February 2, 2012: Coconut Poached Cod Recipe

My husband and I love eating cod. Although neither of us are big fish eaters, we find the firm white flesh of cod or similar fish (such as halibut) delicious. Of course, my husband prefers it deep fried like he gets at the Fish Fry every Friday night at Torreon but now that I’ve lost 5 pounds, I’m not going backward by indulging in fried food. Instead, I came up with this recipe that turned out incredibly flavorful, tender and delicious. Try it and see what you think!

Coconut Poached Cod over a bed of couscous and served with Cremini Salad

Coconut Poached Cod

1 pound cod fillets, cut into four pieces of similar size

One half lime

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

½ cup coconut milk

1 ancho chile in adobo sauce, minced

Seeds of 1 cardamom pod

½ t. fennel seed

½ t. dried cilantro (or 1 T. fresh)

1 t. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Sprinkle both sides of cod fillets with juice from half lime and salt and pepper, to taste.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Add coconut milk and remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Place cod fillets on top. Cover pan with a piece of foil.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 25 minutes (depending on thickness of fillets) until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 4

December 14, 2011: Beef Stew 2 Recipe

During the winter months, soups and stews are some of our favorite family meals. Not only are they economical and easy to prepare, they’re hot and hearty and perfect for a cold winter night, along with fresh-from-the-oven biscuits or rolls.

This is a variation on the beef stew recipe I shared earlier this year that uses Lipton onion soup mix. The spices are different and it has a very unique flavor – but one I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Spicy Beef Stew

1 T. vegetable oil

1 pound beef for stew (try a tough steak, such as top sirloin), cut into chunks

1 small white onion, cut into chunks

1 cup baby carrots, cut into thick, diagonal slices

1 cup chopped celery (use the heart and bottom half of the stalks thinly sliced)

2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

¼ cup ketchup

1 14-ounce can beef broth

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1 cardamom pod

¼ t. ground cinnamon

½ t. thyme

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 t. sea salt

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil to medium. Add the chunks of beef and brown on all sides. Add vegetables and cook five more minutes; turn off heat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover Dutch oven and transfer to a low (225 degrees) oven. Bake for 4 – 5 hours, until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens. Remove bay leaf and cardamom pod before serving.

Serves 4

July 31, 2011: Blackberry Limeade Recipe

Recently my husband surprised me by coming home with two blackberry bushes, four grapevines, and three blue spruce trees to plant in our yard. I was absolutely thrilled! For so long I’ve been wanting to fix up our yard and turn it into our own little paradise on half an acre.

The blackberry bushes came complete with clusters of deep, dark berries ready to pick. With only two bushes, there wasn’t enough to pick to make a cobbler or a pie. I put on my thinking cap for a minute and came up with this recipe, which is for a small amount due to my lack of berries but can be easily doubled or tripled. It is incredibly refreshing, not too sweet, and the color makes it look even yummier.

Tip: If you don’t have any fresh blackberries available, try using frozen instead.

Blackberry Limeade

½ cup fresh blackberries
½ cup sugar
1 cardamom pod
½ cup water
½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice

In a saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, cardamom pod and water. Bring to a boil then simmer for about five minutes, until berries release all their juices. Strain into a pitcher or jar. Add strained lime juice and 3 cups water. Refrigerate or serve immediately over ice.

Makes 1 quart