Credit: Coastal Living

Coastal Living offers 12 Flavorful Tropical Dishes which include Tropical Fruit, Avocado, and Grilled Shrimp Salad, Nut-crusted Yellowtail Snapper with Mango-Butter Sauce and of course, rum punch!

All Recipes provides a complete planner to host your own Luau Party! You’ll find recommendations for drinks, appetizers, salads, main dishes and desserts. The recipe for Absolutely Amazing Ahi looks like a must-try. There are even suggestions on what to wear and what games to play.

How does Shrimp-and-Avocado Salad with Mango Dressing sound? This recipe and more tropical island dishes are prepared in a slideshow on Food & Wine. Most of the dishes feature a tropical fruit like mango or kiwi and are quite unique, like the Spicy Lobster-Noodle Salad

These recipes should be enough to get you started. What flavor takes you straight to the islands?

1. Ponche de Frutas (Fruit Punch): No fiesta is complete without fruit punch. This savory recipe from AllRecipes.com calls for fresh oranges, lemons, grapes, plums and pineapple and will have your guests going for seconds!
2. Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Mini Tostadas: This recipe is easy to prepare and will surely win the heart of any party-goer. All you’ll need is a bag of restaurant-style tortilla chips, tomatoes, Sea Cuisine’s own Tortilla Crusted Tilapia fillets, sour cream and guacamole to top it off!
3. Mango Salsa: Add some zest to your simple salsa dish with this terrific recipe from AllRecipes.com. This easy to make recipe boasts a tangy, sweet flavor and can be served with tortilla chips or over fish.
4. Honey Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pepper Slaw: Fish tacos are a must at every fiesta! Start with flour tortillas and add Sea Cuisine’s own Honey Chipotle Salmon fillets, seasoned peppers, cucumbers, onions and guacamole. This effortless recipe will add a world full of color and flavor to your menu.
5. Churros with Coconut Sauce: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some sweets! Check out the Food Network’s recipe for churros with a savory coconut sauce. Offering easy to follow instructions for both the churros and sauce, this recipe will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.

Now that your menu is complete, all you need are some festive tunes, decorations and a piñata! What else do you plan to feature at your Cinco de Mayo fiesta?

Photo credit: http://www.aidshelp.cc/fundraising.html

Key West offers everything from fishing, to snorkeling, art galleries, to museums, and even a little history. There are various festivals throughout the year to celebrate the culture of this unique destination. The Annual Marathon Seafood Festival takes place in March, Key West Food & Wine Festival happens in January and the Key West Lobster Fest will kick off in August.

This week, the flavors of the area are celebrated at the Taste of Key West. The 17^th annual celebration kicks off tonight, April 23. Taste of Key West is in such a beautiful and unique location – the Truman Waterfront Pier, from which you can see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico. More than 50 local restaurants and top chefs, specializing in seafood, tropical and Caribbean flavors, European delicacies and vegetarian treats pitch in for the event. There is a generous selection of fine wines from around the world, making this event truly a celebration of great food and drinks.

Even if you can’t make it to one of these wonderful food festivals, you can bring a little Key West home by trying my Summer Herb Crusted Cod Salad with Key Lime Dressing.

Check out the video and let me know how your version turns out. Or, share some of your favorite Key West-inspired seafood dishes in the comments below!

Credit: Earthday.org

1. Use the dishwasher: According to a study by the University of Bonn, a dishwasher uses half the energy, one-sixth of the water, and less soap than washing dishes by hand. So put away your rubber gloves and break out the dish detergent!
2. Invest in energy-efficient appliances: It’s no secret that energy-efficient appliances will reduce your carbon footprint and electric bill. Before purchasing, check out the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) website for more information and appliance ratings.
3. Grow your own garden: Nothing tastes better than fresh vegetables and spices. Save yourself a trip to the store, and grow your own at home. This will conserve fuel and ensure your food is pesticide and herbicide-free.
4. Reuse plastic bags: According to reuseit.com, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. Don’t add to this number; reuse your plastic bags instead. Reuse them at the grocery store or while shopping and reduce your carbon footprint.
5. Convert to cloth: Reduce your kitchen waste by cutting back on your paper towel and napkin usage and convert to cloth. Cloth napkins are sturdier, nicer and more efficient.
6. Make your light bulbs energy-efficient: Replace your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use 75 percent less energy and can last up to nine years longer.
7. Cue the compost: Instead of throwing your kitchen waste in the garbage, create compost. Composting is great for the garden and benefits the soil, leading to stronger and healthier plants.

Our parent company, High Liner Foods, works with sustainable organizations to ensure that 100 percent of seafood purchased will come from sustainable sources by the end of 2013. What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint in the kitchen?

Paella is an internationally renowned rice dish and a staple in the Spanish diet. Typically, paella uses just about any ingredient that compliments rice and almost always includes saffron. A variety of meats, seafood and vegetables are added for color and flavor.

Recommended Recipe: Want to spice up your Spanish paella dish? This recipe for Saffron-Scented Lobster Paella will wow your taste buds and have you asking for more!

Tapas are arguably Spain’s greatest culinary creation. Commonly known as snacks or finger foods, tapas are regularly served at bars and cafés and are very popular in the Spanish social scene. Tapas can include anything from a slab of juicy tuna or salmon to seasoned asparagus or olives.

Recommended Recipe: In addition to my own recipe for Spanish Shrimp Tapas, check out this fabulous and easy recipe for Avocado and Tuna Tapas. This light and healthy tapas option will leave your mouth watering and stomach satisfied!

Gazpacho is a hearty tomato soup that is well-known for its astounding thirst-quenching quality. Sometimes referred to as liquid salad, gazpacho includes a concoction of tomatoes, spices and vegetables, and is consumed throughout the majority of Spain

Recommended Recipe: Get out of your gazpacho-shell, and try this recipe for Mango Gazpacho. It will leave you feeling refreshed and reaching for more!

Spain’s endless cultural influences have led to an array of unique cuisines and flavors that offer boundless inspiration. What are some of your favorite Spanish dishes?

This year marks the 29^th year for the French Quarter Festival, the largest free music festival in the South, also known as Jazz Fest.  The celebration, which runs from April 12-15, 2012, hosts more than 800 local musicians, offers cuisines from more than 65 of New Orleans finest restaurants, and features free special events, family-friendly activities and fireworks on the Mississippi River.

A month later, you can attend the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, on May 22-26, 2012. This year is the 20^th annual event where thousands of food and wine lovers come together to try out the offerings from more than 34 wineries and 61 restaurants and/or caterers.  In addition, notable local chefs and visiting chefs will be in attendance this year.

Another traditional festival is all about the Po-Boy sandwich. The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival is held every year in mid-November on Oak Street in the city’s historic Carrollton neighborhood. The one-day-only event features live music, arts and handicrafts and – of course — booths offering many different types of po-boys. Fried shrimp, oysters and catfish, along with ham and cheese and roast beef are the favorites, but there are many other choices as well.

Of course, no New Orleans festival roundup would be complete without mentioning the famous Mardi Gras festivities. Although it has passed for this year, the party planning for next year is already well underway. Of course, you can keep the celebrations going with these tasty New Orleans recipe suggestions. How do you celebrate the tastes of New Orleans?

Below I’ve shared a few recipes and ideas from around the web for some inspiration. Fresh, healthy seafood is a great way to get back in shape and enjoy all the fresh flavors that come with the springtime!

Explore new flavor options with some scrumptious springtime veggies that you may have never tried. Have you ever heard of fiddlehead ferns or ramps? Learn about their flavors and where to use them in this post.

The best way to liven up your menu is to shop for fresh produce at your local farmer’s market. Check out these tips and tricks to make the most of your farmer’s market experience. This post includes ideas you might not think of when shopping for seasonal fruits and veggies, like making sure to bring cash.

Nothing says spring like spring rolls! This recipe for tasty coconut tilapia spring rolls has exciting flavors like ginger and mint that pop. These will add a little Asian flare to your table and make a great dish for entertaining.

This Spring Seafood Stew recipe from MyRecipes.com features a French technique called monter au beurre, where chilled butter is whisked into the cooking liquid at the last minute to ensure a satin-y sauce. It may not be quite as healthy as the other recipes, but it’s certainly delicious!

These are just a few to get you started on a new fresh springtime seafood menu. Do you have any dishes you traditionally make when spring rolls around?

The Food Network compiled their own Mardi Gras collection of delicious cocktails, dishes and desserts that are traditionally served in New Orleans. It even offers a “party-worthy menu” for some inspiration.

Yummly also offers its own Mardi Gras roundup, rich with seafood dishes of all types and consistencies. There is an oyster soup, jambalaya and several pasta options. A neat feature on this site is being able to filter the recipes by taste, nutrition and more on the left sidebar.

FitSugar shares a healthier Mardi Gras menu, which includes some vegan and healthy options for traditional dishes such as jambalaya and Beignets. Also included is a lower calorie drink, Sazerac.

Seafood, Mardi Gras a perfect match – couldn’t agree more! Highlighted in this article is some background on some of the holiday traditions as well as a few favorite recipes, like Mississippi Gulf Shrimp Etouffee and Shrimp Dip.

Crawfish Gumbo is a Mardi Gras staple. This recipe is easy to make and delicious to eat! Crawfish is pretty typical to use in the South, but feel free to change it up with your favorite fish to give it your own flavor.

These are just some of the traditional favorites enjoyed on Mardi Gras. What are some of your must-have foods on Mardi Gras?

Ingredients
2 Sea Cuisine™ Mediterranean Crusted Salmon fillets
1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh cheese-filled tortellini
1 Tbsp. oil
¼ cup sliced red onion
1 tsp. chopped garlic
½ tsp. Italian herb seasoning
4 cups baby spinach
½ cup chopped tomato
½ fresh lemon, juiced

Instructions
Cook Mediterranean Crusted Salmon and fresh tortellini as directed on packages. While tortellini and fish cook, in a large skillet, heat oil. Cook onion and garlic until the onions become translucent. Stir in herb seasoning. Add spinach and tomatoes and continue to cook until spinach is wilted. Drain cooked tortellini and add to skillet. Add lemon juice. Stir. Divide mixture onto two dinner plates and place 1 fillet of salmon, cut into pieces, on top of each. Serves 2.

Check back every week for more delicious seafood recipe ideas or visit Sea Cuisine’s recipe collection.

The Game Day Game Plan offers some ideas for chili, dips, slow cooker recipes and even tips on which beers to serve with what dishes. Check it out for lots of tips, tricks and serving suggestions, like tortillas and corn chips with chili or pita triangles with dip.

If you’re planning on making a dip for the big game day, check out my recipes for a Killer Crab Dip. If crab isn’t your thing, you should try out the Shrimp Scampi Spinach Dip. Both are creamy and smooth – great to pile high on celery or a chip!

Another crowd pleaser is the shrimp cocktail. Why not give it that extra pizzazz by choosing Three Alternatives to Cocktail Sauce to dip the shrimp in?

Although more popular in the South, gumbo is a great thing to get started in the crockpot and stays warm for whenever people decide to eat and can help themselves to seconds. This Super Bowl Sunday Seafood Gumbo is perfect for those of you watching the game from cooler areas of the country. Serve with some crusty French bread and call it a day!

Hopefully you’ve taken away a few ideas of what to serve up this Super Bowl Sunday.  Do you have a game day favorite?