Herb butter (several variations)

This isn't rocket science folks. You can just guess on amounts and tinker. It's very forgiving. In fact if you can tell by the amounts in my herb butter recipes. Why the strange amounts? I just eyeballed the amount of herbs I thought I should cut from my herb garden and brought them into the house. Then I wrote down how much I actually put in for a general guideline. I use half butter and half olive oil. This does two things. First it makes it mostly spreadable strait from the fridge and second it cuts the saturated fat almost in half. Herb butters are good on fish or under the skin of chicken to be grilled. If you like butter on your steak, this would be good. It's good on potatoes or on french bread to make garlic bread. Best of all it can add some zing to your veggies. I mostly use it for veggies. I'll add more variations as I go along. I'll add a basic herb butter with basil.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS Process in the food processor until it is evenly mixed. The mixture may be a bit too "soupy" at this point to work with. If it is, put in the refrigerator until it solidifies enough to work with. When you have a semi-solid butter, put the mixture into the center of a sheet of waxed paper. Fold the waxed paper in half and hold the edges of the paper together. While holding the paper press the flat edge of a spatula against the table. Move the spatula toward the fold of the waxed paper until the butter is a uniform width and as long as you want. (Look at the dill butter picture. That should help explain what the heck I'm talking about.) When the butter is shorter then the width of a gallon freezer bag, fold in the sides of the waxed paper, and roll the butter in the excess waxed paper. Then place in a freezer bag. If you keep the herb butter in the refrigerator it will be (mostly) spreadable right out of the fridge. If you keep it in the freezer, it will keep for months

Lemon Dill Butter
INGREDIENTS
1 T dill
2 1/2 tsp lemon juice
zest from 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tsp parsley
2 tsp chives
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c butter

Lemon herb butter is good on fish or beets.

Sage Butter
INGREDIENTS
1/2 T thyme
3/8 tsp rosemary
1 T parsley
1 T + 1 tsp chives
2 T sage
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c butter

Good on turkey, chicken, or potatoes.

Chipotle Lime Butter
INGREDIENTS
1/4 c butter
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c cilantro, loosely packed
1/8 c chives
1/2 lime, zest and juice
1 clove garlic
1 chipotle pepper + 1 tsp adobo sauce (the sauce in the can)

Chipotle lime butter is good on corn. You can also saute corn, chopped green pepper, and chopped onion as a side dish. I've seen is used on broccoli, but have never tried it. Good on chicken. Chicken pieces could be sauteed in this for a taco filling. I'm guessing this would be good on fish as well for fish tacos. I used this in place of the butter in a boxed mac and cheese. It's pretty good for a twist on boxed mac and cheese.

Basic Herb Butter
1/2 c butter
1/2 c olive oil
2 1/4 tsp parsley
1 tsp rosemary
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 T chives
2 T basil

Good on pretty much any veggie. Add fresh garlic and some grated Parmesan and salt. Spread on slice french bread and grill or broil for garlic bread.

Cornmeal Crusted Fish on the Grill

O.K. so I have a fish phobia. I have this belief that I don't know how to cook fish. I actually not that bad. I'm still a bit afraid of it though. I'm trying to cook and eat more fish, because I don't eat enough. I have a big box of pollock in my freezer for inspiration. This isn't the most impressive fish recipe ever, but it's quick and easy and I seem to make it quite often. I also recommend coming to terms with the fact that the fish might not be whole when you serve it off the grill and that's O.K. Fish can get hard to flip,especially if it's really thin like this fish. By the way, there is not less calories in cooking spray then oil. Cooking spray is just oil and propellants. There is only less calories if you use less then you would if you were using oil. It makes more sense in this recipe to spray the fish with oil then to try to brush it on.

CORNMEAL CRUSTED FISH ON THE GRILL

Fish (I used pollock that was maybe 1/4 inch thick)

Seasoning Mix (I used Penzey's Northwoods Fire but I also like Cajun seasoning or Old Bay seasoning. Anything you like on fish.)

Salt (if there's none in your seasoning mix)

Cornmeal

Cooking Spray

Pat fish dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel if it's really wet like mine was. Season fish with seasoning and salt (if using). Bread fish with cornmeal. Heat the grill with the flat grill pan on the grill. Spray the fish liberally with cooking spray. I cooked my thin fish for 3 minutes per side. Cook for the correct time for the thickness of your fish.

Janet's Sour Cream and Cheese Baked Fish

This is a great way to make healthy fish unhealthy. But, this is oh so tasty. This fish recipe is yet another of my childhood favorites. I've updated the recipe a mite. I replaced the sour cream with yogurt cheese, I replaced the bread crumbs with panko bread crumbs and I added another 1/2 tsp of salt. I mix some salt with the yogurt and some with the bread crumbs. I had to turn on the broiler at the end of the baking to brown the bread crumbs. My mom and I think it almost as good as the sour cream version with far less calories.

JANET'S SOUR CREAM AND CHEESE BAKED FISH

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt ( I use 1 tsp)

1/4 tsp pepper

2 lbs ocean perch fillets

2 T butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3 T lemon juice

1/2 cup minced parsley

1 cup sour cream (I use yogurt cheese)

1/2 cup shredded American cheese (I use extra sharp cheddar)

1/4-cup bread crumbs

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Coat the fillets with the flour mixture. Place the fish in buttered 11 x 8-inch baking dish. Melt butter in a saute pan; saute onion until tender. Remove from heat. Mix in the lemon juice, parsley, sour cream and cheese. Spread the sour cream mixture on top of the fish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the sour cream mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Tuna Salad

These are nice variations on tuna salad. Albacore tuna, as suggested in these recipes, is very high in mercury, akin to swordfish. However, chunk light and chunk dark tuna have significantly less mercury. Chunk dark having the least. It's also the Cheapest. Anyway, it's something to keep in mind if you have kids, are pregnant, or eat allot of fish. These recipes are from America's Test Kitchen.

TUNA SALAD

CLASSIC TUNA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 can (or pouch tuna), preferably albacore

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

½ small celery rib, chopped (1/8 cup)

1T minced fresh onion

1/4 clove garlic (1/4 tsp)

1 T fresh parsley

1/4 cup mayo (or less)

1/8 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix tuna, lemon, salt and pepper, celery, onions, pickles, garlic, and parsley. Fold in mayo and mustard.

TUNA SALAD WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND GRAPES

INGREDIENTS

1 can (or pouch tuna), preferably albacore

1 T balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

3 oz red seedless grapes (½ c) halved

½ small celery rib, chopped (1/8 cup)

1T minced fresh onion

1/8 c slivered almonds

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/4 cup mayo (or less)

1/8 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix tuna, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, celery, onions, grapes, almonds, and thyme. Fold in mayo and mustard.

CURRIED TUNA SALAD WITH APPLES AND RAISINS

INGREDIENTS

1 can (or pouch tuna), preferably albacore

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

½ small celery rib, chopped (1/8 cup)

1T minced fresh onion

½ apple 1/4-inch diced (½ cup)

1/8 c raisins (2 T)

1 T fresh basil

½ T curry powder

1/4 cup mayo (or less)

1/8 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix tuna, lemon juice, salt and pepper, celery, onions, apple, raisins, and basil. Fold in mayo, mustard and curry powder..

TUNA WITH LIME AND HORSERADISH

INGREDIENTS

1 can (or pouch tuna), preferably albacore

1 T lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

½ small celery rib, chopped (1/8 cup)

1T minced fresh onion

1 T fresh parsley

1 ½ T horseradish

1/2 T zest from ½ lime ( I omit)

1/4 cup mayo (or less)

1/8 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix tuna, lime, salt and pepper, celery, onions, and parsley. Fold in mayo, mustard, horseradish, and lime zest..