Bruschetta

Bruschetta

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Italian semolina bread sliced into 1" slices

6 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp. chopped shallots

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

splash balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (approx 200 degrees Celsius). Slice the bread into 1" slices and lay out on a sheet pan.  Place the bread in the oven for 5 minutes per side.  Rub the raw garlic on one side of the bread. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes,  olive oil, vinegar, basil, shallots, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the bread slices and serve.


Enjoy!

Shrimp Cakes with a Grain Mustard Remoulade

I was watching Robin Miller the other day on Quick Fix and she was making these shrimp cakes that looked really great so I tried them last night.  They weren't difficult to make at all and they tasted really good.

Shrimp Cakes with a Grain Mustard Remoulade 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp. Olive oil
Cooked shrimp, about 2 lbs*
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons seasoned dry bread crumbs (more if needed)
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Grain mustard remoulade:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grain mustard

* I just sauteed the shrimp with a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, about 3 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper and some paprika and then I took the mixture and put it in a food processor as I thought it would be easier to shape into cakes.

Directions

Heat  nonstick skillet with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and set over medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl, with a spoon, combine shrimp, mayonnaise, egg, bread crumbs, chives, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and shape mixture into 4 cakes, each about 1-inch thick.
Place cakes in skillet and cook 3 minutes per side, flipping with a spatula, until cooked through and browned. Remove.
While cakes are cooking, in a small bowl, with a spoon, combine mayonnaise and grain mustard. Mix well. Serve shrimp cakes with remoulade spooned over top.

Enjoy!

Arroz con Leche (literally translates to Rice with Milk but this basically is Mexican Rice Pudding)

I was watching Mexican Made Easy the other day with Marcela Valladolid and she was making Mexican rice pudding that looked so good. It is made with three different types of milk; whole milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk.  Needless to say, it is extremely rich and creamy and delicious.

Arroz con Leche

Serves 4

Ingredients

7 cups water
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup golden raisins
Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

Put the water, rice, and cinnamon stick in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Strain out the liquid, discard the cinnamon and reserve the rice. Return the rice to the saucepan. Stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick, about 20 minutes. Add the raisins, and stir well. Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl. Dust the top of the pudding with ground cinnamon and serve.

Enjoy!

Rosemary Grilled Potato Packets

I got this recipe from Pam of Sidewalk Shoes and they looked really easy and really good and they are.  I served them with my Tuscan Lemon chicken and an Arugula, red onion and mango salad.

Rosemary Grilled Potato Packets

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large potatoes sliced thin (I left the skin on)

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Lay the slices of potatoes on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay a  rosemary sprig on top. Close up the packet and grill for 30 minutes (15 minutes per side)...and that's it....real simple!

Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Cups

I was looking through the new issue of Cooking Light Magazine and I came across this recipe that looked really good and easy to make so I figured I would try it.  I changed it around a little bit.  You can make it with ground beef as well or even ground pork would work well....whatever ground meat product you have in your freezer is fine.

Asian Lettuce Cups

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 cups coarsely chopped shiitake mushroom caps (about 1/2 pound)(I used regular mushrooms)
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
12 Boston lettuce leaves
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)(I used sweet chili sauce which is a little bit hot but more on the sweeter side)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Place mushrooms in a large bowl. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey, garlic, and ginger to pan; cook 6 minutes or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Add a bit of soy sauce...about 1-2 tsp.   Add mushrooms, green onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to the turkey mixture and add a bit more soy sauce. Stir.

2.  Combine hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spoon a couple tablespoons of the turkey mixture into each lettuce leaf. Serve sauce with lettuce cups.

Enjoy!

BBQ Burger with Chipolte mayonnaise

I was going through an old issue of Food Network magazine and I saw a recipe for chipolte mayonnaise that looked really good to put on top of my burgers.  I usually don't have my burgers with anything but a bit of salt and then I bbq them but tonight I mixed into 2 lbs. ground beef some salt, pepper, about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup of bbq sauce.  Topped them with the chipolte mayonnaise, red onion, tomatoes, and some cilantro.

BBQ Burger with Chipolte Mayonnaise

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayonaise

1 chipolte pepper in adobo sauce, minced and seeds removed (you can leave them in if you want but it will be real hot)

splash of lemon juice

Enjoy!

BBQ Maple rubbed chicken tenders

I was looking for a real quick dinner last night so I just took some McCormick Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple seasoning and rubbed it on some chicken tenders and then grilled them.  They came out great and were really easy to make.

BBQ Maple Rubbed Chicken Tenders

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken tenders

1/2 jar of Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple seasoning

Directions

Rub seasoning on both sides of the chicken tenders and grill for approximately 3 minutes per side or until done.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Curry with Peanut Dipping Sauce

I was watching Robin Miller the other day and she was making this chicken curry and it looked really good.  It was very good.  The chicken was moist and tender and very flavorful.  The peanut sauce was really good as well.  This recipe can definitely be cut in half as it makes a lot.

Grilled Chicken Curry with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Serves 5

Ingredients

For grilled chicken curry:
Cooking spray
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 5 ounces each(not pictured)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Olive or canola oil, as needed to loosen

For peanut dipping sauce:
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Heat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray to medium-high heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and olive oil, as needed to loosen mixture. Mix well with a spoon and brush mixture all over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on hot pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and place on plate.


For the dipping sauce:
While the chicken is cooking, in a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

This dish comes from Ina Garten but I changed it around a bit.  It was really good with lots of flavor.  The longer you marinate it, the better it will be.  I will definitely be making it again.

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken cut into pieces
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

salt
1 lemon, halved

Ingredients

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.
Prepare gas or charcoal grill.  Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Serve with the grilled lemon halves.

Enjoy!