MAX'S RITZ CRUSTED ALASKA HALIBUT FILLETS

An incredibly quick, easy and fabulous halibut dinner
my husband made the other night...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 5 Mins.
Cook: 5 to 7 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

Frying:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Halibut prep:
4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets (ensure they are of even 1" thickness)
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 sleeve whole ritz crackers, finely crushed

Serving Sauce:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise

METHOD:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add olive oil and butter.

Meanwhile, pat the halibut fillets dry with paper towels.  Brush all sides of fillets with olive oil, then sprinkle both sides as well with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Place ritz crackers in a small shallow dish, press halibut fillets in cracker crumbs to amply coat.

Fry fillets, not touching, in preheated skillet without moving for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn fillets over, and continue to fry without moving for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Remove fillets from skillet to a platter and let juices redistribute (without covering).

While doing so, prepare sauce by whisking ketchup and mayonnaise in a small bowl, then serve alongside halibut fillets. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: We ate these incredible halibut fillets with a nice side dish consisting of a large green salad gently tossed with light vinaigrette...

SANDRA'S ASIAN-STYLE STIR-FRY SAUCE (Homemade)

An incredibly quick and easy stir-fry sauce recipe
that pairs well combined with a variety of Asian meat, poultry, and vegetable
stir-fry main dish meals...

Prep: 10 Mins.

Cook: 5 Mins.

Yields: (Appx. ¾ Cup)

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chicken broth

3 tablespoons rice wine

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Pinch of white pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon arrowroot (or cornstarch)

2 tablespoons cold water

METHOD

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, broth, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil and white pepper.

Dissolve arrowroot in 1/4-cup cold water (slurry), and set aside nearby.

Heat all ingredients, except slurry, in a small saucepan until gently boiling.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 minute. Mix the slurry (as it will tend to settle), and add to saucepan while whisking.  Cook, whisking, until the sauce boils and thickens.  Remove from heat and use this sauce with your favorite meat and/or vegetable stir-fry recipe. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S MEYER LEMON STIR-FRY CHICKEN over STEAMED RICE

I created this recipe using Meyer Lemons
grown on my indoor dwarf citrus tree.

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 15 Mins.
(+ Time to steam rice)

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1 meyer lemon, zested, and juiced

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1” strips

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, ¼” thick

1 cup diagonally sliced red bell pepper, ¼” thick

½ cup diagonally sliced onion, ¼” thick

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley

--Prepared steamed brown rice

METHOD

(Prepare steamed rice, so it is ready when stir-fry is completed.)

Grate 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest and set aside.

My Lovely Indoor-Grown
Meyer Lemons

Juice the meyer lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of juice with broth, soy sauce, honey, and cornstarch in a small bowl. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs.

Add carrots to pan and saute for 1 minute.  Add mushrooms, and bell pepper, and onions to the pan and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, reserved lemon zest, pepper, and reserved chicken and accumulated juices; saute, until fragrant for about 1 minute.

Whisk the broth mixture, and add to pan; stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve stir-fry over brown steamed rice, and sprinkle with parsley.  Enjoy!

SANDRA’S AWESOME ALASKA FRY BREAD

My mom served our fry bread hot
 with warm Syrup, as do I...

Yields: 4 Fry Bread
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Fry: 6 to 8 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sugar
1/2 cup warm tap water
peanut oil for frying (or vegetable oil)

METHOD

Began by heating the 2" deep oil to 360 degrees in a large cast-iron skillet (or and electric fry pan).

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, salt, powdered milk, and baking powder into a large bowl, and add the sugar. Pour the water over the flour mixture all at once, and stir the dough with a fork until it starts to form a ball. Flour hands, and mix the dough to incorporate the flour into the mixture to form a soft and pliant ball. (You want to mix the dough well, but DO NOT knead it, which will make for heavy Fry Bread when cooked.) The inside of the dough ball should still be sticky after it is formed, while the outside will be floured.

Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Using floured hands, stretch, and pat to form disks of about four inches in diameter and quarter-inch thick. Fry until golden brown, and then flip to fry the other side. Each side will take about 3 to 4 minutes. Place Fry Bread to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. - Enjoy!


--You can eat the hot Fry Bread drizzled with honey, spread it with jelly, dip it in hot maple syrup (my favorite because this is how my Mom served it to our family, as shown in photo), as a vessel to fill with fish taco ingredients, and so on.

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Tip: This Fry Bread can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 20 minutes. They also refrigerate well, and then can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for 12 minutes before serving.

SANDRA'S CRISPY TENDER CHICKEN GIZZARDS

This is an adaptation of the chicken gizzards
I often eat while at Pikes Place Market in Seattle
~  It works fantastically...

Servings: (2)
Prep: Pre-boil – 1 hr. |
Fry: 1 to 2 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Pre-Boil Gizzards
1 lb. fresh chicken gizzards
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon fine-grained kosher salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

***Dredging/Frying
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ teaspoon filtered water
Pinch of cayenne

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons italian bread crumbs
½ teaspoon paprika

Peanut oil for frying

***Season Gizzards
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon fine-grained kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper

--Toothpicks for serving

METHOD

Trim excess gristle from chicken gizzards. Rinse under cold running water. Place gizzards in a medium saucepan, and then just cover them with cold water, and then add the boil seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and pre-boil ‘covered’ for 1 hr.

Cooling par-boiled gizzards

Strain the gizzards,
and spread out to dry on a paper towel lined plate, and let cool.








Meanwhile, add 1” of oil in an electric skillet or dutch oven and heat to 350 degrees. In shallow bowl, beat the egg, water, and cayenne. In large Ziploc bag, add the flour, breadcrumbs, and paprika; mixing to combine.

Once the gizzards are cool, place in a medium bowl, and toss with cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, old bay seasoning, kosher salt and ground pepper.

Dip the gizzards in the egg mixture, and then drop into the ziploc bag with the breading mixture. Shake the bag thoroughly to coat gizzards, and shake off excess.

Perfect lightly browned and
crisp-tender
chicken gizzards

Gently lay the coated gizzards in the hot oil using a slotted spoon (or 'spider'. Cook for just a couple of minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove with slotted spoon (or 'spider') to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and lightly sprinkling with kosher salt while hot.

Serve hot gizzards in a bowl lined with waxed paper; plus toothpicks to spear and eat as an appetizer –

Enjoy!

SANDRA'S PERFECT PORK CHOP SUEY over STEAMED RICE

I grew up eating this on a regular basis, 
and I was inspired today to add more
'fresh' ingredients versus the traditional versions...

Servings: (4 to 6)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook 20 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS:

***Meat:
1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin, trimmed, and cut into 1”x2” strips
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

***Stir-fry:
1 small spanish onion, cut in half lengthwise, and julienned
2 stocks sliced celery, diagonally julienned
1 carrot, julienned
½ red bell pepper, julienned
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 (8-ounce) can slivered water chestnuts, drained
1 (8 oz.) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

***Sauce:
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sherry
***Garnish:
2 green onions, diagonally julienned

---prepared steamed jasmine rice

METHOD:

Begin preparing steamed jasmine rice, as directed so it is done at the same time pork chop suey is. Combine pork strips, kosher salt and ground pepper, and flour in a large ziploc bag; seal and shake to coat meat. Prepare stir-fry ingredients, and set aside. Prepare sauce in a medium bowl, and set aside. Chop green onions for garnish, and set aside as well.

Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add coated pork while separating pieces, and sear without disturbing, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and crisp. Remove from skillet to a plate, and set aside.

Add an additional tablespoon of peanut oil to the skillet, and turn heat to high. Add all stir-fry ingredients and saute for 3 minutes. Whisk the sauce because the cornstarch may have settled to the bottom, and add to skillet. Add seared pork; stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, just until sauce bubbles and thickens and pork is reheated through. Taste for seasonings, and alter if need be by adding kosher salt and ground pepper, if needed. Serve pork chop suey over steamed jasmine rice, and garnish with green onions. – Enjoy!

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Tip: Sometimes I enjoy sprinkling chow mien noodles over the top as well (these crunchy noodles are found in the asian isle of the market ;-)

SANDRA'S ASIAN SIRLOIN SWEET POTATO STIR FRY

An ultimate dish that is healthy and very flavorful,
with all your favorite ingredients merrily
adapted together...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 15 mins. |
Cook: 20 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
12 ozs. sirloin steak, cut into thin slices (it’s easier to slice if frozen for 30 minutes first)
kosher salt and ground pepper
3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 red onion, thinly julienned
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4-cup low sodium soy sauce
2 limes, (1 juiced; plus 1 cut into wedges for garnish)
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

--Steamed brown rice, prepared according to directions

METHOD

Put a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When heated, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir immediately, then stir every 20 seconds or so until the meat loses its color, only a minute or two. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tossing in the sweet potatoes, onion, minced jalapeno, and garlic. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until the potatoes change color and begin to brown, and then stir more frequently until they are tender but not at all mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Return the beef to the pan along with the soy sauce and lime juice. Cook, stirring and scraping bits from bottom of the pan, until the liquid is slightly reduced. Toss in the basil, and stir to combine. Serve over steamed brown rice an lime wedges along side.


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TIP: This recipe also works great with shrimp/prawns, pork, or chicken.  I also make this with moose/venison meat, but I like to simmer the meat beforehand for a couple of hours to tenderize, and then I begin the recipe as listed by sauteing the meat first...