Chicken or Shrimp Fajitas

 

I made these the other night and they have a muy bueno flavor and everyone really liked them.  I threw the shrimp in the same skillet with the peppers and onions  just as the peppers and onions were about done. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup beer
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken or shrimp
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. To prepare the marinade, stir together beer, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, liquid smoke, cumin, and salt; mix well.
2. To use marinade, pour into a re-sealable plastic bag, add up to 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast, and mix until chicken is well coated. Marinate for 1 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the outside grill or a large indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on the hot grill, discard the marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side, 2 minutes for shrimp. Slice the chicken into strips if you are using.
Serve in a flour tortilla with grilled bell pepper and onions, guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream and pico de gallo.  Wash it down with a sangria swirl!  Delicioso!

Texas Hash Brown Crust Quiche

Ingredients

• 3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 1/2 cup diced green onions
• 1 tbsp finely diced jalapeno
• a sprinkle of tobasco
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top and puffed.

Braised Short Ribs

I tried this Emerill Lagasse recipe last night and it was delicious!  I used red wine instead of red wine vinegar and less beef broth and it was great.  I also added some salt and used less Creole seasoning and I thickened the sauce with 2 Tbsp corn starch and served it over garlic mashed potatoes.  YUM!
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 pounds short ribs, cut into individual ribs ( I used boneless)
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar ( I used 3/4 cup red wine and less broth)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 quarts beef broth or just enough to cover ribs
• 1/4 cup chopped scallion (green part only), for sprinkling

Directions

Heat oil in a dutch oven or large, heavy covered pot over high heat. Season ribs with Creole seasoning, patting it in well with your hands. When pot is nearly smoking add ribs without crowding them and sear on all sides until they form a brown crust. Do this in batches, if necessary. When all ribs have browned, add onions, celery and carrot; saute 1 minute to brown lightly. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, pepper and enough broth to just cover ribs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to gently simmering, cover and simmer until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter plus 3 tbsp
• 24 ounces baby spinach
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• large pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot. Sprinkle in flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until light golden brown. Throw in onion and garlic and stir together, cooking for another minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook for another five minutes while you cook the spinach.

To cook spinach, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a separate pot. Add spinach in increments until all incorporated, and cook until wilted but not soggy, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Season the cream sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach to the cream sauce, stirring gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

  These are just like Momma used to make and took me back to when I was younger.  Momma always made us a pan of filling without the peppers.  I was a picky eater when I was kid but it’s obvious by the size of my rear that I have overcame this affliction. 
Ingredients:

• 6 medium size green bell peppers (or if your pigs like we are 4 large peppers)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups pre-cooked rice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• dash of Worcestershire sauce
• dash of hot sauce
• 1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds and precook for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Brown beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper together.  Next, add rice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and half of the cheese to mixture.  Stuff peppers with mixture and top with other half of grated cheese and place in baking dish.   Place any remaining meat mixture in pan surrounding the peppers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Classic Fish a la Meuniere

Bonjour!  This is a super simple way to prepare fish and it will make you feel very French!  I always use my best French accent when I’m making this.  I know, I know…I’m not right and I won’t try to deny it! 

Ingredients:

Fish:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 fish fillets (each about 3 to 4 oz each white fish such as sole or cod)
• Coarse kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedges

Directions:

For fish:
Place flour in pie dish. Rinse fish; pat with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of fish with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Place on platter.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmers. Add butter; quickly swirl skillet to coat. When foam subsides, add fish and cook until golden on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and cook until opaque in center and golden on bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide fish between 2 warmed plates; tent with foil. Pour off drippings from skillet; wipe with paper towels.

For sauce:
Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice (sauce may sputter). Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with lemon wedges.   Creamed spinach would be nice along side this and maybe some corn cakes.  Tasty!

Salut!

The Spirit of Galveston

 

We haven’t been able to take our yearly mini vacation down to Galveston this year and with this heat weren’t really planning on it.  This video has  made me change my mind.  Dawn at Suburban Wildlife Garden posted this on her blog today and I had to share with all of you as well. 

40,000 trees were killed by Hurricane Ike’s  (2008) storm surge in Galveston.  Many were hundred year old oaks in the historic district and lined the road as you drove through the island.  Hillbilly and I were shocked last year when we went down as it was truly sad looking.  It seems someone has been busy this year carving the trunks into works of art.    You have to love the spirit of Galveston’s people!  Yet  another reason to be proud to be a Texan!