Garlic Bacon Butter Fish

Yes.  Three of my favorite things.  Garlic.  Bacon.  And butter.   Can you tell that I have the genes of a sweet little Oklahoma Grandma running in my veins?  I even used my cast iron skillet!!  She’d be so proud.  🙂  Anywho.   Despite the sound of the title…I believe this to be at least decently healthy and light!  If you have followed me long, you know that I don’t have a problem with a little butter now and then.  Sure, don’t go deep frying it and eating it by the stick (yes, I have seen people do that on Food Network.)  But a bit here and there is alright.  🙂  And I used turkey bacon from the health food store.  No nitrites yaaaay!!  Wanna see my favorite brand?  Mr. Rodgers and I have tried multiple brands of turkey bacon and we always come back to this one:  BAM!

LOVE IT.  You should too.

So now that we all feel better….let’s discuss this wonderful recipe I adapted from Coastal Living on myrecipes.com.  I realize that the title is a little generic, and I will tell you why.  The original called for Cod.  Yum.  I love Cod.  But I was already about to hit my limit on the budget, so I used Haddock instead, which was cheaper and still heavenly.  However…I think this would go well with pretty much any fish.  Like salmon.  I flipping love salmon.  Gaaaaaaah!  So basically…whatever fish is your fave…try cooking it this way and you will love it.  That is…if you share my love for garlic, bacon, and butter.  And if you don’t…I don’t really know if you are human.

 

So, here’s what you need:

• 1/4 C Butter, softened
• A Squeeze of Cilantro Paste
• 1-2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp Red Onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp Gluten Free flour of choice (I was going to use almond, realized I was out, and used a GF multipurpose)
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 2-3 Pieces Turkey Bacon
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 4 Fillets Haddock (Or your favorite!)

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place bacon in a pan and heat until just cooked through and starting to crisp.  Cut or crumble into small pieces
3. Mix everything but the fish and coconut oil in a bowl.  I mashed mine together with a fork to create a sort of paste.
4. Heat coconut oil in an oven safe skillet over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper fillets then add to pan.  Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip.
5. Top each fillet with a spoonful of butter mixture and continue to cook until almost melted, just a minute or so.
6. Slide pan into oven and cook until done all the way through, fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork!

 

Peectures:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Mix everything but the fish and coconut oil in a bowl.

Make a paste of sorts.

Salt and pepper your fillets.  Melt your coconut oil in a cast iron (or oven safe) skillet and add your fillets, cooking for 3-4 minutes.

Flip and top each with a large spoonful of your garlic bacon butter!

Let melt, just a minute or so, then slide into your preheated oven and cook until opaque, cooked through…so it flakes easily with a fork!  Then enjoy these “few of my favorite thiiiiiings!!”

Here is mine, with some Kale Chips for a perfect lunch!!

Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Boom.  It’s not often that your veggie side is the hardiest part of your meal.  We ate these along side a nice light soup…the crunch was fantastic, the garlic was so satisfying (since I always grew up eating garlic bread with soup…but I try not to eat bread much if ever…so this filled the little hole so I wasn’t disappointed!), and it really was something you can sink your teeth into!  Not to mention the fact that cabbage is awesome for you!  I don’t even really like raw green cabbage, but shoot…slathered in garlic butter and roasted till crispy and brown…I LOVED IT!  And so did Mr. Rodgers!!   I ever tossed the leftovers back in a hot oven a few days later and they were still good to accompany another meal!  Perfect 🙂  You should try!!!

 

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Head Raw Green Cabbage
• About 6 Tbsp Butter (You could use Olive Oil too, I’m just weirded out about heating olive oil because of some studies I have heard!  I don’t mind a little fat in the butter, but it’s up to you!!)
• 2-3 tsp Garlic Powder, depending on your love level
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
• Tbsp Powdered Parmesan (Optional)

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove outer leaf.  Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the cabbage head into inch thick slices, starting at the top of the head and cutting down to the “stem.”
3. Lay “steaks” out in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet.
4. Melt butter in the microwave and whisk in the garlic powder.  Baste the top side of your steaks generously with half the mixture.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
5. Slide into your preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.
6. Carefully flip cabbage steaks, baste fresh side with garlic butter, sprinkle on salt, pepper, and Parmesan, and return to the oven for 30 more minutes, or until crispy, brown, and to your desired tenderness.  Remove from oven and enjoy!!

 

Peectures!!

Cut cabbage head into approximately 1 inch thick slices and lay out in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet.

Baste generously with garlic butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400* for half an hour, then flip and repeat basting, salt, pepper, and add Parmesan this time!  Return to the oven for another 30 minutes and BAM!  You’re done.  Easy as that!

Yummmmyyyy

I want one right now.  I’m kinda hungry!!  🙂  I hope you simply love this!!  What is your favorite cabbage recipe?

 

Sweet Red Onion Marmalade and Garlic Butter (Steak Additions)

I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!

Onion marmalade?!  Who has ever heard of that?!  I sure hadn’t until I was browsing Pinterest and saw a picture of one.  I am ALWAYS on the lookout for fantastic new sauces to take a typical mid-week meal’s protein to the next level.  Every day to extraordinary!  This marmalade did not disappoint!  In fact…we loved it so much that we made it again a few days later, haha!

Now garlic butter isn’t new or unheard of…but smeared around on a hot steak, then topped with this marmalade…it simply can’t be beat!  So I wanted to inform you of the great potential it has in this dish.  😉

I’m sure you are intrigued, so let’s get down to business.

Adapted from bonapetit.com

So, here’s what you need:

• Steaks of choice!  Something good for grilling!

Onion Marmalade:

• 2 Tbsp Butter (Or Coconut Oil)
• 3 Red Oinons, sliced
• 1/4 C Agave
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 C Water
• 1 Tbsp Thyme Leaves
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (A little heat is fantastic in this, do it to taste)
• Kosher Salt

Garlic Butter:

• 1 Stick Butter
• 5 Garlic Cloves, or a tsp or more of garlic powder
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

 

And here’s how you do it:

1. Start your onion marmalade almost an hour before you are ready to serve.
2. Heat your butter or coconut oil over medium heat.  Add in your onions and agave and cook for 35-45 minutes, so you have beautiful caramelized onions.
3. Add the rest of the marmalade ingredients.  Cook until the marmalade is thickened nicely, at the consistency you desire.  Should take just a few minutes.
4. Now…,for the garlic butter.  You can do this two ways.  The fancy, original way which is definitely the more “foodie” way.  Put it all in a pan and melt it and cook it just for a minute or so, then remove from the heat and let it sit so the flavors can fuse.  Or…if you are starving like I was and are just done waiting…put the butter in a microwave safe dish, melt it in the microwave and whisk in the garlic powder and pepper flakes.  (You could use fresh garlic too, just microwave it with the butter.)
5. Now you know how to do the rest.  Grill your meat and baste it often with the garlic butter.  Top with your fantastically delicious, sweet, kinda spicy, all delightful marmalade!!  Yeaaaah!

 

 

Slice your onions and toss in a pot over medium heat with your oil and agave!  Cook for 35-45 minutes until caramelized!

 

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for a few more minutes, until thickened.  Yummy!  What a pretty color!

 

Now serve atop a garlic-butter-basted steak fresh from the grill!!  Heavennnnn!

 

This is our little back porch picnic party, just me and my love, Mr. Rodgers!!

YUMMYYYYYY!