Foodie Fridays: Garlic Butter Shrimp and Corn Sheet Pan Dinner

Is anyone else having trouble with Blogger's latest "improvements"?  It looks like I can still create posts, but I am unable to edit my blog page properly, which is why so many sections have been out of date and/or have changed significantly in appearance!  This problem happened briefly about a week ago but was fixed later on the same day.  Four days ago the problem returned, and it is still not fixed.  I have sent feedback to Blogger every day since this started, but as yet no change.  I will still post whenever I have time, but my blog page maintenance may never recover!

Anyway, I wanted to post a recipe I tried recently for Garlic Butter Shrimp and Corn Sheet Pan Dinner because it is really delicious!  This easy sheet pan dinner is a great summer meal if you don't mind turning the oven on for a while.  I actually made this late at night and then reheated it for dinner the next day in the microwave so that I did not overheat my kitchen, and it was still quite tasty.  I did not think this dish needed the feta cheese (I did not use it and did not miss it), but I am not a big fan of feta so you decide if you prefer to add it.  In my opinion an onion would have been just fine as a substitute for the fennel, but again fennel is not a favorite of mine so you decide if it is worth using (I did like the addition of the fennel fronds).  I decreased the amount of shrimp used in the recipe because I only had half of the amount called for, and it seems to be just fine with the lesser amount.  And I served it both with and without basil and it tastes great both ways, but the basil is a good flavor addition so I recommend it.  This recipe is so good that I can't wait to make it again, so please give this one a try!

Garlic Butter Shrimp and Corn Sheet Pan Dinner

4 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 2 C.)
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1/4 C. fennel fronds
1 T. olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges for serving
12 oz. large peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
1 pint (about 10 oz.) cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. crumbled feta (optional)
1/2 C. lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Toss the corn, fennel, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a nonstick baking pan until evenly coated and combined.  Spread into an even layer.  Roast at 425 degrees until crisp-tender and starting to brown in spots, tossing halfway through, about 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven.
 
Stir the melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp. salt together in a medium bowl until combined.  Add the shrimp and tomatoes and toss to combine.  Spread the shrimp mixture on top of the corn and fennel and roast until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the tomatoes start to burst, about 6 minutes.

Top with the reserved fennel fronds, feta, and basil. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.  Serves 4.

Note: I used frozen corn instead of fresh, and omitted the red pepper flakes from the original recipe.  I had about 3 cups of leftover sliced, roasted yellow squash (about 2 medium) which I combined with the shrimp and tomatoes.  Also, most of my tomatoes did not burst on their own so I pierced each one with a knife at the end of cooking - next time I will probably just cut them in half first.

Foodie Fridays: Lettuce Soup

If you ever find yourself trying to find ways to use up an abundance of lettuce from your garden, as I did earlier this summer, you might want to give this recipe for Lettuce Soup a try.  It is really very tasty, especially with the addition of tajin seasoning to give it more of a flavor boost.  The only problem I ran into was that some of the older lettuce leaves were rather fibrous and ended up getting tough strands tangled around the blade of my immersion blender so tightly that I had to use a knife to remove them.  They were not hard to remove, but if you want to avoid this problem then do not use the tougher leaves.  It will soon be time to try planting a fall crop of lettuce, which will hopefully be successful so that I can make this soup recipe again!

Lettuce Soup

1 C. chopped onions, scallions, and/or shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
4 T. butter
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. cooked small white-skinned potatoes, diced
8 C. (3/4 lb.) coarsely chopped lettuce (any kind, preferably green)
3 C. water
1 tsp. tajin seasoning

Cook the onions and garlic in the butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, for 3-5 minutes.  Add the coriander, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Stir in the potatoes, lettuce, and water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender).  Bring the soup to a simmer, then whisk in the tajin seasoning plus salt and pepper to taste if needed.  Serves 4.

Foodie Fridays: Creamy Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

My life has been crazy busy lately, which is my only excuse for posting this recipe much later than I meant to.  I actually made a modified version of this Creamy Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry recipe weeks ago when my husband was here.  He has been back in Georgia for a while now getting our house there ready for sale so he can finally join me in New Mexico for good.  Meanwhile, we have gotten several projects started on our house here.  Right now we are having built-in shelves added to two rooms for my husband's books and collectibles.  We are also in the process of getting approval from the electric company for the addition of solar panels, and in September a wood-burning stove will be installed in my husband's office space.  All of this activity is keeping me too busy to post here very often, but I did want to get this recipe done as it is really tasty and would be especially good when the weather finally starts to cool off a bit.  Give it a try when you get the chance, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Creamy Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

1 onion, cut into chunks
3 bell peppers, cut into chunks
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3-4 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic (2 tsp. minced)
1 inch piece of ginger (2 tsp. minced)
1 T. curry powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. chili powder*
1/4 tsp. salt*
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 C. water
1 can (14 oz.) full fat coconut milk
1/2 T. coconut sugar (optional)

Combine the onion, bell peppers, and cauliflower in a roasting pan.  Toss with 2 T. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Add the chickpeas to the pan and roast 15 minutes longer.  Turn off the oven, open the door a few inches, and let the vegetables sit in the oven until needed.

Heat 1-2 T. oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute, stirring to prevent burning.  Add the curry powder, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt.  Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, adding a little more oil if the mixture gets too dry.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and water and cook for a few minutes.  Add the coconut milk and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Stir in the roasted vegetables and chickpeas and heat through.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.  If your canned tomatoes are a bit bitter like mine were, add coconut sugar to taste if desired (I added 1/2 tsp.).  Serve with rice or naan bread.  Serves 4-6.

*I used 1/2 tsp. tajin seasoning instead of the chili powder and salt.

Foodie Fridays: Eggplant Stir-Fry

I happen to love eggplant, especially the long, thin Japanese eggplant, which is less bitter, more tender, and easier to cut up than the larger Italian eggplant.  This is the time of year when Japanese eggplants are easiest to find in grocery stores, and a recipe I found recently for Eggplant Stir-Fry is an excellent way to use them.  I modified the recipe slightly by adding mushrooms and tofu, which turns it into a main dish, but these additions are of course optional.  The stri-fry sauce is quite good, and I would use it in any stir-fry dish - much better than bottled sauces!  If you love eggplant as much as I do, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try.

Eggplant Stir-Fry

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
5 tablespoons canola oil
3-4 Japanese eggplants, cut into half moons
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions, very thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger from a 1 1/2 inch piece
1 block (8 oz.) firm tofu (plain or flavored), cubed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar.  Set aside.

In a large sauté pan or wok, heat 3 T. oil over high heat.  Add the eggplant and stir-fry for about 6 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms and continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are tender, about 6-10 minutes depending upon how tender your eggplants were (add more oil as needed to soften the eggplant).  Transfer the vegetables to a plate or bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to high heat and add 2 T. oil.  Add the garlic, scallions, and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the eggplant mixture and tofu.  Add the hoisin sauce mixture and stir to coat the vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into 3 T. water to make a slurry. Add it the pan and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds and additional scallions.  Serve over white, brown, or cauliflower rice.  Serves 3-4.

Wish List Wednesdays: Purple Pastures Lavender Farm Lavender Dryer Sachets

I found the Purple Pastures Lavender Farm Lavender Dryer Sachets ($3.88) at Walmart by chance when I was looking for cedar sachets to put in our closets.  Since I love lavender and these dryer sachets are relatively inexpensive, I decided to give them a try.  I have to say this was one of the best decisions I have ever made!  There are fours sachets to a box, and each one is good for ten loads of laundry.  I used one when I washed sheets, and the sheets came out lightly fragrant with lavender scent.  The fragrance was not overwhelming and is quite pleasant.  I will be buying these again as soon as I get back to Walmart - I just hope they have more left!

Foodie Fridays: Baked Feta with Honeyed Strawberries

Not long ago I posted the popular TikTok Recipe for Baked Feta Pasta, which I greatly enjoyed.  Recently I found a recipe, inspired by this pasta dish, for Baked Feta with Honeyed Strawberries.  I was not quite sure what to expect, but it sounded intriguing so I had to try it.

Preparation of this dish was quick and easy, and I discovered that it makes an excellent topping for English muffins.  Simply spread some of the cheese on a muffin, top with a spoonful of strawberries, and be prepared for a lovely taste sensation!  The only change I made was to add some cinnamon, which is of course optional but highly recommended.  I had never roasted strawberries before, and was pleasantly surprised by the jammy, intense strawberry flavor.  I will certainly make this recipe again, and will try making plain roasted strawberries as well!

Baked Feta with Honeyed Strawberries

1 lb. fresh strawberries, halved
1 T. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 T. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 block (8 oz.) feta cheese

Add the strawberries to a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Drizzle with the olive oil and honey.  Sprinkle on the cinnamon plus salt and pepper to taste.  Gently toss to coat, then spread the strawberries out into a single layer.

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and nestle the feta block in the center.  Drizzle the feta with a little olive oil, then return to the oven.

Roast for another 25-30 minutes, until the berry juices start to thicken slightly and the feta starts to brown.  (Even if the feta does not brown, as mine did not, DO NOT overbake or the sugars will start to burn!)  Let cool for a few minutes before serving with bread or crackers.  Serves 4.

Wish List Wednesdays: A Few Tops I Am Coveting

Please forgive my prolonged absence from this blog, but it has been a busy couple of weeks.  My husband finally made the trip from Georgia to New Mexico (a very long drive!) so he is here right now and we have been busy making plans to finally complete our move.  This post should have gone out last week, but better late than never!

The Ice Cream Sweater from Loft (on sale for $39.99) shown above is one I first saw on a fashion blogger's website here.  I love a unique and quirky top, so I had to order this one.  It arrived a couple of weeks ago and while it is a rather unusual fit it worked for me.  Unfortunately the one sent to me had a sort of inky stain on the front, so I exchanged it and just received the replacement yesterday.  I may not be able to wear it right now because it is getting a bit too warm, but I look forward to having it for early fall or next spring.

The Stamp Print Mojave Camp Shirt ($55.99-$59.99) from Draper's & Damon's is another find from a fashion blogger's website here.  I love the bold print and the Y neckline, and the fact that this top would work on its own or as a lightweight second layer.  I am waiting to see if this shirt goes on sale before I order one, but I do hope to buy it for summer.

One last top I wanted to mention is the Lobster Print Shell ($59.50) from Talbots.  This 100% cotton sleeveless top has a loose fit, split neck, and whimsical lobster print (I am a sucker for crustacean-patterned apparel) and is the perfect summer top.  Again, I am waiting to see if this one goes on sale before I place an order, but hopefully it will also become part of my summer wardrobe eventually!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day, and has been vaccinated so that we all can enjoy more freedom of movement this summer.  I have to say it is so wonderful to finally see my husband again with little fear of spreading or contracting COVID-19, and I can't wait to finally complete our move from Georgia to New Mexico.  Currently I am trying to decide if it is feasible for me to make a trip back to Georgia to help with sorting and eliminating more stuff before the movers come to pack it all up.  I need to find a house sitter who can take care of one old dog with health issues, a younger dog with a quirky personality, and an old horse who has no issues but needs someone who understands horses.  Wish me luck!