Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Cheesy Grits

There's so much discord in our nation, that I am at a loss of what to write about today. Do I happily write about food and ignore the monster in my room that scares me so much. Do I write about how I'm feeling and open myself up to criticism and personal attacks that seem to be so commonplace when you exercise free speech. I wonder where our manners have gone and our ability to 'agree to disagree'. Civility, decency and wisdom seem to have disappeared from our social discourse. Being unapologetically rude, mean, and ill-informed have become acceptable norms, and based on the results of our last election...celebrated. Social media has made it easy to voice our opinions but even easier to forget decorum; I can say what ever I want and not be responsible if it is taken the wrong way. Hop on the soapbox, spew venomous and personal attacks when someone has a different opinion or view and then disappears into anonymity. Free speech is our right, but I really believe speaking with dignity and respect toward others will get you heard. It's not only what you say, but how you say it. We've forgotten that I think.

What will happen to our moral fabric now that we have a leader who tweets ignorant and divisive rhetoric daily? He fills airspace with deflections, fabrications, and red herrings which are then fact checked and debunked by media outlets. But why isn't he held to account, for real? IS there no real consequence to not being truthful? Why does he still have credibility? What message does it send to our children about honesty? 
Yeah, yeah, I know that's an old fashion notion...that pesky honesty thing. But just like kindness, in my world, it still matters!  But really, what does that do to our collective humanity if the leader of the free world spreads propaganda that we know and can prove is false? I fear it will affect our humanity. Will the lies be tolerated and accepted as we become desensitized to the barrage of injustices and inconsistencies of words to actions? Will we lose our sense of right and wrong? Will we care? I do.

That being said, my fear of the new president is not partisan. I am neither a Democrat or Republican, so please spare me the politics. Obviously, his lack of political experience and knowledge of the Constitution is a legitimate reason to fear him as President. He's been called a misogynist, racist, xenophobe, etc, but those are just symptoms of the real problem with him...his lack of humanity and integrity. This is most troubling because his integrity, or lack of, is what will guide his decisions no matter what job he holds or what affiliations he aligns himself with. Integrity is consistency of character and ultimately how we measure trust in a person. I trust someone when their actions and words match and they are transparent. He is not transparent and speaks with malice to incite fear and hatred, to confuse, to intimidate, to divide, to threaten, to discredit, and to degrade Americans. He is the most un-American President to have ever hold office. He doesn't care about America or Americans and he proves it every time he speaks and pits us against each other. He doesn't want to unify America. He wants us to be fighting each other and blaming each other so we don't notice as he takes our democracy and our freedoms from us. He is dividing us and tearing at the very fabric of what makes America great...its people!  
We must hold him to account for the things he says, for the damage his words inflict and the actions he takes. We must end the partisan arguing and judge him only on the content of his character. Like it or not, he works for us and he needs to answer to us. 

I'm stepping off my soapbox now...I need comfort food.
 

Shrimp and Grits 

Serves 4 (adapted recipe from Teri Appleton Villanueva)

Prepare Grits
1 1/2 cups hot chicken stock, divided
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup cream
1 garlic clove
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t. black pepper
3/4 cup stone ground grits (I used yellow cornmeal)
1/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add 1 cup chicken stock, milk, cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in grits and when the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for 10-15 minutes until smooth and thick. Cover and set aside. 

When shrimp and sauce is done, reheat over medium heat and add some of the remaining 1/2 cup of the hot chicken stock to thin if necessary and then stir in the cheddar cheese and heat until almost melted.

Andouille Sausage Gravy
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 pound Andouille sausage, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
2 T tomato paste
1 pound 16/20 shrimp, peeled, deveined
~3 T parsley, chopped
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Franks Red Hot Sauce (to taste)

Place oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and celery over medium heat until softened. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
Stir in 1 T flour until incorporated with other ingredients. Whisk in chicken stock and tomato paste and when it begins to simmer, lower heat and add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are firm and pink. Season with cayenne pepper and parsley. Spoon grits into hot bowls and ladle the shrimp and andouille gravy over grits. Serve with Franks Red Hot Sauce to taste.

 Other recipes to try:

Easy Crab Cakes with Remoulade

Shrimp with Chili Garlic Cream Sauce

Blackened Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Lamb Kabobs with Yogurt Garlic Sauce and Mint

Happy New Year everyone! I am so glad it's a new year! I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that 2016 definitely had its challenges. And as with each new year, I find myself looking forward to a fresh start. A time to shrug off the old year and embrace the potential of the new. I like to use this time of year for self-reflection and focus on renewal. It's another chance to try something different, make lists, set goals and get stuff done. 
But, before I plow headlong into 2017, I need to remind myself of the good that happened this last year. More times than I'd like to admit, I tend to focus on the negative and forget that the negative always comes with a dose of positive. And only through deliberate hindsight is it visible to me.  I won't recite a long list of blessings or things that I'm thankful for here, I'll reserve that for my journal. But one thing I'm thankful for this past year, was being able to take the Professional Chef series at Chef Tech Cooking School these last 4 months. I've learned so much and can't wait to apply what I've learned as I develop my recipes and share them with you on the blog. 
Here's my meatball rendition of Chef Teri's Grilled Lamb Kabobs. I absolutely love meatballs so I made her recipe into these immensely flavorful and comforting bite-sized kabobs. Perfect for entertaining or a small plate meal. 

Here's to another year of accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead. 

Happy New Year! 

Grilled Lamb Kabobs with Yogurt Garlic Sauce

(Slightly adapted recipe from Teri Appleton Villanueva)

Makes ~12 Main Dish Kabobs or 48 Appetizer Kabobs


Yogurt Garlic Sauce
1 cup plain whole Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice or orange juice
2 Tbs. tahini
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Kabobs
1/2 cup pine nuts
4-5 garlic cloves
2 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cayenne (add more for more heat)
1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb
1/2 cup grated onion, drained
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/3 cup fresh mint, minced
1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

12 Naan bread or 6 Greek style pita bread cut into 2" rounds
Fresh mint, finely chopped (garnish)

Process pine nuts, garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne in a food processor until a coarse paste forms, 30-45 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lamb, onion, parsley, mint, and gelatin: knead until combined and mixture feels sticky, about 2 minutes. 
For Appetizer kabobs: Cut Greek style pita bread into 2" rounds using a small cookie or biscuit cutter and arrange on a large platter. Portion meat using a small cookie scoop and roll meat into 1" meatballs. Pan fry in small batches until browned on all sides. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of yogurt garlic sauce onto pita rounds and top with a skewered lamb meatball and garnish with fresh mint. Enjoy!

For Main Dish kabobs, divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into 5-inch long cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Using skewers to thread kabobs, gently pressing to adhere. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. 
Grill for 4-7 minutes, flip skewers and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers to 160 degrees, about 6 minutes more.
Transfer to platter and serve with Naan Bread and drizzle with yogurt garlic sauce.

Other Meatball recipes:

Salisbury Meatballs

Greek Meatballs

Spicy Asian Meatball Soup

Albondigas with Chimichurri Pesto

Night Crawlers con Funghi

When I was a little girl, I loved to play in the dirt. I loved the smell of dirt, and much to the horror of my parents, I even liked the taste of dirt as I frequently sucked on rocks to get them clean. I know...pretty strange kid huh? My parents are probably surprised that I didn't die of trench mouth. 
One summer at my Grandma's house, my brother, sister and I got the hose and flooded her flowerbed and got nice and muddy making mud pies. We made dozens of pies loaded with sticks and grassy weeds popping from the gooey masses. We added a sprinkle of dirt on some and dried leaves on others. We uncovered earthworms and added them in the pies. Occasionally a worm or two were sacrificed as they tried to wiggle free from the mud pie. I remember feeling happy as we worked with a surprising amount of cooperation. We rarely did anything together that didn't involve arguing or eventual tears. Apparently, making a mess together builds teamwork. We eagerly lined up our mud pie masterpieces on sunlit patches of grass to dry. We were so proud of ourselves as we looked at the fruits of our labor... "Let's show Grandma!"
We didn't go far to find her because Grandma found us. Our excitement faded quick. The shock and horror on her face obvious as she looked at the mess we made of her flowerbeds...No more mud pies! 

Obviously we got in trouble, but we sure had fun doing it. It was worth the trouble. I still like playing in the dirt when I go out to garden and thankfully I gave up sucking rocks. Inspiration for this dish came from making mud pies and playing with worms. Nightcrawlers con Funghi is a fun Halloween dish that's hearty and packed with savory flavor from the sauteed pancetta, onions, garlic, and mushrooms tossed with rosy-hued Udon noodles and toasted garlic breadcrumbs...It is so delicious! (I'm eating leftovers as I write this!) 
Imagine the fun you can have plating this dish at your next Halloween party. Serve it in large flower pots with shovel serving spoons or serve individual plates on a garden trowels spilling over onto dirt breadcrumbs, like I did below. Serve it warm or room temperature. Either way, it is simply delicious! Happy Halloween!

Night Crawlers con Funghi (Noodles with Mushrooms and Pancetta)

Serves 4

1 small onion, sliced
5 oz. Pancetta, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2-3 cups baby Bella mushrooms, halved
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 t fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper (to taste)

2 packages Udon Noodles
1/4 t each orange and purple gel food coloring

1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 T butter
1 t garlic powder

Breadcrumbs
Melt 1T butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add panko bread crumbs and garlic powder and toast breadcrumbs until they are a dark brown, stirring frequently to ensure they don't burn. Set aside.
Mushroom/Pancetta Mixture
Add butter and olive oil to large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, mushrooms and pancetta and saute for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme leaves and continue to saute until pancetta and onions are browned, and mushrooms are cooked to desired tenderness. About 10-15 minutes more. Add  salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and set aside.
Udon Noodles
In a small bowl add 3-4 cups water and add approximately 1/4 t. each of orange and purple gel food coloring and whisk until dissolved and the water is an orange-brown color. Transfer water into a saucepan and add Udon noodles. Let noodles sit for about 10-15 minutes to color the noodles. Once desired color is achieved, cook the noodles according to package directions and drain. Add noodles to skillet with mushrooms and pancetta and stir fry until noodles are coated. Top with additional thyme leaves and breadcrumbs and Enjoy!

Other Halloween Main Dishes to try:
Love at First Bite Linguini                           Midnight Sushi                             Fiendish Fingers

Easy Tuna Ceviche in Avocado Cups

Although I'm still working on some of my Halloween recipes and decorating ideas, I'm switching gears from Halloween to cool summer salads and easy to prepare meals. We're smack dab in the middle of summer and the heat is relentless and I find myself in the kitchen only momentarily after being out and about with the kids all day. I have little energy or desire to cook. I'm sure I am not alone. I've been serving up the usual summer fare, burgers and chicken and dogs...last night, I made turkey tacos. Easy and unimaginative, but it gets the family fed. Anyway, this summer has been busy and now we are in the midst of some home repairs that will leave us in disarray for about a week which also doesn't lend to wanting to cook either. So, I was desperate to find recipes that were easy and yummy and I remembered an old recipe from my dear friend Suzette. She brought this dish years ago to a party and it was not only delicious but a wonderful idea using canned tuna. Try it and I promise you'll never want a tuna sandwich again!  Happy Summer!

Easy Tuna Ceviche in Avocado Cups

Serves 8 (slightly adapted recipe from Suzette Pedrin)

2 cans Albacore Tuna in water, drained
2 cans Light Tuna in water, drained
1-2 Serrano peppers, finely diced
1 bunch green onions
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
5-6 limes, juice & zest of two limes
1 t. garlic powder 
salt and lemon pepper (to taste)
8 small avocados, halved
16 tostada shells

Refrigerate the tuna with lime juice for one hour. Drain leaving some lime juice behind. Add veggies and seasonings and mix. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Add more lime as needed before serving.  Cut avocados in half and fill each half with tuna ceviche. 

To serve, use a spoon to scoop out the avocado and smash on tostada shells, top with Tapatio or Cholula hot sauce. Enjoy! 

 Other recipes to try:

Kale Salad with Strawberry Mango Salsa

Grilled Halibut Tacos