Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients:

24 large shrimp, cooked
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 drops hot sauce

Directions:

Remove shells from shrimp. Gently combine everything together and chill. May be chilled up to 3 hours, but take care since the acidity of the lime juice can cause the shrimp to become “overcooked” after extended periods of time.

Divide into 4 servings as an appetizer or into 2 servings for a light meal. For extra flair, serve in martini or parfait glasses or brightly colored dishes. Garnish w/ tortilla chips, avocado slices, and/or lettuce.

Note: sea scallops may be substituted for the shrimp or a mix of both can be used. You can add more or less tomato, onion, and/or cilantro, depending on your tastes.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Aunt June's Potato Salad

This might be a little late for summer, but we're experiencing summer temps here this week. My aunt's recipe, which is always a hit at picnics and cookouts.

Ingredients:

*4 medium or 6 small red potatoes (about 1¼ pounds)
*1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
*1/2 cup sour cream
*2 tablespoons milk
*1½ teaspoons yellow mustard
*1 or 2 hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced or diced
*1/4 cup green onion, sliced
*salt and pepper to taste
*paprika (optional)

Directions:

Wash potatoes. Cook potatoes, covered, in boiling water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain water and cool.

Peel potatoes, if desired, and slice or dice. Place in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and mustard. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss gently until potatoes are coated.

Fold in eggs. Add green onions an hour before serving so that they don’t overpower the salad. Add salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until serving. If desired, sprinkle the top of the salad with some paprika to add a little color.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Clam Linguini

This is my mom's awesome recipe. She doesn't technically follow it and claims she never makes it the same way twice, but this is a great guide. Tweak it to your liking.

Ingredients:

*1 lb linguini
*1/4 cup olive oil
*1/4 cup butter
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*2 cans minced clams, juice reserved
*1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook linguini until al dente. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook oil, butter, and garlic until garlic is translucent, approximately 1 minute. Add clams, reserved juice, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes on low. Toss pasta with clam sauce and garnish with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

*To make red sauce, add 2 diced tomatoes when adding clams and spices.