Poached Perch

 This is perfect for a summer dinner or anytime.

1 lb. perch fillets

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1/2 c. each: white wine, water

1/4 c. shallots

1 - 2 T. each: butter, oil

1 clove, garlic crushed, chopped

Peel, rinse, chop shallots.

Peel, rinse, crush, chop garlic.

Preheat skillet to medium high heat, lower heat to medium low, add oil and butter.

Add perch and cook on 1 side for a few minutes.

Flip fish over and cook on other side for a few minutes more.

Transfer fish to a clean dish.

Add wine, water, salt, pepper, garlic to the skillet. 

Carefully add perch back to the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes or until perch is cooked.

Remove perch from liquid with a slotted spoon or spatula and place on a clean serving dish.

Reduce heat and let liquid reduce for a few minutes.

Drizzle liquid with a clean spoon over perch.

Serves 4.

Banana Splits

 This is perfect for summer or anytime.

I’ve used sliced strawberries, but you can use with berries you like.

4 bananas

1 c. each: chopped strawberries, chopped fresh pineapple

3/4 c. chopped nuts
4 - 6  T. Chocolate sauce
Low fat whipped cream
2 - 3 c. Ice cream 

Rinse, remove stems from strawberries. 

Cut strawberries into slices and place in a small clean bowl, set aside.

Open up a small can of pineapple, drain liquid, set aside.

Open up a jar of your favorite crushed nuts, set aside.

Peel bananas. Slice bananas in half lengthwise.

Place bananas in 4 clean dessert dishes. 

Arrange 2 scoops of your favorite ice cream over bananas.

Top banana splits with your favorite toppings.

Serves 4.

Grilled Salmon

 This is perfect for summer or anytime.

4 salmon fillets

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper, granulated garlic

2 - 3 T. oil

1 - 2 T. balsamic vinegar 

Preheat grill pan to medium high heat, lower heat to medium low, add oil.

Add salmon to pan, sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic on both sides of fish.

Grill salmon on 1 side for 5 - 8 min. 

While fish is cooking, spoon some of the vinegar over the fish. 

Flip fish on other side and cook fish for 5 - 8 min more. Spoon some of the vinegar on top of fish.

When salmon is finished cooking, turn off stove and let fish rest for a few minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

Chicken Kabobs

 This is perfect for the 4th of July, summer, tailgating, game day or anytime.

I’ve used a grill pan, this is great on an outdoor grill or under the broiler too.

1 1/2 - 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 large onion, cut into 36  1 - 2 inch pieces

2 large bell peppers, cut into 36  1 - 2 inch pieces

36 cherry tomatoes

1/3 c. olive oil

juice & zest of 1 lemon

1 - 2 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. each: dried parsley, oregano, dried basil

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

Place 12 wooden skewers in a baking dish with cold water to soak for at 1 least hr. 

This will prevent skewers from burning.

Peel, rinse and chop onion into 1 - 2 inch pieces

Place into a clean bowl, set aside.

Rinse tomatoes under cold water and place into bowl with onions.

Rinse, seed, chop peppers into 1 - 2 inch pieces, place in bowl with tomatoes and onions.  

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place bowl in refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble skewers.

Peel, crush, chop garlic.

In a measuring cup combine: 1/2 of the oil, salt, pepper, herbs, garlic.

With a zester, zest lemon into measuring cup. 

Cut lemon in half and through a sieve, squeeze lemon into measuring cup. Stir with a clean fork to mix.

On a clean cutting board, cut chicken into 1 - 2 inch (36) pieces and place into a clean bowl.

Pour oil mixture over chicken and toss to coat. 

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to marinate for a few hrs.

To assemble skewers:

Remove bowl with vegetables & meat from refrigerator.

Remove skewers from water.

Preheat grill pan to medium high heat, lower heat to medium low, and add oil.

Thread meat and vegetables onto skewers, place skewers on grill on 1 side for a few minutes. 

Rotate skewers to evenly cook on all sides for a few minutes or until done.

Serves 4 - 6 (2 - 3 skewers each).

Lemon Granita

This is perfect for summer or anytime.

 Enjoy!

2 c. cold water

1/4 - 1/3 c. sweetener (optional)
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice

Cut lemons in half, juice lemons into a cup, set aside in fridge.

Bring water to boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium high, add sweetner and stir until dissolved about 2- 5 minutes. 

Set aside to let cool for 20 - 30 min.

Pour juice through a strainer into pan with water. 

Mix well with a fork. Pour mixture into a meatloaf pan. 

Run fork through liquid a few times.

Cover with plastic wrap, and put in freezer.

40 minutes into freezing, take pan out of freezer and run fork through liquid a few times.

Put back in freezer. 

Repeat the process every 40 minutes for 3 - 4 hours or until done. 

This will keep the mixture from freezing solid.

Serves 4 approx.

Simply Steak

Happy Fathers Day all!

 This is great way to honor dad on Fathers Day or anytime. 

I’ve used a grill pan but this also works on the grill or under the broiler too.

4 steaks

1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper, granulated garlic

1 - 2 T. oil

1 T. Worcestershire sauce


Place steaks in a shallow baking dish.

Drizzle Worcestershire sauce & oil over both sides of steaks.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic over both sides of steaks.

 Cover steak and let marinate in fridge for a few hours.

Heat grill pan to medium high heat. 

Lower heat to medium and place steak on grill pan and cook on 1 side for 5 - 10 minutes. 

Turn steaks over and repeat cooking process until desired doneness.

Serves 4

Keto Meatballs

This is a great recipe if you are following a Keto diet, want to reduce carbs or anytime. 

Ground round was used, feel free to use what ground beef  you like.

 2 lb. lean beef (ground round)
1/4 tsp. each; salt, pepper

1 can each: diced tomatoes, tomato sauce
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 - 2 cloves chopped and crushed garlic
1 - 2 eggs (cage free) or egg substitute (adjust amount needed)
1/3 c. each: diced onion, bell peppers (adjust amount needed)
1/2 tsp. each: parsley, oregano, basil
2 -  3 T. oil (enough to coat pan)

Non stick cooking spray 

Preheat oven to 350’ F.

Spray baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Crush, peel, chop garlic.

Peel, rinse, chop onions. 

Rinse, seed, chop peppers.

Crack eggs into a clean small bowl. 

In a mixing bowl combine meat, spices, eggs, garlic, herbs, vegetables.

Mix well with clean hands. 

Form meat mixture into 8 meatballs. 

Preheat skillet to medium high heat. lower heat to medium, add oil. 

Place meatballs in pan and brown on 1 side for 7 - 10 min approx. 

Turn meatballs over and brown on other side for 7 - 10 min. more or until brown.

Remove meatballs from pan and drain excess fat from meatballs if needed.  

Place meatballs in baking pan and pour tomatoes and sauce over meatballs. 

Cover baking pan with foil and place in oven.

Cook meatballs and sauce for 30 - 40 min. or until done. 

Serves 4.