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.

The good people at Lodge Cast Iron sent along an extra cookbook to pass along to one of my fine readers. To enter, leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite dish to prepare in a cast iron skillet?

Contest will run through August 1st at 10 PM EST. Winner will be chosen via Random Number Generator and notified via email. For a few more chances to win:

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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

Lemon Berry Bars

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Berries. Summer. The two words are synonymous with each other! I was so happy to find a pick-your-own blueberry patch in Salisbury, MD (Garden of Eden Orchards for all you locals folks) – which is about 30 minutes north of me. The boys and I went the week before last, and we had so much fun filling up our pail with blueberries. Hoping to get back up there this week to pick some berries for freezing!

These bars had been on my radar to make since they popped up on one of my favorite sites earlier in the month in a recipe roundup for the 4th of July. A sweet/tart lemon bar, studded with gorgeous raspberries? Sign me up! When I went to make them, some of my raspberries were not at their most pristine condition – so, I tossed in some blueberries to fill the holes left behind by the less desirable raspberries that I had to chunk.

These were super-duper easy, a quick bake time – which is wonderful in this “hotter than the hinges of Hell” weather we’ve been having. And, aren’t they pretty? I really do love bars for dessert. It’s more of an indulgence than a cookie, but lighter than a cake. Take advantage of the gorgeous summer berries while they are in season!

Lemon Berry Bars

For the crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
zest of one lemon

For the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1-14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8×8 inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest until moist. Press crumbs into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the crust to cool to room temperature.

Once cooledl, whisk the egg yolks and condensed milk in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice and lemon zest, until mixture begins to thicken slightly. Carefully fold in the berries. Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, remove from pan, and then chill for at least a few hours before slicing. For a quicker set, stick into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars and serve. Bars can be kept in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Source: adapted from Live Love Pasta; originally from Two Peas In Their Pod

The Orange Crush

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If there is a drink that is synonymous with our beaches here in the summertime, it’s Orange Crushes. Harborside Bar & Grill in West Ocean City claims they are the “home” of the original. But, with these simple ingredients – it’s hard to imagine someone didn’t think of it first! You’ll find them on the menu in pretty much any place you go to around here. But, if there’s not a big bowl of oranges on the bar counter – beware!

The fresh juice is the key component here. Well, besides the vodka obviously! While I keep a box of OJ in the fridge, this isn’t the place for it. They are traditionally made with an orange press – which does add a certain something, squeezing out more of the essential oils from the peel I suppose. Never the less, a regular old citrus reamer or juicer is just dandy if you don’t have a citrus press on the ready.

Once you make one, you’ll be hooked. They’re deliciously light and refreshing on a hot summer evening!

The Orange Crush

2 oranges, juiced
1.5 oz vodka
1 oz orange liqueur
splash of lemon-lime soda
ice

Pour all ingredients into cocktail mixer and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of orange. For a different twist, try making with whipped cream vodka.

Chipotle-Lime Chicken Fajitas

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Ahh, these fajitas. We go way back. I first made them during a power outage during a hurricane,as it was a meal I could completely make on the grill. I remember being so blown away by the flavors. Keep in mind that this was 2007, I was just getting my footing in the kitchen – and was finally opening up to trying new things. Like, chipotle or cilantro for instance. Ahh, the ways of youth.

For years now, this has been my go-to recipe for anything Tex-Mex related that involves chicken. The original recipe from Cook’s Illustrated gave two other variations (God love ’em!) that are both awesome in their own right, lemon-parsley and orange-tarragon. I plan to add those to our menu soon to share with you guys, I’d forgotten how good they both were!

But, the chipotle-lime really lends itself nicely to these fajitas. The sauce that you top the chicken with right before serving is killer. Often, fajitas can be bland – but you won’t have that problem here. Take advantage of bell peppers while they’re still affordable (seriously, $3 for a red bell pepper?) and in-season! Piled high on a warm tortilla, it’s one of my favorite weeknight meals.

Chipotle-Lime Chicken  Fajitas

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped (about 1 tbsp)
7 tsp fresh lime juice
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/4 tsp sugar
Kosher salt
black pepper
3 garlic cloves,minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tbsp water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2″ thick strips
8 – 8 inch tortillas
Vegetable oil

Whisk together 2 tsp chipotle chile, 4 teaspoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the remaining chipotle chile, lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, remaining teaspoon sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and water in medium bowl. Place marinade and chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock bag and toss to coat; press out as much air as possible and seal bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes, flipping bag after 15 minutes.

Heat grill to high, wiping down grill grates with some vegetable oil on a paper towel using tongs. Add chicken and cook over indirect heat, for about 8-10 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Then, place over direct heat for a couple of minutes on each side to char up the chicken breasts.

While the chicken is cooking, saute up the peppers and onions. In a large skillet over high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. When shimmering, add the sliced bell peppers and onions. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the peppers and onions are starting to soften and blister. Remove from heat and set aside.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes. Slice each breast on bias into 1/4-inch-thick slices and transfer to individual plates. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve with warm tortillas and sauteed peppers and onions.

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, July 2007