Oh Baloney! Ah! Baked Shrimp & Feta

Baloney Bologna Sandwich

Someone posted a photo of a slice of fried bologna the other day, and it sent me down memory lane. It's been close to 60 years since I had a fried baloney sandwich, with a schmear of mayo and some pickle relish, the way my Mom used to make them! In those days that bologna was maybe 1/8" thick.   I just had to go make an adult Baloney Burger version for my lunch.

1 nice Roll – burger, Kaiser, whatever you prefer

1 slice Bologna – at least 1/2” thick

Condiments - Mayo and pickle relish at least. A slice or two of tomato and some thin rings of raw onion go good too.

Cut in from the edge of the baloney round about 3/4”, five (5) times, not 4, not six. Why? I don't know but that's how it has to be. Fry that slice of boloney until it starts to get some nice black tasty bits.

While that's going on, prepare your bun with condiments. Doctor the burger up any way you like.

Enjoy several bites of childhood memory. Repeat as needed.

Baked Shrimp with Feta over Fettucini

This is my take on a Publix Aprons recipe that I tasted last week at my local store. I've simplified the ingredients list a bit, but keep all the yummy flavors.

1 lb medium Shrimp, peeled & de-veined

3 Tbsp Italian Salad Dressing

1 medium Onion, diced

2 Tbsp fresh minced Parsley

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh juliened Basil

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 cup Pasta Sauce with herbs and spices

4 oz Feta crumbles

Marinate the shrimp in the Italian dressing, with about a quarter of the basil, in a bowl or zip top bag.

Preheat the oven to 400F, and heat a skillet with a splash of EVOO.

Saute the onion for a couple minutes, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the parsley, remaining basil, and the pasta sauce. Last, add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes until everything is heated through. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish, and sprinkle the feta crumbles over the top. Bake about 15 minutes until the cheese starts to brown a bit and melt.

Serve over pasta, or with hot crusty garlic bread, and make sure you have a nice glass of wine on the side. Serves 2-4 depending on how many leftovers you want.

Cauliflower Gratin

I found a beautiful head of yellow cauliflower the other day.  Tastes the same as the usual white veg, but it sure is pretty.  So I disassembled the head into two portions.  One portion I continued to break down into florettes, and microwaved until tender.  Then I topped the florettes with shredded Auribella cheese, and broiled it for a few minutes until the cheese started to melt.

Tangerine Salmon Rissoles with Onion

Make (or buy) two large (6 oz) salmon patties about 1/2” thick. I use slabs of salmon, rather than that canned stuff like my Mom did (although that's the best thing you can do with canned salmon).

12 oz fresh Salmon, skinned and minced

1 Egg, beaten

2/3 cup Panko, breadcrumbs, or cracker crumbs

2 Green Onions, chopped

2 tsp Dill weed

½ Lemon, juiced

2 tbsp Black Pepper

+ + +
2 Tangerines, peeled and segmented
2 slices of Onion

Mash the ingredients together and form 2 large patties. Fry the patties in a splash of EVOO about 5 minutes. Then flip them and top with the tangerine segments and rings of onion. Cook covered and additional 5-5 minutes until cooked through (160F).  I served the rissoles with the remaining portion of yellow cauliflower simply steamed  until tender.