Clam Chowder

My hubs has declared this to be his favorite clam chowder.  My dear friend Shauna invited us over for some soup on a chilly night.  She made this clam chowder for us, and it was delicious!  So she graciously shared  the recipe.  I generally don't like many seafood things because they always end up tasting "fishy" to me, but this little soupy was definitely an exception.  It was creamy and delicious!  Thanks Shauna for the fantastic recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cans minced clams (reserve liquid)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups potatoes
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
3-4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 can cream of mushroom
Dash of allspice
bacon bits (optional)
parsley (optional)

Directions:
Open can of clams and drain juice into a separate bowl.  In a sauce pan, place clams, onions, celery and potatoes in enough water to just cover them.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until soft.  Drain the water. 

In a large sauce pan or soup pot, melt butter and add flour to create a roux.  Add reserved clam juice, milk, cream of mushroom soup, and seasonings.  Mix until creamy over medium heat.  Add the drained veggies and clams.  Top with bacon bits and parsley if desired.  (If the soup is too thick for you or as it sits on the stove thickens more than you like, just add some milk.)

Shrimp Tacos

This recipe is really yummy! I rarely cook seafood in my house because I don't like fish. I do love shrimp but have very little recipes I cook with that use shrimp. This, however, is quite delightful and easy. We will definitely be eating this again.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shrimp (any size, I used 71-90)

1 medium red bell pepper cut into thick slices

1 red onion cut in thick slices for grilling

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

bamboo skewers (for grilling shrimp on grill)

Flour tortillas or crisp taco shells (whichever you prefer)

Taco garnishes:

lettuce

avocado

salsa

cheese

sour cream

cilantro sprigs

Directions:

1. Marinate shrimp, peppers, and onion with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Marinate for at least 1 hour. (I marinated mine overnight.)

2. Spray grill with non stick spray or olive oil. Prep at high temperature. Arrange shrimp on bamboo skewers. Grill for 2 1/2 -3 minutes on each side. Grill the peppers and onion. You can just set them on the grill or use skewers. Peppers and onions should be grilled until nicely caramelized and tender. (So, we have to buy a new part for our grill so I used our George Foreman. It worked out great!)

3. Fill each tortilla or taco shell with some shrimp, peppers, and onions. Add a little lettuce, salsa, avocado, sour cream, cheese and cilantro. (Add or leave out any of the garnishes.) With these tacos, less is definitely more because you want the delicious flavor of the shrimp, peppers, and onions to come out.

Servings: 2-4

Adapted from: Simple, Seafood Summers Recipe Booklet