Tag: summer

Lemon Buttermilk Cake

Think celestial rays of sunshine coursing through the vibrant cover of blue sky. The pure taste of summer. The stringent scent of lemon pops with tart clean refreshment. But, in cake form. I had a blast making this cake. I loved the velvety smooth texture 

Chicken Spinach Salad with Potatoes and Warm Mustard Dressing

When it is 109 degrees outside the last thing I want to do is stand in the hot kitchen cooking. This week our meals have mostly consisted of dinner salads. They are fast, easy and there is not a lot of clean up. In this 

Lemon Orzo with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts

Lemon Orzo with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts

Orzo is a type grain often times referred to as Orzo Pasta. Depending on the market it is either shelved with the pasta or the rice. Or you can readily find it in the bins of a health food market. All my small town grocery store offered was a box of Orzo with a season packet similar to those boxes of Rice-a-Roni.

Lemon Orzo with mushrooms and pine nuts is one of my favorite side dishes. I love the excitement the lemon lends to this light fresh dish.

Source: Rachael Ray
1 pound orzo
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Juice of 2 lemons, plus grated peel of 1 lemon
Two 6-ounce packages sliced white mushrooms

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until al dente; drain and return to the pot. Stir in the pine nuts, parsley, lemon juice, lemon peel and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over high heat until rippling. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Divide the orzo among 4 plates and top with the mushrooms.

Chili Beef Stuffed Zucchini

How well do you know your kids? When I was a kid I often stayed at my best friend’s house. A few times I had the unfortunate pleasure of being there the nights her mom served stuffed baked tomatoes. As a kid I thought that 

Chicken and Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

The combination of sweet potatoes and muffin mix was the deciding factor in trying this version of corn chowder. Surprisingly the soup was light with a hint of sweet. Source: Cook’s Country serves 6-8 3 cups whole milk 1 cup yellow corn Jiffy muffin mix 

Watermelon, Feta and Grilled Shrimp Salad

Watermelon Feta and Grilled Shrimp Salad

This salad is by far one of my favorite summer dinnertime passions. I love seafood. It is one food Florida offered plenty of while the valley of California does not. There was a seafood restaurant I frequented that I really liked, the food there was great. While I lived in Texas a friend of mine would drive to the coast about an hour away to bring back fresh shrimp. The night before my departure we enjoyed a shrimp feast of grilled jumbo shrimp and boiled shrimp on ice. These days I like to keep some in the freezer for special occasions.

I used frozen cooked shrimp thawed in cold water. I added the oil, salt and pepper to the drained srimp then let sit for about five minutes. Since it was already cooked I added the shrimp to a hot skillet for 1-2 seconds tossing to heat through. Cooking the shrimp any longer would have resulted in tough dry shrimp.

I also omitted a few ingredients from the dressing. I loved the lime juice and honey by itself. It tasted sweet and tangy without the weight of the oil.

Source: Adapted from Health.com
Serves 4
1 pound shrimp, peeled and devined (21-25 shrimp)
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp honey
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 cups mixed salad greens
8 seedless watermelon wedges
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Lightly spray grill or grill pan with olive oil spray, and cook shrimp about 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a plate to cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey (see variations for alternate dressing).

To serve, place 1 cup greens on each of 4 plates and top with 2 melon wedges, onion slices, feta, about 6 shrimp each and a drizzle of dressing. Serve immediately.

Variation:
The dressing originally included a 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars

A friend of mine and I were discussing how our mother’s helped wipe away our heartache with chocolate and a movie. My friend has carried on that tradition with her teenage daughter as I will one day with mine. I certainly am not suggesting downing 

Zesty Roasted Rutabaga and Carrots

I have never tried rutabaga before. When I saw this recipe for zesty roasted rutabaga and carrots it seemed like the perfect introduction. The Rutabaga sounds like the name of a car but is a root vegetable that is similar to a turnip. I found 

Cheap and Tasty: Spicy Chili Beans and Rice

Spicy Chili Beans and Rice

This recipe comes from my Brother Todd and his wife Emily. Their super fast dish of spicy chili beans and rice only requires three ingredients. It is great for those late evening games or work meetings. Plus the leftovers can be transformed into burritos or taco salad. Making for another inexpensive quick meal.

One note: I had a hard time finding Spicy Chili Beans. I ended up with a can of seasoned chili beans in a sauce found in the baking beans section of the canned goods isle. I had to add a little salt for taste. Probably due more to allergies than a bland can of beans.

1 15 oz can of spicy chili beans
1 lb. ground beef
Rice or Nacho chips

Ground beef, add beans, let simmer for about 15 minutes on low. Serve with rice or tortilla chips. Garnish with sour cream and cheese if desired.

French Toast

When I was a kid I used to go to a daycare in the afternoon until mom got home from work. We went swimming at one of the owners pool, took trips to the movie theater and the park. Linda was one of my favorite