Lemon Parmesan Crusted Flounder

Here’s a recipe that with just one additional ingredient – the mighty lemon – you can turn a traditional crusted flounder into a zesty, flavor-filled dish. It is also perfect for this Lenten season. I always enjoy adding a bit of lemon to my seafood. By simply adding the zest and juice of one lemon to the batter and breading, you get the flavor baked right into the fish. Simple and easy!

Lemon Parmesan Crusted Flounder

4-6 flounder fillets (you can also use tilapia or cod)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
zest and juice of 1 lemon
dash of salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚. Lightly beat egg and lemon juice in a bowl (you can add just a bit of water to make the egg batter last). In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Dip the fillets into the egg batter, then pat them into the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated. Place the fillets on a lightly sprayed 9×13 glass dish. Bake for 15 minutes until flaky.

Macaroni and Cheese Muffins

If you are a parent of younger kids, you are well aware of the constant struggle to get your children to eat something new and different. Most days, the only acceptable home cooked meals (i.e. not fast food or bagel bites) are either pasta, chicken, or mac and cheese…which, of course, is just another form of pasta. A key trick which we are often told as parents is to keep the meals fun and interesting, and the kids will then be encouraged to try something new. Unfortunately, being a full-time working parent does not allow one much time during the week to think beyond the routine menu, let alone get creative.

While this dish may not be completely new to your table, this clever variation on the American classic does help bring a little fun and excitement to mealtimes. My sister-in-law made a variation of these for our family Superbowl party just a few weeks ago, and the kids ate them up! Not only are they simple to make, but they also give you a chance to get a bit more creative with a standard mac and cheese dish. Feel like sneaking some veggies into your children’s diet? Add some finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower to the mixture. Or top the bites off with a slice of tomato and a bit of extra shredded cheese (they’ll look like little pizza cups). Wanna get a bit more fancy for the adult servings? Try using a bit of prosciutto to line the baking tins! You can also switch up the cheeses that are used in the recipe below, or use another recipe to your liking…our family mac and cheese recipe calls for shredded American cheese instead of mozzarella.

You can go with either the large or mini bite-size muffin tins, depending on your preference. Although I’d rather use a nice home made macaroni and cheese recipe for this (the AllRecipes.com version is listed below), you can also use the boxed stuff if that is your preference. For an even cheesier taste, substitute the bread crumb crust with crushed cheese flavored crackers. This is also a good meal to get into the Friday night mix during this Lenten season. Just remember to leave out the prosciutto!

Macaroni and Cheese Muffins
Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese*
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese*
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil and salt; set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, it should still be a little bit firm. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan; stir in the butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of sharp Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar cheese, milk and mozzarella cheese into the pasta. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan. This will allow the cheese to set and they will hold their muffin shape.

*Our family mac and cheese recipe does not use mozzarella, but rather shredded American cheese. You can use your own mac and cheese recipe, or simply alter the above recipe to your liking).

Pale Ale Risotto with Smoked Gouda, Ham and Peas

In a recent ‘Joe Sixpack’ article that appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, author Don Russell highlights some of the incredible combinations that local cheese makers and craft brewers are pairing together. It was very inspirationional to learn how centuries-old techniques are being embraced and incorporated into modern-day cheese and beer making. It encouraged me to put together a recipe using two of my favorite pairings, pale ale and smoked gouda. It was also an opportunity to put one of my less favorite beers (Blue Moon Belgian Pale Ale, which came in a mixed case…not bad, but by far not my favorite of this style)  to good use.

Because we are smack-dab in the middle of a frigid winter, I decided to go with risotto, one of my favorite comfort foods. I also added to the mix diced ham and peas, another of my favorite combinations, for a little extra texture and taste. This turned out to be a very hearty and flavorful dish that needed no extra seasoning. It hit the spot on a below-freezing weekend night…even my 4-year old loved it!

Pale Ale Risotto with Smoked Gouda, Ham and Peas

1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 12-oz bottle pale ale (any pale ale will do, or an IPA will add a more complex taste)
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cooked ham, finely diced
1/4 cup peas, cooked
6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Heat the low sodium chicken broth to near boiling, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent. Add the rice, sautéeing until each grain is coated.

Add the beer and heat to simmer, stirring constantly. When the beer is mostly absorbed, add a ladleful of hot chicken broth to the saucepan. Stir constantly while simmering. Repeat procedure (ladle and stir once the liquid is mostly absorbed) for around twenty minutes.

When you are down to the final two ladles of broth, stir in the ham, peas and cubed gouda. Continue to ladle and stir, the gouda will melt into the risotto.

When all broth is incorporated, remove from heat, add the parmigiano reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir well. Serve with crusty bread.

Saying “Cheese” to New Resolutions!

Another year, another round of New Year resolutions! Since starting this blog back in 2008, most of my resolutions have been food related (learning how to make home made pasta, new challenges with Una Mamma Italiana), and because of this my resolutions have been fun and enjoyable to partake in! This year, I have my cousin Jenny to thank for setting me up with my 2013 food-related resolution. Her Christmas gift to me was a fantastic book called Artisan Cheese Making at Home. The book is very well put together and is a lot of fun to look at – the pictures are absolutely mouth-watering. Everything from ricotta and mascarpone, to créme fraiche and greek yogurt, to cocoa rubbed jack cheese, ale-washed trappist cheese and tips on how to make smoked mozzarella are covered in appetizing detail. Obviously, some of these cheeses can’t even be considered just yet, not only for my lack of skills but for the lack of space and set-up in my basement. But that’s not going to stop me from reading and absorbing this book, attempting what recipes I can handle and sharing with you my journey in cheese making. If anything, I’m looking forward to trying out some of the suggested recipes included in the book…even if I have to sneak over to the 9th Street Market to get my hands on some good quality cheese, wrapped and ready to go.

I also have some other fun ideas in mind for the blog this year. Keep an eye out over the next few months for new recipes featuring:
• risotto
• soups
• pot pies
• pasta dishes
• my kids’ take on panzarotti vs. calzone

Plus…I’ll be joining my friend Carl for a very special home brewing post!

I’ll also be chasing down Una Mamma Italiana for another food challenge or two…and hopefully some other surprise visits from other special contributors.

Thanks again for visiting…here’s to a great and appetizing 2013!