Every now and again I miss Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet (ORMG). It was my very first real blog and it paved the way for what I do now. I've grown so much in just how I design but in looking back through ORMG and reading all the recipe and posts, I can see just how much I loved it. This post is a little tribute to it. I'm sharing five of my favorite recipes from it:
1. Pan Fried Fish Fillets
Ingredients:
2 lb. fresh fish fillets
EVOO
kosher salt and lemon pepper
garlic and onion powder
pinch of cayenne
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk or water
1 c. dry Italian bread crumbs
Cut fillets into serving portions. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, and cayenne. Beat egg slightly and blend in milk. Dip portions in the egg mixture then roll them in crumbs.
Place fish in a heavy frying pan coated with EVOO, hot but not smoking. Fry at a moderate heat until fish is brown on one side. Turn carefully and brown the other side, don't turn too quickly. Usually fish will pull away from the pan when it's ready to be turned. Cooking time is approximately 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Drain on absorbent paper.
2. French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
3 large Spanish onions, peeled, sliced
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) beef broth
3 c. cold water
1 bay leaf
6 slices French bread, toasted
1 c. Kraft Shredded Swiss Cheese
1/4 c. Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
Melt margarine in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook about 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add broth, water and bay leaf; stir. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Preheat broiler. Ladle hot soup evenly into 6 ovenproof bowls; top each bowl of soup with a toast slice. Sprinkle evenly with cheeses. Broil 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Top with fresh Italian parsley on top (optional).
3. Bow Tie Pasta Mushroom Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb. uncooked bow-tie pasta
kosher salt
EVOO
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
lemon pepper
garlic pepper
Fresh herbs like thyme or Italian parsley
Boil pasta and be sure to generously salt the water just before tossing in the pasta. I also put in a teaspoon of EVOO in the water and stir it around to keep the pasta from sticking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. I usually remove the pasta just before al dente because you're going to finish it off in the oven. So pour the cooked pasta into a casserole pan. Then add the mushroom soup into the pasta and stir around covering it. I then sprinkle some lemon and garlic pepper over it to taste and place in the oven for about 30 minutes until the soup kind of thickens.
Remove pan and top with fresh herbs. Optionally, you can spread some shredded cheese on top and then put back into the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Scrumptious meal!
4. Double Cheese, Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 baking potatoes
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup milk
paprika to taste
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode.
In a small bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Rub potato skins with oil mixture. Bake potatoes (do not wrap in foil) in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft.
Remove potatoes from oven and allow them to cool before touching. Then, slice skin off of the top. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, reserving the intact skins. To the potatoes add cheese, egg, butter, and half of the parsley. Mash potatoes while gradually adding milk. Spoon the mixture into the skins and top with remaining parsley and paprika. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Then add blue cheese on top and return for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 baking potatoes
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup milk
paprika to taste
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode.
In a small bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Rub potato skins with oil mixture. Bake potatoes (do not wrap in foil) in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft.
Remove potatoes from oven and allow them to cool before touching. Then, slice skin off of the top. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, reserving the intact skins. To the potatoes add cheese, egg, butter, and half of the parsley. Mash potatoes while gradually adding milk. Spoon the mixture into the skins and top with remaining parsley and paprika. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Then add blue cheese on top and return for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
5. Shrimp Star Fruit Topped Pizza
Ingredients:
For the Shrimp:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb. shrimp, peeled/deveined, but you can leave tails on
For the Pizza:
1 pkg. pizza dough from the grocer or 1 can of Pillsbury Thin-crusted pizza
Marinara Sauce (your favorite brand)
Cheddar cheese (or whatever you prefer)
Star fruit (cleaned, sliced)
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Season with chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Place the shrimp in a shallow baking dish with the sauce, and stir to coat.
Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate and place the shrimp on it. Discard the marinade. Grill for 8 minutes or until the shrimp turn pinks and starts to pull away from the grill. Plate it, but cover with aluminum foil to keep warm while you prepare the pizza dough.
Roll out pizza dough and place onto a pizza stone or pan using a little flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for about 5 minutes and bake the dough until golden brown. Remove and pour on top your favorite marinara sauce, top with cheese, shrimp, and the star fruit. Put pizza back in oven until the cheese melts and then serve!
Hope you too will enjoy this tribute! If you try any of the recipes, let me know how it turns out for you!
