Up until a few minutes ago I had not realized that the blog I started in 2009 is celebrating 13 years of sharing my thoughts on finding out about events, restaurants, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner today. http://www.aboutmybeaches.com
No photos at the beginning until I caught on how important photos are to all of us. We are so visual.
The first post was about McCabes Gourmet Market in Bethany Beach. No longer McCabes, times have changed. Great store that we all loved for many years. Their Queso (Mexican Cheese Dip) Recipe is on the website. Click on it and put it on the Search.
My second post was Agave. The ever present Margaritas, the Avocado Martini, music, best chili, guacamole and so on.
At the time blogs were beginning to take place in our society. But, people would still smiled like saying: really? Blah, Blah, and Blah. The point of my blog was that I could put my two cents in about places that I have been to, my beloved beaches in Southern Delaware and beyond. Food, recipes and reviews. We all have different tastes, likes and dislikes but it was my diary sort of speak of. I can write when I want to and other times I just take a break and put tidbits on My Facebook page.
Since the beginning I have spoken of how good the corn is in Southern Delaware. I just took this photo the other day. White corn, but they have yellow and a mix kernel ones, as well. Freeman’s on Robinsonville Rd. in Lewes is the best. Every day it is picked and it is so fresh that you can eat it raw. I usually eat one or two ears like that. Amazing.
Lewes’ Lighthouses are something to see.
Strolling the Boardwalk day or night.
I have lived here for so many years. I am a foodie and love to eat and experience different cultures.
My blog continues and one of the best things that have happened since opening AboutMyBeaches is that I have learned so much about our area. It is not just the beaches, so much more depth. It has given my family a very nice life. I don’t take it for granted. I appreciate it.
Until then check my Facebook Page, and Instagram and stop here for recipes and information. It’s all good.
Love Crabs….these ones from Suicide Bridge.
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“Real cooking is more about following your heart than following recipes.” unknown
That unknown quote is really so true. The Tuna Avocado Salad I will be sharing in this post did not start as my own. But, I made it my own by changing it a lot. It is easy, it is healthy and perfect for the summer weather here at the beaches.
In 2009 I started my blog. So it has been 12 years. I had forgotten all about it. It is a diary of sorts and still a lot of fun to put my thoughts, ideas, experiences on paper.
This is the final look of the Tuna Avocado Salad. It was enjoyed last week. Presentation is always something I care about. It adds to the mood of the evening.
The first thing I changed was the canned tuna. Fresh Sashimi tuna is what I used. Be mindful that you can modify this salad to your liking, using crabmeat, shrimp, lobster, chicken salad or whatever your heart or tummy desires.
The second thing that happened was that I needed a cylinder in order to make a perfect round stack. Could not find it anywhere so I opened a large can that held 32 ounces on both ends. For future references this recipe says that it feeds 2 people but it really feeds 4 if you use a smaller can. We had leftovers.
Ingredients:
two large fresh Sashimi grade tuna fillets (I usually say I need 2 good size pieces)
Mayonnaise ( I only use Dukes and you can start with a tablespoon and add more, but don’t let it get too soggy.
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (If you don’t like it, and a lot of people don’t, use fresh Italian parsley.)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice
Avocados (They were small so I got 4 and used all of them.)
Pico de Gallo (Homemade, recipe will follow, use enough to top the stack. From 1/2 cup to a cup.
1/8 teaspoon of salt
PICO DE GALLO RECIPE
Pico de Gallo
This is not my recipe but it very easy and you can use it for so many things. Pico de Gallo is basically a Salsa. You can buy salsa at the store but why would you want to do that when it is so easy to prepare.
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh Cilantro or Italian Parsley
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used bottled sliced jalapenos)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced
a pinch of garlic powder
a pinch of cumin or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro or parsley, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. You will have leftovers and use it for tacos or for salsa with chips. Mind you that the jalapenos give it a kick. I do love that though.
Continue with the Tuna Avocado Stack
Dry the tuna steaks and season with salt and pepper. Heat a good skillet with a bit of oil. We only seared it, so it is rare in the middle. Of course, you can make it your way.
Take fillets out and cut them in small pieces for the stack. Not tiny pieces, just small. In a bowl mix the cut tuna, mayonnaise, cilantro or parsley and juice for half a lime. Add salt to taste and stir it together.
Peel and chop the avocados. Put them in a bowl and mash them a little bit but also leaving some of the chunks. Salt to taste.
Place the cylinder in the middle of each plate. First put avocado in and pack it in. Remember that you are making a stack so you want it to hold its shape. Then a layer of the tuna. Again, press on it gently so it stays. Finish with the Pico de Gallo salsa. Go on to the next second serving.
Always treat your stack gently when you are taking the cylinder out. You see that photo above. I was scared it was not going to work but it certainly did.
The Chili Bean Salad made it look that it was placed on pebbles. This Salad was a recipe given to my children’s school cookbook many years ago. It is very good.
Recipe
1 15 ounce can each of black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans and whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup diced celery
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, not drained
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons leaf oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce (I used Crystal)
Drain and rise beans and corn. Put all dressing ingredients in a jar; shake well to mix.
Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Cover and chill 6 hours or overnight and mix it from time to time so all beans take advantage of the dressing.
When preparing your serving plates, just put it around it just like the photo shows. You will have leftovers.
Life around a table…”If the home is a body, the table is the heart, the beating center, the sustainer of life and health.” shauna niequist
This post is a little long and you may think this recipe is hard to make. I can tell you that it takes no time. I think you will love it.
AboutMyBeaches has its own Facebook page and Instagram Page.
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Pies are comfort foods. When you hear the word pie immediately thoughts come to holiday pies. Apple Pie being the most popular pie.
Meat Pies and vegetable pies are very popular, as well. Some weeks ago I found a Crab Meat Pie and being that we live on the coast and crabs are all around us, I decided to make it. It, actually, makes 2 pies but if you want a pie with more height you can probably just put it in one pie plate and you will also have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
I get my crab meat locally and at this time of the year to get fresh one you will pay the price. Thought about if it was worth to put it in a pie vs using it for crab cakes. What the heck, I wanted to do something different.
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh crab meat (don’t like the pasteurized one)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup mayonnaise (love Duke’s)
8 ounces of extra sharp Cheddar cheese
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. minced green pepper
2 tsp. pimentos
2 9 inch deep dish pie shells or any other pie shell crusts you may want
A little Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions:
Combine eggs, flour, mayonnaise and milk in a bowl and mix well.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients but do it gently. You want that crab meat lumps to stay intact as much as you can.
Bake the pie shells at 350 degree for 5 minutes. Cool pie shells.
Spoon crab mixture into pie shells. Sprinkle a little dusting of Old Bay Seasoning because what good are crabs if you don’t have Old Bay, right?
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remember to adjust cooking if you will be using just one pie shell.
This crab meat pie goes well for lunch or dinner. It is tasty and so easy to make. Just add a salad or a green veggie and you are good to go. Enjoy!!
TGIF….Hope your long week-end is filled with fun.
AboutMyBeaches is a blog started in 2009 to promote our beaches and other cool places to visit. To discover the great foods around us. Check the Facebook Page and leave me a note.
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Some of us that like to cook say that the best restaurant is usually your home. It is even better when you have friends over.
The idea of having a few over for Brunch and then off to check out Mill Pond Garden in Lewes, was a no brainer. Mimosas, Bloodys, what would be better? The weather? Of course, and it did hold off.
My previous post is about Mill Pond Garden. Check their website for upcoming events. They open to the public once a month and I cannot say enough about how beautiful this garden is. http://www.millpondgarden.com
The primary purpose for brunch was to shake off headaches and give a rest to gurgling stomachs. An Englishman by the name of Guy Beringer supposedly invented the brunch. It was really to pacify his own hangover. He wrote an essay; Brunch: A Plea, in 1895. This was written to help those who nursed hangovers every Sunday morning from the night before.
And, no, we were not nursing any hangovers last Sunday. We just wanted an excuse to get together with a few and for a couple of hours enjoy their company, chatter, and good food.
The ham cooking, the breakfast casserole almost ready and the aroma filling the house on Sunday was priceless.
The following 2 recipes are keepers. They are easy to assemble and cook and you still can enjoy your company.
Ham with Maple Syrup Glaze
The ham went perfectly with the casserole. This ham was approximately 11 lbs. It was hard to find a spiral this time of the year. Not yet holiday season.
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Place ham in a roasting pan and pour about 1 cup of good apple cider in the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes.
While cooking, make the glaze. It takes no time. 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tbsps of grain Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over low to medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
When ham is heated through, remove the aluminum foil and brush all the glaze between the spiral layers. You want the ham covered with glaze. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook uncovered until the glaze is caramelized. Let it rest for 10 minutes if you are eating it that day. I cooked mine on Friday evening and covered it well without slicing it. On Sunday the ham was taken out in the morning so as to get it to room temperature and I made another batch of the glaze so as to drizzle it over the ham.
The Breakfast Casserole
This casserole is made the night before. Then, place in refrigerator.
24 ounces frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
salt and pepper
12 eggs
2 cups half and half
1 tsp season salt (or just salt)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated
1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese grated
2 cups of chopped ham or your prefer meat. I used sausage with sage.
Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Add the frozen and shredded hash brown potatoes at the bottom of the pan. Pat them down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs together. Add half and half, season salt, cheddar cheese, pepper jack and chopped meat. Please note that if you are using sausage, it should be cooked and crumbled beforehand.
Pour over the top of the frozen potatoes. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I did take it out before the 90 minutes because it was ready. This casserole cuts very easily. It will not crumble. Perfect for a crowd.
We had gorgeous tomatoes with mozzarella and basil drizzled with a high grade balsamic. And for dessert a floating island topped with berries including my own figs. As it happens I forgot to take those photos. Take it from me…..delicious.
We all had an egg-cellent time!!
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Meatless Monday is a trend. In reality you can do this any day of the week. One day or more than one. But it is catchy to say “Meatless Monday”. Leaving the meat behind and for one day enjoy the many dishes that usually revolve around meats.
I have roots in Baltimore. My husband was from Baltimore. My sister in law lives there. I worked in Baltimore for years before moving to the Delaware Beaches. Way before I started this blog too. Baltimore is a city of many firsts. Museums, churches, hospitals, neighborhoods. Many times it gets bad reviews but I really enjoyed my time there.
Private Collections: A Culinary Treasure is a cookbook that contains timeless recipes put out by the Women’s Committee of the Walters Art Gallery, a one of a kind museum located in Baltimore. Beautiful art treasures are displayed in its pages, along with amazing recipes from soups to nuts.
I have posted this recipe before, but just in case you missed it, here it is again. It is a different type of onion soup but the combination of ingredients makes it a winner.
ONION SOUP CHABLIS
1 lb. white onions, sliced very thin
1/4 lb. butter
2 cups chicken broth (your choice of unsalted or salted, or even a mixture of both)
1 cup Chablis
1 tsp. salt
pepper
2 cups medium cream (half and half will do too)
Swiss cheese, freshly grated
In a large soup pot saute the onions in butter until soft and transparent but not brown. Add chicken broth and simmer until the mixture is reduced somewhat. To tell you the truth, I skipped that step.
Add the Chablis, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
Stir in cream, heat, not boil, and serve.
Garnish with plenty of cheese. The marriage of flavors is awesome!! You’ll see. Enjoy!
Serves 6.
Remember that with any recipe you can always make it your own.
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I got into not eating meat on Monday. Following the Meatless Monday campaign if you want to know. This is an international campaign nonetheless. It is just a way of not eating meat one day of the week to improve your health. This organization was founded in 2003. There is also a Facebook Page called Meatless Monday. To know more about it, please visit http://www.meatlessmonday.com.
A few years ago I was visiting my cousins on the island of Culebra. Gorgeous beaches, beautiful scenery. On the photo a look at Luis Pena from their balconies. One of the recipes they prepared was a Spinach Pie. Not only was it good, but it was so easy with 5 ingredients. The chopped frozen spinach I was buying for this recipe had a lot of water but I found a few months ago a spinach that is steamable and to tell you the truth it is so much better. You can get it in all supermarkets.
I have shared this recipe on my website before so I decided to do it again as I remembered that this summer, here in Rehoboth Beach, Sharon, Amantha, Debbie and I would have impromptu dinners on the beach. This is one of the recipes I took. You can eat it hot, warm, room temperature or even cold.
Recipe – Spinach Pie
1 package or bag of spinach – 10 ounces
1 block cream cheese. You can use the less fat one or regular one.
1 onion (Cut in chunks.)
4 eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease lightly a pie dish. I use a glass one. Let spinach defrost and squeeze it to get all the water out. Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it soften a bit.
In a blender put eggs, spinach, onion, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. I usually add just pepper since the cheese has plenty of salt. Blend. Pour into a pie dish.
Place in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top to cover. The cheese will make a crust and will add taste to the pie. Don’t be shy and sprinkle on.
It will take another half hour or so to be ready. Test it with a knife and if comes out clean then it is ready. It should have a nice rich crust.
You can really use this spinach pie for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And even for an appetizer. I would cut in squares instead of wedges if that is the case.
When I joined my friends this summer for our Rehoboth Beach dinners, I think they loved it. Don’t you think? They are smiling!
Remember that these recipes are begged, borrowed, and stolen…..please make them your own.
Until next time!
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It has been a while since I have posted a recipe for Meatless Monday. This is a “global movement, created in 2003 by Sid Lerner in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health”. It is a way to eat just one day a week free of meat….go vegetarian for just that one day will help in our overall health. For more information, and recipes, as well, please visit http://www.meatlessmonday.com.
I had a couple of good size eggplants and decided that today, being Monday, I would use them to make Eggplant Parm. I have made this dish so many times, and every time I either add something or delete something. I always make recipes my own. So should you, it is fun to experiment.
2 medium to large eggplants
3 eggs
Oil for frying
Italian Breadcrumbs (If manking it gluten free, please make sure you buy some of the many available breadcrumbs that are gluten free.)
Spaghetti Sauce (I tried Mia’s Kitchen Bistro Marinara from Safeway and it is all natural and gluten free, made in Sonoma, California.)
Mozzarella Cheese (I used the already shredded cheese, but you can shred your own if you are eating gluten free. Make sure to read the labels.
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese. I grated it myself, which is great if you are eating gluten free. The packaged cheeses already grated might have an additive that contains gluten.
Basil
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Slightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Put about a cup of the spaghetti sauce and spread.
Cut the eggplant in round slices. I do not peel the eggplant. I think the skin looks great and it is where your vitamins are, as well.
In a shallow bowl cracked the eggs and mix. In a plate put the Italian breadcrumbs.
In a large frying pan put enough vegetable oil in order to fry the eggplant. It does not have to be too deep.
Dip the eggplants in the eggs and then dip in the Italian breadcrumbs.
Fry them until lightly brown. I usually get them out and let them sit on paper towels, but you can just transfer them directly to the prepared baking dish, as well.
Arrange them on the baking dish as you wish. You will be making two layers.
Spread spaghetti sauce on them and also half of the mozzarella. Repeat the process and at this point you will also sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Sprinkle some Basil for color too. Then to the oven.
Bake for about 45 minutes or so until they look like this…….
This dish has so much color….it should also be the center of attention on your plate. A green salad or green veggie is all you need.
For dessert, well, it is that time of the year when you just have to think that summer is around the corner but if you feel like living dangerously, well, go ahead and maybe go visit Edie Bees on Second Street in Lewes, Delaware, and grab something sweet and sinfully delish.
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Definitely, farmers markets are not just for chefs anymore. In come the foodies who have a very discriminating palate. Nothing but the best for them. Getting up close and personal, the farmers love to show off their produce, so please ask questions!!
My friend, Cindi, drove all the way from Ocean City, Maryland, and Brenda Jones is a local. You will find Brenda at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market most every Saturday in the a.m. The market opens at 8 a.m. until Noon.
Historic Lewes Farmers Market is celebrating 10 years in the community. During the summer season, you can find the market at the Lewes Historical Society Complex, located between Second & Third Streets at Shipcarpenter St. Please note that on August 1st the market will take place at Shields Elementary School Parking Lot at 910 Shields St. Fall hours will be 10/3 – 11/21 from 9 a.m. until Noon at Shields Elementary Parking Lot. No pets are allowed, so leave Fido at home for a few hours. Please visit the website at http://www.historiclewesmarket.org.
The white tents are scattered throughtout the Historical Complex, a beautiful place to be on Saturday morning. To find out the vendors that come to this market, please visit http://www.historiclewesfarmersmarket.org/market-vendors.
Celebrate Summer’s Bounty by Growing Local, Buying Local and Eating Local!!
Markets are rising in popularity because consumers can get fresh produce directly from the farm. The pick of the day, shall we say.
Learning about ground cherries. Had not seen them before. They have a papery husk, which encloses the small fruit. The fruit is small and orange. Ground cherries are part of the same family as the tomatillos. They are good in pies and they are also good with salsa and in a salad.
Never too early to start your day with fresh shucked oysters!!
Beautiful mushrooms!!
Peach Season and Bennett’s tent was full of beautiful peaches. The long line of customers waited patiently but the line went fast.
“Let us not forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other arts will follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization.” daniel webster
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