In the Kitchen With Zoe Marie

 in Favorite Recipes by

These recipes were contributed by Zoe Marie, a Southwest resident, and originally appeared in the Southwest  July 2016 issue.

Grilled Tilapia With Mango Salsa
Serves 4.
Tilapia Fillets:

  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. parsley
  • 2 tsp. dried basil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 24 oz. tilapia fillets

Mango Salsa:

  • 2 mangos, cubed
  • 4 Tbsp. purple onion
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
  • 3 jalapeños, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • Salt, to taste 
  • Pepper, to taste
  1. For tilapia fillets: In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together, except fillets; pour into a plastic bag or Tupperware. Add fillets and let marinate for one hour in the refrigerator.
  2. Lightly oil outdoor grill or skillet; preheat on medium-high. Remove tilapia and grill until it is not translucent in the middle.
  3. For mango salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add lime and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve over tilapia.

 

Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4.

  • 2/3 lb. linguine
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 1/3 tsp. garlic, minced
  • 2/3 lb. large shrimp
  • 2 2/3 Tbsp. butter
  • 2/3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup red cooking wine
  • 2/3 cup white cooking wine
  • 1 1/3 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 2/3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest
  1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil; cook linguine according to package instructions; set aside.
  2. In a wide sauté pan, heat oil over low-medium heat until hot. Add garlic and shrimp; sauté until fragrant. Add butter, lemon juice, wines and salt; stir for 3 minutes until wines reduce.
  3. Add linguine, parsley and lemon zest; toss to coat pasta. Add more salt if needed before serving. 

 

Classic Homemade Lasagna
Serves 5.

  • 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • 2 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 3 eggs
  • 6 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 37 1/2 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. basil
  • 70 oz. tomato pasta sauce
  • 30 lasagna noodles
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish; set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat. Add next 5 ingredients to the meat.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, cheeses, parsley and basil well; set aside.
  4. Drain beef and return to skillet; stir in pasta sauce. Spread 1 1/3 cups of sauce on bottom of the baking dish. Layer lasagna noodles, cheese mixture then sauce; repeat until pan is full. Top lasagna with any remaining cheeses.
  5. Cover lasagna with aluminum foil; bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

 

Classic Chewy Sugar Cookies
Makes 18 servings.

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sprinkles
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
  2. Cream butter and sugar with fork until light and fluffy; add egg and mix until well blended. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.
  3. Scoop cookie dough by the tablespoon and roll into a ball with hands.
  4. In a large bowl, add sprinkles; roll each ball into sprinkles until covered all around. Place balls onto cookie sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Lightly press down; bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly brown.