the Cooking Thymes - Let's Party

Shrimp and Avocado Dip

Muse — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:30:24 GMT

Looking for a new twist on an old favorite?

I wanted to serve guacamole at a recent party, but was looking for something a little different. A friend suggested adding shrimp. It was a hit! And the most important part... I loved it too. Here's my recipe. :)

Avocados, like others fruits, must be used when they are ripe. They are, however, always shipped to the grocer in an unripe state as they do not ripen on the tree. A ripe avocado will yield slightly when squeezed in your hand. It should not be soft like a marshmallow (this would signal an overripe fruit), but still be firm with some give.

A rock hard unripe avocado will ripen at room temperature in two days, but it will generally ripen unevenly. This isn't a big deal if you're going to cut it up, but if you are slicing the avocado, you will want to take extra care and allow it to ripen in the refrigerator. Refrigerator time takes four days for ripening. In either case, place avocados in a brown paper bag for ripening.

If you find avocados in the market that ripened while waiting to be purchased, you can tell if they are ready to use or bruised by pulling off the stem at the end. If the stem comes off easily and the avocado is green underneath, it's fresh and ripe. If it doesn't come off it's not ripe. If it's brown underneath, it's bruised.

The Muse Gourmet

Shrimp and Avocado Dip Recipe

Muse — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:28:13 GMT

I wanted to serve guacamole at a recent party, but was looking for something a little different. A friend suggested adding shrimp. It was a hit!

The Muse Gourmet

Healthy Red Potato Salad

Muse — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:11:05 GMT

The Muse Gourmet

Healthy Red Potato Salad Recipe

Muse — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:08:38 GMT

A traditional family favorite made figure friendly. This version has so much flavor you won’t even miss the calories.

The Muse Gourmet

Baked Potato Salad - All the Way

Muse — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:03:07 GMT

Just in time for the Fourth...we decided to have a potato salad throw down. Look for a new recipe each day this week!

The Muse Gourmet

Baked Potato Salad - All the Way Recipe

Muse — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:57:32 GMT

It’s like a twice baked potato; in a salad. Tastes great warm, right out of the oven; or at room temperature.

The Muse Gourmet

One Step Chicken Salad

Muse — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:18:23 GMT

The Muse Gourmet

One Step Chicken Salad Recipe

Muse — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:16:13 GMT

An interesting combination of flavors makes this chicken salad recipe something special. The grapes and almonds add a little crunch to every bite. Serve with crackers, rolls, salad, or whatever tickles your fancy.

The Muse Gourmet

Sassy Chicken Salad Recipe

Muse — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:16:35 GMT

A hearty salad with a zesty, light dressing. For a twist, substitute mandarin oranges in place of the sliced pepper to create a mandarin chicken salad. Great for warm summer evenings or easy weekend entertaining. Serves 4-6

The Muse Gourmet

Souvlaki

Muse — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:49:02 GMT

Greek food. Mmmmm. One of my favorites!

Why is it so hard to find a good Greek restaurant? It would seem to me that for the ease with which an authenthic Greek meal can be prepared, there should be a Greek restaurant on every corner. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I can't find a restaurant that can serve me a better Greek cuisine than I can prepare at home (with very little time and effort).

Before we get started, let me say this. We're not going to make homemade pita. If you're in this for the pita recipe, move on...it's not coming. I have this philosophy about NEVER MAKING MY OWN PITA BREAD. So...go to the store and buy the best pita bread you can find. Make sure it's fresh. Then, read on...

Today is all about Grilled Pork Souvlaki(pronounced soov-LAH-kee). Essentially, souvlaki means something cooked on a skewer. My preference (of course) would be tender cuts of meat. If you need to add a few veggies, tear yourself up. :) Pork souvlaki is a traditional "fast food" in Greece. It is often served with fried bread and potatoes. I prefer to serve a skewer of grilled pork souvlaki on warm pita bread with tzatziki and sliced onion (and a side of oven fried Greek potatoes).

The Muse Gourmet

Souvlaki Recipe

Muse — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:45:34 GMT

A quick, easy recipe perfect for the grill or broiler. This is a summer favorite when temperatures make it preferable to cook outside. Souvlaki is a great entrée to serve when entertaining, as most everything can be done in advance.

The Muse Gourmet

Taco Seasoning Mix

Muse — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:25:05 GMT

It may seem a little old fashioned to make your own seasoning blends, but you will find the result well worth the effort. More flavorful and inexpensive than the prepackaged varieties, this mix will last up to a year if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry location. To make beef tacos, add 2-3 Tablespoons of the seasoning per one pound of cooked, drained ground beef with 1/3 c water and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Ingredients

¼ c dried minced onions
¼ c chili powder
2 T kosher salt
4 tsp cornstarch
1 T dried minced garlic
1 T ground cumin
1 T crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
2 tsp dried oregano

Directions

Combine all the ingredients (you may also want to double or triple the recipe to give as gifts).

Store in glass jars or airtight containers.

For the maximum shelf life (easily two years), measure into serving size portions and vacuum seal each package. When I make tacos I always use 2 pounds of meat, so I portion out my seasoning mix into 6 Tablespoon size packets. This way I don’t have to measure anything when I’m preparing dinner.

Any extra cooked and seasoned meat can be used for taco salad, breakfast quesadillas or frozen for later use.

The Muse Gourmet

Oven baked wings recipe – teriyaki style

Muse — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:43:47 GMT

Marinate for a few hours in the tangy teriyaki sauce, bake in the oven and viola..serve with plenty of napkins

The Muse Gourmet

Warm Artichoke Dip

Muse — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:55:46 GMT

Cheesy and full of flavor… nothing tops a cracker or tortilla chip as nicely as this dip.

The Muse Gourmet

Chili Jelli Meatballs and one of life's many little mysteries

Muse — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:47:54 GMT

Recipe for tangy meatballs and a ponderance

The Muse Gourmet