Salmon with Spinach and Feta in Phyllo Dough

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Want an elegant yet easy salmon entrée?  Try this salmon wrapped in phyllo dough.  With the added yumminess of a spinach/feta mixture included.

SALMON with SPINACH and FETA in PHYLLO DOUGH (4 servings)

4 oz cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled, room temp

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped

5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

juice of 1/4 lemon

4 (4-6 oz) salmon fillets, skinless

8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

melted butter (1/2 - 1 stick butter  (or more) if needed

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and feta, mixing until smooth.  Add scallion, spinach, and lemon juice; mix well.  Spread 1/4 of the mixture over each salmon fillet.

Unroll phyllo sheets onto a smooth, dry surface and cover with a damp towel.  Working quickly, lay one phyllo sheet on counter, brush with melted butter and top with another sheet of phyllo.  Brush second sheet lightly with melted butter.  Lay one salmon fillet at the short end of the phyllo and roll, tucking sides in.  Place package, seam side down (cheese covered side of salmon up), on parchment-lined pan.  Brush with melted butter.  Repeat with remaining salmon.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned. 

NOTE:  You can prepare early in the day and refrigerate until ready to bake.  These freeze well before baking.  Place frozen on parchment-lined pan and bake in preheated 400F oven 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe Source:  http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--128010/salmon-with-spinach-and-feta-in-phyllo.asp

Shrimp Scampi with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Holy Smokes!!!  This recipe is so good!  Not to mention easy.  It's another incredible Publix recipe and it's sitting in my Top Ten.  A wickedly good gussied-up scampi recipe.

SHRIMP SCAMPI with ROASTED PEPPERS and SPINACH  (4 servings)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped

1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated

8 oz linguine pasta

2 Tbsp EVOO

1/2 oz peeled/deveined shrimp, thawed

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

1/2 cup chicken broth or stock

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

5 oz baby spinach leaves (about 4 cups)

Cook and drain pasta following packaging directions.

Preheat large saute pan on medium 1-2 minutes.  Place oil and garlic in pan; cook 3-4 minutes or until the garlic edges begin to turn golden.

Add peppers, shrimp, pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp each of S&P; cook and stir 1 minute.

Add broth; cook 2-3 minutes or until reduced by about one-half and shrimp have just turned pink and opaque.

Reduce heat to low; stir in butter, spinach, cheese, pasta, and remaining S&P.  Toss until butter and cheese melts and spinach wilts.  Serve.

Recipe Source:  http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/shrimp-scampi-with-roasted-peppers-and-spinach

Cream of Jalapeno Soup

Yippee!!!  Jim came home and helped me get all the photos off of our camera and onto my new computer.   So I've got a backlog of recipes to start posting, plus, now that he's home, I'm back in the kitchen!

I'm posting this recipe first because it's one of my favorites.  I don't remember how I came across the recipe, but it came from Sargento, the cheese folks and is dated July of 2001.   I have lost the recipe several times and ran across it again recently and knew I had to get it posted so I won't lose it again! 

This is not a spicy soup, but certainly has the jalapeno flavor.  This original recipe is incredibly rich so I tried reducing it a bit by using less butter, reduced-fat cheese, and half-and-half.  I don't know the rules of substituting fat-free half-and-half, but I would love to try it that way to reduce the guilt even more.

CREAM of JALAPENO SOUP (6 servings)

4 Tbsp butter, divided

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 fresh or canned jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

3 Tbsp AP flour

3 cup chicken broth

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup (4 oz) shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Hot sauce and/or Cajun seasoning, optional

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper; reduced heat and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally (Note to Self:  make sure bell and jalapeno peppers and well-cooked and tender).  Stir in jalapeno peppers.  Remove vegetable mixture from saucepan; set aside.

Melt remaining butter in medium saucepan.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add broth and cream; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes until thickened.  Add reserved vegetables and cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.  If you like it spicier, add hot sauce and/or Cajun seasoning (I use Nunu's).

Recipe Source: Sargento Foods