Lenten (meal) offerings for your family meals

During the season of Lent, many people refrain from eating red meats and switch their protein intake to seafood and fish. In keeping with that idea, I looked through many recipes and chose a few to add to your Lent recipe collection. I tried to stay away from traditional tuna casserole or salmon patties and make it a little more interesting. Of course by using shrimp or crabmeat it will be a little more expensive than tuna, but you could use these recipes for a special occasion or for dinner guests during Lent.

Have fun with some creative cooking during this very special season.

Easy Crabcakes

Ready-to-go crabmeat makes these delicate patties easier than other crabcake recipes. You can also form the crab mixture into four thick patties instead of eight crabcakes.

• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
• 1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, green onions, red pepper, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder and cayenne; fold in crab.

Place remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Divide mixture into eight portions; shape into 2-inch balls. Gently coat in bread crumbs and shape into 1/2-inch-thick patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add crabcakes; cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Lemony Scallops with Angel Hair Pasta

This delicate dish tastes so bright with a touch of lemon and tender sauteed scallops. Serve with crusty whole grain bread, and you have an impressive dinner that comes together in a flash.

• 8 ounces uncooked multigrain angel hair pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry
• 2 cups sliced radishes (about 1 bunch)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

In a 6-quart stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat; sear scallops in batches until opaque and edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

In the same skillet, saute radishes, garlic and pepper flakes in remaining oil until radishes are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in green onions and salt; cook 1 minute. Add to pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with lemon zest and juice. Top with scallops to serve.

Classic Trout Amandine

In the recipe, sliced almonds are lightly browned in a rich browned butter sauce flavored with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. The sauce is spooned over trout filets that have been coated in flour and pan-fried in butter. Although the dish itself comes together in minutes, be sure to set aside two hours so that the fish can marinate in a mixture of milk and hot sauce, which adds a spicy note while also mellowing the fishy odor and flavor of the trout. Trout Amandine needs nothing more than a simple green salad and plenty of good crusty bread for mopping up all of that delicious sauce.

• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 12 (4-ounce) trout fillets
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Stir together milk, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 13x9-inch baking dish; add fillets, turning to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours. Drain, discarding marinade.

Combine flour and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour mixture.

Melt 1/4 cup butter with oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry fillets, in batches, in butter mixture 2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter; keep warm.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup butter and almonds in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until almonds are lightly browned. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Pour almond mixture over fillets, and serve immediately.

Notes: Trout fillets are sold as single fillets, or sometimes as a "saddle." Be sure to buy the smaller, single fillets, if possible, so that they will fit in your skillet with ease.

Dressed Up Tuna and Mushroom Casserole

This dressed-up version of a tuna casserole will make dinner much easier to serve. The green beans add nice texture, color and flavor. Even people who do not usually like tuna casserole often like this recipe.

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 package (9 ounces) frozen cut green beans
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1-1/2 cups cold whole milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2-1/2 cups egg noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 can (12 ounces) light tuna in water, drained and flaked
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter

In a large saucepan, bring water and bouillon to a boil; stir until bouillon is dissolved. Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; gradually add to vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese and mayonnaise until cheese is melted. Fold in noodles and tuna.

Pour into a greased 2-1/2-quart baking dish. In a small skillet, brown bread crumbs in butter; sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

There's nothing like fresh salmon, and when baked just right, it nearly melts in your mouth. The sour cream dill sauce is subtly seasoned with horseradish so that it doesn't overpower the delicate salmon flavor.

• 1 salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 6 lemon slices
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

Dill sauce:

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 3/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• Pepper to taste

Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil; grease lightly. Place salmon skin side down on foil. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and onion salt. Top with onion and lemon. Dot with butter. Fold foil around salmon; seal tightly,

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Open foil carefully, allowing steam to escape. Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 8 to 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients until smooth. Serve with salmon.

Pesto Corn Salad with Shrimp

This recipe showcases the beautiful fresh corn, tomatoes and delicious basil. Prevent browning by placing plastic wrap directly on the salad or spritzing with lemon juice.

• 4 medium ears sweet corn, husked
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), peeled and deveined

In a pot of boiling water, cook corn until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse basil, oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt until blended.

Cut corn from cob and place in a bowl. Stir in tomatoes, pepper and remaining salt. Add avocado and 2 tablespoons basil mixture; toss gently to combine.

Thread shrimp onto metal or soaked wooden skewers; brush with remaining basil mixture. Grill, covered, over medium heat until shrimp turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from skewers; serve with corn mixture.

Easy Grilled Salmon

• 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (from 1 small shallot)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat grill to medium-high (400 degrees to 450 degrees). Brush salmon fillets evenly with 1 tablespoon of the oil; sprinkle with pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Place salmon on oiled grates; grill, covered, until slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.

Whisk together lemon juice, parsley, shallot, mustard, and remaining 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons vinaigrette over salmon. Serve salmon alongside remaining vinaigrette.

Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

This recipe is both simple and delicious, and much you might order at a local Thai restaurant. Stay home and dine in with simple yet flavorful dish.

• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, divided
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained
• 2 cups cooked rice, room temperature
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped salted peanuts
• Lime wedges

Mix soy sauce, curry powder and sugar. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry shrimp until it turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan.

In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook just until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add pepper, carrot and onion; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in pineapple and shrimp. Add rice and soy sauce mixture; heat through over medium heat, tossing to combine and break up any clumps of rice. Stir in scallions. Sprinkle with peanuts; serve with lime wedges.

Red Clam Sauce

This recipe tastes like an Italian restaurant specialty and cooks while you take care of other things. What a marvelous way to jazz up pasta sauce.

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (6-1/2 ounces each) chopped clams, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Additional minced fresh parsley, optional
• 6 ounces linguine, cooked and drained

In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a 1-1/2- or 2-quart slow cooker. Stir in the clams, tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, bay leaf, sugar, basil and thyme.

Cover and cook on low until heated through, 3-4 hours. Discard bay leaf. If desired, sprinkle with additional parsley. Serve with linguine.

Freeze option: Omit additional parsley. Cool before placing in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place in a large saucepan; heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve with linguine and, if desired, minced parsley.

Catfish Tacos with Slaw

• 1 pound skinless catfish fillets, cut into 16 pieces
• 3/4 cup whole buttermilk
• 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (such as Slap Ya Mama)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded napa or green cabbage (from 1 small cabbage)
• 8 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas, warmed
• 2 radishes, cut into matchsticks (1/4 cup)
• 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• Lime wedges
• Hot sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Combine catfish and buttermilk in a medium bowl; cover and chill 20 minutes or up to 1 hour

Whisk together cornmeal, panko, Cajun seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a shallow dish. Drain catfish; discard buttermilk. Working in batches, dredge fish in cornmeal mixture. Place fish on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until it's golden brown and flakes with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add cabbage; toss to coat.

Place 2 pieces of catfish in each tortilla. Top with cabbage mixture, radishes, avocado, cilantro, and chives. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.

Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss

No matter how you toss them together, shrimp and thyme play nicely with any spring-fresh vegetable.

• 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp (31-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink.

Drain tortellini mixture; add to skillet. Stir in salt, thyme, pepper and remaining oil; toss to coat.

Garlic Lemon Shrimp

You'll be amazed that you can make this simple, elegant pasta in mere minutes. Serve with crusty bread to soak up all of the garlic lemon sauce.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• Hot cooked pasta or rice

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute shrimp 3 minutes. Add garlic, lemon juice, cumin and salt; cook and stir until shrimp turn pink. Stir in parsley. Serve with pasta.

Seafood Casserole

This rice casserole is stuffed with plenty of crab and shrimp to make a special dish that's also hearty, homey and so easy to make.

• 1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice
• 1 pound frozen crabmeat, thawed or 2-1/2 cups canned lump crabmeat, drained
• 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine crab, shrimp, celery, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and pimientos. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, milk, pepper and Worcestershire sauce; stir into seafood mixture. Stir in rice.

Transfer to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, 40-50 minutes.

Monterey Spaghetti

This meatless dish can be served as a side dish or as a main dish and your family is sure to love it.

• 4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions. Pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated though. Top with remaining onions; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

Busy Mom's Blend of the Bayou Casserole

This recipe is quick to prepare, nutritious and beautiful. It is sure to become one of those recipes that you will hand down to family members and dinner guests.

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 3/4 cup cooked rice
• 1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 12 crackers)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook and stir cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth.

In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, saute onion, celery and green pepper in remaining butter until tender. Stir in shrimp, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, garlic salt, pepper sauce, cayenne and cream cheese mixture.

Combine cheddar cheese and cracker crumbs; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

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