Baked Cod with Lemon and Orange Recipe

Hola Amigos: Today I'm sharing with you a recipe using a sometimes overlooked fish, Cod! This mild flavored fish is so  inexpensive compared to others and rich in vitamins A, C and D as well as Omega 3's that we should all included on regular basis as part of our diets.

Back in my country is very popular in it's dried salted version. I remember the semi lengthy process my mom used to go through every time we had it for dinner. It was well worth the effort,we loved it there,  but oh boy, you won't find this girl doing all that work  now, just thinking of trying to "fish" for all the tiny needles even before starting cooking it, makes me want to open a can of tuna instead, also there is the matter of  the "fishy" smell salted dried cod has, that alone will make all my guys run out the door in panic,lol. Don't get me wrong, it's delicious just like lox, but it takes a lot of work to prepare.

No problem with fresh cod filet though, it's mild flavor allows this fish to wonderfully take any flavors you want to add. This time we added citrus notes of lemon and orange!

Also as you all know my favorite method of preparing seafood is to steam it in a bag and then quickly crisp it and brown it for  a few minutes outside the bag and preparing a little sauce with the delicious juices rendered in the cooking process.

The little sauce I created has a hint of tangy ginger to complement the citrus fruity flavors already in the fish.
A super quick and healthy recipe for times when we are all busy trying to catch up with office parties, hosting our own or just trying to get from one place to another with heavy holiday traffic! 20 minutes in the oven and enjoy!

Thank You for visiting the blog today! Hope you enjoy this quick and flavorful recipe and give it a try next time you see this nutritious and  tasty fish at a store near you! remember my friends, even the most humblest of foods taste better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Baked Cod with Lemon and Orange Recipe

Ingredients:

12 oz Cod Filet

1 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice

1 TBSP Fresh Orange Juice

1/2 tsp Lemon Zest

1/2 tsp Orange Zest

1 tsp Seafood Seasoning

Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Lemon Pepper to taste

1/2 Small Red Onion, Sliced

3-4 Thin Orange Slices

1/8 Cup Ginger Ale

1/2 tsp Cornstarch 

Directions:

Marinate your fish with the fruit juices, juice zests and seasonings. Let the fish marinate for 15 minutes only since we don't want to cook it in the citrus mix. 

Preheat oven at 425F. Cut a long piece of parchment paper and another one the same size of aluminum foil, to go right under the parchment one.

Remove the fish from the marinade, place on the parchment paper sheet. Add sliced red onions and orange slices to cover the fish. Wrap the parchment around the fish and seal this inner bag with an aluminum foil one. Bake for 15 minutes. When time is up, open the bags and bake for another 5 minutes so the fish browns.

Remove from oven. 

For the sauce, place rendered juice on a small saucepan, add cornstarch dissolved in ginger ale and cook for a few minutes until it coats the spoon. Serve over the fish and enjoy!

Prep Time 15 Minutes                               Cook Time 20 minutes                       Serves 2

Sharing my easy and frugal fish dinner at these Fabulous Parties:

Made from Pinterest, Be Different Act Normal, Classy Clutter, Serenity You, Twigg Studios, Your Homebased Mom, Angels Homestead, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Navy Wifey Peters, Will Cook for Smiles, Flamingo Toes, My Mixing Spoon, Create with Joy, Frugal Foodie Mama, The Chicken Chick, Twelve O' eight, Claire Justine, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Tatertots ad Jello, The Best Blog Recipes, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, Six sister's Stuff, Becoming Martha, What's Cooking with Ruthie, Sew Licious Home Decor, Walking on Sunshine

Tropical Pork Steaks Recipe

Hola Amigos! When the weather turns cold I can't but to mentally transport myself to warmer places and one of the best way to do it is through food.

I got a couple of beautiful Pork Steaks at the butcher the other day and in my opinion nothing goes better with pork than the taste of the tropics and it's fruits. Passion fruit, pineapple and oranges are some of the tropical fruits used one way or another to prepare this steaks.

And if you are thinking it's too cold to light the grill. not to worry, these are baked!

They are extremely moist and tender the way they are, but you know me, I need to have some gravy with my meats! My gravy has all the flavors of the steaks and the sweetness of the fruit.

The kids love the sweet taste of the steaks and just to make it even more kid friendly, this time we just had them with some Mac n Cheese! It was a hit alright!

Thank You for visiting today, this recipe shows us that when we don't have the money to buy a plane ticket, we can still travel everywhere we want with food! Remember my friends, everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Tropical Pork Steaks

Ingredients:

2.5-3 Lbs Pork Steaks

1 Cup Orange Juice

2 Envelopes Sazon  with Coriander and Tomato

2 Chipotle Bullions

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste
2 TBSP oil for frying

1 (8 oz) can Crushed Pineapples drained (save juice)

1 Cup Passion Fruit Juice ( I used Welch) 
1 TBSP cornstarch

Directions:

Prepare the pork steaks to be marinated either in a zip lock bag or a baking dish. Pour the cup of orange juice and sprinkle the Sazon and crushed chipotle bullions, salt, pepper and garlic powder and rub them with these seasonings until they are all covered, there is plenty for both sides. Put in the refrigerator and let them marinate for a couple of hours. 

When ready to cook, Pre-heat the oven at 365 degrees. 

In a large skillet, 2 tbsp oil, heat up. Place pork steaks, one at a time if they are too big, and seared and brown on both sides. Like 3-5 minutes on each side (again it will depend on the size of the steaks). Once browned place on a baking dish.

Pour the cup of passion fruit juice and the saved pineapple juice. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, uncovered and spread the crushed pineapple over the steaks bake for an additional 5 minutes or until pork is completely cooked, (internal temperature of 145 degrees according to the new USDA guidelines). Once time has elapsed, remove from oven and let the steaks rest.

For the gravy, mix drippings with 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a little bit of orange juice and cook until thickened . Serve on top of pork steaks and enjoy.

Prep and Marinating Time 4 hours                   Cook Time 25 minutes                 Serves 4

Sharing a taste of the tropics at these Fabulous Parties:

Craft Dictator, Tatertos aand Jello, Skip to my Lou, The Chicken Chick, Say Not Sweet Anne, Alderberry Hill, Boogieboard Cottage, Mad in Crafts, Frugality Gal, Carrie This Home, Create with Joy, Feeding Big, Smart School House, Hun...what's for dinner?, Our Table for Seven, Kleinworth & Co, Homemade Ginger, The View from 510, Lady Behind the Curtain, All She Cooks, Ducks'n a Row, Kitchen Meets Girl, My Girlish Whims, Pink Box Recipe, The Best Blog Recipes, Artsy Fartsy Mama, Craft Dictator, Sweet Haute

Bat's Blood Elixir Halloween Smoothie Recipe

Hola Amigos! Let's start this week with a sweet and healthy note and since I'm all stoked with my Halloween theme, I'm making this "elixir" to be served to your little monsters in the morning or as an after school snack on the eve of the big spooky night ( or any day you want)

For this particular smoothie I'm going not just  for flavor but since this one is for Halloween, I'm going for texture too as well! Very important when it comes to give everyday  food a little bit of fear factor making it perfect for the fun and spooktacular festivity.

Full of fresh fruits, this smoothie is extremely refreshing and with a natural beautiful "bloody" color.

To decorate it and giving it the finishing touch all you need is a Fleshy looking strawberry and some sparkling blood red sugar, you will be on your way to trick your kids into a delicious and healthy treat!

Thank you for welcoming this your blog into your homes this morning, so you know, all the garlic in your kitchen won't work against vampires and bats this Halloween  because as you know, Once you have welcomed a Vampire into your home you are powerless, but if you drink this "elixir" you might have a chance of survival! Remember, everything tastes better with a Pinch!!!! oh....a Pinch of Love that is!

Besitos,

Lizy

Bat's Blood Elixir Halloween Smoothie

Ingredients

1 Yellow Apple

1 Green Apple

1 Cup Strawberries, hulled

1 8 oz bottle of Red Blood Orange (or the juice of Fresh Red Blood Oranges until you get 1 cup)

1 good squirt of Granadine 

Directions:

Put all ingredients on a blender and blend until smooth!

Decorate with red sugar and a strawberry dipped in a fleshy looking strawberry! Enjoy

Prep Time: 5 minutes                   Serves 4 (4 oz glasses)

Sharing my Magical Elixir at these Fa_BOO-lous Parties:

Between Naps on the Porch, I Gotta Try That, Jembellish, Cupcake-n-Bake, Coastal Charm, The Blackberry Vine, Huckleberry Love, I should be mopping the floors, Not Just a Housewife, Thank You Honey, Nap-Time Creations, Chef in Training, Memories by the Mile, Homemade Ginger, Lady Behind the Curtain, Shaffer Sisters, Smart School House, The Everyday Home, The Real Housewives of Riverton, Maid in a Day, SNAP, All She Cooks, The Everyday Home, Real Coake, Made to be a Momma, Sew Much Ado, White Lighsts on Wednesday, Pink Recipe Box, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Glitter, Glue and Paint, The Shady Porch, Creative Geekery, The Brambleberry Cottage, Artsy Fartsy Mama, Living Well Spending Less, My Turn (for Us), The Best Blog Recipes, Craftionary, Tidy Mom, Home Maid Simple, One Tough Mother, 504 Main, Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons, Happy Hour Projects, Living Better Together, Food Done Light, Dear Creatives, The Wondering Brain, Cheerios and Lattes, Or So She Says, It's Overflowing, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Suburbs Mama, Twig Studios, Thrifty Nifty Things, Flamingo Toes, Navy Wifey Peters, VMG206, Titi Crafty, Cooking For the Seven Dwarfs, Who Needs a Cape, Summer's Scraps, The Velvet Moon Baker, Your Homebased Mom, Spatulas on Parade, My Mixing Spoon, Craft-O-Maniac, The Chicken Chick, This Gal Cooks, A Pinch of Joy, Boogieboard Cottage, Boogieboard Cottage, Keep It Simple, Alderberry Hill, DIY Home Sweet Home, Say Not to Sweet Anne, Lines Across, Flour Me with Love, Under the Table and Dreaming, Cozy Little House, Home Stories A to Z, Table for 7, Mandy's Recipe Box, Jam Hands, This Silly Girl's Life

Other Fun Drinks you Might Enjoy:

Liquid Lime Lifesaver Cocktail

Homemade Slow Melt Orange Cream Popsicle Recipe

Hola Amigos! Among the things I love about summer are pool days, grilling, cold pretty drinks, and the face of my little one when he hears the ice cream truck come by...among the things I don't like too much are mosquitoes, mowing the lawn and the multiple sticky droplets of  melted popsicle left on my wooden floor when my little one doesn't eat it fast enough, lol...
Solution:  for the days the ice cream doesn't make it to our neighborhood a homemade slow melt treat will do the trick. This was our first try and It worked. On days like today when the humidity is 90% up and it's hot and sticky, they kept it together longer than the regular ones, I have a sticky face kid but a clean floor! We are both happy! here is our trick!

Slow Melt Orange Cream Popsicles

1 Cup Orange Juice

1 1/2 tsps Mango gelatin (or any flavor you like) 

1 (6oz) Orange Creamsicle Yogurt 

1/4 Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer

1  tsps Vanilla Butter

In a small saucepan add the orange juice and gelatin. Heat up and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, stir to get a uniform mix.

Pour this mix into you popsicle molds. Let the cool for a little while before placing them in your freezer for a couple of hours.

This recipe will give you 1 1/2 cups of  liquid. I got 6 popsicles  out of it!

Run a little hot water through your popsicles in order to loosen them up and make it easier to pull out!

Listo,

We love them! They are refreshing and crisp with the touch of mango gelatin!

It was our first attempt and I think there are possibilities to this dessert as days left for summer so we are looking forward to more creations.

Thank you for visiting the blog today! Remember everything tastes better when you have a happy dirty face kid, a happy mom...and yes...you add a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

 Chilling at these Fabulous Parties:

Easy Living Mom, The Best Blog Recipes,Somewhat Simple, One Tough Mother, Craftionary, Home Maid Simple, The Shabby Nest, My Turn (for Us), Simply Designing, The Answer is Chocolate, Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, Golden Reflections, Designing Dining + Diapers, Chic on a Shoestring, A Beauty Moment, Rattlebridge Farm, Jennifer Rizzo, Just Us Four, Living Better Together,The Pin Junkie
Dear Creatives, Natasha in Oz, Debbiedoo's, Snippets of Inspiration, Cheerios and Lattes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Spatulas on Parade, Dessert Now, Dinner Later, The Tablescaper, Cooking for the Seven Dwarfs, twelve o eight, Serenity You, Pursuit of Functional Home, Frugal Foodie Mama, Under the Table and Dreaming, The Chicken Chick, Navy Wifey Peters, Sweet 2 Eat Baking, Sarah Howe, The Tumbleweed Contessa, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, I Gotta Try That, Cupckae-n-Bake, Cozy Little House, Love Grows Wild, Feeding Big, Hun..what's for dinner, A Pinch of Joy, Pint Sized Baker, Sugar Bee Crafts, With a Blast, Thank You Honey, Ducks 'n a Row, Fluster Buster, White Lights on Wednesday, The Shady Porch, Mom's Test Kitchen, Memories by the Mile, Real Coake, The Mandatory Mooch, Shaffer Sisters, What's Cooking Love?, Living Well, Spend Less, Artsy Fartsy Mama, Sparkles and a Stove, Kreative Creations, The Crafty Blog Stalker, Saving 4 Six, 52 Mantels, Shaken Together, Happy and Blessed Home, 504 Main, The Thriftiness Miss, A Peek into my Paradise, Tidy Mom,
Blissful and Domestic, Huckleberry Love, Kathe with an E, Nap Time Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, The Lady Behing the Curtain, Life with the Crust Cut Off, I Should be Mopping the Floors

Lunes de Chocolate-Chocolate Mondays

Chocolate Tea Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Filling

Hola amigos! How was your weekend? I hope it was full of green fun on St. Patrick's Day Celebration and anticipation for the arrival of Spring in a few days!
Before we get on with our recipe today, I wanted to let you know that due to the high amount of  "spam" I'm getting in the shape of anonymous comments I've stopped that option from the blog. I love to hear from you guys...but I hate those spammers filling up my mail with useless junk.

My recipe today starts with the story that unfolded  47 years ago..there was a young lady walking behind her mother's kitchen writing down eagerly every single recipe and cooking tip she could get her from her. That was my mother taking notes from a great cook, mi "abuelita, my grandma". Oh I miss her cooking and I miss her...but back to my mom. She did all this before she got married..now guess who has the notebook with my grandma's recipes and tips for a good meal...I Do! yes! Scored Big Time...my mom gave it to me, when I got married and it has been with me ever since. It's one of my most valuable possessions, she wrote some notes too so I think I have the best of both of them. There I found this recipe for Chocolate Tea Bread, still don't know why it's called that way...but that was how  my grandma's/mom called this bread and I'm sticking to it, lol.
Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Tea Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Filling

Chocolate Tea Bread

1 Cup Walnuts

2 Cups Biscuit Mix

3/4 Cup Hot Orange juice

2 Squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tsps Vanilla extract

Heat Oven at 350 degrees, grease and flour a loaf pan. In a food processor finely chop the walnuts, empty into a large bowl and add biscuit mix. Mix the remaining ingredients until smooth ( you could also put them in a blender, I did)

Add this to the biscuit and walnut mix until everything is moistened. Pour in the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and placing the loaf on a  cooling in a rack. Serve with Orange Cream Cheese Filling

Orange Cream Cheese Filling.

1/2 cup Orange marmalade

8 ounces room temperature Cream Cheese. 

Process both ingredients until they are smooth, refrigerate unused portion and use on toast or bagels too!

Listo,

I got to say what I love about this bread is that is crispy in the outside and soft in the inside

The orange cream cheese melts the minute you put it on a slice of freshly baked bread enhancing the orange and chocolate flavors in it!

I'm a coffee drinker in the winter and fall and a tea lover for spring and summer, but this bread with go great with either of my favorite drinks...and even a hot cup of cocoa!

And if you don't have cream cheese and orange marmalade handy...butter, honey or syrup are always excellent alternatives!

This is my chocolate recipe for this Monday my friends I hope you get around to make it for your family and enjoy it as we've been enjoying it for generations now! With this recipe, I want to emphasize more than ever than everything tastes better with a Pinch or Love as my parents just celebrated their anniversary #47!

Besitos,

Lizy

Bringing a batch of Hot Baked Goodies to these Fabulous Parties:
The Mandatory Mooch
Mom 4 Real KOSO edition
LollyJane (The Scoop edition)
Cozy Little House
Memories by the Mile
Kathe with an E
Pint Sized Baker
Tumbleweed Contessa
Ginger Snap Crafts
Adorned from Above
Clean and Scentsible
Mom;s Test Kitchen
Fluster Buster
Rose Chintz Cottage
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Beyond the Picket Fence
Clippie Dips
Designed Decor
Rattlebridge Farm
The Thriftiness Miss
Cindy's Recipes and Writtings
The Shabby Nest
Simply Designing
Not Your Ordinary Recipes
The Home Girl
504 Main
The Best Blog Recipes
Shaken Together
Weekend Kitchen Creations
Pamela's Heavenly Treats
Sugar and Slice