August 11th, 2021

Tuna Avocado Salad, Recipe, Healthy, Easy, Summertime Cooking, Pico de Gallo, Chili Bean Salad, Southern Delaware Cooks, Delaware Beaches

“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.

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

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.

March 28th, 2021

Cornish Game Hens, Recipe, Easy, Delicious, Recipes Begged, Borrowed, or Stolen, The Art of Wining and Dining, Coastal Delaware Eats

I remember when I was young Sunday was a day to gather at my grandmother’s house. After church it was the satisfaction of gathering with cousins and with good comfort food. My grandmother was a very good cook; always cooking with the best ingredients she could fine.

Not sure why I think of Cornish Game Hens as a Sunday Supper dish. I have stuffed them, cooked them with prosciutto and figs as well. They have great flavor. And what are they, really? I found out that they are the product from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, that it is served young and immature, weighing no more than two pounds ready to cook.

We have a good butcher here in Rehoboth Beach. Hickmans!! I picked these Cornish Game Hens around the holidays. They were pretty big. Last week I made this recipe. By no means the recipe is my own, but I did give it my own spin.

They are easy to prepare. I usually do not serve a guest a whole hen even though you could depending on the size.

2 Cornish Game Hens

salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon, cut in half

rosemary sprigs (2 per hen)

olive oil

15 cloves of garlic and more if you do like garlic like I do

2/3 cup of white wine (it is a great additions to the sauce)

2/3 cup of chicken broth (I used chicken stock)

More fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

honey

The first thing to do is to preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Then take gizzards and neck from the hens and put them aside. You will use them in the broth.

Rub the hens with salt and pepper. Place one of the lemon wedges in the cavity along with a sprig of rosemary. Also put one garlic clove in each of them. If you look closely you can see that I drizzled honey over the top. Very yummy!!

Arrange them in a heavy roasting pan. Take some of the rosemary leaves and spread them around the pan. Put the whole garlic cloves around the hens in the pan. In order to avoid the garlic to burn since you at first will be cooking on a high temperature, take some extra chicken stock and pour into the pan in order to cover the cloves a bit.

This is how they will look before going into the oven.

You are going to roast them in that temperature for 25 minutes.

The gizzards and neck that you took from the oven place in a pot and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Once that is done, cut the gizzards, heart and set aside. This is totally optional. I just think it adds to the broth.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the cut gizzards, etc.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pour the broth above the hens and continue roasting about 25 minutes longer or until hens are golden brown. Baste with the pan juices every 10 minutes.

Transfer the hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. You can put the pan on top of your burners and heat up the juices, smashing those garlic cloves which will be amazing combining them in the broth. I used a little bit of corn starch because I wanted the broth to be a tad thicker.

You can cut them in half or serve them whole. Cranberry looked pretty and appropriate with them. And, those veggies? I will give you the recipe because they went perfectly with the hens. Easy too. Next post.

Here is a photo of the hen in half. It depends how hungry your guests are. And please make sure to put a lot of broth in the plate.

Enjoy!! Talk to you later.

January 25th, 2021

Meatless Monday! French Onion Soup, Easy, Flavorful Soup, Winter Winner Soup

In the winter there is nothing like a warming bowl of soup. It was cold on Sunday. But, today at the Delaware Beaches the temperatures will rise to the upper 40’s. I’ll take that.

Over the years I have bought tons of magazines. A lot of them have been food oriented. I go through them many times and then I start cutting recipes out and putting them in folders. With a morning coffee I go through them and if something catches my eye, I take it out.

I picked an Onion Soup Recipe that got my attention back in 2013 in a Food & Wine Magazine. It is a healthier version of the traditional French Onion Soup. Traditional soups are fantastic but making them healthier while conserving flavor it’s the trick. That hunk of bread and thick layer of melting cheese makes it high in calories and sodium. Sorry, but it is true.

For Meatless Monday and being that it is a cloudy day this onion soup might be just what you need. I made it yesterday and it is a keeper.

Meatless Monday is a worldwide organization trying to have folks like us eat meatless at least one day per week.

The Recipe

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, (sweet or regular) halved and thinly sliced

Kosher Salt

1/4 cup of dry white wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 cups of beef stock or low sodium broth

Baguettes (either cut your own or buy prepared ones) I used small ones for my large bowl.

Gruyere shredded cheese. I packed that cheese on the baguettes.

In a large pot heat oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and just starting to brown. Maybe about 7 minutes or so. Taste the broth and add a bit of salt and continue to cook over moderate low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and golden. I would say 20 minutes?

Add the wine and soy sauce to the pot. Cook for a few more minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Then, simmer over low to moderate heat, again stirring occasionally until the onion broth is well flavored and slightly reduced. Taste again and if needed add more salt.

You can make the soup ahead of time until this point.

Then pre-heat the broiler and arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and top with the Gruyere cheese. Broil until melted.

To serve this onion soup, ladle it into bowls and top with the cheese toasts. You may sprinkle a little bit of cheese all over the soup prior to placing the cheese toasts, as well.

Hope this will be a keeper for you too. Remember AboutMyBeaches has a FB page just in case you want to chime in.

This blog started in 2009 with the idea of offering the readers who want to be in the know about events, restaurants, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner.

October 28th, 2020

Sabieware Pottery, Clarksville, Delaware, Sabie Carey, Master Potter, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware

To say that 2020 has been quite a year is an understatement. It has impacted so many, even our resort areas who in their second season a lot of the festivities have been canceled, including the Southeastern Delaware Artists Studio Tour right after Thanksgiving. It has been postponed until next year.

One of those artist is Master Potter Sabie Carey. 20 years ago I had commissioned her to make me oversized dinner plates. I still used the plates all the time and I don’t even have to get a salad plate because everything fits just right. My 12 inch plates also fit in my dishwasher.

I contacted Sabie to see if I could stop by her studio. It takes about 20 minutes from Rehoboth Beach. You should call her to make an appointment or just ask when she is going to be there. Next is her business card.

I am always in awe at the beautiful pieces a potter can make out of a lump of clay. Must be so rewarding and so full of accomplishment.

Her studio is small but that is all you need to appreciate her work.

It is that time of the year and even though I use my plates frequently, they really show off during holidays. Sabie has many things in her studio for you to pick and choose from. Following are some of the photos I took the other day.

There is still time to order something for the holidays.

Our talented artists in Southern Delaware make one of a kind pieces. I enjoy so very much every time I get the opportunity to engage in conversation with them. My Sabie plates I love and they are made to be used and enjoyed every single day.

Have a great week and remember that in the hands of a potter the clay becomes magical.

August 26th, 2019

Ratatouille, Meatless Monday, Recipe, Vegetarian, Easy, Southern Delaware

My late mother in law, Louise, was a great cook. Many years ago she made a cookbook just for the girls and boys in the family. Every Christmas we would get an insert. She called this cookbook: Recipes, Begged, Borrowed, & Stolen. The Ratatouille is from her cookbook and it is prepared skillet style.

This is one of those dishes that you can prepare year round. But, in the summer vegetables are so beautiful and delicious that it is probably the best time of the year to make it. Those bright colors shine in this recipe.

Some people consider it a stew. Olive oil, garlic and herbs add so much flavor to the Ratatouille.

Following is the recipe. Hope you like it.

RATATOUILLE

1eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes. (I did not peel mine)

3 medium squash – zucchini, sliced

2 large onions – chopped

1 clove garlic – minced

1 large can tomatoes – or several fresh ones ( I used the fresh ones)

1 green pepper – chopped

1 small jar of pimiento, juice included

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. dill seeds

In olive oil saute onions for a minute or so, and add rest of the vegetables and spices. Stir well and simmer vegetable mixture for as long as you wish, stirring occasionally.

It is good to cook it for a long time to get those veggies to soften, but do not let them stick.

You can eat the Ratatouille as a side dish, main dish, over pasta, over polenta like I did, as an appetizer with crackers. Add a dash of hot sauce for some kick. In other words, make this recipe your own.

You can double the recipe. Enjoy!!

February 7th, 2019

Mary’s Touch, Moving, Packing, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware, Sussex County

A few months ago I needed a mover. As it is usually the case a friend gave me the name of Mary Nicholson who is the owner of Mary’s Touch. Her company, Mary’s Touch Moving & Packing, LLC specializes in new homes, storage and retirement homes. Tel. 302-745-1272.

Word of mouth is the best advertising you can get. You are happy with the work, you will definitely, pass the word around. I have been meaning to write a post on Mary because they were true professionals. At some point or another everyone needs a mover that will pack and move your treasures to either another home or to a storage unit.

Totally recommend this company. Please give Mary a call.

Remember to check AboutMyBeaches FaceBook Page!!

September 24th, 2018

Meatless Monday, Delaware Beaches, Recipe, Spinach Pie, Easy, 5 Ingredients, Southern Delaware Eats, Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Bethany, Fenwick Island, Healthy Eating, Recipes Begged, Borrowed & Stolen

 

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!

 

 

June 2nd, 2018

Fenwick Island Eats, Our Harvest, Delaware, Small Plates, Shareables, Large Plates, Bar, Gluten Free, Vegan, Southern Delaware, Restaurant, Review, Relaxed Dining, Casual Atmosphere, Delaware Beaches, Good Food? Will Travel!!

 

When we share a meal with friends, it is so much more than food (really?)…and, when we share it with girlfriends, and for purposes of this post, like the Swirl Girls, then it is really priceless.  Some of us have known each other for years while others, are getting to know each other very fast.  Here we were trying to figure out which table would be the best one.  Right after Memorial week-end we had the place to ourselves since we arrived early.  We did not want a big table.  We like to be cozy in order to get that conversation going.  The group had just gone to watch the Book Club, if you get my drift.

The majority of us had not yet dined at Our Harvest.  This restaurant located at 1106 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island, DE 19944, opened last year.  Every day, at 5:00 p.m., you can come in and experience a way of eating that has become so popular in the U. S.  Telephone is 302-581-0377.  No reservations are accepted.  The website is http://www.ourharvestde.com.

As the season progresses please have in mind when you would like to eat.  You have to have a plan because it gets crowded at the Delaware Beaches.  If you arrive and there is a wait, you could have cocktails, relaxing in their bar or in any of the very comfortable leather sofas.

There is an open concept kitchen.  You really can see how the kitchen is running.  I have to tell you that I probably should have come to try Our Harvest last year.  I love their sister restaurant, Liquid Assets, in Ocean City, MD, and I did not want to like this one more.  Guess what?  They are completely different.

The menu was presented and our server knew the menu well.  She explained the concept of eating small plates and shareables.  At that moment all we wanted was some wine.  Having watched the Book Club, wine was very much consumed by the characters.  It was time to relax.  The wine that you see at the table was from South Africa.  A full bodied Merlot called Immortal Hero.

At first you are a bit overwhelmed because you, actually, do not know how much to order for the table.  And, we all have our likes and dislikes.  We managed to do a good job and we were all very pleased with how the evening was progressing.  Could not believe Jane Fonda looks that good at 81… I know, I know.

We all decided to have a small plate to start our dining experience.  Every time I see the offering of a Grilled Caesar Salad, I order it.  Years ago I had it at a restaurant in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Since then, a few have gotten close at how good that one tasted so I wanted to see how this one would be, more so because it had Boquerones which are white anchovies.  They are very mild and usually they are marinated in vinegar.  It gives the salad a kick.  I will have to say that this Caesar was excellent.

Others ordered the Salt Roasted Beets & Two Cheeses.  Served on a wooden plank it had whipped ricotta, Stracciatella, local greens, black pepper and beet vinaigrette. Stracciatella cheese is produced from Italian buffalo milk in the southern Italian region of Apulia.  They use a stretching and shredding technique.  This particular small plate could have been shared by two people.

We ordered the Spring Harvest Flatbread.  A crispy crust filled with local peas, ramps, morel mushrooms, local asparagus, ricotta, gruyere mornay, green garlic pesto and crispy capers.  Ramps are a special type of wild onion, found in eastern Canada and U.S.  And a Gruyere mornay is a bechamel sauce that has Gruyere cheese added to it.  It was delicious but to tell you the truth we probably ordered too much.  Not that we did not eat it, by the way.

“Friendship is a delicious meal to be shared off one large plate.”  So, we decided to order our large plates.  This particular dish I truly loved.  It was called the Vegan Feast.  It was a whole wood fire roasted head of cauliflower, benne cashew crumb, and a lemon garlic vegan aioli.  At first we thought it was cheese but it was the benne cashew crumb. Cashews are lower in fat than other nuts. You can find online a lot of recipes for this vegan seed.

A very popular dish at Our Harvest is a whole Amish air chilled chicken…Arnold Palmer brine, (sweet tea and lemonade brine chicken, I believe), wood fired with lemon and rosemary.  Liquid Assets has an amazing chicken, as well.  Both chickens are completely different and delicious in more ways than one. We ordered TWO.

Needless to say, no need for dessert.  We decided that definitely we would be back.  Thanks to our server and also to the hostess that so graciously explained to me how the restaurant worked.

And so I end my post with this quote from John Lanchester….”Hospitality is central to the restaurant business, yet it’s a hard idea to define precisely.  Most, it involves being nice to people and making them feel welcome.  You notice it when it’s there, and you particularly notice it when it isn’t.  A single significant lapse in this area can be your dominant impression of an entire meal.”

Until next time….