Recipes

Favorite Summer Recipes

Posted on by keepingupwithkate91

Back in April, my Mom and I went to Vegas (her first trip). We splurged for dinner at Rao’s at Caesar’s Palace. The food was great but we both loved the Caprese Salad that we split. What made it different was a version of fresh mozzarella called Burrata.  It was so creamy.

When I got back to NJ – I actually had to ask a friend what it was called because I forgot the name.  At first I couldn’t find it locally – my Dad was able to find some at the Farmer’s Market in Central PA.  But luckily I’ve been able to find it on a regular basis at Shoprite (go figure).  I’ve been on a caprese salad kick now – both with burrata or regular fresh mozzarella.  It is super easy:

  • Fresh Jersey Tomatoes (if you aren’t in Jersey – than your local tomatoes – they just aren’t the same 🙂 )
  • Fresh Mozzarella – either burrata (a little creamier) or regular
  • Fresh Basil (I’m even growing my own – use it for this and in my eggs for breakfast)
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you can splurge on this too because this helps with the flavor).

Layer tomato, fresh basil, fresh mozzeralla – add desired amount of Balsalmi Vinegar and EVOO – and enjoy!

Caprese Burrata Salad – from vacation:

Caprese Burrata

Caprese Burrata

Double Layer Caprese Salad – from a BBQ last week:

Double Layer Caprese Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

Double Layer Caprese Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

A family favorite BBQ meal my Dad has been making – Grilled Shrimp Scampi with Saffron Rice.  It is from the Sunset BBQ Cookbook – 1962 (page 50) it is called Colby’s Scampies.  I just had it last week (and bummed I forgot to snap a photo) when I had a chance to visit with my parents.  It is soooo good (menu was Scampies, Saffron Rice, Asparagus and a Caprese Salad).

Here is the recipe (from the 1962 edition):

  •  6 large shrimp – fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 lb (1/2 cup) butter or margarine (we use butter)
  • 2 T Olive Oil
  • 2 T Steak Sauce
  • 6 Crushed Garlic Cloves
  • 1 t each crushed basil, tarragon, celery seeds
  • 2 T dry white wine (my Dad uses a very dry vermouth)
  • Salt to taste

Shell and de-vein the shrimp and split each in a butterfly fashion.  Combine all other ingredients except salt in the sauce. Marinate the shrimp in the sauce for at least 1 hour.  When colas in the BBQ have reached the glowing stage, spread the tails out on the grill, turning them and basting often.  When they show a little brown in color, salt to taste, rmove from fire, cut into 1 inch pieces and serve immediately.  Serves 6 for hor d’oeuvres, 2 as an entree.

The above gives the verbatim instructions from the 1962 cookbook. A couple of notes, my Dad uses extra large shrimp (~ 1 dozen – he normally does ~ 2 dozen and doubles the other ingredients) and puts them on skewers – and I personally like the shrimp a little crispy – aka a few burnt ends!

For presentation purposes – place the Shrimp Scampi over the Saffron Rice – it looks really pretty and is so yummy!  I think I may have to make it myself before the summer is over.

What are your favorite summer time recipes?

Green Smoothie #2

Posted on by keepingupwithkate91

Here is the smoothie I made yesterday.  It was a pretty green (and frothy) – more of a St. Patrick’s green than the one I made on Sunday (I’ll post a picture later).  It was a bit peppery (and I like pepper – but not in my morning drink) (not even sure what made it peppery).  I also meant to put in some flaxseed and I forgot.  If I made this one again, I would probably add lemons or limes and maybe a little stevia and pink himalayan salt

Ingredients:

1 – 1 /2 cups of lemon water
Handful of spinach
1 – 2 celery stalks
Fresh Ginger
Parsley

Put in that order into vitamix and blend.

Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes – Last Installment

Posted on by keepingupwithkate91

As promised, here is the last installment of my Christmas Cookie recipes.  These last three recipes have been added in the last 10 years.  Of course, there is a little story behind each recipe.

Buttery Shortbread:  This is the easy recipe of all the cookies I make – and the richest.  If I don’t have time to make cookies – I still find time to make these cookies.  I even have a 12 days of Christmas pan I use for them.  If you don’t have a speacial shortbread pan, I’ve used glass  pan pans.  This recipe is from some dear friends who I met during my time in Dallas.  It actually comes from England.  2 Cups of Flour, 1/2 Cup Cornstartch, 1/2 Cup Sugar, 2 sticks (1/2 lb) butter – unsalted (melted).  Preheat the over to 300 degrees.  Sift the flour, cornstarch and sugar into a medium bolw.  Stir in the melted butter (I microwave the butter).  Knead lightly; press into 8 inch round cake or pie pans.  Prick the dough all over with a fork (if using a pie pan I prick the dough so it looks like slices of pie).  Back for 35 minutes, until set but not browned.  Remove from the oven and cut.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Great Big Oatmeal Cookies:  These cookies are courtesy of The Great American Home Cooking Recipe cards.  Yes, those requests to join a recipe club.  I never joined, but I kept the recipe because the cookies had coconut in them.  One year instead of making the Oatmeal Crispies (see my first Christmas cookie recipe post) I decided to make these cookies to see how everyone liked them.  They were a hit; although my Dad still prefers the Oatmeal Crispies.  1 1/2 cup flaked coconut, 3 cups rolled oats, 1 1/4 Cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup unsalted butter (softened), 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs (room temp), 1 tsp vanilla & 1/4 cup milk.  Spread the coconut and oats over a large baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring often.  Cool.  Mix the flour, baking soda and salt.  Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium speed for 1 minute.  Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture.  Beat int he milk.  Stir in the flour, then the coconut and the oats.  Drop dough in 1/4 cup amounts, 3 inches aprt onto baking sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes at 350.  Let cool 1 minute; transfer to a rack.

Laurie Womer’s Coffee Bean Cookies:  My Mom found this recipe in The Patriot Newspaper – Harrisburg, PA.  This came from a reader in Lower Paxton Twp.  My Mom knows I enjoy my coffee and thought these would be a hit.  She made these cookies for me one Christmas and gave me the recipe.  The are obviously great with a nice cup of coffee.  1/2 cup butter (unsalted) (softened), 1/2 cup solid shortening (Crisco), 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs (room temp), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup chopped almonds, 1 cup chocolate covered coffee beans, 1 cup Heath Toffee bits.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees  Beat the butter and shortening on medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add sugars and beat well.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to butter mixture, beating well.  Stir in almonds, coffe beens and Heath bits.  Cover and chill dough for several hours or overnight.  Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets.  Bake 10 – 11 minutes or until golden.  Cook on cookie sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks and cool completely.  Makes 4 dozen.  Note:  Find chocolate covered coffee beans at local coffee houses or coffee kiosks at some grocery stores.

Happy Baking!  Enjoy!!  Let me know if you try any of the recipes and if they were a hit or not.

Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes – The Early Years

Posted on by keepingupwithkate91

Since I shared some of my FAVs at Christmas, I thought I would share some a little more about each one, this is the Christmas Cookie Edition.

I’ve been making Christmas cookies ever since I was a kid. I remember making cookies with my Mom every year. We kept it simple – 3 types of cookies: Nestle Toll House Choc Chips, Snowflakes and Oatmeal Crispies.

At some point my Mom went to work part-time (I believe I was in high school), so to help her out, my Dad decided to help me make the cookies. My Mom and I used margarine for all of our cookies. All of the recipes called for butter (all were handwritten recipes we used). My Dad insisted we use the butter (even though I insisted we always used margarine) (which makes me believe maybe I was in middle school when my Dad took over)…none of the cookies tasted right that year. So if you go into my parent’s recipe box you will see butter margarine.  **I switched all cookies back to butter about 10 years ago.**

Here are the recipes of the staples (I’ll add another post with ones I’ve added over the years that have turned into favorites as well):

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip:  2 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup butter (I use unsalted – softened), 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 large eggs (room temp), 2 cups choc chips, 1 cup chopped nuts (optional – i prefer pecans – walnuts will work too).  Preheat oven at 375 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Gradually add flour mixture.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes.  *I usually pull out of the oven at the lower time as they still bake on the pan when you take them out of the oven*

Snowflakes:  These are also known as cream cheese spritz cookies.  1 cup butter (unsalted – softened), 1-3 oz cream cheese (I always use Philadelphia brand), 1 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk (room temp), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp finely grated orange rind, 2 1/2 cup sifted flour. 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp vanilla, green & red food coloring.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour with salt and cinnamon.  Cream butter and cream cheese well.  Add sugar gradually and continue creaming.  Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and orange rind.  Add to flour mix to creamed mixture.  You can either split the dough in half to add the food coloring to have red and green cookies.  Add food coloring and mix in.  Don’t over mix.  If you are going to using a cookie press- I suggest putting the dough in the refrigerator to assist with it going through the press.  We used to make green trees and red bells (usually 2 batches).  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes (watch initially if small they could burn on the edges).  You can add additional  decoration to the cookies once they come out of the oven – colored sugar, cinnamon or chopped almonds (or before you bake).  Yields 6 – 7 dozen.

Oatmeal Crispies:  1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp soda, 3 cups oats (quick cooking), 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds work well – optional), 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 eggs (room temp) and 1 tsp vanilla (or mix it up and use 1 tsp almond extract instead of vanilla).  Sift and measure flour, re-sift with salt and baking soda.  Stir in oats and nuts.  Cream butter with sugar and eggs until very light and fluffy.  Add creamed mixture to dry ingredients.  Blend thoroughly & form into 2 logs (you can put in your cookie press and push through to create a log).  Wrap log in either wax paper or plastic wrap.  Place dough in refrigerator either overnight or a few hours.  Cut in thin slices with sharp knife.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Yields 6 dozen.  **I love this dough raw vs. baked – note there are raw eggs and it is recommended not to eat raw eggs** (that is my disclaimer).  The cooked ones are very tasty with a big glass of milk.

Enjoy.  What are your favorite recipes?

PS:  I have some pictures over the years I’ll post, just have to find them.