Aperol Spritz

The Summer weather will stick around for a few more weeks, but the feeling won't.  Labor Day is the last weekend of carefree Summer before the hectic days of Fall begin.  Before long, the grill gets covered and the crockpot comes out, and your bubbly prosecco drinks turn into bourbon manhattans.  Hold on to the season a little bit longer with a long weekend of aperol spritzes.  They do contain prosecco, which explains why it's impossible not to smile while drinking them.  And that smile is all the thanks I need :)

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

aperol

prosecco or brut champagne

club soda

orange slices

Fill a wine glass with ice, then add aperol one-third of the way up the glass, then prosecco, and top with a splash of club soda.  Stir to mix.  Squeeze your orange slice a little and add it to the glass.  Then drink...smile...drink...smile some more...

Frozen Ice Cream Dessert with Crispy Topping

My friend's mom made this growing up and I adopted it when I had kids.  Her topping didn't have brown sugar, but I find the caramel it makes gives the nuts a richer flavor.  Use all your favorites and make it your own --I'm giving you the recipe, the memories it makes will be yours forever :)

I like to make this over the long holiday weekends in the summer. You only have to do the work once and you have dessert for 3 days.  Always thinkin', I am...

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1 container ice cream, slightly softened (I use Breyers french vanilla)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 1/2 cups rice krispies

8 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

chocolate sauce (I use Hershey's dark chocolate)

9x11 pan

Take ice cream out of the container and spread evenly into the 9x11 pan.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan on the stove, melt butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel forms.  Add nuts and stir.  Remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix coconut and rice krispies.  Add to the saucepan and mix all.  Let cool slightly.

Pour crispy topping over ice cream, spreading to cover.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce.  Cover and place in freezer until ready to eat, at least 3 hours.

To serve, cut in squares and serve in bowl drizzled with more chocolate sauce, if desired. Freeze remainder until needed.

  

Pasta with Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes, and Mushrooms

This pasta dish comes together quickly enough to make on a weeknight, and is tasty enough to serve to guests.  My daughter chose it for her birthday dinner this year--it's been a favorite in my house for 25 years and I hope it becomes one of yours :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

2 or 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces   

1 7-ounce jar sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped, but reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil  (I use Alessi)

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

1 jar of your favorite alfredo sauce (I use Bertolli)

12-ounces pasta (I use ziti rigati)

olive oil

butter

white wine

salt/pepper/garlic powder

Heat 3 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a deep skillet on med-high heat.  Add chicken to pan, and season with some salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Sautee until cooked through and browned nicely.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 3 more tablespoons butter to the pan and sautee mushrooms. When browned nicely, deglaze pan with some chicken stock (approx 1/4 cup) scrape brown bits from bottom.  Let simmer slightly and add the alfredo sauce.  Pour some white wine into the empty jar (maybe 1/4 of a cup), close the top and shake so you are sure to get all the sauce.  Pour wine mixture into the pan.  Add tomatoes.  Mix all and let simmer on low, covered, while you make the pasta.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

When pasta is done, add chicken (and the juices it has accumulated while sitting) to the sauce and stir to incorporate.  Drain pasta and add to sauce with the reserved tablespoon of sundried tomato oil--let simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors come together.  Season to taste, and serve in large pasta bowls with crusty bread, so you're sure to get every last bit of sauce.

  

Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita

You can make a pitcher of these for a crowd, or just a single drink for yourself.  Or a pitcher for yourself, nobody's judging  :)  

They have a sweet, salty, spicy heat that screams summer, but with an unexpected, mischievous twist.  And tequila.  Really, do you need any more convincing than that? 

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1  59-ounce container of "Pineapple Orange" juice (I use Dole)

(it lives in the refrigerated section of my grocery store, by the produce)

1 1/2 or 2 cups of your favorite tequila

1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, unseeded, sliced into thicker wheels 

fresh pineapple, cut in bite-size chunks

kosher salt

ice

pitcher

Note:  I garnish each drink by itself, because if you add the sliced jalapenos to the pitcher, the drink becomes too spicy as it sits, and the pineapple will break apart.

Mix container of juice and tequila in pitcher and keep cold until ready to serve.

Rim glass with salt, pour drink over ice, add jalapeno slices and pineapple to your drink and serve.

inside my drink

Memorial Day: Grilled Shrimp with Tequila Lime Butter and Green Sauce

 

     

American summer.  An ideal SO IDEAL that it begins and ends with 2 huge outdoor parties and...just in case you forget how much fun you're supposed to be having, there's another one WITH FIREWORKS right in the middle!

This recipe is perfect for the grilling holidays.  Based on a recipe by the great Steven Raichlen that I came across almost 20 years ago and have been playing with ever since, it's spicy/smoky flavors pair well with all the side dishes and cold drinks you'll be serving, and can easily be multiplied for large groups.

Wishing you a glorious summer of beach days and sunset nights, bikinis, ankle bracelets, salt water detangler, jean nate after bath splash, firepits and fireflies, cool cotton covers on your sunburn chills, sticky hands from fresh chilled watermelon and salty lips from too many margaritas, Nantucket Reds and 501 Blues, clam bakes and crab boils, and soft kisses underneath the fireworks.  It’s only 9 weeks long—enjoy every minute of it!

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1.5  lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley

5 jalapenos

1 bunch green onions

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt/pepper

1 ½ teaspoons cumin

Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chacheri’s)

Olive oil

½ stick butter

Limes

Tequila

Remove most of the seeds from the jalapenos (leave some in for heat), then coarsely chop with the green onions and garlic.  Add to food processor and chop.  Add a handful of cilantro, some salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and a little olive oil—puree.

Combine the shrimp and green sauce in a large ziplock bag and marinate for approx 35-40 minutes in the refrigerator. 

In the meantime, make the tequila lime butter:

Melt butter on stove over low heat.  Add some Cajun seasoning, juice of half a lime, a splash (or 2) of tequila, and a handful of chopped parsley.  Keep warm and set aside.
Heat grill and skewer shrimp.

tequila lime butter

ready for the grill

Grill shrimp until firm, turning to char both sides.  They only take a few minutes (approx. 3-5 per side)  Baste with the butter sauce but be careful, you don't want it to flame up.

Transfer shrimp to a platter.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over all and serve.

Cinco de Mayo Tacos: chicken, grilled pineapple, and charred peppers

     

These tacos have a sweet-tart heat that starts slow and reaches the back of your throat by the last lip-tingling bite.  So good!

They're both simple and straightforward, so the fresher your ingredients are, the better.  Combined with salty margaritas and some Camila Cabello on the Sonos, you have the beginnings of a fun, sexy celebration.  The rest is up to you :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

serves 4

NOTE:  the pickled onions are so simple, and should be made the day before or morning of the day that you will be using them.  See my post from 5/3/19 or the link below:
 

https://dishingmemories.blogspot.com/2019/05/pickled-onions.html 

1 whole chicken, roasted in the oven and shredded OR
4 large chicken breasts, grilled and shredded
1 whole pineapple, cored and sliced into long rectangles (that won't fall through the grill)
4 ears corn, shucked
5 or 6 jalapeno peppers, whole
fresh cilantro 
pickled onions 
chicken broth
small flour or corn tortillas
salt/cracked pepper/garlic powder
limes

optional:  your favorite salsa verde

NOTE:  A charcoal grill is my favorite for this because of the flavor it imparts, but propane works fine too

Make chicken by roasting or grilling, and shred.  Set aside.
(however you decide to make it, season it first with salt/cracked pepper/and garlic powder)

pineapple, corn, and peppers ready for the grill

Next, grill corn, peppers until they have blistered, and the pineapple until it has nice marks.
Remove.  Char tortillas slightly, remove.  I also grill my limes, but you don't have to.  

Cut corn off the cob into a bowl, slice peppers (I leave in some of the seeds for heat, but you can take them out entirely if you'd like),  and chop the pineapple into small bite-size pieces.  

charred and blistered peppers

If chicken needs moisture:

In a skillet on the stove, place the chicken and just a little chicken broth for flavor and juiciness, and heat slightly until the broth has mostly cooked into the chicken. Remove to bowl and place with the rest of your ingredients.  

Place all out for your guests, including the pickled onions and your favorite salsa verde.  Squeeze lime juice over, salt and pepper as necessary, and enjoy!

Radishes with herb butter

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, but kudos to my parents because I never knew it.  I thought we were rich.  For instance:  in my lunch box, my mom would sometimes pack finger sandwiches (like cream cheese and black olives with the crust cut off).  My friends thought these treats were so exotic, so much cooler than what they had, and often we’d trade, so I readily gave away my super cool finger sandwiches for bologna and mayonnaise on wheat and some Cheez-its.  

It wasn’t until I was older that I learned the finger sandwiches were a result of necessity:  we couldn’t afford lunch meat that week and the jar of black olives, unopened at Thanksgiving, was the only thing in the pantry staring my mother in the face.  The cupboard, as they say, was bare.

These lean times, though, would produce what would later become my favorite summertime snack:  fresh radishes.  They were inexpensive and  my mother could buy a whole bag of them for less than $2.  So she did...all the time.   We’d sprinkle salt in one hand, dip the radish in it, and eat it in one or two bites—the whole bowl of them—until the sharpness of the vegetable would start to sting the back of our throats and we’d have to stop.



Fast forward 30 years:  I was at a cozy French Bistro in Chicago called Maisson Brasserie (sadly, now closed), and instead of bread, they brought a tray of radishes, salt, and sweet cream butter to the table. Delicious, and so unexpected!  I’ve adapted the dish for you here. Should you wish to go one step further and incorporate herbs into the butter, I've included that option below.  

I always serve this on Easter and both my mother and I laugh about how far our favorite snack has come.  I hope you love it as much as we do.

 

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1 bag fresh radishes, cleaned and trimmed on both ends

kosher salt

1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal
8 ozs. unsalted butter (room temperature)

IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE HERB BUTTER, ALSO PURCHASE:
2 tsp. fresh chopped dill
1 tsp. fresh chopped chives
1 lemon

                                                

If making herb butter, do so first:  8 ozs unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature), 2 tsp fresh chopped dill, 1 tsp. fresh chopped chives, 1 pinch salt, the juice of 1/2 lemon.  Mix all together and place in bowl.  Can be refrigerated until ready to use, but bring back to room temperature before serving.

Place kosher salt in a small bowl for dipping.  Assemble all on tray, in a way that looks pleasing to you.  Uncork a crisp, bubbly, icy-cold prosecco to share with your friends and enjoy!







Vanilla Caramel Sundae topped with Smoked Almonds & Cheddar Popcorn

Don't say no to this salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy dream until you've tried it. Pure heaven--  

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

French Vanilla ice cream (I use Breyers)

Caramel sauce (I use Smuckers)

Cheddar popcorn 

Smoked, salted almonds

Put ice cream in a dish, spoon caramel sauce over.  Add popcorn and almonds to the top and eat with a really big spoon :)

so good

Meatballs and Sauce

Meatballs and a glass of red wine.  Really, is there anything better?

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

meatballs

1.5 - 1/8 pounds ground chuck (or a meatloaf mixture of ground chuck and pork)

3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

3/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1  tbs. garlic powder

1 tbs. Italian seasoning

2 tbs. parmesan cheese (the green can is fine for this)

salt/pepper

1 small onion chopped

sauce

1  28-ounce can tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree

1 small onion, chopped

salt

garlic powder

1/4 cup red wine (a good wine you would drink so you can finish it with dinner)

olive oil

 also:  ricotta cheese, fresh basil, crusty bread

Make meatballs:  In large bowl mix bread crumbs, onion, egg, and milk.  Let sit to soak.  Add garlic powder, italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper.  Mix together and add ground chuck.  Mix with clean hands until all incorporated, shape into 8 meatballs.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

In the meantime, make the sauce:  drizzle olive oil in deep pan and saute the other onion on lower heat until translucent.  Add minced garlic and saute (do not let brown).   Add tomatoes, then sauce and red wine.  Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder and simmer on low, just bubbling, for approx 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

When meatballs are done, remove from pan and add to the sauce with any pan drippings.  Simmer another 15 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Serve meatballs in bowl with sauce, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, a spoonful of ricotta cheese, some grilled/crusty bread for dipping, and pour yourself a glass of the red wine you used for the sauce :)

Zuppa di Scarola e Ceci: escarole and garbanzo bean soup

Brrrrr...it's cold outside!  Make this for dinner on Valentine's Day and cuddle up close with someone you love :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

the perfect pasta for soup

64 ounces chicken broth
1 head Escarole
1  15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ditalini (half a box), uncooked
salt/black pepper/garlic powder
olive oil
parmesan cheese (for grating)
dutch oven or soup pot
crusty bread



A head of escarole looks like this:

Wash it as you would any lettuce.  Break leaves into big pieces. Set aside.

Drizzle approx 3 tablespoons olive oil in large dutch oven.  Add garlic and garbanzo beans and saute over medium heat for approx 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle salt over beans.

Add torn escarole pieces a few at a time, stirring to coat all with oil.  Add a little broth to wilt leaves.  When all are coated and wilted, add all the broth and as much pasta as you'd like.  Add a few shakes of the garlic powder and bring to a light simmer, cover, and let cook over low heat until the pasta is al dente (or to your liking), stirring occasionally.   

When soup is ready, turn off the stove but do not remove pot from the heat.  Let sit for approx 15 minutes to soak up some of the broth.  Adjust seasonings.

Heat up bread in the oven so it is hot and crusty

Serve soup in bowls with parmesan cheese grated over the top and some bread on the side.