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My husband’s birthday is in summer, which always coincides with me craving seafood! This year I pulled a recipe from (gasp!) Parents Magazine of all places. It was for Shrimp Ceviche, and since I had never had it, just went on and made it…with a little change of course. See the original recipe here.

Just think of cooled shrimp tossed with citrusy sweet flavors, onion, cilantro, and avocado. Instead of only lemon juice, I added pineapple-mango juice I had in the fridge (which I also added to the white wine to make a spritzer!). On the side we had Snow Crab Legs, Silver Queen Corn, and crusty bread. Yum!

For dessert, nothing in the summer could be better than sweet Georgia peaches and Mayfield Vanilla Ice Cream. Served on the patio with Jimmy Buffett in the background, and you have a great summer night birthday. Who said you have to slave away in the kitchen all day for a wonderful birthday feast?

After a great weekend of warm food and lots of chatting, breakfast was hardly the time to start slaving in the kitchen! I wanted something a little sweet but healthier than sticky type rolls, and something easier to prep than elaborate omeletes or pancakes. Don’t forget to find out how your guests take their coffee, that early morning must-have, so you can stock up on their favorite creamers.

The answer to my breakfast challenge was to prep ahead with Pumpkin Corn Muffins and Hash Brown Casserole done Southern style by Ms. Paula Deen.

Prep Muffins: Made these muffins two nights before, then cooled and refrigerated. Pull out before serving, and you can microwave them on a paper towel if you like.

Recipe: Pumpkin Corn Muffins
3 large organic free-range eggs
1/2 cup extra light olive oil or vegetable oil
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 cup organic stone ground cornmeal [I used Arrowhead Mills]*
1 cup Pamela’s Ultimate Baking Mix – I used Bisquick baking mix
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I upped it to 1 tsp)
a good pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with double paper cups (they look prettier doubled).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs till frothy, and add the oil; whisk to combine. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk well. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and pie spice and whisk to combine. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the cornmeal, GF flour mix, baking powder, and sea salt. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the dry ingredients into the wet; and stir by hand just enough to make a smooth batter. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the twelve muffin cups.

Bake on a center rack in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or so, until the muffins are firm to the touch and golden. Check with a wooden pick, if necessary; if it emerges clean, the muffins are done. Place the muffin pan on a wire to cool a bit, maybe five minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and place them on the wire rack to continue cooling. Serve warm.
Store leftover muffins (wrapped and bagged) in the freezer. Thaw and reheat by toasting or grilling.
Makes twelve muffins.

Prep Casserole: Two nights before, I fried up the sausage, and then in the drippings I did the onions and hash browns. Shredded the cheese and cubed the bread. These were all packaged up for the fridge. The next evening, I assembled the casserole and wrapped it for the next day to cook.

Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole
Definitely sticks to your ribs after a long night of chasing kids around and laughing with friends. Visit HERE to get this easy recipe!

This weekend’s winter bbq meant no long time outdoors grilling, so all the cooking was done inside in the slow cooker. With a kid and adult friendly sauce, we went through 4.5 lbs of bbq with 11 people!

Memphis-Style Pulled Pork, Black Bean Salsa, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime Syrup and Cilantro

Pork: This sweet recipe came from Publix Supermarket, and can be seen HERE.

Prep: Following the recipe, I assembled the pork and other ingredients in the slow cooker the morning before. Smelling delicious BBQ all day made the housework fly by! When it was done, I pulled it out to cool, scraped out the excess fat, shredded the meat, and packaged for the fridge. To lower the fat content for the sauce, I cooled it completely, causing the fat to rise to the surface. The next day, I simply scraped off the fat, heated the sauce on the stove, and put the pulled pork into it to reheat. I skipped the thickening step (adding cornstarch), because my guests liked the thinner sauce instead.

Black Bean Salsa: A zesty taste of summer without the hefty price tag of summer veggies, using canned black beans and frozen corn made prep a snap. A recipe I found on Foodnetwork.com, HERE it is! This is perfect for a make-ahead party, because the longer it sits, the better it gets.

Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro: I got this recipe from my good friends at The Personal Chefs Network. These little bites are a winter veggie with a summer twist. A great way to choose potatoes is simply pick out one medium one per person. Peel and chop the potatoes into cubes the night before, store in refrigerator. Prepare the lime syrup, and chop the cilantro or chives, package for the fridge. About an hour before dinner, follow the directions for roasting. Toss with heated syrup and cilantro, and you’re through! Since the syrup is so good, I always double it.

Recipe: ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH LIME SYRUP AND CHIVES
Serves 6, but is easily adjusted (not an exact science!)

2 5/8 pounds sweet potatoes — peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10 cups)
3/8 stick unsalted butter — (1/4 cup) melted (I used olive oil, 2-3 tbsp)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 5/8 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 3/4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives — or chopped fresh cilantro
2 3/8 teaspoons lime zest for GARNISH

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper in a bowl until coated well, then spread in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (15 by 10 by 1 inch) and roast, uncovered, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until potatoes are tender and undersides are browned, 15 to 20 minutes total.
While potatoes roast, bring water, sugar, and lime juice to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 4 minutes.
Toss potatoes with syrup and zest in a large bowl, then sprinkle with chives or cilantro.
Garnish with addl. 1 t. lime zest before serving or packaging.

This weekend for my winter bbq with family and friends, the kids weren’t the only ones getting hungry around mid-afternoon. No fake fruit or chicken nuggets here! I planned ahead and hungry snackers were easy to appease in a flash!

Snack: Barefoot Contessa’s Sweet and Spicy Pan Fried Onion Dip with rippled potato chips; green olives, and Zing Zang Bloody Marys; friends brought sweet bbq meatballs, and Southwestern Bean and Corn Dip, and Cut Veggie Tray with “dip-it” (Ranch style salad dressing of course!)

Prep: Slice onions the night before. Store in ziploc bag. Next morning while cleaning up for the friends to arrive, saute onions until golden. Mix with creamy ingredients and refrigerate.

Recipe: Pan Fried Onion Dip

2 large yellow onions (used white this time, not so sweet)
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (only used 2 tbsp)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (used three good dustings–adjust for your taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream (used lowfat)
1/2 cup real mayo

Cut the onions in half (I quartered them), then slice into 1/8 inch thick rounds – 3 cups of onions
Heat the butter and oil and saute onions, cayenne, salt and pepper for 10 minutes over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. (can take up to 45 minutes so be ready!)
Place cream cheese, sour cream and mayo in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth. Add onions and taste. Add more seasoning if needed.
Serve at room temperature for easier scooping.

This weekend’s BBQ with friends and family was easy and delicious! I prepped the entire weekend’s meals ahead of time, so all I had to do was chat, watch the kids play, and throw a few things together at the last minute. Now that’s my kind of entertaining!

Lunch: Sage Roasted Chicken Breasts over romaine with Cranberry Vinaigrette and Walnuts; little ham sandwiches for kiddos, fresh brewed iced tea

Prep: added herbs, roasted chicken breasts, cooled, then sliced. Mixed vinaigrette. Washed and chopped romaine. Already had walnut chips from baking. Plate ham and cover, sliced cheese. Brewed iced tea (Luzianne tea bags for iced tea).

Recipe: Cranberry Vinaigrette
Makes about 1¼ cups vinaigrette
¼ cup cranberry juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (used my super sweet Lucini balsamic!)
1 shallot, minced (used a little onion and a little garlic)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (again, Lucini for me!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or fresh parsley (used parsley)
½ cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the cranberry juice, vinegar, and shallot in a bowl. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until all the oil is incorporated. Mix in the chives and cranberries; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

Greetings, and welcome to my blog! I am personal chef Tammy Raderstorf, out of Atlanta, Georgia. I started this blog because not only do I love to cook great food for clients and friends, I love to share my ideas and menus, recipes and tips. I feel that there is a strong movement getting started everywhere — to eat more at home with family, to eat better quality food, and to always learn more about the enjoyment and benefits that great meals provide. This blog is just a way to share my expertise and experiences with folks who want to learn more. You can access my blog through my website, www.timeforachef.com, or through my Page on Facebook. Eat Well at Home!