Lemon Chicken Soup

I love watching Food Network and happened to be watching one of my favorite chefs, Giada De Laurentiis, making this yummy soup. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the lemon juise in the soup, but after making it I have to say that it might be one of my favorite chicken soups ever! The lemon truly brings a freshness and enhances all the other flavors. This soup is a perfect example of how you can use your Parmesan cheese rind, as seen in this post from earlier this week.

Try it, I think you'll really enjoy it!! For me, a recipe is simply a guideline and this recipe is no exception. I tweaked it to my liking, used pasta shells and made a double batch.

Lemon Chicken Soup

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, *see Cook's Note
• 2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, if using, to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the carrots and simmer until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the broken pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

*Cook's Note: You can use any short pasta from your pantry as a substitute for spaghetti.

"Burger BBQ Buffets Blizzard Blues"

Now, for most of you all out there - Spring has sprung where you live. For us here in Northern America aka NORTH DAKOTA.....we experienced quite the Winter storm yesterday. However, we are the "Frozen Chosen" and because the calendar says it's Spring, many of us have decided to think of it as really being Spring despite ALL the white stuff still on the ground. Ok, so it's not really as bad as the picture above indicates (I just like to be dramatic at times)

What better way to battle the blizzard blues, than to have a burger BBQ?!? Sean & I decided to spend this blustery blizzard day with friends and AMAZING food. I'm here to share a couple of delicious recipes with you.

First off, this prego lady was craving homemade gourmet burgers.

My FAVORITE recipe is as follows: Homemade Burgers

Ground Beef - we used 7lbs and made quite a few GOOD size burgers
Famous Dave's Steak & Burger seasoning (my fav!!) - I never measure, so eyeball it
Worcestershire sauce -liberal amounts, this stuff is great in burgers!

Form into nice sized patties, keeping in mind that they WILL shrink in size once grilled.

Next, have your hunky hubby grill the burgers to perfection (yes, my husband is the ultimate grill master!!) I LOVE that guy!!


No burger is complete without your choice of toppings and we certainly had quite the selection yesterday! That is something I LOVE about homemade burgers, there are SO many options to make your burger exactly what you want it to be.
Our toppings were:
**Variety of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, avocado (a MUST!), sauteed mushrooms and onions. Of course ketchup, mayo, yellow mustard, and spicy mustard. We had quite the "create your own burger buffet" going on!

Pile your burger so high that you'll have to eat it with a fork - that's when you KNOW it's gonna be amazing! haha


Now, a Burger BBQ isn't complete without a satisfying dessert. This is where the magic comes into play. Have any of you ever made homemade CUSTARD ice cream?? Once you've had this dreamy concoction, there really is no going back to "normal ice cream". It is OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD!!!! Serve this to your guests, and you will truly create a memorable experience for all involved. It takes a little extra time, but is SO worth it!!

I used the Pioneer Woman's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe which you can view here. She has many wonderful recipes you'll wanna check out while you're over there, not to mention some great illustrations on how to make this decadent dessert. For those of you who would rather view the recipe here, it is as follows:


Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 whole Vanilla Bean, Split And Scraped - REAL vanilla makes ALL the difference!
  
• 3 cups Half-and-half
• 2 cups Sugar - I might try 1/2 cup less next time, just my preference.
  
• 8 whole (up To 9) Large Egg Yolks
• 3 cups Heavy Cream

Preparation Instructions

Heat half-and-half and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan over low heat, adding vanilla “caviar” to the mixture. (You can also drop in the scraped vanilla bean, just to extract all the flavor. Make sure to discard the bean before moving to the next step.) Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.

Beat egg yolks by hand or with an electric mixer until yolks are pale yellow and slightly thick. Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling into the 1 1/2 cups of hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. After that, pour the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture into the pan containing the rest of the half-and-half mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat (depending on how hot your stove gets) until quite thick, stirring constantly. Drain custard using a fine mesh strainer, (I skipped this step, and it turned out perfectly fine),then pour into a bowl with the heavy cream. Stir to combine.

Chill mixture completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker until thick. Place container in freezer to harden for at least eight hours.

My parents gave us one of those uber cool ice cream makers that can make ice cream in 20-25 minutes! I'm not sure if I should thank them a million times over or blame them for the undeniable pounds I'm sure to gain from this spectacular little machine! Ha!

I love homemade ice cream and love that it can be so simple to make....not to mention that you know EXACTLY what's in it. Try it, you won't regret it!! (although, your waistline might!)

I hope our Blizzard BBQ inspires you to go fire up the grill and enjoy the warmth that this season is SUPPOSED to be bringing. Please, for those of you who have green grass and budding blooms, enjoy them for ME! I know ND will catch up in a month or so, until then - long live the Blizzard BBQ's!!

~Lauren

YUMMY Spaghetti Make Over

One thing I absolutely love to do is cook and play with food! You know, healthy food doesn't just always equal cold salads and high fiber... : ) Not that there's anything wrong with salads--in the right hands anyways--but that's another post, another day... : D

But anyways, the other night I had a serious hankin' for something warm and cozy to eat... Soup? No... I don't want soup. Then what else? "Comforting foods" tend to be... well, carbolicious and calorific to say the least! So what did I come up with? Oh--you're gonna love this...

So here's what you're gonna need:

Squash

Zucchini

Onion, optional

Mushrooms, optional

Your fave, HEALTHY, spaghetti sauce

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Step 1.

Beginning Note: I love pasta. But what girl doesn't? : ) Anyways--being on a GF diet (Gluten Free) changes what you think about pasta. There are lots of versions of GF pasta--all still yummy. So, give them a try! But, I was going for something a lot lighter and less calorie laden... Now, back to recipe...

Decide how to cut your squash and zucchini. Think--how do I like my pasta?

Here's a few options to choose from:

This is my personal favorite... Julienned, nice, long, and thin. Even looks like spaghetti noodles--yeah?

Step 2:

Sautee your chosen veggies.

I chose squash, zucchini, onions, and mushrooms. (I've also done this with just squash and zucchini, too. Still extremely good. Maybe next time I'll add some julienned carrots? We'll see...)

Sautee in some olive oil and salt--Just enough to get it to the right texture for you. I like mine with some bite to it--which also makes the sauté time minimal.

Step 3.

Add your HEALTHY sauce.

This can be done in the same skillet as your veggies, to save time and dishes. Or separately, so one can choose the amount of sauce they prefer.

Side note about sauces: PLEASE READ THE INGREDIENTS! They can be full of all sorts of not healthy things! My personal fave sauce is Earth Fare Organic Portabella Mushroom Pasta Sauce. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo good--very healthy. Love!

Step 4.

Eat.

Come on, now. That looks extremely delicious! You know it! ; )

Top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Now, salivate all you want--then go get the ingredients to try this dish out!

Calories in 1 c. cooked yellow squash: 36

Calories in 1 c. cooked zucchini: 38

Calories in 1/2 c. of Earth Fare Sauce: 60

Calories in 1 Tbs. of Parmesan: 22

Calories in 1 Tbs. of Olive Oil: 120

And if you eat it all: 276 total.

Quick, easy, and so healthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : D Yeah!!!!!!!!!

~Page

Greek Turkey Burgers

Greece is definitely one of my dream places to visit, and on my "bucket list" of course. I'm sure you've seen many pictures similar to the one above - brilliant blue ocean contrasting against the alabaster white villages. Ahh, I would LOVE to go there!
In addition to the breathtaking scenery, I'm sure I'd love the food. We love Mediterranean cuisine and my cooking often reflects that style. These Greek Turkey Burgers are a tribute to my love of Mediterranean food- and Greece!

I'm sure you're like me and get tired of the same old boring burger -don't get me wrong, I enjoy them, but sometimes I want a burger with a little more pizazz. I love coming up with new recipes, or simply putting my own twist on them. Here's a recipe I got from a Taste of Home magazine a few years ago, but have changed it up to our liking.

~Greek Turkey Burgers~

Ingredients:

2lb Ground Turkey
1lb Ground Beef
1/2 c Kalamata Olives, chopped
1/2 Red onion, chopped
Seasoning of your choice, liberally!
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Mix together with your hands and form into "mini burgers". Grill or cook to your preference.

Now, you will need:

Pita bread
Feta Cheese, crumbled
Avocado, lightly salted
Mayo
Minced Garlic
sauteed mushrooms
Arugula (or lettuce of choice)

Additional yummy garnishes: tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, bell pepper, banana peppers, pepper jack cheese, fresh spinach, etc.


Take Pita Bread and cut in half, making 2 pockets. Take your mayo and crush garlic into it, adding a bit of salt to taste. Some may like more or less so this garlic mayo is really to be created to your taste. Spread on insides of pita pockets, and then proceed to spread avocado inside as well. Sprinkle with feta, and place mini burgers into pocket. Complete with sauteed mushrooms and peppery arugula (or lettuce of choice). Feel free to add or omit whatever you like. If you have cucumbers or tomatoes on hand, those would work perfectly as well! There are so many possibilities, unfortunately your pita pocket will only hold so much (trust me, I speak from experience).

This will be one of the most flavorful sandwiches you will ever eat! It's definitely a favorite at our house!!


~Lauren

Quiche est très bonne!!

I'm about to share a scrumptious Quiche recipe with you. Now some of you may be wondering what exactly Quiche is, and I'm here to tell you! It's an oven baked dish made with eggs, milk or cream, and cheese. A variety of meats, vegetables and cheeses can be added to create your own one of a kind Quiche. There are so many variations, the one below just happens to be one of my favorites. It has its roots in French cuisine, and ironically my first taste of this amazing dish was in Paris! Fitting, huh?

I hope you enjoy!



Spinach -Artichoke-Mushroom Quiche = DELICIOUS!


Ingredients:

2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Shallots ( or 1/2 onion) chopped
60z Fresh Spinach
7oz Artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 c. Portabello mushrooms, chopped
1/4c Pine nuts, toasted
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 c Milk + 1/2c half n half, combined
3/4 Asiago cheese
1/4 Parmesan cheese
1 pie shell

Preheat your oven to 375. Pre-bake your pie shell till slightly golden, do not over bake! Sautee' garlic, shallots (or onion -whichever you prefer) for 1-2 min. Add mushrooms and allow to soften, add spinach, nuts, seasoning and remove from heat. Allow spinach to slightly wilt together with other ingredients. Pour into bowl to cool.
Once cooled off enough, add eggs, milk and cheese. Pour into crust and bake for 45-60min or until set.

Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!!

Note: You can also make mini quiches if you have a mini muffin tin. They make great appetizers!

~Lauren

Crockpot Apple Butter!!!

This is our week of Apple Recipes!! {Unfortunately, Page is having internet trouble so you will have to make do with my recipes for now.} ;-)
The first recipe to kick off our "Week of Apples" was posted on Sunday, and one you definitely don't wanna miss!! Click here in case you missed the chance to drool over these Decadent Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars!! Mmmmm! Now for the 2nd recipe of the week.........



How many of you know what "Apple Butter" is? I was surprised how many people I know who have never even tasted it in all its glory! I guess it's one of those old fashioned delights that get forgotten about. I LOVE it, and know you will too!

I've been busy making Apple Butter ALL day! Well, actually my crock pot has been busy making it all day. That's right, this is the easiest recipe EVER, because you just throw all the ingredients in your crock pot and let it cook away. How cool is that!?!


Ingredients:

3lb Apples (peeled, sliced, and enough to fill your crock pot- I like them tart)
4 cup sugar (3 white, 1 brown - I adjust it depending on the tartness of my apples)
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Allspice
1/2 Cloves
Dash of Salt
3/4c water or cider

Place all ingredients in crock pot and stir to coat evenly. Cover and cook on low setting overnight or until the butter is of a thick, spreadable consistency. Depending on your crock pot, you might want to cook on high and then reduce to low. The goal is for the apples to reduce down to a thick, brown consistency. For a smoother texture, place in blender and blend in batches. **Use EXTREME CAUTION when blending hot items, you must blend in batches with a cloth covering the opening of your blender's lid to keep from causing an explosion**

Store in refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

Page & I both love our Apple Butter and love to can it! Click here for Page's tutorial on water bath canning. Canning your Apple Butter insures you'll be able to indulge in its deliciousness year round! *Note: If you're really selfless, you might think about using your homemade Apple Butter as gifts....notice, I said MIGHT. haha!

~Spread on warm buttermilk biscuits, toast, pancakes, etc. Mmmmm!

Oh yeah, and did I mention that your home will smell amazing? :-)

Bon Appetit,
~Lauren

Organic = Expensive, So what's a girl to do?

Organic Foods... I have such a love/hate relationship with them...

I truly believe they are better for your family and their health, and we try to eat them as much as possible--but sometimes the price of organic produce is just ridiculous! : ) Not always, but a lot of times...

My husband and I have decided that it is worth the investment to purchase mostly organic, particularly the Dirty Dozen that Lauren featured in a past post... We shop the sales at our local health food stores, buy locally, and have our own garden as well. All of this helps the cost--but if it is impossible to buy something organic--I'd like to share with you a quick, simple, and cheap recipe for cleaning your produce that can help remove some of the bad stuff.

This recipe was provided to me by Denise Cross, who also believes strongly in the dangerous effects of pesticides and chemicals to our bodies (you can see her guest post here).

Basic Fruit and Veggie Wash

1 c. of Distilled White Vinegar

1 c. of Water

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1 Tbs. of Baking Soda

10-15 drops of GSE (Grape Seed Extract), optional

Put all of these ingredients in a spray bottle, mix well. Generously spray your produce, then rinse thoroughly. You can also double this recipe in your sink, and clean produce that way as well.

The vinegar and lemon is great for breaking up waxy chemicals and has microbial properties, and the baking soda gives a little extra scrubbing power. And GSE is great for everything... ; ) Love that stuff!

Hope you can use this recipe often in your home, for a little more added peace of mind!

~Page

A little taste of Italy....

Proverbs 31:14 "She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."


Now that I have your attention - I am going to introduce to you one of my FAVORITE salads. ;-D The Caprese salad. It is simply elegant, fresh, beautiful and best of all, DELICIOUS! The place to have this salad is Rome, Italy - but, since most of us can't just hop on a plane and head to Rome, I'll teach you how to make it.

Ingredients
Tomatoes - Romas work best, cut into 1/2" round slices
FRESH Mozzarella- cut into 1/2"round slices (MUST BE FRESH!-no cheating- buffalo mozzarella is the best, if you are able to use it, do so! It lends a distinctly wonderful flavor to the salad)
FRESH Basil leaves - one for each tomato round
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Good Balsamic Vinegar (don't get the cheapest stuff)


Take your favorite plate, and place the tomato wheels on it, then place the mozzarella rounds on top of the tomatoes, then place the basil leaves on top of that. Drizzle with a little bit of EVOO and balsamic vinegar. (I often don't even drizzle EVOO over mine, the balsamic is all you need) oh and I sometimes crack fresh pepper over mine as well. ;-)

That's it! You have a beautiful Caprese salad, that pairs nicely with your favorite Italian meal. You'll feel like you're in Italy!!.....well, maybe not so much, but you'll sure be eating great food! Fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden make this my favorite Summer time salad!

Ciau,

~Lauren

*note - I happened to use this salad to create a "Caprese Sandwich" and LOVED it! Try it!

Sauce for that SUSHI! Spicy Mayo!

Proverbs 31:14 "She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."

This stuff is not only beautiful and rich in color, it tastes wonderful!

Ok, so after reading Lauren's sushi post, I had a craving like "it twern't nobody's business"!! Scott and I both love California rolls! So, we were off to Wally World to pick up the ingredients we needed to get the job done! : )

Now, for most "sushi purists", I'm sure that spicy mayo in a no-no... but, for some of us--its just the cherry on top!

So here's the quick, and very yummy, recipe:

*1 Tbs of Real Mayo

*1 tsp of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

(So good! Found mine at Walmart! (Pictured Above))

*Splash of Lemon Juice

*Pinch of Sugar or Stevia

All of these ingredients should be added/subtracted to your taste. This is just a general guide!

Just mix well, and serve in a cute dipping dish!

Enjoy!

~Page

SUSHI!!!!!!!

Proverbs 31:14 "She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."




Ahh, sushi - you either love it or hate it. For me and my husband, it's true love and we look forward to eating it every chance we get!

A skilled Japanese sushi chef creates sashimi and sushi rolls that are beautiful, artistic and did I mention, DELICIOUS!?!? However, when you go to indulge in this exotic delicacy, you can expect to pay a price that is far from appetizing.

So with all that said, I am including a "How to make your own Sushi" post for those of you daring enough to try it!

Before I go much further, I can already hear those of you saying - Eeek, ewww, bleck, gag, raw fish! First, let me first say "bunch of wimps!!" haha! Ok, now I feel better, let me define the terms below and clarify that this "how to" post shows you how to make the classic California Roll, containing NO RAW fish. Just a side note though, raw fish is incredibly delicate, and fabulously scrumptious. Have an open mind and try it sometime, it is our favorite!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Definitions:
Sashimi- It primarily consists of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces (the key is VERY FRESH)
Sushi- is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegar rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood, or put into rolls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So now that I've put your mind at ease knowing that the following recipe contains NO RAW fish, we can proceed.

~Ingredients~

-Seaweed sheets - (you'll find at your local Asian store, Wal-mart, most major grocery stores)

-Sushi Rice vinegar

-Sushi Rice - (sold at most grocery stores, must be a sticky rice)

-Cucumber x 1

-Avocado x 2

-Imitation crab meat

-Sesame seeds- toasted

~Once you've found these ingredients, the rest of the process is quite easy. It just takes some practice. Cook your rice according to the directions (be sure to rinse your rice several times first as it removes excess starch)Once it's cooked, add your sushi vinegar to taste -(if you can't find it, just buy rice vinegar and add some granulated sugar - again, this is to taste). Add your toasted sesame seeds to the rice, they will give it texture and an added dimension.

Julienne (long strips) the cucumber, slice the avocado and cut your crab into smaller strips.
Heat a small skillet on low and quickly place seaweed paper in it quickly on both sides to allow it to become more supple (do this very quickly, just to lightly heat the paper).

Next, take the seaweed and spread some rice on one half, and line up the veggies & crab. This part is fun, do it however you want to - if you want more rice or filling, make it accordingly. This is YOUR sushi!

Proceed to roll, gently squeezing as you go to keep the roll intact. Gently cut with sharp, serrated knife.

Garnish with pickled sushi ginger, spicy wasabi paste, and good soy sauce. (these should be easily found at most grocery stores)

This last step is my favorite - EAT IT! :-D Hope you've enjoyed this very informative post on my favorite food! Now I feel like eating Sushi....at midnight. haha!

~Lauren

Tasty Fish Tacos

Proverbs 31:15 "She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."






Ok, first off let me just assure you that while this sounds like a strange meal, don't knock it till ya try it - it is fresh, flavorful, and healthy!
As I've mentioned previously, my husband and I adore seafood. You name it, any kind of seafood and we love it. So....it completely stands to reason why we love this meal so much!
Fish tacos have become increasingly popular, especially in places like CA & AZ. It's a sort of Baja fresh food. It's both unique and memorable. Ok, I'll stop rambling and dish it. (ha!)

~What you'll need~(besides an open mind)
Ingredients:
Flour or Corn tortillas -your preference
Tilapia (delicate white meat fish-easily found in any grocery store) - grilled or broiled, seasonings of choice
Mango Salsa (recipe below)
Red (it's actually purple) Cabbage- shredded
*Finish off with a little sour cream, hot sauce (we love siracha hot chili sauce) and more cilantro.

The wonderful thing about fish tacos is that they're completely up for your own creative interpretation. In fact, the pictures below have a few extra ingredients, just because I felt like it. You can use whatever kind of salsa you like, whatever kind of fish you want -fried, etc. Use your imagination and create a different kind of taco every time. It's fun and you'll love it!

*~Mango Salsa~*

2-3 ripe mangoes, cubed
Scallions or Red Onion (whichever you have on hand & prefer) diced, add to your taste
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed and diced
bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
Jalapenos - diced, add to your taste (I like way more than the average human being)
splash of lime juice
pinch of salt
dab of honey -(especially if mangoes aren't sweet enough)

*Note - I rarely ever measure when I cook, combine these ingredients and alter according to your personal taste. This recipe is about what YOU like.

Aren't these beautiful?!?!? Remember that you eat with your eyes, meaning that if the food isn't appealing to the eye, it's doubtful it'll be appealing to your tummy.

P.S. The extra ingredients I used are as follows: sauteed zucchini & onions & corn cut fresh off the cob. If you so desire, omit the fish and use these ingredients to make it a delish veggie taco.....but then it wouldn't be a "fish taco" now would it? And that's what this post is all about, so.....

P.P.S. - Yes, I'm completely aware that I overfill my tacos. Always. Never fail. Ask my husband. ha ha!


~Lauren

**Sensational Summer Stir-Fry**

Proverbs 31:15 "She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."

I've made Summer meals very similar to this one, but none exactly like this. I found this recipe while perusing the Pioneer Woman's website. I have to say that it is my top favorite recipe right now and I've made it TWICE in TWO days!!! Now, if that doesn't scream LOVE, I don't know what does! There's NOTHING like eating food that is in season, fresh from the garden (or someone else's garden- ha!). My hubby and I are definite seafood fans, so this recipe earns big points with us!

Here's what you will need: *Ingredients listed below*

Shrimp ~I chose to use what I had on hand -smaller with tail on- any size would work, whatever you prefer. (Scallops would be good too!) **If you are not a seafood lover, feel free to use grilled chicken, sausage, whatever you desire**

Slice the Grape tomatoes length-wise, and zucchini on a slight diagonal. Take and slice the corn off the cob.


Sautee' garlic in 1Tbs butter & 1Tbs Olive Oil- place zucchini in pan in single layer

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 12 whole Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined, Tails Left On -or whatever meat you decide to use.
  
• 2 whole Zucchini, Sliced On A Slight Diagonal
• 2 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off
• ½ cups Grape Tomatoes, Sliced In Half Lengthwise
• Jalapenos- I used pickled jalapenos, which are completely optional -I LOVE spicy food, add them to your liking.
  
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste -I also used Italian seasoning and the secret ingredients - cayenne pepper & crushed red pepper to spice things up!! (yes, in addition to the jalapenos -did I mention that I LOVE spicy food? ha!)
• Chopped Fresh Herbs, If Desired - this is a MUST and makes all the difference. I used Fresh Basil, Oregano, Chives & Cilantro.
  

Preparation Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic. When oil/butter is hot, add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Do not clean skillet.

Add the rest of the butter and oil and heat over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in a single layer and cook for one minute, tossing once. Scoot the zucchini to the edges of the pan, then add corn kernels to the middle of the pan. Cook for one minute. Add grape tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss around, then add shrimp. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

Hint: It's even better the next day-it allows the flavors to unite perfectly! ;-)

Serve on a lovely platter and garnish with some of the fresh herbs. As difficult as it will be, try not to eat the entire meal as a single helping, this should serve 4. In our house, it serves 2. :-)

~Lauren

Tis the season... for BLACKBERRIES!

Proverbs 31:15 "She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."

Summer is here--full, beautiful, and plenty hot! Now, I must state up front that I'm not the biggest fan of summer--I hate being hot... BUT I love summer cooking! There's plenty of fresh from the garden veggies and bright summery fruits.

One thing that screams summer to me is fresh, picked in the back yard, blackberries. Just look at these beauties! Thanks to my wonderful husband, who braved the insects, briars, and poison ivy, I have tons of blackberries and LOTS of big plans for them!

First on the list was something I had been craving since last summer--some Blackberry Quick Bread! It is so moist and yummy. It's made with cornmeal, which adds so much to the texture. I LOVE THIS STUFF! And so does my family... It's most definitely a southern delicacy (my most favorite kind!).

But, before I could jump into the bread--I had prep the berries. So I cleaned up the sink, filled it with cool water, and dipped the blackberries in. This chases out the bugs... Which my husband then chases out the door... Next is destemming and rinsing (and tasting a few just for good measure).

So here's the recipe:

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 large eggs

1 c. blackberries** 1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. yellow cornmeal 1/3 c. butter, melted

2 tsp. baking powder 3 Tbs. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. sugar

(**You can use any berry for this recipe! So versatile, so good!!)

1) Heat oven to 375*F. Coat bottom and sides of an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan with nonstick spray.

2) Place flour in a medium bowl. Remove 1 Tbs. flour and toss with blackberries in a separate bowl. (This keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter in the pan! Neat trick if ever I saw one!!)

3) To remaining flour, add cornmeal, baking powder, and salt--mix well.

4) In another medium bowl, whisk sugar with eggs, milk, melted butter, and lemon juice.

5) Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended; gently fold in blackberries.

6) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 min or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

7) Cool quick bread in pan on wire rack 5 min, remove pan and cool completely.

And that's it!! This is bread is so delicious. But now, I must confess something to you... Ok, here goes...

I rarely follow steps 3-5. I mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then mix them well. Then I dump in the wet ingredients straight into the same bowl, then mix that well. Then I throw in the berries. The batter is very thick. And just for fun, I'll sprinkle and press in a handful of berries on top of the bread... Sometimes, I'm just in a hurry (and don't wanna dirty 6 million bowls)!!

Well, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Sometimes, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! : )

And finally, the end result:

I really do love this stuff, and it's pretty to look at, too!! I hope you enjoy!!

The cliffhanger: I've got plenty more blackberry recipes to come! I can't wait to share! Come back soon!

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