Lent-friendly recipes for everyone

It is an obvious observation that the season of Lent is upon us. Church fish fry dinners are abundant, restaurants offer fish meals in advertising and on the menus and the grocery stores are abundantly stocked with fish and all of the items needed to prepare fish dinners for Lent.

Of course there are also the delicious grilled cheese varieties, as well as mac-and-cheese options, so for today I have pulled together some recipes that you might enjoy this Lenten season. Some of the recipes use shrimp or crab, which may need to be a special occasion treat. The use of imitation crab meat works well in many recipes at a fraction of the cost.

Enjoy these recipes and maybe some of them will make it to your own special Lenten season recipe files. Be sure to read all of today's recipes online.

Baked Fish Nuggets

Fish Nuggets:

• 1 pound fish fillets (such as flounder or cod), boneless and skinless
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoned
• 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup flour

Caper Dill Mayo:

• 1 small dill pickle
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Beat eggs and Old Bay seasoning and place in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine both crumbs, garlic powder, and lemon pepper seasoning.

Dab fish dry with a paper towel and cut into bite sized pieces, about 1 to 2 inches.

Dredge the fish in flour. Dip each nugget in egg and then into the crumb mixture coating all sides.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes. Broil two minutes or until lightly browned if desired. Cook until fish flakes easily. Do not overcook.

Caper Dill Mayo: Using a knife, carefully remove and discard the peeling from the pickle, then mince the soft inner flesh. Add the capers to the minced pickle, and using a fork, crush them together against the bottom of the bowl. Add the mayo, garlic powder, and dried parsley to the pickle/caper mixture and blend well.

Serve with baked fish nuggets.

Notes: Cook time can vary based on the thickness of your filets. Thinner filets will need eight to 10 minutes while thicker filets may need up to 14 minutes. Do not overcook the filets.

Ensure the fish is fully thawed to avoid mushy breading. Allow all excess egg mixture to drip off, there should just be a very thin coating. Fish can be baked on a baking rack if desired.

Source: www.spendwithpennies.com/baked-fish-bites-caper-dill-mayo/

Three Cheese Quiche

• 1 (9-inch) frozen deep dish pie crust
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup half & half or whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded, halved
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Take pie crust from freezer, to thaw and place on a baking sheet for easy handling. Sprinkle cheddar (4 ounces), mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on bottom of pie crust. Set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half and sour cream until frothy. Add in garlic powder, parsley, chives, salt and pepper and whisk. Pour egg mixture over cheeses. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top and place in oven.

Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes until top of quiche is golden brown and center is set. Remove from oven and serve immediately

To freeze — follow instructions and cook for 35 minutes until center of quiche is barely set. Remove from oven and let cool. Wrap quiche with foil, then place in a ziptop back and freeze. When ready to reheat, let quiche thaw in refrigerator then place in oven, set at 350 for 15 minutes.

Source: www.asouthernsoul.com/three-cheese-quiche/?fbclid=IwAR2Mh4SIFBU_zQeljQpG5TRrUMEwAXHmZhJ2bQDYzK2g1z_ZtmndsxheO5Y

Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich

These gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches are stuffed with Gruyere cheese, Muenster cheese, white cheddar, herbs and the secret ingredient: caramelized onions. Yes, this is the best grilled cheese sandwich recipe.

The recipe calls for four sandwiches , but you may want to allot yourself two to start.

• 8 slices good quality bread
• Mayonnaise for spreading
• 12 ounces Gruyere cheese thinly sliced or grated, at room temperature
• 6 ounces white cheddar cheese thinly sliced or grated, at room temperature
• 4 slices thin Muenster cheese at room temperature
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced and divided
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to a skillet and heat over medium-low heat. Add diced onions, salt, pepper, fresh thyme and one teaspoon of fresh rosemary to the hot skillet and saute, stirring often, until onions are soft and starting to brown. Stir brown sugar into the onions and cook another minute. Transfer onions to a plate.

Spread one side of two pieces of bread with mayonnaise.

In the same skillet, add remaining butter and rosemary, and heat over medium heat. Swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet with the melted butter.

Add both pieces of bread to the skillet, mayonnaise side down, and cook until the bread is golden brown and crunchy (about 2 or 3 minutes). As soon as you add the bread to the skillet, add a bit of cheese to the top of each piece of bread. Once it starts to melt, sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the caramelized onions over the top of one of the pieces of bread.

When the bread is golden brown, sandwich the pieces of bread together and cook on low until the cheese is fully melted.

Transfer your sandwich to a plate and repeat with remaining slices of bread and ingredients to make four sandwiches in total.

Source: www.intheknow.com/post/best-grilled-cheese-sandwich-recipe/?fbclid=IwAR1q3gTQujaKzIXuH_7_bb9F1wxsaq6MC-dMGLX7cv1rstlU8ksCoaaIPuU

Crab Pasta Salad

For the Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Creole mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

For the Salad:

• 2 cups dry medium pasta shells, cooked and drained
• 1 pound package small (51/60 count) cooked shrimp
• 1 cup cooked, peeled crawfish tails
• 1 cup fresh crab or 1 (8 ounce) package of imitation crab
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeno
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, only as needed, to taste

In the bottom of a large serving bowl or lidded storage bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients; set aside.

Prepare the pasta, drain and let cool. Place pasta in the bowl on top of the dressing.

Add the seafood to the top of the pasta and sprinkle lightly with the Cajun seasoning and Old Bay. Add green onion, bell pepper, celery and jalapeno. Toss, taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper only if needed.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed to further develop the flavors. If refrigerated, toss with a few splashes of milk to freshen before serving.

Notes: If you are boiling your own shrimp, reserve the leftover cooking water and use it to boil the pasta. It adds fantastic flavor to the salad, but remember, depending on the heat and seasoning used in your boil, do not add any salt, pepper, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning to the dressing or salad, until you taste the salad after it is dressed. When using my own shrimp boil, I don't add any additional salt, pepper, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning. Substitute Comeback Sauce for the dressing for a kick.

For Crab Salad: Use only crab, omit pasta and reduce mayonnaise and buttermilk by half to start, adjusting to desired consistency.

Source: www.deepsouthdish.com/2013/06/seafood-pasta-salad.html

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo

Crab Fettuccine Alfredo is a rich, creamy dinner that comes together in a snap! Fettuccine plus creamy homemade Alfredo sauce filled with lump crab equals a really special meal that can easily be made any night of the week.

• 1 pound fettuccini pasta
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper
• 1 pound lump crabmeat or imitation crab meat

Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the flour and butter together for 30-60 seconds, then slowly add the milk. Add the milk a small amount at a time, whisking well between each addition. Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and drop into the sauce, stirring until melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Gently stir in the crabmeat and allow the sauce to cook on low heat until the crab is hot.

Toss the cooked fettuccini with the sauce, or serve the pasta topped with the sauce.

Source: www.kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/crab-fettuccine-alfredo/

Maryland Crab Cakes

For the best texture, use lump crab meat, little filler, and bake the cakes in a very hot oven. Serve with lemon wedges, a garnish of chopped parsley, and/or cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. For more success tips and to learn which crab meat to use, see blog post above.

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (up to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons for a spicier kick)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1-pound fresh lump crab meat
• 2/3 cup saltine cracker crumbs (about 14 crackers)

Optional: 2 tablespoons melted salted or unsalted butter

Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, parsley, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl. Place the crab meat on top, followed by the cracker crumbs. With a rubber spatula or large spoon, very gently and carefully fold together. You don't want to break up that crab meat!

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter or nonstick spray or line with a silicone baking mat.

Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, portion the crab cake mixture into 6 mounds on the baking sheet. (Don't flatten!) Use your hands or a spoon to compact each individual mound so there aren't any lumps sticking out or falling apart. For extra flavor, brush each with melted butter. This is optional but recommended!

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and on top. Drizzle each with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.

Cover leftover crab cakes tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the portioned un-baked crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, brush with melted butter, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked and cooled crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw, then warm up in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed throughout. Or bake the frozen crab cakes at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Which Crab Meat to Use: I highly recommend fresh (refrigerated) lump crab meat.

Smaller Sizes: For smaller crab cakes, divide the mixture into 12 1/4 cup portions. For mini crab cakes, divide into 24 2 tablespoon size portions. Bake at the same oven temperature. The bake time is shorter for these smaller sizes. The crab cakes are done when the tops and edges are lightly browned.

Source: www.sallysbakingaddiction.com/maryland-crab-cakes/

Pan-fried Fish in a Rich Lemon Butter Sauce

For the Lemon Butter Sauce:

• 1 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Dash hot red pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup butter, chopped

For Fish Spice Blend:

• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/4 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For Fish:

• 2 pounds halibut or fish of choice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For Lemon Butter Sauce, warm a large skillet over medium high heat. Add cooking wine, lemon juice, garlic, and shallots and saute for approximately three minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Simmer for approximately three minutes.

Stir in cream and continue cooking for one minute more. Reduce to low heat. Add butter to the sauce a little at a time and whisk until well combined. Keep warm until ready to use.

For Fish, whisk together spice blend with flour; set aside.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fish to the pan and pan fry for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Divide fish onto individual plates and spoon lemon butter sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

This recipe is so simple and loaded with flavor. It is sure to become one of your family favorites.

Source: www.the36thavenue.com/halibut-with-lemon-butter-sauce/?fbclid=IwAR1inS-MzBH0sKLkepN215oRrHbmPQp7FIn1GkbbyyM_rJmup7P8tcByYqA

Old-Fashioned Egg Salad

This creamy old-fashioned egg salad recipe can be served on crunchy lettuce, toasted bread, or in a pita for a quick and easy lunch idea.

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (good quality)
• 1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion (scallions)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Salt

Place egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water (about ½ inch above eggs). Add a dash of salt to the water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat.

Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Make sure you peel them carefully to avoid egg shells in your salad.

Place the chopped eggs in a bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, mustard and green onion.

Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Stir and serve on your favorite bread or crackers.

Source: www.wishesndishes.com/old-fashioned-egg-salad/?fbclid=IwAR1bxsBeJdI-ybJEum4shwHrYvopomIs3tmrB9RFH0Tn2pcQN3Wq-mM8opo

New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp

These New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp are so buttery, spicy, and good. Fresh shrimp are baked in a sauce flavored with lots of spice, garlic, lemon juice, and green onion.

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 pounds medium to large fresh shrimp, unpeeled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Taste mixture and add a little salt if needed.

Place shrimp in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour butter mixture over shrimp.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once.

Serve with French bread to mop up the liquid.

Source: www.spicysouthernkitchen.com/new-orleans-style-bbq-shrimp/

Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti

This Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti is an easy and quick dish for the weekday menu that comes to together in 15 minutes with buttery garlic taste!

• 8 ounces spaghetti or pasta of choice
• 4 tablespoons butter divided
• 1-pound large shrimp peeled deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package instructions; drain well and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt two tablespoons butter. Add shrimp, salt and crushed red pepper, and cook stirring occasionally, until shrimp is opaque pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the lemon juice, pasta water and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Add the shrimp on top and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes: Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3 days in the fridge.

Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.

To make it gluten-free, you can use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.

To make the sauce more creamy, you can add some milk instead of some of the water.

Source: www.feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/garlic-butter-shrimp-spaghetti/

Crispy Baked Shrimp

• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails on or off
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine (optional — sub with extra lemon juice or chicken stock
• 1 brown shallot, minced
• 1/3 cup melted butter, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more, to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves
• Lemon wedges to serve

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine shrimp, lemon juice, white wine, shallots, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a skillet or baking dish. Mix well to coat shrimp.

Optional: Starting from the outer edge of your skillet or dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer towards the center of the pan. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining melted butter, bread crumbs, garlic, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley; mix well.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the shrimp and bake for 12 minutes, or until hot and bubbling, and the shrimp are 'just' cooked through. Change oven settings to broil or grill for a further minute or so, until the top is crispy and golden.

Garnish with remaining parsley, squeeze over a drizzle of lemon juice and serve with lemon wedges.

Source: www.cafedelites.com/crispy-baked-shrimp-scampi/#recipe

Nana's Crab Roll-Ups

• 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
• 1 cup butter (two sticks), divided
• 8 ounces imitation crab meat
• 1 large loaf sliced white bread (the cheap stuff!)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, melt cheese and 1/2 cup butter. Stir until fully combined.

Break crab into small pieces. Add to the butter mixture and stir.

Cut the crust off of the bread slices and roll out with a rolling pin until completely flattened.

Spread a line of the crab mixture across the flattened bread slice and roll tightly. Place rolls in a prepared 9x13 baking dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.

Remove dish from fridge and cut each roll in half.

Dip each roll in the remaining melted butter then place back in baking dish seam down. Sprinkle sesame seeds across top.

Broil on medium high for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm if possible!

Source: www.12tomatoes.com/nanas-crab-roll-ups/?fbclid=IwAR0HyflPQk5VKHwh4lKQjs777H9-K3F9CMK_HmSTLH42IrVfIZpx4dm9WCc

Garlic Shrimp Pasta with Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This is an Italian-inspired seafood pasta recipe with lots of flavors at play. Garlic Shrimp together with Sun-Dried Tomatoes is smothered in a lot of Spicy Creamy Sauce and served over fettuccine pasta. Everything spiced up with basil and crushed red pepper.

• 1/2-pound shrimp (use unfrozen uncooked shrimp. If you have to, you can use unfrozen cooked shrimp, it will work here too)
• 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
• 8 ounces fettuccine pasta (use gluten free brown rice fettuccine for gluten free version)

Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this drained oil for sauteing as described below:

In a large skillet, saute minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar - see note above) for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant.

Add shrimp, sprinkle with a small amount of salt, paprika, and cook on medium heat for about 2 more minutes.

Add half-and-half, basil, and crushed red pepper to the skillet with shrimp, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Whisk the Parmesan cheese into the hot cream and stir to melt cheese, on the lowest heat setting, until cheese is melted.

Remove the sauce from heat. Add more salt, basil, and more crushed red pepper if desired, to taste.

In the meantime, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain (reserving some pasta water).

Add cooked pasta to the creamy mixture, add more salt, basil, and more crushed red pepper if desired, to taste. If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to thin it out.

Source: www.juliasalbum.com/garlic-shrimp-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-with-pasta-in-spicy-creamy-sauce/

Crawfish Bread

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 cup chopped green onions (tops and bottoms)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 pound peeled Louisiana crawfish tails, with fat
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small squares
• Cajun seasoning, to taste
• 1 (11 ounce) roll refrigerated French bread dough
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, saute chopped vegetables in olive oil and butter until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Add crawfish tails and wine; stir ingredients well and add cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add Cajun seasoning and cook until all is thickened, just a few minutes. Remove from heat, cool and let flavors blend.

Carefully roll out French bread dough on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Spoon crawfish mixture onto center of dough. Sprinkle on remaining shredded cheese, reserving 1 tablespoon. Fold dough over mixture and tuck ends under to make a loaf. Use the remaining tablespoon of cheese to sprinkle on top.

Cut five to six small slits in dough across the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until loaf is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Allow bread to set for a few minutes.

Slice into serving size pieces.

Notes: Shopping Tip: When buying seafood, make sure to check labels to ensure that you're buying domestic. U.S. seafood tastes better and it's regulated by the FDA so it's always safe.

Source: www.louisianatravel.com/culinary/recipes/crawfish-bread-recipe

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.