Posts for July 9th 2010

Pina Colada Recipe
Cocktails

Happy Hour: Piña Colada

Get excited: tomorrow is National Piña Colada day!
by partysugar


Get excited: tomorrow is National Piña Colada day! Since the piña colada is the only blended drink I enjoy, I wanted to share my favorite recipe. I first made these coladas back in 2005 when I lived in Spain. After a long day at the pool, I craved the tropical combination of pineapple, coconut, and rum. Since I couldn't order it in a bar, I found a recipe that calls for fresh pineapple. It's a simple concoction that results in a sublime cocktail. It's thick, frothy, fruity, and potent. Leave out the rum and you've got a special treat for the kiddies. While you make the drink, I highly recommend listening to "Escape/The Piña Colada Song" — it will get you in the mood! (I may have listened to it while writing this story . . .)

This way for the recipe! Happy weekend.

YumSugar Weekly Recap Quiz — July 9, 2010
weekly recap

Do You Know What's Cooking This Week?

We're not going to lie: After a long holiday weekend of eating, drinking, and kicking back with family and friends, it was hard to get back to work.
by

We're not going to lie: After a long holiday weekend of eating, drinking, and kicking back with family and friends, it was hard to get back to work. Thankfully, getting back to work here can be a boatload of fun — especially when we're making turkey burgers, coleslaw, and blueberry pie! Have you kept your eye on everything that's gone down? Take the quiz!

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Recipe for Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango
salads

Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango

From Martha Stewart Living Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango Information Category Salads, Seafood Cuisine North American Ingredients1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about 8 limes) 8 ounces baby spinach 1 large mango (about 1 pound) 10 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact 1 teaspoon coarse salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves Directions Combine onion and 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lime juice.
by
Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango

Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango

Information

Category
Salads, Seafood
Cuisine
North American
Recipe for Spinach Salad with Spiced Shrimp and Mango

Ingredients

1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about 8 limes)
8 ounces baby spinach
1 large mango (about 1 pound)
10 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

  1. Combine onion and 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cover, and let stand for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
  2. Place spinach in a large bowl. Peel mango. Cut along both sides of the pit to create two portions of mango. Slice each portion lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Add to spinach.
  3. Cut remaining mango from pit, and puree in a food processor or a blender with remaining 1/4 cup lime juice (you should have 1/2 cup puree).
  4. Strain onion and add to spinach, reserving juice. Toss shrimp with reserved lime juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
  5. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until soft, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add shrimp mixture, and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes. Add mango puree, toss, and heat through. Add cilantro. Remove from heat, and toss with spinach, onion, and sliced mango. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Recipe for Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta 2010-07-09 13:58:27
fast and easy

Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta

From Bon Appétit Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta Information Category Main Dishes, Shellfish Cuisine Greek Ingredients1 cup Greek-style (2% or nonfat) yogurt 1 cup 1/4-inch cubes English hothouse cucumber 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus additional for drizzling 2 tablespoons chopped shallots 1 1/4 teaspoons aniseed, finely crushed, divided Olive oil (for brushing and drizzling) 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact 8 cups baby spinach leaves 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Directions Mix Greek-style yogurt, cucumber, dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, shallots, and 3/4 teaspoon crushed aniseed in small bowl; season tzatziki generously with salt and pepper.
by
Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta

Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta

Information

Category
Main Dishes, Shellfish
Cuisine
Greek
Recipe for Shrimp Skewers With Tzatziki, Spinach, and Feta 2010-07-09 13:58:27

Ingredients

1 cup Greek-style (2% or nonfat) yogurt
1 cup 1/4-inch cubes English hothouse cucumber
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus additional for drizzling
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 1/4 teaspoons aniseed, finely crushed, divided
Olive oil (for brushing and drizzling)
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact
8 cups baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

  1. Mix Greek-style yogurt, cucumber, dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, shallots, and 3/4 teaspoon crushed aniseed in small bowl; season tzatziki generously with salt and pepper. Chill.
  2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill with oil. Thread shrimp onto 4 metal skewers. Brush shrimp all over with olive oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed aniseed. Grill just until shrimp are opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Divide spinach among 4 plates; drizzle lightly with additional lemon juice and olive oil. Top each with 1 shrimp skewer. Spoon tzatziki over shrimp; sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

Grilled Peach Salad Recipe 2010-07-09 13:19:02
salads

Grilled Peach Salad

From Katie Sweeney Grilled Peach Salad Information Category Salads, Greens Cuisine North American IngredientsFor salad 3 peaches, pits removed and sliced into large wedges Olive oil, for drizzling Salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 cups mixed greens 1/2 cup snap peas, sliced into 1-inch pieces 3 scallions, dark greens removed, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup, toasted slivered almonds 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese For vinaigrette 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions Heat a grill to medium.
by partysugar
Grilled Peach Salad

Grilled Peach Salad

Information

Category
Salads, Greens
Cuisine
North American
Grilled Peach Salad Recipe 2010-07-09 13:19:02

Ingredients

For salad
3 peaches, pits removed and sliced into large wedges
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup snap peas, sliced into 1-inch pieces
3 scallions, dark greens removed, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup, toasted slivered almonds
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
For vinaigrette
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat a grill to medium. Place the peaches on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill the peaches over medium heat until soft and grill marks appear, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and let cool.
  3. In a large bowl combine the greens with the snap peas, scallions, almonds, goat cheese, and peaches.
  4. In a small jar with a lid, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Shake well to emulsify then pour over the salad in the bowl.
  5. Toss well to combine and enjoy immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Brazilian Recipe For Grilled Cachaça Marinated Hanger Steak
grilling

Raise the Steaks With a Brazilian Cachaca Marinade

After I found myself drooling over CasaSugar's steak frites, I realized I was long overdue to make a large, juicy chunk of beef for dinner.
by


After I found myself drooling over CasaSugar's steak frites, I realized I was long overdue to make a large, juicy chunk of beef for dinner. That's when I remembered an interesting recipe I'd come across for a steak marinated in cachaça, the national liquor of Brazil. Although the meat should sit in this marinade for a couple of days, the prep is minimal, which makes this recipe an overall piece of cake.

A week later, I'm still waxing poetic about the dish and its bold, robust flavor; if you've ever had Chinese drunken chicken, this steak possesses the same booziness factor. Ask your butcher to give you the flattest, thinnest hanger steak he has; it'll make for a more even-cooking, attractive piece of meat. For a different steak dinner, keep on reading.

Premade Versus Homemade Hamburger Patties
Poll

Do You Make Your Own Burger Patties?

The other day when I was making jalapeño nacho cheeseburgers at home, my guy unassumingly asked me, "Are you making the patties from scratch?"
by

The other day when I was making jalapeño nacho cheeseburgers at home, my guy unassumingly asked me, "Are you making the patties from scratch?" I told him I most definitely was — and that I'd never think not to. Growing up, I remember my family eating premade, frozen patties from Sam's Club, but from the moment I realized it takes, oh, about 2.5 seconds to season ground meat and mold it into the shape of a patty, I started making my own and never turned back. What about you?

Who Do You Call For Culinary Advice?
let's dish

Let's Dish: Who Do You Call For Culinary Advice?

At least once a week I receive a call, text, or email from a friend or family member asking for culinary advice.
by partysugar

At least once a week I receive a call, text, or email from a friend or family member asking for culinary advice. "What's a good Champagne to give as a gift?" "Can I make roast chicken in my new Le Creuset pan?" "Do you have any easy barbecued chicken recipe suggestions?" While I love answering their questions and am honored they look to me for guidance, I don't know it all. When I have a cooking question of my own, I call my dad or email YumSugar. They always help me out! Since everyone has a person they look to for help in the kitchen, I want to know: who is yours? Is it your mother? Your older sister? Your friend who happens to be the editor of an online magazine devoted to food?