Recipes

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas with Tequila Lime Peppers

Published on by carol lou

One of our favorite dinners is fajitas.  We even order fajitas when we visit local restaurants.  I was thinking how could I increase the flavor and add that special something to my basic fajitas.  Out came the tequila, lime and various spices, the results were terrific.  I hope you give this recipe a try.  “Provecho”

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas

 

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas with Tequila Lime Peppers
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
  2. 3 bell peppers, sliced, various colors
  3. 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin strips
  4. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  5. 1/2 lime
  6. 3 tablespoons tequila
  7. Spice Mix - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust amount to taste), 1 teaspoon chili powder
  8. Tortillas
  9. Condiments - sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado, grated cheese
Instructions
  1. Prepare Spice mix
  2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add peppers and onion, stir in 1 teaspoon of seasoning mix. Cook for approx. 10 minutes stirring frequently until peppers blacken slightly and become soft. Add tequila and squeeze 1/2 of lime over peppers. Add lime piece to peppers and continue cooking over medium low heat for approx. 8 minutes. (The rind of the lime will add additional flavor to the peppers) Stir frequently.
  3. While the peppers are cooking, prepare the shrimp. Thread the shrimp on skewers prior to grilling. Brush the shrimp skewers with olive oil and sprinkle with spice mix. Grill shrimp over medium high heat, turn after 4 minutes. Grill temperatures differ, shrimp will be done when white and firm, do not overcook or the shrimp will become tough.
  4. Serve with tortillas and selected condiments.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Earl Grey Cranberry Iced Tea

Published on by carol lou

With the arrival of spring, I thought it was time for iced tea.  Nothing like a warm day to bring out the cool refreshing drinks.  I put together a combination that I think will definitely quench your thirst. 

Earl Grey Cranberry Iced Tea

 

Earl Grey Cranberry Iced Tea
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Ingredients
  1. 4 Earl Grey tea bags
  2. 2 cups boiling water
  3. 2 cups cranberry juice
  4. 1 tablespoon lemon
  5. 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
  1. Steep tea bags in boiling water for 10 minutes. In a medium pitcher combine cranberry juice, lemon, and honey. Remove tea bags and add tea to pitcher. Stir to combine. Refrigerate.
  2. Serve over ice.
  3. Yields 4 cups - this recipe is easy to double or triple
Notes
  1. If you are a sweet tea lover, add more honey, to taste.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Spiced Pineapple, Blueberry and Blue Cheese Salad

Published on by carol lou

This is such a great combination for a spring salad, since today is the first day of spring.  I have always loved spiced peaches, so I thought I would try making spiced pineapple.  The combination of the spiced pineapple with the blueberries and blue cheese is a winning trio.  If you would like to make a main meal salad, grilled chicken would be a wonderful addition.

Spiced Pineapple Salad

 

 

Spiced Pineapple, Blueberry and Blue Cheese Salad
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks
  2. 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  3. 2 tablespoons vinegar
  4. 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon pineapple juice, divided
  5. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  6. 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  7. 1/4 cup sour cream
  8. Salad greens
  9. Blueberries
  10. Blue cheese
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan combine the pineapple, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, vinegar and allspice. Bring to a boil, simmer 10 minutes. Add brown sugar. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon pineapple juice with the cornstarch. Add to the pineapple mixture, continue cooking and stir until thicken. Remove from heat. Refrigerate if you are making early in the day.
  2. When you are ready to serve. Remove pineapple from sauce. Add sour cream to sauce and whisk to combine to make the dressing for the salad.
  3. On individual plates, place salad greens, top with pineapple and blueberries. Drizzle dressing over and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles. Serve. Makes 4 servings.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Overnight Coffee Cake

Published on by carol lou

This is the perfect breakfast treat, especially since you can make it the night before and then bake in the morning.  I just love recipes that I can prepare in advance. Nothing is better in the morning than the smell of cinnamon flowing through the kitchen.  I thought this would be the perfect weekend treat.  All you have to do is brew a pot of coffee and breakfast is ready!

overnight coffee cake

 

Overnight Coffee Cake
Every time I serve this, everyone wants the recipe and it is great to do ahead!
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Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup butter, softened
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 8 oz. sour cream
  5. 2 cups flour
  6. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  7. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  9. 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  10. Topping
  11. 3/4 cup brown sugar
  12. 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  13. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and sour cream, mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Fold in dry ingredients into batter and mix well. Pour into greased 9 x 13" pan. Combine brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the batter. Cover and refrigerated overnight. Bake uncovered 350 for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake tests done.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Meat Loaf with Piquant Sauce

Published on by carol lou

 This is my favorite meatloaf recipe.  The meatloaf is very moist and the topping carmelizes as it bakes.  Talk about the ultimate comfort food. 

meatloaf 2

Meat Loaf with Piquant Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. Meatloaf
  2. 2 eggs, beaten
  3. 1/2 cup milk
  4. 2/3 cup bread crumbs
  5. 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  6. 1/4 cup chopped onion
  7. 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  8. 1 teaspoon salt
  9. Sauce
  10. 6 tablespoons brown sugar
  11. 1/2 cup ketchup
  12. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  13. 2 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
  1. To prepare meatloaf, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add milk and bread crumbs. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine meat, onion and seasoning. Add bread mixture. Combine.
  3. Pat mixture into a loaf pan. Mix sauce ingredients and pour over meat.
  4. Bake 350 for 1 hour.
  5. I drain my meatloaf as it bakes, carefully drain any liquid from the pan approximately 45 minutes into the baking time. This allows the topping to set during the last 15 minutes. Pour off liquid very slowly or you might pour off the wonderful sauce.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Panko Parmesan Shrimp Appetizer

Published on by carol lou

What to do with one pound of shrimp and only thirty minutes?  That was my thought the other night when friends called at the last minute to come for dinner and I had one pound of shrimp in the refrigerator.  I quickly said “I’ll bring the appetizer”, the pressure was on.  We were leaving in thirty minutes for their house;  The following dish I put together with what I had on hand.  Let’s just say the dish was ‘licked clean’.  The combination of butter, garlic, shrimp and the crunchy topping was a show-stopper.

 Parmesan Panko Shrimp

 

Panko Parmesan Shrimp Appetizer
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Ingredients
  1. 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
  2. 3/4 cup butter
  3. 1 clove of garlic, minced
  4. 1/3 cup white wine
  5. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  6. 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  7. 1/3 cup grated parmesan
  8. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (fresh or dried)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Steam shrimp just until pink - do not overcook
  3. Put butter, garlic, wine, and red pepper flakes in a small casserole and put in the oven. Once the butter has melted, stir and add shrimp. Combine panko, parmesan and parsley. Spoon over the top of the shrimp. Bake 12 minutes. Broil until golden brown. Serve hot.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Irish Coffee Ice Cream Pie

Published on by carol lou

Ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  Here is a pie that you can keep in the freezer until ready to serve.  With a hint of coffee liqueur and Irish whiskey, this is a killer combination.  What better way to toast the Irish than with a wonderful ice cream pie loaded with flavor and easy to make. 

Irish Coffee Ice Cream Pie

 

Irish Coffee Ice Cream Pie
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Ingredients
  1. Chocolate Cookie Crust
  2. 1 1/4 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
  3. 5 tablespoons melted butter
  4. 3 tablespoons sugar
  5. 1 tablespoon coffee liquor
  6. Filling
  7. 1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
  8. 1 cup chilled whipping cream
  9. 2 tablespoons sugar
  10. 1 tablespoon Irish Whiskey
  11. 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  12. Chocolate covered espresso beans or chocolate covered almonds, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Mix crumbs, butter, sugar and coffee liqueur. Press into one 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
  3. Cool. Freeze for 1 hour.
  4. Spread ice cream (softened) over cooled crust. Freeze until set. Beat cream until soft peaks form. Add remaining ingredients, except espresso beans (garnish). Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread over ice cream layer. Garnish with espresso beans or chocolate covered almonds. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight prior to serving.
Notes
  1. I used chocolate covered almonds, chopped for garnish. You can also dot the top with the whole chocolate covered espresso beans. Chocolate curls would also be a great garnish.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

Published on by carol lou

These potatoes are the perfect side dish to serve with poultry, meat, or fish.  They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  This combination of ingredients makes these potatoes additive.  They are so full of flavor, you can’t eat just one.  Your guests will be asking for this recipe.

spicy roasted potatoes

 

Spicy Roasted Potatoes
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  2. 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  4. 1 clove of garlic, minced
  5. 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  6. 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  7. 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if want additional heat!)
  8. 4 cups cubed unpeeled potatoes, approx. 1 inch cubes
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl mix dry mustard, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, paprika, tarragon and red pepper flakes. Cut potatoes (potatoes need to be dry prior to cutting) into cubes, toss with mustard mixture. Arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 425 for 30 - 35 minutes, until tender. Toss every 10 minutes.
  2. If the potatoes look too dry, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Double Berry Sauce

Published on by carol lou

Perfect to serve on ice cream, yogurt, or your favorite pound cake.  The makes one spectacular ice cream dessert.  You could also fill a graham cracker crust with softened ice cream and freeze.  When ready to serve, slice pie and put a generous spoonful of double berry sauce on each slice.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream and one whole strawberry.  What a great dessert with very little effort!

 Double Berry Sauce

Double Berry Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
  2. 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  3. 1/2 cup Crème de Cassis
  4. 1/4 cup sugar
  5. Squeeze of one lemon
  6. Reserved strawberries to add to sauce
Instructions
  1. Put sliced strawberries, blueberries, Crème de Cassis and sugar in the blender. Blend a few pulses. Add lemon juice.
  2. If desired add additional sliced strawberries or reserve whole strawberries for topping.
  3. Refrigerate remaining sauce.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Olive Oil Orange Bread

Published on by carol lou

I was introduced to Greek olive oil this past weekend while visiting Union Market in Washington, DC.  Pericles (Perry) Konstas is a local importer of olive oil from his families orchards in Greece.  I was inspired after I returned home to develop a bread recipe that would highlight  this olive oil.  I used his Spartan Oil and the results were great.  He told me about a friend who had made bread with nuts, oranges, olives and his olive oil.  I decided time to experiment and here is my version using oranges and Greek olive oil.  Delicious!

Greek Oil                                                                                                      Union Market – Washington DC

 

olive oil orange bread

 

 

Olive Oil Orange Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 3 1/2 cups flour
  2. 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
  3. 1/2 cup warm water
  4. 1/2 cup orange juice
  5. 2 tablespoons honey
  6. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  7. 1 egg
  8. 11/2 teaspoon salt
  9. Zest of 1 orange
  10. One orange thinly sliced for the top
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine the flour, honey,olive oil, egg, salt, and orange zest and orange juice in mixing bowl with dough hook attachment. Add water with yeast mixture slowly until dough forms. If too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour 1/4 cup at a time. Combine until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Put in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour. Punch dough down. Brush baking pan with olive oil, add dough. Pat dough into greased pan ( I used a 10 inch springform pan) - top with thin slices of orange and brush with Greek olive oil. Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours. Bake 350 - 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown and when tapped sounds hollow.
Notes
  1. Delicious dipped in olive oil
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/