Grilled Shrimp with Black Bean Cakes

Thanks to Living Social deals I was able to make a full seafood dinner for two at half the price, but trust me it didn't taste that way! It was so good. And it was great to be able to really take advantage of living in Seattle where the seafood is as fresh as it gets. I used Chef Craig Common's cookbook; The Common Grill Cookbook for my recipes. I think I have mentioned this restaurant before but he has a wonderful place in Chelsea Michigan and two amazing cookbooks. So this recipe is a little labor intense but it is worth it, trust me. I made scallops for the same meal but I will post that recipe later. They are technically two appetizers but together it is one great meal. The full name of the recipe is Grilled Shrimp with Black Bean Cakes, Santa Fe Chili Butter, Two Tomato Salsa, & Jalapeno Cream.

Also, Thanks to Katie Barnes for making my photos look amazing and adding my blog name to a few of them:) 

The Recipe: 

16 jumbo shrimp, tails on, peeled & divided

Santa Fe Chili Butter (recipe below)

4 black bean cakes (recipe below)

Two Tomato Salsa (recipe below)

Jalapeno Cream (recipe below)

4 tsp parsley, chopped

4 bamboo skewers

Black Bean Cakes

First of all these would be good even on their own or as a burger. And they are pretty simple to make. 

1/2 lb black beans, soaked overnight

1 Tb olive oil

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 cup red pepper, seeded, finely chopped 

1 Tb honey

1 Tb cider vinegar 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

yellow corn meal for dusting

2 Tb melted butter

Santa Fe Chili Butter

2 tsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 clove garlic

2 tsp green onion 

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
3 Tbs butter, softened
1/2 tsp oregano, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch paprika
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch cumin


Two Tomato Salsa

1 large beefsteak tomato
1 Tb olive oil
2 tsp sun dried tomatoes, diced into 1/8" pieces
2 tsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1/4 tsp kosher salt
pinch of black pepper


Jalapeno Cream

1 Tb heavy cream
1 tsp sour cream
1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded, finely chopped
1 tsp cilantro, finely chopped
pinch white pepper
squeeze of lemon juice

So wow, I know that seems like a long list of ingredients and a lot of work, but many of the ingredients are the same in each recipe. You will have a lot going on in the kitchen but many of the steps can be done ahead of time so take advantage of that and do some prep a day or two before you are going to make the shrimp so it is a bit easier and less hectic. Here are the instructions: 

Black Bean Cakes: 

Cover beans with enough water to cook in a sauce pot. Boil and drain. Heat oil in large skillet. Add red onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, red pepper and saute until tender, approx. 5 min. Add black beans. Stir in honey, vinegar, chili powder, and cumin. Simmer over low heat until beans are very tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 min. 

Puree bean mixture in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir until mixture is thick and dry. Cool. 

Form into patties. Dust lightly with yellow corn meal ( I used all- purpose flour and they turned out fine). Brush with melted butter and broil until crisp and golden, approx. 3-4 min. 

Santa Fe Butter:

Place the melted butter, jalapeno, garlic, green onion, Worcestershire, and Tabasco in blender and process until throughly blended. Add softened butter and process until mixed. Add remaining ingredients and process thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Two Tomato Salsa:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cut tomato in half and seed. Rub each half with olive oil. Place in baking pan and bake in oven for 15 min. or until tomatoes shrivel. 

When cool enough to handle dice into 1/4" pieces. Combine diced tomatoes with remaining ingredients, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Jalapeno Cream: 

Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Add remaining ingredients; transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate. Prior to serving, remove from refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature.  

Now the best part Shrimpies! 

Thread 4 shrimp on each bamboo skewer. Brush with Santa Fe Chili Butter and place under broiler or on grill. Cook for 8-10 min. 

Heat the black bean cakes under broiler until golden, approx. 3-4. 

To Serve: 

Place a black bean cake in the center of a serving plate. Arrange shrimp around the cake. Drizzle shrimp with Santa Fe Chili Butter. Spoon Two Tomato Salsa over cake. Drizzle with Jalapeno cream over salsa. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

Zucchini Fries

What do you do with a fresh Zucchini the size of your arm? So many possibilities.... I made a few things including these quick and healthy baked fries! They came out crispy and warm paired perfectly with Thai Sweet Chili sauce. This recipe is has 3 ingredients, it is super easy, little messy, none the less delicious.

The Recipe: 

Zucchini (as much as you want, I used about 1/2 of a huge Zucchini and had more than enough for a party)

2-3 eggs or egg whites (using egg whites will cut the fat out if you prefer) 

1 cup of bread crumbs (more if you are making more fries) 

1. Whisk the egg in a bowl 

2. Cut your zucchini into medium size strips 

3. Dip the zucchini strips into the egg, making sure each strip is fully covered, this is the messy part. 

4. Place the egg covered strips into a bowl of bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet. 

5. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until the fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

Serve with a side of dipping sauce, whatever you prefer but I used sweet chili sauce that was a great combo. 

Serve as an appetizer or a side dish. Enjoy!

Food Day!

Today is National Food Day! It is a day to increase awareness on healthy, sustainable food for healthy lives throughout America. Here is a link to more information regarding what the day is all about, click here to be directed the the washington post article, or go to foodday.org to learn more and get involved. 

Simple Apple Crisp

I have not been making as many seasonal "fall dishes" this year as I usually do, unfortunately. But I am going to start! What better way to start than with apple crisp! It is so simple, fresh, and delicious. This recipe is pretty healthy too, as far as desserts; especially if you were to compare it to most apple pies.

The Recipe: 

5-6 small-medium apples 

Cinnamon & Sugar - I just sprinkle a little on until I think it looks good, less than 1/4cup should do it

For the top:

1 cup oats
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix all dry ingredients together, add butter and stir until combined.

Peel and chop the apples- I chopped mine too thin; I would recommend thicker slices, they won't dry out as much so you will get juicier apples.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar together
Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture in with the apple slices- stir until apples are evenly coated.

Place apples in a pie dish.
Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the apples.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until you see some juice bubbling

Serve warm with a scoop of frozen yogurt and enjoy! 

Fluffy French Toast

The first time I made french toast I made it with no recipe, just some spices and eggs. I had never made it before and thought it was very easy and hard to mess up, no matter what I used. It turned out edible but not the best french toast I had ever had. SO I was sent this recipe and it is perfect, easy, very fluffy, homemade french toast... Lets just say it's worth using a recipe.

The Recipe: 

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon PLUS 1 ½ tsp Sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 cups of milk

6 eggs

1 tablespoon cinnamon (I don’t measure just sprinkle in mixture till I think it’s enough)

18 slices of French Bread, or use cinnamon swirl bread

Beat flour, sugar, salt, milk and eggs with hand mixer until smooth. Add cinnamon

Soak bread in egg mixture until saturated.

Cook bread in skillet until golden brown

Share with family and friends and enjoy a wonderful weekend breakfast! 

Caprese Kababs

Need a great, healthy, finger food appetizer for a dinner party or event. Caprese salad on a toothpick are a perfect choice. They look cute and pretty and they make no mess, but be warned they take a little longer to make than you would think. I sat down at about 11:00pm to make these the night before a party thinking they would take me only about 10 minutes... little did I know, I was still siting there about 45 minutes later. But it turns out it was well worth it because they were a huge hit! 

The Recipe: 

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 12 oz container of fresh mozzarella balls

Fresh basil leaves- if you have your own plant use that! otherwise just one package will be enough

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

Toothpicks

Slice the tomatoes in half. Slide one half of the tomato on to the toothpick, followed by a piece of fresh basil, mozzarella ball, and the other half of the tomato. You can finish it off with another piece of basil if you would like to. 

Line all of your kababs onto a plate and pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top. Refrigerate up to one night if you are not using it right away. The sooner the better. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Gelato with Toasted Pistachios

It's summer and there is nothing better, in my mind than Gelato any day or time or the week. If you have ever been to Italy I am sure you know what Gelato is, for those who don't know your about to learn what you have been missing out on. Gelato is basically the Italian version of ice cream. The main difference between the two is simply that ice cream is more airy. This makes gelato more dense and more creamy and delicious if you ask me. So go ahead and try this recipe it is simple to make all you need is an ice cream maker. Please note this recipe does not yield a large amount so if you are planning to feed more than about 4 people you may want to double the recipe.

The Recipe: 

Gelato 

3 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 cup whole milk

Pistachios

1 tablespoon warm water

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

For the Gelato: 

Put chocolate and sugar in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine cream and salt; heat just to a boil, then remove from heat and and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has dissolved and custard is combined, then stir in milk. Chill custard in refrigerator, covered, until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker.

 For Pistachios:

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl, combine water and salt; stir to dissolve salt. Add nuts and stir to combine. Spread mixture on a prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until nuts are dry and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Stir nuts into ice cream when it is done in the ice cream maker. Enjoy! (I ate mine over chocolate brownies.)

 

Double White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

If you are a fan of Take Five Candy bars you will love these cookies! What can be better than sweet and salty?! Sea salt is a very "trendy" ingredient in many desserts, and for good reason. It enhances the sweetness while giving a rich natural hint of salt. This cookie has just the right amount of density, crunch, soft, and added goodies. I had thought I made too many for a BBQ but sure enough by the end of the night everyone was asking for more.

The Recipe:

1 stick softened butter, 8 tablespoons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, to melt
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (reserve 2 tablespoons to add to melting white chips)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces
1 Cup additional white chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Melt white chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons peanut butter over a double boiler until melted.  

2. Add melted chocolate chips  and remaining peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

3.  Place flour, baking soda and salt in bowl; mix to combine.  Add to wet ingredients until just combined then pour in pretzels and additional white chocolate chips. 

4. With a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  With the palms of your hand, gently press down each cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness.  Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of sea salt.   Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges become golden and slightly crisp.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before

Recipe complements of picky-palate

Funky Fusion Fajitas

Who doesn't love a good Mexican themed dinner? On a hot summer night people want to barbeque and share a great meal together. This recipe fuzzes the two together, making for a successful party anytime (and it won the competition in a Bobby Flay Throwdown, need I say more?). The great thing is you really can tailor your meal to your own liking. Adding any type of vegetable and as many as you want can help you get to your recommended 5 servings a day quickly and deliciously. Make the guacamole as mild or as hot as you would like. This recipe may look like it calls for a lot of ingredients but, 1) You may have most of them on hand anyway and 2) It is totally worth it even if you don't! Start your meal with salsa, guacamole and chips, paired with skinny margaritas and you have a party!

Recipe for the Skinny Margaritas:

1 gallon lemonade crystal light
1/2 liter diet 7-up
1 fresh lime, juiced
as much tequila as you feel needed :)
Ice

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and crush to desired consistency. Enjoy!

Recipe for the Fajita:

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground ginger
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (1 1/4 lb) flank steak (I used organic, free range chicken)
1/2 red onion , sliced into 1/2 inch thick half-moons
1 green pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
1 yellow or red pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
4 green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
12 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Guacamole (recipe below)
Screamin' sour cream (recipe below)

1. Combine the white wine, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, ketchup, dark brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, ground ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk together. Remove about 1/2 cup and set aside for serving. 

 

 2. Tenderize the meat by piercing it all over with a fork. Place the meat in a resealable plastic bag, pour the rest of the marinade into the bag, and seal. Refrigerate the meat for at least 2 and up to 4 hours. 

3. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. 

4. Heat the grill to medium-high

5. Remove the meat from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Grill to your desired doneness. Let the meat rest for 10 min. while you cook the vegetables.

6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and remaining marinade, and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. 

7. Slice the meat into pieces across the grain. Spread each tortilla with guacamole and top with meat, vegetables, and some sour cream, and a drizzle of the reserved marinade if desired. 

Recipe for the Screamin Sour Cream:

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons hot sauce 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Recipe for the Guacamole:

1 avocado

2 overflowing tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

2 jalapenos, finely chopped (more or less depending spicyness preference) 

1/2 lime, juiced

Add all ingredients and grind until slightly chunky 

Serve all together in a warm tortilla and enjoy the wonderful, fresh as it gets, Fajita!

Recipe for fajita and sour cream complements of Bobby Flay's Throwdown cookbook