Guacamole

Stop the madness, stop buying your guacamole - it is so easy to make!  Try this recipe and change the measurements to suit your taste.  It will be YOUR perfect guacamole.  :)

Guacamole

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup red onion, minced

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

juice from ¼ lime

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 jalapeno, diced (optional)

Mix all ingredients, allowing some avocado to get smashed for a creamy and chunky guacamole.  

Thank you Stephanie Rae Food Followers

Friends,

I just want to tell you all how happy it makes me that you took the time to follow my blog!  I sincerely appreciate your support - so very much!

SMILES

Tell me what you want and what you think, because I want to make you happy too!

Thank you for being so wonderful... you make me want to be wonderful!!!  :)

Cook, eat, and be happy!

Love,
Steph

PS- Who wants doggy treat recipes?

Salmon over Quinoa with Balsamic Drizzle and Brussel Sprouts

Salmon over Quinoa with Balsamic Drizzle and Brussel Sprouts

Serves 2 – 4 (2 if you like 8 oz. filets)

Wine Suggestion:  Chardonnay

Note:  You can ALWAYS substitute!  Use any quinoa you like; use any stock or water; I use less expensive extra virgin olive oil when I heat it to cook with; replace lemon with orange or lime juice if you wish; parsley instead of scallions.  That is the beauty of cooking, you can replace AND change the measurements to your heart's and taste's content.  Relax, take your time, and sip a glass of wine while you cook!  Last advice of the night, read the recipe (any recipe) in full before you start - this always helps me!  

Preheat oven to 415 degrees and start quinoa, brussel sprouts, and salmon in that order, as listed below.

Quinoa

1 cup red organic quinoa

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. white truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice from 1 lemon

¼ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

4 scallions, chopped (green and white parts)

Place quinoa and stock in a pot, cover and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer until done 15-20 minutes (or according to package directions)

Fluff and mix in oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper   

Right before serving stir in scallions

Brussel Sprouts

1 lb. brussel (remove tough stems and tough outer leaves, cut large sprouts in half)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Toss brussel sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper

Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning half way until golden brown

Salmon

1 lb. wild caught salmon – cut into halves or quarters

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Heat pan over medium/high heat

Salt and pepper salmon

Add oil to pan and heat

Add salmon to pan skin side down and cook for 6 minutes until skin is golden brown and salmon is easily flipped

Turn and cook 2 minutes (This is for well done salmon with crispy skin – cook less if you prefer rare)

Remove salmon from pan and add vinegar; boil until reduced by half

Serve salmon over quinoa with balsamic drizzled over top, surrounded by brussel sprouts

Roasted Long Hots (with Extras!)

I love hot... hot, hot, hot! In both my man and my food. ;) And if I was a vegatable, my babies would be long hot peppers. Sometimes I want even more though... a little sweetness in an onion... savory roasted garlic... you know. :) Sometimes I am feeling lazy too, which is why I adore roasting! So, here you go - this is what I ate for dinner tonight! SO EASY and SO DELICIOUS!!!

6 long hot peppers, whole

1-2 cubanelle peppers, sliced into ½ inch rings (stem/seeds removed)

2 cups of onions, peeled, halved, and sliced ½ inch

5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 415 degrees

Mix all ingredients together

Spread over baking sheet in an even layer - I like to lay my long hots over all my ingredients to start

Roast 35-45 minutes, turning occasionally (at least 3 times)

Serve immediately with warm toasty bread to scoop it up with!

Shrimp and Lemon Linguine with Arugula

I was in the mood for shrimp - well heck, I am ALWAYS in the mood for shrimp! Isn't everyone? Jeff said "I love shrimp AND pasta". OK, dare me to come up with another shrimp pasta with only ingredients we had? Dare accepted!

Shrimp and Lemon Linguine

1 lb. linguine, cooked according to package directions in salted water (reserve cooking water)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup shallots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 lb. 16/20 count shrimp, shelled

1 lemon, rind and juice

½ tsp kosher salt

2 cups fresh arugula

½ cup parmesan reggiano, grated

¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper

White truffle oil

While pasta is cooking…

Heat 2 EVOO in large, deep pan over medium heat

Add shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes

Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes

Add shrimp, lemon rind, and salt, cook until shrimp is just pink, 2-3 minutes

Add lemon juice

Add pasta and toss

Add arugula and toss

Add pasta water and toss until desired consistency

Add parmesan and black pepper toss

Drizzle with white truffle oil, optional

Seared Ribeye Steak with Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms

Seared Ribeye Steak with Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms

I love a "meat and potatoes" man. I am not a "meat and potatoes" lady, but hell, I love him a lot! If you are going to eat a steak, it should be a ribeye. So, when it came to my attention that Jeffrey was deprived of meat, I did what any woman in love should do - I seared a ribeye.

Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of thin sliced onions

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced (Go ahead and buy them sliced! Whatever.)

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan

Add onions and mushrooms, stir occasionally until golden, about 10 minutes

Add garlic and salt, stir frequently until garlic is golden, about 2-3 minutes

Add balsamic vingear and simmer until reduced to syrup 2-3 minutes

Add fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Serve over seared ribeye

Seared Ribeye:

2 ribeye steaks, bone-in, about 1 lb./1 inch each

1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large pan until VERY hot (I like stainless steel pans, but make sure whatever you use is ovenproof)

Rub steaks with remaining 1 tsp. oil, salt and pepper

Place steaks in pan and do not touch or move for 2 minutes

Flip steaks for another 2 minutes (still do not touch or move)

Place entire pan with steaks in oven for 3 minutes

Remove from oven, remove steaks from pan, and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving

OPTIONAL:

Add 1/2 cup dry red wine (Cabernet works great!) to steak juices and oil remaining in pan, cook over medium heat until reduced by at least healf. Stir occasionally to scrape up bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour over steak. Hey, this is not for your health - it's for your love. :)

It's rumored I deprive him of meat, so I made him a ribeye! :)

Cilantro Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa on Black Beans

Cilantro Chicken with Pineapple Avocado Salsa on Black Beans

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless breasts (2-3 lbs)

1 ½ tsp oregano, dried

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. fresh black pepper

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 orange (juice and rind)

1/3 cup +2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, fresh chopped

Mix dry spices and orange rind. Whisk in juice from orange. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup oil.

Cover chicken breasts with cilantro, place in large plastic bag. Pour in liquid and seal, squeezing air out.

Marinate at room temperature for at least one hour or in the refrigerator overnight. (Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour).

Add remaining 2 tsp. oil to pan. Sear chicken breasts 4-6 minutes, turn and sear another 4-6 minutes until dark brown on outside.

Place in baking dish and bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Black Beans:

1 cup onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

½ lime (juice only)

1 orange (juice only)

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. oregano, dried

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, minced

juices, reserved from chicken baking pan

Turn heat down to medium in chicken pan

Do not worry about all the brown bits and spices in the pan!

Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown on edges (5-7 minutes)

Add garlic and stir until golden (1-2 minute)

Add lime and orange juices, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with wooden spoon. Stir and reduce for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and black beans, stir into onion mixture.

Add oregano, salt, and cumin, stir and cook 5-7 minutes until soft and slightly mushy.

Stir in chicken juices and cilantro.

Pineapple Avocado Salsa:

1 cup pineapple, diced

1 cup cucumber, diced

1 avocado, diced

¼ cup onion, minced

2 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

½ tsp. kosher salt

juice from ½ a lime

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place chicken on the black beans and top with salsa. MMMmmmmm!