SHRIMP & GRITS

2 cups grits
8 cups water
2 cups half & half
1/4 cup butter or butter alternative + more
1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined (size/ tail on or off to preference)
4 tablespoons cajun or blackening seasoning
Olive oil
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
Heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Cheddar cheese garnish (optional)
Bacon for garnish (optional)
Chopped Scallions for garnish

Bring 8 cups of salted water to a boil. Add 2 cups grits, Cover and let simmer on low
heat. Whisk every 2-3 min fur 15 min. Once thick and creamy add parmesan cheese.
Shrimp + Cream sauce
Add ½ cup olive oil, juice from ½ lemon and Cajun seasoning to shrimp. Stir to make
sure all the shrimp are coated with oil and seasoning. Heat a frying or sauté pan on medium to high heat. Add the shrimp/marinade mixture.
Sautéed and add heavy cream.
Let simmer to desired thickness.

NOTE: Chef Tiwanna used spices from Adun Spice Co. based here in Cleveland. She used their Citrus Garlic, Creole and Paprika spices.

Peach Cobbler Skillets

2 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

For biscuit topping: 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces ¼ cup boiling water Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss peaches with sugars, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the mixture to 2 mini cast iron skillets and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Bake in middle of oven until topping is golden, about 15 minutes. Topping will spread as it bakes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yield 2 servings

Strawberry Gazpacho

1 lb.    Strawberries, tops removed, plus a few extra for garnish

3 T.     olive oil

1 clove garlic

4 oz    cubed bread, no crust

11 oz  peeled cucumber, cut into chunks

5 oz    red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

3 T.     Tomato juice

2 T.     Red Wine vinegar

1 tsp  red pepper flakes

½ envelope micro basil, a few more leaves for garnish

To taste  salt & pepper

To taste  honey

In large bowl, add all ingredients except for salt, pepper & honey

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, up to 12 hours

In a blender, add all ingredients from the bowl and blend until smooth

If mixture is too thick, add water to thin out

Run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and season with salt & pepper to taste

Add honey if necessary

Serve in a chilled bowl, garnished with diced strawberries,

  micro basil and a little drizzle of olive oil

The Petitti team shares the following tips:

Perennials come three years or more in the landscape. Most varieties will bloom all season long, but will need to be pruned or cut-back to rejuvenate the plant for multiple bloom cycles.

Annuals last one season and thus must be planted every year. These will bloom all summer long, then die back after the first frost.

Sun Perennials

Blue Salvia – Deer resistant & great for pollinators.

Daisies – Deer resistant & great for pollinators.

Coreopsis – Deer Resistant, Ohio Native, Great for Pollinators.

Lavender - Deer resistant & great for pollinators.

Agastache – Featured Variety: Meant to Bee™ Royal Raspberry – Great for bees and pollinators

Shade Perennials

Hosta – Featured variety: ‘Elegance’ (this variety has fragrant flowers). Great for foliage texture and blooms in the shade. Deer tend to enjoy Hostas, so protect them with Plantskydd. This is a great hummingbird attractant in the shade due to their trumpet-shaped flowers!

Bugbane  – Deer resistant & great for pollinators.

Astilbe – Deer resistant & great for pollinators.

Carex – Perennial grass great for shade. Deer & Rabbit resistant.

Hakanechloa grass – Perennial grass great for shade. Deer & Rabbit resistant.

Fern – Deer & Rabbit resistant.

When planting perennials, AJ recommends planting in blocks of 3 or 5. Try to layer height with the tallest at the back. Check the mature growth on the tags and give proper space when planting, they’ll need room to fill in. AJ recommends planting with Angelo’s 6 steps for success method. Be sure to plant slightly above soil level so water drains away from the root system.

Amish Country Potato Salad  

8 cups potatoes, diced and boiled 

1 cup celery, diced 

½ cup carrots, grated 

½ cup green onions, diced 

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin 

Dressing: 

1-2/3 cups Miracle Whip 

3 Tablespoons mustard 

1-2 Tablespoons milk or half & half 

½ cup white sugar 

1/8 cup vinegar 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/8-1/4 teaspoon mustard seed 

1/4 teaspoon onion salt 

Put all dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Peel and cube potatoes and boil until done. Cool potatoes and add celery, carrots, onions and eggs. Add dressing mixture and toss gently. Combine well and enjoy!  

Fox 8's Wayne Dawson catches up with legendary actress, singer and Tony Award winner Melba Moore to talk about her latest CD and the recent announcement that she is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.