How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut by the Jar
I’ve previously shown you how to make big batch sauerkraut and here I show you how easy it is to make it by the quart sized jar. Easy, good for you, and delicious!
Author: Lesley at Lola Rugula
Roasted Squash and Carrot Soup with Red Lentils
This is a power-packed soup made with antioxidant-rich winter squash, carrots, red lentils, ginger, garlic, and immunity-boosting spices. It’s a rich, flavorful soup and the spices can be adjusted to suit your personal taste. I roast the vegetables for a deep, caramelized flavor that pairs …
Blackened Snapper Fillets
This is still one of my favorite ways to cook red snapper fillets, food trends be damned. This recipe yields a flavorful, moist snapper, and best of all, it’s quick and easy to make. I definitely recommend turning the vent fan on over your stove while making this, because the higher heat can bring on some smoke. The key to keeping the smoke to a minimum and the fish at maximum flavor is to use a minimum amount of oil and butter while cooking.
I prefer my big cast iron skillet for making these but a good carbon or stainless pan can work as well; just don’t try and use a non-stick pan or you won’t get the good sear you need.
Blackened Snapper for 2 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Red snapper fillets, about 4 oz. each (I prefer skin-on for this but they don’t have to be)
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper (I like using a mix of black, green, and red for this)
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
- Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
- Blot the fish with a paper towel and set aside
- Mix the spices and herbs together in a small dish
- Heat the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds
- Add the tablespoon of oil and heat for 1 minute (it’s good to swirl the oil around in the pan immediately before adding the fillets)
- While the oil is heating, brush the skin-side of the fillets with half of the melted butter
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix evenly over the buttered sides
- Place fillets in skillet skin/seasoned side down
- Brush the tops of the fillets with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the remainder of the seasoning mix.
- Cook, without moving them, for about 4-5 minutes
- Using a spatula, carefully flip the fillets and cook about 3-4 minutes more (Total cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets)
- Serve with lemon wedges on the side
Tips:
- Now, this recipe is just for 2 but you can easily double or triple it.
- You might prefer more of one spice and less of another, so don’t be afraid to play around with the ratios; this particular blend is how I love it.
- Make sure the pan you use is large enough for the size of fillets you’re using; overcrowding the fish will not give you the sear you need.
- You may find that you can reduce the heat a bit mid-cooking, as cast iron pans tend to continue to heat plus hold their heat more so than some other types of pans.
- Don’t have or like snapper? This is great on all kinds of fish so again, don’t be afraid to play around with a fish you have on hand or prefer.
I hope your new year is off to a fantastic start! Here’s to another year of fabulous food!
Homemade Chipotle Hot Sauce
This homemade hot sauce has a smokey heat with tons of flavor…and heat. You’ve been warned.
Creamy Salmon Bisque
All it took was a few days of cool weather to make me start thinking of soup, so what better way to kick off the fall season than this delicious salmon bisque? Enjoy!
Sesame Beef and Veggie Stir Fry
Stir-frys are a fun dish to play around with. You can easily omit the beef from this and make it vegetarian or let chicken, pork, or shrimp be a stand-in if you prefer. This particular recipe is heavy on veggies, which you can also change out to suit your tastes (or what you have in the fridge). If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m big into veggie-centric dishes and this one is no exception.
The kitchen prep here is mostly in the chopping, dicing, and slicing of the vegetables but you want everything ready to go because the whole dish comes together pretty quickly once you start cooking.
And don’t skip the velveting of the beef (or chicken, or pork) because it’s what keeps it tender and flavorful.
Sesame Beef and Veggie Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Velveting Marinade for Beef:
- 1 lb. stir fry beef
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. corn starch
Noodles:
- 1 package (about 9.5 oz.) udon or soba noodles
Veggies:
- 6-8 cups of cut/sliced vegetables; in the dish shown, I used:
- Portabello mushrooms, sliced
- Asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Sugar snap peas
- Snow peas
- Carrots, juilienned
- Sweet peppers, sliced
- Jalapeno, sliced
- Scallions, sliced
For Cooking:
- 2 Tbsp. canola or grapeseed oil, separated
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled, smashed, and minced
Garnish:
- Sliced scallions
- Sesame seeds
Directions:
- Prep the beef by mixing it in a small bowl with the velveting marinade and let sit for at least 1 hour. If letting it sit longer than an hour, place in the fridge until ready to use. In the meantime, get your veggies assembled and cut.
- In another small bowl, add the sauce ingredients and whisk together well.
- Get a pot of water heating for your noodles and begin cooking according the package directions.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep-sided saute pan or wok.
- Add beef and saute about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer beef to a plate.
- Add 1 Tbsp. oil to pan and heat 30 seconds.
- Add garlic and ginger and stir, cooking just a minute or two until slightly golden.
- Add vegetables; stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until all veggies are still crisp.
- Add the sauce. and cook 3 minutes.
- Add beef and any reserved juices on the plate; cook 2 more minutes.
- Drain cooked noodles and toss into pan with beef and veggie mixture.
- Cook 1 minute more.
- Place into bowls, garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve.
This stir fry hits all the sweet, sour, and savory notes dead on. The beautiful thing about this dish is if you prep the veggies on the weekend, it’s actually a very fast weeknight dinner!
Don’t be afraid to swap out the veggies for ones of your choice here…it’s easy to make with a variety of vegetables.
What’s on your stir fry menu? Enjoy!
Orzo with Spinach, Ricotta, and Parmesan
This is a throw-it-together on a weeknight recipe, a serve-it-up as a get-together dish, and a makes-a-perfect-accompaniment to a sexy dinner for two alongside just about anything dish. Are you with me here? This recipe is so easy and so forgiving; change up the spinach …