Buttered Basil Shrimp

Now first, I must say that I HATE all types of SEAFOOD! That's right. Anything that has lived in water, with the exception of a California sushi roll, disgusts me. So you can imagine my surprise when I actually enjoyed my seafood meal at a west coast restaurant after being referred there by a friend (who incidentally also hates seafood). How could I have been so delighted by my shrimp dinner that I was reluctant to give up even a taste to Josh?

The answer is ... Butter.

Yes, the same answer I have to all cooking questions. Just add butter and it will taste better. I fried these shrimp in melted butter, and they turned out just as delicious as Mo's Restaurant. If you are a seafood hater, just try this! If you don't like basil, try another spice, or heck, just salt! The butter is the key. And make sure you use high quality butter. I have tried countless shrimp dishes from a variety of restaurants, but they must have either used oil (which I feel enhances the fishy flavor, rather than getting rid of it), or cheap butter. I used fresh Tillamook butter...mmmm nothing better!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb uncooked, cleaned shrimp
Salt
Garlic powder/ garlic salt
Basil
2 Tbls lemon juice
4-6 Tbls butter

DIRECTIONS:
1. Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt, garlic powder, and basil, to taste (flip and repeat to the other side if you want extra flavor). Drip the Lemon juice over the seasoned shrimp.

2. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan. Lay the shrimp in a single layer in hot butter. Fry for 3-5 minutes (depending on how hot your pan is). Flip to the other side and cook 2-4 minutes more.

I served these over Fettuccine Alfredo, but Josh liked them with cocktail sauce too.

Blackberry Pie Filling

In Oregon, Blackberries are considered a weed....they grow EVERYWHERE! I absolutely love blackberries, so I wanted to utilize their under appreciated taste and make pie filling. I canned the pie filling I made, so I could use it this winter. It was surprisingly easy, and turned out great. Have you seen how much they charge for canned blackberry pie filling at the store? It is well worth the effort to can your own not only for the superior taste, but also for the savings!

The one ingredient you may not recognize is the "Clear Jel". It's similar to cornstarch, but doesn't break down during the canning process. It also creates a clear syrup when thickened. It can be found at most cake decorating or culinary stores. I don't know if you can replace it with cornstarch when canning, as I've heard mixed feedback about cornstarch's ability to hold up under heat. If you aren't planning on canning the filling, however, go ahead and use the cornstarch.

Now to tell you the truth, I didn't follow any recipe exactly. I was looking of three different recipes, and tweaking them into my own, so I added a bit more/less here and there. This is the general recipe though. As long as you get the clear jel and lemon juice measured correctly, everything else can be tweaked to your taste. Give it a try!

INGREDIENTS: 

2 quart jars or 4 pint jars (if canning)

2-quarts (8 cups) fresh blackberries

1 1/2 cups sugar                    (can make adjustments for tartness of berries)

1/2 cup Clear Jel                    (replace equally with cornstarch if not canning)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon         (optional, I liked the taste it adds though)

2-3 cups water                       (depending on how thick you want the filling)

 3 Tbls lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Select quality, firm, ripe berries. Rinse berries and set aside.

2. Combine Clear Jel, sugar and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Add water and mix until smooth. Stirring during the thickening process is critical for a smooth product. Heat, stirring mixture constantly until it bubbles. Quickly add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. (you may add more water at this point if you want to have a berry topping instead of pie filling). Remove from heat and fold in berries. You can eat it right away (makes 2 pies) or can it, as directed below. 

3. Fill 2 quart jars (or 4 pint jars), leaving 1 to 1 1/2 inches of headspace.(I made some in pint jars because when there are only two of us, we don't need such large amounts)

4. Process in a boiling water canner for 30 minutes at sea level, 35 minutes at 1001 to 3000 feet and 40 minutes at altitudes 3001 to 6000 feet. Each quart of pie filling will make an 8- or 9-inch pie.

(FYI: if you decrease the sugar just a bit, this recipe is great for blueberry pie filling too!)

Rosemary Bread (Macaroni Grill copycat)

I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and just got around to posting it. When dipped in olive oil & pepper, it tastes JUST like the bread they serve at the Macaroni Grill. It is really tasty, especially hot!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup wheat flour
1 - 1 1/2 cups white flour (use as needed to form smooth dough)
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash
dried rosemary, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof.

2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about1 hour.

4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted cookie sheet (or pizza stone); let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.

6. Bake on preheated stone for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

7. If desired, drizzle a few tablespoons olive oil on a plate and sprinkle with black pepper. Dip warm bread into oil. The olive oil and pepper bring out the flavor of the bread. Delicious!