Tuesday Scallops and an OLD BAY Giveaway

Look at what I recieved from Old Bay yesterday:

Old Bay is celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year and in celebration of its birthday and the summer season, they offered a  “Basket of the Bay” gift that included, OLD BAY Seasoning, an OLD BAY Seafood Steamer bag, some great new OLD BAY-inspired recipes to try out and additional items perfect for the summer season.

 I have to try out some of the new recipes and share with the folks at Old Bay  how much we enjoyed them. Additionally, Old Bay is offering another gift bag to giveaway to readers – so you can also get a chance to try out the recipes that use OLD BAY. 

Please leave a comment at the end of this post if you would like them to send you the gift bag.  Of course your name has to be picked so make sure you leave a comment and I will let you know if you win.  You do NOT have to have a blog to win…anyone is welcome to try their chances at this great gift pack from Old Bay.

Are you ready for a terrific scallop recipe?  If you win the above giveaway, you’ll get the Old Bay seasoning for free to try in this recipe.

Old Bay Scallops Serves 3 – 4

• 1lb large scallops, rinsed and dried
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1/3 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• zest from 1 small lime
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• Juice from 1 lime

 

Directions:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute.  Add the shallots and red bell pepper and saute another 1 minute.  Turn the heat to high.  Add the scallops and saute for approximately 4 minutes.  Add the lime zest, Old Bay, lime juice and continue cooking for 1 minute. Plate the scallops and enjoy!

Remember…You do NOT have to have a blog to win…anyone is welcome to try their chances at this great gift pack from Old Bay. Leave a comment  and let me know you want to try Old Bay.  You will have until July 26th to leave a comment.

 

 Another great giveaway. Check out SWEET FOODS blog for this super giveaway. Three different prize options. Does it get much better?

Halibut In White Wine

Recipes don’t get any easier than this one.  Make sure you purchase a really nice piece of fresh fish such as halibut with the skin on one side.  I used one large halibut fillet which was just over a pound.

Serves 2 to 3.

• 2 TBS flour
• 2 TBS Panko crumbs
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 large Halibut Fillet (about 1.2 lbs) or 2 smaller thick fillets
• 5 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 small garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 large scallions, chopped
• 3 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh lemon, sliced (optional)

Directions:

Make sure you have everything chopped and ready to add as we go along. This recipe moves along quickly.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Mix the salt and pepper with the panko and flour on a large flat plate. Dredge the fish – skin side down in the mixture and shake of any excess.

Heat an oven proof pan over high heat. When hot, add the oil, give it about 30 seconds and add your fish – skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes – depending on thickness, until you believe the skin has become golden in color. 

Turn the fish over. Pour your wine in very carefully, it will smoke. Add the garlic, scallions, parsley and remove from heat, going directly into the oven.  Cook uncovered for a 5 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork.  Serve with sliced lemons.

You will LOVE this dish! 

Serve with yellow squash and green pepper rounds.

• 1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1 green pepper, slice in rounds
• salt and pepper
• paprika
• garlic powder
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put prepared veggies into a foil lined baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with paprika and garlic powder. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes. Turn oven to broil for last 3 minutes.

If you have a recipe that gets any easier than the above, I’d love to hear about it.

We are off to the sports store so Ted can use his gift certificate. He is just too excited!  I have a feeling we will be getting more weights for our gym. Now I’m excited!

Good night, all.

The Boilermaker, Bob’s Red Mill and Monday

Yesterday Shane and I watched the Boilermaker runners pass at the MVCC – Sherman Drive mark, just under 2 miles into the 15 K race.  Some were already looking a bit “spent” and it wasn’t that hot.  But good for them…they were making every attempt at the run while I stood there watching. 

The temperature was good for the boilermaker, at about 70 F by the time the race started.  Ted was golfing so Shane and I were Teddy’s support team at this mile marker.  Unfortunately, we spotted him as he was almost past us, but we did get a good “GO TEDDY” in there and he waved.  Here are some recap photos from the wheelchair, to the elite runners, to the have a good time bunch…10,500+ finished the race.

The wheelchairs start the race at 7:45 am.

 

The Elite runners follow the wheelchairs...

 

 

There's TEDDY! See his head..dark hair, glasses...? At least we caught part of him.

 

For some reason, there are some people who always want to dress up..here we have a green caped cruisader.

 

 

 

The support team at this end of Utica was in full steam. We clapped, we danced, we sang…we were running in spirit. 

Congratulations runners!

 

Bob’s Red Mill.

I just keep getting these wonderful packages from my favorite manufacturer of oatmeal and other great products.  Saturday, I recieved this fantastic package:

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Cake and GF Shortbread Cookie Mix

What’s the catch? Not a bad one that’s for sure. I have to bake some goodies using these mixes. 

Recipes enclosed with the mixes look great. Pineapple upside down cake, Boston Cream Pie…and more. I can’t wait. All Gluten FREE!

Now it’s Monday…

Back to the routine. Today’s workout:

Chest and biceps.  15 reps. x 4 sets each. 4 sets of running the stairs.  That was fun. Everytime I ran up and down the stairs, Shane would come running downstairs. Then he’d go back up, only to come barreling down again when I ran the stairs.  Silly dog.  Aerobic warm up was 20 minutes running and then a 4 mile run with Shane, post workout.

Todays healthy breakfast:

1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Oats, toastedwith cinnamon, then cooked with water and raisins and Banana Pineapple Gallop-a-looza added.

Melon balls (from Sat. party..see PB Celebration Cake).  A chocolate VPX protein shake.

Super Monday All! 

The Peanut Butter Celebration Cake

The Peanut Butter Boy is hosting the 7th Great Peanut Butter Exhibition.  Enter your favorite recipe that uses Peanut Butter in celebration of ….something! 

This was perfect timing for the the Peanut Butter Celebration Cake.  It’s Ted’s Birthday!  Look who was celebrating…

Yay Grandpa Ted!

July 11th is Ted’s birthday and he is my resident PB boy. His birthday cake is a deluxe peanut butter cream coconut cake.  Melt in your mouth fantastic!

Peanut Butter Celebration Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup + 1 TBS canola oil
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 9″ cake pans with non stick baking spray. 

In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, peanut butter, and sugar until fluffy.  In a large measuring cup, crack your 4 eggs, add the vanilla and give it a quick beating with the mixer. Add to your butter-oil-sugar mix the coconut. Mix all this together really well.

Mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, soda, salt.  In a separate cup, combine the buttermilk and the sour cream – no need to mix.  Add to the butter-coconut mixture, alternating with the addition of the flour and buttermilk-sour cream.  Do not overmix.  Just stir until everything is combined.

 

Pour into the 3 prepared baking pans and bake approximately 25 – 30 minutes. When a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from cake pans.

Cake Wash:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 TBS rum
• 1 TBS vanilla

Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes and remove from heat. Add the rum immediately.  When adding the rum to the hot liquid, the alcohol will “burn” off.  Add the remaining 1 TBS vanilla and let cool.

 Coconut Cream Filling:

1 Pkg. Jell-O brand coconut cream cook-n-serve pudding (use only 1 3/4 cup whole milk not 2 as indicated in the directions.  Mix the pudding with the milk and microwave for 5 -6 minutes. Stopping at 2 minute intervals to stir. *Trick…when allowing the pudding to cool, a thick coat will form on top. Cut a piece of wax paper and gently lay it on top of the pudding while it cools. This will prevent that thick skin from forming.

You will also need your favorite preserves such as seedless strawberry, raspberry, or apricot.  I used apricot so I didn’t distract from the other flavors in this cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 Pkgs. (8 oz each) Cream Cheese *If you REALLY have a peanut butter fanatic, you can sub 8 oz of PB for one of the pkgs of cream cheese.
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 TBS vanilla
• 1 2lb package of Confectioners sugar
• 1 TBS milk or you can use water (optional)
• 2/3 cup coconut and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional for decorating)

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla for 2 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar and continue beating. If you want to thin it a bit, add the milk/water.  Do not make it too sloppy.  NOTE:  This frosting does not stand up to heat.  Make sure you keep it cool or you will have a puddle of cream cheese syrup.

To assemble the cake, place one of the 3 layers on a cake plate. Make sure the cake is level..if not, even it up with a knive.   Brush with your cooled cake wash. Coat with a thin layer of the cream cheese frosting.

Top with a layer of apricot preserves.  NOTE:  It’s easiest if you microwave the preserves for about 15 to 20 seconds on high.  This makes them easier to spread onto the cake. 

Top the preserves with 1/2 of the coconut pudding filling. 

Put another cake layer on top.  Repeat as before…brush with wash, cream cheese, preserves, and pudding. Top with the final layer of cake. Brush with the wash and frost top and sides with most of the cream cheese frosting.  Leave some frosting aside to mix with about 2/3 cup coconut for decorating.

Enjoy.