Confetti Tilapia Packets

This recipe came to us from Sean’s co-worker, Lynn. I am not saying but I am saying ~ the magazine “might” have had a sticker on it stating “do not remove from patient area”.   The flavors sound great & it is grilling season so let’s see if it is a keeper.   We are going to pair this with a nice Riesling (no Kul Lite!). 

Note:  Sean missed the “green onion” ingredient so we are using a yellow onion.

Confetti Tilapia Packets ~ Taste of Home Simple & Delicious

1 medium green pepper, cut into ¾-in. pieces

4 green onions, sliced

3 bacon strips, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

4 tilapia fillets (4 oz. each)

4 tsp. lemon juice

In large skillet, sauté green pepper, onions, bacon & celery until vegtables are tender & bacon is crisp; drain.  Add tomato, salt & pepper; heat through.

Place each fillet on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square).  Drizzle fillets with lemon juice.  Top with vegetable mixture.  Fold foil around fish & seal tightly.  Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 15–20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

Tupps Tidbits ~ you will need to pre-cook the bacon, if you don’t,  the veggies will be over cooked by the time the bacon is crisp (this was also noted on tasteofhome.com under users comments);make use to use a heavy duty foil

What could be more healthy & low in calories than steamed fish & veggies for dinner? Another plus, it is Gluten free folks!  The bacon added a nice salty touch to it.  I enjoyed this meal.  I felt it need a bit more flavor, like some Cajun seasoning or Old Bay but other than that it is a KEEPER for us.  Thanks Lynn!    

Crunchy Pea Salad

When looking for a new recipe for this week, we decided we could use a new summer salad.  Sean stated it could be a challenge to find one in a Lutheran cookbook that does not have Jell-O/ gelatin in it.  Of course, the challenge was on, and I found that that looked pretty tasty with cashews & bacon…..so will see…..

Crunchy Pea Salad ~ from First Lutheran Church cookbook of Marshall, MN 1992 (p.245)

1 (10oz. pkg) frozen baby peas

1 c. diced celery

1 c. chopped cauliflower

¼ c. diced green onion

1 c. chopped cashews

½ c. sour cream

1 c. Hidden Valley Ranch original dressing

Crisp, cooked crumbled bacon (opt.)

Thaw peas; combine with other ingredients & chill

Tupps Tidbits ~ pre packaged bacon bits would be an option

Since Sean is not a big fan of “ranch” we decided to make ½ of the recipe.  Also, we used Fat Free Ranch dressing & Light Sour Cream to save on calories.  Let’s just say, the salad lacked “something”…I tried adding pepper & salt but that did not do it.  Don’t get me wrong, it was not bad but just not anything special.  This is definitely NOT A KEEPER.

From -p.89 ~ Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell: while other folks go hungry, we’re eating well.  With home & health & happiness, we shouldn’t want to fuss; by the stack of evidence, God’s been very good to us.

Over the Top Brownies

April is my favorite month.  Besides the return of baseball, tulips, & spring....it’s my birthday month.  When I read the ingredients for these brownies my mouth was watering.  All of my favorite sugar items together in one bar!  This is what I picked this year for my Birthday dessert.   Sean is getting off a little easy since it does start out with a “box” mix but it looked soooo good I could not passed it up.   We will see if it replaces last year’s ...Chocolate Raspberry Rum Cake.  Also wondering if I can wait the “2 hours” though that will be tough!

Over the Top Brownies

~comes from Marcia & Tony Wilson

1 batch brownies (your favorite box mix)

½ cup salted peanuts

1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups

1 ½ cup milk chocolate chips

1 ½ cup creamy peanut butter

½ tablespoon butter

1 ½ cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes in a 9 X 13 baking dish.  Remove & top with peanuts & peanut butter cups, bake for 4 – 6 minutes more.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter & butter.  Stir in cereal.  Remove brownies from oven & evenly pour chocolate mixture over the top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Tupps Tidbits ~ Freeze the peanut butter cups for easy chopping

OK, so I was like a little kid, asking every 15 minutes are they done yet?   And everyone that knows me knows that if it involves chocolate I can not restrain myself & I have no self control.

I could not wait the 2 hours; Sean chose to freeze the dessert to speed up the process! LOL!  These brownies are awesome & extremely rich, proceed with caution!

KEEPER MOST DEFINITELY!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Looking for a fast weeknight meal?  This one comes from the Cooking Light Kitchen with not much extra you need to pick up at the store & not a lot of effort to make.  I would recommend adding a salad or veggies to the dish.  Game Plan ~ while the oven preheats you can toast the breadcrumbs, chop onion & garlic. While onion & garlic sautéing, dice the cheese & chop the parsley.  While mini’s cook prepare your salad/veggies.

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Cooking Light January/February 2011  p. 87

½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup ketchup, divided

3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

¾ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ pounds ground sirloin

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1.      Preheat oven to 420

2.      Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3.      While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion & garlic; sauté 3 minutes.  Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup ketchup, & remaining ingredients.  Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each.  Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until done.  Yield 6 servings (serving size: 1 meat loaf)

Tupps Tidbits ~ I foiled lined the pan for easy clean up.  Kid Tweak: You can omit horseradish for a sweeter meat loaf.  Diced cheese melts into gooey pockets as it cooks.

This is not much different than your good old meatloaf recipe.  Next time we might try a different cheese since ours actually melted right out of the patty.  I enjoyed that it was ready in 40 minutes & that we each had our own mini.  It also makes awesome leftovers for lunch the next day.  Healthy, low in calories, good dinner ~ this is definitely a KEEPER for us.

Next Week ~ Over the Top Brownies

Ranger Cookies

Sean remembered a cookie that his mom had always brought him as child at a local grocery store/bakery for special treat.  When he came across this he thought it might be very similar to this childhood sweet tasting memory. 

A Mennonite family living in a quaint community in Indiana owns a restaurant that provides good food for customers from over a 100 mile radius.  Many asked about their unique recipes & they responded with their own original recipes & others gathered from their employees – many never published before.  This recipe comes from the Amish Country Cookbook, Volume I. Copy Right 1979

Ranger Cookies

By Mattie Graber (driver)

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. shortening, scant

2 eggs & 2 Tbs. water

2 c. flour

2 c. quick oats

2 c. rice crispies

1 c. coconut

1 t. soda

½ t. baking powder

½ t. salt

1 c. nut meats - cut up

Cream sugar & shortening, add beaten eggs, beat until fluffy.

Add soda in water (above). Add dry mixture, & drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees. Do not over bake.

Tupps Tidbits ~   if you read the whole recipe you will notice there is no baking time…how do I know if I over baked then?  I would suggest anywhere from 8-10 minutes.  The cookies will turn slightly brown on top. Also, I would recommend if using a dark pan to lower the temperature to 350.  Also, what the heck are nut meats you say?  I added chopped pecans & walnuts.

It made about 5 dozen.

I will confess after the first batch was out of the oven, I had to try a cookie from each pan that came out they were so good.  Sean’s childhood memory cookie lives on and on and we will KEEP this recipe for sure…….  We are still trying to figure out why they are called “Ranger”.