Cooking in August

Little Miss Cora came to visit Auntie Megan's kitchen. Even though she can't eat any of my goodies just yet, I'm sure one day she will be so excited to visit Casita Cory for a delicious meal made just for her by her Auntie Megan!

Wheat Allergies...No problem! This past weekend, I had a great time hanging out with my family. Mom, Dad and Jen all came and stayed a few days, and Reba and lil Cora made their way down for a day trip. And of course I had so much fun playing in the kitchen making meals that keep bringing my family back to visit! My younger sister has a wheat allergy, but I was dying to try this Shrimp and Pesto Pasta recipe from the Bride and Groom cookbook she and my older sister gave me as a shower gift. So I went to Trader Joe's and picked up a package of the brown rice spaghetti. This recipe was really easy, delicious and perfectly light for dinner on a hot summer's day!

Shrimp and Pesto Pasta

1 lb brown rice spaghetti

1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

Casita Cory Pesto Sauce

Cook the brown rice noodles in about 1 1/2 qts of water with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Once noodles are cooked to al dente, strain and set aside.

In a skillet head the olive oil to medium heat. Add in the shrimp and add salt and pepper. Let them cook on one side for one minute, then flip them. Add in the garlic. Cook until the shrimp are opaque.

Toss in the strained noodles, the sliced tomatoes and the pesto sauce.

Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4.

The only way to make a baked potato even better is to bake it twice. Below is a recipe that I served up with Giada de Laurentiis' Pork Loin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette. I will definitely be making these potatoes again. I mashed the potatoes by hand, but you could purée them in a food processor or blender to make your twice baked potatoes really smooth. Depends on the texture you are looking for.

Twice Baked Bacon and Cheddar Potatoes

4 large Russet baking potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup fried bacon broken into small bits

2 scallions, diced

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

Rinse the potatoes, pat dry.

Rub them with a little bit of butter and sea salt.

Wrap in aluminum foil and poke with a fork to help them cook through.

Bake for about an hour or until the potatoes are soft when you stick them with a fork.

Once the potatoes are ready to be removed from the oven, set them aside and let them cool for about 8 to 10 minutes.

When they have cooled enough that you can touch them to work with them, cut the potatoes in half and then spoon out the insides of the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Be careful not to spoon out so much that the skins collapse.

Add about 3/4 of the chopped bacon, and 3/4 of the diced scallions.

Mix in the sour cream, butter, and milk.

Finally add salt and pepper to taste and mix them in with 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Using a large spoon scoop the filling back into the potato skins and place them on a large baking sheet.

Top the potatoes with the remaining bacon and cheese and return to the oven for about another 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Remove and top with the remaining of the chopped scallions and serve!

Lunch Time Grilling!

One day Forrest was home for lunch, so I grilled up some kabobs on the grill. I used yellow and green peppers, red onion, squash and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and chicken. I made a quick marinade of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, about 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary and thyme and some ground Italian seasoning. They were delicious!

Midday Seafood Bash!

Another day when Forrest was home, I cooked up Giada de Laurentiis' Mussels, Clams, and Shrimp with Spicy Broth. Here are the pictures of that meal!

The following was my favorite!!!!

Bacon Cheddar Burgers with Grilled Onions!

1 large yellow onion

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

3 slices medium sharp cheddar cheese

lettuce

3 slices of tomato

3 slices of bacon

3 hamburger buns

Preheat a grill pan to medium high heat.

Slice the onions into 1/4 inch slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Place the onions on the grill pan and cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they are tender grill marks appear. Remove and set aside for later.

Preheat a skillet to medium heat and cook the bacon on each side for about 5 minutes or until nice and brown and crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel to drain off excess grease and cool.

While the onions and bacon are cooking, in a large bowl combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and worcestshire sauce. Make three 1/3 pound patties.

After you remove the onions, add the three patties to the grill pan and grill on each side for about 4 minutes or until your desired internal temperature (I generally go for medium well).

Pile up your burgers with the cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, patties, bacon and onions.

Slather on some ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise if you like and enjoy!

Serves 3 burgers.

Healthy Cooking that Tastes SOOO Good!

Today a Calphalon store opened in the outlets. Who is in love? This girl. My sweet friend invited me in for the friends and family sneak peak...AWESOME! I picked up a grill pan and a stock pot. Of course it's just like when I buy a new piece of clothing...I HAD to cook using at least one of them tonight. I picked up some tuna steaks at the grocery and headed home. Here is how my imagination ran with a few random ingredients I had around the house.

Here are the recipes:

Grilled Sweet Onion Vinaigrette (Bobby Flay's Grill It)

2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Preheat the grill (or grill skillet) to medium high heat

Brush the red onion slices with olive oil and then salt and pepper

Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until slightly charred

In a medium sized bowl whisk the balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil and thyme

Once the onions are charred, set them aside to cool

Roughly chop the onions and add them to the sauce and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving on top of the tuna steaks

Tuna Steaks

2 tuna steaks

salt and pepper

olive oil

Preheat grill (or grill skillet) to medium high heat

Brush the tuna steaks with the olive oil

Season with salt and pepper

Cook on the grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are well browned on the top and bottom, but still pink in the middle

Tomatoes Stuffed with Spinach and Feta

1 bag of organic spinach

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove organic garlic, chopped

2 tbsp organic olive oil

1/4 cup organic low sodium chicken stock

salt and pepper

1/8 cup of Feta cheese

2 tomatoes

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add the garlic and shallots and cook until tender

Add the spinach and the chicken stock and cook until the spinach is dark green and tender

Cut a small circle on the top of the tomato (where the stem attaches to it) and use a spoon to remove the seeds and insides

Layer in the feta and spinach until the tomatoes are full then top with the feta

Bake for about 12 minutes

Rosemary and Garlic Infused Organic Red Quinoa

1 cup organic red quinoa

2 cups organic low sodium chicken stock

2 sprigs rosemary

1 clove garlic chopped in half

salt and pepper

In a medium sauce pan add the quinoa, chicken stock, rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover

Cook until there is no more liquid and the quinoa grains fall apart

I hope you enjoy this meal. It is super healthy and comes from mostly organic and locally grown ingredients (minus the tuna). Forrest and I both loved it!

Pan Seared Grouper with Spinach and Gorgonzola

Bonefish holds a special place in my heart. Forrest took me there for our first date. I ordered the salmon with the mango salsa and he ordered the spinach and gorgonzola swordfish. We had just made our way through the Bang Bang Shrimp when our meals came out. He looked a little uneasy, "Wow, dinner came fast." After we finished our scrumtrilescent (spelling suggestions?) meal he very romantically asked me to be his girlfriend (with sweat rolling from his brow). Since then every time we go back he orders the same meal. If it isn't on the menu he asks for it, and they make it just for him.

On our humble salaries, Bonefish is reserved for special occasions. Recently I have had a hankering for that spinach gorgonzola dish, but birthdays and Christmas are far behind us now. I have been trying to think of a make believe holiday to celebrate, but nothing clever comes to mind. Instead of brewing over how to get to Bonefish, I decided to take matters into my own kitchen.

In one brave step I snatched up the spinach and gorgonzola cheese at Trader Joe's. On the way home I stopped by the local seafood market and pondered which fish to try. No swordfish was in. Tuna wouldn't do. The rockfish didn't look so hot. But the grouper looked delicious. I have never cooked grouper before, but it looked like it would hold up okay.

As a side story: When I was at the seafood market a tourist was in front of me in line. He asked for Sashimi quality tuna. As the gentleman was cutting the tuna steaks this young man asked, "Where do you do your fishing, the York River?" The waterman mumbled yes. The young tourist thought for a bit and then asked, "Do these tuna swim up the York River?" special.

Anyhow enough of my rambling...here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2 tbsp butter

1 large grouper filet (sliced into 2 or 3 smaller pieces for cooking...about 4 oz each)

1 cup fresh spinach (trim the stems)

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

salt and pepper

Heat a skillet to medium high, when it is hot add 2 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper the fish

Once the butter has melted add the fish and let cook for 4 minutes on each side or until crispy and brown

Steam the fresh spinach (you can use a steaming basket on the stove or a steamer in the microwave)

Remove filets from skillet and place them in a buttered baking dish

Place the spinach on top of the filets

Top with the gorgonzola cheese

Place baking dish in the oven until cheese melts

Serve over Trader Joe's Mushroom and Garlic Risotto

This dish just melts in your mouth. I hope you enjoy!

Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

I have made a version of this recipe that Rachael Ray makes: Margarita Fish Tacos. Tonight I didn't have time to fire up the grill, so I decided to give this dish a Southern make-over.

2 medium cod filets

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup flour

1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp Old Bay Seafood Seasoning

1/2 tsp black peper

1/4 cup Vegetable oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

8 - 10 tomatillos, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

1 tbsp honey

1 lime, zested and juiced

8 fajita-size flour tortillas

1 cup shredded red cabbage

Fish:

In a large skillet add the vegetable oil and heat to medium

Set up a breading station with three bowls: one with flour, one with one egg, and one with Panko breadcrumbs (shake in a bit of seafood seasoning and pepper)

Cut the two cod filets into smaller sections for cooking

Bread fish by covering them first in flour, then dipping them in the egg to coat and finally in the breadcrumbs

Cook in skillet for about 4 minutes on each side or until brown and crispy

Remove and let drain on a paper towel

Cut into smaller cubes before serving

Tomatillo Salsa:

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil to medium-high

Add the jalapeño, serrano, onion and garlic and cook until softened 3 to 4 minutes

Add the tomatillos

Add the cumin and salt and pepper to taste

Cook until the tomatillos have softened about 5 minutes, remove and let cool (about 5 minutes)

In a blender pureé the tomatillo mixture from the skillet with the lime zest, juice and honey

Tortillas:

Preheat broiler

Place tortillas slightly overlapped on a cookie sheet and heat in oven until lightly brown and pockets form, remove and let cool

Fill the tortillas with the fish, tomatillo salsa and the red cabbage and enjoy!

Makes 8 flour tortillas full of fish taco deliciousness:)

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