Mediterranean Baked Cod with lemon/garlic

 

• 1.5 lb Cod fillet pieces, 4-6 pieces
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Lemon Juice Mixture 

• 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp melted butter

For Coating

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground coriander 
• ¾ tsp sweet Spanish paprika
• ¾ tsp ground cumin
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
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• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl. Set aside
• In another shallow bowl, mix all-purpose flour, spices, salt and pepper. Set next to the lemon juice mixture.
• Pat fish fillet dry. Dip fish in the lemon juice mixture then dip in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon juice mixture for later.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (watch the oil to be sure it is shimmering but not smoking). Add fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about a couple minutes on each side) Remove from heat.
• To the remaining lemon juice mixture, add the minced garlic and mix. Drizzle all over the fish fillets.
• Bake in the heated oven for until it begins to flake easily with a fork (10 minutes should do it, but begin checking earlier). Remove from heat and sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

• 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced (no more than 1/4 inch in thickness)
• Salt
• oil for frying, preferably olive oil
• 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
• 3 tbsp Za'atar spice, divided
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced
• 1 small red onion, sliced in 1/2 moons
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup chopped dill

FOR THE GARLIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large lime, juice of
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salt+Pepper

1. Prepare Eggplant (optional) Place the sliced eggplant on a large tray and sprinkle generously with salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes (the eggplant will "sweat out" its bitterness as it sits.) Now line another large tray or baking sheet with a paper bag topped with paper towel and place it near the stove.
2. Cook Eggplant (optional). Pat the eggplant dry. Heat 4 to 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium/medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Fry the eggplant in the oil in batches (do this carefully and do not crowd the skillet). When the eggplant slices turn golden brown on one side, turn over and fry on the other side. Remove the eggplant slices with a slotted spatula and arrange them on the paper towel-lined tray to drain and cool.
3. Once cooled, assemble the eggplant on a serving dish. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of Za'atar.
4. Prepare chickpea salad. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onions, parsley and dill. Add the remaining Za'atar, and mix gently.
5. Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing. Drizzle 2 tbsp of the salad dressing over the fried eggplant; pour the remaining dressing over the chickpea salad and mix.
6. Add the chickpea salad to the serving dish with the eggplant.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

 Crockpot pulled pork

2 - 2.5 lbs. boneless pork loin

1/2 onion sliced

1 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

1/2 16 oz. bottle BBQ sauce

2 cloves garlic minced or pressed

1/2 cup water

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
• Cook on medium for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
• Shred and enjoy!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

 Rosemary Ranch Chicken (30m marinate time) 

• ½ cup olive oil 
• ½ cup ranch dressing 
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar 
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste 
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (Optional)
• 3-5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
  

  Directions

  • Step 1

    In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

  • Step 2

    Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.

  • Step 3

    Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Creamed Corn

 Creamed Corn

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed 

1 cup heavy cream 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 cup whole milk 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a skillet over medium heat, combine the corn, cream, salt, sugar, pepper and butter. Whisk together the milk and flour, and stir into the corn mixture. Cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, and corn is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve hot.

Baked Pork Chops

 

• Baked Pork Chops
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons EACH: onion powder and garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon EACH: salt, pepper, and oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 – (1 ¼ inch thick) boneless pork chops

INSTRUCTIONS
Turn your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over both sides of the pork chops. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over both sides of the pork chops and place them in a baking dish. (see notes) Drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Bake the pork chops for 18 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you remove them from the oven, let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES

Try to choose a baking dish that is just the right size for the pork chops. You don’t want there to be too much room between the chops or the juices will evaporate in the oven.

Bake your pork chops for 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness. Add an extra minute for each ½ inch if you’re using bone-in pork chops.

Sausage, Potato and kale skillet

Sausage, potato and kale skillet
3 tbspOlive oil
24 ozRed potatoes, cut in half and boiled in salted water until fork tender
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 tspDried thyme
6 Chicken sausage links or 2 packages of kielbasa sausage, 1" sliced 
1Onion, medium, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1Bunch curly kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

1 lemon 

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large 15-inch skillet over medium-high heat . Add potatoes (cut side down) and cook without stirring until they begin to turn golden brown. Stir and continue cooking until all sides are crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in a few batches. Season potatoes with salt, pepper and thyme.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil and the chicken sausage to the potatoes. Cook until all sides of the sausage are crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Once crispy, add onions and cook until just tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Add the kale. Stir often and cooking until the kale is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Squeeze a lemon over the top of the dish and serve.

*If the kale overcrowds the pan, remove the potato sausage mixture and sauté the kale by itself before adding everything back to the skillet.