Our Fabulous Bites

 This was a hit in our house.  When Isla cooks, she leaves out the tomatoes, but I think it is better with the cooked tomatoes. Serves 6 Ingredients Pesto (or use a recipe you already like, or store bought) 2.5 cups fresh basil 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or other nuts. I'm often cheap and use a less expensive nut like almonds) 3/4 cup parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil salt and black pepper to taste Pasta Ingredients 24 cherry tomatoes 6 T olive oil salt and black pepper to taste 14-18 ounces linguine (preferably from the dairy section, not the dry aisle) 3 minced garlic cloves, minced 30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined Directions 1. Make the pesto by blending all the ingredients in a food processor.  Cover and set aside until ready to use. 2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Drizzle 1 T olive oil over the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven for about 8 minutes. Set aside. 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the...

I could eat salmon daily if it was financially responsible. This was another yummy quinoa dish that was all enjoyed. The only thing I wish I had done differently was get a better sear on the salmon. Next time. Mexican Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Salmon and Cilantro-Lime Dressing 2 boneless, skinless salmon fillets 1 c. cooked quinoa 1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained 14 oz corn 1 tbsp minced garlic 3 tbsp chopped green onion 1/4 c. chopped cilantro 2 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tsp cumin S&P 1/4 c. evoo 1 roma tomato, diced 1 avocado, diced extra cilantro for garnishing Preheat oven to 400. Pat salmon fillets dry. Generously coat both sides of each filet with evoo and season with s&p. Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon fillets in the skillet and sear on each side for about 2 minutes, they should be nice and golden. Place skillet in the oven and roast for 6-10 minutes (or until cooked through). While the fil...

We made this dish tonight, and all four of us really enjoyed it! It's yummy over rice or pasta. Spicy Creamy Garlic Shrimp Shrimp (however much you want) 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 T olive oil or butter S&P to season 1/2 C red pepper, diced (or roasted red pepper) 1/4 C cooking sherry (called for white wine, but we only  had the sherry) 3 tsp crushed chili paste 3 T chopped fresh basil or italian parsley (we used both) 1 1/2 C whipping cream Lightly saute garlic in the olive oil/butter over medium heat. Add shrimp, season with s&p and saute for about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from the pan and add the white wine/sherry. Reduce to about half before adding the chili paste, red pepper, and cream. Simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes until the cream begins to thicken slightly. Add the shrimp back to the pan along with the chopped herbs and simmer for an additional minute before serving over your favorite pasta, or rice. Bon Appetite!

All three of us really liked these dishes. We really enjoyed using the cornmeal for the crust; gave it a little crunch, without feeling heavy like breading or batter. And the couscous was light and flavorful. Oh and both of these come together in minutes!! Super quick and easy. Mmmm, mmmm, I love yummy, light, healthy dishes. Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia 4 tilapia fillets 1/2 c cornmeal 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 tbsp fresh parsley zest of one lemon (reserve lemon for serving) 2 tbsp oil Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. In a shallow plate, combine cornmeal, salt, pepper, parsley, and lemon zest. Dredge tilapia fillets in the cornmeal mixture. Cooke fillets 2 at a time, about 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second. Sprinkle fresh lemon juice on top, or serve sliced wedges on the side. Tomato & Basil Couscous 1 c. chicken/veggie broth 1 1/4 c. couscous 1/2 c. chopped green onions 1/2 c. diced...

Okay so we did like this dish, but we felt like it needed a little extra something. I wish I would not have added the [little] sugar it called for, because we don't like our tomato sauces sweet. It was still good, we just want to play with it more. We tend to like our own tomato sauce recipes better. You might love it though! The shrimp was yummy, we could eat shrimp daily. Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara Marinade: 1 lb of shrimp 1 tbsp olive oil (i use sunflower) 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped Spicy Basil Marinara:  2 tsp olive oil (again, sunflower) 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more if desired (i added quite a bit more, we like it spicy) 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, pureed 1 15oz can tomato sauce 2-3 tsp sugar, optional (i'll leave out next time) S&P, to taste 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped Parmesan cheese, shr...

Well my friends, when we make tacos, boy can we can eat! We've had to learn how to control ourselves because my goodness they are easy to down. Last night, I made fish tacos for the first time, and all three of us loved them! I think these are a great first fish taco. From here we want to experiment with many more flavors. This one is simple, light, and delicious. Plus, they are really quick to make! And for those who are scared of fish...I urge you to try Tilapia. I promise you with all of my heart, it is not fishy! Any GOOD fish shouldn't taste fishy; if it does it means it's not fresh. But Tilapia really is a pretty tasteless fish. Which allows you to just throw in any flavors! You can do it!  Cilantro Lime Tilapia Tacos 2 tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry (frozen bag from Costco) 1 tsp olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (remove seeds for less heat) 2 cups diced tomatoes 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopp...

Josh made this for me months ago! We wanted to post it for a while now, but we kept forgetting to take a picture of it to post, so finally. We're working on a way to make it prettier, and I was thinking a teriyaki sauce drizzled on top might be yummy, but I'd have to experiment. Anyways, it's easy and yummy, as long as you like salmon. Seared Dijon Salmon with Peppered Lemon Rice - created by Joshua Jewett Bigger 2 Salmon Fillets 1 T. Butter Dijon Mustard Garlic cloves, minced (as much as your heart desires; we love garlic) 1 c. Rice 1 t. Basil 1 t. Thyme 1 c. Water 1 c. Chicken Broth Lemon Juice Pepper First cook your rice with the water, chicken broth, basil, and thyme. While the rice is cooking, prepare the salmon by spreading Dijon on top of the fillets, and sprinkle with s&p if desire. Melt the butter in a pan on medium, add the garlic, cook for about 1 minute, then add your salmon. Depending on how big your fillets are, it should really only t...