Rosemary-Parmesan-Garlic Popcorn and Childhood Memories

I have had my children over nineteen years now and they still never cease to amaze and shock me!

The other night my husband and I arrived home at the same time from work.  We both walked in together and see both daughters completely stretched out on each end of the couch (under my favorite blanket, of course), binge watching their latest Netflix addiction.

I looked over and saw they were snacking on popcorn in our wooden salad bowls that had been stored up on a shelf.   I asked them "Why are the wood bowls out?".  Their response in unison..."Because we've always had our popcorn in these bowls"...I shed a tear right then and there.  Here's the story about our wooden bowls....

Back before we were married, my mom sent us a wonderful full set of hand-made round knotty birch wooden bowls from The Great Alaskan Bowl Company  It was a marvelous gift set complete with the large serving salad bowl and 6 individual bowls, along with their famous brownie and muffin mixes.

When our kids were little, I would make them my mom's homemade popcorn.  She can make popcorn like no other...always finds the perfect balance of oil, butter and salt...so, so good...way before microwave popcorn was around!  I don't remember when or why, but I started serving the kids their popcorn in these individual wood bowls.  Maybe I was feeling fancy one night and thought they should step it up from their usual Tupperware neon colored plastic bowls.

Well, who knew that those memories would stick.  All those years of Saturday nights, tucked into our bed, watching some movie on Disney channel in their pajamas, having homemade popcorn in their special wooden bowls.

This popcorn is more of an adult version of our childhood favorite.  It is very savory and a delicacy with intense flavors.  So, put on your favorite movie, throw on some pajamas and enjoy!

Rosemary-Garlic-Parmesan Popcorn

4 Tbl butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt, to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Stir in the garlic and rosemary.  Cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Make your popcorn.  (there are so many different ways you all enjoy popcorn now, just do whichever version you are comfortable with...scratch with oil, air pop, microwave, etc).

When your popcorn is cooked and ready, pour the butter, rosemary, garlic mixture over the popcorn and gently toss.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the warm popcorn.  Season with salt, to taste.

One Year Ago: Italian Sausage Surprise
Two Years Ago: One Pan Sour Cream Enchilada Skillet
Three Years Ago: Pan Fried Goat Cheese and Balsamic Strawberry Salad
Four Years Ago: Kentucky Derby Menu

Waborita and Cabo Wabo Shrimp Quesadillas

Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone!  I hope you are getting ready to enjoy this Saturday and weekend...responsibly of course.

In keeping with my Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo theme this week, I tried out another drink and meal.  The Waborita was so beautifully photographed in his cookbook that I had to try it out (plus it matched my outdoor charger plates perfectly).  My husband says I need to change my blog site name to "Designer Chef", because I obsess over colors matching my food stories.

I had some leftover shrimp from my Sammy's Wabo Shrimp so I thought it would make the perfect compliment to a quesadilla.  I cut up the shrimp into small bites and seared them with a few pieces of diced leftover bacon from breakfast.  Included with that I added some pepper jack shredded cheese and a little salsa.  The shrimp and bacon combination flavor took me right back to one of my favorite meals I used to have in Pasadena, CA at "La Nueva Posada" restaurant.  Wow! One of the best quesadillas I have ever had!

Waborita

Courtesy of Sammy Hagar

2 ounces premium tequila preferably a blanco

1 ounce Cointreau

1 ounce lime juice, plus a little more for the rim of the glass

Salt

A splash of Curacao liqueur

Mix all of the ingredients except for the salt and curacao in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Rub lime juice over half the rim of a glass and turn the glass upside down into salt, so that the salt sticks.  Shake and strain into the glass.  Add the splash of curacao, and watch that drink turn a pretty ocean blue.

** Blogger's Warning - Do not plan on leaving the house after one of these Waboritas...and definitely don't drink more than one.  They are a very pretty drink, but also very potent!  Prepare for a nap instead.  Enjoy responsibly and sleep tight...

One Year Ago:  Italian Sausage Surprise

Two Years Ago:  One Pan Sour Cream Enchilada Skillet

Three Years Ago:  Lemon Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

Four Years Ago:  Kentucky Derby Menu

I thought it would be a perfect time to bring out the patio furniture and enjoy my quesadilla in the beautiful sunny afternoon.  It is May after all and beautiful springtime, right?  The next morning...this happens.  My life!

Sammy's Wabo Shrimp

Are your weekends as crazy as mine?  I don't know what happens to me....I close my eyes on Friday night and wake up Monday morning.  Somewhere in between, I go on a path of crazy twists and turns.

This past Saturday morning, I had everything planned out to start my spring cleaning.  I had my list of cleaning supplies to purchase, arranged my boxes for Goodwill...I had my game plan in order (or so I thought).

I started with taking our gigantor mattress cover to the laun-dro-mat (so I don't break my washer by over stuffing it...again).  I started up the commercial washer and saw it was going to take 30 minutes.  So, what could I do for 30 minutes?  I knew I needed to purchase some gift wrapping paper and other household essentials, so I drove across the street to the "Dollar Tree" discount store.

I grabbed my wrapping paper and then did what I knew I shouldn't do...start wandering down the aisles.  I stopped at the books.  I just finished my last book on the bus and needed some new reading material.  A very colorful book caught my eye...a cookbook by Sammy Hagar!  My first thought was "when did Sammy Hagar write a cookbook?"  I glanced through the book and was mesmerized. He had recipes from his times in Cabo, Hawaii and California, all in their own chapters.

My time was running out for the washer and I needed to get going.  I grabbed the book...it was only $1.00, why not?

I retrieved my now clean mattress pad and headed to my favorite salon for a little mani-pedi and quiet mommy time.  I sat there for the next hour reading my new cookbook from cover to cover and couldn't believe what a great book this was.  My passion to cook was ignited again with a whole new excitement.  More so, I was incredibly impressed at what a "foodie" Sammy is...I had no idea.  

He tells amazing stories from the road, his music career, his homes and his family history.

The only drawback was many of his recipes needed various alcohol, liqueurs, and spirits that I don't normally purchase....I'm just a simple Pinot Noir girl here.

Well, long story short...I ditched my spring cleaning "to do" list and cooked his recipes all weekend...and I had the best time.  Of course, when I hit the liquor store, I had to buy his "Cabo Wabo Tequila", it's the least I could do since I only spent $1.00 on his cookbook.  To be perfectly honest, I ended up spending $97.00 there to make some of the dishes.  My daughter came home, opened the cabinet and said "when did you have a party?"....Best cooking weekend ever, priceless!

This shrimp dish is so, so good!!  I served it over my Mexican sour cream-cheesy rice.  Cheers!

Sammy's Wabo Shrimp

Courtesy of Sammy Hagar

24 large fresh shrimp, peeled

Juice of 3 limes

3 shots of tequila

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeno chiles, chopped

salt

pepper

2 Tbl peanut oil

Mix all ingredients except for peanut oil in a large bowl; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Strain the shrimp and reserve the marinade.  Throw the shrimp into the hot pan and cook them fast, just until they start turning pink.  Remove the shrimp and set them aside.  Pour the marinade into the pan and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.  Return the shrimp to the pan and simmer until they're cooked through, about 3 minutes.  

One Year Ago: Lemon-Blueberry Buckle

Two Years Ago: Sweet Samoas Cake

Three Years Ago: Creamy Baja Avocado Pasta

Four Years Ago:  Taco (Tortilla Bowl) Salad