Blackened Tuna

A couple months ago, we posted the recipe for blackened grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa.  Two nights ago, we made Blackened Tuna with the same salsa.  In our opinion, it was way better than the mahi mahi.  We posted the picture on social media and a few people asked for the recipe.  So, here's a short recipe.

Refer to Blackened Mahi to get the recipe for the mango salsa and the recipe for the blackening seasoning. When we made the blackened Mahi, we used a grill pan.  While that was fine, we definitely now believe that blackened anything is better done in a skillet.

We have discovered that Sam's Club has great prices on wild tuna steaks.  They sell it in a pre-portioned bag with each piece individually frozen.  It's perfect when cooking for a group of any size because you can take out the exact amount you need, and don't end up wasting anything.

Ingredients:
Tuna Steaks (ours were  1/2 inch thick)
Blackening Seasoning
Mango Salsa
2-4 tablespoons Canola or Vegetable oil

Directions:
Rub fish generously on all sides with the blackened seasoning.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Heat stainless skillet to medium high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat until oil start to shimmer.  Add tuna steaks to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip the Steaks and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Top with mango salsa and serve immediately.  We didn't have any peppers, so our salsa consisted of just mango, cucumber, and onion, and it was still delicious.  Something I have learned from Mr. S (who is amazing at utilizing the ingredients we have) - if you don't have everything, improvise!  Turns out, some of our best recipes have actually come about that way.

NOTE:  The cooking time is HIGHLY dependent on desired doneness and the thickness of the fish you are using.  We cooked ours about 2.5 minutes on the first side and another min on the second for a medium done tuna.  Next time, we will probably cook it a little less.

Last, but certainly not least:  I have to give a shout out to Mr. S!  Didn't he take some amazing shots of our food???  After a whirlwind year and a half of engagement, marriage, honeymooning, and settling into our lives and newlyweds, we have finally returned to one of our favorite mutual hobbies (besides cooking of course), photography!  More photos to come from Mr. and Mrs. S!

The ONLY Sunny Side Up Eggs Recipe You Will Ever Need

Mr. S. and I are absolutely fans of breakfast.  We used to go out for breakfast on the weekends often (and sometimes still do). But over the past year, we've accumulated so many go-to recipes for breakfast classics, that it often makes more sense to stay home - from the wallet standpoint, the knowing what's in our food standpoint, and the taste standpoint!

Several months ago, we stumbled upon this America's Test Kitchen recipe for sunny-side-up eggs/fried eggs, and let me tell you my friends, it has been life-changing.  We discovered that you can make PERFECTLY cooked, PERFECTLY runny (depending on preference) fried eggs in about 2 minutes.  Once you try this recipe, you will never go back to the  insanity of trying to get the yellow of the egg done without overcooking the white!

Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs (serves 2 - with 2 eggs each)

Ingredients
2 tsp canola (or vegetable) oil
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper
2 tsp unsalted butter

Directions:

• Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet on low for 5 minutes.  
• Crack 2 eggs into a mug or small bowl.  Crack the other two eggs into a separate bowl/mug.  Season with salt and pepper
• Increase heat to medium-high until oil is shimmering.  Add butter and swirl to coat pan. 
• Simultaneously pour both bowls of eggs into the pan.
• Cover and let cook for 1 minute.  
• Remove skillet from the burner and let stand, covered 15 to 60 second, depending on preferred doneness (we do 30 seconds for perfectly runny eggs).

Source:  America's Test Kitchen

Thai Peanut Chicken with Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw

On Monday night, I had a dinner date with a friend, butwanted to make sure Mr. S. had some dinner to eat too.  So, I went in search of crockpot recipe that I could have waiting for him when he got home.  Turned out that he didn't get home until 10:30pm because he was working super late on a big presentation.  So, we ended up eating the chicken for dinner last night.  I have a feeling it was even better the next day!

I sometimes find that crockpot recipes can be a little bland because they are cooked for such a long time. So, I think it's essential to add some freshness at the end.  Fresh herbs and a broccoli slaw were the perfect combination.  In the end, (after the lovely photo of course), we mixed it all together and made a thai rice bowl of sorts. YUM!

Thai Peanut Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 1/2  cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flake (more if you like spicy food....or omit if you don't)

• Chopped scallions

• Crushed peanuts

• Cilantro

• Rice, rice noodles, etc (to serve it on)
• Lime wedges for squeezing on top
  

Place chicken in the base of crock pot. Top with red pepper and onion.
In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, lime juice, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and cumin. Pour sauce over chicken.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours. 

Remove chicken from slow cooker and cut/shred into bit sized pieces.  Return to the sauce and mix.  
Scoop chicken and sauce over rice (we had jasmine rice) and top with scallions, peanuts, and cilantro. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over it.

Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw

• 2 12 oz bags of broccoli slaw  (or use 1 and half the dressing recipe)

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp chili powder (we used Mexican for some kick)
• 1 tsp diced jalapeno (if desired)
  
  Combine all ingredients (except broccoli slaw) in a small food processor (or shake together).  Add additional salt, cilantro, and spices to taste. Toss with broccoli slaw.

Blue Cheese Balsamic Grilled Chicken

Mr. S and I are always in search of new and creative ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts.  Before that fateful day when I came into his life, Mr. S. much preferred chicken thighs or legs...but he's been a good sport, indulging me and my hatred of dark meat chicken.  So, I am constantly looking recipes that make these sometimes dry and tasteless chicken pieces into something tasty.  This recipe is both TASTY and EASY!

Ingredients

• 3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (5 to 6 ounces each)
• 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet Herbes de Provence
• 1 3-to 4-ounce wedge blue cheese, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch 6 slices

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 1 tsp herbes de Provence. salt, pepper in small bowl.  Pour into resealable plastic bag.  Pound chicken breasts with a mallet until about 1/2 inch thick (here are directions on how to pound chicken breasts if you are not already familiar: http://www.wikihow.com/Pound-Chicken-Into-Cutlets).  Add to chicken; seal bag. Chill 2-3 hours, turning bag occasionally.

 Chicken can be cooked on an out door grill or on a grill pan.  We cooked ours inside since there was a huge thunderstorm going on at the time.  Heat grill pan to medium high.  Place chicken in grill pan and sprinkle with remaining herbs de Provence and a little salt and pepper (to taste).  Cook 4-5 minutes per side.  Chicken will be nearly cooked, but still slightly undercooked.

To finish them off, place chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Top with blue cheese slices and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and chicken registers 160 with meat thermometer.  (melting of cheese can also be done outside on the BBQ if desired).

Serve immediately!  We served it with a green salad with blue cheese and strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Adapted from Epicurious

Grilled Steak, Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Blue Cheese Salad

With the arrival of summer has come A LOT of outdoor grilling in our house.  Many of our meals consist of some sort of grilled meat or seafood and a bunch of grilled veggies (recipes to come).   Since Mr. S buys his lunch at his work cafeteria, the leftover grilled meat usually becomes my tasty lunch!

Last night, Mr. S grilled EXTREMELY tasty t-bone steaks for dinner.  We also whipped up a tasty berry balsamic vinaigrette, that I knew would find it's way to my plate for a repeat today.  The salad is easy, tasty, and a perfect way to use up leftover grilled steak (or chicken)...and use some of the deliciousness harvested from your garden.

I'm also sharing a secret for perfectly cooked sweet corn.  Mr. S truly thought I was crazy the first time I let him in on this little trick.  But now that he knows he can have a perfectly cooked, juicy, piece of corn in under 5 minutes, he's come around.

Salad Ingredients  (makes 2 dinner salads)
1 head of romaine lettuce (red lettuce, or favorite variety), chopped into bite sized pieces
1-2 (depending on preference) ears of sweet corn, cook, and cut from cobb (see instructions below)
10 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber chopped into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/8 cup blue cheese crumbles (or more if you love cheese like us!)
8-10 oz. of grilled steak, sliced thinly against the grain

Put lettuce, tomatoes, corn, cucumber in a bowl and toss.  Top with corn, blue cheese, and steak.  Drizzle with berry balsamic dressing.

Power Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 Tablespoons Trader Joe's Organic Super Fruit Jam (or any fruity jam) (more if you want it sweeter)
4 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon onion power
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
sprinkles of mexican chilli powder (if you want it to have a kick)

Place all ingredients in a a mini food processor and pulse for one to two minutes.  Taste, and add more seasonings to taste.  If you want it sweeter, you might need to add more jam (depending on what kind you are using).  Additional salt might also be necessary.

Quick, Easy, Perfectly Cooked Sweet Corn
Place corn IN HUSK in the microwave.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Flip the ear and microwave another two minutes.  If cooking 2 or 3 ears, microwave 3 minutes, flip and microwave another 2 minutes.  Let corn cool in the husk for about a minutes.  Peel off the husk an serve immediately.  **Be careful when peeling off husk and corn is likely to be quite hot still**

Balsamic Tomato Bruschetta

We picked up a bunch of tomatoes from the farmer's market this week, and wanted to figure out a way to use them up.  I have a feeling, with the MANY tomatoes and green/purple basil currently growing in our garden, we will be making this recipe many times this summer!  I'm looking forward to evenings of bruschetta and wine on the deck.

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/3 cup  fresh basil, chopped into thin ribbons (we used green and purple from our garden)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (more for sprinkling if desired)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

1-2 baguettes sliced into 3/4 to 1 inch rounds (or a loaf of French bread) - amount depends on how much

 

In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, parmesan cheese, and garlic.  Mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar and shake until well combined.  Toss the tomato mixture with the dressing.  

 

Toast bread rounds and drizzle with some olive oil while still hot.  Top with tomato mixture sprinkle with a little extra grated parmesan if desired.

 

Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

It's been a long time since we have posted to the blog - I guess we'll chalk that up to the busy days of summer....and the fact that we've been doing a long of grilling/salads to prevent heating up the house!  Although we have been using spices and lettuce from our garden for quite a while, we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and peppers....and can't wait to
use them in new recipes.

As with many recipes/foods....this recipe is more than just tasty...it has the ability to transport us to some of our happiest days....our honeymoon in Tortola (BVI).  While we were on Tortola, we ate LOTS of fresh fish, including Mahi with mango salsa.  We recently revisited these memories when we took our dad out to a Caribbean inspired fish restaurant for Father's Day, but, until now, had never tried to recreate the dish at home.  I'm happy to say it turned out wonderfully, and we will definitely be making it again!

Blackened Seasoning 

1 tablespoon paprika

4 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

In a small jar with a lid, combine the paprika, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and cumin. Seal securely and shake to blend. Store in a cool dry place. Shake jar before each use.

If you would rather, you can buy Blackened Seasoning - we recommend Zataran's.  We decided to make our own from some of our favorite McCormick spices.

Mango Salsa

1 1/2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup diced red onion

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

1/2 large red bell pepper diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper to tastes

Combine all mangoes, cucumber, jalepeno, onion, kiwi, red bell pepper, and cilantro in a bowl.  Toss with lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Blackened Mahi Mahi

Rub fish generously on all sides with the blackened seasoning.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Fish can be grilled on the BBQ, cooked on a grill man inside, or cooked in a frying pan.  It really depends on your preference and whether you want the entire fish to get truly "blackened" or are content with "blackened grill marks"

It was super hot outside, so we decided to cook the fish in our grill pan.  Heat the grill pan to medium high.  Don't forget to oil the grates with canola or vegetable oil.  Grill the fish for 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and grill for another 3 minutes.  Our pieces were rather thick and we didn't want them to burn or get dry.  So, we finished them off in our toaster oven for 3-4 minutes on bake (350 degrees).

Serve mango salsa on top of mahi mahi.