New fish recipe for Lenten meals

smcclanahan

During this season of Lent, many people practice eating fish on Friday. At the Senior Center we are careful to serve fish on every Friday during Lent.

For those who do practice this tradition, you might enjoy a change from fried fish. If you can't find the black grouper filets, almost any kind of firm, textured filet will do fine.

Pecan Crusted Grouper

4 (6 ounce) black grouper filets, each 1/2-inch thick

Ingredients for crust:

1/2 cup crushed Weston Stoned Wheat Thins

1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Ingredients for the egg wash:

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce

In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1/2 cup crushed Weston Stoned Wheat Thins, 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, 1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley and process to a crumb. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine and whisk together 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons each of sesame oil, vegetable oil, lemon juice, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 1/4 cup melted butter, and 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce. Dip four 6-ounce fish filets in the egg wash, then heavily coat them in the crumbs. Place on an oiled baking pan, skin side down. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until filets are browned and cooked through. For the best results, do not allow the filets to touch each other in the pan.

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From a recent request for chicken and dumplings there were many recipes sent in that were similar. But this recipe has many added seasonings that made it different from the others. This recipe also has drop dumplings as opposed to the rolled dumplings people are accustomed to eating in this area.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 (2 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut up

2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

3 cups self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/3 cup shortening

2 teaspoons bacon drippings

1 cup milk

Cover chicken with water, and bring to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and next 3 ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; cool chicken. Skim fat from broth; bring to a simmer. Skin, bone and coarsely chop chicken. Add chicken, bouillon, and remaining salt and pepper to broth. Return to simmer. Combine flour and poultry seasoning in a bowl.

Cut in shortening and bacon drippings with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1-inch pieces. Bring broth mixture to a boil. Drop dumplings, a few at a time, into boiling broth, stirring gently. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring often, for 25 minutes. Preparation time about 30 minutes. Cooking time about 1 hour 30 minutes. Yields about 8 servings.

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Jodi Thompson from Jackson, Mo., has shared all of the recipes featured today in Recipe Swap. The next recipe really appealed to me because I enjoy caramelized onions in or on almost anything. My friend Rodney Bridges can eat caramelized onions like they were candy. He will certainly enjoy this recipe. Sauteed green beans make a great side dish for this sweet yet spicy chicken recipe.

Caramelized Onion Chicken

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup sliced onion

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute 2 minutes. Add chicken to pan; saute 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove onion and chicken from pan.

Add jam and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return chicken mixture to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Yields 4 servings.

Serve the pork chops in the next recipe piping hot with a side dish of mashed potatoes for a favorite meal for anyone, but especially that meat and potatoes lover in your house.

Honey and Spice-Glazed Pork Chops

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Cooking spray

4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2-inch thick)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine first five ingredients in a bowl. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low; add honey mixture. Cook 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once. Yield: 4 servings For the next recipe to be a vegetarian soup, substitute 1 tablespoon oil for the bacon drippings and vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Red or green bell peppers can be substituted for the poblano chiles. For optimal creaminess, be sure to add the cheese after removing the soup from the heat; overheated cheese can curdle.

Chile-Cheese Chowder

2 bacon slices

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped seeded poblano chiles (about 3 large)

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno peppers

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

5 cups diced peeled baking potato (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups 1-percent low-fat milk

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

2/3 cup sliced green onions

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add carrot and the next 5 ingredients (carrot through garlic) to the drippings in pan; Saute 10 minutes or until browned. Stir in the broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add potato and salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until potato is tender. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 12 minutes), stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Add cheeses, stirring until cheeses melt. Ladle into soup bowls; top with green onions and crumbled bacon. Yields 10 servings. Per serving use 1 cup soup, about 1 tablespoon green onions, and about 1 teaspoon bacon.

Every time I let bananas get too far gone to eat, I always make banana coffee cake. But this recipe may make me change my ways. The combination of bananas and chocolate is a favorite flavor combination is mine so this recipe will be a keeper. Notice, too, it is diabetic friendly with the artificial sweeteners used in the recipe.

Double Chocolate-Banana Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup pourable Sugar Twin or Splenda

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups (4 ripe medium) mashed bananas

1 egg or equivalent in egg substitute

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup Land O Lakes no-fat sour cream or fat free buttermilk

1/4 cup (1 ounce) mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8 wells of a 12-hole muffin pan with butter-flavored cooking spray or line with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine flour, Sugar Twin, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine bananas, egg, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Add banana mixture to flour mixture. Mix gently to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

Evenly spoon batter into prepared muffin wells. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.

Jodi really outdid herself this week with her variety of shared recipes.

Thank you, Jodi, for sharing.

Remember we still have two requests that we answer in the next couple of weeks. The first was for melt-a-way cookies. The second was for homemade hot tamales. That should keep some of you busy this week.

Until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.