Pan-braised Swordfish

This is a recipe I picked out and Ive been wanting to try it for weeks. My kids kept trying to find other things but I wanted them to open up more to all different kinds of foods and flavors.

So I picked Pan-braised sword Fish with Feta

Here is the recipe :

I couldn't find capers at the store and I didn't bother looking for golden raisins, but everything else was used for the recipe

This recipe is full of alot of great stuff and very few calories

And as you see its not too hard to make either. 

I also used Sunflower oil instead of canola oil because I have so much sunflower oil left over from other recipes.

Anyway, Here is our adventure:

As always my oldest cut up the garlic and the onion... the onion was so strong that it started raining outside...that's what I told my kids anyway

My middle child complained about the onion burning her eyes so we put goggles on her... then she was invincible.

My two oldest sprinkled on the salt and pepper to both sides of the swordfish steaks

Then it was time to start cooking... kept each steak on for around  2 minutes each side

Then put them off to the side until later

Got serious and started dual panning it to get it done fast and right.

After all was done I started to saute the onions and garlic for about 1 minute

Then added the veggie stock and red wine vinegar to the veggies

Then added the steaks followed by topping them with lemon

Afterwards I covered the pans and let simmer for about 5 mins

After they simmered plated all the steaks. Then I added the Feta and oregano to the veggie stock mixture and let it blend for alittle bit. I served the steaks with lemon on top and then poured the feta juice mixture over top of the steaks for some extra yummy goodness.

As you see it didn't take long to make the recipe. The girls had fun and I have a blast cooking something new and exciting

Rating time:

Girls: 3/3 liked it. My oldest liked soaking her steak in the Stock mixture for alittle bit before eating. My middle child didn't like the lemon on stop but wanted to just drink the stock mix. And my youngest liked everything and ate 3 steaks and two pieces of lemon 

Mine: I thought it was amazing. It was so juicy and full of flavor. I had two pieces and wish I would have made more

Sister: My sister is still in town and she walked in the house just as I had finished. She ate it up and said she really enjoyed it. Followed by trying to get me to be her personal chef  haha

The more I do this cooking project the more I fall in love with cooking. It keeps bringing some nice memories and I feel like I'm becoming more of a well rounded person as well. I'm not sure what my kids are getting from it but my oldest looks forward to it as much as I do.

This weekend is a nice long weekend for me so we are going to make more recipes later. One of the recipes we will be making is an old favorite. Its the first recipe the kids and I ever made together. Its the cucumber sandwiches. We are making it for a little cook out my family is having. Just in case you want something to make for your own family get together this 4th of July ... Here is the link to the recipe for Cucumber sandwiches.

Cucumber sanwiches

Chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven

I have a very busy weekend this weekend so as soon as I found an opening I had my children pick out a quick recipe so we can still make something even with my crazy schedule this week.

So they chose Chocolate chip cookies. I've never made chocolate chip cookies before that didn't come from a bag or roll. But this recipe seems different than what I thought it would be. Ill let you be the judge.

Here's the recipe:

Pardon the crappy quality of the picture. My phone was acting weird.

The recipe seems like there should be more too it but it worked. I doubled the recipe to try to make more but for some reason I still didn't make the number the book said I should have made.

Anyway, Here's our Adventure:

As any recipe starts...first you need ingrediants

Check

I mixed together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Then I had to add the butter and work it all together for the bread crumb texture...and by "I" I mean my daughter

Her faces shows how weird it feels....but shes a champ and worked through the feeling

Added brown sugar, golden syrup, and chocolate chips. Then mixed them together

I laid out the balls I made onto a greased up tray

Finished Product

So yummy

The recipe in all took about 20-30 mins and 15 of that was baking in the oven

It was fun little recipe and its a something quick to make if you don't have alot of time but you want some cookies in your life

Rating time!!!!!

Girls: They thought they were yummy and kept going back for more. They told me that they want to make those again real soon

Mine: I really liked the taste (even though they were alittle burnt on the bottom). Will definitely keep this recipe in mind for future use

See you don't have to have alot of time on your hands in order to do something fun family cooking. My kids had fun even though it wasn't as long as our normal recipes. 

Curried Bananas bring families together

This weekends choice came about alittle differently. It involved the decision of one of my sisters and the approval of her little tiny baby daughter... It makes sense if you were there.

Anyway, this weeks recipe is Calypso rice with curried bananas

Here is the recipe:

The only part I didn't follow this time was getting the coriander for garnish

I had special guest taste testers today with my Sister, brother in law, and niece here to enjoy my slowly improving culinary skills.

Here is out adventure:

My oldest chopped away at the red peppers, mild red peppers, onions, and bananas

I sauted the onions while my oldest was dicing up everything else

I kept forgetting to take pictures but after the onions were done I added the garlic and peppers and cooked them for a bit. Then I added the cooked veggies to a pot with rice and then I added the veggie stock. While that simmered down I moved on to the Bananas

My middle child added the bananas to a pan with sunflower oil

Then I added the coconut milk and curry paste mixture to them. I reduced the heat and mixed things up

The rice soaked up the stock and after about 15 mins the rice was ready

I completely forgot to  take a finished product picture because we were all so excited to try it that  we just dug in.

This is what is was supposed to look like. Mine wasn't that nice looking but it didn't look bad

It was definitely a new type of food I'm not used to and was something new to my taste buds as well. I love trying out these new recipes and opening up my palette to different tastes

I also thing its a great experience for my kids to get them out of their comfort zone and see the possibilities that are out there. 

When I started this project I wanted to be able to teach myself to cook and teach my daughters as well. I didn't want them growing up to only be able to survive off of food from drive thrus and instant noodles. Every time we cook my oldest gets more and more involved and I can tell she really takes a liking to it. 

It warms my heart to know that I'm making an impact on my girls that will really help them in the future. 

I can only hope that the things I do stick with them as they grow up and start families of their own.

Rating time!!

My girls: 3/3 enjoyed it. My oldest ate all of her bananas and some of her sisters. My middle child didn't like the bananas but really liked the rice. My youngest ate her food and didn't say much haha

Mine: I liked everything about this recipe including cooking it. It made the house smell amazing and tasted so good

My dad: He said its not usually food he goes for but it was really good

My sister: She really really liked it and was probably the most excited when it was done hahaha

My niece (the one that is old enough to eat it): she didn't really seem to like it but she at least tried it and that is all I can ask of anyone when I cook

My bro-in-law: Didn't really say anything but he ate a second helping of rice so I'll take that as a compliment

Someone send me a recipe to try and we will try our best!!!!

Two recipes.. one yummy meal

Originally I was just going to stick with the Mahi Mahi recipe and leave it at that. But that recipe turned out to be too easy and quick that I decided we should also make a recipe for a side. So I snooped around the fridge and saw what I had to work with. I had alot of extra Asparagus so we went with a recipe involving that for the side. Im going to mix things up and show you the finished product first:

This is how mine turned out and I am so proud of my children and I.

Here are both recipes:

That is the recipe for the Mahi Mahi. Next is the Asparagus . I didnt have the exact ingredients so my kids and I had fun with using what we had

We didn't have the hazelnuts so we used Almonds and we didn't have lemon juice so we used Lime juice...still turned out great

Here is our adventure:

I chopped up the macadamia nuts maybe more than should have

Then we mixed all the ingredients (except the milk) on a plate together to use for the coating for the fish

We got the fish and dipped it in the milk and used that to get the coating to stick on the fish. Then place the mahi mahi on the tray a put it in the oven for 14 mins

While waiting we found the recipe for the Asparagus and started right away. I started steaming right away

After the Asparagus steamed we put it in a bowl and started adding the ingredients like the parsley

the Almonds (didn't have hazelnuts)

the lime juice (didn't have lemon juice). Also added the garlic but I didn't have a picture of that

I plated the Asparagus and shortly after the fish was ready. ***I made sure to check the pieces thoroughly that they were cooked all the way through***

And that's how I got this beautiful work of art right here as shown at the beginning .

They both were really easy recipes. It made it really exciting to do two recipes at once. Definitely will be doing multiple recipes again for future blogs.

Rating time!!

Girls: They thought it all tasted amazing. My oldest added a little salt to the Asparagus but liked everything else. There was nothing left afterwards but one lonely piece of fish.

Mine: Amazing taste and we cooked it just right. It was still nice and juicy when eating the fish.

I love doing this cooking time with the kids and it makes it that much better when the food comes out like this. You should give it a try!!