Blog Archives

Smothered Fish

4/30/2014

It’s Fishing Opener!

Fishing opener and Mother’s Day are soon here! Here is an idea for you sons and husbands: bring home your opener catch and fix the Mom of your home a special fish meal on Mother’s Day! Didn’t have good luck on the lake? Not to worry. This week’s recipe works with walleye, cod, trout or whitefish fillets so as a last resort, you can head to the grocery store. She will still feel pampered.

This recipe is good served with wild rice. The Minnesota state fish is Walleye and the state grain is wild rice - two of our state’s tasty treats! You won’t have to fish for compliments with this recipe!!

Smothered Fish:
3lbs walleye, cod, trout or whitefish fillets
salt and pepper
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
paprika

Place fish in an oiled shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle sherry over fish. Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tbsp butter; spread mushrooms over fish. Combine melted butter, Parmesan cheese and sour cream. Spoon sour cream mixture on top of fish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when pricked with a fork.

Have a good week! Think sunshine!

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Cream of Asparagus Soup

4/23/2014

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It’s asparagus season!

To me asparagus is a spring time vegetable! It’s been on special at our grocery stores lately, which is another plus! My favorite way to fix it as a vegetable side dish is so simple it really isn’t even a recipe. I trim off the tough ends, line a cookie sheet with tin foil, sprinkle a good amount of olive oil over the asparagus to coat, then sprinkle with kosher salt and roast uncovered in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes (depending on how done you like it) turning once. I like to sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over it after I take it out of the oven. I also fix broccoli and green beans this way.

If you want to put a little more work into it, I made the following cream of asparagus soup last week and it was a hit!

Cream of asparagus soup:
2lb asparagus, tough ends cut off, discarded,
then cut into 2 inch pieces, putting tips aside
1 cup chopped onion
6 Tbsp butter
5 Tbsp flour
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1 Tbsp dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter, add asparagus (not tips) and onion, cook 8-10 min, add flour blend and cook 2-3 minutes then slowly add broth, stir and cook 10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes then puree in batches in a blender. Place asparagus tips in microwave safe dish and microwave for 1 min, set aside. Return pureed mixture to heat add half and half along with tips, dill weed and salt and pepper to taste. Heat until hot and serve. Have a great week!

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Blueberry French Toast

4/16/2014

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I hadn’t planned on another brunch recipe so soon, but we had another birthday brunch after exercise last week and there were requests for the egg bake I brought, although it’s called French toast. When a recipe calls for 12 eggs I think of it as an egg bake. I like this one because it doesn’t call for any meat and nowadays there are vegetarians to consider and who doesn’t like blueberries! I often serve little smokies or some other meat on the side.

Blueberry French Toast:
Plan ahead, this needs to be refrigerated overnight before baking!
12 slices day old white bread, crusts removed
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese (I used one pkg and thought it was enough)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
12 eggs
2 cups 2 % or whole milk
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (I used real maple syrup)

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes; place 1/2 in a greased 9x13 inch pan (I like to use glass, doesn’t get so dark on the bottom). Cut cream cheese into 1 inch cubes and scatter over bread, top with berries then remaining bread cubes. Beat eggs, stir in milk and syrup, pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let set at room temperature for 30 minutes then bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, uncover and bake another 25-30 minutes until top is brown and center set. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve with the following topping:

Blueberry sauce topping:
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp butter

In small sauce pan, combine cornstarch and sugar then add water until smooth, bring to boil over medium heat, cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in blueberries, reduce heat, simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries have burst, stir in butter until melted. Serve hot over French toast. Happy Easter!!

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Sparkling Oranges

4/9/2014

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I love brunch!

When my grown children come home for Easter weekend, we often have our big meal on Saturday and then have an Easter Brunch on Sunday because of their 4-5 hour drive home to return for work on Monday morning! That suits me fine because my favorite meal to fix is breakfast/brunch. I try to fix things that are prepared the night before so they just need to be popped into the oven. The following recipe is one of my favorite fruit recipes to serve for company brunch!

Sparkling Oranges:
8 oranges, peeled, sliced or sectioned. Cut both ends off the orange, place on a cutting board and with a sharp knife trim off the peel and pith (white part), then continue with the slicing or sectioning
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup lemon-lime soda ( like sierra mist)
3 Tbsp slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
1 Tbsp coconut, toasted

Place oranges sections in large bowl. In saucepan combine sugar and marmalade, heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in grape juice and pop, pour over oranges, cover and refrigerate overnight. Using a slotted spoon remove oranges to glass serving dish or individual dishes and top with mixture of almonds and coconut.

To toast almonds and coconut spread on a cookie sheet, roast in 350 degree oven 'til light brown. Watch closely, there’s nothing worse than a burnt nut! I do this a couple of days before and store in a covered container.

I loved that thunder and lightening storm Sunday night - a sure sign of spring, lawns will soon green up!!

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Oatmeal Bread

4/2/2014

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Quick & easy bread!

I often make this bread for bake sales or to give as a gift. It’s one my Mom made when I was growing up. It has survived the test of time. I especially love it toasted with a slice of cheese on it or peanut butter! It smells wonderful while it’s baking. I hope you will like it too!

Oatmeal Bread:
1 cup quick oatmeal
1 tsp salt
2 cups boiling water
5 Tbsp shortening
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp molasses

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl and let stand until cools to luke warm. Dissolve 1 pkg regular dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm water; let stand until foamy (I add a tsp of sugar to speed it up); add to the oatmeal mixture. Add 4 1/2 cups flour, turn out on floured surface, cover with towel and let rest for 10 minutes, then knead for 6-8 minutes. Put kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. then knead down and let rise again. After dough has risen twice, put out on floured board, divide in half and shape each half into a round or loaf shape. When I want a rustic look I spray two 9 inch round pans with vegetable spray and coat lightly with corn meal. Place the shaped bread in pan, then brush the top with a slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with oatmeal. Cover with towel, let rise until double, then bake in preheated 350 degree oven, 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out of pans and cool on rack. Cool completely before slicing. Makes 2 loaves, and worth the effort! Have a good week!

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Author

I'm Kathy Lloyd. I grew up on a farm near Elmore, MN and have lived in Fairmont for over 44 years. I have always loved to cook, even when I was very young. I loved to stay with my Aunt Dorothy during my childhood. She was a great cook and used to give me freedom in the kitchen, teaching me along the way. She made recipes from our Norwegian heritage, along with pies, homemade doughnuts, yeast bread and cinnamon rolls.

Marrying a husband with a hearty appetite and raising 3 sons and 1 daughter gave me plenty of hungry appetites to satisfy! I worked as a nurse for 42 years and have been retired for 11 years. Even though I loved my work, I love having time to spend with my grandchildren, to experiment with new recipes and work with my flowers in the summer. Life has been very good to me, blessing me with my loving family and great friends!

I enjoy sharing my love of cooking and recipes with the readers of the Photo Press! (I have had my share of cooking failures over the years!)

Smothered Fish

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Blueberry French Toast

Sparkling Oranges

Oatmeal Bread

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