Teriyaki Mahi-Mahi with Mango Salsa

From a Weber Grill cookbook. I first made this entree when my sister-in-law Sally came to visit June 30th 2001! My neighbors give me fresh mangoes from their tree and the salsa is so yummy. I make this alot at our house.

For the Salsa:
1 large ripe mango
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. finely chopped fresh mint
1 t. minced jalapeno pepper w/seeds
1/4 t. kosher salt

Peel mango and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Place in a small bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir to blend. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the marinade:
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. sweet sake (or white wine)
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. light brown sugar
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. minced garlic

Whisk together in small bowl.

For the Fish:
4 mahi mahi fillets, about 6 oz. each & 1 inch thick
vegetable oil

Place fillets in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade. Press air out of the bag and seal. Turn bag to coat and refrigerate in a bowl for 20 - 30 minutes.

Remove fillets and discard marinade. Brush fillets w/oil. Grill over DIRECT HIGH heat until fish is opaque throughout, 8 - 10 minutes, turning halfway through grilling time. Remove from grill and serve warm with salsa.

Skillet Burgers

1 1/4 lb. ground beef
1 T. oil
1 lg. onion
1 green pepper
3/4 c. ketchup
2 T. sugar
2 T. prepared mustard
1 T. vinegar
1 tsp. salt

Brown meat in hot oil. Chop onion and green pepper. Add onion, pepper and remaining ingredients to meat. Simmer 30 minutes. Serve in toasted hamburger buns

Makes 6 servings

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law, Rene, and it's just great for a quick weeknight meal or a travel day for company. Unlike overly sweet and drippy sloppy joe's - this is just right in flavor!

Cashew Chicken

This recipe is from the original Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals book. Just made it Wednesday for Adam - I make this alot because we love it!

1 box Jasmine Rice (I use 1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid (usually chicken stock) for 3 people)

1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast, diced
Combine chicken in bowl with:
1 Tbl sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
2 T. rice wine vinegar
a couple shakes crushed red pepper
Black pepper to taste
Set aside and let it hang out.

1 T. sesame oil
1 large carrot, peeled and diced into small cubes
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (7 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 heaping Tablespoon sized scoops of Hoisin Sauce
a couple handfuls of unsalted cashews (or lightly salted)
3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle

Following directions on box, start rice. * I just boil my liquid and dump the rice in and stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes then fluff and serve.

Heat oil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until it smokes. Add carrot and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coated chicken and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in bell pepper and chestnuts. Heat through for 1 minute. Add the hoisin sauce and toss to coat evenly. Dump chicken out over a bed of jasmine rice and top with cashews and green onions. Feeds 4 well.

Double Dark Decadent Brownie Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 c. KARO Light Corn Syrup
1/2 c. butter
5 squares (5 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 c. unsifted flour
1 c. chopped walnuts
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Grease and flour 9-inch layer cake pan. (I used Baker's Secret flour and Pam style spray).
In large saucepan bring corn syrup and butter to a boil, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Add sugar; stir in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, flour and nuts. Pour into pan. Bake in 350 degree oven 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. (My oven required 5 - 7 minutes more baking time). Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove: cool completely on rack. (I just placed the rack on top of the cake pan and then flipped the two over and the cake slipped easily out and looked stunning on the rackwith a nice flat top for glazing.) Prepare glaze; pour on top and spread on sides. Let stand one hour. Serves 8-12 depending on slices cut.

Chocolate Glaze
3 squares (3 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter over low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons KARO corn syrup and 1 teaspoon milk.

Note: Made this today and it was delicious! My husband said it was gourmet quality! I'll definitely make this again for any celebration! It's from a December 1987 magazine advertisement from a Good Housekeeping Magazine. I tried to locate the recipe on both the BAKER'S CHOCOLATE and KARO SYRUP websites and it isn't on either one so copy this recipe for your recipe file!

Spinach Cheese Swirls

(Image and Recipe from Pepperidge Farms recipe website)
Ingredients

1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese OR Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Directions

THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 40 min. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix egg and water. Set aside. Mix Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder.

UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Brush with egg mixture. Top with cheese mixture and spinach. Starting at short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 20 (1/2") slices. Place on baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture.

BAKE 15 min. or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 20 appetizers.

Cauliflower and Ham Gratin

Serves: 4

2 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion sliced
8 oz. ham steak, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. whole milk
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt and pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 T. bread crumbs
8 sprigs thyme

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and light golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the ham and cook, 2 minutes. Add the cream, milk, cheese, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Simmer until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower.
• Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs and thyme. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until cauliflower is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest at least 5 minuts before serving.

From: REAL SIMPLE magazine - NOVEMBER 2007 issue.
Made this last night and it was delicious! I used two bags of precut cauliflower florets, goat cheese with fine herbs. Do not skip the fresh thyme step - it made it taste so good!

Not Counting - Short Ribs

Procedure: Short Ribs

• Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the zinfandel, sugar, garlic, fresh thyme, and a pinch of salt. Marinate the short ribs in the wine mixture for 12 hours in the refrigerator.

• Pour 3 ounces canola oil into a Dutch oven over high heat. Remove the short ribs from the wine and allow the beef to rest for several minutes and come to room temperature. Reserve marinade.

• Once the meat has rested, place in the hot pan. Stir and turn the meat often, carefully allowing each piece to brown on each side before removing from the pan. When browned (will take several minutes per side), remove the beef from the pan and add the onions, carrots, and celery.
• Stir constantly and allow the onions to cook until mahogany in color, about 10 minutes; if onions are browning too quickly, reduce to medium heat. Add the short ribs back to the pot along with the reserved wine marinade. Allow the wine to come to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer, skimming foam and fat from the surface of the liquid.
• After simmering for several minutes, add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer uncovered until the meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone, roughly 5 hours.
• Once the beef has cooked, transfer short ribs to a dish and cover. Reduce the pan liquids until they coat the back of the spoon, simmering about 30 minutes.
• Strain the braising liquid and return the short ribs to the liquid. Season the short ribs and braising liquid to taste with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve for later use.

Note: This may all be done up to 3-4 days in advance. Reheat in oven or microwave until meat is at least 160°.

Procedure: Root Vegetable Ragout

• Cut the carrots, turnips, and parsnips into pieces of about the same size and shape, preferably a medium-sized dice. Blanch the cut carrots, turnips, parsnips, and onions together, in a pot of boiling salted water, until tender, about 5 minutes or less.
• Carefully remove from the blanching water with a slotted spoon and place into an ice water bath. Allow vegetables to cool; reserve in refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.
• To serve, put the vegetables in a small skillet along with sherry vinegar, butter, and chopped tarragon. Place the skillet over a medium low flame and warm just moments before serving. Season with salt and pepper.

Procedure: Creamy Polenta

• Lightly season 2 cups water with salt and bring to a boil. Quickly whisk in the polenta until it has been fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to a low simmer.
• Add the butter and allow the polenta to cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and season to taste with salt.

Note: This may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave just before serving.

Assembly

• Reheat the three components of the dish separately.
• On each of 6 large plates, place a couple of spoonfuls of polenta in the center of the plate.
• Carefully remove the bones from the hot ribs and place the beef short ribs over the bed of polenta.
• In a pan over medium heat, bring the reserved braising liquid to a simmer. Once the sauce is hot, check for seasoning and, if needed, add a touch of salt and pepper.
• Spoon the sauce around the beef short ribs and polenta. Carefully place the root vegetable ragout on the beef. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6.