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Grilled Guacamole Flatbread with Cilantro-Lime Shrimp

April 29, 2013 by 2 Comments

Grilled Guacamole Flatbread with Cilantro-Lime Shrimp! SO GOOD!

If you read Spiced regularly, then you already know that I really get into the seasons.  Fall is a great time for apples and pies.  Winter is perfect for heavier foods like soups and stews.  While I love those seasons, we’re finally rolling into Spring here in upstate New York, and I couldn’t be happier!  Spring means the start of grilling season.  Spring means sitting on the back deck with friends.  Spring means planting the garden and watching it grow into Summer produce.  And what better way to welcome in Spring than with Cinco de Mayo?  The bright citrus flavors that are found in many Mexican dishes are perfect for the beginning of warmer weather!

My wife and I spent the weekend preparing the garden and even planting a few rows of seeds.  It was so awesome to finally spend a day outside after what seemed like the longest Winter ever.  Don’t get me wrong…I enjoy the Winter and I’ll probably be excited for it to come around next year.  But right now, I’m ready for some warmer days.

To get into the Cinco de Mayo spirit, I decided to grill some flatbread and top it with fresh guacamole and cilantro-lime shrimp.  Not only was this delicious, but it was also quite simple to pull together.  My wife and I enjoyed it for lunch while sitting outside (and we might have had a couple mojitos, too).  This would also make a great party appetizer for your Cinco de Mayo parties, too!

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Grilled Guacamole Flatbread with Cilantro-Lime Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 1 batch of Homemade Pizza Dough (or 1 package of store-bought dough)
  • 2-3 tsps olive oil, for brushing onto dough
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 medium red onion, diced finely
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, diced finely
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced finely
  • 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 Cilantro "Bombs", thawed

Instructions

  1. Preheat your grill to about 450-500 degrees.
  2. While the grill is heating, stretch or roll the dough into a large rectangular shape. Brush one side lightly with 1-2 tsps of olive oil.
  3. Lay the oiled side down on the grill and cook (with lid down) for 3-4 minutes. Once bottom of the dough is golden brown, lightly brush the top of the dough with another tsp of olive oil. Flip the dough and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown. (This step could be shorter or longer depending on the temperature of your grill. Watch dough carefully so it doesn't burn!)
  4. Remove the flatbread from the grill and allow to cool.
  5. Make the guacamole by scooping out avocados and mashing in a small bowl with the juice of 1/2 lime. Once you reach desired consistency (I prefer smooth), just mix in remaining ingredients (salt, onion, jalapeno, tomato, cilantro, and garlic). Stir until well mixed.
  6. Mix the shrimp with the cilantro bombs (if you don't have any pre-made bombs, you can simply mix a little bit of minced cilantro with olive oil, salt, and pepper.) Don't marinate the shrimp as they can become mushy, but instead just coat with cilantro mixture before grilling.
  7. Grill shrimp for 4-5 minutes, or until pink in color
  8. Spread the guacamole on the top of the flatbread.
  9. Top with grilled shrimp.
  10. Finish with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lime.
http://spicedblog.com/grilled-guacamole-flatbread-with-cilantro-lime-shrimp.html

Homemade Jalapeno Cornbread

April 24, 2013 by 14 Comments

Delicious Jalapeno Cornbread from spicedblog.com #jalapeno #cornbread I love cooking (and baking) with jalapenos.  I know a lot of people avoid jalapenos because they’re afraid the jalapenos will be too spicy.  And while jalapenos (or Texas pickles, as my father likes to call them) definitely up the level of spiciness in a dish, you can still do a lot to control the heat.  More specifically, the majority of the capsaicin (the “spicy” compound found in many chili peppers) is found in the stems and seeds of jalapenos.  So if you are concerned about spiciness, simply deseed and destem the jalapenos before adding them to your dish.  Or if you like spicier foods, then leave some or all of the stems and seeds in…but just be careful as the heat really increases quickly!  The point of all of this is that, aside from their spiciness, jalapenos have an incredible and unique flavor that greatly enhances many dishes.

Delicious Jalapeno Cornbread from spicedblog.com #jalapeno #cornbread I find diced jalapenos work well in breads and pizza dough.  I usually leave some, but certainly not all, of the seeds in.  I was in the mood for cornbread the other day, so I figured why not throw some jalapenos in this time.  It tasted incredible!  I baked the cornbread in a cast iron skillet, which created wonderfully crisp bottom and edges.  And the flavor from the jalapenos was perfect!  We sliced the cornbread up, and it was delicious next to a bowl of Vegetable Bean Soup.  So the next time you crave cornbread, remember this recipe and add a couple of jalapenos to spice things up a bit!

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Homemade Jalapeno Cornbread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 jalapenos, 2 diced finely and 2 sliced into rings (I removed most of the stems + seeds from my jalapenos.)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (plus 1 more Tbsp to grease pan)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, cornmeal, and flour together. Stir until well combined. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees with cast iron pan in the oven.
  3. Once the cornmeal mixture has rested, add eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2 diced jalapenos, and melted butter. Stir until well combined.
  4. Carefully remove the cast iron pan from the oven and grease the bottom and sides with 1 Tbsp of butter.
  5. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
  6. Pour batter into skillet. Lay rings of remaining 2 jalapenos on top of the batter.
  7. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

Use caution when dicing the jalapenos. Wash your hands with soap immediately after cutting and avoid touching your eyes. (Trust me, I've learned from experience!)

If you don't have buttermilk around, you can pour 1 Tbsp white vinegar into a cup of milk. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes. Now you have a cup of buttermilk.

http://spicedblog.com/homemade-jalapeno-cornbread.html

Blue Cheese + Bacon Stuffed Potatoes

April 22, 2013 by 4 Comments

Blue Cheese + Bacon Stuffed Potatoes from spicedblog.com! #bluecheese #steakhouse #stuffedpotato #bacon This past weekend, we hosted a mini-steak grill off between friends, and it was a blast!  How can you go wrong with both grilled steaks and steak sandwiches!? (Click here if you missed that post.)  But then I had a problem.  All the steak made me crave another steakhouse classic: the wedge salad.  You know the one I’m talking about.  Nearly every good steakhouse in the country has a version of it.  A wedge of iceburg lettuce topped with blue cheese dressing with bits of bacon, onion, and blue cheese crumbles everywhere.  Delicious!  So I thought about recreating one of these tasty salads at home…but then I decided to mix it up a bit instead.  I had some potatoes leftover from a previous recipe, and I began to wonder what would happen if I turned the classic steakhouse wedge salad into a twice-baked potato.  Well, wonder no longer.  The result was incredible.  I definitely invented a new staple in our house!

Blue Cheese + Bacon Stuffed Potatoes from spicedblog.com! #bluecheese #steakhouse #stuffedpotato #bacon So I have a confession: I used to not like blue cheese.  I thought the stuff smelled a little funky, and the taste was even worse.  Plus, who in their right mind would voluntarily eat moldy cheese?  I just didn’t get it.  Then I tried a blue cheese dip that came with an order of buffalo wings…and I didn’t hate it.  In fact, I kinda like it.  And I began craving it more and more.  Chunks of straight blue cheese were still a bit questionable…but I no longer found them disgusting.  Quite the opposite in fact!  (Somewhere my wife is reading this and saying “I told you so.”)  So you can imagine her surprise (and mine, too) when I found myself craving a blue cheese wedge salad!  What do you think about blue cheese: amazing or disgusting??

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Blue Cheese + Bacon Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 4 large Russet Potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed
  • 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 3-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

  1. Using a fork or sharp knife, pierce each potato about 10-12 times at regular intervals.
  2. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until done.
  3. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each in half lengthwise with a sharp knife.
  4. Using a large spoon, carefully scrape out most of the potato into a large bowl. (Leave a little bit of potato near the skin just to provide structure and keep the skin from ripping.) Set skins aside.
  5. In the bowl with the potatoes, add the green onions, butter, salt, pepper, and buttermilk. Mix well.
  6. Scoop the potato mixture back into each potato skin. Top with diced tomato, crumbled blue cheese, and crumbled bacon.
  7. Bake stuffed potatoes at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
  8. Serve warm or freeze.
http://spicedblog.com/blue-cheese-bacon-stuffed-potatoes.html

Tasty (and Easy!) Side Dish: Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Pancetta

April 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Green Beans + Tomatoes + Pancetta = Delicious (and easy!) Side Dish. Click for recipe from Spiced!

One of my many favorite things about summer is eating directly out of the garden.  I know it sounds a bit cliche, but I seriously walk out to the garden every afternoon and see whats ripe…and then that becomes dinner for the night.  If you’ve never planted an herb/vegetable garden, then try it this year!  Start small if you’d like.  Many veggies & herbs are container-friendly, so start with just a couple containers on the back porch.  Your dinners will be tastier, and your wallet will thank you!

Green Beans + Tomatoes + Pancetta = Delicious (and easy!) Side Dish. Click for recipe from Spiced!

Since Spring is just beginning here, it’ll be a few more months before the garden really begins to produce much.  So at this time of the year I resort to whatever is on sale each week at the market.  There must have been a bumper green bean crop this year as I keep finding beans on sale!  Fine by me…I love green beans.  Today’s recipe is one of my go-to favorites for string beans.  The small amount of pancetta adds an incredible boost of flavor while the tomatoes add an acidity that really provides a nice balance to this dish.  I often finish this with a couple squeezes of fresh lemon juice which adds a nice layer of brightness.  I also remove the hard tips of the beans before cooking–just line the beans up and use a sharp knife to remove all the tips at once.  A good set of chef’s knives makes a huge difference when cooking!

Green Beans + Tomatoes + Pancetta = Delicious (and easy!) Side Dish. Click for recipe from Spiced!

This dish is easy and only requires a couple of ingredients…so next time you see green beans on sale at your market, grab a pound and give this recipe a shot.  One bite and it’ll become a go-to favorite for you, too!

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Tasty (and Easy!) Side Dish: Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Pancetta

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 pound pancetta, diced (Either pre-sliced or whole will work.)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh lemon juice, to finish

Instructions

  1. Blanche the green beans (place beans in gently boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then immediately transfer beans to bowl of cold water for 4-5 minutes)
  2. Chop the beans at an angle into 1" pieces. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, place diced pancetta into a saute pan and cook until crispy (about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness). Discard all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the saute pan.
  4. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the saute pan along with the remaining 1 Tbsp of fat.
  5. Over medium heat, add tomatoes to the pan and cook until slightly tender (3-4 minutes).
  6. Add chopped beans and continue to cook on medium for another 3-4 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add the cooked pancetta. Stir until well combined.
  8. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve hot.
http://spicedblog.com/tasty-and-easy-side-dish-green-beans-tomatoes-and-pancetta.html