BLOODY MARY SHRIMP
Ingredients
1 48 ounce can of tomato juice, or about 6 cups ( Clamato juice) OR 6 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 6 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
½ English cucumber
3 tablespoons prepared creamy hot horseradish
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
2¼ teaspoons celery salt
teaspoons garlic
Tabasco sauce
Fresh lime
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Vodka if you prefer
Cilantro to garnish
Grilled shrimp to top… Get the BIG ones!
Preparation
Mix the tomato juice or fresh tomatoes with celery and cucumber in a blender or food processor until chunky smooth
Add, lemon or lime juice, sherry vinegar, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, garlic salt and black pepper.
Season with 10-15 shakes of Tabasco sauce, or to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To assemble drinks, mix the celery salt, smoky paprika and kosher salt on a small plate. Dip the rim of your glass in a shallow amount of water, then dip into the salt mix and twist. Fill an 8 ounce glass to the top with ice. Add regular vodka then top with bloody Mary tomato mixture.
Or, season shrimp with paprika, celery salt and garlic powder and grill until just cooked thru, about 2 minutes per side and serve along with bloody Mary mixture. Garnish with limes, lemons, celery ribs, blue cheese stuffed olives, bacon strips, pepperocinis, cooked shrimp, hot sauce, pickles, pickled asparagus or green beans, pickled beets, chunks of cheese and anything your heart desires.
BLUE CHEESE COLE SLAW
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
½ small head green cabbage
½ small head red cabbage
4 large carrots
2 cups good mayonnaise
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon celery salt
1½ cup crumbled Blue cheese (6 ounces)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
Cut the cabbage halves in half and cut out the cores. Set up the food processor with the slicing blade and place the pieces of cabbage horizontally in the feed tube, one at a time. (If they don’t fit, cut them to fit lying down.) Insert the feed tube pusher and turn on the processor, but don’t press on the feed tube pusher or the slices will turn out too thick! Continue with the remaining red and green cabbage. Transfer to a large bowl, discarding any very large pieces. Before you pour the dressing on the salad, save a handful of the grated vegetables to decorate for serving.
Change the slicing blade for the large shredding blade and cut the carrots so they will fit horizontally into the feed tube. Replace the feed tube pusher and press firmly with the food processor on. Transfer the shredded carrots to bowl with the cabbages.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, two mustards, vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables to moisten, and toss well. Add the Blue Cheese and the parsley and toss together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold or at room temperature. Garnish with the reserved granted vegetables.
DELICIOUS BBQ CHICKEN
Ingredients
Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup fresh orange juice
⅓ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons mustard powder
Kosher salt
Chicken
1 3½–4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces (breasts halved)
2 tablespoons Spice Rub
Ingredients
4 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Preparation
Barbecue Sauce
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until paste turns brick-red, about 2 minutes. Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vinegar, orange juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and 3 cups water. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, 50–60 minutes; season with salt.
Chicken
Prepare grill for medium heat. Season chicken with Spice Rub. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, 15–20 minutes. Continue grilling, turning and start basting with barbecue sauce often, until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 8–10 minutes longer.
Do Ahead: Barbecue sauce can be chilled 1 week ahead.
Recipe inspired by Bon Appetit Mag
HEIRLOOM POTATO SALAD WITH SWEET CORN AND BACON
Ingredients
2 lb. small heirloom potatoes … I love all the colors
Salt
Pepper
Onion and garlic powder to taste
8 slice bacon
5 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 ears Sweet corn, raw or just boiled to crisp tender
1/2 small Red Onion
2 c. baby arugula
2 tbsp. chopped chives
Preparation
Place the potatoes in a large, wide pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate; break into pieces when cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, mayo and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder.
Cut the potatoes in half or into bite size pieces. Add the potatoes to the dressing and gently toss to coat. The potatoes will absorb more of the dressing flavor if tossed while still warm. Fold in the bacon, corn, onion, arugula, chives and parsley.
LUSCIOUS GRILLED PEACHES
Ingredients
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
1 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil… I like to use avocado oil
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Floral honey, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt… Trust me!
Preparation
Heat grill or grill pan to medium high.
Brush peaches with oil and grill cut-side down, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t move it around, you want the grill marks.
Flip skin-side down and grill 4 to 6 minutes more.
Serve with ice cream, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. So Good!!!
PALOODEH: A PERSIAN SWEET CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
4 cups of cantaloupes, cut into chunks
1 cup of cold water or crushed ice
2-3 tablespoons sugar (depending on your taste, increase or reduce the amount of sugar), or use honey to taste
2 tablespoons rose water or orange blossom syrup *optional but really makes this delicious and perfumed
Lime/lemon zest, use either one
Preparation
Cut cantaloupe into small pieces.
Place the pieces of cantaloupe into a blender; add sugar or honey, water or crushed ice. Cover and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness and adjust as needed. Add the rose water and blend once more. Pour into a pitcher and chill or serve and enjoy! I like to decorate with edible flower or a fresh sprig of mint.
GRILLED HALIBUT WITH TOMATOES, HEARTS OF PALM AND MIXED OLIVES
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grill and drizzling
1 lemon, plus the zest
4 (5–6-ounce) skinless, boneless halibut fillets
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup sliced drained hearts of palm
¼ cup mixed pitted olives like, Kalamata, oil cured black olive and green Cerignola. I love them all!
Torn basil leaves (for serving)
Preparation
Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grates or pre heat your cast iron pan on med heat. Finely grate 1 tbsp. lemon zest directly onto halibut and lightly drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder to taste. Grill halibut, turning once, until browned on both sides and just opaque in the center, about 5 minutes. Or if using a cast iron, turn heat up to med-high and when it starts smoking a bit, place the fillets skin side down and cook for 3 minutes on same side then, flip and cook 2 minutes more. Once done, remove from heat and let rest on a plate.
Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, hearts of palm, and olives. Add 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl; squeeze in 2-4 Tbsp. juice from lemon and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss basil into tomato salad. Serve halibut with tomatoes and dressing spooned over.
FARM HOUSE SALAD WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
Ingredients
6 cups mixed baby greens
8 radishes, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, very thinly sliced, you can use a veggie peeler or a mandoline
1 small summer squash, very thinly sliced
2 cups green beans, trimmed
2 carrots, thinly sliced, use a vegetable peeler for cool long strips
2 ears sweet corn, grilled and sliced off the husk
1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half, or 1 large ripe heirloom tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces
Green Goddess Dressing
1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup cilantro
Mixed leafy herbs of choice basil, chives, marjoram, tarragon. I like to use ALL of them!
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Olive oil, a couple good pours
Salt and pepper to taste
To prepare the green goddess dressing:
In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste, and add additional lemon juice and/or salt if necessary. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to use. Be sure to stir.
RASPBERRY & STRAWBERRY CROSTATA
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4-teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
Flour for dusting, as needed
1 egg, cracked and whisked for brushing the edges of the crostata
1-pint raspberries
1 cup slices strawberries
1 jar (3/4 cup) raspberry preserves
1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-tablespoon pistachios, toasted
Directions
Mix the flour, sugar, and lemon peel, vanilla extract in a food processor. Add the butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add salt. Pulse in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough onto a heavy baking sheet that has been lined with a silpat or parchment paper.
Stir the lemon juice into the raspberry preserve and add the bowl with raspberries and strawberries. Spread the preserves /berries mixture on top of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough. Brush the edges of the crostata with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the crostata until the crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Very important! Sprinkle with the pistachios if you wish. Slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the crostata from the baking sheet and serve.