Wordless Wednesday {{linky}}

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

When my hubby took his company command, he wanted something special to give his soldiers when they get back from deployments, or leaving or whatever the case might be. So I gathered images from his K9 company and created this composition in photoshop. This is a really small rendering/quality of the picture. It looks wonderful printed out and framed. My hubby loved it and said I make a really good commander's wife. HAHA! I'm loved =)

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Quick Shrimp Tacos

On our trip to Mississippi then Alabama's Gulf Shores, we bought 65 POUNDS of shrimp to bring back with us. We love shrimp that much! And its much cheaper that way, duh! So I'm going to make lots of shrimp dishes because I have LOTS of shrimp!

QUICK SHRIMP TACOS

8 6-inch tortillas
1 lime
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp ground coriander
kosher salt
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup  red onion, finely diced
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined [est about 5 per taco]
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the tortillas in foil and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Turn off the oven; leave the tortillas in the oven until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, finely grate 3/4 tsp. zest from half of the lime. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the zested half to yield 1 Tbs. juice. Cut the other half into 4 wedges.
• In a small bowl, stir the sour cream, 1/2 tsp. of the lime zest, 1/4 tsp. of the coriander, and a large pinch of salt; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the shrimp, the remaining 3/4 tsp. coriander, the cumin, pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the lime juice and remaining zest and stir to coat. Remove from the heat.
• Put some of the cabbage, cilantro, and sour cream on each tortilla and top with the shrimp. Fold in half and serve immediately with the lime wedges on the side.

recipe from www.finecooking.com

FBF: Fresh Frasiers

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

DARING BAKERS CHALLENGE: FRESH FRASIERS

click on image to see full post from 7/27/11

Purple Mashed Potatoes

I saw these in our commissary and I grabbed them because I've never seen them before and I love experimenting with new foods! Turns out, they are quite popular, and quite loved! I kept hearing they are great when roasted, so I didn't listen and made them into mashed potatoes.

PURPLE MASHED POTATOES

2 pounds purple potatoes, estimated 9-10 pieces
4 tblsp butter
1 tblsp rosemary
2 tsp salt
milk

• Boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• In a large kitchen-aid mixer, beat potatoes, butter, rosemary, salt and enough milk to make it right consistency.
• Adjust seasoning to your taste!

Click HERE to see recipe for the cinnamon pork tenderloin

Wordless Wednesday {{linky}}

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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CALLING ALL W/W BUTTONS!

If you would like to swap w/w buttons, let me know! I'm making a new section in my blogroll for these hops I love being a part of every week.

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We've been spending a LOT of time at the pool this summer! Its just way too hot to be anywhere otherwise!

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Cinnamon Pork Tenderloin

CINNAMON PORK TENDERLOIN

3 tblsp soy sauce
3 tblsp cooking sherry
1 tblsp brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pork loin, about 2 pounds [or 2 smaller ones--adjust cooking time]

• In large resealable bag, combine first 6 ingredients. Add pork; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 4-6 hours.
• Drain and reserve marinade. Grill pork, covered, over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 degrees F, turning occasionally.
• Let meat stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• While meat rests, combine cornstarch and water. 
• Pour marinade in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, add cornstarch and continue simmering until the mixture is at the right consistency for sauce.

Check back on thursday for the recipe for the purple potatoes!

Kiwi Yogurt Smoothie

SMOOTHIE MONDAY

KIWI YOGURT SMOOTHIE

My kids have been begging me to make a smoothie with kiwi's, so I finally gave in. Kiwi is a delicious fruit, however, it can be really ripe and sweet, or really sour. I usually get a combination, I can really tell the difference until I eat it. So with that, I made a smoothie, then needed to "re-do" it with a little bit of sugar added. I didn't realize how much the sour takes over the sweet.

5-6 fresh kiwis, peeled
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tblsp sugar

• In a blender, process until smooth. Serves 2 big glasses.

FBF: Canning: Blueberry Jam

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

CANNING: BLUEBERRY JAM

Click on image to see full post from 7/21/11

Caprese-Style Grilled Chicken

CAPRESE-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN

2 tblsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tblsp olive oil
3 tomatoes, seeds removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz angel hair pasta, cooked according to package

• Whisk together vinegar, garlic, mustard, mint, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly so mixture emulsifies.
• In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil and 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Cover and set aside.
• Heat grill to medium-high heat, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Brush chicken with remaining dressing and season with remaining salt and pepper. Grill 5 to 6 minutes per side or until the middle is no longer pink (160 degrees F).
• Scatter cheese over top during last minute of cooking.
• Toss cooked pasta with half of the tomato salad. Serve with chicken and remaining tomato salad.

recipe from Family Circle Magazine July 2012 Edition

Wordless Wednesday {{linky}}

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

We gave my daughter some horseback riding lessons for her birthday! You can say she's in "horse-heaven"!

Practicing some balance techniques

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Veal Chops & Spaghetti Squash

VEAL CHOPS WITH THYME AND ROSEMARY

2- 8-oz veal loin or rib chops about 1-inch thick1 tablespoon of vegetable oil3 tablespoons vegetable oil3 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

• Preheat the oven to 250°F.
• Season the veal chops well with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil with the garlic, rosemary and thyme spread the mixture over both sides of the chops.
• Heat an oven-proof skillets over medium high heat.
• Heat oil over high heat and when hot, place the chops in each skillet and sear the meat for approximately 3 minutes per side.
• Serve warm and with the spaghetti squash.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice spaghetti squash in half across the smaller width. Remove the seeds and "guts" using a big spoon.
• Invert the squash sides on a cookie sheet and cook for 45 minutes.
• Remove squash from oven and let cool for 15 minutes or until easy to handle.
• Use a fork and scrape out the squash and place into a bowl. 
• Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of brown sugar and a few tablespoons of butter and mix thoroughly until it is all melted.
• Serve warm with veal chops.

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

SMOOTHIE MONDAY

PEANUT BUTTER CUP SMOOTHIE

3 cups vanilla-flavored soy milk 
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
• Drizzle chocolate syrup around a glass, then pour in smoothie mix.
• Serves 4

FBF: Bacon & Sage Potato Gnocchi

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

BACON & SAGE POTATO GNOCCHI

Click on image to see full post from 7/14/11

Wordless Wednesday {{linky}}

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

I didn't participate in the hop last week, and this is why! Spent the week in Mississippi and Alabama visiting family and going to Gulf Shores. Loved it! And I'm burnt to a crisp =)

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Chicken Skewers w/ Blackberry Sauce

Another recipes using the wild blackberries!

ROSEMARY CHICKEN SKEWERS W/ BLACKBERRY SAUCE

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons red currant jelly
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

• In a medium bowl, mix the chicken with the rosemary, wine, pepper and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade for later. 
• Thread chicken onto the skewers and season generously with salt. 
• Grill on high heat from 4-5 minutes each side. When done, place on platter and cover with foil to allow the chicken to rest.

For the Sauce:

• Place the remaining marinade and berries into a sauce pan and simmer gently until berries are soft.
• Press the berry mixture through a strainer and discard the pulp.
• Return the juice to sauce pan and add vinegar, jelly and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1/3 cup and has the consistency of syrup.
• Drizzle over chicken and serve.

Green Machine Smoothie

SMOOTHIE MONDAY

THE GREEN MACHINE

    

3 cups green grapes, washed and stems removed, frozen
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1-1/2 cups apple juice

• In a blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serves 4.

Lamb & Feta Stuffed Bell Peppers

LAMB & FETA STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

1 tblsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4-5 medium bell peppers, any color
2 tblsp fresh dill, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup cooked rice
1 lb ground lamb
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup cold water
1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp white granulated sugar

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat old in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Add in garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.
• Slice top off peppers and remove seeds. Stand peppers upright in a square baking dish, or rectangle if using more than 4 peppers.
• In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, dill, salt, allspice and pepper. Mix in rice and lamb then fold in feta cheese. Stuff peppers with mixtures.
• Mix tomato sauce with water, lemon juice and sugar. Pour over peppers allowing enough to pool in dish. Cover in foil.
• Bake peppers for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes, basting with sauce every 15 minutes. Make sure internal temperatures reach at least 165 degrees F. Serve hot.

Portobello Lamb Chops

PORTOBELLO LAMP CHOPS

3/4 cup peach preserves
1 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
4 lamb chops
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
4 large portobello mushrooms

• In small bowl, combine the first four ingredients. our 1/3 cup of marinade into large resealable plastic bag; add lamb chops. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
• In small bowl, combine oil and rosemary; brush over mushrooms.
• Grease grill rack and grill lamb chops and mushrooms, uncovered, over medium heat for 8-10 minutes each side. 
• Baste frequently with reserved marinade.
• Make sure meat reaches 145 degrees for medium, 160 degrees medium and 170 for well done.
• Slice mushrooms and serve with lamb chops.

Greek Vegetables

Do you recognize these veggies? I served them with my Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze that was posted yesterday. This is an excellent side to any dish. You can use basically any vegetable in the mix to cater to your likeness!

GREEK VEGETABLES

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1/2 bundles asparagus, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fried oregano

• Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
• After slicing all the vegetables, toss with olive oil. Split the batch into 2 different bowls.
• In one bowl, toss vegetables with rosemary. In the other bowl, with oregano.
• Then place the vegetables in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the over for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
• Place vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle feta cheese over top. Serve warm.

Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze

Why don't we just call this "lamb week" since it seems that it is the only thing I'm cooking recently! Goes to show how much we LOVE it!

GRILLED LAMB

with BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 lamb chops

• In a small bowl, mix first 7 ingredients until well blended.
• Rub over chops and place on plate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat grill on high.
• Place lamb chops on grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.

Look later on this week for recipes for the veggies!