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

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!  

Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos

Chicken Marinade

5 boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 oz Frank’s Red Hot (or hot sauce of choice)

1 tablespoon cayenne

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Garlic Cucumbers

½ tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large cucumber, cut into slices

Nashville Sauce

½ cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon honey

Procedure:

1. For the garlic cucumbers, combine all ingredients well and let sit for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.

2. For the chicken, combine all seasonings with the chicken and the hot sauce, let marinade for at least 4 hours, overnight is best.

3. For the sauce, melt butter on the stove over medium heat. Add honey and the seasonings and mix well.

4. Cook the chicken thighs on the grill, stovetop or in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 165˚, let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Warm your flour tortillas of choice on the grill or stove top, set aside.

6. Chop the chicken, add to the tortillas with the cucumbers and your toppings of choice. We recommend coleslaw to cut the heat of the chicken.

7. Drizzle some Nashville sauce on top and enjoy

BLT Pasta Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta

1 pound bacon, thick cut, cooked until crispy

4 cups tomatoes, cherry or grape, sliced in half

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 head romaine lettuce, cut small

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup dill pickle juice

1 Tablespoon celery seed

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

pinch salt

Method:

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, dill pickle juice, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Taste again. Set aside.

*can be stored in a closed container up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator

Add Pasta, lettuce, bacon, tomato, and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and combine all ingredients.

Enjoy!

Next month, the restauranteur will move the popular restaurant to a new location in downtown Cleveland. It will feature a rooftop patio overlooking Public Square.

Whalen will host a job fair to fill all positions at the new location. It'll be Tuesday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 7 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Cleveland Public Library.

Whalen stopped by FOX 8 News in the Morning on Friday to talk about the job fair and to make a refreshing Watermelon Salad.

GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD

1 zucchini, cut lengthwise

1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise

2 ears of corn, shucked

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, for brushing the vegetables

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 cups chopped kale, massaged

CREAMY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

1/4 cup neutral flavored oil

1/4 cup non dairy mayo 

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

If using a grill, light the grill as directed.

Using a large bowl, with the oil, coat the vegetables (zucchini, squash, and corn) and season with salt and pepper. Be sure to use foil or oil the grate and grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, the vegetables should be lightly charred and tender to your liking, approximately 8-10 minutes for the squash and zucchini and 12-15 minutes for the corn.   

While your vegetables are grilling, you can make your dressing.

Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix until fully combined. You can also use a blender, or immersion blender. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Once the vegetables are done and cooled to room temperature, cut the zucchini and squash into smaller pieces, place them in the bowl. Be careful and cut the corn kernels off the cobs and add to the bowl. Add in the cabbage and the massaged kale and stir together. Add some dressing in the bowl with the salad and mix until well coated. Save the reserve to dress more salad if you like. ENJOY

If you do not grill, you can use a grill pan or just roast the vegetable in the oven at 400 degrees and follow the same instructions.  

Summer Picnic Baked Beans 

1/2 lb. Pepper bacon, cut, fried and drained 

1/2 lb. ground beef, fried and drained 

1 cup onion, diced 

1 Tablespoon butter 

¼ cup white sugar 

½ cup brown sugar 

¼ cup bbq sauce 

½ cup ketchup  

2 Tablespoons yellow mustard 

2 Tablespoons molasses 

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire  

1 teaspoon chili powder 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 (16oz.) kidney beans, drained 

1 (16oz.) butter beans, drained 

2 (11oz.) pork and beans, NOT drained 

Cut up & fry bacon and drain on paper towel. Fry ground beef and drain. Set aside. Chop onion and sauté in butter. In a medium bowl fried bacon, fried hamburger & onions. In a separate large bowl, stir together next 9 ingredients then add all the beans. Gently fold in meat & onions and pour into 13x9 casserole dish. Bake at 350° for one hour.