RED, WHITE & "CUE"

It's too sad to think that this coming weekend, Labor Day weekend, is regarded as Summer's last "Hurrah." Here in Tennessee after a long, hot and drought-filled August, September finally brings back some pleasant 80 degree weather and it's comfortable to sit out on the deck again. So, I look forward to Labor Day as not an end to summer, but as a way to celebrate the beginning of fall and another reason to have a cookout! Once again, food becomes my focus.

Our holiday weekend is going to be a lot different this year. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my friend Beverly's son is getting married on Sat. the 30th and I'm helping with the reception dinner. I've worked it out over and over in my mind and am ready to crank up the roasters. It'll be some work, but I keep telling myself it's only cooking...just cooking more than usual. Sunday dinner on steroids, so to speak. I'm looking forward to the festivities and resting for 2 days afterward. That's where our "labor-less" Labor Day comes in.

I will probably end up smoking a Pork Butt 'cause that's my "go to" meal when I have all day and not a lot of energy. Once the charcoal is going, the hard part is pretty much over with. Just some yard work and beer to get you thru till dinnertime. There'll be the same old sides; gotta have cole slaw, if for nothing else but the sandwiches the next day, some potato salad, corn on the cobb, and some baked beans; jazzed-up, of course.

This may sound rather boring, considering my foodie convictions, but I'm giving my creative juices a workout the 3 days before, so I'm shifting to auto pilot and intend to enjoy our days off. I won't bore you with my Pork Butt stories (there is an earlier post for that) but want to take the time to wish any of you who stumble upon my self-indulgent blog, the best of holidays and a wonderful beginning for Fall. Before you know it, I'll be sharing Thanksgiving and Christmas treats and tips once again. I started this blog last year in November, just before Thanksgiving and it's given me a lot of joy and laughs these past few months. I recommend this as therapy to anyone who has a keyboard and PC handy. I've had cousins I've never met get in touch with me because they "googled" our family name and this blog came up with the results. Old friends from years ago have emailed me to say "Hello" and companies have been kind enough to share their products and wish me well.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend with your friends and family and that you look at Labor Day as the beginning to other wonderful times we'll share over the next few months.Take a big deep breath of summer and settle in for those beautiful, golden Autumn days and those first "snugglin'-weather" nights. And, lest we forget, those TENNESSEE TITAN SUNDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

TIP: Check out Bar-B-Que tips under "GREAT RECIPES HERE" on the right.
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SUMMERTIME SHRIMP

Sometimes it can get so hot in the summers here in Tennessee that it's nearly unbearable to stand over a hot grill and cook. That's been the case here this summer on more than one occasion and when that happens and we just can't stand another night of lettuce or cold cuts, I start thinking about what's a great easy dish that can be on and off the stove in a matter of minutes without heating up the whole kitchen. Number one priority is that if I'm going to put any time into it...it's gotta be good, just "easy" doesn't cut it here at the Schmidt House.

A good solution to that problem was this week when I decided to search my unlimited recipe source (the Internet) for a great sounding Barbecue Shrimp recipe. I had bought some quick frozen shrimp on our last sojourn to Sam's Warehouse and my palate hadn't stopped thinking of them since. I found many great recipes and I expect to be trying a few more in the very near future. The one I decided to try an award winning recipe from Commander's Palace (Las Vegas) and the house specialty. I am quite familiar with Commander Palace's culinary quests and the Brennan family's rightful place in food royalty. Ella Brennan did indeed give a little known chef by the name of Emeril Lagasse his first high profile cooking opportunity to helm her flagship restaurant in New Orleans. At the time, that was quite the risk of hiring a Yankee boy (Emeril is born and bred Falls River, MA), the Chef position in a landmark New Orleans kitchen.

Needless to say...the rest is culinary history and Ole Emeril and The Brennans have both faired quite nicely. I also followed Chef Jamie Shannon's acclaimed reign after Emeril. Jamie, from New Jersey, was the saucier under Emeril and was Executive Chef until his untimely death in 2001. I remember watching Jamie on the old "Great Chefs" cooking show on PBS. That was all I had to quench my cooking cravings till the Food Network finally hit Nashville. Those old "Great Chefs" shows are so dated now and the ones where "Andres" the lady with that Nawlin's drawl narrated them are as recognizable to me as The Andy Griffith theme song.

Let me get back on track here. Okay. I tried this recipe the other night and it was wonderful!! The trick and one I can't tell you how to do is "Do Not Overcook the Shrimp"! Just before you think it's done, remove the pan from heat and let residual heat do its thing. We had this dish with ...okay, I'll admit we had a salad with it, so much for my tired of lettuce remark, but this salad was elevated with some leftover chicken salad I had made the day before and some juicy tomatoes from our backyard. It was a very nice, easy, not too hot, quick and DELICIOUS supper. I hope you'll try this recipe. The ingredients may look intimidating, but I'll bet that if you do any cooking at all, you have most of these ingredients on hand. If you don't have the beer, use chicken stock with a teaspoon of creole or Dijon mustard mixed with it to give it some oomph.

For the 15 cloves of garlic, fresh is best, but you certainly can use the jarred minced garlic, about 2 TBS. Try this!


NEW ORLEANS -STYLE BARBECUE SHRIMP

10- 15 count Gulf Shrimp, peeled and deveined , tail intact ( and head if you're a foodie)

2 TBS Creole seafood seasoning (Paul Prudhomme has a great one in the spice section)

2 TBS Olive oil

15 (yes, 15) garlic cloves minced

1 TBS fresh Rosemary, chopped ( DO not use stems)

3 TBS Hot sauce ( I used Louisiana Hot Sauce)

3 Whole lemons, juiced (must be fresh lemon juice)

3 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1/2 Cup Amber Beer (I used Abita Springs)

4 Oz unsalted butter ( room temp)

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black pepper , to taste

a Loaf of fresh baked French bread from your grocer's bakery ( No oven for you!)



1. Toss shrimp with 1 TBS creole seasoning in a large bowl to coat

2. Heat oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and rosemary and saute till light golden brown. Do Not burn garlic! (if you do...start over, as this will ruin your dish). Add seasoned shrimp and toss gently to coat.

3. Stir in the hot sauce, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add beer to deglaze the skillet, shaking gently. Simmer until the beer is reduced by about half and shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the remaining creole seasoning. Reduce heat to low. Gradually stir in the butter to form a sauce consistency. Season shrimp mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Divide shrimp among four soup plates and serve with a side salad and some warm French bread. Definitely-y......SCHLURRRP! Or, as Gerald put it "LARRAPIN!"



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GARDEN PARTY

My friend Beverly's son is getting married on August 30th and Bev has asked me to help her with the "sit down" dinner following the ceremony. Paige (Bev's son) and Tara ( his beautiful bride) are having a garden wedding and the reception is going to be in the backyard of their new home. They have an acre to play with and a whole bottom floor of their new home for me to set up my kitchen "triage."

Geraldo and I went to check out the new digs last night and it's really going to be nice. It's going to be in the evening and Tara is planning dinner right at sunset. Since Bev and I are both married to musicians (we DO live in Nashville, after all) there will be a band, dance floor, tent ,the works. I have my mission and am now in full dinner planning mode. There will be many hands on deck to pull this off, but I want to help keep Beverly as cool and calm as possible. She's my #1 in the kitchen foxhole, but on this day, she's the Mother of the Groom.
We've settled on Roast Beef /au jus (carving station) and for the umpteenth time I've decided on a chicken dish. I keep waffling on that one. So, today the chicken of choice is "Chicken Marsala." I found a great (sounds great on paper) recipe for "Chicken Marsala For a Crowd." We're expecting around 75 or so, and want to give the guests the option of beef or chicken. We've decided on serving rosemary roasted new potatoes, green bean amandine, and fresh rolls for some of the sides. At this point we are keeping our options open and know that nothing is certain till it hits the plate that night!
While the couple is getting their pictures taken, we are serving light appetizers as the guests arrive. Nothing fancy or difficult here. We need something to tie the folks over and keep them nourished as the bar will be open at that time. Bruschetta, a Caprese platter, cheeses, crudite, Artichoke and Spinach dip, pesto, and an olive tapenade for different toppings will round out that portion of the evening. Of course there will be a beautiful cake and since this is a real family affair, Paige's Aunt Barbara (Bev 's sister) is taking care of that.
So for this post,I'm going to include my very basic recipe for a delicious, bright pesto that is a favorite on our table all throughout the basil-blooming season. I call this "Green Gold." A little pricey to make...really good extra virgin olive oil is key here...pignoli (pine nuts) and "treasure cheese"(that's what I call the $18.00 a pound "real deal" Parmesan cheese) are all expensive, but since there are so little ingredients to this dish, you have to pull out the good stuff. Enjoy!!

HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO

2 Cups young basil leaves packed tightly
2-4 cloves of garlic ( I like mine garlicky)
2 TBS Pine Nuts (pignoli) Toasted lightly
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2-4 TBS (depends on consistency you prefer) Good extra virgin Olive Oil

Add basil, garlic and pine nuts in food processor ( or mince with a crinkle cutter or mezzaluna)
Pulse till basil is just minced. Scrape down the sides and replace lid of food processor.
Drizzle Olive oil into top of processor until desired consistency, stopping and scraping sides as necessary. Keep the mixture a little thick as not too get it too thin. You want a sauce consistency.
Remove all from the processor and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese at the end. Do not pulse at this point! Don't break your cheese. Sprinkle in a little fresh ground black pepper if you want ( I do) but easy with any salt, as the cheese is salty .
So, enjoy a bright taste of summer. Nothing says Italian and/or Green like fresh pesto does!
Use as a spread for crostini or a sauce for cooked pasta. You can thin the pesto with the pasta water if you use it as a sauce.
TIP:
I store mine in the refrigerator up to a week. Add a little extra olive oil to cover the top of the pesto and it will keep it's color and freshness longer. Serve at room temperature

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WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

In past posts I've talked about the fact that I am a little obsessed when it comes to cookbooks, food magazines or any media pertaining to food and cooking. I have a few all time "GO TO" cookbooks and some of my all time favorites are the quarterly publications from Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Taste of Home. These tend to be specific to a season or to a cooking method, i.e. grilling or 225 ways to cook a chicken. I have found some of my family's favorites this way. Having said that, I refer to the fact that the other night I was on the deck with 3 cooking "magazines" in front of me and 4 Bone in, skin on, chicken breasts in the refrigerator. With chicken on my mind, I went to the grilling section in each one and then got more specific and began combing through the all chicken one by Taste of Home magazine,
"225 Chicken Dishes." It was there that I came across a picture of some White Chicken Enchiladas that looked ( and sounded) delicious. Let's see....Cream cheese? Check. Sour cream? Check, check. Cheddar cheese? You get the picture...this was hitting all the high notes for me. I had been healthy enough with all the grilling that had been going on. Time to get a little ooey- gooey goodness back on the table.
The following is the recipe from Taste of Home. We loved it and it was so easy. I made a couple of changes to the original, which I have duly noted. You are really gonna like this and if you think it's a little too heavy for this time of year...hang on to this recipe and make it in the fall. Do make it though...it's a "keeper."

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

12 white or yellow corn Tortillas (6 in. size)
4 Oz. cream cheese
1 TBS plus 1 cup 2% milk, divided
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 Cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
1/2 C chopped green onion (whites and tops)
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
(NOTE:
I substituted 4 oz can of chopped green chillies for the red pepper )

1 Can(10-3/4 oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
1 C (8 oz) sour cream
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese ( or substitute Monterrey jack for spicier version)

Wrap tortillas in foil. Bake at 350 for 10 min. till softened. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 TBS milk and cumin until smooth. Stir in chicken. In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onions and red pepper until softened. Stir into chicken mixture. (If using canned green chillies, add directly to chicken mixture.)
In another bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, jalapenos, cayenne and remaining milk. Stir 2 TBS soup mixture into chicken mixture. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up.
Place seam side down in a 13x9x2 in. backing dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is heated through. Yields 6 servings.
TIP: Use reduced fat cream cheese sour cream and milk to cut back on the fat and calories. It's still a great dish.

http://www.myrecipes.com/
Southern Living recipe site

http://www.tasteofhome.com/
Taste of Home recipe site

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HELLO GORGEOUS!!!!

I have had my eye on this one particular tomato in our garden for the past couple of a weeks. It will grace our table this weekend with all it's summer goodness and glory...not too mention breaded and fried!! The real Southern way to fresh produce....fry it if you can.
This recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes is the classic version. Many cooks have tweaked theirs the way their families like it, but this is the way it's done at "The Schmidt House." (Yes, I know how that sounds!)
Here's the recipe and I hope you have some bacon drippings....they do come in handy sometimes. If not, canola, vegetable or olive oil will definitely work. There's just some dishes that are not classic southern without that pork fat addition. This is one of those, but feel free to "healthy it up" if you want to. For an uptown Sunday version, sometimes I will add a little buttermilk and flour to this recipe and use panko along with the cornmeal for a different texture.I'm not big on the egg dipping thing, tho. Makes it to cake-y for me. This one is my favorite.

CLASSIC FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

4 to 6 green tomatoes
Salt and pepper
cornmeal
flour (not as much as the cornmeal)
bacon grease (or Vegetable oil)

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Salt and pepper them to taste. Dip in the cornmeal and flour mixture, should be 2 cornmeals to one flour ratio. Fry in hot (not smoking hot) grease or oil about 3 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Gently turn over and fry the other side. Serve as a side dish and they are delicious with breakfast. Sometimes I'll make a big platter of them and serve instead of meat. They're that meaty and that good.

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YES THOSE ARE FROM MY GARDEN!!!

Check out a few pictures (to the right) of some of our gorgeous flowers this year. The yellow rose was a new investment and I am so pleased. The Spectacular Canterbury Bells were a great surprise from seeds that I planted last year from a mixed variety wildflower package....from the Dollar Store! This plant is a biennial, so we were pleasantly surprised when it bloomed. Regretfully, it won't be back next year, but I've already ordered seeds to plant now so we'll have 3 more in different colors. This particular plant blooms twice in immediate succession. The blooms are so particular and perfect, they look fake. What a beauty!! The Chorus Line Lilly is a re- bloomer from last year. Of course, I can hardly wait till my Casablanca Lilly blooms. It is my favorite. I'll share a picture when it graces our garden. Our strawberries are little, but they are better than any I've had from the grocery these past few years. I've got my eye on one big green tomato that has my name on it. The first tomato of the season ends up in a dusting of flour and cornmeal and into the oil. Fried Green Tomatoes!! Surely one of the signs of summer.
The okra is growing, along with the zucchini, eggplant, crook neck squash, bell peppers, cubanelle peppers and romas. With our wet spring, we have a much better beginning that last year. I love summer!!!

I'm coming back in a day or two with a zucchini dish and my Fried Green Tomato recipe.

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"T" FOR TEXAS AND A "T" FOR TENNESSEE

In an earlier post, I had talked about looking for a good recipe for a Black-Eyed Pea Salad. I came across a lot that were different in their own unique way and so with a little tweaking on a "Texas Caviar" recipe, this Tennesse girl came up with a version that makes any southerner stand up and take notice. This recipe is SO good. Rumor has it that the Black -Eyed Pea Salad did originate in the East Texas town of Athens. Athens is now known as the "Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World." They still throw a Black-eyed Pea Jamboree each year. Midsummer is peak harvest season for the "Athens Cowpeas", so it's appropriate that this salad be a part of our Independence Day celebration this year. The following recipe makes about 8-10 servings and can be refrigerated up to a week. Feel free to put your own spin on it. Acouple of days after we first tried it, I mixed it with some fresh Pico de Gallo to switch it up a little bit and it was great. Throw in some diced avacados, cilantro, and some sour cream on the side for a great garnish for any Mexican/TexMex dish. Enjoy!!

TEXAS CAVIAR-TENNESSEE STYLE

4 Cups black eyed peas,(I used canned, drained and rinsed, but cook your own if you want)
1 Cup celery
4 Oz chopped Green Chiles
1/4 Cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 Cup purple onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Italian Dressing, enough to cover peas
Garnish with cilantro and green onions, whites and tops
Looks great on a bed of Red cabbage leaves

In a large glass bowl combine all ingredients except garnish, stirring well. You may need to add more dressing to cover peas.
Marinate, covered for 24 hours, preferably, but at least for 4 hours. Drain any excess dressing and spoon onto shallow serving bowl lined with the red cabbage leaves. Sprinkle cilantro and green onions on top.
TIP: Mix with home made Pico De Gallo or a small can of Rotel for another variation.