Ma Whats For Dinner?» seafood

Superbowl Spicy Crab Dip

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:56:21 +0000

Ok, I’m going to admit something here…

I’m not sure if my marriage is actually a sham.

Yup, it’s true…

I think that this dip is the actually the reason the hubs married me.

Yes, it’s that good.

Trust me….

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 16oz tubs softened cream cheese (You can use reduced fat)

1 T crushed garlic

1/2 T Siracha hot sauce

1/2 t crab boil seasoning

S&P

2 cans lump crab meat (picked over for shell bits)

1/2 cup water chestnuts diced

2 scallions chopped

sourdough baguette sliced thin

WHAT TO DO:

In a large microwave safe bowl combine softened cream cheese, garlic, hot sauce, crab boil, water chestnuts, scallions, crab meat and S&P. Mix well.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and stir well.

Microwave for an additional 2 minutes or so until steaming hot.

Remove from microwave. Top with additional scallions. Stir well.

Transfer to serving bowl and serve alongside slice sourdough bread.

People will be proposing at first bite!

Fall Faves – Seared Sea Scallops and Spaghetti Squash with browned sage butter

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

As much as Brady and Cooper would looooove this dinner.

It was a put the kids to bed early and make a romantic home cooked meal kind of night.

A friend of mine told me how her husband had made her a dish like this…

I thought it was perfect for a stay at home

Date night!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 spaghetti squash

1/2 cup water

6 medium sized fresh sea scallops

1/2 T flour

1 T olive oil

3 T unsalted butter

8 large leaves sage, julienned

4 basil leaves, julienned

S&P

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Place the squash, cut side down, in a large baking dish filled with your 1/2 cup water, you need about 1/2 and inch of water. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to one hour. When it’s done remove from oven and set aside.

Wash and pat dry your scallops. Make sure they are really really dry! Season with S&P and sprinkle with flour. Shake off excess flour and set aside.

Set a cast iron skillet, you can use a regular skillet if you don’t have cast iron, over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up. When the oil is hot add the scallops. Let them cook for 2 minutes and then give them a check. If they’re golden brown flip ‘em to side 2 and let them finish up cooking. 2-3 more minutes. Remove them to a plate.

Next toss in your butter. Let the butter cook for a minute. Toss in your herbs and allow the butter to brown and get frothy.

Add the scallops in and let them sit in the butter for a minute. Remove them back to the plate.

Pull the butter off the heat.

Grab your squash and using a fork scrape the meat of the squash into long spaghetti strings. Toss the squash in the butter and herbs then top with scallops.

Grab a glass of white wine and have a fantastic date night.

FYI – The kids would love this too. Mine ate leftovers the next day.

Time Saving Week – Sioux Z Shrimp

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:08 +0000

Have you ever heard of this stuff?

It’s called Sioux Z Wow sauce.

It’s a miracle in a bottle.

I love this stuff.

They sell it in the grocery stores in Cali.

But I haven’t seen it seen we moved to CT.

So I begged my stepmother to ship some out to me.

And then I found out you can actually order it online..

Basically this stuff is amazing.

It’s a dip, a marinade, a glaze, a dressing…

There are a thousand ways to use it.

This is one of my favorites.

It’s quick and easy and a gourmet meal in minutes.

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb peeled, deveined, US caught shrimp

1 T peanut oil

1/4 cup Sioux Z Wow sauce

2 scallions chopped

1 cup white jasmine rice

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup lite coconut milk

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat.

When the skillet is smoking hot, add in peanut oil.

Let the oil heat up then toss in shrimp.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, until shrimp are just pink.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan heat coconut milk and chicken stock to just boiling. Add in rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes, remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Add in your Sioux sauce and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Pour over cooked coconut rice and top with chopped scallions.

Delicious dinner in a flash!

Seafood Week – Steamed Clams

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

These are my second favorite seafood dish.

Right after my beloved lobstah.

Steamers hold a special place in our summer menu.

Special meaning we eat them almost every Friday night.

And the boys adore them!

It’s hysterical to watch them clean them and then watch the butter fly as the dip and then drip down their chins.

Nothing says summer to me more.

WHAT YOU NEED:

3 lbs New England steamer clams, cleaned and rinsed well. Be sure to discard any open ones that don’t pop shut when you give them a tap.

2 T olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup white wine

2 cups water

1 stick butter melted

WHAT TO DO:

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat.

Toss in shallots and cook until soft. Add in garlic and cook for about a minute.

Stir in white wine and allow to reduce for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in clams and toss in the broth. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove clams to a large bowl and reserve cooking liquid to dip (and clean) clams in.

Discard any clams that didn’t open.

Serve with garlic bread, salad, and drawn butter.

Recently we went up to my SIL’s house for a BBQ. She asked me to make these steamers.

It was a good size BBQ.

But still, we went through 20 pounds of steamers.

20 pounds!!!!!

That’s a lot of clams!

But they sure were good!

Seafood Week – Oven Baked Orange Roughy

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:00:43 +0000

So I went on down to our local fish market here…

This is Swanson’s Fish Market

In Fairfield, CT.

I love this place…

I love their soups…

I love their fish…

I love their staff…

They are super knowledgeable…

And super helpful.

So we wandered on in to see what was fresh

They recommended some Orange Roughy.

I’d never actually made it before but they said to bake it with some butter and lemon so off we went.

It turned out fabulous!

But you knew I wouldn’t follow their directions.

Not with my recipe OCD.

Here’s my recipe…

Oven Baked Orange Roughy

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 orange roughy fillets (you can use any mild white fish)

1/2 T olive oil

1 t fresh dill chopped

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 T truffle butter (you can use regular butter if you don’t keep this in your freezer like the psycho that I am)

1/4 cup white wine

S&P

lemon wedges

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, bread crumbs, and chopped dill. Set aside.

Place your fish fillets in a baking dish. Season both sides with S&P. Pour on your white wine. Next crumble up your butter into small bits and place on top of fish.

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of butter and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Squeeze lemon wedges over the top and serve.

YUM!!!

What’s your favorite fish dish?

Stay tuned for more delicious seafood recipes coming your way this week!

Pantry Party – Krabby Patties

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:00:39 +0000

How do I get my kids to eat seafood? I tell them it’s Sponge Bob seafood! Krabby Patties (otherwise known as I didn’t want to spend money at the store so how can I use up stuff in my pantry like this canned crab meat.) Viola. Dinner is served, Spongebob Style…

Serves 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

3 6oz. cans lump crab meat

2 eggs

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t Colemans dry mustard

1/4 c mayonnaise

juice of one lemon

1 clove garlic minced

2 T fresh parsley minced

2 T melted butter

1 T old bay seasoning

1 c panko breadcrumbs

S&P

2 T olive oil, divided

1 T butter, divided

Grab a big bowl and combine breadcrumbs, old bay, melted butter, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, mayonnaise, dry mustard, worcestshire sauce, eggs. Mix well to combine. Season with S&P. Open and drain your crab and carefully fold into your mixture trying not to break up crab too much. Form into patties and place on a plate. Put the plate into your fridge and allow the patties to set for 30 minutes to an hour.

While your patties are finished setting up, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Set a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T olive and 1/2 T butter to pan and allow to heat up. Add the patties in batches and allow to brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes. Replace your oil and butter halfway through if necessary. Place the browned patties on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or on top of a salad as a great summertime meal.

New England Pot o’ Steamers

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:00:01 +0000

Serves 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

3 lbs New England steamer clams, cleaned and rinsed well. Be sure to discard any open ones that don’t pop shut when you give them a tap.

2 T olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup white wine

2 cups water

1 stick butter melted

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat. Toss in shallots and cook until soft. Add in garlic and cook for about a minute. Stir in white wine and allow to reduce for 2-3 minutes. Pour in clams and toss in the broth. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Discard any clams that didn’t open. Remove clams to a large bowl and reserve cooking liquid to dip (and clean) clams in. Serve with garlic bread, salad, and drawn butter.

We were in Boston for the holiday weekend and I was dying for some steamed clams. I didn’t get around to getting any so I whipped up a batch myself when we got back home. They’re so good!