Basil Lemon Butter Salmon

Hi everyone! Remember me? I know I haven't posted anything for a super long time, but now that school is over for the summer, I am gradually starting to get my life back :) I am going to start blogging again, but it won't be as frequent as before. Thanks for sticking with me!

So, my vegetable and herb garden I planted this spring is looking great. I have tomatoes already, my green beans, cucumbers and bell peppers are starting to flower and I can see tiny jalapenos starting to grow. My herbs have totally taken off and I'm picking some every day to cook with :) I am just loving this time of year!

I wanted to share with you a favorite and very versatile recipe. It isn't the salmon, but is actually the butter compound used to baste the salmon with!
This simple butter mixture is great on so many different foods and is very kid friendly. It's wonderful on pasta, different types of fish, grilled shrimp, biscuits, corn on the cob, in vegetable sautes and many other dishes. Be creative! You can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge. Just use what you need and store the leftovers for a different use (within a few days, that is).

One of my favorite ways to use this butter is on grilled salmon. Oh, how I love grilled salmon. Spread some of the butter over salmon fillets or steaks (a teaspoon or so per serving), place onto a greased grill and cook until done (about 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat). You can baste the salmon with more butter while it's cooking to add more flavor if you wish. Pan cooking the fish with the butter on it is wonderful as well. Enjoy!

Basil Lemon Butter

8 T unsalted butter, softened, but not melted
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or to taste)
Fresh black pepper, to taste

Soften the butter until it's easily spreadable, but not melted. Using a wire whisk, whip in the chopped basil leaves, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Use immediately or place in the refrigerator until ready to use (within a few days). Let soften at room temperature before using.

Baked Haddock

I love Haddock. I love it breaded, fried, grilled, broiled or baked. It doesn't matter how it's cooked. It's one of my favorite foods and definitely my favorite fish.

I came across this recipe recently and it just sounded so good. I had to make it. Luckily, haddock was on sale at our grocery store so I quickly added it to our menu plan. To my surprise, when my husband read the menu, he was excited to try it.

We both really enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it again and again. The flavor is wonderful and the buttery Ritz crackers on top complete it. I would almost consider this dish restaurant worthy...it's that good. Although it goes against my "healthy" way of cooking, I am so glad I found this recipe because it has easily made it's way as one of my top ten favorites.

Baked Haddock
(adapted from Dawn's Recipes, serves 2-3)

1 lb haddock fillets

3 T salted butter, melted

3 T white cooking wine

1 T lemon juice

10-15 Ritz crackers, crumbled

Parsley (for garnish)



Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut in half, if desired, to fit in the baking dish.

Combine melted butter, cooking wine and lemon juice. Pour a few tablespoons into the bottom of a square baking dish.

Place fish fillets on top of the butter mixture in the baking dish. Then pour remaining butter mixture over the top. Evenly sprinkle the Ritz crackers over the top of the fish. Then lightly sprinkle with the parsley.






Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. If the Ritz cracker topping starts to get too brown, lightly tent a piece of foil over the dish and continue to cook until done. Enjoy!

Spicy Tilapia

My husband, Michael, went to New Orleans early last year on a business trip. He had a great time and got to do a lot of sight-seeing (I was so jealous!). One evening, he attended a business dinner at "K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen" a fabulous restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Michael and I love Cajun/spicy food so Michael was in heaven while eating at that restaurant. Chef Paul Prudhomme gave my husband a signed copy of his cookbook and a big collection of his famous Magic Seasoning Blends. We have been in love with Chef Paul's seasonings ever since! We use them on steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, vegetables and even meatloaf! The flavors are wonderful and have a great kick to them.

Tilapia is kind of a bland fish, but we love it spiced up with Seafood Magic seasoning. I'm just happy to get my husband to eat NON-batter-fried fish so I don't really care what type of fish it is.

So, here is my quick and easy version of Spicy Tilapia. If you don't have Seafood Magic Seasoning, don't worry, you can easily substitute your own spicy seasoning blend or other Cajun seasonings. Just make sure to adjust the salt content to your liking if the seasoning blend doesn't contain any.

Spicy Tilapia

1 lbs fresh Tilapia fillets, rinsed well and patted dry

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T "light" margarine (or use 2 T total olive oil instead)

2 tsp lemon juice

2 T (or more) Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic seasoning or other Cajun seasoning or choice spicy seasoning blend

Heat oil and margarine in a large skillet. On one side of fish fillets, sprinkle with half of the lemon juice. Then generously sprinkle and rub with half of the spicy seasoning. Add fish to hot oil/margarine, seasoned side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, sprinkle other side of fish with remaining lemon juice and spicy seasoning. Flip fish and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until the fish is opaque in color and easily flakes when cut.

Serve fish with lemon scented white rice (recipe below) and a salad or vegetable of choice. Enjoy!

Lemon Scented White Rice

2 1/2 cups cooked white Rice (or other white rice, cooked. Basmati is good)

2 T "light" margarine

1 tsp kosher salt

2 T lemon juice

Pepper, to taste

Cook rice to package directions. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep warm until ready to serve.