Potato Crab Chowder

We FINALLY got snow last night!!  Yup - it's almost March and the news anchors were actually out DRIVING around telling us how the roads were....think us Minnesotans are bored ?!  Now it just needs to snow another foot so we can do some snowmobiling!!  So in honor of the 4 inches we FINALLY got - I made up this yummy soup to curl up to!  (well, that and we wanted to taste Aruba again....and that is where we had this awesome seafood stew!)

This was actually very easy to make - AND it's super healthy!!  The crab meat was around $8 - so kinda pricey BUT you have to think about leftovers....really you are spending that on 6 servings!!  I would for sure make it again - I'm a texture freak and this crab didn't bug me at all!!  ahhh soooo good!

We had this with some french bread - but if you have a lot of time on your hands, you could make your own Dinner Rolls. (I think I just wanted to reference again that I made bread from scratch....hmmm mmm)

Makes 6 servings - 6 Sister Blog

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 onion chopped

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove minced

1 lb of red potatoes, chopped into one inch cubed squares

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups skim milk

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

8 ounces lump crab meat

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon of salt

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes. Add potato; sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, corn, and broth.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in crab, parsley, and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meatloaf

It was girls weekend up in Bayfield this weekend, so it was such a treat to come home and have such a yummy meal prepared!!  This was very easy for prep - just takes ah hour to bake.  It was pretty good - it wasn't my favorite meatloaf ever, but I would make it again and try to tweak the sauce a little to make it a little less tomato-y.  We made this up with some Mashed Potatoes and it was a great Sunday night dinner!!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb ground beef

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

Sauce:

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/3 cup BBQ sauce

Preheat over to 350.

In a large bowl - combine everything.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a greased loaf pan.

In a separate bowl, mix the sauce - pour over the meatloaf and bake for 1 hour.

Honey Sesame Chicken

I heart my hubby!!  I had a stressful day at work - and came home to dinner on the table!!  Ross actually was able to put this in the crock pot over lunch - and then all he had to do was heat up some noodles when he got home....quick and easy!!  I would add in some veggies next time for some more flava!  We made this with creamette noodles - but you could for sure do rice too!!

Serves 4 - 6 sisters blog

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too)

Salt and pepper

1 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor)

4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water

Sesame seeds

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.

In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Apple Butter Pork Chops

Check out how awesome this whole meal was....we made up these yummy chops PLUS had brown rice and Broccoli Salad.  Talk about best meal ever....PLUS the leftovers will last us all week!!  This was amazing :)

Serves 4 - OBB cookbook

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 lb. ½”-3/4” thick)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup high-quality apple cider
¼ cup apple butter (found this next to peanut butter)
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons Creole or coarsely ground mustard
1 teaspoon pressed garlic
1/2 recipe of  Caramelized Onions

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.

In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture and then brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re brown and crispy.

While the pork chops are browning, combine the apple cider, apple butter, water, garlic, and mustard. When the pork chops are done browning, add the cider mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to evaporate and thicken.

Remove from heat and evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the pork chops. Cover the pan with a lid and place in oven for 30 minutes.

Caramelized Onions

So we are going fancy at the Sodahl household.....we had the best meal tonight - and what helped make this GREAT was the onions!!!  You can use these onions to top burgers, pizza, sandwiches, dips....OR Apple Butter Pork Chops!!

OBB cookbook

Ingredients:
2 large sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
kosher salt (black pepper optional)
optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon brown or white sugar

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When butter is melted, add onions.  Toss with a spatula until onions are coated in oil/butter mixture.  Reduce heat to medium/medium low and stir frequently for about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and continue to cook, stirring every few minutes for another 15-30 minutes or until onions are a rich amber color.  If desired, add sugar about half way through cooking process.  

Oven method (works well for larger amounts, at least 4 onions and up to a full pot):  Place onions in a dutch oven and toss with oil and/or melted butter.  Place lid on oven and cook in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

You can also put the onions in a crock pot, but to really get them cooked they have to stay in there for a long time, and I like the flavor from a skillet better.

Fajitas

Cabin weekend - WOOT WOOT!!!  We had the Anderson's up to Dam Lake and this was the most perfect meal to make after a full day of ice golfing / fishing!!  We made up both steak and chicken - and did up all the sides ourselves!   This was WAY better than Chipotle....yeah I just said that!!  It was so DELICIOUS!!  ahhhh SO GOOD!!

Makes about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or steak

2-3 bell peppers, stem and membranes removed and peppers quartered

1 large onion (any color/variety) sliced into 1/2″ slices

Tortillas

Sour cream

Shredded Cheese

Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

Black Beans

Pico de Gallo
Quac

Marinade:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

3 teaspoons vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Place meat in a zip-top bag or shallow dish.  Place vegetables in another.  In a medium bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and whisk well.  Reserve 3-4 Tablespoons of marinade for later use.  With remaining marinade, add a splash to the vegetables (enough for a light coating) and the remaining to the meat.


Marinate for 4-6 hours and up to overnight.


Preheat bbq grill (my preference), indoor grill pan, or large skillet.  If you’re using a grill, place everything on at the same time.  If using a skillet, slice peppers and onions first.  Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side until cooked through and remove from pan.  Cover with foil to keep warm.  Add vegetables and cook until crisp tender.


Remove vegetables from cooking surface and slice.  Slice meat.  Toss with reserved marinade and serve.

Quick & Easy Black Beans

Ahhhh now this is a bean recipe!!  I usually skip the beans at Chipotle, cause let's be honest - I'm full on just the rice.....BUT we made Fajitas this weekend at the cabin, and this was the PERFECT touch!!  This was so, so, so good!!!!

Makes 6 1/3 C servings

Ingredients:
2 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
2/3 cup chicken broth (or water, I use broth for extra flavor)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 lime

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. 

Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh (yes, that’s a technical culinary term) some of the beans. You don’t want to pulverize them, but you want to take a bunch of good smooshes so that some of the beans are smashed, which will thicken the sauce. I like mine on the thicker side so I smoosh quite a bit. They will thicken more upon standing.

If you want a more soupy consistency, just add a little more broth.

Sausage McMuffins

Hello McDonalds - what's up ?!  ahhh best hangover meal EVER :)  Thanks Andersons for the yummy breakfast - such a good idea!!!

Ingredients:
English muffin
Egg, poached
Sausage patties
Slice American cheese
Hashbrown (right in the freezer section of Rainbow)!

1. Toast up your English muffin
2. Poach an egg
3. Heat up sausage
4. Throw a piece of sliced cheese on top
5. Throw hashbrown in the toaster

and BAM......McDonalds McMuffin......!!!!  ahhhh sooo good!!

Chicken & Parmesan-Garlic Pizza

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all you love birds out there :)  I had to make dinner festive for the occasion!!  We are headed to Chatterbox for some drinks and games to celebrate our LOOOVVVEEEE, so figured we would make up some dindin before we headed out.  This pizza was SUPER good and SUPER easy!!   ahhh that Parmesan-garlic sauce is amazing!!  Next time I'll throw some black olives, onion, and mushrooms on there too.....the more the merrier!!

Courtesy of Mr Ross Sodahl

Ingredients:

Betty Crocker Pizza Crust (just add water - super slick!)

Parmesan-Garlic sauce from BW3
Chicken
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 425.

Cook chicken and cut into bite-size pieces.  (we just threw ours in some olive oil and fried it up)

Mix up the crust - and then shape onto a greased pizza pan......check out that heart!!

Top with 1 cup of sauce - and then throw some cheese on top of that.

Cut up broccoli and tomatoes and layer that on - then top with chicken - then one last sprinkle (ok dump) of mozzarella cheese - and stick in the oven for 15 minutes and HEAVEN in your mouth!!

Card Album

So I have this awesome daily "Organize Your Life" calendar - and one day was "simplify an old collection"....and I've collecting postcards from places I've been / others have visited (yes, most are from my dear old dad!) since I was a little girl, so I thought this would be a good idea to "simplify" them instead of getting rid of them!!

This was super easy - and is a good way to look through them all too!!  I think this would be a really good idea for wedding cards or just those nice letter/cards you have kept over the years!

Supplies:
2 pieces cardboard
2 pieces card stock
Hole puncher
Ribbon
Metal Ring
2 brads (scrap booking tool)
Letter stickers

All I did was go through all my postcards and split them between "World Travels" and "USA Travels".  Then I organized them in size - so I knew how big I would have to trim the cardboard.  Then I cut the cardboard to fit the largest postcard - then cut the card stock and glued that on top of the cardboard.

I hole punched the cardboard and all the postcards where I wanted it - put all of that on the metal ring.

Then I wrapped the ribbon around the book - used the two brads to secure the ribbon to the back of the book - and then cut the ribbon to fit the book / bow / knot.  (Whatever you decide to do)

I then used my cricut to create the letters on the front - but scrap booking stickers work too :)

AND then you're DONE!!  It's that simple - and now you have a cute way to present all your post cards / cards / invitations!

Lemon-Orzo Salad with Veggies and Chicken

Had Miss Linda over for dindin tonight, and we made up a very healthy meal!!  This was super yummy - and it made me feel even better that it was so healthy!  AND you get to use that leftover orzo you have in your pantry :)  Plus, it was super easy to make - you could speed it up even faster and used canned/leftover chicken!!

Serves 4: OBB Cookbook

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch.  Drain and place in a large salad bowl.

While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper.  Whisk to combine.

Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta.  Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle some of that awesome feta cheese on top!!

Mac & Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

Winter / Cozy Yumminess tonight at cookbook!! This was VERY rich and VERY filling - but it was really good!!  I liked the touch of the roasted tomatoes and the breadcrumbs on top!  We had TONS of leftovers since we stuffed ourselves with the appetizer we made tonight :Cheddar bacon Ranch Pulls.  We teamed this with the Olive Garden Salad - so good!!  I'm just all cozy thinking about it....hehe.

10 servings - Recipe Girl Blog

Ingredients:
8 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (about 2lbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1lb uncooked multi grain whole-wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 cup flour 
5 cups 1% low fat milk
1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
½ cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
½ tsp paprika


Preheat oven to 400°F.


Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat foil with cooking spray. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle with thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and garlic. Bake for 35 minutes or until tomatoes start to dry out. Keep oven preheated.


Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.


Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium-heat 8 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add cheddar, fontina, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and pasta. Spoon into a 13×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and paprika; sprinkle over pasta mixture.


Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Olive Garden Salad

Who doesn't LOVE Olive Garden Salad?!  ahhh we had pasta tonight at cookbook so we had to try out this recipe!  It was pretty much dead on....no more going to Olive Garden for this girl - I can make this at home by myself :)  There were no leftovers with only 4 of at cookbook tonight - so take the hint....and make it!!

6 Sisters blog

Ingredients:
1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
4-5 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
2-4 Banana Peppers
1/2 C. Croutons
1 small Tomato Quartered
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese 


Place bag of salad in bowl. Place red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons on top of salad. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Dressing on top.  You can add more or less of each ingredient depending on your preference. 



Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Corn Syrup
2  tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
2  tablespoons Romano Cheese
1/4  teaspoon Garlic Salt - or one clove garlic minced
1/2  teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2  teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Blend all ingredients together and chill until ready to use.  The dressing will be a white color, but will taste very similar to Olive Garden's House Dressing.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls

Cookbook club in the house!!  Ahhhh we made this and it lasted about 2.2 seconds!!  It's so not healthy - but it doesn't matter...it's THAT GOOD!!  In the recipe it said it was called "aka - Crack Bread" - and well, it is....OMG so good!!

6 Sisters Blog

Ingredients:

1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread

8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust.

Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts.

Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ahhh I love crock pot meals!!  This has to be the easiest way to make dinner!  I threw this all in the crock pot before I left for work this am, and came home to my house smelling like heaven!!  This was so, so, so good!!  It has worked awesome for leftovers all week too!!  We ate this up with some cottage cheese, sunflower seeds, and chips (don't knock till you try it...I got Ross hooked!)

Makes a lot : 6 sisters blog

Ingredients:
1 (5 to 6 pound) bone-in pork shoulder/butt roast
1 envelope dried onion soup mix (or dehydrated onions)
salt and pepper
1 can root beer
2 cups barbecue sauce, divided
buns

Trim roast of excess fat. It's okay to leave some on there-- just get rid of the large, visible slabs.

Place roast on a work surface and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Use clean hands to rub the mix into the meat, reaching underneath to reach all sides. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place seasoned roast in your slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together root beer and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Pour over the roast in the slow cooker.

Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 10 to 11 hours, or until internal temperature is above 190 degrees F. and meat is tender enough to pull away from the bone.

Remove roast to a cutting board and let sit to cool for just a few minutes. Pour out all but about 3/4 cup of the juices from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the pork, cutting around and discarding any fatty pieces. Place all of your pulled pork back into your slow cooker. Add about 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce. Stir to combine and place the lid back on. Heat on HIGH for about 15 to 20 minutes, just until pork and juices are hot and bubbly. Use this time to heat up buns and get the rest of your meal ready.

Scoop pulled pork onto buns and serve immediately.

Garlicky Broiled Salmon and Tomatoes

We had the Sodahls over tonight to thank them for taking care of miss Graycie while we were gone - so we had to make some sort of FISH!  This was AWESOME!!  I feel like I keep saying that - but this was so so so good and light.....AND it took like 5 seconds to make!

We just made up some shrimp with the Charlie's Honeymoon Sauce for an appetizer - and then served the salmon with brown rice and garlic bread.  It was PERFECT!!  I'm not really a fan of eating tomatoes (unless they are on a sandwich or burger), but they were so tasty and went perfect with the salmon!  Looks like this family is going to be making fish and seafood all the time :)

Ingredients:
4 (6oz) skinless salmon fillets
4 medium tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, sliced

Heat broiler.  Place the salmon and tomatoes, cut-side up, in a broiler safe roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.

Sprinkle the salmon with the paprika.  Drizzle the salmon and tomatoes with the oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Scatter the thyme and garlic over the top.

Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout and the tomatoes are tender, we did about 15 minutes - but started at 8 and checked every 2 minutes after.

Cream Cheese-Stuffed Lemon French Toast with Strawberries

Nothing beats just waking up, throwing in bfast and eating yumminess for breakfast!  This was super good and super easy!  I cut it in half cause I didn't think the leftovers would taste that good - so I'll let you know :)  This was awesome though!  It was a very sweet breakfast - but we had lots of strawberries to use and this was  the perfect recipe for that!

Serves 10-12: OBB 

Ingredients:

6 large, stale butter croissants
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 lemons
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Strawberry Sauce
Sliced fresh strawberries (about 2 cups)

Slice the croissants in half lengthwise. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, zest of one lemon, strained juice of one lemon (about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons), and 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Spread the lemon cream cheese mixture over the bottoms of the croissants and then replace the tops, pressing down to flatten. Cut into halves (or even fourths if necessary) and arrange the pieces evenly in a 9×13″ pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the milk, eggs, lemon extract, zest from the second lemon, and remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Pour evenly over the croissants and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 8-10 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake covered for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the croissants are golden brown and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and top individual servings with Strawberry Sauce, fresh sliced strawberries, and, if desired, sweetened whipped cream.

Honey-Ginger Glazed Tilapia

Second seafood meal of the week....can you tell we liked the seafood in Aruba ?!  :)  This was unbelievable!    I really don't like the "fishy" taste, but the sauce totally covered that!  This was so so so good!  It was so light and so quick to make.  I'm in love...this is a Sodahl fav!

OBB Cookbook

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
2 teaspoons minced or pressed garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
4-6 (4oz) tilapia fillets (or other favorite fish)

Creamy Dipping Sauce
6 ounces fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Juice of 1 small, juicy lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon lime zest
Sriracha sauce to taste (1/8-1/4 teaspoon will suit most tastes)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and olive oil. Marinate the fish in the mixture for 20 minutes-1 hour.

While the fish is marinating, whisk together the creamy sauce ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and brush with vegetable oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the fish for 4-6 minutes per side or until it flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce alongside steamed veggies and brown rice.

Shrimp Boil

We are back from ARUBA - and it was a BLAST!!  We ate fresh seafood every single night - and every bit of it was AMAZING!!  (For someone who doesn't really like seafood - I LOVE Aruba's seafood!!)

We decided to have my parents over to look through all our pics - and wanted to thank them for taking care of Graycie, so Ross found this awesome shrimp boil!  We had a similar dish at Charlie's Bar in Aruba - and I have to say.....this was fairly close!  It wasn't AS good but that was really only because we used frozen shrimp instead of fresh!  This was super tasty!!  I have to say the best part was the spicy "Honeymoon Sauce" we brought home from Charlie's Bar.....BUT the combo of the entire boil was awesome!  There is something about peeling your own shrimp that makes you feel very Caribbean!!  :)

I want to go back to ARUBA!!!  haha

Ingredients:
4 quarts water (16 cups)
1 can (12oz) beer
1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons salt
8 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 lbs lean smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ears fresh corn, shucked and halved crosswise **we used celery and carrots instead**
4 lbs unpeeled jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count)

Bring water, beer, Old Bay, and salt to boil in 12-quart stockpot on high heat.  Add potatoes and onions.  Cook 8 minutes.  Add smoked sausage - cook 5 minutes.  Add corn (or celery and carrots) - cook 7 minutes.

Stir in shrimp.  Cook 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.  Drain cooking liquid.  Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter (you know - one that has a SEAFOOD peg on it!!  hehe)  Sprinkle with additional Old Bay Seasoning, and serve.