In the last couple years, I have developed a liking for a variety of fish.  I used to crinkle my nose at the thought of dinner at a seafood restaurant.  However, as I have sampled different kinds of seafood, I have found many to be appealing.

Cooking for a family, I like to expose our children to new dishes to broaden their dining horizons also.  However, I know that if I jump into new foods too quickly, it can result in displeasure.  Therefore, I have different strategies that I use when presenting a new dish.  Sometimes it is the reward of a favorite side dish, such as honey cornbread, or a dipping sauce to accent the entree.

Last night I made fish tacos for dinner.  Our ten year old is a little hesitant when it comes to any new dish.  However, she also adores dipping her foods in dressings.  To make this meal more appealing, I created a sauce/spread that could be used in the fish tacos.  The spread was creamy yet had a small bite of spiciness, making it enjoyable for all members of our dining party.

I found its flavor to be tastier by making the sauce early in the afternoon, allowing the seasonings to mingle before serving it at dinner.  Although I served it with fish tacos, it would work well as a dip for vegetables or chicken fingers and a spread for subs.

Slightly Spicy Spread

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tb. lime juice

1 Tb. chipotle chile powder

1 tsp. dried cilantro

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients, and mix well.  Chill for several hours before serving.

After a very big dinner at an Italian restaurant on Saturday, neither of us were hungry for breakfast the next morning.  However, as the morning passed, our appetites awakened.  Being a Sunday with not much on our schedule, we decided to do a little grocery shopping in the morning and make sandwiches for lunch.

Typically, a sandwich conjures thoughts of two pieces of bread with a little bit of filling.  Well. . .that isn’t quite what we had in mind.  As we didn’t go to the grocery store until 11, our feeling of not being hungry was far gone.  And being foodies, we had specific ideas in mind, such as caramelizing onions and roasting a turkey breast instead of buying turkey from the deli.

I will admit that I did cut one corner in making this sandwich.  I bought canned whole berry cranberry sauce.  I would have preferred homemade, but to allow it to cool and set would have taken hours, and I was quite hungry by then!

With all of our ingredients, we headed for home and started our cooking.  My husband seasoned the turkey and placed it in our rotisserie.  I sliced the onions and began the process of caramelizing.  Once these items were nearly ready, we diced and sliced vegies and cheese.  The product of my work was an amazing turkey sandwich.  My husband’s, on the other hand, was a monstrous club with layers of many ingredients.  However, I believe they were similar, in that both sandwiches were the ultimate sandwich for each of us.

Michele’s Ultimate Turkey Sandwich

2 slices whole wheat bread

mayonnaise

1-2 lettuce leaves, preferably Romaine or Butter

1 cooked turkey cutlet*, sliced

Sharp cheddar cheese slices

Whole berry cranberry sauce

Preheat broiler.  Put a thin layer of mayonnaise on one slice of bread.  Top with lettuce, then turkey.  Use enough cheddar to cover turkey layer.  Place sandwich under broiler briefly. (Just long enough to melt cheese, but not long enough to make bread toasted.)  Top with cranberry sauce and second piece of bread.  Slice in half, and enjoy.

*To prepare turkey cutlet:  Coat cutlet with a mixture of salt, pepper, and sage.  Cook in rotisserie according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

An elegant evening was planned as a surprise for last night, a sort of pre-holiday relaxing evening.  A babysitter was hired for the kids and a kid gourmet meal of mac & cheese was served.  While the children dined on their fine food, the two of us got dressed in more formal attire for dinner at an upscale dining establishment.

The meals at our destination were excellent.  However, after a 4-course meal, I was unable to finish my meal.  The waitress graciously packed my remaining lamb chops for me to enjoy at home. Unbeknownst to me at that time, this was the start of a romantic dinner idea.

Pondering what to do with my lamb, I thought about ways to incorporate it into a dish.  A wrap seemed like an excellent use for the lamb.  The obvious decision was to prepare it in a Greek fashion.  A homemade feta dressing and some lettuce and the wrap would be complete.  A tasty finale to the previous evening’s meal.

Greek Lamb Wraps
1/4 cup sour cream1/4 cup chopped cucumber 1/4 cup feta cheese 1/2 tsp. dill weed 1/4 tsp. garlic salt	2 wraps (I prefer flax, oat bran, & whole wheat)4 leaves curly head lettuce 1/2 lb. lamb chops, cooked feta pepper
Shop for all of These Ingredients At Home with Safeway
To prepare the dressing:Combine sour cream, cucumber, feta, dill weed, and garlic salt in a blender.  Pulse until smooth. To prepare wrap: Cut both wraps into fourths.  Cut lettuce leaves in half, and place each half on a wrap.  Cut lamb into bite-sized pieces, and place on lettuce.  Sprinkle desired amount of feta on each wrap.  Drizzle with feta dressing.  Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired.  Fold 2 sides, and roll in opposite direction.

With July coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to spend a day at the beach. Have the kids put on their swimsuits, grab any toys they want, pack some snacks, and we’re off for a day of fun. The day is enjoyed by all. The kids get to boogie board and jump through the waves. Even the oldest kids in the group have fun building a sand castle. The grown-ups get to divide their time between cooling off (i.e. being lifeguards) and reading on a blanket in the sun.

The ride home is fairly quiet, as the four kids are tired from all the fun. Everyone needs to take a shower when we arrive home, and everyone is hungry. After eating chips, fried dough, and assorted beach food, what is needed is a quick and healthy dinner. Something that works for most of the group is lettuce wraps, named for my oldest who is particularly fond of them, just like he is with free online games.

I introduced my kids to lettuce wraps a year or two ago and got a raised eyebrow to the suggestion. “No bread or sub rolls?” they asked. Since that time, they have begun to enjoy creating their own combinations. While one parent overseees the shower-taking process, the other easily can handle the prep work for dinner. The best suggestion I have for this meal is to offer a variety of fillings, so that everyone can find something that they like.

Big Jake’s Lettuce Wraps

2 hearts of romaine lettuce

2 lbs. boneless chicken breast

extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet onion, sliced

8 mushrooms, washed and sliced

4 oz. gorgonzola cheese

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz. can water chestnuts

1/2 lb. shredded carrots

2 tomatoes, diced

barbecue sauce*

Rinse lettuce leaves and place on paper towels to dry.

Broil or grill chicken breasts. Cool and dice into bite-sized pieces. While chicken is cooking, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place enough olive oil in pan to coat bottom. Add onions and mushrooms, cooking until tender.

Place lettuce leaves on a plate. Put chicken, mushrooms and onions, gorgonzola, cheddar, water chestnuts, carrots, and tomato each in separate bowls. Give each diner a plate and a lettuce leaf. Have them place their desired fillings in the center of the leaf, leaving enough room at the edges so the leaf can be folded or rolled. Top with barbecue sauce, if desired.

CAUTION! These wraps can be very messy. Have lots of napkins or forks available.

Serves 6 very hungry beach-goers.

*You can substitute whatever sauce pleases your diners, such as hoisin or salsa.

On a steamy summer day, one can close her eyes and imagine that instead of being in a small New England town she is on a tropical island.  The air is hot and humid with the sun high overhead.  To make the day end on this same tropical note, a meal with an island-like feel is required.  However, it should be a simple meal so as not to produce any more heat on a day such as this.

I found the perfect meal for my imaginary tropics day in a panini.  I started with the basic thought of using a jerk marinade.  I decided to keep it simple yet worthy of an island, so some fresh produce was needed.  Add a little cheese to hold it all together, and it was perfection.  A simple side of fresh watermelon completed the meal as a sweet, light side dish.

Jamaican Chicken Panini

1 pound uncooked chicken tenders

1 bottle jerk marinade

1 artisan boule, cut into 3/4 inch slices

1 tomato, thinly sliced

1 papaya, peeled and sliced with seeds removed

shredded cheddar cheese

butter

Several hours before you plan to eat, place the chicken tenders in a resealable gallon bag.  Add enough jerk marinade to cover and refrigerate.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and place a small amount of olive oil in the pan.  Add marinated chicken to the pan, turning when brown, approximately 3-4 minutes.  Turn and cook the other side, making sure that the chicken is fully cooked, approximately 3-4 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.

Heat a second nonstick frying pan over medium low heat.  To assemble panini, take 1 piece of bread and place 3 chicken tenders on the bread.  Top with tomato slices, papaya, and cheddar cheese.  Place other slice of bread on top and coat topside with a thin layer of butter.  Place panini in frying pan, butter side down.  While the first side is cooking, place butter on the other side.  Cook each side until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove sandwich from skillet, cut in half, and serve.

This recipe makes 4-5 panini.