BBQ Whole Striped Bass

Costco for the past two weeks has had whole Red Snapper on sale. However, we have not bought one. Roger and I went to Costco to get one on Saturday but alas Costco was sold out. So we went to Kanaloa Seafood Fish Store in Santa Barbara...no Red Snapper but a nice whole White Striped Bass. We decided to bar b q the fish with coals not gas. Very tricky thing to do. I will never do that again. Fish is too expensive to experiment. Don't get me wrong the fish came out great...had that perfect bite thing going on and all, but, the fish was so long that of course we had to spread out the coals and when you spread out the coals the temp. lowers very quickly, too fast in fact. We had to finish the fish in the oven at 350*. This was a learning experience 1# in cooking fish and 2# in using coals...I do not normally deal with either. For now on I will stick to regular gas grilling and not coals. Try this recipe with gas not coals. It was very easy and good eating.

1 2 1/2 pound red snapper or striped bass.....or any whole white fish
3 tbls olive oil
6 cloves of garlic crushed
lemon slices
fresh oregano
zest of half a lemon
juice of half a lemon

Mix ingredients together in a bowl, except lemon slice and oregano. Wash and pat dry fish. Place foil on a cookie sheet and place fish on cookie sheet. Spoon about half of the oil mixture on the fish and let sit for 15 minutes; turn fish over and pour the rest of the oil mixture on fish. Let sit for 15 minutes. Then stuff fish with lemon slices and oregano.

Grill should be at 350*. Place fish on grill or use a fish grill pan, close lid. Cook for 10 minutes...flip fish over and cook for another 10 minutes. Left fish out with two spatulas and place back on cookie sheet. Carefully, with a filet knife, starting from the head travel the knife down towards tail. You will be able to feel the spine. Loosen fish gently and place on plate. Remove head and spine of fish to release bottom filet. Place bottom filet on second plate.

I boiled up small red potatoes, buttered and fresh parsley. Tasty...

Beef Round Roast Casserole

With the earlier beef round roast that I did, 3 lbs has gone a long way. And when you are on a very tight budget finding good tasting recipes that can stretch is a happy thing.
Sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches you can only have too many sandwiches... so I went online in the pursuit of finding a left-over roast "stretchy" type of recipe and I found one. And here it is...

3 tbls veggie oil...I used canola
3 cups cabbage - shredded...Napa cabbage would be good too
2 onions - sliced.... I used 1 because that was all I had
1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced.... I used a full bag of pre-sliced mushrooms
2 cups roast leftover sliced - julienned
2 tbls Dijon mustard
1 cup beef broth.....1 can of beef broth is too much so I used 2 boullion cubs with 1 cup
hot water
4 cups Egg noodles - cooked..... just use 1 bag of large egg noodles, cook per directions

Heat oil in a large, deep sided skillet (I used my big wok). Saute the cabbage and onions until limp, 3- 5 minuted. Add mushrooms and continue to saute over medium heat until the mushrooms have lost most of their moisture about another 5 minutes.

Add roast, mustard and broth, season to taste. (I just used salt and pepper) Simmer until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Toss in the cooked noodles: serve immediately.


NOTE: This recipe is reminiscent of Beef Stroganof. I would think that if you use half heavy cream and half beef broth it would be quite good too. This makes a good 6 servings.

Yeah...another perfect bite!!!!

Update: on Mousse

My low fat chocolate mousse was such a hit with my neighbors, John and Judy, that Judy asked me to make her one for her friend that is visiting.... so new business???? anybody what to spot me some major dough??? hahahaha

Low-Fat Chocolate Mousse

I was planning on making a low-fat chocolate Mousee for my dinner with Cyrus, my food guinea pig, (he loves coming for dinner and a few games of Scrabble)...got home...tried to turn on the oven...hence tried...oven is NOT working...not turning on or anything...stove still works...oven does not and I have this mousse to make. Neighbors, Judy and John are not home so I can not use their oven. I can not believe that I actually did this and it worked. B-B-Q yes that's right...I channeled my inner Bobby Fly...I fired up that BBQ, placed the oven temp gauge in the BBQ- pre-heated -- 350*...put the cake pan in and...OMGosh - it actually worked!!!!!!! The mousse came out perfect. Of course, I watched it with an eagle eye but... yet I must say...another perfect bite...

8 oz. bitter sweet chocolate chips/pieces
8 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cups plus 2 tbls powered sugar

Pre-heat over 350*. Coat an 8 1/2 inch springform pan. I only had an 8 inch, so I used that. Coat pan with cooking spray and line bottom with a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper. I used waxed paper.

Melt chocolate in the microwave, on high for 4 minutes. The bowl get really hot so be careful. Stir to mix the chips until smooth.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into different bowls. Beat the yolks until think and pale looking. Gradually, beat in the chocolate so as not to cook the yolks. Fold in the vanilla.

Beat the egg whites with 1/4 cup powdered sugar until soft peaks. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the rest of the egg whites and incorporate.

Pour the mixture into the pan and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until set but still a little jiggly in the middle.

Cool pan then place in the frig. When ready to serve, remove from pan and remove paper, dust the remaining 2 tbls over the mousse.

NOTE* I screwed up with this recipe I accidentally put all the powdered sugar in the egg whites. I thought that it was going to be really sugary but it wasn't. It was quite good. So even when your oven breaks and you mess up the recipe no worries life goes on! I mean if Julia Child can drop a chicken on National TV and keep going well I guess I can add too much sugar.

Beef Round Roast

Been looking for a way to cook the tougher round cut of beef. I do believe that I have found it. I have been doing some research and of course all the attempts have rendered a tough piece of meat. Then my last ditch effort today I found one that I thought might work and it did. So easy but it takes a long time so you need to time out your meal.


1 3 lb beef round roast
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 500* - this is important the oven must be at 500* when you put the meat in. So at least 45 minutes before you put in the meat turn on the oven to 500*.

I put the meat in my large black cast iron pan on a round rack.

Olive oil, salt and pepper the roast...place on rack...put in oven for 15 minutes...then turn oven OFF for 1 1/2 hours....DO NOT OPEN OVEN AT ALL....take roast out and wrap in foil and let sit for another 1/2 hour....then carve...this roast will be medium rare.....oh so good.

I would think that any cut of a less expensive roast would be really tasty done this way.

I paired the meat with roasted red potatoes. Cut up and tossed with olive oil and Lipton Onion Soup Mix and baked for 45 minutes at 350. Good pairing.

Easy and tasty....The perfect Bite!

Granola Pancakes

Just a quick note..... I had a bizarre craving on Sunday morning after church for pancakes and the granola that I made. So I mixed them together and the granola pancakes were born or cooked up or established..... AAAAWWWWWEEEESOME.......they were really good. I just took a regular old pancake mix and added the granola. Cooked as usual. Butter and maple syrup.

REALLY TASTY!!!!!!!!!!!! Another perfect bite!

Shiells Split Pea and Ham Soup

I made this a few weeks ago but forgot to put it up. My husband Roger could not believe it that I can buy Anderson Split Pea Soup at the 99 cent store. He said, "Sue next time you are there get a few cans." So I did and then I thought what the heck am I doing buying cans of split pea soup when it is so simple to make. So here is my recipe for split pea soup.

Slow Cooker

First thing in the morning get that slow cooker out of the deepest, darkest place hidden in your cabinets.

Boil about 6 to 8 cups of water.

1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 bag split peas
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 to 4 bay small leaves or 2 to 3 large bay leaves
1 ham bone or ham hock

Layer one by one starting with the split peas in the slow cooker. Pour the boiling water over til covered.

Turn on slow cooker to high. Let it do its thing for 8 hours.

Remove ham bone and pull off all the meat and return to slow cooker.

Take an immersion blender to the whole thing and blend/puree until smooth.

The soup should still be hot. Serve with crusty bread on the side and a glass of Widmere.

Right on! The Perfect Bite!




NOTE* Next time you serve a bone-in ham for a function/dinner like Easter..save that ham bone and freeze it to use for the soup. That ham bone well be good for 6 months to a year in the freezer, if wrapped properly.

Shrimp with Garlic and Smoked Paprika

Hi everyone....Okay Hi to my 8 loyal followers. This week I made the Relish Magazine's Shrimp with Garlic and Smoked Paprika. No photo I forgot to take one but next week when I make it again I will remember. Easy, easy, easy...

1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 425*. Spray cooking sheet with cooking spray. Rinse shrimp, pat dry, in large bowl add all ingredients and combine, coat evenly.

Place everything on the cookie sheet. Place in oven and cook for 6 minutes: turn and cook for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and eat at once.

Easy, easy, easy...... I made this one night for my friend Cyrus (he is my guinea pig for new recipes). Anyway he does not eat garlic so I left that out and I do not do cayenne so I left that out also. However, 3 nights later I cooked this again with the garlic. Both ways is very good. But, the 2nd time I cut the paprika in half. Not so overpowering this time and you can taste the shrimp. A full tbs. of smoked paprika, to me, is just too much.

This is so easy try it for that perfect bite!