Jenny's Marinated Swordfish or Tuna Steaks

From Jenny: My Bible study group had a progressive dinner over the holidays and the main course served was swordfish in a delicious marinade! This is a quick and healthy meal. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. of fresh Swordfish or Tuna Steaks (sliced about 1 inch thick)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar (I use white balsamic)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon)

1 teaspoon soy sauce

fresh ground pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.Marinate fish for 30 minutes. 

2.Broil on grill (high heat) for 5 minutes on one side and 3-5 minutes on the other side. 

3. Serve with a tossed salad and crusty bread. Yum.

Janelle's Coffee Cake

I grew up eating this and loving it! Mom got this from Debi Driver.

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla pudding (3oz.)
1 pkg. butterscotch pudding (3oz.)
4 eggs
1 c. Water
1/2 c. Oil

Topping:
3/4 c. Brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Directions:

1. Mix cake ingredients with beater.
2. Mix topping ingredients separately in a small bowl. 
3. Spread 1/2 batter over 9" x13" pan.
4. Sprinkle with sugar mixture.
5. Repeat.
6. Bake at 350 deg. F. for 35-40 minutes.
7. Serve warm and cover remainder tightly.

Fights' Banana Bread

I got this recipe from mom, so I'm not sure where it came from. It is my favorite. We always add chocolate chips. Unless over baked, it is ALWAYS moist for days!

Ingredients:
2 bananas
1 3/4 c. Flour (we have used partial whole wheat)
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c. And 1 Tb. Buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Optional: 1/2 c. Nuts or 1/2 c. Chocolate chips.

Directions:

1. Grease and flour 9"x5" loaf pan.
2. Combine all ingredients and mix well. (I mash the bananas well 1st due to one bad experience).
3. Pour into pan and bake at 325 deg F. for 1 hour 20 minutes. Top should be golden brown and split slightly. I check with a toothpick.

Grandma Poppe's banana bread

Chad challenged us for our banana bread recipes. Here is grandma Poppe's.

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
3/4 c. Honey
2 eggs
2 1/4 flour( can be whole wheat)
1 c. Bran
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. Milk with 1 Tb. and 1/4 tsp baking soda added
1 c. Mashed banana
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. Nuts

Directions:
1. Cream butter and honey.
2. Add eggs (one at a time).
3. Beat well after each addition.
4. Mix flour, bran and baking powder together.
5. Add to butter mixture, alternating with milk mixture.
6. Add mashed bananas and vanilla.
7. Bake in 9"x13"x3" loaf pan that is well greased and lined with wax paper. Bake at 325 deg. F. For 1 hr. 40 min.

Billie's Potato Salad

Jennie has been making it our whole marriage and its really good.  A different take on the potato salad I grew up with (which had mustard and pickles in it, mmm).  This makes a large bowl of salad, easily feeding 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 cups cubed and cooked potatoes (5-6 med.)
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients
2. Stir in remaining ingredients
3. Cover
4. Chill

Chad's Kielbasa Kreation

Horrible name.  Frankly, it doesn't really have a name yet.  This is a dish I ginned up, and Jennie has helped to modify, while in Delaware.  Frankly a lot of it is to taste and I'm sure variations on this would be very, very simple (add mushrooms? green onions? carrots?).  The dish goes very well with a good beer or red wine, if either are your "thing."

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 red onion
• 5 (or more) cloves of minced garlic
• 1 lb. kielbasa (we use pork)
• 4 tomatoes on the vine
• 3 roma tomatoes
• 1 lb. rotini pasta
• Large amounts of olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Optional:

• 1 small zuchini and/or 1 small yellow squash (Jennie, ever the carnivore, choses to avoid these when it's her turn to make the dish)

Directions:

1. Cut up the tomatoes (chopped), onions (chopped), veggies (if using), and the kielbasa (1 inch slices).  Keep the tomato juice. 
2. Make the rotini per instructions on the box.
3. In a large sauce pan, saute the onion and garlic in a base of olive oil (may want to coat the bottom of the pan) until the onions are translucent.
4. During each of the next steps, salt and pepper as you see fit (can also wait until the end, but I prefer to add a bit at each step).
5. Stir and after approximately 3-5 minutes, add the kielbasa to the pan.  If using zuchini and/or yellow squash, add shortly before or after this step depending upon how soft or crunch you like your vegetables.
6. Stir and after approximately another 3-5 minutes, add the tomatoes and juice.
7. Let simmer, stirring occasionally.
8. Jennie lets it simmer for approximately 5-7 minutes, Chad prefers to let it simmer for up to 20 minutes to really let everything soak into each other.
9. Serve the mix warm over a plate of pasta.

Brianne's Orange Teriyaki Kebabs

This is yet another Pinterest inspired recipe. This is based upon the blog Traceysculinaryadventures. We have used Pork and Chicken. It is so good, and such a wonderful summer treat. This is good over rice, noodles, or served by itself with a side dish.  Adam and I both agree that we need to find a sauce to go with this at the end if served by itself, but haven't found one yet that compliments it to our taste.

Ingredients:
2 Tb. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. ginger powder
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 c. rice vinegar
4-6 Tb. soy sauce
2-3 Tb. Orange juice (Tracey uses orange zest and orange marmalade, I do not).
1 Tb. honey
pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lb. bonless chicken breasts (or thighs), pork tenderloin, or pork chops cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:

Sauce:
1.  In a small pan, add olive oil, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently 1-2 min.
2. Stir in rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, honey, and red pepper. Bring to simmer. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly.
3. Set part of sauce aside for serving with kebabs. Note: If served with rice or noodles, the remaining sauce could be used to pour over them.

Marinade:
4. Marinade kebabs in sauce for minimum of 30 minutes. I've done longer in the freezer overnight, but this makes the meat almost too tender to skewer.

Grill:
5. Heat grill over medium to medium-high heat.
6. Thread meat onto skewers.
7. Place on grill and cook until done.

Note: We use a charcoal grill, so cooking time varies based upon the coals. It never takes more than 30 minutes. We check with our thermometer to ensure it done to our liking.

Grams' Hearty Meatball Soup with Spinach

From Grams: The Publix Supermarket made this and gave customer taste samples and it was SO delicious that I took their recipe card and plan to make it soon. They served with Italian bread.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef, 7% fat
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. sun dried tomato pesto
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1 tbsp. canola oil
8 oz. carrot trinity mix (fresh diced onions, celery, carrots)
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 cans cannellini beans (15-16 oz) drained
1 (32 oz) box unsalted chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prep

1. Combine beef. bread crumbs, egg tomato pesto, 1/2 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended. Shape into 1 inch meatballs (about 25-30,) wash hands

2. Preheat large stockpot on medium-high 2-3 minutes. Place oil in pan, then add meatballs (in batches) cook & turn 6-8 minutes or until browned.
Remove meatballs from pan and set aside.

3. Add trinity mix and garlic to pan; cook & stir 2-3 minutes or until onions soften. Add spinach; cook 2-3 minutes or until spinach wilts.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in beans, stock, meatballs and remaining 1/4 each salt & pepper; simmer approx 7-10 minutes or until soup is hot. Top with cheese & serve.