BAHAMA BREEZES -Chicken and Spinach Salad

Light breezes continue to blow from the Bahamas. The water is low for most of the day and even though it is cooling to the low 80's it will be refreshing. The air is about the same and the humidity is in the very comfortable low 60's.
Lots of sun at Hollywood Beach.

MEDS - A NEED TO KNOW

Don't avoid all generics, just know what you are taking. Insurers and pharmacies can switch you from not only brand names to generic meds and also dozens of versions of the same drug. If your pills look different tell your doctor and track the results carefully.



SPINACH & CHICKEN Salad
　
Roast Chicken – torn, chopped or shredded into ½ inch pieces - 1 cup
Young Spinach leaves – torn into 1 " pieces – 2 cups
Celery – 3 stalks – small irregular chop
Bosc Pear – 1 (with skin) – irregular ½ " chop
Chili Stuff Chili Mix – 1 tsp
White pepper – 1 tsp
Asiago cheese – freshly grated – ¼ cup
Chop the celery and dump it into a bowl.
Add the spinach and pear pieces and toss.
Add the chili mix and pepper and grated cheese.
Blend in the dressing and let it all rest in the refer.
　
DRESSING:
Mayonnaise – 2 TBL
Olive oil – 2 TBL
Lemon juice – 1 TBL
Worchester sauce – 1 tsp
Whisk together.

CARIBBEAN SUNSHINE - Arugula, White Bean Salad

Lots of sunshine comes from the Bahamas today on the very light eastern breezes.

The risk of rip currents is low especially with the tide low for most of the day. All the many eateries along Hollywood Beach are ready to serve.

ARUGULA, CANNELLINI BEANS, PROSCIUTO
　
Cannellini beans, 1 can 15 oz – rinsed and drained
Tomatoes, Roma, - 1 can 32 oz
Prosciuto, ½ lb. – slice thin and chopped
Arugula – fresh young 2 big handfuls
Garlic – 3 cloves – chopped small
Olive oil
Thyme
Sage
Kosher salt
Black pepper, fresh ground

Heat olive oil in a deep pan at low
Sauté garlic at low temp – just heat, don’t cook
Add the tomatoes and herbs and mix around
Add the cannelloni beans and kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
At the same time put the arugula into a good sized mixing bowl
Add the prosciuto into the beans and tomatoes. Mix together.
Then pour over the arugula.
The heat from the tomato mix will wilt the arugula.
Serve immediately.

SUNNY DAY - Broccoli & Sweet Onion salad

The tide is low for most of the day at Hollywood beach so regardless of the color of the flags there is little risk to worry about for rip currents. The sun is out and the humidity is up so the coolness of the water will feel refreshing. Light winds continue from the south.

BROCCOLI SALAD – Sweet onions & bacon
　
Broccoli florets – about a pound
Bacon – thick cut -4 slices
Sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia) medium- slice in thin rounds
Blue cheese – crumbled – ½ cup
　
　
Dressing: Garlic – 1 clove, minced
Dijon mustard – 2 tsp
Olive oil – 2 tsp.
Chili Stuff Chili Mix – 1 tsp.
Buttermilk – ½ cup
Steam broccoli until tender but still shiny, about 5 minutes. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and retain the bright color.
Cook bacon strips at medium heat until the pat dry as crispy. Cut crosswise into about ¼" pieces
Toss florets, onion slices and bacon pieces together in a large bowl. Now toss in the blue cheese and mix.
Serve on chilled plates and spoon over a couple TBL of dressing.

Red Flags - Mai Tai Tropical Cocktail

The south east winds continue and even though they are only about 10 to 20 mph. They have brought out the red flags. There is little danger of rips because the tide is low most of the day but to be on the safest side when going into the water stay close to the life guard towers. Lots of sun today.

MAI TAI
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This is a classic tropical favorite first created in the mid 40's in Tahiti by Vic Bergeren (Trader Vic). Here is an easy recipe.

Light Jamaican Rum - 1 Jigger
Triple Sec - 1/2 oz.
Creme de Almond - 1/2 oz.
Myer's 151 dark rum- 1 oz.
pineapple juice
Sweet and sour mix.
　
Best to start with a 15 oz. bucket glass. Add the light rum, Creme de Almond and triple sec.
Fill the glass about 1/2 full with small cubes ice. Now almost fill with equal amounts of pineapple and sweet & sour. Add top float of Myers. Serve unstirred.

SUNNY OCEAN - Shrimp and Vegetable Salad

The southeartern winds probably won't get above 20 mph today. The ocean has dropped in temp to about 83 which is the signal for the end of storm season. The air will seem warm because the humidity is high. The water is perfect for swimming because the tide is rising most of the day.

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE SALAD

Boston lettuce, 1 head
Shrimp – 2 doz. 21 count – peeled
Tomatoes 3, – vine ripened –quartered
Green beans, trimmed and cut– 6 oz.
Mushrooms, Baby Porto Bella, sliced – 6 oz.
Granny Smith apples, 2 –peeled and diced
Corn, canned – 4 TBL
Dressing:
Lemon – 1 – juice
Egg yoke -2
Olive oil – 1 TBL
Mustard, Dijon – 1 TBL
Heavy cream – ¼ cup
Tabasco sauce – to taste
Kosher salt – to taste
Black pepper – fresh ground – to taste
　
Sautee the shrimp quickly in olive oil (maybe 5 minutes) – set aside in fridge.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on four plates
Divide up the tomato wedges, beans, mushrooms, corn and apple pieces. Then layer on the shrimp.
After whisking the dressing, drizzle it over the four salads.

Northern Breezes - Summertime Salsa

The light breezes from the northwest continue to bring the temperature of the ocean down into the low 80's. The air will be about the same today.
The water is calm and the depth is just right for a refreshing swim at Hollywood Beach. Here is a simple salsa for just about anytime.


SALSA MAZATLAŃ- CRUDO (raw)

jalapeno peppers 2 – diced small
medium onion 1 – diced
medium tomatoes 2 - diced
limes – 5
Chili Stuff chili mix – 1 tsp.
Here is a link: www.chilistuff.net

Mix the diced vegetables together. You should have an even amount of each so
It looks a definite red, white & green. Squeeze in the juice of five limes. The limes will cook everything. Sprinkle on a tsp of Chili Mix and stir the bowl.
You can eat this right away but it is better if it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours or over night. Serve it with anything, on scramble eggs with refried beans or in a burrito. The lime gives an amazingly fresh zip to the salsa and it will make hot or cold food taste cool and refreshing even on a 100 degree day.
Put it on a baked potato then spoon some sour cream on top of it, or spoon some salsa onto the top of a bowl of chili.

LIGHT SE BREEZES - Salmon & Cucumber salad

The light breezes from the south east will bring the temp of the air up to the mid 80's. The low tide will offer a chance to cool off in the calm ocean without worries of rip currents.

Sockeye Salmon and Cucumber Salad
(for two)
　
Cucumber, 1 – peeled & chopped
Sockeye (Red) Salmon – 1 – 4 oz can
Celery, 3 stalks – chopped
Romaine – 3 leaves – chopped
Black pepper, fresh ground – ½ tsp
　
DRESSING
Buttermilk Ranch dressing
Mayonnaise – 1 TBL
Red wine vinegar – 1 TBL
Ground ginger – 1 TBL
Whisk it all together
Chop the ingredients and toss together. Add the dressing and lightly mix.
Sprinkle with a pinch of black pepper and serve with fresh crusty sour dough bread.

SUNSHINE SUNDAY Tucson Salad with Chicken

As the Sunday beachgoers arrive Hollywood Beach is bathed in sun and the tide is low. The ocean is calm. There is hardly any wind from the South and the sand will feel pretty warm. Humidity is about normal.

TUCSON SALAD with Chicken

Chicken Breasts, halved and boned
Tomato, asymmetrical chunks - 1 cup
Celery, 2 stalks, chop asymmetrical
Black olives, 4 oz - chopped
Avocado
Lemon juice - 1 lemon
Vinaigrette - 2 oz.
Kosher salt- pinches
Black pepper, fresh ground - pinches
Butter Lettuce

Sauté the skinless chicken breasts, then cool them down and shred.
Mix together the chicken, tomatoes celery and olives, then toss with the vinaigrette.
Then mash the avocado with salt & pepper to taste and drizzle in the lemon juice.
Serve portions on Butter lettuce leaves with a good scoop of avocado in the middle

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BEACH SUN - Hawaiian Fish in Banana leaves

Lots of sun today at Hollywood Beach
The ocean is shallow for most of the day and it is calm and clear. The very light southern breezes
will cool the 80 degree temperature just a bit.
Hawaiian style fish is tasty and simple.


BAKED FISH IN BANANA LEAVES

firm fish, whole
Banana leaves - enough to cover fish
Maui onion 1 chopped
Chinese parsley - ½ cup - chopped
Coconut cream - 1 cup
Cucumber, thin sliced
Tomato - thin sliced
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground Black pepper to taste
　
Measure the clean fish from gills and allow 20 minutes per inch baking time
Place the Banana leaves on a baking sheet. Place the fish on top.
Combine the onions, parsley and coconut cream together and pour over fish
Wrap the banana leaves over the top and place in a preheated 350 oven
When cooked, carefully unwrap the fish and serve portions with a garnish of cucumber and tomato slices.

SUNSHINE - Spaghetti, black olives, red bell

Clear skies, shallow calm water, light southern breezes greet all beach goers today. Tide will be at about its lowest in Hollywood at about noon.


SPAGHETTI - Black Olives - Red bell peppers

Spaghetti - 1 lb.
Red bell peppers, 2 - cored and chopped small
Onion - diced
Ham - ¼ lb - diced
Black olives - 8 oz. - sliced
Olive oil - 2 TBL
Butter - 2TBL
Dry Vermouth - 4 oz.
Garlic, 3 cloves - minced
Kosher salt
Black Pepper, fresh ground
Basil, dry - 2 tsp
Oregano, ground - 1 tsp
Sauté the bell pepper and onion in olive oil at medium heat in a large pan until shiny, about 5 minutes.
Add all the other ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes while stirring.
Spoon this over each serving of spaghetti.

MOSTLY OVERCAST - Sea Scallops

Hollywood Beach is mostly cloudy and quiet today. The air is warm and the ocean is calm and warm even though the tide is low most of the day.


SEA SCALLOPS - Lemon & Capers
　
Sea Scallops - 1 doz.
Italian Parsley , one bunch - stemmed & chopped
Garlic, 2 cloves - minced
Capers - 3 TBL
Lemon juice - one lemon
Butter - 4 TBL
Olive oil - 2 oz.
Kosher salt
Black pepper, fresh ground
　
Use a large pan at medium. Brown the scallops, a couple of minutes per side,
in olive oil with salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm.
In the same pan., add the butter and then the minced garlic and the capers and quickly sauté while stirring all the time so nothing burns.
Plate the scallops and pour the warm butter, garlic, caper mixture over the top. Drizzle on some lemon juice and a add a generous covering of parsley.