Tuna Lemon Pepper Sliders

Since they first became popular, I have always loved the idea of having a slider instead of a huge hamburger or sandwich. They are the perfect size for an appetizer, party food, or for dinner with a few small sides. These turned out so delicious and were surprisingly easy to throw together for a quick meal. Neal loved them too and told me to put them on the "permanent-and-never-forgotten" menu - not a problem for this girl! I topped off the mini-size patties with a homemade tartar sauce, tomato and lettuce, all piled in between a King's Hawaiian roll which added just a hint of sweetness to the savory tuna and pickle flavors. This will definitely become a go-to on my summer menu and I can't wait to make them again! (Picture and recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest)

Ingredients:

• 2 5 oz. cans chunk light tuna, drained well
• 2 chopped green onions
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Tartar Sauce:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. relish OR 3 Tbsp. chopped dill pickle
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• dash of paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill

Sliders:

• 6 King's Hawaiian Rolls
• 6 slices of Roma tomato
• 6 lettuce leaves

In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, onions, egg, bread crumbs and lemon pepper seasoning together. Mixture should be thick and hold together when formed into patties. If they don't, add more bread crumbs until they hold together. Form into 6 even patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Place patties into the hot pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

While the patties are cooking, mix together the ingredients for the tartar sauce in a small bowl.

To assemble the sliders, slice each roll in half and spread on a generous scoop of tartar sauce. Layer with a tuna patty, tomato slice and lettuce leave. Serve immediately.

Salmon Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise

So for once I actually have a decent excuse for not posting any recipes... I'm 16 weeks pregnant!! :) Overall I've been feeling amazing and Neal and I are thrilled about the new addition that will be coming to our family in July! I'm tempted to make a paper chain to count down the days until our munchkin arrives.. But I'll resist.. for now... :) The only real "sickness" (if you can even call it that..) that I've had so far is an aversion to certain foods, especially cooking. So needless to say, new recipes and a lot of food in general has not sounded so good the past couple of months.. I'm finally over the stage of  "cereal, fruit and smoothies are the only things in this house I can stomach" so I'm finally back to my sad, neglected blog to post a few new recipes that I've collected over the past few weeks. It feels great to have the appetite to actually try new things again.

These burgers were great, healthy and super quick to throw together. Perfect for a weeknight meal when you're hungry and don't want to spend more than 30 minutes throwing a meal together. The basil mayo had a great flavor and added enough flavor and sauce to the burgers that no other sauces were even needed. And I felt kind of fancy for eating salmon burgers since it sounds like something you'd have in a gourmet steakhouse with truffle fries.. Mm... This recipe makes enough for 2 good-size salmon burgers, so double or triple it to feed more mouths. (Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients:

Basil Mayonnaise:

• 4 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1-2 pinches dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. dried dill

Salmon Burgers:

• 4-5 oz. canned salmon, drained and gently mashed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 Tbsp. parsley (dried or fresh)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1 pinch oregano
• 1 pinch thyme
• 1 pinch basil
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 sesame hamburger buns
• lettuce leaves
• sliced tomatoes

Combine all of the ingredients for the mayonnaise and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot. To make sure the oil is at the right temperature, flick a little water into it. If it sizzles lightly then it's right. If it sparks and splashes and goes everywhere, it's too hot so turn it down and wait a couple of minutes. If nothing happens, or if it's a very delayed reaction, increase the heat and try again. 

While the oil is heating, mix all ingredients for the salmon burgers together through the basil. Form into two patties (the patties will be very moist and will fall apart easily) and gently place into the hot oil. Cook on each side for about 4 minutes until light brown.

To assemble burgers, spread basil mayo on the hamburger buns and top with a patty, lettuce and tomato. Serve immediately while still warm.

Crook's Corner Shrimp & Grits

“These are the best shrimp and grits I have ever had,” said my husband at dinner a few days ago. And that’s saying something when it comes from a man born and raised in the South where shrimp and grits can be found at almost every restaurant. And even though I’m fairly new to the whole grits experience, I will also agree that this is one of the best meals I have ever made (Yes, I said meals). This recipe is courtesy of Chef Bill Smith who is head chef from a restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina called Crook’s Corner. He shared this recipe in the Southern Living magazine back in 2004 and I was lucky enough to stumble across it a few weeks ago. It begins with flavorful cheesy grits and is topped with lightly sauteed shrimp with bacon, mushrooms and green onions in a creamy, zesty sauce. All of the ingredients can be found in your common fridge and pantry so it’s a cinch to throw together. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients - most of them are just spices and very common ingredients. I dare you to try out this recipe and tell me if it’s not the best shrimp and grits you’ve ever had!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water


• 1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth


• 3/4 cup half-and-half


• 3/4 tsp. salt


• 1 cup regular grits


• 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


• 2 Tbsp. butter


• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce


• 1/4 tsp. white pepper


• 3 bacon slices


• 1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined


• 1/4 tsp. black pepper


• 1/8 tsp. salt


• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour


• 1 cup sliced mushrooms


• 1/2 cup chopped green onions


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 1/2 cup chicken broth


• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice


• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce


• 1/2 cup half-and-half

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add Cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt and dredge in flour.

Saute mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions, and saute 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, and saute 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, hot sauce and half-and-half. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon.

Mango Rice Salad

This is the essence of a perfect summer dish. Light, fresh, crisp, fruity and refreshing. It's absolutely delicious by itself as a side salad, or served over grilled chicken or fish. It looked intriguing with the mango mixed with the vegetables and rice and reminded me of a rice bowl from Rumbi Island Grill. I honestly can't say anything bad about this dish. I was moaning over it the entire dinner. It is big enough to serve about 4 people but my husband I kept dipping our forks into the bowl until it was scraped clean. (Recipe and picture adapted from Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice, at room temperature*


• 1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 medium mango, peeled and diced


• 1/2 red pepper, diced finely


• 1/2 medium onion, diced finely


• 1 handful chopped cilantro (1/2 cup)


• 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar


• 2 Tbsp. olive oil


• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice


• Salt


• Pepper

Mix together the rice, beans, mango, pepper, onion and cilantro. In a separate small bowl, mix together the red wine vinegar, olive oil and lime juice until combined. Pour on top of salad and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least one hour before serving. Serve alone or over chicken or fish.

*I recommend cooking the rice in either vegetable or chicken broth for more flavor.

Pineapple Shrimp Kabobs

Who doesn't love grilled kabobs on a hot summer day? We made these shrimp kabobs as an addition to our main dish for Memorial Day. They had a sweet yet savory flavor that everybody loved. We used green pepper, onion, pineapple and shrimp for ours but they are extremely versatile and can be used with any vegetables you have on hand. Plan ahead to marinate the shrimp for at least 3 hours before you grill the kabobs and you'll have perfect, flavorful shrimp! Also, if you use pre-cooked shrimp you'll only have to grill them for a few minutes to slightly soften the vegetables and warm everything up. (Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz. can pineapple chunks


• 1 cup Italian salad dressing


• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce


• 1/8 cup packed brown sugar


• 1 tsp. ground mustard


• 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined


• 1-2 large green peppers, cut into chunks


• 1 large onion, cut into chunks

Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Refrigerate the pineapple. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, salad dressing, tomato sauce, brown sugar and ground mustard. Add in the shrimp and coat with the sauce. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

On skewers, alternately thread the shrimp, pineapple, green pepper and onion. Grill, uncovered over medium heat for 6-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are tender, turning and basting occasionally with the marinade sauce. Serve immediately.

Shrimp & Grits with Creamy Corn Sauce

So I'm a little embarrassed to admit that up until I had met my husband, I had never in my life tried grits of any form, flavor or style. My husband made them for me for breakfast one morning while we were dating and I loved them!! Then I moved to Tennessee and realized that grits are a staple here that everybody eats and loves. There is even an entire section dedicated to grits in the grocery store - it's a serious thing, folks. My parents came to visit a few months ago and we all went down to the Smoky Mountain National Park and ate at a little restaurant called "Miss Lily's Cafe," where I was first introduced to the classic dish: Shrimp and Grits. Let's just say I fell in love. The grits were so soft and smooth and were dotted with a few jumbo-sized shrimp smothered in a creamy, cheesy corn sauce. Needless to say, the cravings for my new-found love came within a few short weeks after leaving the Smokies and I was determined to find a way to duplicate the recipe. Although it's not exactly the same, it is pretty darn good and tastes incredible on a cold night. If you're like me and have a very limited experience with grits, let this be your first dish to try. I guarantee it will become a staple in your pantry just like it is in mine. Enjoy! (Picture courtesy of Gluten-Free Food Recipes)

Ingredients:

• 2 servings grits, cooked according to package directions (I cook mine with chicken broth instead of water to give it more flavor)
• 2 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2/3 c. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 c. canned corn
• one pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Dash of hot pepper sauce

While grits are cooking, heat heavy cream, butter, salt and pepper together in a medium-sized skillet of medium-high heat. When cream begins to boil, add in the corn, red pepper flakes, worcestershire sauce, cheese and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until cheese is melted and sauce ingredients are combined. Add in shrimp and cook until pink and firm. Serve grits in a bowl and pour cream sauce over top.

Tip: If shrimp are already cooked, add them into the sauce at the very end for about a minute, or until they are heated through.