Tacos de Carne Asada

2 lbs. flank or skirt steak

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp. Chile powder

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

Rub olive oil on steak to thoroughly coat. In small bowl combine remaining spices. Rub spiced into steak. Place in plastic bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Grill steak over medium hot coals for 3-5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is achieved. Remove from coals and place meat on cutting board, allowing it to rest for 10 minutes. Dice meat and place inside warm, soft corn tortillas. Garnish with Pico de Gallo or desired accompaniments.

Pico de Gallo

1 white onion, diced

3 tomatoes, diced

1 bunch fresh cilantro

2 jalapenos, diced

Juice of 2 fresh limes

1/4 tsp. salt or to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to blend flavors.

Shrimp Creole

This recipe is said to be from Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant. Easy to prepare and very delicious, Shrimp Creole is great anytime of the year.

1/4 cup bacon, chopped

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes

6 oz. chili sauce

2 oz. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. Maggi seasoning

2 cloves garlic, diced

salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs. shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Fry bacon in large 6 quart pot until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Add celery and onion to bacon drippings and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, including bacon, and bring to simmer. Cook 30 minutes and serve over cooked rice. Garnish with scallions, if desired.

3 lbs. short ribs

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

6 Tbsp. five-spice powder

2 Tbsp. canola oil

3/4 cup onion, diced

3/4 cup carrot, diced

8 garlic cloves

1/4 cup sesame oil

4 jalapeno peppers

6 Chile de Arbols

1 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 cups hoisin sauce

6 cups chicken stock

1 bunch cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil short ribs. Season generously with five-spice powder. In skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs on all sides until golden brown. Remove ribs to plate and reserve.

In large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and saute until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Add jalapeno and Chile de Arbol. Deglaze pan with soy sauce and hoisin, chicken stock and cilantro. Add short ribs, cover and place in oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove when tender. Strain broth and reduce by half. Serve broth with ribs.

Asian Vegetable Slaw

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts

1 cup carrots, julienned

1/2 cup daikon sprouts (found in Asian Market)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 cup white cabbage, shredded

1 pkg. wasabi green peas

1/4 cup basil leaves

1/3 rice wine vinegar

2/3 cup cano

Orange Pumpkin Spice Cake

This is a great cake to take to a summer picnic or a holiday party.

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a nonstick 10-inch tube pan; set aside.

In large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and zest; beat to combine.

Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Add pumpkin and mix until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Drizzle with orange glaze.

Orange Glaze

3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest

In medium bowl, stir together juice, zest and sugar until thick and shiny. Drizzle over warm cake.

Pistachio Encrusted Salmon

2 (1/2 lb. each) salmon filets

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

2 cups shelled NutNation Smoked Pistachioz (brand name spelled with “z”) 

Zest of 1 orange, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup olive oil

Nonstick cooking spray

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon in large baking dish and cover with 1 cup orange juice. Cover dish with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Finely chop Pistachioz and zest in food processor. With blade running, drizzle in oil and remaining 1 cup of juice until a paste forms; set aside.

Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place salmon on sheet, discarding excess marinade. Top wit pistachio mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Bake until salmon is cooked through and Pistachioz are golden, about 20-25 minutes. Garnish with additional zest, if desired. Serve immediately.

Trader Vic's Crab Rangoon

1/2 lb. fresh crabmeat, picked over for shells

1/2 lb. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 tsp. A-1 sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 1/2 to 3 dozen won ton wrappers

1 egg yolk, well beaten

Oil for deep frying

Chinese mustard and/or red sauce 

In medium bowl, combine crabmeat and cream cheese. Stir in A-1 sauce and garlic powder and blend to a paste.

Place 1 heaping teaspoon in the middle of each won ton. Moisten edges with egg yolk mixture. Gather four corners of won ton together at top and pinch together gently to seal.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees. Add won tons in batches and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Chinese mustard and/or red sauce.

Nordstrom's Roma Tomato Soup

6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 large carrots, diced

1 large onion, sliced

1 Tbsp. dried basil, crushed

3 (28-32 oz.) cans whole peeled Roma tomatoes

1 qt. chicken broth

1 pt. heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and basil and cook 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. 

Add tomatoes and broth and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Puree soup in food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in cream and heat over low heat, just until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweetie Pies Chocolate Chip Cookies

8 oz. butter, softened

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

3/4 cup rolled oats, not the instant oats

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz. chocolate chips

10 oz. pecans

Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl or standing mixer, cream butter at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides with rubber spatula. Cream for at least 5 minutes.

Add granulated and brown sugars to butter and continue mixing until mixure resembles a smooth paste.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions. Add in vanilla.

In food processor, grind oats until very fine. Place oats in large bowl and add flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Whisk together all ingredients until well combined.

Add dry mixture to creamed mixture and beat on low speed, just until combined. Add chocolate chips and nuts to dough; mix on low speed, just until combined.

Form into round balls using a cookie scoop and space 2-inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten tops with your fingers or metal spatula. Place cookie sheet on middle rack in oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown; do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Grilled Shrimp with Blackberry BBQ Sauce

24 large shrimp, tails on

12 strips bacon

1 cup Blackberry BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Cut each strip of bacon in half and wrap around each piece of shrimp. Thread skewers through shrimp and bacon, 6 shrimp to each skewer.

Prepare hot coals. Baste shrimp with Blackberry BBQ Sauce and place them over the hot coals.  Baste frequently with sauce. Grill until bacon is crisp and shrimp is pink and fully cooked.

Blackberry BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp. Major Grey’s Chutney

1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. chili sauce

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1/2 lb. frozen blackberries

2 Tbsp. purchased BBQ sauce

Puree frozen blackberries in food processor until smooth. Strain through fine sieve to remove seeds. Set aside.

In separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. Add blackberries and blend thoroughly.

(Note: Frozen blackberries work better than fresh in this recipe.)

Dilled New Potato Salad with Dilled Mayonnaise

2 lbs. small red new potatoes

Chicken broth to cover

2/3 cup chopped sweet white onion

1/2 cup celery, minced

1/2 cup dill pickle, minced

1/4 cup chopped hard cooked eggs

Lawry’s seasoning salt

Salt and black pepper

4-6 oz. Dilled Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

Dried dill weed

Paprika

Scrub potatoes. Cut in half with skins on. Place potatoes in large pot and cover with chicken broth and boil until tender, but not mushy, about 15 minutes.

Pour off chicken broth and reserve. Cool potatoes enough to handle. In large bowl, add potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Add sweet onion, celery, dill pickle and chopped egg. Sprinkle lightly with Lawry’s salt and add salt and pepper to taste.

Folding gently, add mayonnaise until coated and moist. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth to moisten further, since the salad should be moist.

Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with dill weed and paprika. Refrigerate 2-3 hours before serving.

Serves 6-8

Dilled Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. salt

Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. dried mustard

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. half-and-half

1 tsp. dried dill weed

2 Tbsp. fresh watercress, if desired

Beat egg yolks in blender. Add salt and pinch of cayenne pepper. While blade is on, add dried mustard and vinegar. Slowly add vegetable oil. When thick, add half-and-half, dried dill weed and fresh watercress. When blended, add to potato salad and mix thoroughly to coat.