BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

I hope everyone had a great week! We are over here soaking up the last few weeks of Summer. Routine is nice, but I'm just not ready for the busy-ness that Fall and back to school season brings. Summertime is just the sweetest.

Patio happy hours are my favorite and our cocktail game has been pretty strong this summer if I do say so myself. If there is ever a spicy tequila drink on a restaurant's cocktail menu, I will almost always order it- and then try to recreate it at home! Restaurant menus are a great source of inspiration when looking for different flavors and Liquors to mix and match. I honestly like to keep it simple with just some good tequila, lime seltzer, and a wedge of lime most of the time, but there are other times that you just want a little something extra.

A friend of mine dropped off a TON of fresh basil from her garden. I made pesto, caprese, and more caprese, then saved out a handful for this simple syrup. Basil and jalapenos work so well alongside each other and this simple syrup provides the perfect backdrop to even the simplest of cocktail concoctions. The fresh jalapeno really stands out here, and even more so if you drop a few slices of fresh jalapeno in your drink! I love the spicy kick. 

If you can boil water, you can make simple syrup! Trust me here and have at it. Use this in a margarita, or just with a splash in a vodka soda. We made margaritas and they were a HUGE hit. So much flavor here and a perfect drink for Taco night- or any night of the week to be honest. Enjoy!

BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

handful fresh basil leaves

1/2 sliced jalapeno 

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan on medium high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and drop in the basil and jalapeno slices. Let this all steep until the syrup is completely cooled.

Once syrup is cooled, strain into a glass container. This will last in a sealed glass container for quite a while! 

BASIL JALAPENO MARGARITAS

2 oz. Tequila

1/2 oz. basil jalapeno simple syrup

lime seltzer water

lime juice

jalapeno slices + lime wedges for garnish

Prep your glass with a salt rim if desired. Fill glass with ice, tequila, and the simple syrup. Finish with a pour of seltzer and a splash of lime juice. Give it a quick stir and garnish with a lime wedge and a couple of jalapeno slices for heat.  

Pan Seared Tuna with Coconut Aminos, Ginger, Jalapeno + Lime

GIVE ME ALL THE SEAFOOD. I would eat fish every night if I could. I'm obsesed with sushi and I fell into a deep deep love with ceviche while we were on our honeymoon in Turks and Caicos in 2010. When I crave fish, I almost always want that sushi-soy flavor to go with it. 

If you like fish and fresh Summer flavors, there is nothing not to love about this recipe. I made it on Monday night and cannot wait to make it again. Fresh wild caught tuna was on mega sale at my Harris Teeter this week so I pounced. My sister's fiance made it over the weekend and when they sent me a picture, I immediately started drooling and saved the recipe.

This meal is restaurant quality and SO SIMPLE. Perfect meal to treat yourself with during the week or enjoy on the weekend while entertaining friends. It's that good. I like my tuna on the rare side, but you can sear it longer on both sides to cook it through. Either way, the flavors are bright and intense. I just can't stop thinking about the tuna! 

Obsessed with this dinner is an understatement. 

Pan Seared Tuna with Coconut Aminos, Ginger, Jalapeno + Lime
recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

2 handfuls cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced (about 4 Tbsp. lime juice)
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
kosher salt + freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tuna steaks or medallions (sushi quality)
1 ripe avocado, sliced

In a mixing bowl, combine cilantro, jalapeno slices, garlic, lime juice, coconut aminos and 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir to combine. 

Place a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Transfer tuna steaks to the pan of hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side (longer to cook the tuna through). This will form a light crust. Pour half of the cilantro mixture over the tuna in the pan to coat the fish. Serve with the remaining cilantro sauce and fresh sliced avocado. 

Markaritas!

What goes well with Tacos on a Tuesday!? Margaritas! Duh. Or in our case, the ever popular Markarita. No, really. Pulling this deliciousness out of the archives because Summer is around the corner and I wish I had these on tap. This is one of my most popular recipes to date and definitely one of the top five recipes requested by all of my real life friends and family. I've always loved margaritas but I came to the realization recently that I think I love them so much because Mark and I drank them on our first date! And here we are still sipping away on these things.

Back when we started reading a ton of Paleo books and blogs, we learned that Tequila is one of the better liquor choices. While all alcohol isn't necessarily "paleo approved", Tequila is a cleaner option because instead of being made with grains, it comes from the agave plant. This is why when you're buying your tequila, make sure it's made with 100% agave as some will have fillers like sugar and grain additives. 

I don't claim that this is a healthy cocktail, but it's certainly a smarter option for happy hour- and I promise you won't miss the crazy amounts of sugary sweet mixers. Fresh lime juice is stellar but when you don't have time to squeeze ALL THOSE LIMES, I found a great organic lime juice at Harris Teeter with an impressive ingredients list of only one thing: organic limes! It was delicious. While these can be made in larger quantities and served to a crowd in a pitcher, I still prefer to make these margaritas one at a time! They are just so good. 

Enjoy your Taco Tuesday!!! With a Markarita please. (and don't forget the salt rim!)

Markaritas

2 oz. tequila
2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. organic raw agave or honey
lime seltzer water 
fresh lime wedges

I like to serve these in lowball rocks glasses. Start by measuring out the tequila and lime juice and pour into the glasses. Add in the agave (or sweetener of choice) and mix with a bar whisk. Finish what a pour of seltzer and add ice, then garnish with a lime wedge. 

Lime Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze

It's all about the little things with me and the small details that take an experience from great to exceptional. You know the hotels that welcome you with a warm cookie when you visit the front desk? I love that. Ever since I was younger, I developed somewhat of an obsession with making my family's home into a "luxury hotel". I left notes on my parents' and sisters' bathroom sinks, folded the toilet paper into a nice, neat point and turned down the beds from time to time, leaving a small chocolate to enjoy before bedtime. I kid you not when I say that while speaking in a British accent, I recorded a five minute infomercial on my tiny pink tape player highlighting all of the "services" the Nido Luxury Hotel had to offer. Yes, I know. Don't even say anything.

At the end of July, the lovies came to visit for what was a glorious long weekend. It was the first time my parents, sisters and I had all been together since Christmas and if you know my family, you can pick up your jaw now. Believe me, we were aching for time together. Given my childhood antics, I only found it appropriate to welcome my family with a lovely spread, personalized koozies included. What better way to kick off a highly anticipated family weekend than with treats, mojitos and the promise that no one will steal your beer all weekend?

These Lime Cornmeal cookies from Giada are crisp, light and perfect for summer. Usine rice flour yields a lighter cookie and the cornmeal provides a surprising and delightful crunch. And the citrus glaze? Well that really deserves it's own post. It's good enough for swimming.

Lime Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze

recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis

Cookies:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large limes, zested

1 egg, at room temperature

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups rice flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Glaze:

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 large limes, zested

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Also will need: round cookie cutter (I used a 2 inch round for petite cookies)

Line a baking sheet with silicone or parchment paper and set aside.

In a food processor, pulse together butter, sugar and lime zest until combined. Add the egg, lime juice and vanilla. Process until smooth, then add the rice flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Process until the mixture forms a dough. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 20 seconds. Wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (I chilled mine overnight and let it sit out for 30 minutes the next morning before rolling it out to cut the cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, making sure the dough is about 1/4" thick. Using your round cookie cutter, cut the cookies until all of the dough has been used, making sure you are gathering any scraps, kneading them together and rolling those out as well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Smaller cookies equals shorter amount of time in the oven. Mine cooked perfectly right at 12 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest and lemon juice until smooth. Spread 1 tsp. of glaze onto each cookie. Let harden for 45 minutes before serving.

Camarones Enogada

Cama-what? Camarones is Spanish, for shrimp. Enogada means, well, that I am not sure of but the following recipe is the result of the deliciousness that is a family favorite inspired by our favorite local Mexican restaurant in Charlotte. Shrimp from a Mexican restaurant may sound like a rare bite but trust me on this one, it's my favorite to order in the summertime at El Valle in Matthews, NC. My genius in the kitchen dad recreated this masterpiece while on Kiawah Island at the end of June and our fresh Carolina coast shrimp were never happier on a plate. Boiled shrimp atop a bed of cilantro, onions, tomato and avocados, all swimming in a bath of lime juice. A perfect summer meal while on the water, or on land.

Camarones Enogada

Sliced tomato

Sliced avocado

Sliced jalapeno (optional)

Chopped sweet onion

Chopped cilantro

Shrimp, peeled

Old Bay Seasoning

Lime juice

Salt & pepper

This is preparation on the fly at its best. No measurements, no real directions and the dish is prepared on each individual plate- have fun with it. The appeal is all in the presentation here, so take your time to slice the fresh tomatoes and avocados, then line them around the plate. Next, take the chopped onion, jalapeno and cilantro and make a bed in the middle of each plate. Toss lightly with lime juice, salt & pepper. Boil the shrimp and season with Old Bay Seasoning. Make a home for the shrimp on the bed of cilantro and onions.

Note: to cut the jalapeno heat, remove the heat. That's where all the hot stuff is hidden.