SPRING HAS SPRUNG! ENJOYING SEASONAL COOKING

Yeah grilling weather!

After a long, cold winter, we are really embracing the beautiful, warm weather. Like so many, we are anxious to get outside and soak up the sun. Any excuse to be outside will do - whether is is sitting at the sports fields, or at home bike riding, gardening, reading or cooking -- we are doing as much of it as possible outside. Oh yeah, for us, this warm weather effects our eating and cooking, and tends to mean grilling, sandwiches and salads!

I thought I'd share a few of our recent grilling successes with you.

On Saturday, we enjoyed grilled steaks, 

Caprese Salad, Greek Salad and smashed baby potatoes. For the potatoes, I steamed some new baby potatoes, once they were soft, I tossed with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Then, I laid them out on a foil-lined baking dish, took my potato masher and lightly smashed each one. I placed in a 400 degree oven until the tops got slightly browned and crispy. So delish!

On Sunday, we enjoyed pork ribs. I finally feel like I got our ribs right! I sprinkled the racks with little Montreal seasoning, wrapped tightly in foil and popped them in the oven (275 degrees) for 2 hours. They were tender and fragrant. Almost  good enough to eat right then... but we waited. We grilled the ribs to get a nice char on them, basting with bbq sauce at the end of the cooking time. The ribs were awesome!

We paired the ribs with corn on the cob (really sweet and delicious for the first of the season!) and a Greek salad again (we seem to be on a bit of a kick!).

Grilled sausages, peppers, onions and portobellos

Monday was once again another beautiful day. I cannot resist fresh fruits and veggies in the warm weather. And growing up, warm days often meant "wedges" (or heros, subs, hoagies, sandwiches, whatever you call them). One of my Dad's favorites was sausage and peppers, so with a nod to Dad, that is just what we did. I started off some Mild Italian pork sausage and chicken sausage with tomato and basil in the oven, then finished them off on the grill. 


I tossed a variety of veggies -- mini peppers, portobello mushrooms and onions with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and added them to the grill. Once I took the veggies of the grill, I drizzled them with a little balsamic glaze. We paired the grilled sausages and veggies with kale salad and cole slaw.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In honor of Mexican Independence AND Taco Tuesday, today we enjoyed a household-favorite  -- Honey Lime Shrimp Tacos. 
For the marinade, I combined about equal parts honey, lime juice (I squeezed 3 limes) and olive oil. To that, I add the zest of one lime, minced garlic and a splash of tequila. Then I add in handfuls of chopped cilantro. I always add in handfuls of chopped cilantro. I went a little heavier on the lime juice and a little lighter on the oil. If don't want to use tequila, you could use white wine or broth. I choose tequila. Place shrimp in marinade and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. 

Marinating Honey Lime Shrimp

Take the shrimp out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Heat a grill pan over med-high heat. No oil is needed because of the oil in the marinade. Cook the shrimp on one side until they start to curl and get opaque in the center and pink on the edges, then flip over and cook on the other side. They get a beautiful caramelized color from the honey, but you do need to watch them or they will burn. These are great with any taco fixings or over rice or salad. Today, we served them with soft and hard taco shells, guacamole, black bean and corn salsa and a salad. 

I find with cooking I go in spurts, so my recent successes have inspired me, but I do not know what is up next for the week. I have some zucchini and green beans in the house, so it will likely be something with them. 

What are you making this week? Hope you are enjoying a little warm weather eating!

My hubby's artsy grilling photo

Shrimp Appetizers - Two Ways

I love, love, love shrimp in most ways. It is truly one of my favorite things to have and I love how many things you can do with it. I thought I'd share with you two great shrimp appetizers that we have discovered this fall. They are both, homey and cozy and delicious, as well as elegant and beautiful. The perfect appetizer!

The first, Shrimp & Chorizo Tapas, a friend brought to a dinner party. George and I loved it so much, she brought it to a party we were having. It is to-die-for. (Thanks, Alicja!)

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and saucte 1 lb sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 c thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4-6 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp minced garlic, cook, stirring for another minute. Add 1/4 c of sherry, cook 1 more minute. Add 1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp, 1 Tbsp Spanish paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 c of sherry and 1/4 c olive oil, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp minced parsley, remaining tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; stir to combine and remove from heat. Serve immediately on small plates with accumulated cooking juices spooned over top and pass some nice crusty bread to accompany it, or in a large dish surrounded by crusty bread. Serve with more bread than you think necessary or people will be licking the dish clean! It is THAT good! 

The second, Shrimp Bruschetta, was a recipe my daughter and I saw Giada DeLaurentis make and my daughter requested for her confirmation party. It was soooooo good. It will certainly become a go-to appetizer for us, I think. (We enjoyed the leftovers the next day just as much!)

Toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice a 1 lb. ciabatta loaf into 14 1/2 inch-thick slices and arrange in a single layer on a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes, rub with the cute side of a garlic clove and set aside.

Topping: In a medium skillet, heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat. Add 1-2 sliced shallots and 1 chopped clove of garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook about 2-4 minutes, remove the shrimp and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add 6 chopped Roma tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes start to soften, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add 1/4 cup of white wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes.Stir in 1/4 c chicken (or veg) stock and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add 3 Tbsp chopped tarragon, 1 c packed chopped arugala, 1/2 c marscapone cheese and cooked shrimp. Stir until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the toasts and serving plates and drizzle with the sauce.

I hope you will enjoy these great recipes!

Citrus-Marinated Shrimp

Thanks to my friend Kathleen, we discovered a great shrimp ceviche this past summer that we all really enjoyed. Holland and I decided to recreate that recipe for a cooler-weather dinner, we marinated jumbo shrimp in olive oil, garlic, lemon and lime juice and cilantro. We sauteed this and served over orzo or rice. I served it with a salad, bread (great for sopping), and a side of roasted tomatoes and spinach (which George and I mixed into our shrimp, but the kids don't all like the spinach).

I wanted to take a picture of the dish because it looks so beautiful, but I forgot before dinner and this is what was left the two times I've made it for my family. The kids practically licked the dish clean (I think Holland actually did!).

Linguine with shrimp and cilantro lime pesto

We will be eating this tomorrow.
http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2010/06/linguine-with-shrimp-and-cilantro-lime-pesto.html
I hope it tastes as good as it sounds. I may do half chicken and half shrimp a I have one that does not eat seafood. Will let you know how it is:)

Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto

I made this Cooking Light recipe for dinner tonight. YUM! (I added some roasted grape tomatoes as well, because I can never resist the tomato/basil combo).

Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, & Pesto

• 2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
• 4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons preshredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add gnocchi to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to surface). Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain. Add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, basil, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended. Add salt and basil mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1634729

*I made it ahead of time to feed dinner in shifts tonight and fed Holland right after school before soccer and religion. She had an additional cold helping.

Party favrites?

I am planning a Ladies' Night for my Birthday! I plan on serving appetizers, drinks and desserts. I figure I'll make a few of my favorite appetizers (make ahead), others will bring stuff also. I'll probably make the Shrimp cocktail from the above post, or Regina's Crab meat Cheese Spread. I'll do my Brie with chutney and probably fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato. What suggestions do you have?

Shrimp Cocktail

Check out this twist on Shrimp cocktail! I think I'll try it!
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/mediterranean-shrimp/

Let me know if you try it!

2 good new recipes

This week I made these 2 recipes from BHG's January 2009 issue.
Garlic Basil Shrimp with Pasta http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/garlic-basil-shrimp/
and Aromatic Beef stew with butternut squash http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/aromatic-beef-stew-with-butternut-squash/

We enjoyed them both. The beef however, was a bit tough still after 45 minutes of cooking, so next time I would most likely make it in the Crock Pot. Also, I would experiment with making it vegetarian, adding celery, beans and carrots to it.

Let me know if you try either of them:)

The Dunican sisters were anti-grocery shopping today. I’m not sure what Regina ended up finding in her pantry and freezer to turn into dinner, but I had quite a coup, inspired by National Seafood Bisque Day, I combined the recipe the punchbowl.com page recommended with some inspiration from Ina Garten’s Shrimp Bisque (because I had all the ingredients on hand).

This recipe is truly a last-minute preparation. I made the whole thing from frozen shrimp to eating the piping hot bowl with a piece of crusty bread in 30 minutes. If you use frozen shrimp, skip the sautéing step, but the olive oil does add some depth of flavor to your bisque. If you don’t have white wine, you can substitute seafood stock or even water, but add a splash (less than ¼ cup of brandy, vermouth, or dry sherry at the end). Remember to take the center out of the blender when blending hot liquids; hot liquids tend to cause the blender to “explode” and are quite dangerous, so place a folded dish towel over the hole in the blender top to let the steam escape, and keep your hand on it so the top and towel stay in place.

Truly last-minute “National Seafood Bisque Day” shrimp bisque

1 T olive oil
1 lb shrimp, in shells, frozen is fine
1 bottle white wine
1 qt light cream
¼ t thyme leaves
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

If shrimp is thawed, sauté shrimp, shells and all, in olive oil; add thyme, pepper, and salt. Simmer shrimp in wine just until cooked (pink), overcooking shrimp will cause it to be tough. Pull shrimp from wine and chill in refrigerator until cool enough to handle. In the meantime, add cream to wine and continue simmering over low heat.

Once shrimp is cool enough, peel shrimp and place in blender; reserve 12 shrimp, peeled, with tails intact. Add liquid so blender is half full. With center of blender top out of hole, place folded dish cloth over hole. Keeping your hand on dish cloth, pulse blender until shrimp is chopped fine. Return to pot to warm over low heat. Stir in cayenne pepper. Serve immediately with two whole shrimp as garnish.

Shrimp Recipes

Anyone have any favorite shrimp recipes? I'm looking for something that has different flavors than my more traditional scampi-type recipes.

Zuchhini-Wrapped Shrimp with Bacon

I just came across this and thought I'd post it. Katie -- I thought of it for you b/c it is green and orange -- perfect for a St. Pat's Day party. They present the recipe as 4 servings, but I think you could do it on smaller skewers as an appetizer.

3 Tbsp chopped basil

2 T olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 minced garlic clove

1 1/2 lb med shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 med zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices

3/4 lb slab bacon, sliced 1/4 inch thick cut crosswise into 1 1/2 inch squares (For a vegetarian dish, leave the bacon out.)

In a bowl, combine the basil, olive oil and garlic. Lightly season with S&P and add shrimp to coat.

In a shallow bowl, generously brush zucchini slices on both sides with olive oil and season with S&P; let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

In a skillet, cook bacon over mod heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain.

Working at the tip of the skewer, pierce the very end of the zucchini slice. Swing the zucchini to the side and skewer a shrimp, then loop the zucchini slice around the shrimp and pierce the zucchini slice to secure it around the shrimp. Add another shrimp, wrap the rest of the zucchini slice around it and secure it on the skewer. Add a bacon square.

(I would stop there for appetziers. For 4 servings, add 2 more zucchini slices, 4 more shrimp and 2 more bacon squares.)

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grill and grill over high heat for about 2 minutes per side, or just until the shrimp are cooked through and the zucchini are still crunchy. Serve hot.

My bi-weekly client loves shrimp, but she keeps requesting the same 2 or 3 things (Baked Stuffed Scampi, Szechwan Shrimp (Eileen’s favorite), and Cajun Shrimp). I’d like to do something new. What are your favorite shrimp recipes?