CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

I will forever say that Summer cooking is the best kind of cooking. Everything is lighter and fresher and the colors make everything pop and look so pretty on a plate! The best kind of Summer meal in my mind is just picking up whatever is fresh in the produce section and grilling a good piece of fish or other meat. Done and done! 

This dinner is basically no recipe at all- my favorite kind of dinner to make! I was inspired by the fish special at one of our favorite beach spots last weekend (The Wild Olive) and decided to do my own take on it. These Summer veggies are my new favorite combo and the best part is that you can add whatever you like. Just a little garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper is all you need. The cherry tomatoes burst a little as they warm and make their own tasty sauce for another depth of flavor. I hit it all with a generous shake of red pepper flakes before serving- give me all the heat!! Wild caught Cod was on sale this week, but you could use whatever fish you like! I tried to tell my kids we were eating chicken, but they didn't buy it. We typically eat fish one night a week throughout the year, but the Summer is the best because you can always grill it! It's just so much better on the grill. For this dish, I put together a quick cajun rub and let it sit on the fish for about 15 minutes before Mark put it on the grill. 

Add this to your meal plan ASAP for the perfect weeknight Summer dinner! (you can even skip the fish and make these veggies as a side!)

CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

Wild caught cod (I estimate about 1/2 lb. per adult)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 ears sweet corn, cooked and cut off the cob
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

CAJUN RUB-
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin

To prepare the fish, pour a little olive oil on top and brush all over. Rub with the cajun seasoning and let the fish sit for 10-15 minutes.

While the fish sits, chop veggies. In a large saute pan on medium heat, saute garlic and olive oil until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and okra and cook until the veggies become a little soft and toasty, about 8-10 minutes. Add in tomatoes and corn towards the end and wait for the tomatoes to get soft and a little saucy. Season with salt and pepper at the end to taste.

For the fish, grill for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish you may need more time. When it's nice and flaky its done! You can also do in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes. 

Plate a big pile of veggies with the fish on top. Hit it all with some red pepper flakes if you like heat and a squeeze of lemon! 

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

It's about time we add another cocktail to the recipe files around here! Not even 9:00 on a Friday morning and I'm still chugging coffee with happy hour on the brain.

We've always loved making these Markaritas, but we have really gotten into Tequila over the past couple of years and love trying new types and brands. Many years ago, when Mark was reading tons of Paleo books, so many of them talked about how Tequila is one of the cleanest liquors that you can drink since it comes from a plant. "CLEAN DRINKING" I call it. Sign me up!  We drank margaritas together on our first date so this only seems fitting that this is what we really gravitate to! With the good tequilas, we love it with a splash of lime La Croix and a wedge of lime- it is really my favorite way to drink it. I LIKE TO TASTE THE TEQUILA.

This drink was inspired from my birthday dinner at one of our favorite Charlotte restaurants. It's refreshing and flavorful without being overly sweet. This Blood Orange Liqueur is a new favorite and a great one to have on hand. Just a splash adds a touch of sweetness and that bold blood orange taste. I cannot get enough of this Spritz. 

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

2 oz. Good Tequila 
1/2 oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
A few dashes of Orange Bitters 
Top off with Grapefruit Spindrift
Squeeze of fresh grapefruit + grapefruit wedge for garnish

I make these individually in the glass. Combine Tequila, Blood Orange Liqueur, and orange bitters and give it a little stir. Add ice and top off with Grapefruit Spindrift and a squeeze of fresh grapefruit. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge!

Cheers! Hope everyone enjoys the Summer sunshine this weekend! (and some tequila of course) For more cocktail inspo, you can follow me on Instagram (@ninanmoore) and check out the hashtag #DRINKMOORECOCKTAILS

TROPICAL SALSA

I love everything about Summer. The slow days and the late nights. The sun and the sand. Happy hours on the patio and even the HEAT. And give me all the fresh Summer produce. Summer is just the best. And so is Summer cooking! 

I've been hoarding all of my food pics on my phone with then intent of rapid fire posting this Summer because I have missed sharing on this little space. 

If there was ever an official salsa for Summer, this would be it! The original recipe comes from Tiffani Thiessen's Pull Up A Chair, but I tweaked it a bit and added some more spice! And because I was feeling EXTRA, I pulled up a YouTube video and taught myself how to cut out a pineapple and use it as a serving bowl. This salsa was a huge hit at a cookout two weeks ago and I think it's even better when it sits overnight! The flavors are insane and I will be making this on repeat for the rest of the Summer. Not to mention it's just so freaking pretty in this pineapple bowl! 

The best part about this is that all of the work is in the chopping and you just toss everything into a bowl. I honestly eyeballed the amounts here and just kind of added more of what I liked- like extra jalapenos for a kick! Scrape out the seeds if you don't like the heat, but I can't get enough. We are LOVING Late July Chips in our house. I picked them up for our Super Bowl nachos in the Winter and now they are the only chips I'll buy. The lime + sea salt ones are my personal fave. 

Now, whip this up for your next Summer shindig and while you're at it, teach yourself how to craft a pineapple bowl! 

TROPICAL SALSA
recipe adapted from Tiffani Thiessen

1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup seedless watermelon
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced papaya
1/2 cup diced english cucumber
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1-2 jalapenos, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/2-1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and let it sit and mingle for a few hours before serving. 

BACK IN BUSINESS + PRIME DAY COOKBOOK PICKS

Hello, beautiful people and HAPPY SUMMER!!! We are back in business in these parts. I've had this post here in draft mode for a few months now and am finally sitting down to finish it! 

Somewhere in between Halloween and Thanksgiving, my domain was up for its yearly renewal and instead of automatically renewing as it had in the past, my new card information wasn't on file and my little space was sitting in a weird in between space in the internet and I had a slight panic attack. Thanks to many hours on my end and to the wonderful customer service people on my new hosting site, I was able to get it all back and up and running again! I am thankful that the years on here were not lost and that I can pick back up where I started from. 

Summer is in full swing over here and I am loving it. It's nice to slow down and soak up the days with my little people and just go where the day takes us. I live for this time of year. We spent a week in the woods of Tennessee on our very first family camping trip with Mark's extended family and just as I predicted, the kids especially LOVED IT. It was definitely "glamping" and we made a lot of fun memories. Mark and I just spent a long weekend on Kiawah Island with good friends and it was the perfect adult getaway and recharge for the both of us. In between it all we've spent many days at the pool, playing with friends and just having fun. Oh! And Will turned 6! I don't even know how that happened but it did and he's just growing up much too fast. Kindergarten is just around the corner and if we're being honest, I'm having so many mixed feelings and feeling all of the emotions. 

Summer sales are in full force and I'm feeling that it's all increasingly oversaturated each passing year. How much more stuff do we really need!? BUT! If there's anything I can always get behind is adding cookbooks to my kitchen bookshelf. It's the last day of Amazon Prime day and with the code PRIMEBOOK19 you can get $5 off all print book purchases. Anytime I discover a new cookbook, I stick it in my Amazon cart and save for later. Here are a few I have in my cart now:

Tiffani Thiessen's Pull Up A Chair

Halfbaked Harvest

Salt Fat Acid Heat

Curate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen

The Pretty Dish

Hope everyone is enjoying the sweet Summertime!