettuce
1/2 c. green onions, diced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 can black beans
2 large tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 dozen blue corn tortilla chips

Put the lime juice, sugar, wine vinegar, olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, shallot, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk well until all of the ingredients are well blended. This will be your dressing, but for now set it to the side. (This is all of the ingredients above the space.)

Shuck the corn as your grill heats up. Grill the corn for 10-12 minutes or until charred. Let it cool until you can touch it and slice off the kernels.

Place the romaine in a large bowl and add the corn, onions, 1/4 c. cilantro, and tomatoes. Drain and rinse the beans, then drain them again. Add the beans to the romaine bowl. Toss well.

Drizzle the salad dressing over the entire salad and toss again to make sure the dressing is distributed evenly. Do not use all of it if it turns out to be too much.

Once the salad is tossed and ready to be eaten place the blue corn tortilla chips around the edges to make a "bowl" type look.