SANDRA’S ULTIMATE ALASKA HALIBUT CEVICHE

This halibut ceviche lovingly triggers

fond memories of many

of our past Mexico vacations...

Yields: (Appx. 4 cups)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Marinate: 1 Hr.

Stand: 1 Hr.

INGREDIENTS

Marinade halibut:

1 lb. boneless skinless halibut, cut into ¼” pieces

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon sea salt

Fresh lime juice, enough to cover diced onion and halibut (about 1/2 cup)

Ceviche:

3 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

½ red bell pepper, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, and finely diced

1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon lime juice

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

--Restaurant-style tortilla chips

METHOD

Place diced halibut, lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the white onion in a glass or ceramic non-reactive bowl.  Add sea salt and stir.  Let onion and halibut mixture marinate refrigerated for 1 hour, until halibut is cooked through and opaque.

Once halibut is done, drain liquid using a sieve, and place mixture back into a glass serving bowl.

Add remaining diced onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, and sea salt and pepper.  

Toss gently to combine. Place back in refrigerator for 1 hour for flavors to meld.

Serve with restaurant-style tortilla chips. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: Feel free to substitute halibut with scallops, shrimp, crab, or a 1-lb. combination thereof.

SANDRA'S ALL-TIME 'GO TO' MARINARA SAUCE

A hearty and boisterous marinara
sauce recipe that I created
and have never purchased the
store-bought jarred version since...

[Max just informed me that I should not change
an ingredient...a new love has been born
for both of us ~ it's a good thing]

Yields: (5 cups)
Prep: 5 Mins.
Cook and Simmer: 40 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning herbs
2 teaspoons onion granules
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 (14 oz. can) Italian stewed tomatoes, with juices, broken into small pieces
2 (14 oz. cans) tomato sauce
2 teaspoons agave
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

METHOD

In a heavy-bottom large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, saute for 30 seconds.  Add the Italian seasoning, onion granules, and parsley.  Pour in tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, agave, and kosher salt; bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes, then stir in  balsamic vinegar.

Here is a recipe [click on link below photograph] where I've added mini-meatballs to make subs (feel free to use any burger meat of your choice):

Sandra's Marvelous Moosey Mini-Meatball
Open-Faced Subs Recipe

SANDRA’S ULTIMATE ALASKA DUNGENESS CRAB SALAD

I keep the ingredients

to a minimum so the flavor of the
dungeness crab is paramount...

Servings: (4)

Prep: 5 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped or torn

1 tomato, chopped

1 rib of celery, sliced

1 green onion, sliced

½ teaspoon salad elegance

Pinches of fine-grain sea salt and white pepper

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

½ lb. ½ lb. cooked lump dungeness crabmeat, picked over

METHOD

Fresh-Cooked Lump
Alaska Dungeness Crabmeat

In a medium bowl add all the salad ingredients, except the crabmeat, and mix to combine.  Gently fold in the crabmeat, just until incorporated. Transfer crab salad to individual bowls, and serve. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S ULTIMATE APPLE ZUCCHINI CINNAMON SWIRL CAKE

One of my favorite creations...

Servings: (14-16)
Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake: 50 to 55 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Bundt Cake:
--Granulated sugar, for dusting sprayed bundt pan
1 (12 oz.) zucchini, shredded (1 large, or 2 medium)
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Sinfully moist and spicy

1 teaspoon ground cardamom (I used 20 whole green cardamom pods, cracked with seeds removed, and ground in a spice grinder)
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed, and divided
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium red apple (I used Fuji), cored, unpeeled, and shredded
1 cup sour cream

Wet, dry, and swirl ingredients

4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup safflower oil
2 large whole vanilla beans, split, and seeds removed (save scraped beans in an airtight jar to flavor sugar to be used later on in baking recipes, tea, and so on, if desired.)

***Icing:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Cooling in bundt pan 
for 10 minutes

METHOD

Shred zucchini into colander, and set aside. In small bowl, combine walnuts, cinnamon, and ¼-cup packed dark brown sugar; mix, and set aside. Spray a 10” bundt pan with nonstick butter cooking spray, and lightly dust with white sugar, including around inner tube, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Removed from bundt 
pan to fully cool

Shred unpeeled apple, and set aside.

In medium bowl, with a hand mixer, beat sour cream, beaten eggs, safflower oil, vanilla bean seeds, and 1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar, until smooth. Stir in with a wooden spoon the shredded zucchini, apple, and raisins until blended, and then add to the large bowl of flour mixture; blending just until moistened.

Pour half of batter into prepared bundt pan; sprinkle evenly with all the walnut mixture, and top with remaining batter; tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Release edges of cake with a paring knife, including around edge of inner tube, and remove cake from pan to completely cool on wire rack.

While cake is cooling, sift confectioners’ sugar, and add remaining icing ingredients in medium mixing bowl, and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Adjust for spreading consistency, if necessary, by adding more milk, or more sifted confectioners' sugar. Drizzle and gently spread icing on cake. – Enjoy!


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Tip:  I provided links to the whole green cardamom pods and vanilla beans where I purchased them via mail order from the locally owned Red Onion Organic Spice and Tea Company.

SANDRA'S ULTIMATE HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIE

Comfort and delicious food for the soul
doesn't get any better than this...

Yields: (One 10” pie,
or individual ramekins)

Prep: 20 mins. |
Bake: 40 to 45 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Chicken/Veggie Filling

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – uncooked, and cut into ½” cube

1-1/4 cup carrots, cut into ½” cubes

1 cup frozen green peas

3/4 cup celery, cut stalks in half, and then into ½” slices

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes

Low-sodium chicken broth to cover chicken/veggies
--(Note: Reserve broth while draining)

***Sauce

2/3 cup butter

1 cup onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 teaspoon worcestershire

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 cups reserved low-sodium chicken broth

1-1/3 cup milk

***Crust

--2 unbaked pie crusts (For homemade, click here: Pie Crust Recipe (for two 10' crusts)

--1 egg with 2 tablespoons water, beaten (to brush on top of crust before baking)

METHOD

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, celery, and potatoes. Add chicken broth to cover and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, just until veggies are tender. Remove from heat, drain (reserving broth separately) and also set aside veggies/chicken mixture.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In the saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions in butter until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour, kosher salt, pepper, celery seed, poultry seasoning, thyme, and worcestershire, and then slowly stir in white wine vinegar, reserved chicken broth, and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce thickens (if too thick add more milk), also taste for seasonings, adding more kosher salt and pepper, if needed.  Add the chicken/veggie mixture, and remove from heat and set aside.

Fit the pie crust in the bottom of the pie plate (or individual ramekins), leaving a 1/2" overhang. and place the chicken and sauce mixture over bottom pie crust. Brush edges of the bottom pie crust with egg wash mixture so the top crust adheres.  Cover with top crust, and flute edges with fingers or fork tines to seal. Brush top crust with beaten egg (not edges), and then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Make a vent hole in middle of top crust by cutting a few small slits to allow steam to escape while baking. Place foil strips around edges of pie crust to prevent edges from burning, and place pie on a foil-lined baking sheet in the event of potential spillovers.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.  Remove foil strips, and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 20 minutes before serving (be very careful, it/they will still be very hot). - Enjoy!

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Tip: After cooking, the pot pie can be frozen.  To reheat, just place in microwave and cook on high for 7 to 8 minutes.