Baked Fish Steaks with Creole Sauce

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. onion, chopped
2 small garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 small bay leaf
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 - 2.5 lbs. fish steaks (salmon, cod, swordfish...I used swordfish) - 6 steaks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter flat 9 x 13 pan, and place fish steaks inside. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute peppers and onion until tender, but not browned. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add wine and cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, cloves, salt and sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes. Pour creole sauce over fish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fish can be flaked easily with fork.

To Freeze: Use fresh fish steaks. Bake fish in a flat casserole lined with heavy-duty foil and buttered (or use a foil casserole dish) at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Freeze. Remove foil-wrapped fish from casserole, if using this method. Wrap top with foil and overwrap with plastic wrap or plastic bag. Return to freezer.

To serve: Unwrap and return to casserole dish (if frozen in foil). Bake in a 425 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until thoroughly hot and cooked.

Penne with Shrimp, Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 3 tbsp. oil reserved
1.5 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
1 3/4 -2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil (reserve 1/2 for end of recipe)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 2/3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lb. penne pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Preparation

Heat oil reserved from tomatoes in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to bowl. Add sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, ½ of the basil, and all of the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper to same skillet and sauté until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp mixture to bowl with asparagus. Add broth, wine, and tomato paste to same skillet. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return pasta to same pot. Add shrimp mixture, sauce, remaining basil, and cheese to pasta. Toss over medium heat until warmed through and sauce coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Freezer Preparation

In large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté asparagus in 2-3 tbsp. olive oil (if you are not opening jars of sun-dried tomatoes) for 2-3 minutes and remove with slotted spoon while still crisp. In same pan add chicken broth, wine and tomato paste and boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Allow asparagus and broth to cool separately and then combine in freezer bag. Save shrimp preparation until day of serving.


To serve from freezer

Use reserved tomato oil to sauté shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs & spices as described in recipe. Transfer shrimp mixture to a bowl when done. Add thawed asparagus/sauce mixture to same skillet and warm, covered, until asparagus reaches desired tenderness (crisp-tender). Follow remainder of recipe regarding pasta preparation and combining.

Spinach-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Apple-Cranberry Reduction

2 1-pound pork tenderloins
4 cups torn fresh spinach (or partial box frozen chopped spinach - thawed)
1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 cup frozen apple-cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Slice the tenderloin lengthwise, almost all of the way through, making a pocket. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet cook the spinach in a small amount of water just until wilted. If using frozen, skip this step. Drain spinach well. In a small bowl combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, cheese and rosemary. Spoon spinach mixture into the pocket in the tenderloin (filling will be exposed). Place in a shallow roasting pan, stuffing side up. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into meat registers 160 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine apple-cranberry juice concentrate and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Boil gently about 15-25 minutes or until mixture measures 2/3 cup. Spoon juice reduction over the tenderloin during the last 10 minutes of roasting. To serve, bias-slice the pork.

To prepare from frozen:

Thaw tenderloin. Thaw spinach and drain well. Thaw 1/2 artichoke heart mixture per tenderloin. Thaw 1/2 of juice reduction mixture per tenderloin. Combine about 1/2 of the packaged spinach with the artichoke heart mixture and stuff into tenderloin opening. Place tenderloin in to roasting pan. Roast at 425 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Pour juice reduction over tenderloin and continue roasting for 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Mock Lobster (marinated chicken breasts) - Jill Rockwell

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• drawn butter for dipping

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, oil, garlic salt, pepper, brown sugar, mustard powder, ginger and pineapple juice. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. When cooled, place the chicken into a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Press out as much air as you can, seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate or freeze until ready to use.
2. Preheat a grill for medium-low heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate.
3. If frozen, defrost chicken in refrigerator for 24 hours. Place the thawed chicken on the grill and discard the marinade. Cook until chicken juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes, turning as needed to keep the chicken from burning. Serve with individual ramekins of drawn butter.

Jamaican Beef Dumplings

1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 cups vegetable oil, divided
1/2 pound ground beef
2 TBS finely dried bread crumbs
Hot sauce (preferably Jamaican; I used Anthony's Jamaican Jerk Sauce, not hot for kids sake)
30 dumpling wrappers

Cook scallion, onion, curry powder, and thyme in 1 1/2 TBS oil with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef and bread crumbs and cook until meat is just cooked through about 3 minutes. Season with hot sauce and Cool.

Put a rounded tsp filling in center of wrapper. Lightly brush the edge of wrapper with water and then fold in half diagonally and press and seal. Form remaining dumplings.

Heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees in a 12 inch skillet. Fry dumplings in 3 batches, turning once or twice until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per batch.

If Freezing flash freeze on cookie sheets and then bag.
I tried frying them directly in oil from frozen as well as thawing on paper towels and patting dry and then fry as above. Both worked well.
Jacey suggested fry frozen in a couple tablespoons of oil then add a 1/4 cup water and cover for a few minutes.