Summer Dinner Party

It is no secret that I love to cook for people.  I believe that good food is meant to be shared, so I try to do it as often as possible.  I especially love summer cooking because there is nothing better than enjoying a drink outside in the sunshine while the grill heats up. 

I specifically chose simple dishes. I did not want to spend my whole day doing food prep and sometimes--especially in the summer, simplicity is an important factor.  Dinner included grilled pork chops, sweet corn and brussels sprouts.  Dessert was strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar.  The pork chop recipe was from Epicurious, however instead of making a garlic-lime sauce, I made a marinade.  The brussels sprouts are a simple dish I make all the time. The corn on the cob was just boiled, but included the addition of cumin butter (human butter according to one of our guests). The strawberries are a Hammond family favorite--and now one of my favorites because of its simplicity and tastiness!

Grilled Pork Chops Marinated in Garlic & Lime
6 boneless center cut pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

For the Marinade
2/3 cup EVOO
1/2 cup lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1) Mix the ingredients of the marinade.  Stir well, and then place the pork chops in a large plastic bag (or two if you have to) and pour the marinade over them.  Let them sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours before grilling. 
2) When you start the grill, take the pork chops out and pat them dry with a paper towel.  Reserve some of the marinade for basting if you want to.  Let the pork chops sit outside of the fridge until the grill is going.
3) Grill the pork chops on medium high heat, 5 minutes on each side.  After taking them off the grill, let them sit for 3-5 minutes to let the juices settle. 

Brussels Sprouts with Lemon
1 lb of brussels sprouts
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbs. EVOO
salt & pepper to taste

1) Slice the brussels sprouts starting at the top of the sprout first, and then discard the end.  I did this step well before dinner so it was done before the guests arrived. 
2) In a medium pan, heat 2 tbs of EVOO.  Once the oil is heated, toss the brussels sprout in the pan.  Add the lemon juice, and then add salt & pepper to taste.  Cook about 7 minutes until some of the sprouts are caramelized.  

Cumin Butter
1/2 stick salted butter (or 1/2 stick of unsalted and salt it yourself)
1 Tbs. of dried cumin

1) Soften the butter.  I prefer to set it out and let it come to room temperature rather than microwaving it.  Once it is soft, add the cumin and mix well.  Butter your corn with it.  It should work for about 6 ears of corn.

Strawberries Dipped in Sour Cream and Brown Sugar
2 lbs. of strawberries, tops cut off.
8 oz. of sour cream
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar

This one is almost self explanatory.  Spoon sour cream and brown sugar on your plate. Dip the strawberry in the sour cream first, then the brown sugar.   Enjoy!

Isles Buns and Coffee

Have you ever been to Isles Buns and Coffee? If not, you must go! Their fresh squeezed orange juice and puppy dog tails (like a long cinnamon roll) will make your morning.  If you want something a little less sweet their buttermilk scones can't be beat.  I love the raspberry white chocolate chunk ones!  They also offer breakfast treats that are gluten free and low-fat. 

 (images courtesy of Google Images)

On Memorial Day morning the line was out the door and down the street and everyone patiently waited in lines at the staff served dozens of puppy dog tails and whipped out lattes and mochas like no other.   

Donut Muffins

So a friend posted this delicious recipe for donut muffins on Facebook and I had to try it since my boyfriend loves donuts.  He definitely approved of these! I can't say they are good for you, but everyone deserves a treat now and then.

I pretty much followed the recipe exactly however I used plain applesauce instead of oil to reduce the calories a bit. I promise you will not sacrifice any flavor or texture by doing this.  I also spooned about 1/2 a teaspoon of melted butter on the muffins and sprinkled the cinnamon-sugar mixture instead of dipping it.  I did try the dipping and rolling method but the muffins were just coated with huge clumps of butter, cinnamon and sugar and were just a bit too sweet.  I would like something in between, but I do think the spooning/sprinkling method was a bit better.

An Almost Guilt Free Dessert

I am a big fan of a brand of frozen yogurt called Frozing. I like just about every flavor I have tried, but I have to admit my favorite is boring old vanilla.  It has probiotics and is only 110 calories for 1/2 a cup.  I love adding fresh fruit, especially blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.  This creation is made up of Haagen-Daas Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet, vanilla Frozing and fresh blackberries.  It was delicious and not that bad for you.  If you have a sweet tooth or are in the habit of eating ice cream regularly, try a healthier alternative like sorbet or frozen yogurt. 

 

Joe's Key Lime Pie

This recipe is a family favorite--possibly because it comes from one of my family's favorite restaurants--Joe's Stone Crab.  This key lime pie is tart, slightly sweet and really--everything a key lime pie should be (yellow, not green).  It is also very simple and quick to make and one of the only desserts I enjoy making. 

 (picture courtesy of Google images because the pie was gone before I remembered to take a picture)

Ingredients for the crust
9 graham crackers broken into fine crumbs (a food processor works best for this)
1/3 cup of sugar
2 tsp lime zest
5 tbs of butter (melted)

Ingredients for the filling
3 egg yolks
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup of key lime juice (I recommend Nelli & Joe's Famous Key Lime Juice, but it you can't find key lime juice normal lime juice will do the trick)
1 1/2 tsp of lime zest

Directions for the crust
1)  Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2)  Blend melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar together well. I use a food processor for this step but feel free to use whatever means you have available to blend these three ingredients together well.
3)  Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie pan so it completely covers the bottom and the sides of the pan.
4)  Bake for 8 minutes.  Leave the oven at 350.

Directions for the filling
1)  In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lime zest until fluffy.
2)  Add the sweetened condensed milk and blend together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is thick.
3)  Add the key lime juice and on a lower speed, mix together until combined well.
4)  Pour the mixture into the crust.
5)  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.
6)  Let the pan cool a bit and then place it into the fridge and let it set for 4-6 hours.  This recipe can be made a day in advance.

'Tis the Season: Rolo Pretzel cookies made with Grandma Gen

My Grandma Gen is the Christmas cookie master.  Every year she brings us dozens of delicious cookies, which is great, because my mom and I do not bake often.  This year she delivered some cookies that inspired me to learn the recipe. They are sweet, they are are salty, and they are crunchy--just about everything you want in a Christmas cookie.  The best part is--they don't require mixing, sifting and blending.

Ingredients
Pretzel rings 
(1) 12 oz pkg of Rolos (contains 56 Rolos)
8 oz  bag of M&Ms or pecans or walnuts

1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to tin foil.
2) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
3) Cover the baking sheet with pretzel rings, so none of the pretzel rings are touching one another.
4) Unwrap a Rolo and place the big end inside the pretzel ring.  Some might not quite fit, but secure it in there the best you can.
5) Set a time for 4 minutes.  Place the cookies in the oven and hit the timer.  When the time goes off, take them out and gently push an M&M or a pecan in the center so the chocolate spreads out.  You may want to hold the pretzel so it does not slide around. 
6) When there is an M&M in the center of each pretzel, set aside the baking sheet and let them dry for 30-60 minutes.  I would suggest putting them in the fridge or if you live somewhere like Minnesota, put them in a cool garage.  Use a metal spatula to remove them from the parchment paper or tin voil and you're done.