Cacio e Pepe

Okay,  Chrissy Tiegen. A point to you!

Ribs!!

It's Memorial Day weekend, yo! But the weather isn't cooperating for the kick-off to summer grill season. Pork Spareribs were on sale this week, and I just went for it today.

Without your own smoker, this recipe works well for creating a smoker-environment on your charcoal grill.
You can get the recipe HERE

It was a gloomy day in LA today, but nonetheless, we barbecued on & this corn is straight off the cob. If you're not microwaving your corn cobs to beat the heat, you definitely should. I take about 1 layer off the husk, rinse them in water, and cover them with a wet paper towel. 2 min (for one ear) and they are perfect! 

Maryland Style Shrimp

Once again stealing from my cousin, a Baltimore-area native. I'm in agreement that Old Bay is the greatest seafood spice on the planet! I adapted it to a smaller portion size, since my husband wouldn't dare eat shellfish. I also left out the onion so I could share it with my son, but for myself, I'd add that back in.

Ingredients
1 # shrimp (raw, tail & shell on)
3 T Old Bay
1/2 bottle of beer
1/4 c water
1/2 onion (cut in two)

Directions
In a large pot with a steamer insert tightly fitted, add beer and roughly 1/2 cup water. You want to be sure that when boiling, the liquid will not reach the bottom of the steamer so this will depend on the size of your pot.

Bring to a boil, dumping liquid if it reaches steamer.

Add shrimp and chopped onion to the steamer basket.

Cover with Old Bay (or more if you like it spicy)

Steam for roughly 5 minutes, or until the shrimp is completely pink and cooked through.

One from the cuz

Trying something posted by my cousin on her BLOG ~ Beauty From Burnt Toast

I've had a bag of orecchiette in my pantry for a month, and today I decided to use it up and give this a go: 

Orecchiette with Sausage and Garlicky Greens 

Chicken Cutlets Italiano

Saw this on FB and decided to try "Nonna's Chicken Cutlets".  I trust any Italian grandmother who doesn't use recipes!  This is the recipe her son wrote from her verbal directions:

INGREDIENTS for CHICKEN

4-8 chicken cutlets, breast butterflied and pounded out

1 quart salt water brine (a basic brine is 4 cups water for 1 cup of salt)

3 eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 teaspoon roughly chopped parsley

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 cups breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

INGREDIENTS for DRESSING

3 lemons

4 ounces extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon Sicilian oregano

WHAT TO DO:

1. Brine chicken cutlets in salt water for one hour. Remove and pat with towel until dry.

2. In a medium bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Add 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan to eggs.

3. In a separate bowl, add parsley, salt, pepper, and flour to breadcrumbs. Dip each chicken cutlet in the egg mixture, let excess egg wash drip off, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Flip each piece until cutlet is fully covered in breadcrumbs.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken cutlets into well-oiled baking pan. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake until golden brown.

5. For the lemon dressing, juice the lemons, discarding all excess pulp and seeds. Add salt, pepper, parsley, olive oil, and oregano. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from oven and place on covered table or counter top. Bathe hot chicken cutlets in lemon dressing.

** Since she didn't specify other than to say, "if the bottom is done, you turn it over"... I baked it about 10 minutes per side.  I served it with basic pasta with Marinara on the side.