Cantaloupe Salsa

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I love salsas of all kinds. Traditional red salsa, corn salsas, fruit salsas – it would be hard to nail down just one favorite. Last week we had fish tacos, and I went to the store for a few last minute ingredients. The cashier alerted me to the fact that the fresh, local cantaloupes were on sale for $2 BOGO. How could I resist? A true buy one get one too, not that BOGOHO crap!  I’d planned to do my usual mango salsa, but remembered when Shawnda had made a cantaloupe salsa to pair with fish tacos, and thought that would be a fun twist instead.

I pretty much just took my recipe for pico de gallo, and subbed in cantaloupe for tomato. It was fresh and delicious, and perfect with the blackened fish. And of course it wonderful for munching on with tortilla chips too. I know this would be a hit at any potluck or BBQ, as it’s so unique and different. Taking advantage of the last of the summer’s bounty while I still can, I know I’ll be making this a few more times before all the good melons are gone!

Cantaloupe Salsa

2.5 cups cantaloupe, finely diced (about 1/2 large cantaloupe)
1 cup red onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Combine cantaloupe, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: inspired by Confections of a Foodie Bride

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

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It’s no secret that I’ve been kind of a lush when it comes to margaritas, or most mixed drinks (or craft beer) in general. But these cherry margaritas? They’ll blow your mind. Even my best girlfriend, who had sworn she didn’t like margaritas, changed her tune after trying one of these. And, now whenever she comes to visit – I’d better make sure I have some cherries on hand. Not that I don’t have them on hand this time of year anyway… But, I always manage to squeeze some manual labor out of her and make her muddle.

The muddling of the cherries brings out all their sweet juicy goodness, a splash of maraschino cherry juice to replace the dab of simple syrup, then mix it with a basic margarita mix and you’re all set. Be ready to receive plenty of compliments on your mixology! I’m making a gallon-sized jug to take to a campout/party on “The Sandbar” this weekend. It’s this little stretch of beach at the inlet to ocean, only accessible by boat of course. It’s the local spot for fun in the sun, and you can bring your dog – which is a huge plus for us.

This is the second annual campout now, and quite a few old friends are going. While we get out for an occasional dinner without the boys – I’m ready to get my dancing shoes on. Or, off actually, as we’ll be dancing in the sand. Fun stuff. I have a feeling that with these margaritas to share, I’ll make a few new friends too! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

20 fresh cherries, pitted
3 ounces silver tequila
2 ounces orange liquer
1 ounce marashino cherry juice
4 ounces margarita mix
ice
kosher salt/granulated sugar for rim
lime wedges for garnish

Rim 2 glasses with salt/sugar mixture. Fill glasses with ice and set aside.

In the larger part of a cocktail shaker, muddle the cherries to a pulp. Add tequila, orange liquer, marashino juice, margarita mix, and a couple of ice cubes. Shake vigerously for 30 seconds.

Strain into the ice filled glasses, and garnish with a lime wedge.

Source: adapted from Fine Cooking June/July 2001 via Annie’s Eats

Peach Cobbler

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Peach cobbler was always my favorite dessert as a little girl, and my mom makes a great one. I’ve made her version too many times to count, but it uses Bisquick – and I really wanted a to come up with a homemade recipe for the cobbler portion. I tried a couple of different recipes, but they were too puffy and biscuit-like for my taste. I like my cobbler to ooze into the fruit and bake, almost making for a bread pudding type consistency. When I stumbled over this version and tried it, I knew I had found a winner.

With the all the oppressive dry heat we had during July, peaches are about coming to an end here in Maryland. But, I’m hoping to take one more trip to my local orchard for a peck or two before they’re gone for good. Aside from prepping the peaches, this comes together in minutes. Who doesn’t love that kind of dessert? More time to spend outside having fun!

Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices (about 5 peaches)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are combined. Pour batter over butter (do not stir). Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Source: Southern Living, June 1997 via MyRecipes

Shimp Tacos + A Giveaway

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We eat a lot of shrimp in the summertime. Fresh with the heads still on, they are almost cheaper than chicken here. We also eat alot of Mexican, so to combine those two loves into one dish was a no-brainer. I’d had shrimp tacos on my mind, but when I came across this recipe in a cookbook I had the opportunity to review, I put it on our menu plan immediately.

The shrimp undergo a quick marinade before being sauteed, then topped with a delicious mango-avocado salsa and thinly sliced red cabbage for a bit of crunch. All wrapped up in a lightly toasted corn tortilla. Comes together in less than 20 minutes, making for a perfect dinner to throw together after a long day at the beach – which, we’ve been enjoying a lot of these days.

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Shrimp Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa

1 pound large shrimp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
corn tortilla
vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced

For the salsa:
1 large mango, diced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, finely diced
salt and pepper

Peel and devein shrimp. Place in large resealable bag. Combine marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Add to the shrimp and toss until coated. Seal and chill for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. The salsa can be left at room temperature up to an hour. Otherwise, keep it chilled for up to 1 day.

Place large, cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp turn pink and start to curl. Place shrimp on cutting board to cool for a minute before giving a rough chop. Place in bowl and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, and place over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil, and fry tortillas, a couple at a time, until starting to brown around the edges.

To serve, place a few shrimp in the middle of each warm tortilla, top with the salsa and shredded cabbage.

Source: adapted from The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook