Tag Archives: summer recipes

Favorite Sugar Cookie

blog sunflowers

Inspired by one of my favorite flowers, sunflowers, I grabbed my favorite sugar cookie recipe, thank you Alton Brown, and created a sunflower cookie to serve here by the bay while entertaining! Of course this recipe could be made in any shape that inspires you. Find the right cookie cutter and colored sanding sugar and start creating!

From by the bay, wishing you yummy sunflower food memories!

Maryann

 

 

blog sunflower cookies

Sugar Cookies

From the Food Network, Alton Brown

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat. Sprinkle with colored sanding sugar and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe.html?oc=linkback

blog sunflower cookies 2

Spicy Zucchini Pineapple Salsa

I wish I could take credit for this recipe but sadly can not.  This delicious recipe was recently featured on ” The Food Network Kitchen” by the renown Chef Geoffrey Zakarian. The salsa was featured along with grilled brine pork chops. I immediately wanted to try this salsa and have found myself making it over and over again, especially now that we are into the zucchini season. This salsa needs it own moment it’s that good, the balance of texture and taste is perfection. It works as a side to  almost any kind of pork . I recently served it along with a country baked ham, but it would be great with chicken or just with some tortilla chips. Thank you Chef Zakarian!!

From by the bay, wishing you spicy salsa food memories!

Maryann

 

blog zuchini pineapple salsa

Spicy Zucchini Pineapple Salsa

As seen on “The Food Network Kitchen” by Geoffrey Zakarian

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2/3 cup small- diced zucchini

2/3 cup small -diced fresh pineapple

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves torn

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots

1 teaspoon finely minced jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chardonnay or white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger ( optional)

fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Let marinate for at least one hour or refrigerate until ready to serve.

–

 

Homemade Beer Mustard

Another inspiration from my weekend of country music at Farmborough was the Hill Country food –  http://www.hillcountrywdc.com/

How can you resist food where the catchphrase is “Music to your mouth”. They served up their house made hot link with shiner ( beer from Texas) mustard, indeed, music to my mouth!! I had to make some shiner beer mustard, below is my version so you can serve it up at your next barbecue!

From by the bay, wishing you shiner food memories!

Maryann

blog shiner beer

Homemade Beer Mustard

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces yellow mustard seeds

1 1/2 ounces black mustard seeds

4 ounces beer or lager ( such as Shiner Bock)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dried yellow mustard

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup chopped white onion

Directions

Mix the mustard seeds and beer together in bowl, cover and set aside overnight. (The mustard seeds will soften and soak up most of the beer. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then blend in a food processor until nearly smooth (you may need to do this is batches). Spoon the mustard into clean jars; tap gently to remove all the air bubbles. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.

blog mustard

Corn in a Cup

Last weekend was the first country music festival in New York City!  I’m a big fan of country music and there were many great musicians who made it to the big apple to partake in the festivities held on Randall’s Island – from up and coming artists such as the fantastic Striking Matches and Dallas Smith to big name artists such as Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan. Three days of great music and some really good food. One of the things that I tried at the festival was corn in a cup. What a yummy treat. Corn in a cup is a traditional Mexican street food, which is made with Queso Fresco crumbled cheese. The version I tasted at the festival used parmesan cheese which was delicious and cheese I always have on hand in my home. I made these little cups in advance and heated in the microwave for 1 minute before serving. I’m planning on serving corn in the cup this holiday weekend!

From by the bay wishing you creamy corn food memories!

Maryann

 

blog corn cups

Corn in a Cup

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 ears sweet corn, husked and silks removed
8 teaspoons Mexican sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
Fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
optional: chopped chives to garnish

Directions

Using a knife remove all the kernels from the husk and place in a bowl.  Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the corn kernels and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain corn. In a bowl add the butter and top with the strained hot corn. Mix until butter is melted, salt and pepper to taste. Take for glass cups fill each half way with corn, add 1 teaspoon of sour cream and 1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese. Top with corn and add another teaspoon each of sour cream and parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately or don’t add chives cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Microwave for 1 minute , garnish with chives and serve.

farm

Jalapeno Hummus

Bring and party or barbecue to life with this easy hummus recipe, with just enough heat from the fresh jalapeno pepper. The fresh bright taste of these ingredients definitely say summer! Hummus is so easy to make just a few ingredients in a food processor . The taste is so much better than store brought! Serve with home pita bread and it’s a light summer meal!

From by the bay, wishing you Middle Eastern food memories!

Maryann

blog jalap hummus

Jalapeno Hummus
15.5 ounces Chick Peas / Garbanzos , drained and rinsed
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Serve cold or room temperature with pita chips or homemade pita ( recipe below)
 blog pita

Home made Pita Bread

Adapted from mygreekdish.com as posted by

 

Ingredients

  • 17 1/2 ounces  all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 glass of lukewarm water (40C)

 

Instructions

  1. To prepare this pitta bread recipe start by sieving the flour into your mixer’s bowl. Add the yeast, sugar and salt and blend with a spoon.
  2. Add a little bit of water and start mixing, using the dough hook. Pour in the water a little bit at a time, at a steady stream, whilst mixing. Wait each time for the water to be absorbed and continue adding some more.
  3. Depending on the flour, the dough may or may need a little bit less water than this pita bread recipe calls for. After mixing for a while, the dough for your pita bread should become an elastic ball. If the dough is still crumbled, you should add some more water. If it becomes too sticky, this means that you added more water than needed. In that case, add 1 tsp of flour and continue mixing.
  4. When done, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place, for at least 1 hour, until it doubles its size. This is an important step for this pita bread recipe, so that the pita bread becomes fluffy and soft.
  5. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead a little bit with your hands. Split in 6 evenly sized portions.
  6. To form the pita bread, you can either use a rolling pin, or stretch it with your hands for a more rustic look (and my preference actually ), about 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Heat an outdoor grill.  Put the stretched dough on the grill and close the cover. Let bake a minute or two and flip the bread. Grill another minute and remove. If you don’t want to use the grill – heat a non-sticking frying pan to medium-high heat (with no grease) and fry each pita bread for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until slightly colored and still soft. To give more color, push the pita bread with a wooden spoon on the pan. Remove the serve.

Jalapeno Kale Coleslaw

blog jalapeno slaw

I’m getting ready for the summer and grilling season, which has me in the kitchen testing new light side dishes. Here is a delicious new take on a favorite classic, coleslaw. My slaw adds some shredded kale, the dressing is light and bright using fresh lime juice along with fresh jalapeno and olive oil. Using the food processor ensures that the jalapeno flavor is subtle and it doesn’t add much heat but lots of flavor. You’ll love to add this dish to your summer meals.

From by the bay , wishing you bright summer food memories!

Maryann

 

blog jalapeno slaw 2

Jalapeno Kale Coleslaw

Serves 6

Ingredients for salad

1 head of green cabbage , finely shredded

1 cup of kale, remove ribs and finely shredded

1/2 cup red onion finely sliced

Ingredients for dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of 4 limes

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 small jalapeno seeded and chopped

Directions

To make dressing combine all the ingredients in a food processor and first pulse and then mix until emulsified. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad

A classic Greek salad combination is watermelon with feta., it’s one of those perfect food pairings- sweet and juicy watermelon paired with creamy and salty feta cheese. This recipe gives this classic a new twist by grilling the watermelon. The natural sugars in the watermelon caramelizes when grilled, heightening the sweetness of the fruit. It’s and easy salad to make and perfect summer food fare. Enjoy!

From by the bay wishing you sweet and salty food memories!

Maryann

 

blog grilled watermelon salad

Grilled Watermelon and Feta Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 limes
  • 4 watermelon slices cut inch thick (sweet and ripe)
  • 8 ounces feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh italian parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons and put in a small bowl adding the juice of two limes. This will soften the onion and making it more transparent and pink.
Slice the the watermelon into 1 inch slices including the rind. Cut into triangle shapes. Heat grill and brush both sides of each watermelon slice using 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place on grill for about 3 minutes per side, until  charred.  To assemble the salad place watermelon on platter. Crumble feta cheese over the watermelon. Toss over the salad the parsley and mint. Sprinkle the red onion over the salad along with lime juice. Drizzle remain olive oil and add pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

blog grilled watermelon

Sweet Corn and Blueberry Ice Cream

 Trying to make the most of this season’s fresh corn, lead me down the path of making corn into a dessert. Summer’s sweet corn makes a wonderful ice cream especially paired with another summer favorite blueberries.  I use both the cut kernels and the cobs with milk, sugar and cream to create this delicious creamy ice cream, mixed and topped with blueberry compote. When you taste the ice cream, it taste familiar and sweet. The taste of corn is subtle and rich. It’s a perfect summer treat!

 From by the bay,wishing you summer sweet corn memories!

Maryann

blog sweet corn ice cream

Sweet Corn and Blueberry Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

  • 4 ears fresh young corn, shucked
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 1 cup whole fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Cut kernels off each ear of corn and place into a large saucepan. Break cobs into pieces and also add to pan. Add to the pan the milk, cream , 3/4 cup sugar and xanthan gum. Place on medium heat , bring mixture to a low boil for 5 to 10 minutes until mixture is thicken slightly and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, remove cobs. Using an immersion blender, puree kernels. ( You can also use a blender to liquidfy but the immersion blender is quickest and easier clean up). Let corn mixture infuse for about an hour and then pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. When straining make sure you are using the back of a spoon to push the liquid through. Also scrap the liquid from the bottom of the strainer in the bowl. Place bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 3 hours. In the meantime, to a small sauce pan add blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan . Place on medium heat until the blueberries start to pop and mixture thickens. Set aside to cool. Make the sweet corn mixer in an ice cream maker according to directions. Right when the ice cream is ready slowly pour the blueberry sauce into the ice cream to swirl one or two times. Pour into a freezer safe container and store in freezer until ready to serve.

 

Blackberry Corn and Jalapeno Salad

This simple and delicious corn salad combines great flavors of the season : corn, blackberries, jalapeno peppers and basil. Fresh lime juice brightens the flavors. It’a a refreshing and colorful side dish , that works with most grilled entrees.

From by the bay, wishing you corn and blackberry food memories!

Maryann

blog corn blackberry

Blackberry Corn and Jalapeno Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 5 ears of corn, shucked
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice ( 2-3 limes)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced in half rings
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 6 ounces fresh blackberries
  • 3 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves

Directions

In a large pot of salted water boiling water add corn for 3 minutes. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop cooking. cool corn down with water. While corn is cooling, place red onion in lime juice and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to soften. When corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob. Place kernels in a large bowl, along with the olive oil, red onions with lime juice and jalapeno. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Just before serving add the blackerries and mint and gently toss.

 

 

 

Shrimp BLT Roll

I was craving a lobster roll, but that takes money, time and some real commitment.  This is the lazy girl’s lobster roll, but without compromising taste!  The shrimp are easy to make and if you are even more lazy and sometimes I am , I buy the shrimp already cooked, in which case you are whipping up this shrimp roll in minutes……..held back by how fast you can crisp up those slices of bacon!! The roll has a slight kick from the hot sauce the a fresh tangy taste from the lemon juice. This is a perfect quick summer dinner especially on those hot evenings when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen or at the grill!

From by the bay , wishing you some BLT food memories!

Maryann

blog shrimp roll

Shrimp BLT Roll

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 bay leave
  • 1 pound headless large shrimp ( 24 -26 per pound), cleaned and deveined
  • 3 thick slices slab bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
  • 1/2 cup high quality store bought mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 red tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 4 leaves soft green lettuce, such as boston or butter
  • 4 top loading hot dog buns
  • 2 scallions, ( use white and green parts), finely chopped

Directions

In a stockpot add about 2 quarts water salt and bay leave. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink. Strain removing bay leave and cool shrimp under cold running water to stop from cooking.  When shrimp are completely cool chop and place in bowl along with 1/2 of the chopped scallions.  In a small bowl add mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce, mustard and pepper. Whisk together and pour over the shrimp. Fold sauce and shrimp together. To assemble sandwich open the bun and add 1 slice lettuce, 1/4 chopped tomato, 1/4 shrimp salad. Repeat for remaining shrimp rolls. Garnish each roll with remaining scallions and chopped crispy bacon. Serve immediately.