Saturday, October 26, 2013

This Week in the Kitchen #2, Plus a Pin It and Do It Wrap-Up


Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.


It's been a relatively slow week in the kitchen (seems like one of us was out almost every evening), but I still managed to try a couple of new recipes.

Crab bisque is one of our favorite soups and I've use the same recipe for twenty years. My cousin's wife found it taped inside the cupboard door of a Virginia Beach cottage. It is delicious and over the years I've tweaked it a little, but never really liked the fact that condensed cream of celery soup was at its core, even if it is fat-free.

My husband loves this recipe, but I'm ready for a change. Stephanie O'Dea's Make It Fast, Cook It Slow contains a recipe for Fish Chowder that looked easy, so I decided to give it a try.

It smelled a little too fishy to me as it bubbled in the slow cooker, but it tasted pretty good. I used frozen tilapia filets (any white fish should work) and added cooked shrimp for the last twenty minutes. Next time I'll consider adding crab meat and scallops, too.

This recipe called for just 1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, but I doubled that amount and added a little garlic salt, too. The recipe* is  available on her blog - that's where I found the photo, too.

*Note: The online recipe omits Old Bay seasoning, but it's included in the cookbook version. I think the chowder would be far too bland without it.


The other new recipe this week was Smoky Maple-Mustard Salmon (my pin) from Delish.com. It was so simple and delicious! The smoked paprika adds wonderful flavor, while the whole grain dijon mustard enhances the texture. It took literally 15 minutes to get dinner on the table. I wouldn't change a thing! The photo is from Pinterest.

And finally, although not food-related, I've discovered a few new ways to to tie my favorite scarves.

Thanks, Trish, for hosting another round of Pin It and Do It. It has become my favorite challenge!


32 comments:

  1. My husband loves crab, but it's not my favorite seafood choice. I love the idea of mixing it into a fish chowder for him, though! The salmon looks divine-- as do the scarves :)

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    1. Col - I'm going to need to experiment with the fish chowder a little more before it becomes my primary fish soup, but it definitely has possibilities. The salmon was just perfect.

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  2. The salmon would go over well in our house. I love that the internet makes it so much easier to figure out how to tie scarves these days.

    Joy's Book Blog

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    1. Joy - That salmon was so quick and easy. It helps that I always have the ingredients for the glaze on hand, too.

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    1. Linda - I'll definitely be making it again.

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  4. we eat salmon often and I like the sound of this! Adding it to my collection of salmon recipe. Hummm I just bought some cod and I have shrimp in the freezer -- maybe I'll give the soup a try tomorrow. And I can *never* tie scarves right, so I don't wear them. Must check out that pin.

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    1. Beth F - I frequently wear scarves, but have only two basic ways to tie them. Love the variety these suggestions offer!

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  5. Things in my kitchen are extremely slow these days but I did boil some peanuts yesterday. I love it when other people wear scarves but I've never been able to pull the look off - I'll have to check out the suggestions.

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    1. Kathy - I'd be happy to wear a scarf every day... just love them!

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  6. I love seafood -- both the fish chowder and the salmon looks good.

    And thanks for the scarf tying link -- just what I needed!

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    1. Jama - I just had the last of the fish chowder for lunch today... it's definitely better the second or third day.

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  7. Not a fish lover, but Smoky Maple-Mustard Salmon sounds good, so I might try it soon.

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    1. Vicki - I bet the smoky maple-mustard glaze would be great on chicken, too.

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  8. Oh no... three more pins that I need to add to my own boards!! (although I am always looking for new ways to tie my scarves)

    I would love to see your 20 year old crab bisque recipe - I know my husband would LOVE it!

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    1. Molly - The crab bisque recipe really is good... I'll post it within the next few weeks.

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  9. That looks great - although I just love the idea of crab bisque!

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    1. Carole - Think I'll share the crab bisque in a future Weekend Cooking post.

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  10. I'm still working on salmon (on liking it, I mean). As for 'cream of ...' soups, I know, I know, but one of my favorite casseroles just kind of needs it. I've decided just now that we're al entitled to keep one recipe cream of whatever in our recipe boxes. :)

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    1. Audrey - Well, I like that rule! The traditional crab bisque recipe stays.
      Salmon is definitely an acquired taste...

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  11. Looks good, and with the scallops and crab meat, could make one hearty seafood chowder. My fave. ;)

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    1. Arti - I'll load up it with even more seafood next time!

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  12. I love scarves and wear the 4-5 times a week. Have you seen this fun video of different ways to were a scarf?

    Very fun - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYAEz777AU

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    1. Diane - Yes, that's a great video... I just love scarves!

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  13. That fish chowder looks pretty tasty! I may have to try that one.

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    1. Melissa - My husband is already asking me to make it again :)

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  14. Thanks for the tip on tying scarves - I'm going to need help after shopping here in India - seems like i've purchased a few new scarves!

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    1. Tamara - I bet you've found some gorgeous scarves in India!! There are actually three separate 'pins' linked on this post... and many more if you do a quick search on Pinterest.

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  15. Oh that salmon looks delicious. I like the idea of an old recipe found in a beach cottage, too!

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    1. Vintage Reading - My daughter made that salmon for the first time this week and she loved it, too! I was certain any recipe taped to a beach cottage cupboard door had to be good :)

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  16. I should really cook salmon more often--I love how quickly it cooks up and most recipes are so simple. Thanks again for participating in Pin it and Do it in October! :)

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    1. And thank you for hosting, Trish. I love this challenge!!

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