February 22nd, 2010
Bored and don’t know what to make this week for dinner? Sometimes it is such a chore. Believe me, I like to cook but plenty of times I really don’t make up my mind until the last minute. Some people don’t give it another thought; they figure it is just another meal. But to me it is the experience of making something from scratch; not opening another package loaded with salt, fat and “seasonings”. I like to see what I am chopping. I like to smell my food cooking and the combinations of foods on my plate.
Keeping it simple is the best way to go about it. So, the following recipes are easy and I think you might like them.
Baked Chicken Breasts With Parmesan Garlic Crust
1 cup breadcrums, fresh are the best
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (grate it yourself, it is better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 oz. each
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 mayonnaise
lemon wedges for serving
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl and spread evenly over chicken.
Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mayonnaise, pressing lightly.
Bake for about 1/2 hour until the crust gets a nice brown color. Since you are cooking on a higher heat, please make sure you check them so they don’t burn.
Serve it with a nice salad. This recipe is good at any time of the year.
Shrimp and Tomato Chowder
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 13.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
8 ouces medium and peeled, cooked shrimp
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
ground pepper
slivered fresh basil
In a large saucepan, cook celery and onion in hot oil until just tender.
Stir in tomatoes; heat through.
Add shrimp, cream and water. Cook over medium heat until hot.
Season to taste with pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls; garnish with basil.
Makes 2 to 4 four servings depending how hungry you are or if you are serving as a main meal. You can easily double this recipe.
Note: If you can get foccacia wedges from the grocery store or an Italian market, it would really complement the chowder.
Smithfield Ham and Potato Casserole
8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups diced Smithfield ham
1 small onion, minced
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cook the potatoes in slightly salted (optional) water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
Place in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Watch closely so the cheese does not burn. You may choose to cover the dish for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Makies 8 to 10 servings.
Again, this is one of those dishes you might want to adjust to your tasting. You may even substitute the Smithfield ham but that its up to you.
You can use this dish as a side dish or for breakfast with fresh fruit. It could be served at dinner time with fresh asparagus and a salad.
Make it your own and enjoy….See you soon…
February 16th, 2010
It does not matter where you find yourselves, either at the beaches, the mountains or on the bayou, but you have to admit that Carnival is that special time of the year where a celebration is needed. And, Fat Tuesday is definitely a celebration.
Mardi Gras or Carnival are the celebrations that start on or just after the Epiphany and end on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the French for Fat Tuesday; it is the last night of eating richer and fatty foods before fasting during Lent. In English the name is Shrove Tuesday; confession before Lent begins.
In celebration of Fat Tuesday, my menu tonight will be Shrimp Creole with white rice and spinach salad.
My family loves this recipe. I first had it at my old neighbors’ house in Bethany Beach many years ago, the Rooneys. She had been married to a Cajun and had perfected this type of cooking, with heat and strong flavors being the main ingredients.
My Shrimp recipe is from the book by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. He elevated Louisiana cooking to an international level. He opened his K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in the late 70’s. The recipe serves 10 but you can adjusted to half that amount, but I never do since leftovers are so good. I think the flavor just gets better. The other thing you might want to do is substitute some of the fats for leaner fats like olive oil; don’t change the butter, it really adds to it by enriching the flavor of the dish.
Shrimp Creole (a lot of ingredients but don’t be intimidated; it will be easy)
3 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp (I buy the easy to peel shrimp)
2 1/2 cups Basic Shrimp Stock (see below)
1/4 cup chicken, fat, pork lard or beef fat (substitute olive oil)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt (you can adjust this portion)
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
3 cups finely chopped tomatoes (this time of the year use canned)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
For an easy and flavorful stock: Peel the shrimp and put shells in a large saucepan. Set shrimp aside. Add enough chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups. Cut an onion in half and add it without peeling it. Add a few celery ribs and a bay leaf. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes then turn it off and let it just sit there while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Drain, reserve stock when ready to use.
Heat the fat or other fat over high heat. I really substitute that fat in the recipe for olive oil and then as an extra I add a little bit of sausage and let it crumbled up in the olive oil. Probaly just about 2 tablespoons.
Once the fat is heated, then add 1 cup of the onions and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should take a rich brown color, but don’t burn them.
Add the remaining onions, the celelry, bell peppers and butter. Cook over medium high heat until the pepper and the celery start to get tender. Stir.
Then, add garlic, bay leaf, salt and peppers; stir well.
Now, add the Tabasco, thyme, basil and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cook over medium heat. What you are trying to do is marry these seasonings and at the same have the veggies brown further.
Add the tomatoes, then turn the burner to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and scrapping the bottom.
Add tomato sauce and stir for a few minutes and then add the remaining 2 cups of stock and sugar. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
The perfect way to cook the shrimp for this dish is to add them now, turn the heat off and let the shrimp stay there until plump and pink. It will take only about 5 to 10 minutes because the sauce is so hot.
Serve it over rice and a side spinach salad.
Note: This dish is perfect for a party, granting you don’t have a guest with a seafood allergy. You can assemble it up to the point before adding the shrimp. Just put it in the refrigerator and the next day heat it and then add the shrimp just as I mentioned above.
This recipe is not hard. You just have to chop and add here and there. Once you make it and adjust it to your taste, you will love it. You want less heat then do so by adjusting the peppers.
Happy Fat Tuesday!!! Talk to you later…..
February 12th, 2010
If you are ready to get out and shop, the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth Beach are having great sales this week-end. You can visit their website http://tangeroutlet.com/rehobothbeach/coupons and you will find what each store is offering, plus printable coupons.
Some of the sales that caught my eye were:
Aeropostale – Donate your old jeans, any brand or size, including children until 2/14, and you will receive 25% off a new pair for each one you bring. Donations will go to local shelters in the area. In addition, Aeropostale will be sending 100,000 of the donated jeans to those in need in Haiti.
Ann Taylor – Take an additional 40% off your entire purchase until 2/16. There are other sales going on in the store.
Banana Republic – Print coupon until 2/15. Up to 40% off.
Bass – Buy one and get 2 free on selected items until 2/17.
Brooks Brothers – From 2/12 until 2/22 receive 70% off all Fall and Winter Clearance and 25% off all basic new arrivals.
Izod – Until 2/16 they will be having a triple discount sale.
J. Crew will be having a tremendous sale until 2/15.
Kate Spade will let you take 40% off the entire purchase until 2/15.
There are hundreds of stores so go on the site and check it out.
Lewes
Friday, 2/12 and Saturday 2/13 – Venetian Carnival Vernissage featuring the paintings of Anita Peghini-Raber. This event will take place at Preshy’s Restaurant located at Midway Shopping Center, 18585 Coastal Highway, #14. Tel. is 302-645-8300.
A Vernissage is the start of an art exhibition. It means, varnishing in French. This is so because at official exhibitions, artists used to give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them.
This event is the opening celebration with Italian music, wine and food.
A Finissage, with a Carnival Costume Contest for the best 3 characters, will be held on Monday, February 15th from 5 to 7 p.m. An event for all ages.
A Finissage is the ceremonial ending of art exhibitions.
The info. on Vernissage and Finissage was taken from http:/en-wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernissage.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach Mardi Gras – Laissez le bon temps rouler!! Let the Good times Roll!! – February 12 until February 16th – 10 Restaurants are getting ready for New Orleans cuisine, Cajun Cooking and Bourbon St. beverages. There will be Mardi Gras parties, live music and an abundance of beads and more beads.
The participating restaurants are: Dogfish Head Brewery, Dos Locos, Finbar’s, Hobos, Irish Eyes, Mariachi Rest., Pig + Fish Rest. Company, Purple Parrot Grill, Porcini House, Rehoboth Ale House. For more info. on this event and addresses of the restaurants, please call 302-227-2772 or visit http://www.downtownrehoboth.com/downtown_happenings/gumboinformation.htm.
There will be no Gumbo Cook-Off this year, but don’t worry because there will be plenty of the new Orleans signature breakfast called beignets, Po’Boys, Cajun Etouffe and much more Creole food.
Saturday, 2/13 – Second Saturdays Destination Art Walk – Visit downtown Rehoboth art galleries from 2 – 5 p.m. There will be receptions and much more. Please visit www.mosaicrehoboth.com. Mosaic was founded in 2008 to bring recognition and support to the emerging art scene in Rehoboth Beach.
Ocean City, Maryland
Friday 2/12 through Sunday, 2/14 – 27th Annual Seaside Boat Show – This event is held at the Ocean City Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway. See over 300 boats, including sail, pontoon, inshore and offshore, wave runners, boat accessories, arts and crafts, insurance and finance reps. Everything you could possibly want to find out regarding “boating life”.
Important – Please note – Proceeds go to the area youth programs known as the “Boat Show that works for Children”. Admission fee. Friday 11 – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Near Delray Beach, Florida, in the town of Boyton Beach
Art-Sea Living Fine Art and Trunk Show – Location 1628 South Federal Highway, Boyton Beach. Saturday, February 13th from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, February 14th from 12 noon until 5 p.m. – Stop by and meet local artists, watch beautiful demonstrations, enjoy a glass of wine and artistic conversation. Lots of original art, prints, one of a kind pieces and jewelry. This is their only Fine Art Trunk Show of the Season.
Please call 561-737-2600 for more information or visit their website www.art-sealiving.com. Art-Sea Living offers Fine Art & Fun Art Classes and also a Kid’s Spring Art Camp from 3/23-3/26 and 3/30-4/2.
Delray Beach, Florida
Through Sunday, 2/14 is the 11th Annual Garlic Festival at Old School Square Entertainment Pavilion on 51 N. Swinton. Garlic chefs’ competitions, entertainment and more. $12 per day admission.
Saturday, 2/13 – Green Market – Every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at SE 4th Ave., just south of Atlantic. Local produce and baked goods.
Saturday, 2/13 – and Sunday 2/14 – Artists in the Park from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Veterans Park located at Atlantic Ave. and the Intracoastal. This event is sponsored by the Delray Beach Art League.
Saturday, 2/13 – Exhibit – Seashells – Sandoway House located on 142 South Ocean Blvd., a couple of blocks south of Atlantic Ave. on A1A.
It is great to see that events and activities will be going on as we dig out from all the storms we have had here at the Delaware and Maryland Beaches.
Have a great week-end!!! Talk to you later….
February 11th, 2010
Comcast was here even though they could not promise me anything this morning. I was so nice; not upset or frustrated that they decided to make my stop the last one of their route. They really looked tired.
I have pictures of the different storms we have had but, you know what? I am finished with the snow. It is getting old. I am looking forward to an Easter Pet Parade in Delray, green grass, clear beaches, the awakening of Spring and Summer. So, the following pictures are a reminder of better days to come:
 Dog Days of Summer  Spring!!  Fresh Seeds  Easter!!  Figs Growing!!  Paradise Island  Puerto Rico  Nantucket  Pacific Highway, California  Malibu, California  Captiva, Florida - The whitest sand  Beautiful Rehoboth Beach
The perfect pairings with Spring and Summer could be:
Rum Collins
2 ounces white Puerto Rican rum
1 fresh lime, halved
1 tsp. sugar
Soda Water
Squeeze half a lime and drop into a highball glass. Add and dissolve sugar.
Add ice cubes and rum.
Stir and fill with soda water.
Rum Martini
2 ounces white Puerto Rican Rum
Dash of dry vermouth (to taste)
1 fresh lime peel
small white onion or stuffed olive
In a cocktail shaker, stir rum and vermouth with ice and pour.
Add twist of lime peel and onion or olive.
This can also be served on-the-rocks.
Rum Sour
1 1/2 ounces dark Puerto Rican rum
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
Orange slice
Maraschino cherry
In a cocktail shaker, shake rum, lime juice and sugar with ice cubes.
Strain into sour glass and garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Cruzan Swizzle
1 bottle (4/5 quart) St. Croix rum
4 ounces fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) sugar
1/2 tsp. Angostura bitters
3 cups crushed ice
Pour all ingredients in a large pitcher and mix well with swizzle stick, until pitcher frosts.
Serve, unstrained, in a tall glass
It serves 6.
Note: Dark Puerto Rican rum can be used instead of St. Croix rum.
A Salsa Cruda should carry you over until dinner:
Salsa Cruda
1/2 large garlic clove
1 large jalapeno pepper
1/4 medium onion
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves, chopped
1 1/4 cups unpeeled ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup black beans
Peel garlic and chop. Cut pepper in half and remove seeds and ribs, then chop.
Peel onion and also cut into small pieces.
Mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature or if made ahead, just place in the refrigerator.
Note: You can also chop the vegetables in a food processor.
It will make about 2 cups. Serve it with your favorite chips, on top of a baked potato, over a salad, add chopped avocados. Really, whatever makes you happy.
Remember to enjoy it and make it your own.
See you soon…..
February 9th, 2010
My last post; it seems I wrote it weeks ago, but it has only been 4 days. That’s a long time when you have been posting every day. I don’t know what happened, but I am still not connected to the internet. My neighbors are, though, and I do have cable.
Oh well, Comcast should be coming tomorrow, but we are getting another snowstorm tonight so I will have to see. I am presently using the computer at the Internet Cafe inside JavaByte Cafe and Mailbiz Express located at 4590 Highway One (Coastal Highway), Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
Before I even started my blog, I was the type of person that would check my e-mail every so often. Progressively, I checked it all the time; almost like I thought I would be missing something if I didn’t. Not having been able to get on line these past few days have been like going through withdrawal. I have had feelings of frustration, and to top it all I have been housebound. Finally, we got plowed but then with a state of emergency in place, there was no reason to go anywhere.
What is Cabin Fever? It is a term used for claustrophobia caused by being confined due to the elements or by something else. It was first recorded in 1918 but I found out in Wikipedia that it might have been used as early as 1906. Some of the symptons which I actually had, are restlessness, irritability (my husband can attest to that one), laughter, and excessive sleeping. Back in 1820 there was a reference to a fever, common in Ireland, from eating watery potatoes during wet years. I can tell you that my problems are not going to be eating watery potatoes, but will be from eating the whole refrigerator.
My dog, Addy; do you know how hard is to take a small dog outside to do his or her thing when the snow is taller than the dog? Poor Addy, yesterday she disappeared in the snow and I went to get her and I completely lost my shoe. It is somewhere in my yard. No wonder she runs the other way when I start putting my jacket and boots on.
I think is time for a little, visualization? I remember that years ago in a Weight Watchers class they talked about this technique, where you close your eyes and visualize you are in a place that you have loved. Then you control your breathing; inhale and slowly exhale. It does work and I can remember, to this day, that in that class I visualized I was in the island of Vieques; off of the island of Puerto Rico. A gorgeous beach with the sun hitting that blue water and just my husband and I there.
So, as the next storm approaches, and all our beaches are at a standstill, I long for Spring and those Dog Days of Summer.
And then, as I complain about the weather, the roads, cabin fever and no internet, I have to stop and think of those less fortunate people that have been having a very tough time this winter. Having vented; I feel so much better.
Why do I eat so much when I am confined? Boredom? I should not be because I have plenty to do. Let’s see, back to visualizing…bathing suits…Oh no!! A nightmare!!!
I will try to talk to you soon; but if it takes a couple of days is because Comcast could not make it. I do have some pretty good pictures of the storm but cannot get them from this computer.
Got to go because I have to go to that White Sale at Giant….Milk…Eggs…and Bread….
Note: If you are in South Florida, and in the town of Delray Beach, enjoy it even it is a little cooler….Think about us…I am visualizing, sitting outside watching those beautiful palm trees do their thing….
What’s Happening in Delray Beach in the next few days? Here it is:
Thursday, 2/11 – Music & Art in the Grove – Pineapple Grove Arts District from 6 – 9 p.m. Location: 200 N.E. 2nd St. Claire Long with hits from the 50s and 70s plus artists and their work outside City Walk.
Thursday through Sunday, 2/11-2/14 – Is the 11th Annual Garlic Festival at Old School Square Entertainment Pavilion on 51 N. Swinton. Garlic chef competitions, entertainment and more. $12 daily admission.
Saturday, 2/13 – Green Market – Every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at SE 4th Ave., just South of Atlantic. Local produce and baked goods.
Saturday and Sunday, 2/13-2/14 – Artists in the Park from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Veterans Park, located at Atlantic and Intracoastal. Fine art exhibit and sale sponsored by the Delray Beach Art League.
Saturday and Sunday, 2/13-2/14 – Exhibit – Seashells – Sandoway House located on 142 South Ocean Blvd. a couple of blocks south of Atlantic and A1A.
January 30th, 2010
What can I say, it’s Winter Time!! But what a difference a day makes!! Yesterday, I was driving around and taking pictures of Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach and today I cannot even drive. The snow is deep, it is windy and cold. But most of all, it is very quiet.
Here are a few sights:
 "Announced by all the trumpets of the sky, arrives the snow." by Ralph Waldo Emerson  "Beautiful feathery flakes of snow, Over the woodland and field they go, Making a blanket so warm and deep, Over the flowers that lie asleep." by Mary Louise Allen  The Golf Course  A Solitary Feeder  A Feast  "Snow makes whiteness where it falls, The bushes look like popcorn balls, And places where I always play, Look like somewhere else today" by Mary Louise Allen
As the evening embraced the Delmarva Peninsula, the snow got deeper and heavier.
 Still Snowing  "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." by Albert Camus
Tomorrow is another day for…..cleaning the driveway? Have a good one!! Talk to you later…
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