How was the fish?

I need to catch up on my blogging.  We have had a very busy week with a lot going on here, so my blog went on hold. I made the fish and the black bean salad I last blogged about.  We all really liked the fish.  The parmesan sauce was really yummy.  I did put it on cod instead of tilapia, as that is what I had on hand.  The black bean salad was ok.  My husband gave it a 6.  I would probably give it a 7.  Patrick, who loves black beans, didn't like it.  That recipe won't go in my cookbook.

If you are new to my blog then you need to know that I am trying to cook new recipes in order to put together a cookbook of all recipes that my very, very, very picky husband and 15 year old son will eat.  I find a recipe, tweak it to fit my home, make it, rate it, and either keep it if it gets at least 2 thumbs up, or delete it if it doesn't.

What I haven't told you is that I am hoping to take the cookbook at the end of about a year and put it together and printed off to give each of our other 4 grown up children.

Tilapia and Black bean Salad tonight! Keep your fingers crossed.

I took spring break off from this blog.  We used that time to cook outside hamburgers and chicken.  Also revisited some of the family favorite recipes.  Made some of the recipes already posted on my blog also.  We had a Saint Patrick's Day Potluck.  I made the corned beef and potatoes and cabbage in the crockpot.  It was still wonderful.  I did substitute 1 cup of beer for 1 of the cups of water.  I highly recommend this recipe.

Tonight I am going to make Broiled Tilapia Parmesan and black bean and corn salad. I will let you know tomorrow the picky family's reactions.  Here are the recipes I will be using:

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together black beans and corn. Toss with vinegar

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.            

How about some Salmon Patties?

Update on the Greek pasta with beef.  It was good.  Everyone liked it.  I will keep it in my cookbook with the following changes:  Use only half of the macaroni.  I only had half a package and I am glad.  Any more and the sauce wouldn't have been enough and it would have been very very pasta-y (made up word).

Last night I made an old favorite - Salmon Patties with homemade Thousand Island Dressing.  We all loved them, and they were extremely economical.  I served them with asian slaw.  Here are the recipes:
Salmon Cobb Burgers:
One 14.7 ounce can salmon, drained and picked over
1/2 C. breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
a large egg, beaten
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the salmon, breadcrumbs, 2 T. Parsley, the egg, and mustard.  Shape into 4 patties.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the patties and cook turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.
Serve with thousand island dressing, as a sandwich on toasted bread, or alone.

Thousand Island Dressing
This is so easy, I don't measure.  I just stir to my taste.

Ketchup  ( use about equal measures of the ketchup and the mayonnaise)
Mayonnaise
pickle relish (I use about 1 T.)
chopped onion, if you like it. (My family doesn't care much for the onion, so I leave it out)
Stir together.  It is best if it sits in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Tonight Greek Pasta with Beef for Dinner!

The last two recipes I posted were for baked pork chops and alfredo potatoes.  We really liked the pork chops.  Del liked the stuffed alfredo potatoes.  I much prefer just regular twice baked potatoes.  I am not keeping the potato recipe.

Tonight I am making greek pasta and beef.  Here is the recipe:
1 package elbow macaroni (16 ounces)
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1/2 c. water
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Sauce
1 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 t. cinnamon
3 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni according to package direction.  In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and seasonings.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain macaroni.
In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, egg and parmesan cheese; set aside.  For sauce, in a large saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour and cinnamon until smooth.  Gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat;  cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.  remove from the heat.  Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, stirring constantly.  Stir in cheese.
In a greased 3 qt. baking dish, spread half of the macaroni mixture.  Top with beef mixture.  Pour sauce over top.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 min. or until bubbly and heated through.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Del picked this one for us to have for dinner.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

New Recipe Goals and Progress.

I am finding that I have to change my goal.  I can't make a new recipe every day.  My family almost always has leftovers and we try to make a recipe last for two days.  Also, my picky family (MPF) likes me to make some of their old favorites OR we occasionally go out to eat.  So I will probably not post every day - more like every other day.  I am now saving my recipes on a flash drive and deleting them if at least two of the three of us don't love the recipe.  I am going through all my piles of food magazines and scanning the recipes I think we will like and organizing it into folders on my flash drive.  I think this will work, but I am not sure.  This is just an update for any of you reading my blog.

PS:  I would really love for you to share with me a great recipe you may have and/or comment about any of mine.  Helps me know somebody is reading this. :)