Small Kitchen Stories: Flounder with Spinach

After a Day of Piping Plover Police at Cape Henlopen State Park I was ready for dinner and sleep!  On the way home to Dewey Beach I stopped at Rehoboth Seafood...... which seems to get better every year..... I chose a lovely Flounder filet and a bread pudding of mango and peaches :-)

Dinner was ready in 10 minutes!  In a large saute pan throw in the olive oil....heat up and place the filet skin down.  Pour in some Vermuth.  Then shred a big handful or two of spinach, mince spring onions, chop a tomato, and place on the filet.  Let simmer 10 minutes or until the filet is opaque!

Dinner was delicious and the leftovers were perfect for my Sunday lunch.

Small Kitchen Stories: Desperate for Dinner

Once home after my amazing but grueling 8.5 hours doing Migratory Bird Duty....... a two hour round trip walk-in-and-out-slog into Osprey Beach........ much more fun to boat-in .....not having had enough water with me for the adventure........... upon arrival at my cottage I was beyond desperate for lunch and dinner!

My little grill-press to the rescue!  Dinner prep to table was 10 minutes!

On the plate, cover it with garden leaf lettuce. Cut up a nice tomato and scallions....... place on the lettuce.

Heat up the grill with some olive oil.  Cut up in bite size pieces: a small eye of round steak and then throw on the grill.  Place on top the press.  Stir after 2 minutes.  Replace the press.  

After a total of 5 minutes the steak is done.  Turn off the heat and drizzle on a fun salad dressing.  I used a Balsamic Honey Fig....... and let it sizzle and glaze the meat.

Place on the plate next to the tomato and scallions.

Ta-DA!  DINNER!!!!!

Saved me it did!

Then I showered and went out for a Rehoboth party!!!! 

Small Kitchen Stories

With my new bright-white, little and slim fridge installed....... time to cook again!  

After 10.5 hours of birding tasks with DE's Fish and Wildlife Seashore Migratory Field Station, and a 40 minute drive from Slaughter Beach back to Dewey...... I needed dinner to be QUICK, HOT, and nourishing!!!

I did a one-pot Chicken/Veggy/Couscous! 

 Hug- a- bowl yummy-tummy it was!

In a small sauce pan.... throw in the following all chopped up: cooked roasted chicken,  zucchini, tomato, scallions, wine, olive oil.  Cook up!  Throw in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat.... wait 5 minutes and hope for the best!!!!!  

I used 1/4 cup of the couscous.  That means you must have at least 1/2 cup of liquid in the pot.

I topped the meal with full cream yogurt :-) :-) :-)

Dinner!  Ta-DA!

Small Kitchen Stories: Mac and Cheese

Upon arriving at the beachy-cottage all commuted-out from the traffic.....I throw my stuff in the cottage..... then take a sunset walk along the beach.  Oh, and maybe a look-see-in at Nalu's, Que Pasa, and Taco Toss too!

       Then, back at home,  I am STARVED and just want something quick, yummy, and maybe left-overs too for a weekend snack too :-)

Mac and Cheese!  Even my my family members would never guess and simultaneously be appalled!  NEVER-EVER in a Million Years, do I make the Mac and Cheese meal at my non-beach abode!  

Read on: this is brilliant.  I use Annie's Shells and Cheddar.  Now comes the creative part: any small bits of veggies can boil along with the shells.  Asparagus is perfect cooking time-wise.  Then of course I pump it up with more cheddar cheese :-)   and then top it with a chopped tomato and .....oohh, maybe some lovely smoked tuna or bluefish or trout :-)

  Take the leftovers and mix in some Hellman's Mayo.......and a nice salad is the result. 

Sshhh, do not tell my friends, they will laugh all Summer!

Small Kitchen Stories: Grilling!

My beachy-cottage's tiny-tiny kitchen stove does not have a built-in grill.  It does broil up a storm.... but that does not do the job for certain cuts of meat.  I've had to bypass countless seafood offerings for lack of a grill.  It is too silly to fire up a huge outdoor grill for a 6 oz salmon steak!

It has taken years to solve this problem :-)  I bought a George Foreman Grill!  I spent hours picking it out......only to gift it to my Mom... straight away.  Just not my style!

And then I found it! I'm in love with my Calphalon Griddle Non-Stick Press!!!!

How do I love thee, My Grill?

Burgers, salmon steak, chicken breast or leg in 8-12 Minutes!  The most amazing French Toast EVER!

If grilling one little fish steak....then lots of room to scatter about onions, mushrooms, tiny cut potatoes!

Just keep the griddle press on top of the fish/meat...... holds in the heat and steam.

I think this is much more fun then my rice cooker steamed-meals!!!!

Calphalon; I Love you!