Monday, July 9, 2012

Roasted Corn Salsa

My friend Jenny made this recipe for us last year and I loved it. Never got around to making it last summer but have made it twice in the last few weeks! YUM!! Great reason to hit up the local Farmers Martket! Enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 3 ears corn, shucked
  • 4 medium tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lb.), chopped
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Grill corn, turning often, until kernels have softened and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then cut off kernels from each ear (you'll have about 3 cups).
  2. In a large bowl, combine corn kernels, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Add parsley and stir well. Chill until ready to serve.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- The last time I made this I actually used frozen corn. Cooked it in the microwave according to directions, drained it to remove as much water as possible and then threw it in a hot frying pan with a little bit of oil until it browned up. Not as good as fresh corn on the grill, but still really good, and a great time saver.

**Original recipe from www.myrecipes.com**

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya

When the whole Slivensky crew is down at the beach together we love to try new recipes with fresh seafood, especially shrimp. Although it took forever for my rice to cook up, it was a delicious recipe that I will be making again! (Be sure to see my notes/tips below.)

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch slices
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1(28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole spice mix
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 pound extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 3/4 cups long-grain rice
  • Parsley, optional

Directions

- Combine chicken, sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, spice mix, thyme and oregano in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours.

- Add shrimp and rice; raise heat to high and cook for 30 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- I don’t like celery so I didn’t use it, just used more peppers.

- I used less chicken and more shrimp because that’s what we wanted.

- My rice was still crunchy after 30 minutes…and 45 minutes… next time I will either buy a different fast cooking rice OR pre cook the rice on the stovetop using the broth of the jambalaya and then mix it all back in together.

**Recipe from www.americanfamily.com**