when I see a cookbook I like...

...I pick it up.   Because I want to end up with a collection like this.  Believe me I am well on my way.  This is one shelf of many that my friend Rose has.  

I love the sign a tribute to the great Julia Childs, whom she knew personally.

Stuffed Broiled Jalepenos

Let me introduce you to my new favorite appetizer, side dish.. hey, these are so good.. I'd have them for dessert!  Fresh jalepenos stuffed with cheese and broiled to a bubbly perfection. Seriously, one of the easiest recipes & plenty of room for experimenting.  I have made them 4 times now and have changed the cheese mixture combo 3 times.  This last combination is my favorite.. and a little lighter than the usual cream cheese & cheddar combination.  I bought some Queso Fresco, which has the saltiness of halloumi cheese.. which I believe is from the brine. Salty, salty.. deliciousness.  (Bunny trail alert) Have you even tried grilled halloumi yet?  It is addicting.  The Mediterranean cheese you can place on a grill and it won't melt, but will get delicious crusty char grill marks.. then you squeeze a lemon over and you have this amazing squeaky, salty cheese.  It's a must try. 
Ahh, back to the Jalepenos (end bunny trail).. crumbled Queso Fresco & grated cheddar work well together.  I added a tablespoon of sour cream to help bind.  
Now, the heat is a concern for some using fresh jalepenos.  However, with fresh jalepenos.. you just never know how hot they will be.  In the same batch, I get some that are juicy sweet and not hot at all and then I grab another and my tongue is scorched. Well, let's just call it adventurous appetizer.  If you want hot.. leave in more of the inner membrane.. Less heat.. scrape it all out. And wear gloves. And don't touch your eyes. or nose or mouth & God forbid what else! I have heard stories!  I have experienced 1st hand taking out my contact lenses hours after handling jalepenos.. let's just say OW! Wear some gloves or use a plastic baggie to help handle them. 
Enough said, here's the recipe...  

Slice Jalepenos in half lengthwise & remove membrane and seeds.

Pretty clean.. ready to be filled.

Queso Fresco + Cheddar Cheese + Sour Cream

Stuffed & ready to broil!

Toaster oven is perfect for this task.  ESPECIALLY in the summer heat!

mmm.. mmm, almost ready.

Ridiculously good!  Perfect appetizer for a summer BBQ

cantaloupe, tomato & avocado salad

(Bringing this out of the old blog archives 2007.. as it is the time of year to enjoy this salad!) 
 
Cantaloupe is amazing right now.  perfectly ripe.  I wanted to do something different and use up some other ready to use produce.  The salad above is what resulted. and let me say....  mm-mm-mmm!

Initially, I used mint only.  But the enormous bouquet of basil sitting on my counter screamed to be added in.  The end result.. I loved it.  The cantaloupe, basil and crunchy sweet red onion combination is just amazing.  Really fresh.  Then adding in a ripe tomato, mint and avocado.. took this to a new fav height.  It’s so much better than the mango combination you usually see on menus.  The cantaloupe is so bright, juicy and fresh.. I hope you try it.

cantaloupe, tomato & avocado salad

1/2 of a ripe cantaloupe, seeded & cut into bite size

1 lg tomato, bite size pieces

1/2 red onion, cut into a small dice

10 basil leaves, roll and julienne

handful of mint leaves, coarsely chopped

3 T Balsamic vinegar

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 avocado, cut into large bites

S + P, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Toss together.  add avocado last.. so, they don’t get mushy from being over worked. S+ fresh cracked pepper to taste. 

serves 4

Tropical Tahiti Blondies

Tropical Tahiti Blondies

This treat is probably one of my favs when I am craving something rich, decadent and cake-y.  It has both white and dark chocolate, pineapple, coconut and cashews.  Yes, just slightly decadent... makes a good gift when you want to impress.   The pineapple bits and shredded coconut keep these bars so moist and the buttery cashews & chips and brown sugar base make this treat so rich.  Making a cup of coffee a must.

Tropical Tahiti Blondies

 

1 1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
4 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup cashews, chopped
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, well drained & squeeze out any liquid

extra coconut, chocolate and (whole & chopped) cashews -- for the topping!

Preheat oven to 350º F and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar and melted butter until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and mix well. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until combined.  -- Don't over mix!
Fold in coconut, cashews, chocolates, pineapple and into batter. Try not to over mix. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth out with a spatula or spoon. Top with extra coconut, chocolate and cashews.

Bake for about 25-28 minutes, or until top light golder brown on the top. Do not over bake! Cool to room temperature before cutting.

Shopping: HomeGoods

Opening soon and then the fun begins.  Oh, HomeGoods how I have missed thee.  

HomeGoods stores are all over the tri-state area and majorly lacking in the Seattle area.  This one is finally opening early summer.  I believe owned by TJ Maxx and Marshalls.. it's where you can find amazing trend accessories at majorly discount prices.  For staging and design jobs.. this is one of the easiest, quickest ways to get the most bang for your buck.  Next to Trader Joe's .. cannot wait.

    

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

One-dish-wonder dinner, comfort food with a kick..  Enchiladas is easy enough to prepare.  Best thing is to have all your ingredients out and ready for assembly. this is my tried a lot of different recipes and this is where I landed.   Easy, delicious and dependable. Grabbing a roaster chicken and having the rest in the pantry and fridge (cheese is an always in this house).. makes this a quick supper.

Easy Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas

Step 1...  Prepare chicken (this step can be omitted by using a ready roaster from the grocery store)

4 cups chicken stock brought to boiling
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each), cut into strips
1 jalapeño pepper
With stock boiling add chicken, jalapeño and garlic.  Cook  gently 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Strain chicken, let cool or run cold water over it.
Set aside. 

Heat oven to 425°.   Prep a large casserole dish (approx. 11x13") with cooking spray. 

Step 2.. Shred cooked chicken into a bowl.  To it add:

12 oz. jar of your fav salsa.
1 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained
4oz. can of fire-roasted chopped green chilies

 Set aside.

 Step 3… In another bowl combine cheese mixture

1 cup shredded cheddar

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or 6 frozen cilantro cubes)

1 small can sliced black olives, drained
Set aside.


Step 4… Make sauce.  I use a  pitcher, so it's easy to pour.. (but you could use a bowl and ladle)

1 can (16 oz) traditional enchilada sauce
1 can (16 oz) green chile enchilada sauce

Mexican hot sauce, to taste

Cayenne pepper, to taste
Set aside.

Step 5...  Warm 8-10 corn tortillas in the microwave for 25 seconds. 

Step 6...  Prepare assembly line of ingredients.  

Tortilla : : Cheese : : Chicken & Beans
Place seam side down in baking dish.  Repeat till pan is full.

Step 7...  Sprinkle with any remaining cheese and pour over sauce to cover.  

Step 8...  Top with a grating of Monterey Jack.  

Step 9...  Bake till bubbly, approx. 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note:  You can warm any remaining sauce in small pot while enchiladas are baking and serve along with baked enchiladas.

Shredded cooked chicken

When cilantro isn't growing in the garden & I don't always have fresh from the store.. I always have this in the freezer. Chopped Cilantro and Basil frozen cubes are close enough to fresh. 

Warmed tortilla... lay a bed of cheese...

Then add some chicken/bean mixture...

Cover with sauce mixture..

Topped with some cheese.. ready for the oven.

Recipe: Oven Roasted Shrimp & Sauce

This is the best way to cook shrimp.  There I said it.  Once I made them this way, I have never gone back to any other way.  So easy and super yum.  

I usually have frozen shrimp in the freezer.  It makes for a quick, lat minute grab for dinner or impromptu hors d'oeuvres.  There is no long thaw..  In a colander under cold running water, they thaw out in minutes and are ready to use. 

A lot of people think that shrimp is an expensive dinner option.  Well, with my the 2 of us.. it cost approximately $3 at most for more shrimp than we will eat in one dinner and have a few for leftover lunch.  And my 3 year old loves them this way, too.   If we are in the grocery store and I ask her what she wants for dinner.. she will usually say "Shrimp!"

Cooks note: 
When buying...  
(Frozen) I look for large or jumbo uncooked shrimp that are cleaned but still have their shell on. 
("Fresh") or in the fishmonger/grocery case .. just means they have thawed the frozen ones for you.  If you ask, they will tell you it is the same as the ones you buy in the bag frozen.  So, if you don't have time to thaw.. you pay a little more and can buy from the case.    
Cooking shrimp with their shell on, gives them such a better flavor when they cook and is easy to remove when they are done.     

Roasted Shrimp

Place thawed shrimp on a baking sheet covered with foil.  

add...

1-3 T. olive oil

1-2 cloves of chopped garlic

 sprinkle of sea salt

 fresh cracked pepper

rosemary (optional)

Toss together til coated.  Arrange in a single layer.

Preheat oven to 450º    Roast for 2 minutes and give a stir..  and then finish cooking. About 2-3 minutes more at most.  Shrimp will be opaque and not translucent when cooked thru.  DO NOT overcook.  This is where most people, restaurants.. go wrong.  Shrimp dry out and get tough when overcooked.  Watch them, don't depend on a timer or exact minutes suggested.. this is the only way to cook them perfectly.  

Serve warm or cold.. however you prefer.  

For dinner, we usually eat them warm but for a party.. I like to serve them chilled with cocktail sauce.  The flavor is magnificent.. and so much better than bland shrimp cocktail.  And an easy make-ahead item.  Scarlett prefers them with just ketchup.   

Cocktail Sauce

1 cup of organic ketchup (we love Trader Joe's)

juice of 1/2 lemon or whole lime

prepared horseradish (to taste)

dash of Worchestershire sauce

dash of tabasco

Combine together in a bowl.  

easy peasy.  

Serve cold with shrimp or with crab or fish cakes.

Health benefits to shrimp...  

We have learned so much more about shrimp lately.   Shrimp are loaded with Omega-3: omega-6 fats.  Which we have all learned at this point.. are good fats and actually reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes, cardiovascular.. and more, including depression.  

They also are a good source of Selenium.. and selenium found in shrimp is highly absorbed by the human body.  One of the most crucial antioxidants we need for good health.   

And this was a new learning for me... Shrimp also have something called Astaxanthin.  This is something that is valued for being anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Release of inflammatory messaging molecules is suppressed by Astaxanthin, as is oxidation of fats in immune cells.  Reducing colon cancer, diabetes, tumors.. the list goes on.  

I am not a doctor or researcher.. this is just what I have learned and how we eat.  Definitely shrimp is something we incorporate regularly in our diet.  We all have to figure out what is right for ourselves.  Here is a chart that helps show the nutrients best.   

tres chic in a marilyn kinda way

Love this little vintage find.. 

perfect for holding some make-up brushes to add some sexy to the vanity area.  sold here

most delicious kale (for dummies)

Ok, you might think I am crazy to compare Kale to cookie dough but hear me out here.  You know how when you are making a batch of cookies and you keep going back and snagging a bite of dough.. it's just so good, one taste won't do.  

Well, once I figured how to make Kale like this, super simple and the end result is delicious. I can eat about 1/2 a batch in a sitting.  And then keep grabbing a piece while cleaning up.  

There are 6 easy steps. No more.  You don't even need to add salt and pepper.  I suggest using stock.. either chicken or veggie.  I prefer chicken stock.. organic and low sodium.   It just comes out delicious. Now you could complicate it and add garlic, sauteing it with the olive oil step.. But I urge you to try it once, exactly as shown here, and you can always complicate it later, if you really must.  I love garlic, but this is perfection & at most 7 minutes work at best.

I am not even going to scratch the surface of how good kale and greens are for you.. I try to eat at least a dark leafy green at least 4-5 times a week.   Kale's risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits. Read more here.. wholefoods.org

Try it and let me know what you think! 

 

Not a Recipe: Banana Creme brulee oatmeal

Oatmeal is yummy, but topped with sliced bananas, a bit of sugar and then hit with the kitchen torch.. it becomes a little more special. 

A quick and easy version of creme brulee that works for breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal, like you like.. and then top with sliced bananas.. sprinkle an even layer of sugar over them and then run the torch back and forth til the sugar starts to burn.  

I use a sprinkle of turbinado or raw sugar.. but white works just as well here.  The burnt glassy sugar on each banana gives that satisfying sugary crunch.. which is why we love brulees.  Super easy, super good.  

Find: Luggage rack impromptu table

A vintage luggage rack folds nicely in a closet when not in use in a guest room or around the house.  But when needed, they are great for an additional little table during a cocktail party.  I love to have several little tables .. that double as "stations".. set up and around for a party.  Each can host a different use or menu item and it's always good to keep guest circulating.  

Using a vintage cherry luggage rack here along with a framed vintage botanical print as a table top, (which the glass can easily be wiped with any spills).. voilá a really classy and chic table which looks really great when topped with some antique champagne glasses and brass dishes. 

pink marshmallows

homemade marshmallows