Watermelon Margaritas...a great way to start summer

If there is any food that screams summer is it watermelon. In my house there is a watermelon in the fridge every week once they hit the markets.  My kids would eat an entire one in two days if I let them.

However, they are not always that sweet or over ripe.  I am not sure if there is a perfect way to distinguish a good watermelon, please share with us if you have any tricks.  Here is a wonderful recipe to use up the watermelon that may not be moving out of the house so quickly, Watermelon Margaritas from Everyday Food Magazine.  Also melon can be sliced, placed onto a cookie sheet and frozen for up to 2 months so you can enjoy this treat early fall after they have been taken off market shelves.  Or use the frozen cubes as the ice in the individual drinks for a festive look.

In a small saucepan bring 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup water and 3 wide strips orange zest to a boil over high.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves, 3 minutes.  Let syrup cool in a bowl.

In a blender, puree 12 ounces watermelon cubes (about 2 cups) until smooth.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids into a pitcher. ( you should have about 1 cup of juice)  Stir in Syrup, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes) and 3/4 cup white or silver tequila.  Fill salt-rimmed glasses with ice, then pour margarita mixture over top.  Garnish with lime wedges.

This recipe suggests it is 4 servings.  I did not read it that carefully and placed it into 2 high ball glasses.  Just beware they are very smooth and pretty potent.
I also made the simple syrup recipe earlier in the day and let it cool to room temperature on the stove.  You could also make the "watermelon" juice before the party and allow to sit in your fridge until serving time. I also don't think there would be a problem with doubling the recipe.  You may just need to use a food processor for more volume.

Happy Summer!!

Strawberry Jam

We went strawberry picking last week and I froze a lot of berries but  I thought we would eat more than we were.  I needed a quick recipe to get rid of these strawberries before they went too bad.

 Strawberry jam came to mind.  I quickly googled for recipes and most stated I needed pectin.  I was anxious to make it and was not able to get to the store.  I found a Barefoot Contessa recipe, what a surprise, for Easy Strawberry Jam, that uses a half of an apple instead of powdered pectin. I had an apple, not a granny smith however, in my fridge so I was ready to go.

This is a quick and easy recipe.  I am not sure if it was the lack of granny smith, not sure if the actual apple matters or the use of frozen blueberries instead of fresh,  but it was definitely a little more soupy than the jam from the grocery.  I also reduced the sugar by half per several suggestions on foodnetwork.  My berries were also small and not incredibly sweet but tasted amazing.  My kids have used it so far for pb& j sandwiches as well as topping for french toast.  I might try it again with other fruits this season and see if I get the same effect.

Tip, I did not have superfine sugar so I placed it in the food processor for a few seconds.  Then with the grater blade I grated the half of apple to save time with chopping it plus it blended better in the jam.

Ellen's Great Aunt's Strawberry Cake

First I want to thank Ellen,a reader who sent me this recipe after reading the strawberry bread post.  This is her aunt's recipe, who is 102 years old. I took the kids to a local strawberry patch after school and was excited to try this recipe out.

Looking for a strawberry field near you? Go to pickyourown.org for locations and picking tips.  This year we went to the Berry Patch, only 25 minutes from my house.  I love going to this place as it is simply a farm, no admission to pick.  Plus they have produce and fresh eggs available.

Anyway, Ellen I hope I made you proud as I tweaked it a little bit and was not sure if it was made as a sheet or layered cake.  This was extremely moist and easy to make.  The kids enjoyed smashing the strawberries and watching the white cake mix turn pink.

Allow to cool completely on  baking racks




This is the yummy goodness inside

Here is the email sent to me, the red print is how it was tweaked
Saw you post about the strawberry bread and had to share my great aunt's (she's 102!)recepie for Strawberry cake. It is so delish and your children will love helping!

1 box white cake mix
3/4 c wesson oil
1/2 c water
1 small package strawberry jello
4 eggs
1 1/2 c mashed strawberries

Blend jello & cake mix. Add oil and water then eggs, one at a time. Add 1 cup of strawberries last. Pour into 2 9 inch round baking pans Bake at 350 for 25 min.  Allow to cool completely on racks before frosting.

Frosting:
cream one stick butter and add i box of confectioner's sugar, alternating sugar w/ 1/2 cup mashed strawberry's.

I have never made the frosting, tastes better to me out of the can. You can still add the berry's to premade frosting and garnish with strawberry's on top.

It's so moist and yummy!

Tip:

When frosting a cake place pieces of parchment paper underneath to keep the cake plate clean!


Also I put the frosted cake back into the fridge for a few minutes to harden up.

Book Swap Coffee

Having a book club meeting or just hosting a coffee with friends, be a little eco friendly and add a book swap to the event.  With summer slowly approaching we might find some extra time to curl up with a book at the pool or beach while chasing children from one activity to the next!  I know I have plenty of paperback books that I have kept around thinking I might read them again, right I was lucky to read them the first time.  I much rather recycle them to a friend then just donating them, especially if it was a good book.

1)Make it earth friendly by sending out an evite or email.
  Keep it short 1 1/2 to 2 hrs but flexible for people to come with busy schedules.
2) Ask each guest to bring as many used books as they wish to trade
     You might want to specify adult or child and age group
 **you can also choose a charity to donate extra books for.
3) For a coffee, use real coffee mugs and ask around someone will have a stash of mugs you can borrow.  Don't worry if they don't match as the sayings on mugs often will start a conversation!
4) Have simple fare that your purchase or make ahead.
5) When your guests arrive have them drop off the books on a designated table so people can look at them before the swap.
6) If you have a set time for your event, have everyone swap at the same time.  This way the people that brought the books can tell a little about the ones they have read.
  It also works for a "open house" event. The only downside is you  get fewer books to choose from.  Just have the guests swap on their way out.
7)  One of the best things I have done at coffees or even family bbq's is to find a babysitter for your friends with small children to use at your house.  Have them outside if possible with a table of kid friendly goodies so they don't bother the adults.  The children have some structure and your friends aren't struggling to find a sitter.

This is an easy party and can be done with adults or kids.  A little more fun than going to the library and less expensive than going to a bookstore. Plus you will have more than the book jacket as a review!

Happy entertaining.

Barefoot Bloggers-Spring Risotto

My father is a big big fan of risotto and I remembering making my first attempt after college and they were coming over for a father's day dinner.  To my surprise he did not like peas so the experience was ruined for all of us.  However, that has not stopped me from making this rather tedious but well received meal.  I makes a great side dish or main dish with added shrimp or chicken.

I did have some redemption this past christmas when I made a mushroom and crab risotto for my father. He did eat the whole dish this time and there were no peas!!

When I saw this month's first recipe for Barefoot Bloggers I was thrilled to have documented with photos the last time I made Spring Green Risotto.  The process feels daunting but well worth it. Plus once you make risotto you can really change up the veggies with whatever you may have in your fridge or freezer.

In this case I did not use the fennel as I am not a big fan of the flavor!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed

. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Tip:
I bought the large carton of Mascarpone at BJ's so this is what I made for dessert!! No waste:)  I just used the recipe on the box of shells but substituted the cheese.
Cannolis
I had to jazz them up a little for the kids

Strawberry Bread

With the produce sections bursting with strawberries I was attracted by this recipe although it uses frozen strawberries in sugar, so you can make this all year round.  However, after my first taste tester I was not sure if I should even post it because he gave a bad review.  After he did not eat anything else that morning and tasters 2 and 3 wanted seconds I decided to share it.

It is super simple and gets you into the strawberry mood.  For picking and storage tips read my previous post on Strawberries.

I was a little disappointed as the batter is a beautiful pink color but the bread comes out brown, or at least mine did.  I also reduced the sugar because I thought the additional sugar in the strawberries would make it more sweet.  I think you actually need the required amount of sugar or you could add a confectionary sugar glaze...maybe I will do that with my second loaf.

Strawberry Bread

3 1/4 cups flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

16oz frozen sliced strawberries w/ sugar thawed including the juice

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick spray and set aside. Mix the four, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.  Add the strawberries on low speed.  Mix in the eggs an dthe oil until well combined.  Pour the batter equally into the pans.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Last minute Mother's day or teacher appreciation gift

This week is teacher appreciation week  and mother's day so I wanted to share with you a quick but thoughtful gift.  Since most people either drink coffee or tea I thought about this simple treat.  You can even make the flavored spoons for an event that you were serving teas and coffees.

First you can start with a hand crafted ceramic mug.  Find an inexpensive one at the dollar store and use sharpies for an inexpensive yet not long lasting mug.  Or the craft stores have many ceramic paints now that you can make something more permanent.   I am not sure how easy the paints are or if you have to bake them on, just be sure and read the directions before buying your mug if you go this route.

Even simpler, you can even have the child decorate a plain styrofoam cup.

For the coffee drinker, dip spoons, plastic or inexpensive stainless found at thrift stores, into melted chocolate.  Simply microwave the chocolate until smooth, you can add flavored extracts like peppermint, vanilla, or kahlua.

Just have the child dip the spoon and set on parchment paper to set.  If it is warm in your house you can place the spoons into the fridge to set up quickly.  Once set, you can cover them with saran wrap or lollipop covers and tie with a ribbon.

Simply add a bag of coffee to the mug, place in a plastic bag and tie it up with the spoons.

For the tea drinker, use a heavy duty spoon, most ideal would be a stainless as you will witness from my first attempts at this.

Melt some lemon, orange or peppermint hard candies in the microwave at 15 second intervals.  When completely melted coat the spoons and place on a silpat to harden.  It takes no time to harden so work quickly.  You may want to just melt enough for a few spoons at a time.

If it is too hot, the plastic spoon will melt!!  Also it will stick to wax paper.
The candy is very hot so you may want to do this part for the child.





Once hardened, wrap them the same way as the chocolate spoons.

If you are going to use a mug, add a little crumbled paper to the bottom of the mug and add the tea bags and sugar spoons.  Tie with a pretty ribbon.

If you want to skip the mug just wrap up a box of  tea bags with a few spoons.

For a little nicer gift, include a gift card from a local coffee shop.
In the fall and winter, you can pack up the chocolate spoons with  hot cocoa!
*** I just was at Michael's and they have mugs and markers available in a set for $1.50.  What a deal!!
Be sure to check out the other teacher gifts we have done in the past.

Easy cinco de Mayo recipe or summer BBQ--Shrimp tacos

• I wanted to let you know first that the was a revision to the chocolate oatmeal bars.  I received a call from my sister wondering what to do with the oats.  You add the oats to the melted butter and cook it for 2 minutes

I promised you also the other dinner I made for my crowd last weekend.  I often pull out recipes that look interesting out of magazines and file them in a binder so I can recycle the magazines.  When I was looking for ideas for last weekend I came upon the page I pulled out for sangria and on it were shrimp tacos.  I have had fish tacos before and thought these sounded good and shrimp cooks up so quickly it was good for the cook, me!!  

However I bought a 2 lbs bag of jump shrimp and did not realize until it was defrosted that it was not peeled, so that was a little time consuming.  

Also after looking at 3 different stores for fresh corn I finally stumbled upon Trader Joe's Corn chile salsa.  I added a half of a can of rinsed black beans to give it a flavor closer to the corn salsa recipe below.  I also found Trader Joe's Salsa Fresca and added some chopped mango to it to give a little sweetness for the kids.  I displayed the 2 salsas and cream sauce into a three tiered dish which made it look especially appetizing!!

Also the magazine Southern Living, displays the shrimp still on skewers so the guests just take one and fill the tacos.  We decided to just take them off for ease of serving.  You probably could roast the shrimp too  I may try that next time.

For a change for the traditional beer and wine selection I decided to make the sangria as well.  I have made it before and knew it would be a hit.  You can make it the day before which is nice as well.  If you have a smaller crowd you can halve the recipe, I made the full recipe of the simple syrup and kept it in my fridge for iced tea etc.

Shrimp Taco Ingredients

• 2  pounds  unpeeled, large raw shrimp
• 20  (12-inch-long) skewers
• 2  tablespoons  Southwest seasoning
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3  cup  lime juice
• 3  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 16  (8-inch) soft taco-size flour tortillas, warmed
• 1  head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 1  head radicchio, finely shredded
• Southwest Cream Sauce
• Grilled Corn Salsa or  Trader Joe's chile corn salsa with added black beans
• Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Thread shrimp onto skewers.

2. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Combine Southwest seasoning and garlic in a long shallow dish; add lime juice, lemon juice, and shrimp, turning to coat. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade.

3. Grill shrimp, without grill lid, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from skewers. Serve in warm tortillas with next 4 ingredients. Garnish, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Emeril's Southwest Seasoning.  I could not find this so I used his traditional seasoning.

Southwest Cream Sauce: Whisk together 1 (16-oz.) container sour cream; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion; 1 tsp. chili powder; 1/2 tsp. ground cumin; 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper; and 1/4 tsp. salt. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 2 cups; Prep: 10 min.

Sangria

yield: Makes about 12 cups

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 2  (750-milliliter) bottles dry red wine
• 1/2  cup  orange juice
• 1/2  cup  peach nectar*
• 1/4  cup  orange liqueur
• 2  to 3 cups club soda, chilled
• 1  lemon, thinly sliced
• 1  lime, thinly sliced
• 1  orange, thinly sliced
• 1  Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Bring sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes.

2. Combine sugar mixture, red wine, and next 3 ingredients in a large container; cover and chill 4 hours. Stir in club soda and next 4 ingredients just before serving. Serve over ice, if desired.

*1/2 cup orange juice may be substituted.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot for dry red wine and Grand Marnier for orange liqueur.

Sangría Blanco: Omit orange juice and peach nectar. Substitute dry white wine for red wine, lemon-lime soft drink for club soda, and 1 pt. fresh strawberries for 1 Granny Smith apple. Increase orange liqueur to 1 cup, 1 lemon to 2, 1 lime to 2, and 1 orange to 2. Prepare recipe as directed, stirring in 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves with wine in Step 2.