Spicy Lime Shrimp Kabobs & Homemade Salad

    This was by far one of the best dinners I've had in a while. It was absolutely delicious! Not to mention it was ten times better because it was a perfect night to be out on the deck grilling and relaxing with a few beers.

And settling into a food induced coma....

But how could you blame me?

        I was sooo happy with how flavorful it all came out. The shrimp were spicy and had a nice zing to them from the lime, the red peppers went so great with the marinade, and it all paired perfect with the sweet sesame dressing. And of course we have some avocado in there, because it is me makin up the recipes here ;)

 

       We also grilled corn on the cob in a tin foil pouch with butter....(great idea by the way, next time I'll get creative with an herbed butter)

After all, what's a outdoor summer meal without corn on the cob?!

Now all I really need is a time machine....

or some more shrimp..

Spicy Lime Shrimp Kabobs

over arugula salad w/ honey sesame dressing

For about 10 kabobs-

ingredients:

1 lb shrimp (raw, shells removed)

1 heaping tsp fresh lime zest

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2-1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp siracha (more or less to taste)

2 tsp honey

2 red bell peppers, largely chopped

Directions:

Wisk all ingredients together in bowl, pour into ziplock bag with shrimp and marinate 20 minutes room temp.

Alternate threading shrimp and pepper on skewers, and reserve remaining marinade.

Grill kabobs for about 7 minutes, until shrimp is pink, turning once and brushing with marinade.

Arugula Salad w/ Honey Sesame Dressing

Ingredients (for two salads):

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp reduce sodium soy sauce
1/2 tbsp honey
pinch of ginger
minced garlic to taste
Arugula (about 4-5 oz)
Avocado

Directions:
Wisk or use food processor with first seven ingredients.
Toss dressing with arugula and top with avocado and fresh cracked black pepper
Top with shrimp skewers

Bacon Avocado Pasta Salad

      Okay so I'm still obsessing over these garden tomatoes. I haven't gotten over how delicious they were on the pizza, so when my mom asked me to make a pasta salad, it was necessary for them to make another appearance. This time, with bacon.....

     It was super easy, especially because we had a bunch of leftover pasta. (Hence why my mom asked me to make the salad in the first place)

     If the bacon and fresh tomato wasn't enough to convince you, I have one word..... Avocado. I have explained my love for them multiple times (click for Guacamole, Smoked Salmon Sandwich, Guac and Egg Sandwich recipes) so don't even get me started.


    And if you're interested in what heaven tastes like, I recommend you serve a heaping scoop of the pasta salad with a fresh steamed lobster.....

 Then round out the meal in true Maine fashion, with homemade blueberry cake!

My studies have proved it to cure anyone's bad day.
I'm pretty sure the lobster does that too ;)

Click here for cake recipe!

Bacon Avocado Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked elbow pasta/pasta of choice, cooled

1 cup mayo

juice of 2 lemons

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 1/2 tsp thyme

3 large tomatoes, chopped

2 avocados, pitted and chopped

1/2 large vidalia onion, chopped

Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix mayo with lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, pepper and thyme. 

Stir dressing into pasta and add remaining ingredients.

Season with black pepper to taste, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving

*If making ahead of time, it may be a good idea to wait to add the avocado until serving, just so they don't brown.

Enjoy!

Garden Caprese Pizza

    There is nothing better than a tomato fresh from your garden, it's super sweet and flavorful. The off-season grocery store tomatoes just can't compare, so we must make the most of the delicious fruits while they're in our back yards!

(or vegetables, the debate goes on and on)

     I headed to Amesbury, Mass to cook dinner for my grandparents, and they were the lucky taste testers of my new recipe! My Grammy even said it's the best pizza she's ever had. (And yes I know, she's my grandmother so she has to say that, but honestly that may have been the truth. It was definitely top 5 in my book!)

    The combination of fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil is super delicious as a salad, and I discovered it's just as good (if not better) as a pizza. The tomatoes are so sweet and their juices disperse the basil's deliciousness into every bite, and the balsamic flavor ties it all together. Not to mention the fresh mozzarella is stringy and stretchy making for a commercial worthy pizza.

Depending on the size of the pizza you're making, and how cheesy you like it, the amount of cheese you will use will vary. I also sprinkled a bit of shredded cheese on the top to melt onto the tomatoes, but that is optional!

Garden Caprese Pizza

Ingredients:

1 premade pizza dough or precooked crust

approx 4 leaves fresh basil

1 large garden tomato, thinly sliced

about 8-10 slices fresh mozzarella

2 tbsp balsamic salad dressing

garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Preheat pizza stone in oven if using one.

Stretch dough if needed and place on pan or preheated pizza stone. 

Brush balsamic dressing over dough/crust. Top with cheese, basil and tomatoes. Top with a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and a little more balsamic dressing if desired. 

Cook for about 10 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. 

Sprinkle with garlic powder to serve




And here's a pic of the lucky taste testers! My wonderful Grammy and Pappy :)

Whoops, I Forgot I Had a Blog!

      Ooops! I think the summer sun and a few cold beers has me forgetting all about poor old Gourmet Taste for the College Buds. But my devoted followers (aka relatives and my moms friends) don't fret! I plan on posting a few things before heading back to school, and once I'm back it's game time!

     For now here are some photos from summer, to provide an excuse for not blogging.

Peaks Island

Wining and dining at Taste of the Nation

Sunsets on the boat in Portland

Hiking Mt Major

Nighttime jet-ski rides at camp

Exploring islands in Casco Bay

More wining and dining (of course)

Late night lobster bake and camp fire w/ Oar House friends 

Family day at camp

Boston Harbor for a concert

The view from the restaurant I work at in Portsmouth

And countless pretty sunsets

Seems like good excuses to me! 

Recipe posts coming soon!

Thai Sweet Chili Sesame Marinade (Shrimp, Pork, Chicken)

       I really love thai sweet chili sauce. It's sweet with a little bit of a kick and has such wonderful flavor. The one I get comes in a squeezable container and it's a really convenient dip or condiment for nearly anything (chicken, shrimp, pork etc).  I even put it on steak and cheese subs the other night instead of barbecue sauce or mayo and it was sooooo good.
       I wanted to try using it in a marinade, and what better to experiment with than cheap chicken drumsticks! The end result was so delicious and it's a great way to boost the flavor of chicken for summertime grillin! With the addition of sesame oil in the marinade, (another one of my favorite flavors) this recipe is definitely a keeper.
       I also like these flavors for summer because it's a change up from the usual BBQ chicken drumsticks that we usually do during the summer, and it's just as easy.


     This marinade goes great with chicken breast, thighs (maybe a slow cooking sauce for the crock pot!?) and especially pork or shrimp!

      I love the chili flakes that stick to the chicken after marinating, and the golden brown color they turn while crisping. They look and taste so flavorful!

Thai Sweet Chili Sesame Marinade

Ingredients:

1/2 cup thai sweet chili sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch cayenne pepper or pepper flakes for heat, optional

Directions:

Thoroughly mix ingredients together (may use food processor)

Marinate meat for at the least 1 hour.

Grill/bake/pan fry to your preference

Classic Cornbread

      I am such a sucker for cornbread and its mildly sweet flavor and moist yet crumbly texture. I especially love eating it with breakfast! Such a delicious way to start the day, who wouldn't love it?!

       Eggs, sweet maple sausages, home fries and a big chunk of freshly baked cornbread?! Yes! It was a perfectly delicious Father's day breakfast, and the leftover cornbread has been a very satisfying snack :)

      A yummy thing to try with leftover cornbread is toasting a slice and spreading it with butter and jam. It's super tasty, sweet and flavorful.....and highly addictive, so beware!

Classic Cornbread

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 2/3 cup milk

2 1/3 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cream together butter and sugar until light and airy

Combine eggs and milk in small bowl, and combine the rest of the dry ingredients in another separate bowl.

Alternate adding and mixing the egg mixture and the dry ingredient mixture into the butter mixture.

Once all is mixed together, pour batter into greased 9x13 baking dish. 

Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

        The original recipe was found from Taste of Home, and I only slightly adapted it's ingredients

Siracha Black Bean Veggie Burgers

      Don't get me wrong, I love a big juicy burger, but for health's sake a veggie burger here and there is a nice substitute. Especially when it tastes like this one.....

      It has a nice "meaty" texture thanks to the black beans and mushrooms, and the siracha and cumin give it a wonderful kick. Plus the simplicity of the recipe will definitely have you thinking twice about buying frozen burgers at the grocery store.

       It's easy to make your own and it's fun to try mixing up different veggies!

      These can be grilled, baked or pan fried and they'll be delicious. You can also make the veggie mixture ahead of time and freeze patties to cook later on. It's Healthy and convenient, just in time for summer!

Siracha Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Makes 6 patties

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

4-5 medium-large white mushrooms

1/2 bell pepper (or one carrot)

1/2 small onion

2 garlic cloves

1 egg + 1 egg white

1 tbsp chipotle chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp siracha (more to less to taste for spice)

1/3-1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:

Use potato masher or fork to mash beans.

Place mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and garlic in food processor and process until finely chopped. 

Mix mushroom mixture and bean mixture. 

Beat egg with chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and siracha, and mix into vegetable mixture.

Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture starts to stick together enough to form well.

Form mixture into 6 patties.

Grill for about 6-7 minutes on each side, or bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes (flip over after 10) or cook over stove on medium-high heat with a little oil for about 4 minutes on each side.

Mexican Bean Salad

     This is definitely a favorite recipe in the Sedler household, and anyone who has opened our fridge before can attest to that because it's in there 75% of the time. It's such a delicious recipe that works as a party appetizer, snack or healthy side to dinner, and it's great for summertime.

       For a colorful side to dinner try it with a juicy steak, grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp. If you're looking for a snack or appetizer, it works wonderfully as a "dip" for chips, crackers or salted cucumbers, and of course it tastes great just by itself!

      The beans are super fibrous, the bell peppers and onion are loaded with vitamins, and the olive oil provides healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. What more could you ask from a summer salad?!

    It stays well in the fridge for a week or so and tastes just as good after a few days because the veggies absorb the flavor of the dressing. It's a delicious, attractive summer salad that you can feel good about eating!

Mexican Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

10 oz package frozen corn

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

Dash hot sauce, optional

Directions:

Mix beans and veggies in large bowl.

In separate bowl, wisk together remaining ingredients and pour over beans.

Toss to coat, and refrigerate. 

Toasted Almond Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

      I've had blueberry muffins, blueberry cake and unhealthy amounts of blueberry donuts (just realized I should try making those as well) but I have yet to make or even try blueberry cookies. Why, I do not know, but after making a batch of these I wish I had thought of it sooner.

Mmmmmm Mmm

       They're chewy and so full of flavor, and the sweet blueberries and crunchy toasted almonds really make them absolutely delicious. Plus they're different from your usual chocolate chip cookie. It's nice to change it up and these are perfect for a summer treat!

       I can always tell it's a good recipe when my mouth's watering from blogging about it, and let me tell you this batch of cookies across the kitchen is literally begging me to go have one......
Take my advice and make some for yourself.

Now get baking!

Toasted Almond Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers*

3/4 cup blueberries**

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together butter and sugar, then add egg and vanilla and beat until light and airy. 

In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix in dry ingredients into butter mixture.

Fold in almonds and blueberries gently.

Spoon tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet (press down slightly if you want a flatter cookie).

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes and edges are lightly browned.

*To toast almonds, place in preheated 350 degree oven on baking sheet. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring around occasionally.

**If using frozen blueberries, the dough will freeze slightly making it more difficult (but still totally possible) to work with and they will have to cook just a little bit longer in the oven