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A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Grilled shrimp tacos.

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IMG_8308When the 10 day on your iphone shows 80+ degrees every. single. day. you break out the good stuff.

The flip flops, the strawberry salsa, the sunscreen, the burrata, and the margaritas.

Heck yeah, our season is here.

We like hot. We like summer days the never seem to end. Dirty feet, sticky popsicles, sand, bug spray. We like barefeet on the patio with a cool drink in hand and something sizzling on the grill.

And this particular evening it was all about the grilled shrimp tacos.

I seasoned these little guys earlier in the day (think smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic) and let them hang out in the fridge. Come dinner time they took all of six minutes or so on the grill and on they slid into warm tortillas topped with all the fixings.

I may have, perhaps, gone a bit over board on the fixings part as you, um, barely can see the shrimp. Whoops. But know that they are down in there. We piled ours with cojita cheese, shredded purple cabbage, salsa verde, homemade guacamole, and a few tomatoes on top. A mouthful for sure, but worth every delicious messy bite.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Full of flavor seasoned shrimp perfect for the grill and shrimp tacos!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb raw, organic shrimp
  2. 1 tsp olive oil
  3. juice, 1 lime
  4. 1 garlic clove, minced
  5. 1 tsp chili powder
  6. 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  7. 1/4 tsp cumin
  8. dash of red pepper flakes
  9. 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  10. salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Season the shrimp with all of the above at least one hour before cooking (I gave mine three hours to marinade). Place on a medium hot grill for a few minutes a side.
  2. Top with your favorite toppings!
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Ceviche.

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1I’m assuming we are all on the same page with this one. Ceviche is fancy. It’s something you order when you head south to some exotic island or beach or resort. It’s nothing something you are like, making for dinner mid week. And that’s exactly what I love cooking club so so much. It’s about trying new things you wouldn’t normally do, like dine on fresh almost tropical ceviche on a random Thursday night in Illinois. Who does that? We did my friends, we did. And you know what?

It seemed totally attainable. Like, I could actually do this mid week on a Tuesday. Or, serve on a large tray for friends on the patio while entertaining because it totally has that fancy, impressive vibe but all that is involved in chopping away. Which, I just happen to love to do.

Yep, chop chop chop – lots of fresh flavors and beautiful colors and bam! You’ve got yourself quite the impressive dinner. And hey, want to hear the way cool tip I learned?

Fresh Ceviche
A fresh, delicious, tropical, and EASY ceviche!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 lbs tilapia (finely diced)
  2. 1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  3. 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, finely diced
  4. 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
  5. 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
  6. 1/2 cup purple onion, finely diced
  7. 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  8. 1 TBS hot suace
  9. salt & freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Dice the tilapia when it's partially frozen and place in a bowl. Pour lime juice over, stir, and place in fridge covered for 30 minutes or so (until fish turns white).
  2. Pull out and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Serve chilled with corn chips.
Notes
  1. Be sure to buy the fish from a source you trust!
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

The lime juice is actually what cooks the fish! Make sure to chop your fish quite finely so that it’s small and thin enough to absorb the juice and get cooking. 

Julie, thank you for being our adventurous cook! So inspiring. 

 

Zesty fish tacos.

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IMG_7872When it comes to watching baseball I believe there are two types of parents: those who love it and those who hate it. I often run into people who almost pity me that my boys play. How do you sit for those long, slow, games? 

I love them.

I love being outside.

I love the slower pace. It suits us well. 

I love the whole ‘Sandlot’ vibe of the team.

And let’s be honest, there is nothing cuter than 9 year old boys playing a baseball game. Nothing.

There is something very relaxing and soothing to me about it all. Unless of course, L is pitching and at that point I almost have to walk away.

Look, baseball season is long, yes. And the games are long, yes. And sometimes a bit slow. Yet we’ve been blessed with such a lovely team and watching the games together and cheering on our boys through sunshine and rain and cold proves to build some pretty great friendships. Between parents. Between siblings, or baseball orphans as I like to call them. There are moms there I would trust 100% with either of my boys, and actually a few older sisters as well. It’s that little chit chat between innings that yields some great stuff. 

Like these fish tacos.

Oh my.

Our rockstar catchers mom began describing this recipe somewhere in the 5th inning and I was hooked. Lots of fresh orange juice, lime (don’t forget the zest!), and cilantro. These were so happening for dinner the very next night. And they were absolutely delicious. Thank you, Amy!

Zesty Fish Tacos
Grilled fish tacos filled with flavors of orange, lime, garlic, and cilantro
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Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
4 hr
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
4 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 white onion, chopped
  2. 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  3. 1/4 cup olive oil
  4. 5 TBS fresh lime juice (I used the zest as well)
  5. 3 TBS fresh orange juice
  6. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  7. 1 tsp oregano
  8. 1 lbs tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillets
  9. coarse salt
  10. Fixings: avocado, purple cabbage, more cilantro, tortillas, salsa verde, cheese, etc
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients up until the fish and whisk together. Pour 1/2 into a glass dish. Place the fish on top and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Pour the remaining marinade over the rest of the fish and let set for a few hours.
  2. Prepare a grill over medium higher heat and grill the fish, roughly 10-12 minutes. Tear apart and serve with all the fixings: green salsa, sliced avocado, purple cabbage, tortillas, etc. Don't forget the margaritas!
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Adapted from Bon Appetit
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Rainbow spring rolls.

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IMG_7445They say to eat the rainbow and my goodness do these rainbow spring rolls accomplish just that. Packed with fresh green herbs, red pepper, purple cabbage, orange carrots, and more I think at this point all we are missing is the color blue.

Look, homemade spring rolls aren’t really the way I typically roll. (Pun intended). They aren’t kid friendly (if your kids will eat these please don’t tell me that). They aren’t husband friendly (again, just don’t tell me). They are a bit tedious and require some patience and well…they are a project.

A project that I was so aching for on day three of our awesome (and by awesome I mean awful) spring days. I was dying for some sunshine and 60 degrees and since that was not happening anytime soon I resolved to take out my frustrations over where we live (why, why) in the kitchen.

Peel peel peel, slice slice slice, chop chop chop.

It always helps me. Always.

In the end not only did I make one of the most magnificent lunches I’ve ever eaten but I had fun playing with the rainbow in the meantime and my day did seem just a bit brighter.

That is, until baseball was canceled (again) and I was stuck inside the home (again) with two rowdy boys.

Spring…..hello? Are you there? We’d really like you to come out and play, please.

Rainbow Spring Rolls
A healthy and rainbow filled spring roll
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. Spring roll wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of the store)
  2. Cooked shrimp (roughly 10 or so)
  3. Cucumber, very thinly sliced
  4. Carrots, very thinly sliced
  5. Red pepper, very thinly sliced
  6. Purple cabbage,very thinly sliced
  7. Mint, torn
  8. Cilantro, torn
  9. Peanut sauce for dipping (found in the Asian section)
  10. Thin rice noodles (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prep all your veggies and herbs.
  2. Cook spring roll wrappers and rice noodles, if using, according to package directions. For the spring roll wrappers (they come hard I just dipped them very lightly in warm/hot water for a minute or so to soften and then laid on my countertops (quartz).
  3. Then, bundle your herbs and veggies on 1/3 of the wrapper and top with two shrimp. Roll, very tightly and gently, until sealed.
  4. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addition
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addition
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Roasted shrimp with garlic butter.

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roasted shrimp with garlic butter

The first time I had this roasted shrimp recipe was at my dear friend Catherine’s house. It’s straight from Ina’s Make it Ahead book and it could not be more perfect. With minimal fresh ingredients that come together in a snap, it’s a dead-on easy way to feed (and amaze) your friends. It’s totally got that whole sneaky impressive recipe thing going on. Like, it’s waaaaaay more delicious and beautiful than the effort put in.

Oh, and may I just add that the garlic rosemary butter it produces is absolutely heavenly for dipping. Serve large chunks of bread on the side with a simple green salad tossed with this dressing. And let’s not forget the drinks – an ice cold extra buttery chardonnay goes beautifully.

You just nailed it.

Roasted Shrimp with Garlic Butter
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Ingredients
  1. 1 stick of Butter, unsalted
  2. 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  3. 2 tablespoons of Garlic, minced, about 6 cloves
  4. 2 teaspoons of fresh Rosemary, minced
  5. 1/4 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
  6. Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
  7. 2 Lemons, large
  8. 2 lbs. of Shrimp, large, peeled with tail left on
  9. 1 teaspoon of Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Next, melt the butter low medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. When the butter has melted, add the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and zest one of the lemons directly into the mixture.
  3. Now, arrange the shrimp into a ovenproof baking dish, making sure only the tails overlap. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp evenly. Sprinkle with the sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Cut the zested lemon into slices and arrange them under the shrimp.
  4. Roast for 12-15 minutes until the shrimp are finished. They should not be opaque and firm. Cut the remaining lemon in half and squeeze over the shrimp.
  5. Serve immediately.
Notes
  1. The recipe above is for eating immediately. If you want to make them ahead, follow the recipe until the roasting, cover the dish and refrigerate until ready, roast right before serving.
Adapted from Ina Garten
Adapted from Ina Garten
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
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