Honey Lime Dressing... or is it a Basting Sauce?



Honey Lime Dressing



I am going to share one of my favorite salad dressing recipes with you tonight.  This dressing isn’t just for lettuce.  I no longer call it a “dressing” but a sauce.

Tonight I marinated the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 4 oz of the Braswell Key Lime Margarita Sauce*    http://welcometojustforcooking.blogspot.com/2011/04/90-miles-away-chicken-with-conch.html

I added a shot of Tequila to the marinade.  Of course I did.  ;.)

After one hour, I sprinkled the chicken with grill seasoning for steak.   I tossed the chicken on an oiled grill and cooked the chicken breasts to 175°, until the juices ran clear.  During the last five minutes, I basted the chicken with this wonderful dressing/basting sauce.  I topped it all off with crisped up corn tortilla strips sprinkled with Garlic Salt and Chili Powder.



Honey Lime Chicken
with Crispy Corn Tortilla Strips



Honey Lime Dressing/Sauce

Juice of 1 ½ Limes

2 tablespoons Honey

¼ cup Olive Oil

Sea Salt, to taste

Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons Fresh chopped Herbs (suggest Culantro, Oregano and Chives)

Squeeze lime juice into bowl and whisk in honey. 

Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking as you go.

Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs at the end.

*Not a paid endorsement.

Tuscan Salmon



Tuscan Salmon


I think this is my new favorite way to prepare salmon.  The flavor in this dish just pops.  If you love Salmon and you love Tuscan flavors, you need to try this.

Oh, double click on the picture above tonight to really see an "action shot."  I love food action shots!

You get the saltiness of the capers, the tang of the lemon and the dry white wine, and the freshness of the olive oil, spinach, tomato and mint along with the mild and savory taste of the Elephant garlic.  Wow!  I can’t wait for you to tell me what you think!

BONUS:   With grocery prices going through the roof, people are looking for ways to make great meals on a tight budget.  This recipe only calls for four ounces of salmon per serving.  If you are a savvy seafood shopper, you probably already know that the market might give you a discount if you ask for the “thin” tail pieces of the salmon.  Everyone wants the thick steaks.  Save a little money.  Go with the thin pieces and make this dish tonight. 

BONUS 2:  It only takes minutes to prepare!

Serves 4

1 – 9 oz bag Spinach, washed and trimmed

4 – 4 oz skin on (thin) Wild Caught Salmon Fillets

2 tablespoons Old Bay® Seasoning

1 large Tomato, seeded and chopped

8 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 tablespoons Capers

½ cup dry White Wine (suggest Pinto Grigio)

1 clove Elephant Garlic, sliced

Juice of one large Lemon

8 Lemon Slices

Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon freshly chopped Mint

Other: 

Butter Flavored Cooking Spray

Heavy Duty and Regular Tin Foil

Tear 4 – 12 inch long pieces of heavy duty tin foil and 4 – 12 in regular tin foil pieces.  Lay heavy duty tin foil on top of the regular tin foil. Spray top side of heavy duty tin foil with cooking spray. Turn the ends up on the heavy duty foil, creating a “boat.”

Place equal mounds of spinach on each piece of tin foil.  Sprinkle with ½ of the Old Bay and olive oil.  Toss with hands. 

Lay salmon fillets on top of spinach mounds.  Sprinkle salmon with remaining Old Bay. 


Top each spinach and salmon packet with equal amounts of all remaining ingredients, except for the mint.  This will be added after you cook the fish.

Preheat grill to 400°.

Turn in corners of heavy duty tin foil packets to seal and then wrap each packet in the additional layer of regular foil. 

Place packets on grill.  Close lid for ten minutes to retain heat.  Open grill for last five minutes of cooking time.  

Plate fish and spinach, along with some of the juices.  Top with fresh mint.

Lentil Salad

I serve this dish with bowls of lentil salad.  I don’t go to a gourmet store to purchase my lentils.  Regular brown lentils from the supermarket will do.  I hit the lentils with a little sea salt, lemon juice and olive oil when they come out of the pot, and then I let them cool down to room temp.  I set out bowls of lemon, sea salt, chopped red onion and a container of EVOO and let everyone go to town making their own.  The leftovers make as great lunch the next day mixed with all the above and a little fresh spinach. 

90 Miles Away Chicken with Conch Republic Black Beans

90 Miles Away Chicken
w/ Conch Republic Black Beans and Yellow Rice

The Southernmost Point of the US is in sunny and colorful Key West, Florida.  It is 90 miles away from the Island country of Cuba. 

I can still recall the scene from the 1986 movie, "Running Scared" starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.  There was a scene at Mallory Square -- at sundown. It's like a sideshow and a party combined each night; everyone watches the sun set, applauds, and quickly moves on to another party.

That is the way it really is.  Key West is one of my favorite places to visit.  If you've never read the story about the "Conch Republic," the day Key West tried to declare independence from the US, do so now.   

It will bring a smile to your face:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_Republic

You also know that I have a love for Cuban food after living in Tampa for over 15 years!  Interesting fact; In Tampa, the Cuban-Americans serve black beans over yellow rice.  In Miami, it is over white rice.   I think it was the influence of the famous Columbia™ Restaurant, which began in Tampa but is now all over the state.  There might be another reason.  If you know of another reason, please e-mail me the information and I will give you credit for it on another blog post.

I must digress a moment to promote this product (not a paid endorsement).  Without it, there would be no 90 Miles Away Chicken. 

Long story short, I was Mama Pirri's "date" for the 80^th birthday party of her former boss, Ralph Loglisci.  He was the former owner of Jr’s in Stamford, CT, along with his brother, Johnny in the 70’s and 80’s.  JR's was THE hot spot.  Celebrities galore once visited, and as Ralph will tell you, Mama Pirri “ran the place.”  

Ralph lives down here now, so we were lucky to be able to join in the celebration.



Mama Pirri and Ralph



On the way home, we decided to take the Florida Turnpike.  We stopped at a rest stop.  This time of year, the rest areas promote Florida oranges.  It was this “Key Lime Margarita” sauce that caught my eye.  I make most of my own marinades and dressings, but I thought this was a great idea for a busy night.  I used about 6 oz to marinate 6 meaty bone-in, skin on chicken thighs.  It is a citrus grilling sauce with a bit of Cilantro.  I added a secret weapon…

...a double shot of rum!

This chicken was so juicy.  Feel free to substitute a combination of thighs and legs.  Whatever you decide to do, be sure to put on a little Jimmy Buffet music, crank up the blender, and get out the Tequila, the lime and the salt!  It's time to party when you make this meal!

You can purchase the sauce by going to: http://www.braswells.com/

90 Miles Away Chicken hot off the grill!

For the Marinade:

8 oz. Braswell Key Lime Margarita Sauce, 2 oz. reserved*

1 double shot of Light Rum

6 bone in, skin on Chicken Thighs

Other:  Oil and cooking spray for grill and tin foil pan;  Fresh Cilantro and Oregano for garnish (optional); Lime slices.

*Not a paid endorsement.

Whisk sauce and rum together.   Add chicken to a non-metallic container. Pour sauce over chicken.  Toss well.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 – 24 hours, turning once or twice.

Oil grill grates and spray with cooking spray.  Preheat grill to 400°.

Place marinated chicken in tin foil pan spayed with cooking spray, skin side up.  Grill over medium heat – in tin foil pan, for fifteen minutes.  Close lid of grill to keep in the heat, but monitor for flare ups.

Remove chicken from pan and place chicken skin side down.  Grill chicken for five minutes. 

Remove chicken from grill, back to pan, skin side up.  Continue cooking chicken for approximately ten (10 minutes).  Baste with remaining grilling sauce.  I pull the chicken when the internal temperature is about 17o° for this dish.  Juices should run clear.

Let chicken rest under tin foil tent for ten minutes before serving.  Grills vary, so adjust cooking time accordingly.

Garnish with fresh herbs and lime slices.  A squirt of fresh lime at the end makes this dish just pop!

Conch Republic Black Beans

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 small white Onion, chopped

½ large green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 full clove Elephant Garlic*, mined

1 double shot of Light Rum

2 - 15 oz. cans Black Beans, not drained

1 – 15 oz. can Diced Tomato with Mild Green Chili

2 – packets Sazon Tropical Seasoning (Orange Pack)

Fresh Cilantro or Culantro, for garnish.

Add oil to pan.  Preheat pan.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Sauté three-to-five minutes, until softened.

Add rum.  Deglaze pan. 

Add beans, tomato and seasoning.  Mix.  Bring to boil, and reduce to simmer.  Cook for two hours over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally.  Top with fresh Cilantro or Culantro.

Serve over cooked, packaged yellow rice mix.

Note:  Substitute light beer for water for really flavorful yellow rice.

PS- I like to serve this with frozen Goya Plantains.

Key West photographs by Dan LaBrie.

Grilled Spring Leg of Lamb

Grilled Spring Leg of Lamb



THIS was our Easter dinner.  Boneless and buttlerflied, I think this is by far the best lamb I’ve ever made.  The essence of garlic, lemon and rosemary and a big hit of fresh chopped herbs and more lemon at the end makes this a truly memorable meal. 

I got this idea from a Suzanne Somers recipe years ago (Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, 1999, Crown Publishers, NY, NY:  Page 219).  While SS's version is tasty, over the years, as cooks often do, I played around with it a bit until I came up with a cooking method and the exact flavors that we really like.  Like Paula Deen says, "Make the recipe the first time the way the cook intended it to be made, then make it your own."  

I like use elephant garlic as it is sweeter and milder.  This method will impart a wonderful garlic flavor into the meat.  I've told you before that Dan doesn't care for fresh rosemary due to the pine needle texture, so I often opt for the dry.  I hope you will try this recipe and then make it your own.  If you do, please feel free to post your variations here or on our community page on Facebook.

BTW- don't mean to brag -  but I've lost five more pounds (yea!) just by eating this way and by exercising.  I was worried because due to my surgeries, I've had to cut back on the intensity of my morning workouts and go for lower impact activities.  I am still losing!  Of course, your dietary needs might be different, but I hope that my scaled-down home style meals are working to reduce your waistline, too!

Serves 4-6

Prep Time:  15 Minutes

Marinating Time:  8 - 24 Hours

Cooking Time:  1 Hr. 45 Minutes

You will need –

1 – 3 ½ - 4 lb lb. Boneless Leg of Lamb*

1 cup Olive Oil, divided

Juice of 2 medium Lemons, divided

1 clove Elephant Garlic, sliced thin

1 large Lemon, sliced, divided

2 teaspoons dried Rosemary

1 1/2 tablespoons Grill Seasoning for Steak (more or less to taste)

Combination of fresh chopped Herbs (suggest mint, oregano and thyme)

Other:  Fresh Mint (for garnish), Oil for grill grates and Cooking Spray for grill.

*For this dish, I like to purchase a leg of lamb in the netting.  These are usually trimmed down so that you do not have to spend time trimming the excess fat.  You will need to keep some of the fat so that the lamb doesn't dry out on the grill.   You can always trim it up as you serve it.

Remove the netting from the lamb.  To butterfly, simply take a meat carving knife and cut the meat where it was joined around the bone before the bone was removed. 

Place the butterflied lamb in a non-metallic container suitable for marinating, fat side down.  Pour ½ cup of the olive oil over lamb and the juice of one lemon.  Place ½ of the lemon slices and the elephant garlic slices over the top of the meat.  Sprinkle with the dried rosemary.

Seal the container and marinate overnight, up to 24 hours.

Lamb Marinating in Olive Oil, Lemon Juice,
Lemon Slices, Elephant Garlic, and Rosemary

Note:  Reserve the remaining lemon juice and olive oil.  You will be combining this with the fresh herbs for your basting sauce.  You can save this step here and combine this together right before you grill if you like.

Remove lamb from refrigerator to take the chill off before tossing it on the hot grill.

Lamb, ready to grill, almost...

Oil grill grates and spray on cooking spray for the grill.  

Preheat grill to 400°. 

Remove the lemon and garlic slices from the lamb and pat with a paper towel to mop up some of the excess moisture so that the lamb will brown. 

Rub BOTH sides of the lamb with grill seasoning.  Whisk together the remaining lemon juice, olive oil and herbs for your basting sauce (if you have not already done so).



Now the lamb is ready for my grill!



Place lamb on preheated grill, over direct heat, FAT SIDE UP.  This will allow the juices from the fat to coat the lamb instead of landing at the bottom of your grill.  You will be less likely to have flair ups. 

After fifteen (15) minutes of cooking over direct heat, flip lamb to fat side down. 

Turn off center burner(s) on gas grill.  If using a charcoal grill, follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for indirect cooking.

Grill for ½ hour over indirect heat. Close lid to maintain heat, checking once or twice to check the temperature with a meat thermometer.    Heat will drop to about 350°.

Flip lamb to fat side up.  Turn center burners back on, but reduce heat to medium-low.  Grill over direct heat for another fifteen minutes.  I normally close the lid for half the time and then open it and begin checking the temp.   After the 15 minutes, my meat thermometer normally reads about 125°.   

Flip lamb to fat side down once more.  Cook for approximately fifteen minutes, continuously basting the “presentation side” of lamb with the basting sauce you created with the olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. 

I like to remove the lamb when the temperature reads 140° to allow for carryover cooking.   I place the cooked lamb on a plate and tent it with foil for about 10 minutes.   As I always say, grills vary so adjust accordingly. 

Sure, you have to watch the grill, but this is great for those days when you can take a cold beverage and relax.  We are all entitlted to that, aren't we? 



Ready for dinner?

I served this with steamed asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce and grilled potatoes with dill and parsley.  A splurge, yes, but I used lowfat milk in the sauce and only two tablespoons of butter on the potatoes.  The beauty of this cooking method is that the ends will be more well done, but the center stays pink.  This is a great recipe if you’ve got someone in your family who prefers medium-well lamb (Dan) and everyone else likes it medium or medium-rare




Easter Dinner is served!


For the potatoes, I par boil quartered red potatoes for about five minutes and then I toss them in olive oil with a little vegetable seasoning.  I grill these in a tin foil pan over direct heat for about 30 minutes until the outside is crispy.  For the last few minutes, I toss them with just two tablespoons of melted butter.  I let them continue cooking on the grill to give them that final crisp. Then I toss them with fresh dill and parsley before serving. 

These potatoes are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  

Happy grilling!

Caribbean Red Snapper in Key Lime Butter

Caribbean Red Snapper
in Key Lime Butter

What is a key lime?   According to Wikipedia, the Key Lime, or (Citrus aurantifolia) “…is smaller, seedier, has a higher acidity, a stronger aroma, and a thinner rind than that of the Persian lime.”  He looks pretty cool wearing his “Foster Grants”, too.

This dish is so easy, you don’t even have to know how to cook to make it.  I line my grill with heavy duty foil sprayed with cooking spray for the grill.  It keeps your grill clean and “grill-bakes” this fish to perfection!

Serves Two

Snapper
1 – ¾ lb. Red Snapper Filet (wild caught) – with skin on

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

½ teaspoon Blackened Seasoning for Fish

¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Butter Flavored Cooking Spray

Cooking Spray for Grill

Key Lime Butter

3 tablespoons Butter

Juice of two Key Limes*

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

½ teaspoon freshly chopped Chives

*If you cannot find Key Limes, you can substitute two tablespoons of Persian Lime juice.

Place foil sprayed with cooking spray on grill.  Preheat Grill to 400°. 

Brush snapper with oil.  Season with blackened seasoning and garlic powder.  Spray with butter flavored cooking spray.  Grill for 15 – 20 minutes, until fish flakes. 

Note:  I like to cook the fish with the grill lid up for the first five, down for five, up for ten.  This seems to work on my grill but adjust for yours accordingly.

Combine all ingredients for butter mixture in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 20 seconds.  Stir in chopped chives.  Pour over fish.

Serving suggestion.  This is my cousin, Michelle’s favorite side dish;  Zucchini with Butter and Dill.  I used the Key Lime Butter.  

Here is my cousin Michelle’s new favorite “dish.”  Her name is Alyssa. 

Alyssa... our newest foodie... shhhh....

Southwestern Pork and Bean Burgers

Southwestern Pork and Bean Burgers



I had ground pork in the freezer, a can of pinto beans and a can of mild enchilada sauce in the pantry.  I wanted to do something different.  This burger rocks!

Makes 4 Burgers

Bean Seasoning Mixture:

1 – 10 z can Mild Enchilada Sauce

1 Jalapeño Pepper, seeded and chopped

1 – 16 ounce can Pinto Beans

1 – 12 ounce light Beer

1 tablespoon Chili Powder

1 tablespoon course Sea Salt

1 tablespoon ground Cumin

2 tablespoons Masa dissolved in 2 tablespoons of cold water

For the Burgers:

1 lb. Ground Pork

½ cup Kraft brand Mexican Style Four Cheese (With a Touch of Philadelphia)*

1 cup hand-crushed Tortilla Strips or Chips (tri-color)

¼ teaspoon fresh Culantro, chopped

¼ teaspoon fresh Chives, chopped

4 – 8 inch Whole Wheat Tortillas

Other:  Cooking Spray for Grill

Suggested Toppings:

Sliced Avocado

Sliced Tomato

Chopped Green Leaf Lettuce

Bottled Salsa Verde

Sour Cream

*Not a paid endorsement

In medium non-stick sauce pan, mix all ingredients for the Bean Seasoning Mixture EXCEPT for Masa and water. 

Bring to boil.  Cover.  Reduce to summer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add Masa and water and stir in well.  Mash beans using a potato masher. 

Note:  You can find Masa in the ethnic food aisle of your supermarket.  If you cannot find Masa, you can crumble up one corn tortilla and add that to the bean mixture while it’s still in liquid form to thicken it up.

Stir.   Bring to boil again.  Cover and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Cool completely.  You should now have the consistency of refried beans;  yield approximately one cup.

I like to make the bean seasoning in advance and keep it in plastic container in the refrigerator until ready to use.  You can make it a day or two earlier to save time.

Note:  If you taste the bean mixture prior to mixing it with the pork, it will taste salty to you.  It’s not created a side dish.  It’s a seasoning bean mixture, so that extra sea salt enhances the flavor of the burgers.

To make the burgers, mix ground pork, cheese, chopped herbs and one cup of the seasoning bean mixture together (mix it well).  Form into four equal size patties.

Preheat grill to 400°.

I recommend that you place a tin foil spayed with cooking spray on your grill.  Brown burgers on both sides on the foil, about three minutes, before transferring them to the grates.  Otherwise, these burgers will stick. 

Grill burgers approximately 15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°, turning once, until juices run clear.  Grills vary, so adjust cooking time accordingly. 

Top tortilla with lettuce and tomato slices.  Add burger.  Top with sliced avocado and Salsa Verde.  

I like to serve these burgers with grilled sweet potato wedges.

I brush the potatoes with olive oil and then coat them in cinnamon sugar and grill them up in tin foil packs. 

Maine Lobster Garlic Butter Sauce

A lighter version of  
Lobster Sauce with Garlic and Butter

Restaurant inspired, this is a very easy sauce to make.   I have served this with lobster ravioli (store bought) for a festive company dinner, and also with healthy whole wheat linguine. 

We have new friends who have joined us on this page who are Somersizing, and a few who are on South Beach.  You can try this sauce over baked snapper or grilled salmon!   

If you are just watching your calories like me, the addition of cooking creme (which is only about 25 calories per tablespoon) and cutting down on the butter makes this sauce a little more figure friendly.

Maine Lobster Garlic Butter Sauce

½ cup dry White Wine

3 tablespoons Philadelphia Brand® Savory Garlic Cooking Creme 

½ stick cold Butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

7 oz Fully Cooked Maine Lobster meat (find it in your store’s freezer section)

2 sprigs fresh Thyme, leaves stripped from stems

Fresh Chives, for garnish

Grated Parmesan Cheese for passing at the table

In a medium saucepan, add wine and cooking creme.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer, about three minutes.  Add butter one piece at a time, adding the next before the last one is fully melted.  

Add lobster and thyme.  Lower heat to the very lowest setting and just warm through for about a minute or two.

Pour over cooked pasta.  Garnish with fresh chives and Parmesan cheese



A lobster dinner for 4 - about 20 bucks!
Pictured with Lobster Ravioli

Note:   Frozen lobster is more affordable!

Try this light Spring Salad

I like to serve any dish that I whip up using this sauce with a side salad of marinated artichoke heart (quartered), heart of palm (sliced and halved) and blanched asparagus (chopped).  Sometimes I pour this over a bed of green leaf lettuce. 

The dressing is simply the juice of one large lemon, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon anchovy paste, a drizzle of honey, vegetable seasoning and black pepper to taste.