Lobster Mac & Cheese

I know that some critics say that this is a waste of a good lobster tail, but for many, this is so worth it!  This recipe involves multi-tasking.  You'll want to prepare the lobster, cook the pasta, and make the sauce at the same time.  Don't worry though, it only takes about 25-30 minutes of prep work. 

Lobster Mac & Cheese
Serves 3-4 Entree Portions/ 5-6 Side Portions

12 Oz Macaroni or Curly Style Pasta
6 T Butter
1/3 C Flour
3 C Whole Milk
4 C Thinly Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Cheese Blend
1 Lb Lobster Tail
2 T Brandy
1/2 C Panko Bread Crumbs
2 t Onion Powder, or To Taste
1/2 t Nutmeg, or To Taste
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Paprika for the Topping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slit the lobster tails down the middle.  Reserve the lobster shell. Remove the lobster meat and roast it the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked.  Chop the lobster meat.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta all of the way, to your liking.

In another pot, melt 2T of the butter and then add the flour. Stir well and cook for about 1 minute.  Add the milk and lobster shells (this is a good way to maximize the lobster flavor). Bring it to a boil and then simmer it for 5 minutes.  Pull out the tails or strain it if necessary.

Whisk in the cheese slowly until it melts.  Add the spices, brandy, and cooked lobster meat. 

Combine with the pasta and place into a casserole dish.  I happen to have a great nonstick dish.  If you're concerned, lightly butter the dish.

In a saute pan or the microwave, melt the remaining 4 T butter. Mix in the bread crumbs. Top the mac and cheese with the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle the top with paprika.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-17 minutes and serve.

Summer Fruit Salsas

 Watermelon Salsa

Serves 6-8
 

6 Cups Seedless Watermelon, Small Dice

½ Bunch Cilantro, Chopped

2 Sprigs Fresh Mint, Chopped (optional)

1/3 C Red Onion, Small Dice

3 Limes, Juiced & Zested

½  Jalapeno, Minced

Corn Tortilla Chips

Mix all ingredients together.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate before serving.  Serve with corn tortilla chips.

 

 

Pineapple Salsa

Serves 6-8

1 Pineapple, Small Dice

¼ C Onion, Small Dice
½ Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
2 Sprigs Fresh Mint, Chopped
½ Jalapeno, Seeded & Minced
2 Limes, Juiced & Zested
Salt to Taste
 

Mix all ingredients together.  Let it marinate at least an hour before serving.

 
*Is great with tortilla chips, or topped on chicken or fish.

 

 

 

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Avocado Yogurt

Makes 6 Tacos

For the Fish:

4 Tilapia Fillets (or 1 lb cod, tuna, halibut, swordfish)
¼ t Cumin
¼ t Cayenne Pepper
1 T Chili Powder
2 T Smoked Paprika
1t Sea Salt
1T Oil

For the Avocado Yogurt:

1 Ripe Avocado

1 C Plain Greek Yogurt
1 t Lemon or Lime Juice
Pinch of Salt
 
6 Corn Tortillas
1 ½ C Pineapple Salsa
 

Mix the spices for the tilapia in a bowl and use all of it to season the fish.  Heat up a sauté pan with the oil. Sauté the fish, flipping it once during the process.

 

To make the avocado yogurt, slice the avocado and mash it up in a bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients until smooth.

Quickly heat the tortillas in a sauté pan or over a low flame to make them more pliable.

 

To assemble, put the tortillas down flat on a plate. The tilapia should flake well, so tear it apart and divide the pieces amongst the tacos.  Spoon out the yogurt onto the fish.  Top it off with the salsa and serve.

 

Simple Yet Elegant Appetizers

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Apricot Glaze & Lemony Arugula Salad

Serves 4

12 Large Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined

6 Slices of Bacon

½ C Apricot Jam

1 Orange, Zested and Juiced

1 Bag of Prepared Arugula

1 Lemon, Zested and Juiced

1 T Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cut the bacon in half and wrap it round the shrimp. Set aside.

Mix the jam, orange zest and juice.  Warm in the microwave.

Heat a sauté pan and cook the shrimp, turning when the bacon gets nice and crispy.  The shrimp should be cooked by the time that the bacon gets crispy on each side.

Toss the arugula with the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Assemble the plates and serve!

 

 

 

Peeling and Deveining Shrimp

I prefer to purchase shrimp in the shell because I feel that it retains its “shrimpy juices” and flavor.  When bought already peeled, the flavor may get washed away when rinsed for defrosting.  First you just peel them down to the tail.  I find that the bottom of the shrimp is a good starting point to peel it apart.

 

Now to clean out the poop vein!  Yes poop vein.  I think this part is the point where squeamish housewives decide to buy precleaned shrimp.  Again, it’s optional, but it’s better and typically cheaper when shelled.  Cut a small slit down the top of the shrimp. 

Pull out the vein. This vein is where the shrimp poops. You won’t die if you eat it but it’s a little yucky. This vein can be black and stringy, clear and slimy or an apricot color slimy vein. Pull it out and lightly rinse it off if needed. Now you’re ready to cook!  

 

 

Marinated Mushrooms

Serves 6-8

2 Lbs Whole Mushrooms

1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar

¼ C Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1T Herbs (fresh or dried like basil, oregano, thyme, etc.)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes and chill under cold water.  Marinate the mushrooms with the remaining ingredients for at least 1 hour.

 

 

Lemony Roasted Artichokes

Serves 6-8

2 Cans of Whole Artichokes

1 Lemon

1 Sprig Rosemary, Chopped

1T Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

Cut artichokes in half and put them on a foil lined baking pan.  Zest the lemon.  Cut off the remaining rind and quarter it.  Cut into thin slices and make sure that all the seeds are removed.  Mix all the ingredients together and bake for about 30 minutes.  Serve hot or chilled. 

 

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my cast iron grill pan. This is a great way to grill your favorite items all year round.  Many appetizers tend to be meat or carbs so this is a nice alternative for your buffet.  Below isn’t much of a recipe, just a quick and easy idea that you can interchange with different veggies.

 

 

Grilled Zucchini and Peppers

Serves 6-8

2 Zucchini

1 ½ Lbs Sweet Mini Peppers

2 T Olive Oil

¼ C Basil Pesto

Salt and Pepper to Taste

 

Cut the zucchini into sticks and peppers in half. Toss in oil.  Heat the grill pan and grill the veggies. Season with salt and pepper and toss with pesto.  Serve Hot or chilled.

 

 

 

 

 

Bruschetta with Crostini

Serves 6-8

1 Fresh Baguette, sliced

About 2 T Butter
2 Tomatoes, Seeded and Small Dice
1 Small or ½ of a Large Red Onion, Small Dice

2 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

4 Large Basil leaves, Chopped or Chiffonade

1 T Olive Oil

¼ C Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Mix all the ingredients except the baguette and butter and let the bruschetta marinate at least 1 hour.  Tomatoes tend to need more salt than most veggies. You may want to strain it a little bit before serving depending on how juicy the tomatoes are.

I prefer the crunchy yet softness that comes from toasting the bread in a sauté pan. Heat a sauté pan and melt the butter.  Toast each side of the bread and then serve!

 

Try it with Sautéed Sea Scallops!!!

 

Fresh Sea Scallops

About 2 T Butter
Flour to Coat
1 Lemon, Cut in Half and Seeded
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Lightly dry the scallops with a paper towel.  Toss in flour and make sure to shake off the extra flour.  Heat a sauté pan and melt the butter.  Cook the scallops, flipping after you see a nice brown crust form on each side.  Sometimes the scallops are too large and my need to be finished in the oven.  It depends on your liking but if the scallop is really fresh it should be just cooked, like al dente is to pasta. However, many people like them cooked well.  The choice is yours. 

 

 

Serve it long side the bruschetta with a little lemon juice on top at the end of cooking.  The trick to the nice presentation of bruschetta is to use a circle cookie cutter.