Definitely La Playa for ALL Things Mexican!

Hello food lovers! Are you Mexican food lovers? Hmmmmm? Have you been to La Playa in Pawleys Island? Im sure most of you have, but IF you have not, you MUST try it. It is so superior to the other Mexican restaurants in our area. Now, I like Habaneros and El Cerro Grande. They are great! But La Playa is really a step above. Their menu is extensive, and not only do they have Mexican food- they have signature dishes from Latin America and the Caribbean. I have been there many times, and I usually order the Arroz con Pollo (loosely translates to chicken & rice). It is yummy! A large plate of Spanish rice with sauteed veggies and big chunks of chicken all topped with melted cheese and garnished with sliced avocado. I highly recommend you try this dish. However, last night I went out on a limb and tried something new- a Grande margarita rather than just the regular. They also have jumbo, but I thought that might be a bit too much. You know, when you drink too much all the food tastes good, and I wanted to be able to give ya'll an honest review. Next time I go I think I'll order a pitcher. Why not? I mean if u CAN order your margaritas by the pitcher then why wouldn't you? Oh yes, you can order pitchers of margaritas at the awesome La Playa. Gotta love that! I did also try a new dish- the Pork Carnitas. Let me just say that I love pork. It is my fave meat. I am truly a Southern Belle. Pork is just the Cadillac of all meats. It's versatile and luscious and fatty and flavorful and yummy! So, I was skeptical that La Playa could impress me, but they did! They brought me a HUGE plate of sliced pork tenderloin that was melt-in-your-mouth tender and had a little crunch on the outer edge where they crisped it in a pan. It was topped with a salsa mexicana which was a light salad made of tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. It was served with Spanish rice and refried beans- the real deal, both. One of my fave elements of the dish was a vinegar-based coleslaw of cabbage, onion, carrot, and celery that was strategically placed right in the middle of the plate so that you could pull it into the beans, or the rice, or the pork, for a fabulous tangy, crunchy extra punch. Home run La Playa! I only have one very minor, teensy, weensy complaint. OK, it's not really a complaint. It's more of a suggestion. Give me some warm tortillas. Oh! If I had had some warm tortillas to wrap that yummy pork in, I would have been in Mexican food heaven! Oh, Dios mio! As a side note, if you are into enchiladas, theirs are like 2 feet long. I'm totally serious. They have the longest enchiladas I've ever seen. Maybe I don't get around much....

Quick & Easy Crab Pie

Hello to all my devoted fans and followers- yes, all 10 of you! Hello! I have a new recipe for you. This one is adapted from a Bisquick recipe. It's one of their Impossibly Easy Pie recipes. You know, they have an Impossibly Easy Pie Anything You Can Think Of. Im serious. If you don't believe me, just go check out their website: www.bisquick.bettycrocker.com

This recipe is an adaptation of their Impossibly Easy Seafood Pie. I didn't have all of the ingredients listed, so I used what I had because I did not want to go back to the grocery store- I swear I live there. It is my home away from home. Anyway, the recipe did not suffer. At least, I don't think it did. It was quite tasty and got the thumbs up from the family- except the picky-eating 12-year old son, of course. But, he doesn't count much, culinarily speaking...

Crab Pie
1 package Krab Delights finely chopped (Hush up seafood snobs! It was all I HAD!)
1 cup real mayo
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Bisquick
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp hot hungarian paprika
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a glass pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix Krab, mayo, corn, cheese, onion, garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt. Spread evenly in bottom of pie plate. Mix eggs, milk, and Bisquick until smooth. Pour evenly over Krab mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

I FINALLY Found SOMETHING I Will NOT Eat!

Well, I never thought this day would come. I have found something I will NOT eat! It's vile. I literally gagged trying to swallow it. It's Activia's new French Silky & Fruity Pinapple Yogurt. Yuck! I'm very disappointed. I wanted to like it. J'adore la cuisine francaise! C'est magnifique! Vive Madame Julia Childs! With that said, let me tell you about this product. It is indeed silky and fruity as advertised, but it is on the sour side. Now, I know most yogurt is on the sour side, but this is REALLY sour. However, it has 22g of sugar! What?!? That should sweeten it up! It also has 0 fiber. Yes, 0. Isn't Activia known for having fiber in it to regulate the digestive system along with all those good bacterias? Yes, it is. Well, this has a whopping big ZERO. Here's another shocker- it has 170 calories AND 5g of fat, 3.5 of which are saturated! Hey! Maybe it's that high calorie and fat content that makes it French???? Someone should hip the folks at Dannon that for all those calories and fat and with "French" on the label it should taste GOOD. That's certainly the impression I was under when I purchased it. I highly recommend skipping this on the yogurt aisle, but if you do try it, please let me know what you think. I'm very curious to know if it really is awful or if my taste buds are just out of whack today...

Tiffany's Shrimp & Grits

Hey Ya'll! I know it's been a while. I've been very busy! School is starting next week, and I've been slammed getting the kids ready to go back. Don't ya'll worry. I do have a new recipe for you. It's my take on shrimp & grits. Now... every southern cook has a recipe for shrimp & grits and every restaurant has it on the menu. Usually, it is covered in some thick, blobby, hammy, yucky gravy. I know you are thinking, "Hey! I love gravy!". Well, I do too. However, I truly, honestly, whole-heartedly believe I have crafted a far superior tasting recipe for shrimp & grits. Even my extremely picky eating son will eat it (sans the diced tomatoes, naturally). Let me tell you up front: it is a bit of work. But, please don't let that deter you from trying this recipe. Here's what you do- invite over some friends for dinner, and then put them to work in the kitchen. I mean for goodness sake if you're feeding them the least they can do is help! :)

Tiffany's Shrimp & Grits (You can change it to your name if you want to...)
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 lbs. medium shrimp-peeled & deveined w/ tails on
2 cups white corn meal
1 cup flour
3 Tbsp. creole seasoning
1 large bell pepper
4 andouille sausages
8-10 slices thick cut bacon
1 cup white wine (it's perfectly OK to drink the rest of the bottle)
6 green onions
3 heirloom tomatoes
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Grits- any kind you like EXCEPT instant
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. EVOO
Sea salt & Fresh ground black pepper

Fry bacon until crispy & set aside. Brown andouille sausage in 2 Tbsp. EVOO in large skillet. When brown on all sides, add 1/2 cup water to skillet. Bring to a boil & cover. Reduce heat & simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover & allow water to cook off & sausages to brown up a little. Remove to a plate. Add 1 cup white wine to skillet to deglaze. Add diced green onion and bell pepper. Saute until tender. Add sea salt & black pepper. Slice andouille sausage on the bias & add to veggies. Crumble bacon in skillet along with veggies and sausage. Add 1 tsp. dried thyme. Stir to combine and saute 3-4 minutes. Cover & keep warm.

Cook grits according to package directions for 8 servings. Add 4 Tbsp. butter to grits while cooking. When done, add 4 more Tbsp. butter & 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir until smooth & creamy. Cover & keep warm.

Mix corn meal, flour, & creole seasoning in a large bowl. Dry shrimp thoroughly & toss in corn meal mixture to coat. Deep fry in canola oil for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

To assemble plates: Place a heaping helping of cheese grits in the center of the plate. Top with the sausage and veggie mixture. Top that with fried shrimp. Top that with diced heirloom tomatoes. Be sure to have hot sauce on the table for those who like some heat! I serve this with zucchini sauteed in olive oil. Yum Yum Yum!!!!! Get ready to hit the couch!

Drooling Over Devonshire Cream...

It is a joyous occasion! Blessed are they who have brought us The Fresh Market my friends! Guess what I found there? You will never believe it! Hidden in the dairy section... I very nearly overlooked it... Devonshire Cream! I used to be able to get it at Piggly Wiggly in Litchfield, but then they stopped carrying it. Bam! Just like that. I was distraught for months. Gradually, Devonshire Cream faded from my thoughts like a first love, until I discovered it again at The Fresh Market. I was so overjoyed to find my old love that I turned to the lady next to me with tears in my eyes and said, "Look! They have Devonshire Cream!!!!" She just smiled politely, and pushed her cart away quietly... She must have never had it I thought. Poor lady. I grabbed a jar, and headed to the bakery where I picked up a French vanilla pound cake. In the checkout line I was fantasizing about that beautiful, creamy, loveliness slathered thickly all over a generous slice of pound cake. HURRY UP PEOPLE!  I drove home quickly and rushed in the house with only the necessary bags. I cut the cake, and opened the Devonshire Cream and spread it on- thickly. I took a bite. OMG! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... I could literally feel the endorphins swimming through my blood. I'm telling ya'll- GO GET SOME! For those of you who may not know what Devonshire Cream is, it is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cows milk until it thickens. It is the consistency of a silky rich sour cream but it tastes like a sweet cream butter. It is a phenomenal topping for sweet breads, biscuits, scones, apple pie, croissants, crumpets, or almost ANY baked good you can possibly imagine. It derives its name from the region of England where it is widely produced (Devon County), and is also sometimes called clotted cream. In the U.S. it is classified as butter, and that is where you will find it at The Fresh Market- with the butter. It comes in a small glass jar, and the brand name is The Devon Cream Company, English Double Devon Cream. It has a little tag of the newlyweds, Will & Kate, around the rim. So I say, old chums, could you possibly be any more English than that?

Looking for an Awesome App? Got It!

Hey ya'll! Are you bored to tears with chips and salsa? Sick and tired of cheese and crackers? Rather pass the veggie tray? Well, I've got something for YOU! An exciting new appetizer that is sure to please your friends and family (assuming they like shrimp and coconut- I know some taste bud challenged people who don't...) So, the next time you have Happy Hour at your house, try this recipe:

Panko Coconut Shrimp
1 lb. medium shrimp peeled & deveined- tails on
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
3 egg whites- beaten in small bowl
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix flour & salt in small bowl. Make sure shrimp are very dry (if they are not very dry the flour won't stick) and dredge in flour. Dip floured shrimp in egg whites. Mix panko and coconut flakes in a bowl. Toss shrimp in panko/coconut mixture until well coated. Place on baking sheet. When all the shrimp is on the baking sheet, either spray tops with more cooking spray (hold the can way back or you will blow off the panko/coconut mixture- LOL!) OR use a pastry brush and dab each shrimp with a little vegetable oil. Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes on each side. Total cook time is about 14 minutes.

These panko coconut shrimp are awesome, and they are very low in fat. What more could you ask for? I serve them with Thai chili sauce for dipping. Don't have any? Try orange marmalade thinned out with a little white vinegar and add some red chili flakes to taste. Happy Happy Hour!

Cocktail Time!

It's Monday... Ugh! I hope we all can make it till 5:00 Happy Hour! Over the weekend, I came up with a fab new cocktail recipe. It's a bit like a white sangria but the parts are separate, so it can be adjusted to individual tastes. It uses fresh peaches which are in season now. Be sure to pick peaches that are firm to the touch. You don't want them to fall apart in your drink. Hope you enjoy!

Peach Wine Spritzers
2 firm peaches
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1 bottle reisling wine
1 bottle diet lemon lime soda (or seltzer water if you find the diet soda to sweet for your taste)

Peel and slice peaches. Place in a glass bowl and cover with sugar. Toss to coat. Cover with brandy. Chill for at least 30 minutes.  When ready to serve, place 3-4 peach slices in a wine glass ( I also added a spoonful of the sugared brandy from the bowl.), fill glass half full with reisling, top off with diet lemon lime soda or seltzer water, and a few ice cubes.

IF there are peaches left over soaking in the brandy, I recommend eating them. They are delicious! However, driving may be a bad idea...