Cilantro Lime Shrimp

This was a super easy summer dinner! I served it in  Kings Hawaiian hot dog buns to make a "shrimp roll" and had smashed pinto beans and rice (a healthier version of refried beans) on the side.

3 large garlic cloves

1 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 small limes)

1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade

1/4 cup cilantro

4 TB olive oil

1 TB soy sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Using a large knife, mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 tsp salt. Whisk together garlic paste, lime juice, marmalade, cilantro, 3 TB oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, remaining 1/8 tsp salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Transfer 1/3 C mixture to another small bowl and reserve for dipping sauce. Combine shrimp with remaining mixture in large sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate shrimp, refrigerated, turning bag once, for 15 minutes.

Drain shrimp. Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add half of shrimp and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a platter and cook remaining in 1 1/2 tsp oil in same manner.

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) chickpeas and scatter on paper-towel lined rimmed baking sheet. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove towels and toss chick peas with 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil. Roast until crisp and golden brown, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss with coarse salt and  1 1/2 tsp ground coriander, paprika, or cinnamon, if desired.  (Store cooled chickpeas in an airtight container up to one week).

The boys loved these!

Blackberry Cobbler (with fig variation)

Picking berries in Calvert, TX

Someone's berry basket never got full...l

3 TB cornstarch
1/3 C cold water
1 3/4-2 C sugar
1 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
6 C blackberries or blueberries (from three pints) picked over, rinsed and drained well
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
8 TB (1 stick) plus 1 TB cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 C boiling water

     Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Stir together cornstarch and cold water in a large bowl until cornstarch is completley dissolved. Add 1 to 1 1/4 cups sugar, (depending on sweetness of berries) lemon juice, and berries and combine gently but thoroughly. Transfer berry mixture to a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet (wrap handle in foil if necesary); set aside. ( I have also made this in a pie plate or other oven proof baking dish)
     Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 3/4 C sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend (I have also just used my hands to blend). Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, add boiling water, and stir just until dough forms.
     Bring blackberry mixture to a boil on top of stove, stirring. Carefully drop 8 large spoonfuls of dough onto fruit. (If not using cast iron skillet do not put on stovetop rather just place the 8 spoonfuls on top of fruit and bake). Set skillet on foil lined baking sheet and bake until topping is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack and serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.

Variations: recently I added 4 green figs chopped to about 4 C blackberries--so good! You can also split recipe in half.

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

We ate some, baked some, and froze some!

My First CSA Bushel

Week 1 of CSA

I am trying out my first CSA sharev(which stands for Community Supported Agriculture).  All of this share comes from  Vanderpool Gourmet Gardens. I have only picked up one week (bushels out on sidewalk, and you just pick one--there were slightly different variations, but mainly the same) I can not wait to have some yummy roasted veggies tomorrow!

Small sweet peaches--the boys love them!

green beans and yellow wax beans

purple majesty potatoes

Garlic Scape

golden beets

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I found this one on pinterest from www.closetcooking.com (and have made it three times since!)

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos (pickled), drained
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped 
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated

Directions

1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese cheese has melted and turned golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Carmel Cheesecake

This is now my go-to cheesecake! I love the short ingredient list, but you should be warned that it takes forever to make the caramel from scratch (but well worth the wait!).

 adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook
Crumb Crust:
1 1/2 C finely ground chocolate wafers (I used Oreos)
5 TB butter, melted
1/3 C sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Invert bottom of springform pan, then lock on side and butter pan. Stir all ingredients in a bowl. Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of buttered pan. Fill immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Filling:
1 C of sugar
3/4 C heavy cream
8 ounces good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (confession: I used semisweet chocolate chips-it was what I had...)
1/2 C sour cream
3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sugar in a dry heavy 3 1/2-to 4-quart sauce pan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Continue to cook caramel, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally, until deep golden.

Immediately remove from heat and carefully add heavy cream (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook over moderately-low heat, stirring constantly, until caramel is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Stir in sour cream.


Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in chocolate mixture. Add eggs one at at time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping the sides of bowl with a spatula as needed. Mix in vanilla.


Put springform pan with crust on a baking sheet with sides, to catch any drips. Pour filling into crust. bake until cake is set 3 inches from edges but center is still slightly wobbly, about 55 minutes.

Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, then cool completely in springform pan on a rack (cake will continue to set as it cools). Refrigerate cake, loosely covered, for at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan, transfer to a plate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Summer Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad with Chicken, Raisins, and Almonds

What a perfect summer salad--I had all the ingredients already in my pantry (and the boys cleaned their plates...).
Adapted From FOOD Everyday Light by Martha Stewart
Serves 4
2 TB unblanched almonds
1 Lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
about 3-4 C low-fat buttermilk
coarse salt and pepper
8 ounces whole-wheat penne or other short pasta shape
1 C plain low-fat yogurt (I used low fat mayo)
1/2 C golden raisins ( I used brown, what I had in pantry)
1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 TB finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 TB fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken in a 13 X 9 casserole dish. Salt and pepper. Generously pour buttermilk over chicken so that it covers sides of chicken. Bake for about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked. (this is a great way to cook chicken to use in any salad--will always come out moist!) About halfway through baking chicken, spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until darkened, tossing once or twice, 10-12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

2. Remove chicken from dish and shred or chop into bite size pieces.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 C pasta water. Drain pasta, then rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

4. In a large bowl, stir together pasta, chicken, yogurt, raisins, parsley, almonds, and lemon zest and juice. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day. Serve chilled or at room temperature.