Category: Home Cooking

Watermelon Garden Gazpacho with Spicy Shrimp 

I like it when food compliments one another.
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. watermelon chunks, (about 3 cups)
  • 1 large tomato
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and diced
  • ½ serrano pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 16-24 peeled and deveined shrimp, (16, or 4 shrimp each, for an appetizer; 24, or 8 shrimp each, for a main course)
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Chili powder
  • Fresh basil and mint, chopped, for topping
  • 1 avocado, peeled and diced, for topping
Instructions
  1. Get a large blender or food processor, (mine has a 10-cup capacity, if yours is smaller you may need to work in two batches).
  2. Into the blender, add the watermelon, tomato, half of the diced red onion, half of the diced cucumber, half of the diced bell pepper, the serrano, the lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Seal the blender and blend on high for a minute or two until smooth.
  4. Store the blender in the fridge until ready to serve to keep cool.
  5. While the soup is cooling, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Add a Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet and let it get hot.
  7. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of chili powder until evenly coated.
  8. Add the shrimp to the skillet, and cook 1-2 minutes on each side until dark brown and cooked through.
  9. Serve the soup topped with 4 shrimp each for an appetizer/side, or 8 shrimp each for a heartier meal.
  10. Top with diced onion, cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, or fresh herbs.

White Bean Turkey Chili

Turkey! It’s not just reserved for November.
Ingredients
  • Olive oil spray
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 4.5 ounce can diced green chilies
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder, to your taste
  • 1/2 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, to your taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 15.5 ounce cans of cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
  • Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium flame. When hot, spray with oil.
  • Add onions and garlic, sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the meat and cook, breaking it up until white and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Add diced green chilies, salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pure 1 can of beans in the blender with 1 cup of the broth. Add to the pot with the remaining beans, broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
  • Cover and reduce to a simmer, about 30 to 35 minutes mixing occasionally, until thickened and the flavors meld.
  • Stir in sour cream and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and salt to taste.
  • To serve, topped with your favorite toppings.
  • Slow Cooker directions: To make in the slow cooker, follow steps 1 to 5, reducing the broth to 1 1/2 cups and transfer to the slow cooker for 8 hours on low.
  • Instant Pot directions: To make in the Instant Pot, you will need an 8 quart IP or halve the recipe. Reduce the broth to 1 1/2 cups, cook high pressure 25 minutes.
Optional Toppings:
  • Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
  • Diced avocado
  • Cilantro
  • Sliced jalapeno
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Chopped scallions

Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Over Arugula

A fun yet elegant entrée brimming with summer flavors.

Ingredients

  • Two 1” thick slices from a round 5 lb seedless watermelon (about 8-9” in diameter).
  • 1/4 cup olive oil for brushing watermelon and shrimp
  • 1 lb medium size shrimp shelled, deveined, and cleaned, (about 25 per pound)
  • 8 cups of loosely packed baby arugula
  • ½ cup of crumbled blue cheese (omit for dairy free)
  • fine ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • For the balsamic vinaigrette:
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ tsp Dijon mustrd
  • ½ tsp raw honey
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp course kosher fine ground sea salt

Instructions

  • Soak 3 wooden skewers in clean, cold water for 10 minutes.
  • Preheat a clean and seasoned grill to high.
  • Cut two 1” thick slices of watermelon, you can either trim off the rinds before or after grilling. Save remaining watermelon for future snacking or another recipe.
  • Brush watermelon slices, on one side with olive oil, about 1 & 1/2 tsp of oil per slice.
  • You only need to grill the slices on one side. Lay the slices oiled-side-down, onto the grill and close the grill lid. After about 90 seconds, quarter turn (don’t flip), the slices to create crosshatch marks and grill for another 90 seconds.
  • Remove to a cutting board and allow slices to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  • Clean and season the grill, then heat back to high.
  • Following the directions from the video above, skewer shrimp onto soaked wooden skewers, approximately 8 shrimp per skewer for 1 pound of shrimp, (or 10 shrimp per skewer if you will cook 2 pounds).
  • I left the tails on my shrimp because I think they are pretty, but you could remove the tails if you prefer.
  • If your shrimp are moist, pat them dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper, and then brush fronts, and backs of the skewered shrimp with olive oil, about 1 Tbs per skewer.
  • Grill shrimp for 2 minutes on one side, with the grill lid closed. Then flip the skewers and cook for 1 more minute, lid closed. Remove to a clean platter; the shrimp will continue to cook, off of the heat, as they rest.
  • Meanwhile, cut the watermelon slices into 1” cubes.
  • For the vinaigrette, whisk together the balsamic, Dijon, honey, olive oil and salt.
  • In a large salad bowl, toss the arugula with the balsamic vinaigrette and season with freshly ground black pepper.
  • Sprinkle the dressed arugula with crumbled blue cheese, and top with cubed watermelon and grilled shrimp (removed from skewers).

Enjoy!

Stout Pot Roast Over Mashed Potatoes with Peas and Carrots 

A bottle of bourbon stout beer takes this pot roast from tasty to extraordinarily delicious. So who am I to deny bourbon and beer in my cooking?

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (5-pound) boneless chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle bourbon stout beer
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
  • Package of Onion Rolls (or hamburger onion buns)
  • Buttery Mashed Potatoes 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge beef in flour mixture. In a large enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook until browned on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pot.
  3. Add onion to Dutch oven; cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in beer, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to a boil. Return beef to pot; cover with lid.
  4. Bake until beef is tender and flakes easily with a fork, 2½ to 3 hours. Remove from oven; add carrots. Cover and bake until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add peas; cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
  5. Place warmed top of onion roll face down on plate.
  6. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and spoon pieces of roast, gravy over top.

Southern Sunday Supper

Typical Southern homes enjoy Roasted Chicken with family on Sunday’s…I’ve whipped up an apple/sage stuffed chicken breast on a bed of creamy mashed cauliflower with asparagus tips. It’s pretty easy to create, and the house will smell like a fragrance you only wish companies would market.

Recipe – serves 4

  • 4 free-range skinless chicken breasts

Stuffing:

  • 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1Tbs butter
  • 1Tbsp finely chopped sage
  • 1Tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 apple, peeled, and grated
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2Tbsp cranberry jelly
  • 2Tbsp pine nuts
  • olive oil for brushing
  • salt and pepper
  • extra sage leaves for garnish (2 – 3 per breast)
  • 12 pieces of string or butchers twine to tie the bundles

Pre heat your oven to 180 c / 350 F

Place each chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and then beat with a meat mallet or the bottom of your cast iron skillet. Flatten the breast evenly until about 5mm thick.

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and gentle sauté the onion until it softens. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Set aside to cool.

Mix all the other stuffing ingredients together until well combined and then roughly divide into 4 portions.

Place a flattened chicken breast, smooth side down on a board, lightly season the surface and then spread 1/4 of the stuffing evenly over. Roll up and tuck in any loose edges or stuffing that may have fallen out. Place the stuffed breast with seam side down and tie three pieces of string to secure the roll. Tuck a sage leaf under the string for decoration (and added flavor).

Brush the chicken rolls with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the skillet or non -stick frying pan and cook the rolls until slightly golden on all sides. Either use the same skillet if it is oven proof, or transfer to a dish that is and roast for around 20 minutes until cooked through.

Hakkasan Dining

It’s certainly a real treat when you gather with a handful of the Vegas Foodies to be treated to some of the best cuisine in the city. Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon and his team of highly skilled wok and dim sum chefs really know how to make guests feel like they are special with their creations. Combined with the sounds, scents and lighting, you know your dining experience is going to be first-class.

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Burger Madness

Fuku Burger is far from your standard burger and bun experience. But hey, this is Vegas Baby and we have to make it more interesting to stay above the rest. Located near China Town, these guys started from a food truck and built a strong following. They serve all-American burgers with a Japanese twist for those who don’t take life too seriously. And add some of the best-tasting fries (also with a spin) and your favorite beer, and you’ve got a place to have a great time with friends.

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Food or Art?

For several months, I have followed Yonaka Modern Japanese on my Instagram feed. I marveled at how beautiful the posted creations looked and finally decided to visit and experience it myself. I was not disappointed when the colorful and delicious looking dishes came from the nearby open kitchen to my table for me to “ooh and ahh” over while I captured their images to share here. Chef Ramir has a great skill at making food an art. (closed as of 2018)

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Do’h-Nuts

You loved them as a child and now that you’re grown up, admit it…you still love those fried balls of dough. And now that they come in so many sizes, shapes, colors and flavors, there’s even more of you that can’t wait to get your hands on (and mouth) on these gourmet donuts. The Vegas Foodies recently gathered to check out Chef Jeff and his team’s recent creations one weekend in downtown Las Vegas at the Donut Bar. All I can say is that you need to visit regularly since their offerings change daily. In fact, the earlier you get there the better because it’s not often they are open past 12 noon…since they sell out!

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Summer Salads

Vegas is know for its heat, and often we hate to cook anything heavy while we are at home on the weekends. So why not consider something light and appetizing that won’t weigh you down (minus the wine of course). Here is my creation from an inspiration I got from a fellow Foodie that snapped a picture of a summer salad being served at Searsucker at Caesars Palace. It’s very easy to make and will satisfy the pickiest of guests.  Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • Jumbo shrimp, marinated in Italian dressing and then grilled
  • Golden melon (watermelon or cantaloupe)
  • Heirloom tomatoes
  • Golden bell pepper, grilled while you do the shrimp
  • Feta cheese
  • Baby arugula
  • Balsamic glaze