Linzer Heart Cookies

Well it is Valentine's Day pretty soon. And my daughter's class was having a party so I of course had to make something festive and lovely right? Apparently, these are also known as my "kiss up to the teacher" cookies - according to several other moms. And in a heart shape who can resist?  

Very easy and pretty quick. Can also make the dough a day ahead and just let it come to room temperature before trying to roll it out. I got the cookie cutter from Michaels http://www.michaels.com/Wilton%C2%AE-Heart-Linzer-Cutter/bk0586,default,pd.html?cgid=products&start=1  Was inexpensive (4.00 ! with huge pay off!)  And it has a very nifty little device for the heart cut out.

Try this. Everyone will love.



YOU WILL NEED:

3 sticks of butter - SOFTENED (dont worry - there are a lot of cookies)

1 cup sugar

1 egg (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

dash of salt

your favorite jam or chocolate filling

confectioners sugar for dusting (traditional but optional)



TO DO:

oven to 350

In a small bowl lightly beat the egg with the vanilla - set aside. In an elextric mixer - mix together the butter and sugar until combined - add the vanilla egg mixture just till combined (stop a couple of times to scrape the sides of your bowl) Add a dash of salt - then turn the mixer down low and slowly add the flour in. Mix until the dough comes together - there will be pieces in the bottom that look like they are not getting mixed in - this is okay - you will mix them in by hand in a moment. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and get all the little loose pieces mixed in. Shape into 2 flat disks - wrap in saran and refrigerate for about a half hour. 

If you forget about the dough (like I did) Just let it sit on the counter for a little bit until it comes to room temperature. Trying to roll it out while it is cold will be tough (which I also did) Wait a few minutes.

Dust your workspace with flour again before rolling out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your shapes with the cute little cutters you just purchased! Place the cookies on a tray lined with parchment paper. Including the little baby pieces. They are yummy!



Bake for about 12 minutes depending on your oven personality. Just until the edges begin to brown. Let cool completely then layer the bottom cookies only - on the FLAT side - with your favorite filling. I did some with Nutella and some with strawberry jam (figured the strawberry would be a universal favorite with the kids) You can dust the tops with confectioners sugar if desired (traditionally done)  - but I decided there was enough sugar already and what 24 kindergartners didn't know wasn't going to hurt them! They wouldn't miss it.



IF you are taking these to a kindergarten Valentine's Day party you might want to wrap them in wax paper - 2 per package - seal the edges with some double stick tape - and deliver. All the parents will thank you for it (I'm not actually sure if any of the kids got a cookie! I think all the parents might have eaten them all)

DO not call me a Cassoulet

Very honestly - I left the house the other day intent on making a somewhat traditional cassoulet (only 'somewhat' traditional because I knew there was going to be a lack of anything described as 'confit') I have a friend who made it a while back and it looked delicious so I thought I would give it a go - check out his stuff - it's excellent http://vuduec.blogspot.com/ - a MUST read. 

Anyway,  here I go. I am looking for duck legs, a fantastic homemade sausage of some sort, and flageolet beans - or I was prepared to substitute dried cannellini beans and do the quick soak method (directions to follow)

After two stops, two receipts for things I 'might' need for some recipe soon, and my favorite Hostess snowballs (yes - these are the greatest food ever made)  I came home with chicken drumsticks, a sausage that said it was made with basil and garlic, and two bags of Great Northern White beans (???) By the way - while IN my local grocery, I had to use the phone to google 'substitutions for cannellini beans' - yes, I did - and was told to purchase Great Northern White beans - which, I did.

Okay, so obviously, I did not search as high and low as I probably could have. But I needed to start cooking so some slight adjustments were going to have to be made.

Have you ever googled "cassoulet"? This is a traditional French dish and one of the ultimate French comfort foods. I really wanted to try this. So I made what I could, with what I had. It took about 2 hours total prep time since I needed to wait for the beans to cook. Then almost 2 hours in the oven. But it was delicious - adjustments and all. Although I cannot call this a cassoulet, I will call it comfort food - hearty, warm and great with your favorite red wine.



YOU WILL NEED:

2 bags of Great Northern White beans (or 2 bags dried Cannellini beans - good luck) 

there will be quite a bit leftover - I will hopefully have something to show for what I did with these - soon

8 chicken drumsticks

6-8 pieces italian sausage (hot or mild - whichever you prefer)

1/2 package bacon

3 carrots - chopped rather chunky

3 stalks of celery - also chopped rather chunky

1 sweet onion - chopped

5 garlic cloves - chopped fine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cans chopped canned tomatoes

a lot of chopped parsley (half now - half later)

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespon paprika (more if you like)

1 tablespoon cayenne papper (also more if you like)

3 tablespoons butter in the beginning

5 tablespoons melted butter for the end

(i gues you need 1 stick of butter - divided)

salt 

pepper

olive oil



TO DO:

FIRST the beans: The quick method thing - beans go into a large pot - fill with water about 2 or 3 inches above the top of the beans - cover - bring to a boil - let boil about 6/7 minutes - then turn off the heat but leave it covered for an hour. I left mine covered until I was ready to add them to my meat mixture (this is necessary if you did not let them soak overnight - which is the recommended method - but I obviously did not think this through that far in advance)

Oven to 400 degrees

In a large pot or a Dutch oven (preferably the Dutch Oven) heat the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter then brown the chicken legs - remove - brown the sausage - remove - then brown the bacon - NOT necessarily to the point of really crispy - you mostly want a lot of the fat rendered to flavor everything else that is going in the pot. When you think the bacon is about right toss in the carrots, celery, onions and garlic.

(there is really no point for this photo other than I thought it was pretty)

Cook all the vegetables with the bacon about 10 minutes. Then add the tomato paste - give everything a good stir to coat - then add the canned tomatoes - stir - add about a cup of chopped parsley, the thyme and the bay leaves - stir. Now start adding beans. I'm sorry I didnt get a photo of this part. On my stove I had the beans in one pot - and the 'cassoulet' going on in another pot - and just ladled beans from one pot to another. Start with 4 cups of the cooked beans. Add the chicken legs and sausages back in
- then add another two cups of beans. Salt and pepper then give everything a good stir (no - this will not be easy) Turn the heat to high and bring this to a boil. Add water until the liquid is about an inch from the top of your pot 

- let come to a boil. FINALLY - cover and put in the oven for an hour and a half (yes - 1 1/2 hours) Check the pot halfway through to make sure there is still some liquid visible - if needed add another cup or two of water, stir, then leave it alone.

When out of the oven add the paprika and cayenne and taste to see if you need salt and pepper.

At this point I did do the bread crumb topping I read about in several recipes. It is 2 cups of bread crumbs mixed with 2 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Cover the top of the soup/stew mix with the bread crumb mixture - drizzle with the remaining melted butter and put back it back in the oven until browned - about 12 minutes

I think I will leave this part out next time. It seemed to soak up all the liquid - and we like a bit of au jus.

When it is done, let it cool for several minutes while you are slicing a fantastic loaf of bread from Bella Bru Cafe http://bellabrucafe.com/  (on this occasion we had the potato rosemary loaf)  

Serve and dig in

Beef Tips

This is one of the family favorites. And one of mine because of how quickly it comes together. Yes - it does require the use of one of those strange packets of gravy powder mix. But sometimes that is necessary. 

The beef I used here was one of those packages of "lean stew meat" - already cubed (I was in a hurry)  It is also excellent with any sort of roast meat (you usually have to cut these up yourself and I didn't feel like it tonight) I did also try it once with a cut up tri-tip. DO NOT do this! The meat became very tough and dinner that night was very, very quiet. Also, I usually use regular soy sauce for this (instead of the low sodium soy sauce) Then wait to salt and pepper until right before I serve. The regular soy is pretty salty so not much salt is needed.

After you saute the onions and brown the meat - add all the liquids and seasonings - cover for 2 hours and done. Try this - the family will love it.



YOU WILL NEED:

vegtable oil
1 red onion - chopped
2 pounds cubed beef
2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt
pepper

LATER you will need:

1 package dry brown gravy mix
1 cup water


TO DO:

Heat a large skillet (or dutch oven) and add a couple turns of the vegetable oil. Saute the onions about 5 minutes then add the cubed beef.
Cook on high until most all the meat is browned on all sides. Then add the water, soy sauce, worcestershire and garlic powder. Give it all a good stir and bring it to a boil. Then cover - turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 2 hours.

When the 2 hours are up - mix the gravy packet into 1 cup of hot water - turn the heat back up to high and add the gravy mixture to the meat mixture - stir until slightly thickened - taste to see if you need to add more salt or pepper - then serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Petit Fours

Blueberry, Mascarpone, brown sugar goodness

There were a couple of different versions of the same dessert that we sampled last night. The panel of taste testers were completely divided in their likes and dis-likes and what went better with what and on and on it went - this might have also been partially due to the two (maybe three? maybe four?) bottles of champagne and wine going around. But in any case, all versions were loved and are going to be shown here since we couldn't come to any definite conclusion and I think its only fair that I share all of it with all of you.

NOTE:   I was very surprised at how quickly this dessert came together. It can also be done ahead of time and then just placed under the broiler right before you need to serve.

So.....Please bear with this posting. It's going to be a long one.

SAMPLE 1:



1 pint of blueberries

4 ounces mascarpone - at room temperature

juice from half a lemon

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

about three tablespoons of brown sugar for topping










TO DO:

Set oven temperature to Broil - place the oven rack right in the middle.  Mix together the mascarpone, lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar then gently fold in the blueberries. Mix to coat all the berries - then divide the mixture evenly between two small tart dishes. Cover the tops with the almost three tablespoons of brown sugar

At this point you can cover tightly and wrap then store in the refrigerator until dessert time. Otherwise, place under broiler and let cook until juices are bubbling and the brown sugar has caramelized (wil kind of look like creme brulee top) This only takes a few minutes so keep an eye on it.

Let sit for a few minutes to cool then serve

Now things got interesting.

I originally served the warm blueberry mixture over a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream.

Everyone agreed that it was lovely - but the ice cream was too heavy and over powered the flavors of the blueberry and mascarpone mixture.

Next we tried the dish with just some fresh whip cream

All taste testers agreed this was much better than the ice cream and could they have more?

Next, it was suggested to try with a little vanilla yogurt

While the yogurt did not necessarily make for the prettiest photo - it was immediately declared the favorite by HALF the group - the other half still wanted more with just whipped cream.

I'm running out of dishes at this point but still have a different sample to present so I take everything away and bring the next batch out.


This version is basically a blueberry crisp (or crumble) All the same except the topping is not just brown sugar.

CRISP TOPPING:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces - keep cold

1 cup chopped almonds or walnuts or both

Combine all ingredients in a food processor except the butter and nuts. Once mixed add the cold pieces of butter and pulse until it starts to get large lumps. Add the nuts then pulse again 7 or 8 times - until mixture has come together and looks like clumpy sand. Refrigerate the topping until ready to use.

NOTE:  I usually double this recipe and store the leftover in the freezer. That way I can make smaller desserts and have the topping ready to go.



Back to the blueberry sugar things - these BOTH were also served up with vanilla yogurt or fresh whipped cream and vanilla ice cream

Again - the testing panel was completely divided. What we do suggest is serving with yogurt or whipped cream. The ice cream is too strong and heavy for the delicate texture of the berries - even the dish with the crisp topping.



the carnage...

another marinade for Pork Tenderloin

We have pork tenderloin quite often. Stuffed, grilled, roasted - can't really go wrong unless I am not paying attention and I overcook it (Not that I have EVER done that) This time I let it marinate over night then roasted. I don't know if I can do this marinade then roast in the next hour so if anyone tries it, please let me know how it turned out.

This came out completely delicious and 'no need for a knife' tender. I have learned that if I am roasting it in the oven it must come out at 152 degrees (give or take a degree or two) This takes around 25 minutes at 350 in the oven I have. Then cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes or so. Slice thin and serve up.



YOU WILL NEED:

1 pork tenderloin                                                                                                                               (at my local grocery it usually comes in a little two pack - I save the other for something else)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cloves fresh garlic - minced

salt

lots of black pepper (unless you like it a little less peppery)

MEAT THERMOMETER



TO DO:

Put all marinade ingredients into a large ziploc bag (or your favorite container) give everything a little stir then add the tenderloin. Seal the bag then kind of swish things around and rub the marinade into the meat (how's that for high-tech chef speak?)   Put in refrigerator and leave overnight. Sometime early the next day flip the bag and give everything a little rub again - just to help evenly distribute all the flavors.

When ready - preheat oven to 350. Place tenderloin in a large casserole dish. There will be quite a bit of juice so you will need a dish that keeps all the juices in and the oven clean. Into the oven it goes.

I usually set my timer for 20 minutes before checking the temperature with a meat thermometer. Then gauge how much longer it will need to be in to get to 152 (155) usually another 7 to 8 minutes.

Make sure to let the meat rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Enjoy

Osso Buco

This turned out fantastic. I thought for sure it was a bit out of my skill set range but it was much easier than anticipated. 

After browning the meat then assembling vegetables and liquids it goes in the oven for a couple of hours and dinner is done. Pretty easy. One pot.

I served with orzo pilaf and artichokes and there is nothing left.

Things I will do differently next time?  1 - I did not tie the shanks. I think I will going forward. Melt in your mouth fall off the bone meat was perfect but for presentation purposes tying will be necessary. 2 - I will cut the vegetables a little bigger. After the meat is all gone there is still a little broth left in the pot and it is wonderful! Little bit of that over the orzo or rice was great. Again, completely empty pot.



YOU WILL NEED:

4 veal shanks (these were about 3 inches thick)

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

1 carrot - sliced

1 celery stalk - sliced

1 shallot - chopped

thyme

oregano

2 cups of a basic tomato sauce (preferably homemade)

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups dry white wine (I used a Pinot Griogio I had on hand)



TO DO:

Preheat the oven to 375

In a Dutch Oven or another oven safe pot - heat the olive oil at medium high heat and brown the shanks - about 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on size.
I also did the edges to crisp up the fatty parts a bit. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat - toss in carrots, celery and shallots - stir to coat then add about a teaspoon of Thyme and a teaspoon of Oregano (more or less of whichever you prefer) Add salt and pepper. Stir and let cook till carrots are softened. Add the wine - scrape up all the little bits of meat - then add tomato sauce and chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil then return the shanks to the pot. Bring all to a boil again - give it a stir - cover then move to the oven. Cook for 2 hours (maybe little longer depending on the size of the pieces)

Remove from oven and let sit about 15 minutes. 

Optional - sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley before serving

And don't forget the delicacy of the delicious bone marrow

Pound Cake and Berry Compote

I did make this pound cake. But honestly, I think one purchased from your local bakery will work just fine.



I probably should not call this a compote since I skipped the whole step of making the simple syrup and adding vanilla or any other flavorings. This is basically a cup and a half of fresh berries - zest from 1 lemon and juice from half the lemon - then 1 tablespoon of sugar (more or less depending on your tastes) Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on low heat just until the liquid looks syrupy (I think thats a word?) Immediately remove from heat - pour over a slice of pound cake - add whipped cream (I forgot that part) serve immediately.

Quick and tasty

Apple Hill Adventure

Honestly...the yearly Apple Hill trip is torture. We go to the places we think the kids will like. They ride the little sad beaten down looking ponies. We eat 45 pounds of Kettle Korn. There is usually a hot-dog or two involved (definitely fine dining). The traffic is HORRID. It's always too hot and gross or too cold and gross. And then we come home exhausted.

This year was actually really, really fun! Even though it was a little chilly and rainy all day everyone was in a good mood (this means me) There was not the usual gobs of traffic. And we made all the perfect stops for the perfect amount of time.

I'm sharing this because there were a couple things that were outstanding and I think that if any of you get the chance to go you should definitely put this on your to-do list. 

Just to assist with the layout of the land













Of course the wineries are always a MUST DO 







We actually stopped at most of the highlighted farms. Crazy - I know.
But this year we stopped at Jack Russell Brewery. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Totally cool little pub like room serving some pretty excellent beers and ciders. Fantastic customer service. Outdoor tents set up with various vendors and some very good sandwiches. Also suggest you purchase one of these to send your five year old to kindergarten in the following Monday.

























I'm getting a little ahead of myself. We actually stopped first at all the places the kids enjoy. They did the usual train rides - pony rides - kettle korn gluttony - too much chocolate sampling - etc...But at the Kids Inc. farm (map #1) they had this very cute little shop that had the best Balsamic Vinegar I have had in a very, very long time. Along with some beautiful Olive Oils to sample and purchase. There was also quite a few pieces of pottery and artwork that I fell in love with.  






















Best Balsamic Vinegar....and the favorite Olive oil of the tastings.

http://winterhillfarms.com

Check this out. It will be worth it.

My favorite small oil dish purchase 










I cant find the paper that had the name of the artist but if anyone is interested let me know and I will look harder.





The other favorite thing... 


           














They call this "The Walkin Pie"  nough said...(yes - it was as big as it looks)









Get this to pour on top of this crazy piece of pie








Yes - it is as delicious as it looks - and Yes - pour it on everything else after

http://kidsincapples.com

We of course did the tour of wineries with all us adults taking turns playing with kids outside. Ended the day at Boeger where the kids played and ran through that beautiful little park area out front and I tried to figure out how to get the following items into my vehicle























Good day. Go if you get the chance. Take the kids. It'll be fun.

Rubber Eraser Fruits served on a hand Sculpted Play-Doh Platter

Me to my daughter "go play please...I need to post on the blog" 

Daughter "why cant you play with me?!" (yes - in that rather bothersome tone they can have)

Me "not right now - I will come play when I'm finished"

Daughter exits

I start typing

About 15 minutes later daughter runs into kitchen to get large baking sheet

Daughter exits

5 minutes later daughter returns carrying tray with "food ready for photo for the blog"



"WAIT MOM! The bananas are falling!"



I'm trying really, really hard NOT to laugh and discourage her so we take several photos and I let her pick the best ones.

1 container play-doh.....$1.00

several pieces rubber fruit erasers.....$2.87

large baking sheet.....2 pack from large warehouse center $11.75

daughter saying "PLEASE post on the blog so I can be famous like you mom!"..... priceless .....



i love this child

Butternut Squash Soup w/Homemade Croutons

So I'm looking through all my food photos lamenting the poor quality of every single image when I hear the voice of a five year old yell from the dining room "stop complaining mom! You get whatcha get and ya dont throw a fit!"   Do I ground her forever  - or do I kiss her for the wise words?

I'm going to go ahead and post and just apologize for not having a professional photographer with all the cool gear at my disposal every time I need to take a photo.

Butternut squash soup - everyone I know seems to be making it right now so I figured I would get on the bandwagon and make some myself. I also did a little reading on where this particular squash originated and apparently it is Made in the USA and was an accident - something about a farmer not wanting a squash as awkward and ugly as a Gooseneck but smaller than a Hubbard.

Okay.....I'm getting on with it. I like this soup rather thick but you can go ahead and adjust the liquid until you reach your desired consistency. And as usual - adjust the seasoning to make it as sweet or peppery as you wish.



YOU WILL NEED:

dutch oven or some other large pot

vegetable steamer (unless you have one of those nifty pots with the steamer thing in it)

immersion blender (if you have not invested in an immersion blender - which i highly recommend you do - use a regular blender but do the chunks of squash in batches - removing creamed parts when done and adding chunky parts...etc....also adding liquid a little at a time as needed)

1 large Butternut Squash

4 tablespoons butter

1 shallot

6 cups water

1/2 cup heavy cream

dark brown sugar

fresh nutmeg

salt

pepper



TO DO:

Prep your squash. Cut in half crosswise (the part with the seeds will all be on the one half) - then cut each half in half again - now exposing two halves with seeds and strings - DO NOT toss the seeds and strings. In your dutch oven - melt the butter then add the shallot and cook until translucent. Now add the seeds and strings and cook until the mixture is reddish/orangish and pretty - 7 or 8 minutes.



Now add 6 cups of water and a little salt then bring it all to a boil. Reduce heat to medium - place steamer basket in 

This is what I have that works just fine


Add squash pieces


Cover and steam 30 minutes to almost an hour depending on the size of your squash. After 30 minutes I start poking the biggest piece with a fork to see if they are done (the constant removal of the lid is probably why mine take almost an hour)

When done - remove the pieces to let cool for a few minutes. Remove steamer basket then strain all the liquid into another large bowl or very large measuring cup - this will make it easy to add liquid as needed. 

Scrape the flesh from the skin and put back into the pot. Puree with the immersion blender adding a little liquid every few minutes - just enough to keep the mixture smooth and easy to mix. 



Once the mixture is completely smoothed out add 1/2 cup of cream - 1 or 2 teaspoons brown sugar - 3 or 4 scrapes of fresh nutmeg - little salt and pepper then start adding the reserved liquid until you reach the desired consistency (you will probably have some liquid left over) Season to taste and serve immediately with yummy bread or homemade croutons or both.

My Glorified Pizza Margherita

I guess I should have called this site "1o1 things to do with puff pastry"!  I didn't realize how much I use it until I started posting on this blog.  

Anyway, was watching a rather famous cooking show the other day and the hostess made these very adorable little tart things - individually covering each 2 inch round with salty cheesy yummy stuff - and I thought 'how cute are those' , and then 'no way do I want to make 24 of them'! So, after only 2 attempts this was the final - very well received - creation!  I had just purchased the tomatoes and basil from the Farmers Market. I always have puff pastry (as you can tell) And I try to keep olive tapenade handy for little recipes like this. As usual, use whatever flavors are your favorite for toppings - I used Fontina but I imagine a good mozzarella or another white cheese would be just as wonderful.   And try not to feel guilty about eating the entire thing yourself!



YOU WILL NEED:

1 sheet puff pastry

about 2 cups olive tapenade

about 1 cup cherry tomatoes (the little heirloom mix is lovely)

Fontina cheese

Fresh Basil



TO DO:

Lightly flour both sides of the puff pastry then place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper - poke allover with a fork to keep it from puffing - cover with a second sheet of parchment paper - then place a second baking sheet on top (back side down facing pastry) - bake at 400 for about a half hour or until pastry is golden brown

Remove from oven - spread olive tapenade all over the top - then the sliced tomatoes - then the fontina cheese - then fresh basil - then back in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cheese is melted and a little bubbly. Remove from oven - let cool for about 5 minutes then add a little more cheese and a little more basil. Serve immediately.

Simple Grilled Shrimp/Prawns

I have to admit cooking seafood is one of those things that is sometimes perfect and sometimes not so much for me. I imagine it is just a matter of practice so there might be quite a few blogs with shrimp/seafood for the next couple weeks - while I "practice"! This recipe was much easier than I anticipated. Great basic flavors - garlic and lemon - no way I could possibly botch that right? And doing all of the cooking on the grill made it even better and faster and left me with almost no clean up in the kitchen (ALWAYS a great thing!)



YOU WILL NEED:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds extra large shrimp or prawns - peeled and deveined and tails intact
olive oil
salt
pepper
little bit of regular granulated sugar
skewers

FOR THE SAUCE:

disposable aluminum pan
8 tablespoons butter - cut into pieces
8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 or 4 pinches red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves - finely minced
salt
pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley 

lemon wedges for serving



TO DO:

Combine all the sauce ingredients except the parsley in the disposable aluminum pan.

Rinse and dry the shrimp/prawns. Thread onto skewers - making sure there are no gaps between. Brush  both sides with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the sugar on one side of each skewer.

Turn gas grill to high and heat until very hot. Scrape clean then leave open about 5 minutes to let cool slightly. 

Set the aluminum pan on the grill and let cook until the  butter is completely melted and garlic is very fragrant - maybe 2 or 3 minutes. Move the pan to a far side and turn that burner off. Place the shrimp skewers with sugared sides down on the hottest side of the grill. Grill uncovered until slightly charred - 4 or 5 minutes (adjust this time according to the size shrimp you have) Flip the skewers and grill another 1 to 2 minutes - just until second side is pink. 
 
Now carefully lift each skewer and - using tongs - scrape all shrimp into disposable pan of sauce. Toss the shrimp and sauce until all the shrimp are coated then slide the pan back onto the hotter side of the grill. Cook - stirring constantly - until all the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque - maybe another minute to minute and half 
Remove from the grill - add parsley - toss all together
Serve with fresh lemon wedges - a fantastic grilled tri tip and peppered mashed potatoes


 

Shrimp Wraps

This is an old post but I'm making them so I thought I would share again - and because they are THAT good!  I also think this is an old America's Test Kitchen recipe but I'm not sure. In any case, I hope you try it - they are Delicious.

I'm not really sure how to describe these - It's a shrimp mix, wrapped in a leaf of butter lettuce. That's about all there is to it but it got RAVE reviews at dinner the other night so I thought I should share with all you out there. The fresh orange and orange juice 'salsa' (I use that word very loosely) coupled with the spicy red chile is a very happy mix with the shrimp and bacon and herbs. Not too labor intensive - except cooking bacon. And as was pointed out to me the other night the "good" of all the fresh ingredients outweighs the "bad" of the bacon so therefore this dish is excellent on the calorie count scale! (not sure how i feel about all that but it was amusing)

Hope you give it a go!



YOU WILL NEED:

2 oranges - sectioned, seeded and chopped 

1 or 2 hot red chiles - depending on how much heat you like - but definitely use at least one

3 scallions - white and green parts chopped

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro 

10 to 12 Large shrimp - (or more - I think I did close to 20 the other night)

4 - 6 slices bacon - chopped

1 head Butter leaf lettuce

few splashes of white wine 

olive oil

salt

pepper



TO DO:

Wash and dry the Butter leaf lettuce then let dry some more on a paper towel.

Chop the oranges, chiles, scallions and cilantro an put all together in a large bowl. Set aside

























Rinse and pat dry all the shrimp. Put into a large bowl and gently toss with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fry the bacon until just crisp. Remove from the pan and set on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain. Set aside. Drain the bacon grease from the pan then use a few splashes of white wine to deglaze the pan - let cook until most all the liquid is gone - make sure to leave the remnants of the bacon for the shrimp. Add a little bit of olive oil and then add the shrimp in one layer in the pan- 2 to 3 minutes per side (may need more time depending on the size you have) You will probably have to do this in batches in order to get all the shrimp done. While working in batches to fry the shrimp I usually remove the tails of the cooked pieces and give them a rough chop.

When all the shrimp is cooked - remove all tails - chop up all pieces - add to the orange chile mixture - add the bacon - 4 tablespoons of olive oil - salt and pepper to taste.

Place 2 or 3 pieces of lettuce on a plate. Fill with 1 or 2 spoonfuls of the shrimp orange mixture then serve immediately.