Grilled Seafood Wrapped in Banana Leaves

OK, this recipe is the most complex by far that I will get to enjoy this holiday season...no shocker it's not going to be prepared by me, nor will it look as pretty as the picture does.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Teaspoons sea salt
  
• 1 Teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  
• 5 to 6 fresh bird chilies
  
• 12 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  
• 5 shallots, thinly sliced
  
• 12 slivers fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  
• slivered zest of 2 limes
  
• 1 1/2 Pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and thoroughly dried
  
• 1 Pound mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and thoroughly dried
  
• 1 Pound hard shell clams, scrubbed and thoroughly dried
  
• 1 1 1/2-pound lobster, chopped into bite-size pieces
  
• 2 Thai basil leaves, roughly torn
  
• 2 Cups Arugula leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
  
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  
• 2 16-by-18-inch pieces banana leaves
  
• Cooked jasmine rice, for serving (optional)

Directions
Combine the salt, pepper, chiles, garlic, shallots, krachai, and kaffir lime leaves in a bowl, and mix well. Add the seafood, basil leaves, arugula, and lemon slices. Toss to mix well.
Heat a grill. Line a 16-by-18-inch double layer of aluminum foil with a banana leaf. Place the seafood mixture in center of leaf. Cover it with second banana leaf and another 16-by-18-inch double layer of aluminum foil. Roll edges of aluminum foil over tightly to form a pouch.
Place the pouch on the grill over medium-high heat. Cover, and grill-smoke for 20 minutes. Be sure to open air vents in top of grill cover. Carefully open pouch slightly to make sure the mussel shells are open and the lobster shell has turned pink. Remove pouch from the grill, and transfer seafood, along with the juices, to a platter. Serve with rice.
Source:Banana

Super Easy Salmon Filets

Super easy salmon is on the menu tonight. Obviously it's not the season for grilling summer veggies, but whatever...I can make another side :)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
  
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
• Lemon wedge (optional)
  
• Grilled summer vegetables (optional)

Recipe Directions
Rinse salmon; pat dry. In a small mixing bowl combine lemon juice, garlic, basil, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper; brush mixture over salmon. If desired, place fish fillets in a greased grill basket, turning thin ends under to make an even thickness. Grill on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill salmon 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, brushing halfway through grilling with remaining sauce. (If fish is 1 inch or thicker, turn halfway through grilling.) Serve on ti leaves, with lemon wedge and grilled vegetables, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Source:Super Easy Salmon Filet

Pork Chops with Savory Apple Stuffing

Great recipes really don't get any easier than this! If you think this might be a little on the sweet side for you, you can always substitute the ground cinnamon with paprika. I love the other white meat!

Ingredients

• 1 cup applesauce
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 2 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
  
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp. raisins
  
• 4 cups herb seasoned stuffing
  
• 4 pork chops, 3/4 inch thick
  
• ground ground cinnamon
  
• Apple slices for garnish

Recipe Directions
Mix applesauce, water, margarine, celery and raisins. Add stuffing. Mix lightly. Spoon into 2-quart shallow baking dish. Arrange chops over stuffing. Sprinkle paprika over chops. Bake at 400°F. for 35 min. or until chops are no longer pink. Garnish with apple slices.
Source:Buffalo Salad

Baked Potato with Rib Eye Steak Hash

This is one of my favorite comfort foods of all time. Everyone loves a baked potato, if you add a great rib eye steak to the recipe, it's even more irresistible!

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes (each about 10 ounces)
  
• Olive oil
  
• Coarse kosher salt
  
• 1 10-ounce rib-eye steak
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 orange), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
  
• 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
  
• 2 red jalapeno chilies halved, seeded, very thinly sliced crosswise
  
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
  
• 4 teaspoons butter
  
• Fresh marjoram sprigs (optional)
  

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub potatoes with olive oil; sprinkle with coarse salt. Place on baking sheet. Pierce with fork. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and sear until brown but still very rare, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer steak to plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add bell peppers, onion, and jalapenos to skillet. Saute until peppers are soft and onion caramelizes, about 30 minutes. Cut steak crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Halve slices lengthwise into strips. Add cream, chopped marjoram, and steak to pepper mixture. Simmer until steak is heated through and cream thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut cross in potatoes and press on sides to open slightly. Add salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon butter to each and mash slightly with fork. Top each with steak mixture. Garnish with marjoram.
Source:Hash

Shrimp Tetrazzini

Tis the season to be beyond busy! So it's time to break out my easiest and favorite last minute recipes. Tonight, it's going to be Shrimp Tetrazzini with Garlic Bread. Everything is better with bread. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and found plenty of creative recipes for all of your left overs!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 8 ounces shrimp, shelled and deveined
  
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 1/4 cup sherry
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well. Over a medium-low heat melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion to melted butter and stir until onion is soft. Add shrimp and mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Remove shrimp mixture from saucepan, place in a medium size bowl and set aside. Remove saucepan from heat. Combine flour, mayonnaise, salt, milk, and sherry in the saucepan. Mix well. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook until sauce thickens. Pour sauce into the bowl containing the shrimp mixture. Add the spaghetti to the bowl and mix well. Place all ingredients in a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish (baking pan). Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
Source: Tetrazzini