Dinner for 2

Last night Jack and I had an amazing dinner.  We started dinner off with an appetizer.  I made crab stuffed mushrooms.  They are always our favorite when we go out to a restaurant.  So, I figured I would try them out myself.  I used a Paula Deen recipe.  (Surprise surprise)  I did not have all the ingredients so I had to substitute a few things.  I used regular onions instead of green, Italian blend of cheese instead of Parmesan, and I used Parsley fresh out of our garden.  They turned out amazing!!!  The recipe is at the end of the blog.....  For the main course, Jack grilled swordfish and corn, and I made baked potatoes and Red Lobster biscuits.  i also used the stems of the mushrooms for the potatoes.  I sauteed them in butter and garlic and poured them over our hot baked potatoes!!  They were amazing if I do say so myself!!  Now back to Jack's part......I  have never eaten swordfish before.  So, I was a little hesitant, but it was delicious.  He marinaded it before he put it on the grill.  I have to say that Jack is amazing when it comes to marinades and grilling.  After dinner, I wanted some sort of brownie for dessert.  We did not have a box brownie.  So, I found a recipe that called for everything that we had.  They were not the best warm, but they were amazing once they set and cooled off.   It is definitely a good recipe for when you have a sweet tooth and have to use what you have in the pantry.   I thought I would share a few of the recipes with you.  I do not have the marinade recipe though.  Jack likes to change  them and make them his own!

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 c crabmeat, 1/2 c cream cheese, 1/2 cfresh parsley leaves, chopped, 1/2 c green onions, chopped, 4 T Parmesan,  House Seasoning (1c salt, ¼ c black pepper, ¼ c garlic salt), 2 portobello mushroom caps, or 10 white mushrooms caps, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, Nonstick cooking spray
 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the crabmeat, cream cheese, parsley, green onions and Parmesan. Season with House Seasoning, to taste. Stuff the mushroom caps with the mixture and top with bread crumbs. Spray the tops with nonstick spray to help them brown. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and melted.

Red Lobster Biscuits
 

Ingredients:   2 ½ c Bisquick baking mix , ¾ c cold milk , 4 T cold butter , ¼ t garlic powder , 1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Bush on Top:  2 T butter, melted , ¼ t dried parsley flakes , ½ t garlic powder , pinch salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ t garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits. 

Simply Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:  

1/2 c canola oil, 1/4 c baking cocoa, 1 c sugar, 2 eggs, 1 t vanilla extract, 3/4 c all-purpose flour, 1/8 t salt, 1/2 c chopped walnuts, 1/2 c milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine oil and cocoa until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Stir in vanilla and cocoa mixture. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture just until moistened. Stir in walnuts.

2.  Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.