Garlic, Lemon and Chive Grilled Shrimp ~ Recipe

One of the best parts of summer to me is definitely grilling. Now I'm not the grill master around my house (my hubby helps out in that department), but I absolutely adore the smell of food cooking out on the grill and like to eat it even more. If you like shrimp, you are going to absolutely love this recipe! It's so super-simple and there is no worrying about your shrimp falling through your grill because the whole dish is cooked inside a foil pouch. SO easy!

Garlic, Lemon & Chive Grilled Shrimp

SERVES 2 -3

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, (with shells, but deveined and cleaned)

1/2 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or a heaping teaspoon of chopped garlic in a jar

1 lemon

1 loaf crusty french bread, for dipping

Directions:

Make the herb butter. Combine the softened butter, garlic and chives. Then add the zest of half of the lemon. Stir to combine.

Here is what the garlic, lemon and chive butter will look like once you have mixed it all together. This is delicious spread on french bread and baked in the oven for another side dish option.

Cut two large pieces of foil and lay one on top of each other. We don't want any of the delicious butter sauce to run out so it's a good idea to use two sheets just in case one rips. Grab your shrimp. Each foil pouch will contain 1/2 pound shrimp. Arrange half your raw shrimp in the middle of two pieces of foil.

Take half of the butter mixture and place it on top of the shrimp.

Roll up the center of the foil pouch and then roll up both sides until you have a nice and secure foil pouch. Then repeat the above steps for the other half of the shrimp. You will have two pouches if you are using 1 pound of shrimp.

Place the shrimp on a grill heated on high and cook for approximately 8 minutes. You do not want to over cook your shrimp, so be careful. If you don't have a grill or are trying this recipe during colder weather months, you could certainly give it a try in the oven.

Serve with an extra sprinkling of chives, fresh lemon slices and crusty french bread.

You definitely want to make sure you have plenty of bread to soak up all that delicious herb butter!

I hope you enjoy this recipe........it is simply delicious! 

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Slow Cooker Strawberry Rhubarb Jam ~ Recipe

So last week the kids and I went strawberry picking. We picked a ton of beautiful strawberries and I have really been wanting to try my hand at making some freezer jam. I was searching around for some recipes and couldn't quite find what I was looking for. Many recipes called for fruit pectin, which I didn't have on hand and some of the others required you to cook the jam on the stove-top all day. Nope.......I don't have all day around here with three little ones. And then it dawned on me.......how about using my trusty slow cooker! So that's what I did.........

Slow Cooker Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:

3 lbs. fresh strawberries

2 lbs. rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Step 1: Grab your strawberries and rhubarb and start cutting them into large chunks. The farm where we went strawberry picking sold rhubarb as well so it worked out perfectly for this recipe.

Step 2: Place half the strawberries and rhubarb in your slow cooker and sprinkle with half a cup of sugar. Then add the other half of the strawberries and rhubarb and sprinkle with the remain sugar and cinnamon.

Step 3: Set you slow cooker on low for 6 - 7 hours. After four hours of cooking, remove the lid but allow the mixture to continue to cook. This will cause some of the liquid to evaporate out.

Step 4: Around 5 hours cooking time, get out your potato masher and mash up the mixture as best you can. I like the jam to be nice and chunky, but if you prefer a smoother consistency then you could always transfer the mixture to your blender.

Spread your strawberry rhubarb jam on toast or serve it warm over vanilla ice cream or add it to your favorite yogurt and granola.

I put some of the jam in our refrigerator in glass jars (it will save for 1 - 2 weeks) and the rest of it I put in freezer safe containers in the freezer.

Also, I really love the tart and sweet taste of strawberry rhubarb jam; however, if you prefer things on the sweeter side, then you will definitely want to add more sugar to this recipe. My oldest daughter Savannah tried this and she said it was 'JUST right!'. She's a pretty tough critic, so I'll take that to mean that it's pretty darn good. 

Enjoy!

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46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Recipe: Parmesan Crusted Veggie Spirals

So guess what? Remember last year when my mom (Grandma Jane) made it into the finals of the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest (see post here)? She flew to Orlando, FL to compete for the $1 million dollar prize and unfortunately, she didn't win with her Biscuit Corn Cakes with Goat Cheese in Blackberry-Thyme Sauce. However, that didn't stop her from wanting to go again this year! She entered several different recipes into this years competition (46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest) and she has made it into the semi-finals with her Parmesan Crusted Veggie Spirals! Yay!

They are doing things a little bit differently this year and they are choosing the finalists based on online voting rather than picking finalists in-house like they did last year. So, with that being said.......Grandma  Jane NEEDS your vote! The online voting is only open for 10 more days (through June 27th) and I would absolutely love if you would head over and vote for her recipe: Parmesan Crusted Veggie Spirals.

I decided I had better try this recipe myself and thought I would share it with you all here on the blog.

You are going to love it!

Parmesan Crusted Veggie Spirals

MAKES 20 SPIRALS

I guarantee that this will be a go-to appetizer recipe for your family! You can also change up some of the filling ingredients and really get creative with this recipe to make it your own.

So will you help a girl out and help me send my mom (Grandma Jane) to the finals of the 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest? I would really, really appreciate it! And so would Grandma Jane.

You can go over and vote for her recipe (Parmesan Crusted Veggie Spirals from Jane Michel from Houston, TX) by clicking HERE. You will have to fill in your email address to enter, but they won't start sending you things unless you opt in. Feel free to 'pin' this recipe, share on facebook or twitter or anywhere else you can think of that would help spread the word.

Thank you so much and I hope you'll give this recipe a try.

You're going to love it!

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Broccoli & Onion Pie ~ Recipe

We like broccoli around here. Well, my husband didn't used to, but he's coming around. Broccoli was always one of my favorite vegetables growing up and it still is (you can find my Cream of Broccoli soup recipe by clicking here).

Anyway, it's Lent and we are Catholic, so for us that means no meat on Fridays. I also know some families do 'Meatless Monday's' all through the year, so I thought this would be a good recipe to share for Lent, for those of you who were vegetarian or for those of you that just like Broccoli. And if you don't like Broccoli, you could probably substitute asparagus or another green vegetable and that would work just great too.

This is an adaptation of recipe I pulled out of one of my magazines (I think it was Family Circle, but don't quote me on that), but I can't ever leave well-enough alone, so I had to make some adjustments to make it just right for our family. I hope you like it!

Broccoli & Onion Pie

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups Bisquick

4 cups broccoli, chopped (frozen, thawed or fresh)

1 cup onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

*These can Broccoli and Onion pies can be made in individual baking dishes or in a muffin tin.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use butter or cooking spray to coat the baking dishes or muffin tin.

Mix together milk, eggs, oil, 3/4 of all the cheese, oregano, garlic salt and pepper. Use a whisk to combine. Once wet ingredients are combined, stir in Bisquick, broccoli and onions. If the mixture appears too wet, you can add a little more Bisquick and if it appears to dry, you can add in a little more milk.

Divide the mixture between four individual baking dishes (approximately 8 oz. each) or make smaller portions and divide equally among 8 muffin cups. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the rest of the two cheeses on top.

 Enjoy!

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Ham, Onion & Cheese Quiche ~ Recipe

I love a quiche. Always have and always will. What's more comforting than warm eggs and melted cheese baking in a buttery, delicious pie crust? Not much. Oh wait, it's January? We are supposed to be eating healthy now, right? I know, I know, but I just had to share this recipe with you right now! You can save it for later if you are trying to be good right now, but you should try it.....you're going to love it.

When I was in high school there was a special occasion dress shop that my mom and I would go to whenever I was shopping for a homecoming or prom dress. It was this really unique shop because it was in an old house. The whole house was lined with gorgeous, fancy dresses. There were no men allowed in the shop (except by special appointment) because of all the young ladies just trying on dresses in each room. It was a magical place.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up, is that this was a special time for my mom and I each year and after we had found 'the dress' we would head over to Le Madeleine restaurant for some soup and quiche. Every time I have quiche it makes me think of those special mother daughter times we shared growing up.

This past sunday I was kind of missing my mom (you know she lives in Texas and we are in Chicago), so I decided quiche would make a nice sunday breakfast for our family. I came up with this recipe from what we had on hand and I think it turned out really great.

Ham, Onion & Cheese Quiche Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 onions, sliced

4 pieces of deli ham, chopped

8 eggs

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar (i.e. cracker barrel)

Prepared pie crust (or make your own)

1-2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saute pan, melt better and saute sliced onions over medium heat until tender. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, milk and salt and pepper together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese and ham. Once the onions are soft and tender, add them to the egg, milk and cheese mixture. Stir to combine.

Place your pie crust into a pie baking dish. Pour in the egg mixture. Place pie dish on top of a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes with the outer crust covered in foil. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

You can change up the ingredients any way you like based on your family's taste preferences. Think about adding some vegetables like asparagus or broccoli. Or maybe use bacon instead of ham. Or smoked gouda or swiss cheese instead of the cheddar. There are so many options.

Please pay no attention to my crust crimping skills.......I am not a pro in the fancy baking department.

This recipe is perfect for entertaining, holidays or just a lovely sunday breakfast with the family!

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Homemade Popcorn Balls ~ Recipe

There is something very nostalgic to me about homemade popcorn balls. This year I decided to whip up a big batch of these sweet treats to share with our friends. These do not take long at all to put together and you can do a large batch of them in no time. Wrap each one up in a clear cello bag with some bakers twine and you've got a sweet little gift that anyone would be happy to receive.

Homemade Popcorn Ball Recipe

Makes 8 - 10

Ingredients:

8 cups popped popcorn

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup butter

Directions:

Place the popped popcorn into a large mixing bowl. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the corn syrup, water, salt, brown sugar and white sugar. Place over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until the mixture becomes a thick syrup (about 15 minutes). If you have a candy thermometer, wait until the mixture has reached 260 degrees. But if not, just eye-ball it.....you'll be fine.

Remove mixture from heat and stir in butter. Once the butter has melted completely, pour the mixture over the popcorn and stir to combine. Allow the covered popcorn to cool slightly, you want to be able to handle it without burning yourself, but you don't want it to set up.....so don't wait too long. Shape the popcorn into fist size balls and place on wax or parchment paper. Allow to cool completely.

Wrap up each individual popcorn ball with some fun and festive wrapping. I used clear cello bags, green bakers twine and a 'Merry Christmas' washi tape........but there are all kinds of fun ways you could wrap these up!

Or you could just put them on a platter and serve them as is..........

Little ones love popcorn balls, so make sure you grab one for yourself, otherwise they will be gone before you know it!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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Chicken, Avocado and Grape Salad ~ Recipe

The other day I had some avocados that I needed to use up and I decided to make myself something yummy for lunch. This is a quick and easy recipe, but is so tasty you could certainly use it for entertaining or for a wedding or baby shower.

Chicken, Avocado & Grape Salad

by Lindsay Wilkes from The Cottage Mama

SERVES 2-3

Ingredients:

1 large, ripe avocado

1 large bone-in chicken breast, cooked or roasted

1/2 cup grapes, quartered

1/2 fresh lemon

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper, to taste

French or Italian crusty bread

Directions:

Remove avocado from skin and remove pit. Dice or cube avocado into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Shred chicken from chicken breast. You can roast one in the oven seasoned with salt and pepper or you can shred part of a store-bought roasted chicken.

Combine the avocado, chicken and grapes in a mixing bowl. Fold to combine. You do not want to break up the avocado too much as you still want it to be in chunks, so be careful not to smash it. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon on top of the chicken, avocado and grape mixture. Season with more salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Fold again to combine.

To serve, spoon salad mixture on top of a toasted piece of sliced Italian bread or half of a french baguette. To finish, drizzle with olive oil and another squeeze of lemon. You could also serve this on top of a bed of leafy greens with a simple vinaigrette. 

ENJOY!

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Recipe: Uncle Bill's Red and Green Chile Pork Tamales

My mom is in Taos, New Mexico having a sisters weekend with her three sisters and it made me remember that I never shared my Uncle Bill's Tamale recipe with you all. We served these tamales at Caspian's Baptism celebration and they were so good.

I absolutely adore New Mexico. If you've never been there, you should definitely put in on your 'must visit' list. I don't even really know how to describe it, but I always feel like I'm a new world when we visit. My grandparents owned an art gallery in Taos for many years and my Grandma Marge was an amazing artist. We are lucky enough to have a few of her paintings in our own house now. I guess I would say that Taos and Santa Fe have a very artsy feeling and the beauty that surrounds these cities is incredibly inspirational which is probably why they are filled with so many talented artists.

Not only is New Mexico beautiful, but the food is out of this world! I grew up with a southwestern influence in our cooking since my grandparents lived in this region. Green chiles are definitely a staple in our house and when my mom posted a picture of the food she was eating yesterday after she arrived, I was definitely green with envy (yes, pun intended).

If you've never tried tamales, you should give this recipe a try. This is not a quick dish. Making these tamales is more about the process and the love that goes into cooking. There are many parts to this recipe, but it's worth it, trust me. Consider having a tamale making party and enjoy the company of your friends as you make these hand-crafted Red and Green Chile Pork Tamales

Uncle Bill's Homemade Red and Green Chile Pork Tamales

MAKES 48 TAMALES

PORK:
3 lbs pork loin
1 onion chopped
5 cloves garlic
6-8 juniper seeds (optional)
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
Oil Sear meat in oil.

Cover with 8 cups water, onion and spices and simmer 2.5 hours or crock pot for 8-10 hours. Cool and shred. Reserve stock.

RED SAUCE:
1.5 cup stock
8 oz tomato sauce
2 TBL canned chipotle in adobo
½ tsp oregano and cumin
½ tsp garlic salt
1 diced oinion
1 tsp sugar
 1 T oil.

Saute onions, sprinkle in spices. Add sauce and stock and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add half of shredded pork. You can refrigerate overnight until assembling the next day.

GREEN SAUCE:
1 diced onion
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 --7 oz can chopped green chiles
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp garlic salt

Sauté onion in oil. Add spices. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Add half of shredded pork. You can refrigerate overnight until assembling the next day.

MASA:
5 cups masa
 5 cups stock or chicken stock
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
Corn husks

Mix salt and baking powder with masa. Add the stock and mix roughly with electric mixer. Gradually pour in olive oil and mix with mixer at least 5 mins.

ASSEMBLY:
To assemble, soak cornhusks to rehydrate them. Place husks in a baking dish or bowl and pour hot water on top. Soak until husks are pliable (up to 30 minutes). Remove husks from water and pat dry.

Spread a little Masa (approximately 2 tablespoons) into a long rectangle-like shape on the cornhusk with a little amount of filling (approximately 1 tablespoon) on top of the Masa dough. Fold up one short end and roll tamales the long way. The top will still be open which is fine because they will be placed tightly in the pot for boiling. If you would prefer to close them, you can either twist it tightly or tie it with a strip of soaked cornhusk or cooking twine. Do not overfill the tamales or your filling will come out of the tamale. A little bit goes along way.

Steam upright approximately 1.5 to 2 hours until masa separates cleanly from the husk. Check water from time to time and replenish as necessary. You do not want your pan to run dry.   Makes approximately 48 tamales.

SERVE:
To eat the tamales, remove from the corn husks and enjoy! Consider serving with sour cream, salsa or guacamole.

A big thank you to my Uncle Bill Jackson for sharing his delicious recipe!

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