Company's Coming Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

 

When we first moved down to the river, we were so excited to have our friends come see our new place on the water. We truly enjoyed showing off our delightful new town and including them in some water activities. As we tend to linger on the water if it is a nice day, I needed to make sure I could feed them good food that is flexible with our ever changing time table. And, I always want to be able to end the meal with a dessert that was fun, easy and no fuss. One that is always in rotation is a fruit cobbler.

It is a sure hit for last minute or even expected guests. This one is light, delicious and comes together oh so fast and can be assembled in one dish. You can use canned and frozen fruit if ripe fresh fruit is not in season. 

Company's Coming Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

2 cups fresh sliced peaches (or one 29 ounce can of sliced peaches, drained)
1 cup fresh blueberries or 1 cup frozen blueberries, not thawed
1 cup Bisquick mix if in a hurry (or 1 cup all purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil- if you want to be true scratch)
1 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted                                                                                                                                 1/2 teaspoon corn starch,optional (this rises to the top and makes the crust just a little crunchier)
3/4 to 1 cup of sugar, depending on sweetness of fruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
In an 8 x 8 baking dish, stir Bisquick mix (or flour, BP, salt and oil), milk, nutmeg
and cinnamon together until thoroughly mixed. Stir in
melted butter until crust mixture is fully moistened. In a medium
mixing bowl, stir corn starch, sugar, peaches and blueberries. Spoon peaches and blueberries
over the cobbler crust.
Bake for one hour or until crust is a golden brown. Let cool on stove top for at least 15 minutes. 
Serve warm topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Feel free to swap out for other fruits, such as blackberries with a squeeze of lemon and lemon zest, or strawberries and rhubarb (add 1/2 teaspoon of mace, if desired). Also, sliced pears with 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger is a delicious change.

Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizer Dates

So often I am asked to bring an appetizer to a larger type gathering and just want to bring something easy but different from the usual fare. When our bi-annual neighborhood oyster roast was the event, I saw this treat being prepared by Ina Garten on a morning cooking show and knew I had found what I was looking for. Her recipe called for large, pitted dates with Danish blue cheese. I opted for less work with using pitted dates and Gorgonzola cheese as I am not a fan of Danish blue cheese.

These little bite size morsels are so delicious - the saltiness of the prosciutto, creaminess of the cheese combined with the sweetness of the date is very addicting. Needless to say, the guests swooped in and devoured the whole plate in minutes. 

Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizer Dates

Ingredients
24 large or 48 small dried dates (14 ounces)
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese or even goat cheese or feta
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto (8 to 10 large slices)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. With a small paring knife, slit each date lengthwise and spread open just enough to fill. Fill
the cavity of each date with a small piece of cheese and fold the date over the cheese,
pressing it back into its original shape.
3. Cut a strip of prosciutto as wide as each date is long and wrap it around twice, enclosing the
date completely. Place the dates on a sheet pan and bake for about 8 minutes, until the
prosciutto is browned and the cheese starts to melt
4. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Sun Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers

I noticed this recipe on the back of a sun dried tomato package & thought it sounded interesting.  Back when we were poor college students we often ate vegetarian meals, but somehow I had never successfully made my own bean burgers (that were edible).

When I saw this recipe on our recent boat trip we happened to have all the ingredients needed. I had dried chickpeas that cooked up quickly in my instapot, but you can just open a can.  The one item I didn't have was a food processor, so everything was meticulously chopped & mixed by hand, because if it says blended to a consistent texture, by golly I'm not going to be a rebel have a big chunk of almond lurking in there somewhere.  I'm weird like that 🤷‍♀️

Since we were trying to conserve on propane used by our boat's stove/oven, I skipped the oven bske and grilled the patties on an oiled cast iron pan for maybe 5 minutes a side, and that worked fine.  I think next time I'll add a little water to the mixture to keep them from being too crumbly.  And try as I might, I couldn't stick to the ingredient list: I added in crumbled feta cheese. 

Even though the amount of basil & cumin seemed like a lot, the flavor was well balanced and no single ingredient was overwhelming. Served on toasted buns with cucumber slices and  plain yogurt liberally dolloped on top, these made a very tasty lunch.

From a California Sun Dried Tomato package.  These were soft, dry packed tomatoes in a plastic pouch, not the type that are oil packed in a jar. I imagine either type would work, but I'd drain the wet packed ones very well before using.

Sun Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and patted completely dry

1/2 cu chopped yellow onion

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup California Sun Dry tomatoes julienne cut

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup ground almonds

1 1/2 Tbl ground cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/4 tsp each sea salt & black pepper

In food processor blend chickpeas, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and basil until smooth.  Add ground almonds, cumin, turmeric, salt & pepper and continue to blend until all is incorporated.  Transfer to a bowl, cover, refrigerate 20 minutes. Next mold the mixture into 5 patties. Place patties onto greased baking sheet, brush each side with olive oil and bake 30-35 minutes at 400deg F.

Heavenly Chicken Cacciatore

 My husband's cousin was a retired Episcopal priest that lived in Florida and would come to visit us for one week a year. Sometimes we would drive him up to Montauk to visit with his sister. In recent years Bill would bring him down here , which I think he loved the most.

Every year when he came to visit, he insisted that I make him this dish, simple but truly delicious.

He called it heavenly - I figured he should know! Sadly, he passed away the year before last. We will truly miss him and all of his stories.

Heavenly Chicken Cacciatore

1 3-3 1/2 lb chicken cut up into ten parts (cut the breasts in half)

2 tablespoons nuetral oil, divided

1 large onion sliced thin

1 large green pepper, sliced in strips

12 ounces of button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 12 oz can on diced tomatoes with juices

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano or Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder (optional)

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in pan until just before smoking.

Salt and pepper chicken and place skin side down, browning for 5-7 minutes, flip and brown second side. (may need to do in batches).

Place chicken, skin side up in large casserole dish to cool slightly. After it cools slightly, I usually remove the skin as I find it can turn rubbery as it cooks. Healthier that way too!

Heat remaining oil in pan (may not need whole tablespoon if chicken rendered a tablespoon of fat).

Add onions, green pepper,mushrooms and garlic and saute until onions are cooked and translucent. Add tomatoes and spices and heat until a slight boil.

Pour over chicken, cover with foil and bake for 2 hours.

We always had over thin spaghetti with Parmesan and lots of crusty bread.

Rest in peace Reverend Edmiston - this will always be your dish.

Adapted from 365 Ways to Cook Chicken

Tequila Pickled Red Onion

I picked this recipe up at a mini-class on Latin American Street Foods hosted by Culinary Institute of America.   They make a great condiment for just about anything, not just Mexican food.  Maybe on top of a cold cut sandwich.  Or alongside a grilled steak or chicken. It adds a gourmet touch that feels a little bit fancy, even though it's so easy to throw together.

1-1/2 Tbl black peppercorns

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup tequila

1/4 honey

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1-1/2 tsp kosher salt

Add peppercorns and the to a 1 pint canning jar, top with red onions. Combine tequila, honey and vinegar in small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Stir in salt until dissolved. Carefully pour hot tequila mixture over onions, making sure to cover onions completely.  Close jar, let stand 1 hour or until mixture reaches room temperature.  Shake jar to disdolve salt. Refrigerate at least 24 hrs before using.

Gyros at Home

 It's a good feeling when you try a new recipe, take one bite and know it's one that will enter into your regular menu rotation.  You've made a treasure hunt through old cookbooks, magazines or the internet and found some nugget of yumminess.  I had that experience today; I finally found a good recipe for Gyro meat to slip inside a pita with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers and feta cheese,  slathered with tzatziki sauce. Restaurants cook their Gyro on a vertical rotisserie-type spit, slicing off thin slabs to make a customer's order. Since I don't have a rotisserie cooker as called for in the original recipe write-up, I used the method of shaping the mixture into a meatloaf.  That worked just fine! When its done slice the meat thinly; somehow that brings out more flavor.

This recipe was originally found at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe-2047710          I have changed the spices as noted to add the flavors that are, in my experience, more well rounded and authentic.  My opinion: the rosemary and thyme (my two least favorite spices)  quickly overwhelm this dish, so I will use them sparingly next time.

(And go get the 5-minute bread recipe from earlier in this blog & make your pita breads.  Nice & fresh!)

GYROS

1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded

2 pounds ground lamb  (I used Meatloaf Mix from our local grocery store.  It's a combination of ground beef, ground pork and ground veal.  I suspect ground chicken or turkey would also work, but I haven't tried that yet)

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary    (I used 1/2 tbl dried ground rosemary)

(I added 1 tbl each Italian Oregano,  Coarse ground cumin and dried thyme)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tzatziki Sauce:

16 ounces plain yogurt

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

Pinch kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice. (Lois' note: No, don't throw it away!  Freeze it to be added to soup or sauce some day!)

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.  (Lois' note: I was surprised, but 1 minute of processing or less is really all that was needed.More would make it like baby food paste)

To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F.   (Mine was done in 30 minutes)   Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil (I used a loaf pan filled with water)  directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

(The loaf pan in the oven method works so perfectly well; I see no reason to use these other methods.  But that's just me.)

To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:

Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Tzatziki Sauce:

Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Easter Broccoli Salad

 

For almost every family gathering, I am asked to bring this salad, but especially at Easter. It just seem to make everyone smile. My family loves that it was a great way to get the kids to eat veggies and is quite colorful. I love how the flavors blend overnight and transform broccoli into something special.

And it is so different than the traditional green lettuce salad. And...of course, BACON! Who doesn't love a salad that includes bacon? 😉

Easter Broccoli Salad

1 to 2 large head(s) of broccoli crowns, cut into florets (save the stalks for slaw if using whole broccoli)

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (added just before serving to keep it crisp)

8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup good quality mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat (so much flavor)

1/4 cup sugar

2- 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar ( I like it tart, so I add 4)

1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sunflower seeds (toasted adds flavor)

Salt and pepper to taste

The day before serving, mix (or put in mason jar to shake) the mayo, bacon fat, sugar and vinegar (and onion powder)

In a big bowl, mix broccoli, onion and cheese, cover and refrigerate until the next day. Several recipes call for blanching the broccoli, but letting it set overnight does the trick.

Just before serving, add the raisins, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper and mix.

Top with the bacon bits and serve.

Watch the kids just devour it!

Bacon and Cheese Hash Brown Casserole

 

Looking for a quick side dish to feed to a hungry crowd? This is very similar in taste to double baked potatoes with a lot less work. Variations of this dish are sometimes called Funeral Potatoes...not sure why... but it was a much requested dish that my sister-in-law would bring to holiday gatherings.  It is best served warm and can be kept in a 170 degree oven until ready to serve. Such a comfort food!

Bacon and Cheese Hash Brown Casserole

28 oz bag frozen hash browns (shredded)
1 cup sour cream
1 - 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or colby jack)
1 can (10 ½ oz ) cream of chicken soup (or cream of celery)
2 tablespoons Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small minced onion
6 slices cooked crispy bacon, crushed, divided
1/2 cup melted butter,divided
1 cup potato chips, crushed

chopped jalapenos for garnish, optional

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine frozen hash browns, sour cream, cheese, soup, Ranch mix, garlic powder, pepper, onion, half of the bacon (I had some leftover ham, so diced that up and added it too and 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish.

3) Bake for 45 minutes

4) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup melted butter with crushed potato chips (crushed cornflakes is a great alternative).

5) Remove from oven, sprinkle with potato chips, top with remaining bacon and chopped jalapenos (if using and return to oven for 10 minutes.

6) Turn on broiler and toast for a couple of minutes, until brown and bubbly.

7) Let sit for 5 minutes before you dig in. Refrigerate leftovers - see below

Adapted from shugarysweets.com website

Bonus!

Potato Fritters!

If you have leftovers the next morning, mix in one beaten egg into cold potatoes, create a patty using approx two tablespoons of potatoes, coat in a mixture of Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs with fresh grated Parmesan, fry in some butter and/or oil until crispy and enjoy with some sour cream or ranch dressing! 

Shrimp & Grits

For once woke up before my husband, so I decided to make a nice breakfast as a treat.  We had a few shrimp in the freezer and some nice grits we picked up on a visit to South Carolina, so I made Shrimp & Grits. (And again it was consumed before I remembered to take a photo!) It's actually pretty quick cooking, for me half the time involved is shelling the shrimp and gathering ingredients.

My changes to the original recipe:  I don't like thyme, so I used Penzy's Cajun Seasoning.  I didn't have cream, so used a generous equivilent of good quality powdered milk.  I added diced celery to make it more authentically Cajun. I substituted chicken stock for the shrimp stock. 

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10718-breakfast-shrimp-and-grits?smid=fb-nytdining&smtyp=cur

Breakfast Shrimp & Grits

FOR THE GRITS:

¾ cup grits

¼ teaspoon salt

6 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

3 tablespoons butter

FOR THE SHRIMP:

4 tablespoons butter

¾ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 cup diced ripe tomatoes with a little of their juice (chopped canned tomatoes are preferable to less-than-perfect fresh tomatoes)

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon flour

1 pound medium to large raw shrimp, shelled (reserve shells for stock)

½ to 1 cup shrimp stock (see note)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

⅓ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes Tabasco

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

For the grits, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil and stir in the grits. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the grits are tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat, add the salt, cheese and butter and stir until melted. Keep warm.

For the shrimp, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, pepper and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juice and thyme; bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir well. Add the shrimp and stir constantly until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and stir until blended. Add the cream, Worcestershire and Tabasco and more stock if needed to make a spoonable sauce that generously coats the shrimp. Heat thoroughly, being careful not to let it come to a boil. Taste for salt.

Place a portion of grits in the center of each plate and spoon shrimp over or around it. Sprinkle with parsley & a lemon wedge.

Springtime Blueberry Lemon Trifle

It is finally daylight savings time again! I can't think of a time when we needed to have spring arrive more then this year. Hopefully we can soon have gatherings and enjoy each other's company. And, we need a fast, no bake dessert to really impress everyone. You rarely see trifles at gatherings anymore, it just seems so old school. But when I showed up with this at a Club dinner, I had so many people thank me for bringing a piece of nostalgia from their childhood. This is light and easy and comes together fast but does need to have the flavors meld a little while in the frig. Guaranteed to make you smile!

Be creative and swap out the fruit and change the yogurt flavor and different pie fillings. This is my favorite combo.

Springtime Blueberry Lemon Trifle

4-5 cups fresh blueberries (or blackberries or even sliced strawberries or a combo), divided

1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cans (15-3/4 ounces each) lemon pie filling
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed (or homemade whipped cream if you prefer)

2 cups lemon yogurt
Optional: Lemon slices and lemon zest


Directions
1) Set aside l/4 cup blueberries for garnish. In a large bowl, combine pie
filling, yogurt and one cup of the whipped topping..
2) In a 3-1/2-qt. serving or trifle bowl, layer a third of the cake cubes, lemon
mixture and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining whipped topping.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with reserved
blueberries and, if desired, lemon slices and lemon zest.

Adapted from Taste of Home website.

Crock Pot French Dip

My daughter makes this recipe when the extended family descends on her house for holidays. It reminds me of the French Dip sandwiches I used to have in St Louis when I went shopping with my parents. The restaurant had the long old fashioned counters with high swivel stools to sit on, and I enjoyed swinging my feet feeling like I was very tall.  After we ate, my dad would order me a hot fudge sundae.  Oh, those were the days!

Making the sandwich couldn't be any easier- drop everything in a crock pot or instant pot and cook until the meat is tender enough to fall apart.  Serve it on some toasted hoagie rolls with melty provolone, swiss or cheddar, some hot pepper relish and a small smear of mayo.  Add some chips, a green salad and/or baked beans and dinner is ready.

Crock Pot French Dip

3 lb beef roast

2 cloves Garlic

Onions, large

2 cups Beef broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Hoagie buns, toasted

Provolone, swiss or cheddar cheese

Mayo

Hot red pepper relish (Wickles brand is my favorite)

Saturday Night Turkey Meatloaf

 

I was always skeptical of making a meatloaf out of turkey - too often it just not very flavorful and dry. Two parts of this recipe made this a game changer. First, by creating a panade (which is a combination of starch and liquid that keeps the protein in the meat from shrinking and tightening during cooking. As the meat cooks, the starch turns into a gel that acts as type of lubricant between the protein fibers). Basically, this keeps the meatloaf moist. Second, the pancetta adds so much flavor that offsets the blandness of the turkey. Who knew??

This is good just as is, or, even better with a little bit of turkey or poultry gravy. The leftovers make great Sunday lunch sandwiches. Yum!

Saturday Night Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:
• 2 slices soft white or wheat bread, torn into small pieces 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 thin slices pancetta, finely chopped
• 3/4 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs (or plain and add 1/2 teaspoon more of the oregano)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste - we like a lot of pepper!)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the bread and milk in a large bowl and soak for 10 minutes. 

Add the turkey, eggs. cheese, pancetta, onion, garlic, ketchup, parsley, oregano or Italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, garlic salt, onion powder and pepper. 

Mix well with your hands. Shape into an 8-inch-by-5-inch loaf and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and drizzle more ketchup all over the top of the loaf (if desired)

Bake until an insta read thermometer inserted at the center reaches 165 degrees, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and let loaf rest for 10 minutes before moving to serving plate.

Tons of flavor!

Adapted from Valerie Bertinelli's "One Dish at a Time: Delicious Recipes and Stories from My Italian-American Childhood and Beyond".

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

Right now we're in St Augustine, Fla visitng with friends Ed & Lynn.  This morning the four of us went to a farmers market and picked up a couple pounds of shrimp for lunch. We assigned chef's duties to Brent to make this BBQ shrimp, reminiscent of when we lived in Lousiana early in our working lives.

New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

Servings: 4-6

Recipe originally from  Onceuponachef.com

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 pounds extra large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Mix the paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shrimp to

the spices and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden

spoon, for one minute. Do not brown. Add the shrimp and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring

frequently, until the shrimp are almost cooked but still opaque in spots, 3-4 minutes. Add the

Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and water and cook until shrimp are done, 1-2 minutes more.

Scatter scallions over top and serve.

Michael's Pasta Salad

If you ask my grand kids what I should bring to our weekly dinner, they would all scream (because that is their only tone) PASTA SALAD!

Apparently, as my step son was growing up, I lucked upon a pasta salad recipe that was a staple for him and it has passed on to his kids.

It is truly easy and very flavorful. It does rely on a purchased spice mix, but I have included the spices that make up the mix instead.

You can exchange any of the vegetables for anything you like or have on hand but peas and broccoli are a must for Michael.

Michael's Pasta Salad

1 lb box of large shell pasta or any combination of pasta shapes you like, but this is our standard

8 oz Kraft's Zesty Italian Dressing - or any Italian or Greek Dressing of your choice

3 Tablespoons McCormick"s Salad Supreme OR

1 Tablespoon Everything But The Bagel Spice mix

1 teaspoon paprika ( I sometimes use smoked paprika)

1/2 teaspoons celery seed

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)

1 dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese (or parm in a pinch)

1/2 diced red onion

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw or cook)

1 diced red pepper

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1 cup chopped cucumber

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions (usually 9-12 minutes).

Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Put drained pasta into big bowl and mix in dressing. Mix spices together in small bowl and add and mix in (or add Salad Supreme).

Add in chopped veggies, stir and chill in frig for an hour or two to meld flavors.

Makes enough for a big gathering…or just enough for my three grand
kids.

One Banana, One Bowl Small-Batch Banana Muffins

On a frosty sailing morning with a wind chill of 19deg, a straight from the oven hot banana muffin tastes pretty doggone good.  I pre-mixed the dry ingredients in a covered bowl the night before, so I only had to be in the galley a couple minutes to add banana, egg & oil.

The only change I made was I used a whole egg, because who wants to be in the galley separating eggs when I am needed on deck?!  It  didn't adversely affect the final texture.  Next time I may add pecans.

Recipe from www.bakingmischief.com 

One Banana, One Bowl Small-Batch Banana Muffins

Makes 4 muffins

1 large very ripe banana

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with four liners (or grease).

In a medium bowl, completely mash banana with a potato masher or fork. Add sugar, egg white, and oil. Stir with a spoon until just combined (mixture will still be lumpy).

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until just combined. If desired, stir in optional chocolate chips.

Divide mixture between the four prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out mostly clean and the tops of the muffins begin to turn golden.

Cool in the pan until cool enough to handle before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cowgirl Cookies

 

Every now and then I find an extra special, chock full of flavor cookie recipe, that is both moist and delicious. This is a really good thing as, being a Baked Goods Cookie Judge, I have had my share of really bad, dull tasting and dry cookies. I also like swapping out some ingredients to change it up a bit. For this recipe I swapped out the light brown sugar for honey and a little bit of molasses to mimic the brown sugar taste. I also reduced the 1/4 cup measurement to 1/2 that to get a smaller, more manageable cookie size...aptly changing the name from cowboy to cowgirl. ;). Be careful with over baking them, which is what I often do- they do get a little residual baking as they are left on the sheet pan for an additional five minutes. Great with hot tea!!

Cowgirl Cookies

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon molasses
1 large egg 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (must use old-fashioned-not quick or steel cut)
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line
rimless cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Whisk flour, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.
2) Whisk honey, melted butter, molasses, egg and vanilla in large bowl until combined. (You can also add in 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon if desired). Stir in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Stir in
oats, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips until fully combined (mixture will be sticky).
3) Lightly spray 1/8-cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray (or use 2 tablespoons) . Drop
level 1/8-cup portions of dough onto prepared sheets, staggering 8 portions per sheet and spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Divide any remaining dough among portions. Flatten cookies just slightly.
4) Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are browned and set and
centers are puffed with pale, raw spots, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet
halfway through baking. Do not overbake!
5) Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and
let cool completely before serving. (Cookies can be stored in airtight
container for up to 3 days.)
TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, Wrap sheets tightly in plastic wrap
and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, increase baking time
to 16 to 18 minutes. To freeze, portion dough onto parchment-lined sheet
and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen portions to zipper-lock bag and
freeze for up to 2 months. Do not thaw before baking. Increase baking time
to 14 to 16 minutes.

Adapted from Cook's Country