coast guard cookies

Boring title, right?

However, if you knew how many times I've googled those same three words over the past few weeks, and how unsuccessful the results were, you'd appreciate the bluntness of that simple label -- Coast Guard cookies. Basically, no examples of USCG cookies can be found on the internet. Frustrating? Yes. Opportunity for creativity? Hell yes.

So from now on, any lost cookie-making soul on a quest for Coastie cookie ideas can now find at least some possibilities here in Lone Stars and Stripes-ville.

And here they are ... more 'Coast Guard cookies' for Ty and the MSST Boston crew.

reason to celebrate

Pop the cork on the champagne.

I believe the end is near for the last measley patches of snow in our yard. With temperatures in the 40s and 50s forecasted for the entire week, I'd say it's meltage city, baby. 

It's like a scene from Frosty the Snowman, without the hat and pipe.

lighthouse cookies

My husband's unit is leaving for an extended (difficult) deployment in a few weeks, and I've been trying to come up with some Coast Guard-themed cookies to periodically send with him to work to share with his crew. Corny, I know. But who doesn't like a good cookie, especially after a long day of training?

So if you're a regular reader here in my little corner of the internet, look for more nautical/Coast Guard-themed cookies in the near future. To start things off, here's my first attempt at a lighthouse cookie.

Oh, and did you know when black gel coloring gets on your skin, it stains it purple? It's a royal mess. HA!

aglio e olio

If I had to name my personal "go to" pasta dish, this would have to be it. I've made it more times than I can count, and I've never gotten tired of it. It's so easy to quickly prepare on a weeknight, and just as fun as an afternoon lunch with a glass of white wine on the weekend. It's light, delicious, and full of classic flavors.

Aglio e olio is a simple olive oil and garlic sauce. It's a timeless combination, and works great with just about any type of pasta; however, I prefer capellini or spaghettini. And most of the other ingredients needed for the recipe are probably already in your pantry. Again, simple! Of course (as always), add shrimp for some extra fun.

But I must mention that you've got to love garlic to enjoy this recipe -- I mean, you've got to really love garlic.

*Note: make sure to reserve about a cup of the cooked water before straining the pasta. It's an important step.

garlic galore!

Ingredients
2 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 pound uncooked pasta (spaghettini or capellini)
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10-12 garlic cloves, thinly-sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 lemon, juiced and zested

Preparation
Bring 6 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Stir in pasta; partially cover, and return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook 6 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking water. 

lemon zest

While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant or beginning to turn golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, reserved 1 cup cooking water, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper, and cheese.

Add pasta to pan and pour in lemon juice; stir well. Return pan to medium heat; cook 1 minute or until pasta is al dente, tossing to coat.

Dish pasta into serving bowls, topped with additional cheese and a slice of lemon as garnish. Serve immediately.

Yields 8 servings

a tale of two [tulip] days

Last fall, Aidan planted a slew of tulips with his Grandma Cathey, and we've been anxiously waiting all winter for the little guys to peek through. Well yesterday was the day -- bingo! Tulip City! Or at least, the early stages of Tulip City.

So we snapped some pictures in the sunshine of our budding buddies, and emailed them off to Oregon for Grandma Cathey to oooh and aaah over with us.

Fast-forward 24-hours.

This morning, April 1st no less, we woke up to a not-so-funny April Fool's joke -- our tulips were buried under about 8 inches of snow. What a cruel twist of natural fate.

However, this afternoon, reaching out from beneath the cold blanket that covered them last night, our persistent friends, the tulips, poked their little green arms out to say, "It's all good. We're still here."

Way to go, tulips! Keep up the good fight! We can't wait to see you bloom!

cheesy jalapeño breakfast casserole

I stumbled upon this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, the Homesick Texan, and decided to give it a whirl when my mom and sister were visiting last week. I tweaked it some, and can absolutely see it becoming a breakfast-time staple in our house. Everyone loved it!

My only complaint is that I actually wish I'd doubled the recipe -- I could've eaten on it for days and days.

It's a perfect (fast & easy) dish for entertaining out-of-town guests, and would be an absolutely super addition to any brunch.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 Roma/plum tomato, seeded and cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, diced
• sour cream, tomatoes, avocado (topped with lime juice), and fresh cilantro, for serving

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using non-stick cooking spray, lightly grease an 8x8 casserole dish.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in flour, dry mustard, baking powder and salt.
• Add the cottage cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, butter, jalapeños, tomatoes, and cilantro; mix.
• Pour the eggs into the casserole dish, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the center is firm.
  
• Serve warm topped with a dollop of sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cubed avocado with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
  

Yields 4-6 servings

creamy lobster and shrimp enchiladas

Let me just start out by saying upfront that this is one of the yummiest enchilada recipes I've ever eaten. And believe me -- this Texas girl has had a lot of enchiladas!

The lobster is pricey, but very much worth the extra sacrifice, although crab meat would make an easy substitution (but go for the lobster!). It's a meal that's outstanding for a casual lunch with friends, or dressed up for dinner with company. And the recipe is so simple, you'll want to make again and again ... I promise. Delicious!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (I prefer the added kick of jalapeño to tomatillo for this recipe)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 pounds small shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined; cut vertically, so as to retain shrimp shape, but in bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup cooked lobster meat, cubed into bite-size pieces
• 2 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 lime, juiced
  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  
• 12 flour tortillas (7 inches)
• extra sour cream, cilantro and lime, for garnish (optional)
  

Preparation

• In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth and soup until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salsa, cayenne pepper and salt; set aside.
• Place ricotta cheese in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Add lime juice and transfer to a bowl; add the [vertically-cut] shrimp, lobster, 1 1/2 cups of the Monterrey Jack cheese, chilies and cilantro; mix with large spoon.
• Spread 3/4 cup sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place about 1/3 cup seafood mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down over sauce. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese.
  
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
  
• Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Perfect with cilantro rice.
  
• Yield: 6 servings

local color

Quietly tucked away on a back road in Exeter, NH is a nursery that I've been dying to stop at ever since we moved here. It's a place where I could spend hours, and totally lose track of time.

Last summer, it was full of geraniums, hydrangeas, and stars and stripes bunting. In the fall, it overflowed with pumpkins, scarecrows, and Indian corn. At Christmas time, it gloriously displayed fresh wreaths, bright poinsettias and twinkly lights. And now that it's spring time, I was simply unable to resist it's charms anymore.

Churchill's Gardens is currently bursting with color. And on a sunny day, it's completely intoxicating.