Recipes for Fishing Opener

Minnesota Annual Fishing Opener signals the beginning of summer for a lot of Minnesotans.  Approximately 29% of Minnesota residents fish.  Walleye is the most sought-after fish, followed by Northern Pike and Muskie combined, Pan Fish, Bass Crappie and then Trout. (US Fish & Wildlife) Good Luck!!

Let us know if there is something you would like us to put in our column, or if you have a recipe to share, please submit to ads@thedrummer.com.

Crunchy-Coated Walleye

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Makes: 4 servings

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 lg eggs

2-1/4 lbs. walleye, perch or pike fillets

1-1/2 c. mashed potato flakes

1/3 c. vegetable oil

Tartar sauce and lemon wedges, optional

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Dip both sides of fillets in flour mixture and eggs, then coat with potato flakes.

In a large skillet, fry fillets in oil for 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon if desired.

Unbelievable Fish Batter

 It makes enough to coat approximately 2 pounds of fish.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Servings: 6

Yield: 2 1/4 cups

1 c. all-purpose flour

½ c. milk

½ c. water or beer

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Whisk flour, milk, water, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl until smooth. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365°F. Dip fish fillets into the batter to coat. Carefully lower fillets, one at a time, into the hot oil. Fry several fillets at a time, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Green Onion Tartar Sauce

Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Makes: 3/4 cup

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 whole dill pickle, finely chopped

2 T. sour cream

1 tsp. minced fresh parsley

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. dried tarragon

1/8 tsp. pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.

Macaroni Coleslaw

Prep: 25 min. + chilling

 Makes: 16 servings

1 pkg (7 oz) ring macaroni or ditalini

1 pkg.  (14 oz) coleslaw mix

2 med onions, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 med cucumber, finely chopped

1 med green pepper, finely chopped

1 can (8 oz) whole water chestnuts, drained and chopped

Dressing:

1-1/2 c. Miracle Whip Light

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl; add the coleslaw mix, onions, celery, cucumber, green pepper and water chestnuts.

In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Total Time: 25 min

1/2 c. olive oil

1/3 c. fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 c. frozen corn kernels

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Place olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Close the lid tightly and shake the jar until the dressing is well combined.

Combine in a salad bowl beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.

Shake dressing again, pour over salad, and toss to coat.

Oven Fries

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 40 min.

 Makes: 4 servings

4 med potatoes

1 T. olive oil

2-1/2 tsp. paprika

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut each potato into 12 wedges. In a large bowl, combine oil, paprika, salt and garlic powder. Add potatoes; toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until tender, 40-45 minutes, turning once.

How do you make baked french fries crispy?

Oil and high heat are the keys to making crispy baked french fries. That combination locks in the moisture and gives you fries that have a crispy exterior and a creamy interior. We recommend using Yukon Gold potatoes for their tender and creamy texture.

Are baked french fries healthy?

If you’re trying to be health-conscious, baking fries is better than deep-frying them because you can control the salt and fat amounts to make them work for your diet. For a lower-sodium version, skip the salt and add more herbs and spices.

Strawberry Lemon Blondies

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 45 min

Servings: 12 servings

Blondies:

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 lg egg

1/4 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice

2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour (use the fluff/scoop/level method for measuring)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. diced fresh strawberries

Glaze:

1 c. unsifted weight powdered sugar, sifted

1 T. strawberry puree, you’ll need about 2 large strawberries, instructions below.

Lemon juice, about 1 T. or just enough to thin the glaze to a spreadable consistency

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Line a 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper with long edges. This will help you lift out the blondies for easy glazing and slicing later.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg.

When the egg is fully incorporated, beat in the lemon juice. The lemon juice will probably not completely incorporate at this point, that’s ok.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until no more dry flour is present.

Gently fold in the diced strawberries. Spread the mixture into your pan and spread out as evenly as possible. The dough is thick, so take your time.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, just until starting to turn golden around the edges and the center is set. A toothpick inserted in the center will be moist but not wet. Don’t over-bake these, or they will dry out. Let cool on a rack.

Trim the strawberries for the glaze and puree in a small food processor. Strain the puree through a small strainer to get 1 T. of puree. Whisk together the sugar, puree, and lemon juice until no lumps remain. If your glaze is too thin, add a touch more sugar. If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice.

Spread the glaze over the cooled blondies. Let the glaze set before slicing.

Interesting Side Notes: We were curious about unsifted weight and sifted weight of powdered sugar, so we thought we would research it!  What we found is if you measure by volume rather than weight (like most of us do) you could end up with an icing that is too thick.  Because powdered sugar is so fine and fluffy, the amount you can fit into a measuring cup can vary considerably.  So if your glaze is a bit thick it isn’t the recipe, but how you are measuring your sugar. 

One other thing we learned along the way is that Powdered Sugar and Confectioners sugar are not the same thing!  Powdered sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been ground to a very fine powder. Confectioners sugar is powdered sugar with starch added, to prevent it from caking as it sits (or melting into the dessert). Typically, this is cornstarch. 

Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

1-1/2 c. plain flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c.  butter at room temperature

2 lg eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. whole milk

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease that as well.

In a med sized bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Whisk the vanilla into the milk and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. After the mixture is pale and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time mixing until they are incorporated into the batter.

Next, add half the flour and stir in gently. Then add all the milk and mix in the remaining flour. Once it is all incorporated, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Pour batter into your prepared dish and bake for approximately 45–55 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center and when just a few crumbs come off, it is done. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for just a few minutes. Remove from pan after about 5 minutes and let it cool for a further few minutes. This can be served straight away.

Quote of the Week:

“A mother understands what a child does not say.”

~ Jewish proverb