Mmmmmm......MUSSELS!

Bruschetta Style Mussels with Shrimp & Scallops

I love mussels...especially in the Spring and Summer when I am sitting on a patio and having a glass of wine. There are so many great recipes...but I truly love them best when there is butter and garlic in the recipe! If you think you don't like mussels....please try out this recipe...the flavors are bold and before you know it.....you will be picking up your bowl of broth and slurping it up! :) So if you don't want to slurp out of your bowl....make sure you have plenty of crusty bread to serve with this dish so you can soak up the broth with the bread. You can use any type of mussels that you like and if you cannot find fresh mussels....it's ok....just use good quality frozen ones.

Bruschetta Style Mussels
1 lb Mussels (washed and cleaned, discard any that are open)

1 lb Raw Shrimp

1 lb Scallops

2 tomatoes (diced)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2-3 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 stick butter
1-2 jalapenos (seeded and chopped) or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups fish stock (you can also use clam juice or vegetable stock)

1 lime

Saute garlic and jalapenos or pepper with butter until the butter melts. Add tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes, then add the basil and stock. Bring to a slight boil and add the mussels. Cover pan and steam the mussels for 3 minutes, until mussels are almost done. Add shrimp and scallops and cover again and steam for another 3-4 minutes or until most of the mussels are open and the shrimp and scallops are done. Go through and throw away any mussels that have not opened. Squeeze the lime juice all over the pan then use a slotted spoon to put the mussels, shrimp and scallops in either one large bowl or individual bowls then ladle the sauce over the seafood and serve with crusty bread.

I know a whole stick of butter seems like a lot but this is a big recipe which I served to 12 people as an appetizer. (so see splitting the stick of butter by 12 people is really not that bad!) You can modify the recipe to make a smaller batch.
I call this bruschetta mussels bc I use basically the same ingredients (basil, tomato, garlic) as I do to make my bruschetta.
The aroma of the tomatoes, garlic and basil cooking in the butter is amazing!
Once you add the mussels to the sauce, make sure to stir it up so that the mussels get some of the sauce inside the shells.

Adding the shrimp and scallops after the mussels have steamed for a few minutes ensures that the shrimp and scallops don't overcook.
I buy a loaf of French or Italian bread and brush each piece with a garlic butter that I make that also has crushed red pepper in it. I add shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella to some of the pieces.
Broil the pieces of bread in the oven until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

I love serving all the seafood in one big bowl and then giving my guests their own bowl to grab what they want.

Make sure to spoon a little of the sauce on the bread then top with a couple mussels and take one big bite.........then tell me you don't like mussels! :)

Moving!

I have been crazy busy moving the last few weeks so hopefully I'll get internet service soon at home and will be able to post some recipes for you all! Hope you're all doing well. You never really know how much STUFF you have until you move....it's sickening! So if you've put off Spring Cleaning for awhile....take the time this year and really go through your stuff. My husband and I gave away so much stuff to charity and it makes us feel better that someone out there will appreciate it and use it unlike us who kept this stuff in boxes and closets for years!

MIA

Sorry that I've been a bit MIA lately....life in the catering biz is hectic and it's been very hard keeping up with my blog. I worked on several great dishes this past week and will post this coming week....don't give up on me...I will be back as I'm trying to organize my photos and recipes to make it easier for me to do my posts! Much love....Avesta

By the way...my mother and I have been working on making some fun aprons....what do you all think?

Pan Fried Halibut

Pan Fried Halibut with Dill & Lemon

As most of you know who read my blog regularly...I love seafood and I know I've done a lot of shrimp and scallop recipes on here but have failed to do many fish recipes...so here's the beginning of many to come. I enjoy fish prepared many ways, but my favorite is pan fried. I love the crispiness the fish gets and I feel this process keeps the fish very juicy and flavorful. Halibut is an easy fish to serve as it is mild, slightly sweet and has nice firm and flaky meat. This makes it perfect for grilling and pan frying. When pan frying fish you can coat the fish with breadcrumbs or flour but I often just pan fry fish with just a nice coating of seasoning. This saves me calories and allows the flavor of the fish to stand out. If you have never tried Halibut please try out this recipe! I promise you will have a new favorite fish....yes...there is more to fish than salmon!

Here's some benefits of Halibut from my favorite website http://www.whfoods.com/:

Health Benefits
Halibut are truly a nutrient-dense food. A very good source of high quality protein, halibut are rich in significant amounts of a variety of important nutrients including the minerals selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium; the B vitamins B12, niacin, and B6; and perhaps most important, the beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are so named because they are essential for our health but cannot be made by the body; they must therefore be obtained from foods. Cold-water fish like halibut are a rich source of the omega-3 essential fats, a form of essential fatty acids in which the standard American diet is sorely deficient. (The other form of essential fatty acids, the omega-6s, are plentiful in a variety of commonly consumed oils such as corn and safflower oil. In fact, the omega-6s are so plentiful in the typical American diet that too much omega-6 is consumed in proportion to omega-3s--an imbalance that promotes inflammation, thus contributing to virtually every chronic disease in which inflammation is a key component.)

For more benefits of Halibut....please visit:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=95

Pan Fried Halibut with Dill & Lemon

4 Halibut steaks

2 lemons (1 sliced for garnish, 1 sliced in half for the juice)

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or fresh chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (optional)

sea salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

4 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

Heat both oils in a saute pan until hot but not smoking. Make sure to pat dry the Halibut steaks and season both sides with salt and pepper. Slowly add Halibut to hot oil and let the steaks fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes then flip. After the steaks have been flipped and have fried for about 2-3 minutes, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of fish and sprinkle with dill, garlic and red hot pepper.

Be careful when squeezing lemon juice as it may spatter if it touches the hot oil. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and serve fish with steamed veggies or herbed rice. Garnish fish with fresh lemon slices and more fresh chopped dill. Sprinkle the top with more ground hot pepper or paprika.

When pan frying...make sure your oil is hot so that you get that browned sear on your meat!

I only sprinkle the Halibut with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper at first.

Make sure the fish is nice and golden brown before flipping. This should take 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve the Halibut with steamed veggies for a low calorie and healthy meal!
I garnish the fish with fresh lemon slices and more fresh dill on top. I top it all off with some more ground red hot pepper or sweet paprika.

Vegetarian Okra Stew

Vegetarian Okra Stew

I have been trying to workout more and eat healthier this year and so far....so good. I'm not saying that I am limiting my diet in any extreme way...I will never give up any food group or style of food (i.e. no fried food...no white sugar....no white flour...etc) sorry I just can't do that. I live life to enjoy it and one of the biggest enjoyments in my life is well.....eating. But I do believe in moderation and I feel if you do include some very healthy items in your diet well then the bad stuff doesn't hurt you as much....I'm no doctor and this may not be true at all....but it sure does make me feel better! :)

One of the changes I've been making is trying to eat more vegetarian dishes. I don't mind eating vegetarian as long as there is FLAVOR! And there's no better way to add flavor than to add ethnic spices to dishes. This okra stew is a variation of a stew my mom made a lot when we were growing up. I remember thinking okra was horrible the first time I ate it....but as I got older and as I ate it more....I've slowly fallen in love with this very unique vegetable. And even if you don't like okra....please try this stew and see if it changes your mind. It is so delicious with the flavors of cumin and nutmeg and if you eat it over rice........oh wow.....the sauce is soaked up by the rice and really....it's hard for me to eat just one serving! But if you are not eating carbs then skip the rice....it's still delicious on it's own.

My mom always used lamb or beef in this stew but I've added some extra spices and skipped the meat in this version. You can always add some lamb or beef stew meat if you'd like. I have to admit it is spectacular with meat in it, too!

Okra Stew

16 oz frozen or fresh baby okra

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2-3 cups water

2 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon red hot pepper (optional) I like everything a little spicy

salt and pepper to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)

Saute the chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil just till soft. Add the tomato paste and saute for another 30 seconds and then add the diced tomatoes and mix well. Season with the nutmeg, cumin, allspice, hot pepper and salt and pepper and stir.

Add the water to the mixture, mix and bring to a slight boil. Add the okra, cover your pan and lower the heat to simmer the stew. Let the stew simmer until it has thickened and the okra is nice and soft, continue to mix during the simmering process.

Taste the stew before serving to make sure your seasoning is right as the flavors should intensify as the stew reduces. Add more water if your stew is overwhelming or add more spice if it is not to your liking. Serve over rice or just in a bowl with some naan or pita bread.

I buy frozen baby okra from the Middle Eastern market for this stew (especially when I can't find good fresh okra) but you can use regular frozen okra or if you can find fresh okra...that's great, too!

The flavors in this stew get even better as it continues to simmer and reduce.

I love using the baby okra because it is so tender...so if you can find baby okra....use it!

The final product is a rich and healthy stew that you can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it in batches to enjoy later!

Curried Potatoes n Peas

Curried Peas n Potatoes

I love Indian inspired foods and this curried peas and potatoes recipe is very simple and can be eaten as a side dish but is hearty enough to eat as a main dish. I love eating it with plain white rice. The rice soaks up the flavors of the sauce and it is so good for you! You can adjust the amount of curry and spice to your liking....I like it really hot so I add a bit more when I'm making it just for myself.

Curried Peas n Potatoes
4 tablespoons Ghee (you can find this in nice grocery stores with an ethnic food aisle or in Middle Eastern grocery stores (or you can make your own clarified butter or use 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil so the butter doesn't burn)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 Bay leaves
1 tablespoon Curry Powder

2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (or you can use ground cumin)

2 teaspoon ground red hot pepper
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Coriander

pinch of cinnamon
3 Potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
Salt to taste

2-3 cups water

Heat ghee or clarified butter in a medium sauce pan and saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until golden.

Add cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute before adding the red pepper, turmeric, coriander, and salt. Mix well and saute for another minute.

Add potatoes and peas and stir. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.

You can use fresh potatoes and peas or canned potatoes and frozen peas if that's what you have on hand for this recipe. Just adjust the cooking time if your potatoes are canned because they will not need to cook as long or they'll get super mushy.

The peas are packed full of nutrients, including Vitamin K, folic acid and Vitamin B....all very good for bone and heart health!

So maybe you can get your family to eat peas by adding more flavor to them. Doesn't this look much better than a bowl of plain peas?

Very Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

So I had to make peanut butter fudge for my son's class and I don't make fudge that often so I was a bit worried. I am not a huge fan of fudge....mostly because a lot of times it is dry and brittle. I don't enjoy fudge that falls apart as you bite into it. I enjoy a creamy piece of fudge so if that's what you like, then try out this recipe....it is very creamy and so simple (as I used the microwave instead of doing it on the stove....I had no time that night to use a candy thermometer...etc)! I also like my fudge to be tall....I don't mess around with flat pieces of fudge so this recipe may seem like it makes a lot but if you use a 9 x 13 pan....it will make nice, tall pieces. If you are using a 8 x 8 pan...then you can half the recipe and it will be fine.


One more thing....I know there's corn syrup in this recipe and that is kind of controversial right now....but I believe (as in everything....in moderation....it is fine) plus it really does help in the consistency here....and if you make this recipe you'll understand what I'm talking about so again....MODERATION is always key.

Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

8 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 cup light corn syrup

2 sticks melted butter (unsalted)

1 tablespoon vanilla

In a microwavable bowl, mix together all ingredients the best you can. Microwave mixture 1-2 minutes at a time and after each time, pull out the bowl and mix well. Repeat this step until your mixture is smooth and creamy (usually takes about 2-3 times in the microwave depending on your microwave's strength). Pour mixture into a buttered or sprayed pan and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for a few hours. Once the fudge seems to be set and is firm, cut into squares and serve.

Because we don't cook this recipe it is a little difficult mixing the ingredients together at first.

Once you mix everything together the best you can, you microwave the mixture 1-2 minutes at a time.
Once you have a creamy mixture that is well blended, it's ready to be poured.

Pour your mixture into a buttered or sprayed pan so that your fudge will easily come out of the pan.

Final product....rich and creamy....not too sweet peanut butter fudge!