I've Returned-- with Garlic Lime Shrimp

I has been three months since I last posted here and I’ve had to jog my memory a bit by returning to my digital photos file. It’s odd to be able to scroll through so many days in a few minutes. Still-green leaves on the trees, the first snowfall, a party where most guests are in short-sleeves, another where most are wearing sweaters, and so on. My parents had an 8mm movie camera for many years as I was growing up and it wasn’t used very often, so as a result each reel contained several months’ worth of occasions all bumped against one another. The labels read something like:

”xmas67/snowdays68/easter68/girlsbirhdays68/camp68/thanksgiving68/xmas68/easter69/gregsfirstcommunion69…”

Each event or occasion rated a minute or so in length and each reel, when we watch them now, gives me the sense of being pulled through my past at a very brisk pace. And why on earth didn’t someone tell me how geeky those eyeglasses looked in third grade?

Anyway, there really was so much worth noting during those three months that I just cannot do it all.

So I begin with today, Sunday 20 January 2008.

A week ago I missed a step and, because it was the middle of the night and I was very sleepy, I fell like a brick onto my foot. This is my first broken bone and I certainly hope that it will be my last. It was, according to the orthopedic surgeon, a clean break with no complications. Then how the he** much more does a “complicated break” hurt? I can’t imagine anything being more painful.

To be honest, I’m very disappointed in myself. I thought I was made of much stronger stuff. I should have immediately assessed the situation, crawled to the laundry room where I reached up and got a roll of packing tape and scissors from a shelf, a wad of newspapers from the recyclable bin, and fashioned myself a leg/ankle support of rolled newspaper. Then I would gently wake Jack who, after he had a nice, hot cup of tea (yes, I would have made myself one as well), would drive me to the ER.

Instead, I screamed and cried like a baby. And then broke out in a cold sweat and shook uncontrollably. Now really, how brave was that? So much for the Red Cross classes and the Girl Scout first-aid badges…

This past week has been very interesting. I broke a bone in the lower part of my fibula, in the ankle area, and one on the side of my foot. As a result, from below my knee to my toes, I am now wearing something called an “aircast”. This looks like a boot which astronauts wear, plastic and foam and straps and a little pump that inflates each side to provide support. So for the next week, until I see the doctor, I have to use crutches and not use the foot.

Jack is now taking care of cooking and cleaning. I was talking to my nephew yesterday and mentioned that his Uncle was learning how to do everything. Steve, in his late 20’s and a newlywed, was amused. “You mean Uncle Jack can’t cook anything?,” he asked. In defense of my husband, I had to explain that, while Steve grew up with 2 working parents and his father did a lot of the cooking, and now Steve makes dinner when his wife works later than he does, that was not something which Jack has ever done. His father’s foray into cooking was flipping burgers and steaks on the charcoal grill. Jack did make his own meals before we met, but that was 25 years ago. Cooking has since been my job. I not only enjoy it but, more often than not, I have the time to spend preparing 3 meals a day. As a result, I am woefully unprepared for this.

Our first couple of days after the fall featured leftovers from a chicken I roasted earlier in the week, and soup which I made the previous day from the chicken carcass. Then rigatoni with mini meatballs which I had made in November and frozen the leftovers. Unfortunately, after that we were on our own. One friend suggested a garlic-lime shrimp recipe which we served with steamed broccoli and rice was very easy and almost too delicious considering how quickly it was put together. Another easy meal was tilapia fillets sprinkled with Penzeys Trinidad seasoning, pan-sautéed, served with microwaved baked potatoes and steamed spinach. Another night was spaghetti with my Mom’s sauce (which, fortunately, she had given us several jars of when we visited at Christmas) and a salad.

Unfortunately today, Sunday, is Pizza Night. Last week I had taken dough from the freezer on Saturday night and placed it in the refrigerator to thaw; we used this for dinner on Sunday (I sat at the kitchen table, chopping veggies, while Jack rolled out the dough, made a simple red sauce, and assembled it). Alas, tonight I have to dig up a recipe for a quick food-processor dough. And that is what I should be doing now.

Following is the shrimp recipe which we used and give a big ol’ thumbs up to:

Garlic Lime Shrimp
May 2004

Canadian Living

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced [you can use more, of course - I almost always do!]
1 tbsp grated lime rind
1/4 tsp each cayenne pepper and salt
1 3/4 lb large raw shrimp (about 50), peeled and deveined
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
2 tbsp lime juice
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry garlic, lime rind, cayenne pepper and salt, stirring occasionally, until aromatic, about 2 minutes.

Add shrimp; fry, stirring often, until slightly pink, about 3 minutes.

Add wine and lime juice; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until shrimp are bright pink and almost no liquid remains, about 3 minutes. Toss with onions and coriander.

[I serve this with rice.]

Makes about 4-main course servings. Per piece: about 16 cal, 2 g pro, trace total fat, trace carb, 0 g fibre, 29 mg sodium, 18 mg chol. % RDI: 1% calcium, 2% iron, 1% vit. A, 2% vit. C.

My notes:

I used 12 ounces of shrimp for the two of us, but kept the remaining ingredients as is for a bit more sauce.

And I apologize, but very few food photos will be posted until I’m back in the kitchen on my own!

It's been a while...

almost 3 months since I've last posted! To say that I've been busy seems a tad inadequate, though. :)

I recently fell and broke a bone in my lower leg and one in my foot and am now forced to sit all day long wearing a heavy, bulky boot-cast thing. Allllll dayyyy looooooong... it has been only a few days and I'm going crazy! But there are some other things to clear up before I can resume my posting here. I will return very soon. ;)

Shrimp, Tomatoes, Pesto, and Fettuccine

This wonderful, unseasonable autumn weather continues and I’m really enjoying it. Somewhat. The temperature and lack of rain has been perfect for outdoor painting (of the house, not on canvas!) and I’ve accomplished more in the past month than I have in the 2 previous fall seasons combined. I’ve given up trying to paint in the spring (too wet, too cool) and in the summer (too hot), so that leaves autumn to be the season in when I attempt to accomplish too much that was delayed for too long.

The days are getting very noticeably shorter and we are now eating dinner in the evening after the sun goes down behind the barn, so no more patio dinners. Even with the torches lit it becomes quite chilly, very quickly. I love dinners on the patio and that makes me sad.

We also are planning to rent the train station which we restored 12 years ago. Jack really hasn’t used it as an office for a few years, and we hate to see such a nice building empty. So we spent yesterday scraping loose paint, repairing split wood, replacing a few rotted pieces, and priming. When we left it looked silly- a cream-and-burgundy building spotted with white paint. We hope to return next week to topcoat.

It was warm outside, and it was late when we finished so I needed a quick dinner. I decided that I wanted some kind of pasta and shrimp. When we arrived home I measured out 12 ounces of frozen shrimp into a large bowl and filled it with cold water. Then by the time I showered and dressed and prepared the tomatoes they were thawed. These were already deveined, so all I had to do was peel them. I didn’t measure because I was in a hurry, but here is the recipe with approximate measurements:

Shrimp with Basil Pesto and Tomatoes over Whole Wheat Fettuccine

(makes 2 nice-sized servings)

6 ounces whole wheat fettuccine

2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced

2 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto*

2 ounces shredded Parmagiano-Reggiano

Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil and add fettuccine. When the pasta is almost done, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 1-1 ½ minutes or until they start to turn pink. Using a spatula, turn the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook for another minute.

While the tomatoes are cooking, measure ¼ cup of pasta cooking water into a small bowl and drain the pasta. Add the basil pesto to the water and stir well. Add to the shrimp mixture and stir to coat. Add fettuccine and toss well.

Divide between 2 bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

• A note for the above recipe, the pesto I make is very thick because I do not add a lot of oil to make it creamy like some of the purchased pesto can be. This is why I add hot pasta water to thin it (thereby also adding a lot less fat and calories). If you have purchased pesto, use your own judgment as to how much water to use.

• I have purchased pesto before and save a lot of fat and calories by draining it, using a strained lined with a coffee filter, for an hour or so. Just remember, after you spoon it back into the container, to smooth the top and add a thin layer of olive oil to keep the top of the basil mixture from turning brown.

This is very quick and very good. I served with whole wheat Italian bread.

My basil has grown rampantly this summer and is still at it. I have a couple of jars of pesto in the refrigerator and am contemplating making more (thank heaven for Sam’s Club and their big bag o' pine nuts!).

As much as I am enjoying this weather, I need for it to get cooler so I can start making more seasonal recipes! But I can wait for a bit on that. :)

Easy Key Lime Pie

I wrote this over two weeks ago and forgot to post. Whoops!

More beach house reminiscing. I’ll be “over it” in another month or two. Definitely before Thanksgiving, I promise!

I pulled a ready-made graham cracker crust out of the pantry one morning to prepare a key lime pie for dessert that evening, and Tammy exclaimed “Wow! You’re using a store-bought pie crust!”. Okay, I don’t make everything from scratch! I really try not to use processed foods, for reasons of nutritional content as well as taste, but sometimes I do. Take graham cracker crusts. I hate the mess of mixing the crumbs and melted butter together and pressing it into the pan. I always try to use as little butter as possible and the crumbs stick to my hands and the crust tends to crumble—it’s not fun. Keebler makes a reduced-fat graham cracker crust that is just fine with me. I only use these for key lime pie in the summer, so I’m not going to sweat taking the easy way out.

The same attitude I take with angel food cake mixes. I’ve tried the “from scratch” route. Separating a dozen eggs, whipping them (with an electric mixer—I’m not talking about doing it with a hand-whisk in a copper bowl because that’s just crazy) into the just-right volume, then baking. They have never turned out as good as those which I make from a prepared mix where I just add water and beat.

Brownie mixes are on this list, too. The best one I’ve found so far is a Ghiradelli mix that includes a chocolate syrup packet, and I’ve not made a “from scratch” brownie that compares. I know that it can be done. My friend Jenni gave me a sampling of three wonderful types of brownies she made earlier this summer and they were excellent but for now, for brownies, I will go the mix route. I don’t make them often and brownies are my go-to for an easy company dessert. I have found that adding dark rum to the mix instead of water makes a wonderful tasting brownie!

To turn the brownie mix into something a little less convenient but healthier, I have also used pureed pears instead of most of the oil called for. I regularly use pureed pears (which are just what it sounds like—canned pears, in juice, drained and pureed until smooth) as a substitute for oil in baking. In fact, I’ve subbed up to ¾ of the oil with pureed pears with no noticeable difference in texture or taste with muffins, quickbreads, and bundt cakes. For brownies, when the recipe calls for 1/3 cup of oil, I spoon pureed pears up to the ¼ cup mark in a glass measuring cup then pour in canola up to the 1/3 cup mark. The puree lasts for a week in the refrigerator and can also be frozen. A 15-ounce can of pears will make about 2/3 cup of puree.

I’ve also been playing around with a recipe where I add dark rum to the chocolate batter but also make a cream cheese “swirl” flavored with coconut for coconut-rum brownies. Unfortunately, they have never really turned out the same way twice (or, they probably would if I could quit playing around with the recipe) so I do not want to post this until I get it right. Something to look forward to… ;)

Until then, here’s the recipe for key lime pie. Since I take the easy way out and buy the crust I also forgo the ritual of squeezing a billion tiny little key limes and, instead, buy Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime juice. Five ingredients, it really doesn’t get much easier!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Key Lime Pie

Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

2 large egg whites

2 large eggs

1/2 cup Key lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

14 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust

1 cup Cool Whip Lite® -- thawed

1 large Key lime -- optional, sliced thinly into 8 "center cut" slices (simple, impressive finishing touch)

Preheat oven to 350.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the whole eggs and beat well. With the mixer running, gradually add the milk and lime juice, then lime rind and beat until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Pour into crust and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the center is almost set (the tip of a knife, inserted into the center, will come out clean). The pie will jiggle, but it will firm up as it chills.

Cool pie on a wire rack until no longer warm. Cover loosely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Cut into pieces, serve with a dollop of whipped cream and, if desired, a lime "twist" made from the key limes.

*** Key lime twists-- make a cut in each lime slice from the center out to, and through, the rind. Hold at each side of the cut and twist one side one way, the other side the opposite way. Place in each individual dollop of whipped topping.***

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 281 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (18% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 47mg Cholesterol; 200mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

Salsa Mexicana

For the past several days the weather has been wonderful. Unseasonably warm, dry, and perfect for those outside chores which I had been delaying.

We have been eating dinner outside as well, enjoying the chorus of insect sounds and the soft breezes that still don’t contain even a bit of the chill of autumn. Since it is getting dark earlier, and with working outside I am preparing dinner later, we also are able to enjoy the patio in torch-light. This really is a perfect time of year!

I still have tomatoes in the garden, and zucchini as well. Tonight’s dinner was quick, grilled vegetable fajitas. I grilled zucchini, red pepper, onion, and mushrooms until slightly softened, then cut them into chunks. I mixed these with corn which had stripped from the cob and froze a few weeks ago, and also some pieces of poblano chili pepper which I had roasted over charcoal, peeled, and froze earlier this summer. I chopped avocado, made salsa, and served this all with whole wheat tortillas. The vegetables were very good, but the charcoal-roasted poblanos peppers added a smoky taste which was fantastic.

The salsa recipe which I used is from Rick Bayless’ Authentic Mexican (can it be—this book is 20 years old???).

Salsa Mexicana

1 very ripe, large tomato

Fresh hot green chilies to taste

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

8-10 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

salt, about ½ teaspoon

1 teaspoon cider vinegar or (best) freshly-squeezed lime juice

Finely chop the tomato and scoop into a small bowl. If you want a milder salsa, seed the chilis then chop the peppers very finely and add to the tomato. Add all remaining ingredients and allow the flavors to mingle at room temperature for at least a half hour.

I like this recipe because it allows you to be creative with the quantities. I usually use more garlic, and always use lime juice (I tried the cider vinegar once and didn’t care for it). This time I used just one very hot pepper which a friend had given me from his garden and the after-effect was enough to burn your lips but not so much that your mouth felt seared. :)

More longing for the beach and a great grilled fish recipe

I’m continuing to suffer from beach-deprivation…

I’ve listed the highlights (lots) and lowlights (hmmm, were there any?) of our recent trip.

highlights

Good heavens, how can I choose? And I’m not certain if I could remember them all:

• Arriving at the beach house, that first few seconds after opening the door, smelling that unique beach house smell, knowing that there are 13 full days of wonderful times ahead. The sensation was quite dizzying. :)

• Gorgeous weather every single day, gorgeous sunrises (practically at the foot of our bed) 13 of 14 mornings

• Being able to run on the beach almost every, single morning

• The 6-hour sail between, and lecture on, some of the historic lighthouses on the Delaware Bay. And the boat we sailed on! A restored 1928 oyster schooner (canvas sails which I helped to raise) with a very personable crew.

• The visit of our friends, George and Tammy, and the myriad of fun things that we did!

• Discovering the incredible pleasure of eating Roquefort (again, my unending appreciation to George!)

• Watching a wild fox on the sand dune just feet from our deck. We had heard that they were around, but in the past 4 visits had never seen one.

• Finding a horseshoe crab on the beach in need of my assistance (long story, but it made me feel good)

• Finding silver horseshoe crab earrings (some things are better left unexplained)

• Bicycling in Cape Henlopen State park (the views are awesome!)

• A ferry ride to Cape May and, especially, the fried shrimp basket at Henry’s on the Beach

• The safe trip both to and from our vacation

lowlights

• Unthinkingly nudging a sliver of Scotch bonnet chili pepper back onto a cracker then, hours later and after washing dishes, trying to insert contact lenses. Pain! Incredible pain! I had to toss that lens…

• Walking 3.72 miles from Herring Point to the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk for the single purpose of consuming fried shrimp baskets at a particular restaurant, and the restaurant was closed when we arrived. Then we had to walk back to the car!

• Bicycling for 6 miles, mostly through a nice trail system, but which suddenly ended on a major highway and necessitated the sharing of our lane with cars and trucks (which we have never done, and we don’t have helmets), also for the single purpose of those fried shrimp baskets at that particular restaurant. Yes, this time the restaurant was open. But they had removed the fried shrimp from the menu! Enough said.

• Leaving! Definitely a lowlight. And 358 days until we could return!

I wonder if #2 and #3 could be considered “lowlights” since no damage was done (except emotionally) and it did make for a fairly amusing story…

We consider ourselves to be quite fortunate to have located such a great house to rent (we call it BB). Since we are there for 2 weeks, some cleaning has to be done during that time, and it’s even a pleasure to do that. Washing the windows, my dreaded chore at the lake house since they’re so huge, is actually nice when doing it to the sound of waves and seagulls. Then, the best part, the views to the bay are so much better afterward. I guess that I’m that “instant gratification” type of person!

While at the beach house, there were a minimum of 4 different kinds of rum on the counter at all times, and after a trip to the liquor store that number increased. We had bought flavored rums in the past, but had decided that, with the exception of coconut rum, the other flavors tended to get lost in the daiquiris so we had decided just to purchase plain rums and coconut-flavored rums in the future. Enter George, who made us a very simple drink one evening. Flavored rum and club soda. Vanilla rum was used that time and it is still my favorite. Why hadn’t I thought of that? Cherry rum and soda, pineapple rum and soda, mango rum and soda, etc., etc. Even the Jamaican Appletons rum and the dark Haitian rum called Barncourt, neither flavored, were delicious with soda. I believe that I’ve discovered a whole new summer food group!

One of the dinners which I prepared for George and Tammy was a local fish, rockfish, marinated in spices and grilled then served with a peppery sauce. I prepared the marinade and the caper sauce a couple of days ahead and added some of George’s searingly hot Scotch bonnet chilies before using.

* Exported from MasterCook *

French West Indian Grilled Snapper with Caper Sauce

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Servings : 4

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme -- or 1/4 t. dried

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 large garlic cloves -- chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet pepper

24 ounces snapper fillet -- or any other firm, white fish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove -- chopped

1 large shallot -- chopped

Mix first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Lay the fish fillets in a single layer in a shallow glass or plastic covered container or casserole dish. Pour marinade over fish, turning to coat. Marinate for an hour, turning once or twice.

Puree remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare grill.

Remove fish from marinade (discard marinade), spray with cooking spray, and grill until fish flakes easily with a fork (about 3 minutes per side). Serve fillets with caper sauce.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 245 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (34% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 63mg Cholesterol; 796mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : The Scotch bonnet has a well-deserved reputation for being the world's hottest chili pepper. Substitute habanero pepper if you're not into the searing effect, or even jalapeno for a similar, though much milder, flavor.

This dish goes best with a dry white wine which has citrus undertones, such as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Well, I must slap myself back to reality. It’s time to go outside and resume painting. *whimper*

Only 347 days until we go back to BB!!!

Back from the beach! Tomatoes and tacos...

I am back from vacation. And partially out from under that post-vacation pile of stuff to do.

Two weeks at the beach can really sap my desire to do any more work. Ever. :)

And two weeks in a beautiful beach house where you are expected to do only minimal work has really spoiled me. I spent the first couple of days back just dealing with excess garden produce (so what do you do with a bunch of 7-pound zucchinis? Fling them into a faraway field!) and weeding flower beds (didn’t I do that before we left?) and cleaning the house (ditto). Now, it’s hedge-trimming, gutter repair, and scraping loose paint to prep the wood siding on the kitchen addition to be painted. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BEACH. *whimper*

In addition to zucchini, there were about 20 pounds of tomatoes in the garden. Normally I would buy a couple of more bushels to supplement, fill every large stockpot I have with homemade spaghetti sauce, and can. However, there was too much else to do this week. So I simply roasted the chunks of tomato with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper then scraped this into freezer containers for a quick marinara base for winter meals. I freeze whole leaves of fresh basil and all I will need to do is thaw a container of the roasted tomatoes, add a little tomato paste to thicken the juices as it simmers, and toss in basil (sliced into strips while still frozen). Served over pasta, we will be able to close our eyes and almost think that it’s summer again. That is, until we open these eyes to a dreary winter landscape out of the window.

Before being roasted:

And after they came out of the oven:

Another use for the tomatoes this past week was for an incredibly quick pasta sauce. Sauté garlic and finely chopped onion in olive oil until softened, add chopped tomatoes and allow to cook for just a couple of minutes, add a handful of shredded basil and a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar. Serve over whole wheat linguine. Sprinkle with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It can’t be more simple or delicious.

Another way I’ve used these tomatoes is to toss hot (whole wheat) fettucine with pesto and add a couple of finely diced tomatoes. And maybe some cooked shrimp. Incredible.

I have to make more pesto. Pine nuts are available at our local Sam’s Club for a much better price that in the Italian grocery store and I bought a bag and they keep in the freezer for a year. I made 2 pint jars before going on vacation and there’s enough fresh basil in the herb garden to make at least twice that much. Pesto uses up a lot of basil, but I also planted a lot!

I took a jar to the beach house and made a few meals with it there as well. Grilled chicken breasts stuffed with tomatoes and mozzarella and spread with pesto before serving are yummy.

Okay, beach house cooking. We adore our house so much that we don’t want to spend much time away from it, so our activities are done in the day, maybe including having lunch out at a restaurant, and we will then return in late afternoon for rum drinks on the deck. I’ll make dinner with the windows thrown wide open to catch the wonderful sound of the surf, and we either eat at a table just inside those windows or, if the bugs aren’t too annoying, we will eat on the deck.

The first year we went there I brought almost all of my groceries for 2 weeks, not knowing what kind of stores were in the area. That was pretty stupid. Since realizing that most grocery stores carry almost everything we need for a few weeks’ worth of meals (even the smallest one has decent “basics”) I simply pack spices, oils, vinegars, basmati rice, my own pancake/waffle mix, plastic containers of flours & sugar, a couple of bottles of vinaigrettes and marinades which I make a few days before we leave, some packaged and canned items and enough groceries to get us through the first couple of days. I dislike grocery shopping and would rather not do this on my first days of vacation.

For the last couple of trips, our first meal at the beach house was Beer-Marinated Chicken Tacos. I make the marinade the day before we leave and have the chicken marinating in it, in the cooler, as we travel. After the unpacking is done, we usually head to the beach with a container of daiquiris on ice to toast the start of vacation, then it’s very simple to put together dinner. Make guacamole, chop tomatoes, heat tortillas, grill chicken—done! J

I love the kitchen in this beach house. Mostly because I can open the windows and hear the waves and the seagulls, but also because it’s quite well-equipped.

Who wouldn’t love cooking in this kitchen?

I take my own knives (sharpened prior to leaving) and a few other things like a silicone whisk and basting brush, potato masher (for the guac), microplane, scale, and shrimp deveiner. Everything else I could possibly need is there. Last year I made use of the slow-cooker for the first time (for pulled chicken, an Eating Well recipe) and was impressed. I had never used a crock-pot before. This year we were expecting guests to join us for a few days and, since we knew that they would arrive in the early evening, I made a Vietnamese Chicken Curry in the crock pot. I didn’t have to be in the kitchen cooking just after our friends arrived, the curry was kept hot until dinner time (all I needed to do was soften rice noodles and chop some cilantro and cashews for garnishing) and a snap to get it on the table. I may have to buy one of these things… Oh darn. I need a new piece of kitchen equipment!

Beer-Marinated Chicken Tacos

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Marinade:
1 cup dark Mexican beer (I use Black & Tan most often, but you really do need a dark beer)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Ingredients for the Guacamole:
2 ripe Haas avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

12 corn tortillas

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Place chicken breast halves in a large, shallow plastic container. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours, turning the chicken occasionally.

Prepare the grill and cook the chicken breasts until the meat is firm and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. While the chicken is cooking, make the guacamole. Cut the avocados lengthwise around the pits, twist the halves apart, and remove the pits. Scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Add the lime juice and salt. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the ingredients together. Stir in the chopped tomatoes. If not using immediately, press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent browning.

Preheat a dry, heavy skillet and heat the tortillas, turning once after about 15 seconds, for a total of 20 seconds or until soft and pliable. Keep warm in a towel or a tortilla warmer.

Arrange the sliced chicken inside the tortillas. Divide guacamole between the tortillas. Fold. Serve warm.