Summer Trifle

This is a fantastic, healthier dessert for as the weather starts warming up.  As an added benefit, it's incredibly simple as well.  I think my mom and I first found this recipe when I was in high school - it's been a favorite ever since!  I make it a little differently every time, by using fruits that are in season, or just whatever fruits I want!  Using different amounts of fruit also changes the dish in enjoyable ways.  I prefer to err on the side of more, but if you like a little less that works too!

Ingredients

2 angel food cakes
4-8 c mixed fruit
1/4 c fruit juice or fruit flavored liquor

Simmer the fruit and the juice until the fruit is quite soft and has released its juices.  Mash the fruit coarsely and set aside.

Tear the angel food cakes into bite sized pieces.  Places one layer over the bottom of a medium bowl or trifle bowl.  Ladle some of the fruit over top.  Add another layer of cake, then another layer of fruit.  Continue until you run out of cake and fruit, but make sure to end with cake on the top.

Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Using another bowl (or pretty much anything else), place weights on top of the cake.  The plastic wrap should be loose enough to allow the weight to compress the cake.

Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Remove weight and serve with fat-free whipped cream.

Crab Cake Pizza

A few weeks ago, The Husband and I were down on the Kenai looking for bears.  Long story short, we were unsuccessful, but we did find ourselves spending a night in Seward, one of our favorite towns.  I really wanted to spend some time there before we PCSed, so I was pretty excited.  After heading down to Lowell Point to look for sea otters (they obliged!) we wandered through town debating where to eat for dinner.  We finally settled on a particular place based on the fact that they had halibut cheeks on their menu.  If you've never had halibut cheeks, you are Missing Out.  It is, without a doubt, the best part of the fish, deliciously tender.  Of course, each fish only has two, and we'd eaten our last for Christmas.  Since it's nearly impossible to get cheeks outside of the state, I wanted some!

Anyway, we choose poorly.  I hadn't realized it was POSSIBLE to ruin halibut cheeks, but they did, and it made me very sad!  They also ruined the seafood salad we had.

Fortunately, I'd splurged and ordered an appetizer of king crab cakes.  Unlike the rest of our meal, they were fantastic!  So good that I fantasized about them all the way home.

Then, it occurred to me.  This month's HH6 challenge was to make a pizza without tomato sauce.

Crab cake.  Pizza.  The two terms sounded strange together, but I KNEW they would be delicious.

I was right.

Ingredients

Pizza Dough (Peter Reinhart's version, or use your own)

4 1/2 c flour
1 3/4 t salt
1 t yeast
1/4 c olive oil
1 3/4 c ice cold water

Blend ingredients into a smooth dough (5-7 minutes with dough hook).  Divide into 6 pieces and refrigerate overnight.  You can also freeze the dough at this point.  On the day you make the pizza, pull out the dough at least two hours before.  Pat it into a rough oval, cover, and rest for two hours.


Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

1 red pepper
1/4 c mayo
1 clove garlic
dash onion powder
dash cayenne
1 T lemon juice

Roast the pepper, either in the oven or on the grill.  Peel off skin and discard seeds.  Place pepper in food processor with other ingredients until sauce forms.


Topping

1 leg king crab (or equivelant of other crab, but red king is best! ...I love Alaska!)
1/4 c diced celery
1/4 c mayo
1 T Dijon mustard
dash onion powder
dash hot sauce
1/4-1/2 c panko crumbs
1/8 c shredded Parmesan or asiago cheese

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 550 or as high as it will go.

Gently stir first six ingredients together.  Fold in about half of the bread crumbs.

Roll pizza dough out to the desired size.  Spread a thin layer of aioli across.  Top with crab mixture and sprinkle with the remaining panko and cheese.  Transfer to pizza stone and bake 5-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Better Beer Batter

I have but recently made a fantastic discovery: Panko bread crumbs.  They are magic!  Today, I used them with beer batter to fry up some leftover salmon.  To die for!

Ingredients

1 T cornstarch
1 c flour
1 1/2 c ice cold beer
2 c panko bread crumbs
oil for frying
fish, cut into bite-sized pieces

Blend the cornstarch, flour and beer together to make a batter.  Heat oil to between 325 and 350.  Dip fish into batter, gently roll in bread crumbs, then fry for about 60 seconds per side, depending on the size of your pieces. Drain and enjoy!

Easy Greek Chicken

Last week was Appreciation Week at work.  We were quite well appreciated, particularly in the culinary department.  This was Tuesday's lunch and it was so good I just had to try my hand at it!  The chicken comes out deliciously juicy, and it's a great way to eat a lot of veggies!  Unfortunately, The Husband tossed out my recipe card, so I don't have all the exact measurements.  I'll have to see if I can get another copy!

Ingredients

1/4 c olive oil
3 T lemon juice
salt
pepper
oregano
garlic powder
onion powder
2 chicken breasts
2 peppers, cut into squares
1 onion, cut into slices
1/2 c yogurt
1/4 c sour cream
1/2 c chopped cucumber
1 T lemon juice
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Mix the first 7 ingredients together.  Add the chicken and marinade overnight.  Mix the yogurt, sour cream, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper together and refrigerate.

Soak skewers in water.  Cut chicken into pieces and alternate on skewer with peppers and onions.  Grill until done.  I cooked them on my traeger at medium for about 30-40 minutes.  Serve with sauce for dipping.