Robyn's Recipes

Meal of the Week

This is an elegant meal, which can be excellent for a small dinner party of 6 people.  You can half the entree for a smaller meal, too....   Have an anniversary or birthday coming up and want to make it special?  Need some quiet time alone with your spouse?  Take the kids to Mom's, turn down the lights, add your personal touch to the tablesetting, light those candles, and turn on your favorite music.    This is the perfect menu to serve....... 

Appetizer

Tomatoes Stuffed with Shrimp

This recipe is given for four people, but, again, if there will be only two of you, just cut each of the ingredients in half, and you'll be set to go.......

4 large tomatoes
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, minced
1 cup cooked or canned small popcorn shrimp
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon parsley or 1/8 tsp. dried basil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the top end off the tomatoes.  Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes, sprinkle with a little salt and turn upside down to drain. 

In skillet, heat butter, add onion and saute until tender.   Add the shrimp, crumbs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture and top with parmesan cheese.

Bake 15-20 minutes and serve before your meal as a first course.

Entree

Baked Salmon with Sour Cream Dill Sauce

Below, ingredients listed are enough for 6 people...you can half it for two people... you'll just have a little left over.....

1 center-cut fresh salmon steak (3-1/2 to 4 lbs.)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf tarragon, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sour Cream Dill Sauce (recipe will follow)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse fish in cold water;  pat dry with paper towels.  Tear off piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to enclose the fish.   Place fish in center of foil;  fold up sides.
Place 1 tablespoon of the shallots (optional) and half of the dried dill on the fish.

Combine wine, tarragon, salt, remaining shallots (optional) and the rest of the dill in a small saucepan.  Simmer until reduced by half;   pour over the fish.  Close the foil tightly.  Place fish packet in a baking pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes PER POUND.  Serve with Sour Cream Dill Sauce (below) on the side.

Sour Cream Dill Sauce

Combine 1 cup of dairy sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise (fat free works well for both, if necessary) 1 tablespoon dried dill, 1 tablespoon drained capers (optional), 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until serving time.  Makes 1-1/4 cups.

Side Dish

Peas Provencal

Makes enough for 5-6 people....again, half the recipe for two people.  This is easy to make, and is a nice variation from a plain side dish.

3 cups frozen peas
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil OR vegetable oil
2 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

Cook the peas in boiling water in saucepan for about ten minutes or until tender.  Drain.

While peas are cooking, saute onion and garlic in oil until soft in a medium sized skillet; stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Stir in the peas. Serve with a baked potato on the side (if you have any of the dill sauce left over, tastes great drizzled over the potato!)

Dessert

Strawberry Bread

This makes an excellent dessert served with coffee.  Not too heavy after that great meal! 

This recipe makes 2 loaves.  If you only need or want one loaf, again, just half the recipe!

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen strawberries, thawed and pureed in blender
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups oil
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In medium bowl, stir pureed strawberries, eggs and oil.

In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and stir.   Blend in berry mixture.

Using cooking spray, spray and then flour 2 loaf pans.   Pour half of mixture into each loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for one hour OR until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Serve with dollop of Cool Whip, if desired.

Beverage Suggestion:  Your favorite brand of White Zinfandel wine goes well with this entree.