GRILLED CAJUN SHRIMP

If you love shrimp and Cajun cuisine, you will love this easy and fast entrée. It's a perfect end of summer barbecue recipe in under 30 minutes.

4 wooden or metal skewers
4 T unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 T Cajun spice (recipe follows)
1 T fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
3 scallions, finely chopped
Lemon wedges, for serving

If using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes or more.

In a small saucepan, add the butter, garlic, Cajun spice, and lemon juice over medium heat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat and set aside.

Thread 5 shrimp on each skewer and place on baking sheet or in a long casserole dish.
Drizzle some of the marinade over the shrimp. Turn over and add a little more.

Prepare your barbecue grill for medium-high heat.
Place skewered shrimp over heat, close lid, and grill for 2 minutes.
Carefully flip over, using tongs, close lids, and grill another 2 minutes.

Place on a platter or 2 dinner plates. 
Drizzle with the rest of the marinade and sprinkle top with scallions.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 2

Cajun Seasoning
3 T paprika
2 T sea salt
2 T ground black pepper
1 T ground white pepper
2 T garlic powder
2 T cayenne pepper
2 T onion powder
2 T dried thyme

Pour all ingredients in a jar fitted with a lid. Shake to combine and store up to one year.

Creole Seasoning
To the above ingredients add 1 T dried oregano and 1 T dried basil.

PAN-ROASTED PORTERHOUSE STEAKS WITH BLUE CHEESE BUTTER

Porterhouse steaks are the same as T-Bone steaks, only larger, and that is because there is a larger portion of the tenderloin. Porterhouse is known as the "King of the T-Bones".
To test steaks for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer.
Rare - 125-130 F
Medium-rare - 130-140 F
Medium - 140-150 F
Medium well - 150-155 F

Blue Cheese Butter
4 T unsalted butter, softened
3 T crumbled blue cheese
1 clove garlic, pressed 

Take steaks out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, mash the butter, blue cheese, and garlic with a fork.
Place on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a thick log of about 2 to 3 inches.
Place in refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to hardly slightly while cooking steaks.

2 Porterhouse steaks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T avocado oil
2 T unsalted butter
2 T fresh rosemary, leaves chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper.
Place a large cast-iron skillet on the stove over high heat.
Add the avocado oil and butter.
Place steaks in pan and let sear for 2 minutes. 
Turn over and let sear for another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the rosemary leave and place skillet with steaks in oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, depending upon how rare you like your steaks.

Bring out of oven and add a pat of the Blue Cheese Butter to each steak and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

DELMONICO POTATOES

Delmonico Potatoes originated in the famous Delmonico Hotel restaurant in lower Manhattan, New York City, in the mid 19th century. I serve these potatoes with pan roasted Porterhouse steaks and sautéed mushrooms.

5 medium size Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

1 T avocado oil

½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T unsalted butter

1 T avocado oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ t grated nutmeg

½ cup chicken stock or broth

¼ cup half-and-half

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a food processor, fitted with a coarse grater, grate the potatoes.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the tablespoon of oil until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic and sauté another minute. 

Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet add the two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of avocado oil. Cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 10 minutes until a little golden.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the potatoes and mix through. 

Add the nutmeg and chicken stock and cook another couple of minutes. 

Add the half-and-half and half of the grated cheese and mix through.

Pour into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 

Serves 4 to 6

BOURBON FRONT PORCH LEMONADE

Summertime and the livin' is easy. Having a cocktail on the front porch is such a southern tradition.

2 bunches fresh mint leave, plus 2 sprigs for garnish
4 oz Kentucky bourbon
6 oz lemonade (I used Simply Lemonade)
Juice of ½ lemon

2 oz ginger simple syrup

Lemon slices, for garnish

Ginger Simple Syrup
1 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Place ginger, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until reduced by half and slightly thickened.
Strain into a small pitcher or glass and let cool.

Place mint leaves in a cocktail shaker or small pitcher.
Muddle the leaves for a few seconds.
Fill container halfway with ice.
Add bourbon, lemonade, lemon juice, and 2 ounces of the ginger simple syrup.

Strain into two cocktail glasses with ice and garnish each drink with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint.

Serves 2

PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

When you have an abundance of green tomatoes in your garden near the end of the growing season, it's time to make pickled green tomatoes.

4 quart-size wide mouth canning jars

6 cups filtered water or spring water
½ cup pickling salt or canning salt
16 to 20 small to medium size green tomatoes
20 to 24 green cherry tomatoes
1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
8 fresh bay leaves, thoroughly rinsed (provides tannins for crunchy tomatoes)
1 T yellow mustard seeds, per jar
2 t dehydrated minced onions, per jar
1 t coriander seeds, per jar
1 t black peppercorns, per jar
1 t dill seeds, per jar
½ t red pepper flakes, per jar (optional)

Sterilize the canning jars by immersing them in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove from the boiling water and place upside down on a clean dry tea towel.

In a saucepan, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil. 
Add the salt and mix until the salt is fully dissolved.
Allow to cool to room temperature.

Rinse tomatoes under cold running water and then place them in a colander.
Remove stem end from tomatoes and cut the larger tomatoes in half or quarters.
Cut off any imperfections and place in a large bowl.
Using a large sewing needle, pierce a few of holes in the bottom of the cherry tomatoes and place in the bowl.

Equally pack tomatoes into each canning jar. 
Add equal amounts of onion to each jar.
Add 1 clove garlic to each jar.
Add 2 bay leaves per jar and follow with the spices.

Pour the cool brine evenly over the tomatoes.
Cover loosely with the canning lids and seals and place the jars on a baking sheet or pizza pan.

Place in a cool, dark place 5 to 7 days. A perfect place is in your pantry.
Take the lids off everyday, after 3 days, to check for the progress of your fermentation.
It should develop a pleasant, lightly sour scent and fizz when opened.

Refrigerate after 5 to 7 days.
Allow to ferment for another 2 weeks in the refrigerator before eating.

Tomatoes will keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 months.


P.S. My were perfect after 5 days and then I refrigerated them. 

POMEGRANATE MARGARITAS

Margaritas are a favorite summer time cocktail. I didn't add a simple syrup which would have made this drink too sweet. The pomegranate juice and cointreau sweeten it up enough.

3 limes

Sugar

2 oz pomegranate juice

4 oz tequila

2 oz lime juice (juice from 2 to 3 limes)

2 oz Cointreau

Cut three round slices from a lime and cut a slice into the lime circles.

Rub the rim of 2 glasses.

Grate the rest of the lime into a small plate or bowl.

Pour in sugar and mix with a spoon.

Dip rim of the glass into the sugar and place glasses in freezer.

In a cocktail shaker or pitcher, combine the pom, tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau.

Shake or stir and pour into the chilled glasses.

Garnish with the lime circles.

Makes 2 drinks

BRUNETTE, STRAWBERRY BLONDE, & TOWHEAD

Brunette with brown eyes, strawberry blonde with blue eyes, and towhead with green eyes. . . .all from the same parents! We don't look very happy.