Cheddar Shrimp N’ Grits

 

 

The biggest bonus of all: Kansas likes it & I do too!

This week, I’m warming up the stove for a few new things to add to the blog. I’ve gotten some wonderful new ideas for some delicious new recipes this summer.

Sarah and I went to sidelines a few weeks ago for a beer and something to eat. You know – typical bar food… She got a chicken sandwich and I got shrimp and grits. They wanted to fry the shrimp in some sort of sauce – I think it was BBQ, but I’m not 100% on that. I thought – Shrimp and Grits sounds cajun to me, can ya spice it up? …not use the sauce and just flavor the shrimp with some cajun spices? He had no problem with that – and what he brought me was nothing short of a masterpiece. What he put in front of me was exactly my idea of what shrimp and grits should be. Creamy, almost polenta like, spicy, cheesy, goodness with the most perfect pan fried shrimp I’ve ever had.  I’ve seen shrimp and grits on many different menus before, but they all come with green peppers and sauteed onions and that just doesn’t win with me.  This was a major win. So – of course – MY TURN! Mind you, I’m feeding Ms. Picky herself tonight so it’s not too wild on the spice – but it sure is good!

 

 

Shrimp and Grits

 

 

 

1 Cup of Grits

4 Cups of Water

1/4th tsp Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Cups of Cheddar Shreads

3 Tbsp Butter

4 silices of bacon

2 Green Onions

1 clove of Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Dried Onion flakes

24  medium shrimp – uncooked, peeled & tails off

Heat 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add grits, salt and pepper to taste and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cover, reduce to low and cook your bacon – careful not to burn it, you will be using the rendered fat. Remove the bacon from the pan and raise the temperature of your pan to medium high. Dry dry shrimp and add to the bacon pan. Add garlic and onion flakes and cook until the shrimp turns pink. (Cooking the bacon and the shrimp took about 20 minutes total – and the grits were ready. Stir once to break up any lumps and to make sure it isn’t sticking at about 10 minutes) Remove grits from the heat. Add butter and cheese and stir until melted. Plate (or bowl) your grits, add 6 of the shrimp to each bowl, sprinkle with 1 slice of crumbled bacon each, add chopped scallion and serve immediately!

Now I’m going for seconds! NOM!

It’s been too hot!

Wow! This has been one fantastic summer. New friends, new foods, new places to eat. I’ve had a fantastic culinary summer!  As the cooler weather eases in, my stove is starting to warm up.

Stay tuned for more!

Hibachi Soup

You know – Rather than paying ungodly amounts to watch those guys cook the heck out of my food, can I just get an order of that delicious soup that you don’t have on the menu? Please? Enough for like six people so I can go home and gorge myself on liquid? No? Not Good, Meanihana; not good.  Fine then. I will make your soup and make it better.  What are those funny little things in the bottom? Are you using French’s? You ARE!! Oh, I SO have this now.

Mushrooms, Garlic – Essence of Carrot – Onions, Celery – Yes, yes – This is it!

1 Stalk of Celery, broken in half

1 small onion, quartered

2 carrots – broken in half (If you have small carrots, just toss a hand full in)

8 cups of water

3 Tbsp of chicken bullion sprinkles

4 Tbsp beef bullion sprinkles

1 cup of paper thin sliced mushrooms

french friend onions

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised

2 tbsp fresh chopped ginger

In a large pot, combine celery, carrots, ginger, onions, garlic and some mushrooms. Add bullions and water. Cook over high heat until it reaches a rolling boil then reduce it to a simmer for at least 45 mins  – Drain the broth to remove the veggies – You don’t need them anymore. Place a few mushrooms in a bowl, add a pinch of fried onions and pour the broth over it. Oh yes. I totally just told you how to make Hibachi Soup.  I also make Sushi  – If you will buy me a teppanyaki, I will learn to flip an egg in my pocket – or maybe in my hat.

Sandra Kidd took me to my very first Japanese place to eat – Tokoyo off of Jimmy Carter for Alan’s Birthday – Thank you Sandra! You changed my food-life!

Brussels Sprouts – Because you say they aren’t good.

You are so mistaken. They are good. In fact, they are quite  desirable.  …of course, with bacon – Almost everything is desirable.

1/2 lb bacon – cooked,  (1/4 c fat reserved.)

2 lbs Sprouts – Halved

Salt & Pepper

Medium Onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup of water (or broth)

Saute onions in bacon drippings until soft – add the sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until caramelized.  (8 – 10 minutes)  Pour in the water and let cook until water has evaporated. Add Bacon and serve Immediately!

A Proper Home For Recipes & Fried Ravioli

I wanted to write a post on fried ravioli tonight – I have the recipe handy…(now) It took me a minute to find it – among all of my other recipes stuffed in a clip board or tucked away in a small journal… basically, somewhere in the ruckus. I don’t have a recipe box – My recipes aren’t on index cards. We’re in the new age where we don’t actually write much – Well, me… I don’t write much. I usually just type.  Things are easier viewed full-page. I know it can be printed and cut out and pasted to an index card, but why? Seriously, if you have that much free time, can I please borrow some?

How do you manage your recipe collection? It can’t be normal for it to be exploded all over the desk, just waiting on next Monday when it’s time for a new post.  Do they make a ‘full page’ recipe book for your personal collection? I need to just get a three-ringed binder and those paper protectors and just deal with it. Maybe do it up scrapbook style and add pictures – Ugh – who am I kidding? Anything that takes that much effort should just be forgotten about and replaced with the cut and paste idea. So it seems as if the photo portion is out of the question.  Hmm, Maybe not. Back in the film days, I think they made photo albums with room for 2 photos per sheet, 4 front and back. I wonder if it would be reasonable to keep the recipe folded in such a way that it’d fit nicely and a photo could rest in the other pocket…Seems like an idea – I guess I could replace the recipes when they’ve gotten worn out… IDK – Give me your ideas - How should I contain this explosion? – Book form and kitchen safe would be awesome!

For the recipe – Fried Ravioli – And it’s totally worth the search for the recipe to share. It’s super easy and totally appetizing!

Fried Ravioli

1 Cup of Butter Milk

2 Cups of Italian Bread Crumbs

1 bag of frozen 3 Cheese Ravioli

1/4 Cup of Grated Parmesan

Frying Oil

Marinara (Home made if you prefer, but there are some very yummy sauces at the grocery store)

Directions:

On Medium High heat, heat 2" of  oil to about 350 degrees – (imagine french fry oil, that’s good enough) coat each ravioli with buttermilk, dip in the bread crumbs and cry for about 3-4 minutes each, until light golden brown and delicious! Top with your sprinkles of cheese, wait a few minutes to let the lava cool, dip in marinara and enjoy. You can use this as an appetizer or add some veggies and call it dinner.

Don’t forget to give me your ideas on recipe storage!

Sex

I’m going random today!! I’m on vacation in Delaware!

Hope you guys like Sex on the Beach (less the sand in the ass)!

Sex on the Beach

1 – 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz peach schnapps
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz orange juice

Add vodka and peach schnapps to a highball glass over ice. Fill with equal measures of cranberry juice and orange juice, and stir.

3rd of July – Wish You Were Here

…But we’re all secretly very happy you weren’t – we ate perhaps every morsel of food I cooked that evening. I will leave you with photos from the evening – and I will share a very simple recipe with you after you’ve kicked yourself for not making it.

Lazy Hostess Teryaki (Meat)

Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce

Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze

Meat

Marinate meat of choice (I used salmon, chicken and steak) for at least 3 hours – Skewer, grill at 300 until done – coat with Kikomans Teriyaki Glaze and sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds (optional) Let rest for 10 minutes before serving!

 I do recomend a ginger salad dressing of sorts. It makes an excellent ‘sauce’ for your foods.

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!

Thanks to Mrs. Parker for the pix!

Peanut Butter & Jelly – Do I dare call it “Perfect?”

Tonight I found myself frantically pilfering through the refrigerator because I absolutely needed a PB&J and we had NO Jelly! Oh the Horror!  That was simply unacceptable. There must , at all times, be fixin’s for PB&J’s.  I grabbed my keys and went to the Store of Groceries to rectify the situation. There are so many choices these days – There was even a boysinberry jam. I don’t think I’ve ever had that. (Note to self – Do try.)  I did take note to see which ones were the lowest in stock. First was Strawberry Jam, then Grape, then Apple.  I do love strawberry jam with my PB&J’s, but that’s just too normal for me. I  chose raspberry.   Tonight I will share with you a recipe that is a “prize winner” – albeit most likely not ‘the best’ (I do love a school cafeteria PBJ) it was definitely worth the 30 minutes it took me to get there, check out and get back.  Do share your favorite PB&J recipes – No need for measurements, just what’s your favorite combo?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons  Creamy Peanut Butter 2 tablespoons   Jelly, Jam, or Preserves (pick your favorite) 2 slices bread

Directions:

1.	Remove crusts from bread. With a rolling pin or large soup can, completely flatten bread.
2.	Spread 1 tablespoon of Jif peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of Smucker’s fruit spread on each slice of bread.
3.	Roll each slice into a tight spiral. Cut each spiral into 4 pieces.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff:

What exactly makes  beef stroganoff a beef stroganoff? Beef. – That’s a given. The starch is a side, right? The sauce has to be what makes this thing what it is.  If you leave out the  mushrooms, add some white wine, substitute the beef broth with chicken broth; add some chicken.. You’ve got yourself chicken fricassee. Yes – Most definately the sauce.  I love this recipe. It’s definitely my cheap go-to recipe that can please anyone at normally at my table.  Dictionary.com says “noun Cookery .A  dish of meat sautéed with onion and cooked in a sauce of sour cream, seasonings, and, usually, mushrooms: beef stroganoff.”

Well yes. That is exactly what it is – and I love it!

Beef Stroganoff!

1 lb Skirt Steak (or some other thin tender steak) thinly sliced into bite sized pieces

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1/2 tsp Salt (1/4 for the onions and mushrooms, 1/4 for the steak)

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms – Quartered (button, white)

1 Medium White Onion sliced thin

1 tbsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

2 tbsp All Purpose Flour

2+ cups of beef broth (or 2 cups of hot water + one Beef Bullion stirred until dissolved) add more or less depending on how saucy you like it.

1/2 cup Sour Cream (Don’t you dare use anything other than Daisy!)

4 cups of cooked white rice

3 tbsp chopped green onion for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Salt the skirt steak and cook, stirring constantly until browned (If you let it sit, it will get all wet and boil in its own juice thus causing it to be tough!) It won’t take too long, it’s thin and you’re going to cook it even more as it simmers in the sauce. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.  Add the mushrooms, onions and remaining salt to the skillet and cook until browned / tender. I like a little carmalization on the onions. It gives the recipe a wonderful taste. Stir in the flour and brown lightly (This will start to look like a gooey mess, fear not -) Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly stir in the broth until the sauce has smoothed out.  Return to the heat and bring to a low simmer. Add the beef (and any juices in the bowl), sour cream and black pepper and stir until fully incorporated.  Simmer for 10 minutes while you warm your plates. Serve with white rice and garnish with a sprinkle each of green onions.

Serves 4-6

Takes about 30 minutes, prep included. It’s really quick and easy. Please do not waste your time or money on those box-burger yuckies!

Gourmet Gelatin Shots

We had a great little party this weekend. It turned out wonderful. We had people still at the house partying at 4 AM. It got great reviews. We had salmon, boneless pork ribs and portobello mushrooms (all grilled.) Everything turned out very tasty. Candice even liked the Chef Boyardee that was on the table. (LMAO! Did anyone ELSE eat it? – Hey, it’s good stuff!)

It came to my attention that someone on this planet had never had a jello shot. FOR SHAME! How is that POSSIBLE? You are missing out!  These little gems are very versatile.  Use any flavored vodka and fruit combo you want and they will wow your guests and make them think you are something spectacular! I always use clear no – flavored gelatin so I can flavor them myself and as a bonus, they look awesome (and gourmet!) clear! This time they were Watermelon & Blueberry!

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe that I found online. Mine is MUCH more simple.

Gourmet Gelatin Shots

Recipe 1:

Simple Syrup

Mix equal parts sugar and water stir and bring to a boil or until sugar is completely dissolved. I make 2 cups of each and save the left overs for the hummingbirds!

Recipe 2

The Shots:

Knox Gelatin (3 packs)

Ice Trays (2)

Simple Syrup

Fruit (blueberries)

Liquor (Blueberry Vodka)

Ginger Ale

Ladle

Measuring Cup

Clean spot in the fridge

*Remember, any flavored vodka with any fruit. I’m thinking of some how creating a key lime one…*

Mix 1/4 cup of simple syrup with 3 packets of Gelatin and stir  until mostly dissolved. Add 1/4 cup of ginger ale and stir on medium-low heat until completely dissolved. Add 11 ozs (I use a pint fruit jar which is 16 ozs and don’t quite fill it to the top) of liquor to the mixture and stir.  Fill trays with fruit of choice and ladle in your concoction.  Chill over night (or for a few hours if you really can’t wait to dive into them, just check for solidity!) and enjoy. Each batch makes about 20 – 24 shots. These never last more than one sitting at my house, so I have no idea how long they store in the fridge. It’s always advisable to make about 5 batches! Best served right out of the tray, so they don’t melt and stick together. Just use a spoon (or a Fiiinger) to get them out. If you want to put them on display in a cool area – put the tray in a bowl of warm water for a second and they’ll release when flipped upside down. Don’t let them get too hot of you’ll have to suck them up with a straw (which isn’t too bad when you’re eating the last ones, you won’t care how goofy you look!) I have also made them without fruit in them, and those work as well!

Michael, since it is your birthday today, I would you recommend this recipe to Donna so she can hook you up!

Gourmet: n. A connoisseur of fine food and drink.