Bloody Mary Tomatoes

Bloody Mary Tomatoes Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/dc/8511/chefs_recipes/An_edible_take_on_the_hangover_cure_all.htm

 Yield: Make 1 1/4 cups
 Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

 INGREDIENTS 
 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh horseradish 
 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 
 ½ teaspoon celery salt 
 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 
 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
 Grapeseed or canola oil 
 10 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 
 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 
 ½ teaspoon kosher salt 
 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

 DIRECTIONS 
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, use your fingers to rub the horseradish, lemon zest, celery salt and cayenne pepper into the sugar. Add the tomatoes and Worcestershire and toss to coat. 

 2. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with grapeseed oil and place the tomatoes, cut-side up, in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are tender and shriveled, about 1 hour, and 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Pistachio Croissants

Pistachio Croissants Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/8782 Yield: 4 croissants

 INGREDIENTS
 ¼ cup water
 ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
 ¾ cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
 1 large egg, lightly beaten
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 4 day-old croissants, split in half lengthwise
 Confectioners’ sugar 

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the water and ⅓ cup of the sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

 2. In a food processor, combine ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of pistachios, the salt and remaining sugar and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and process until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse just until combined, stopping the food processor to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

 3. Brush the cut side of each croissant half with some of the simple syrup mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons of the pistachio mixture on the bottom half of the croissant and cover with a top croissant half, pressing down to slightly flatten the croissants. Arrange the croissants on a parchment-paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

 4. On a cutting board, finely chop the remaining 2 tablespoons of pistachios. Brush the croissants with more simple syrup and sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top.

 5. Bake the croissants until they are golden and the pistachio filling fuses the top and bottom halves together, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 20 minutes before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar.

Citus Poke Cupcakes

Blogger Deborah Harroun of Taste and Tell turns a classic poke cake into cupcakes, and gives them a citrus twist. Learn to make this recipe with our how-to article. From http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/citrus-poke-cupcakes/530b04d6-d345-429a-8fc9-12af1122397e

 PREP TIME 30 Min
TOTAL TIME 1 Hr 30 Min
SERVINGS 24 Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Grated peel of 1 lemon Grated peel of 1 lime
Grated peel of 1 orange 1 cup boiling water
7 1/2 teaspoons lime-flavored gelatin powder
7 1/2 teaspoons orange-flavored gelatin powder

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2/3 cup whipping cream

 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
 2 In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and lemon, lime and orange peel with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
 3 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. With fork or wooden skewer, poke holes in tops of cupcakes.
 4 In small bowl, pour 1/2 cup of the boiling water on lime gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Pour gelatin over half of each cupcake.
 5 In another small bowl, pour remaining 1/2 cup boiling water on orange gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Pour gelatin over other half of each cupcake. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
 6 Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined. Beat in lemon extract. In small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
 7 Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes. Store in refrigerator.

Spicy Shrimp Scampi

From blogger Arlene Cummings of Cooking With Sugar - Spicy Shrimp Scampi

It’s a delicious healthy meal on the table in less than 30 minutes.
http://www.cookingwithsugar.com/healthy-spicy-shrimp-scampi-recipe-with-organic-muir-glen-tomatoes/ 

PREP TIME 15 Min
TOTAL TIME 20 Min
SERVINGS 4

 1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled (with tail shells left on), deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine 1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jalapeño chile, seeded, chopped, or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs
Cooked rice or pasta 

1 Place shrimp in large bowl; season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2 In 12-inch skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and chile. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

3 Add shrimp to skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink. Gently stir in lemon juice, parsley and basil. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve immediately over rice.

Lemon Meringue Hand Pies

OOOO ice cream, meringue and lemon curd . . .yum.

Note making meringue on a rainy day is not advised. . . also left over "cookies" need an airtight seal.
From http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2012/05/lemon-meringue-hand-pies-recipe/#more-4820

Lemon Meringue Hand Pies
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours
Yield: 6 ice cream sandwiches

Forget the crust! This take on a lemon meringue pie is perfect for a warm day. Meringue cookies are sandwiched with graham cracker ice cream and lemon curd.

Ingredients
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 pint vanilla ice cream
4 graham cracker sheets, lightly crushed
3/4 cup Lemon Curd

Instructions
Place the oven racks in the top third and the bottom third of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 250F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a glass or bowl as a guide, trace 6 circles, about 3 1/2-inches in diameter, onto the parchement paper. Set aside.

Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until they are frothy, about 1 minute. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while the machine is running on high speed and beat until the meringue is glossy and stiff, about 3 minutes.

Fold in the lemon extract.

Transfer the meringue into a piping bag with a large star tip.

Pipe onto the circles on the parchment paper, starting at the center and working your way out.
Transfer to the oven.

Immediately change the oven temperature to 200F.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Rotate the pans and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in the closed oven for at least 6 hours.

Let the ice cream soften slightly.

Mix the graham crackers in with the ice cream.

Using a kitchen torch, (or the oven broiler - see tip in post above), brown the edges of of the meringues. Spread 1/3 cup of the graham cracker ice cream onto 6 of the meringues, and 2 tablespoons of lemon curd onto the other 6 meringues.

Sandwich one of the ice cream topped meringues with one of the lemon curd topped meringues.
Repeat with the remaining meringues. Serve immediately or freeze up to 2 hours.
Slightly adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray May 2012

Grilled Red Pepper Salsa

Grilled Red Pepper Salsa from The Meaning of Pie
http://www.themeaningofpie.com/2012/05/grilled-red-pepper-salsa/#more-5546

You can do this on a grill or over a gas burner with a grill basket. I did the latter. I also spread a sheet of aluminum foil around the burner to catch any drips. It is not strictly necessary, but it helps with the clean up. It had never really occurred to me to use this grill pan indoors. I may be ruining it. But I got tired of my peppers dropping off of the grates of my stove top. When I multi-task inappropriately in the kitchen, I like for my burning vegetables to burn evenly and not drop into the flame.

You really need to let the pan cool down after using it or use mitts. I’m not sure but I’m guessing the makers of these weren’t envisioning them being used on a stove top, but who knows?

The idea here is to char the vegetables as you cook them and then toss them all together in the food processor, char and all. Let them cool a bit before doing so, though.There will be little flecks of black in the salsa, but that is entirely the point. It gives the salsa an interesting depth. By the way, if you do not like red bell peppers, this is not a good substitute for regular salsa…because it tastes curiously like red bell peppers…since it is full of red bell peppers.

I also think this would be awesome with the addition of some grilled and stripped corn.

Preparation:
3 roma tomatoes, halved
½ medium onion, sliced thickly, rings held together with a toothpick
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into thick flat strips
2 serrano peppers, halved and seeded
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ lime juiced

Grill the tomatoes for approximately 4 minutes per side, or until they have nice black marks but have not turned into mush. Grill the peppers, onions and garlic for about 7 or 8 minutes per side or until they are charred and slightly softened.

Remove the vegetables to a bowl as they are finished. When all of the vegetables have been cooked, allow them to cool in the bowl for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a food processor. Process the vegetables until they are uniformly processed but still slightly chunky.

Stir in the lime juice and the salt and then taste to determine whether you would like more seasoning. The lime juice and salt seem like an afterthought but they are critical to the balanced flavor of the salsa.

Serve with chips. Serve on eggs. Eat straight from the bowl with a spoon. Note: I have been getting some very hot serrano peppers this year. It would behoove you to take a little taste and determine the number of peppers you want accordingly. You may also substitute jalapenos for the serranos.

13 Easy Ways to Cook Shrimp

13 Easy Ways to Cook Shrimp http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/easy-shrimp-recipes_n_1510261.html

• According to the Barefoot Contessa, roasting is the best way to prepare shrimp. It caramelizes them a little bit, which brings out a natural sweetness and intensifies their flavors. To roast them, just toss the shrimp in olive oil and salt, and cook in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. 
• Sauteing shrimp requires just a shallow pan, a bit of olive oil or butter and whatever seasoning you may be in the mood for. Once you add the shrimp to the pan, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
•  Grilling shrimp is easy; you just need a hot grill and some skewers. When skewering the shrimp, pierce it through in two places. This ensures that all sides get exposed to the heat (and makes them easy to flip). Cook for about 5-7 minutes on a hot grill, flipping once half way through. As soon as white and opaque, they're ready to eat. 
•  The great thing about stir-fried shrimp is not only does it taste delicious, but it's healthy too. Add the shrimp to an already hot pan, spread them into a single layer and cook for a total of 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Don't overcrowd the shrimp, this will cause them to steam instead of sizzle. 
•  You've never tasted shrimp at their full potential until you've tried them poached. It's a great way to ensure a tender and juicy final product. Poach them in liquid at a temperature just before boiling; and just until they turn pink (about 2-3 minutes). You can use olive oil or butter as the poaching liquid for a rich, flavorful outcome, or wine for a lighter dish. 
•  Boiling shrimp is a great way to put together a shrimp cocktail (though some people steam instead). What we like about the boiling method is that you can infuse the shrimp with spices and flavor, and lock in its moisture. And it usually won't take longer than three minutes. 
•  You can braise shrimp in a number of flavorful sauces (beer, lemon juice or broth); and it'll be the easiest, quickest braising you've ever done. With just a little bit of liquid, shrimp takes just five minutes to cook on low heat. 
•  Pan-searing shrimp gives it a nice, crisp texture. It takes just minutes to do, and makes a satisfying meal. To pan sear, cook the shrimp in a pan at high heat until opaque and crisp. 
• Breaded shrimp are delicious -- and once the breading is done, the shrimp take only 1-2 minutes to cook through. First peel and devein the shrimp (it's not necessary to remove the tail), dredge and coat them in a flour, egg, breadcrumb combination. Then quickly fry them until golden brown and serve them while they're hot. 
•  Steaming shrimp is a great way to make shrimp cocktail, but that's not all. With a few added ingredients, it can make a great dinner too. Keep the shrimp on ice until ready to cook. Then, place in a steam insert or pressure cooker and cook for three minutes at most. 
•  When frying food, the last thing you want is for the flavor of oil to penetrate your ingredients. There are a few tricks to help prevent this from happening. One, don't overcrowd the fryer; and two, make sure the oil is at the right temperature, close to 375 degrees. After that, just batter and cook for 4-5 minutes. 
•  Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in Peru. It's made from fresh raw fish and/or seafood that's marinated in citrus, chiles and other fresh flavors. It's easy to put together, just be sure to start with very fresh shrimp. Be sure to follow your recipe's instructions carefully. 
• Marinating shrimp practically guarantees flavor every time. And it doesn't require as much planning as meat. Shrimp are delicate and so you'll want to pick your marinade carefully. Citric acid tends to break down the shrimp (which can make it mushy), so any marinade with citrus should be used only 30 minutes before cooking. Marinades without citrus can be used for longer periods of time. Yet, it doesn't take long for the flavors to infuse this seafood considering their size.