Treats from the Tipsy Turtle

We are hoping to return to our repaired/renovated home sometime in August so I am trying to use up the stuff that has been collecting in the freezer. I had some really nice frozen shrimp from Costco; nice-sized and with their shells already cut so they can be used as is or be easily peeled. I also recently acquired a jar of Momspice from my fellow member in the San Diego Chorus; the spicy condiment is their family business. I'm thinking dipping sauce! Here's the cast. I peeled the shrimp and then seasoned them with coarsely ground black pepper and Kosher salt. I used a standard breading of flour, eggs and panko. I put some salt and pepper into all three of them. Doesn't have to be a whole lot but I think each step needs some seasoning. I dredged the shrimp in flour to give the egg something to hold onto. A dip into the beaten egg (with a little water added). A thorough crusting of panko. Then into a pan of hot canola oil. Shrimp is gr...

Supporting our local businesses and farmers is more important than ever during this pandemic. Several farming and marketing groups developed very soon after our initial shutdown in March and the service they provide--online ordering and delivery of local products--has not only been wonderfully convenient, the products are extraordinary and the services continued to improve in efficiency as the weeks went by. I most frequently order from Farm Link; the online marketplace opens at noon on Saturdays and closes by Sunday evening. Delivery costs $15 but it is so worth it; the delivery truck is refrigerated so everything stays cold and fresh and even the frozen mango purée I purchased once was hard as a rock when it arrived. Tonight's salad features a number of local products. Our family enjoys beets so Tom always makes sure to plant some. This season he did chioggia beets. They're an heirloom variety and when you cut them open, the inside is in alternating circles of red an...

This was not a normal 4th of July. No BBQ, no gathering with our friends and our watermelon was so small, it really was meant for only four people. I kind of got into a funk this afternoon and though our dinner menu was already set: hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad and the watermelon, I decided I needed to throw together some sort of dessert. Since I didn't want to go to the store, I chose a recipe for ingredients I already had on hand. Here's today's cast. I cubed unsalted butter and left it in the fridge to keep it very cold. I hulled the strawberries and cut them into chunks. They were sprinkled with sugar and put into the refrigerator for a couple of hours to sweeten up and form some nice juice! Now for the biscuit base. Milk and lime juice were mixed and left to curdle up. A few months ago I was making tarts and I didn't have a cookie cutter that was the right size. I bought a whole set after that. I think it's interesting t...