Black Thai

We love the name Black Thai and the flavors of this vegetarian dish brought us back for seconds. The recipe was submitted by Sean O'Leary, a first responder for New Jersey Natural Gas who worked double shifts for months to help others even as his own home was heavily damaged by Sandy.

Start with a variety of fresh vegetables. 

Saute together in a pan. 

Add cooked black rice, more vegetables, coconut milk and seasonings like curry and fresh ginger. 

Delicious! The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook which is coming soon. Thank you to Sean O'Leary and all others who have participated. All proceeds go to NJ Sandy recovery. Please stay tuned for publication information! 

Fresh Cherries a la Chef Michel Richard

A delicious and easy way to celebrate the season's bounty of fresh, sweet cherries is with Chef Michel Richard's Cherry Clafoutis. Chef Richard is a James Beard award winning chef who has also cooked/baked with Julia Child. These little dishes of heaven are filled with cherries baked in a batter and dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Yum! The recipe will appear in its entirety in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook, all proceeds to NJ Sandy recovery. We are so grateful to you Chef Richard for participating!

The Savoring the Shore cookbook is in layout--truly a last call for recipes. It is so exciting to see it coming together! Our email is savoringtheshore@gmail.com if you would like to submit. Thank you in advance to all!

Celebrate Hell's Kitchen with Chef Justin's Signature Crab Cakes

The Hell's Kitchen Season 11 Finale is Thursday night July 25 on Fox and we are grateful to four of this season's chefs (Chefs Barret Beyer, Amanda Giblin, Jessica Lewis, and Jacqueline Baldassari) and Chef Justin Antiorio of Season 10 for their contributions to the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. 

This delightful crab cake recipe was Chef Justin's signature dish on Season 10. It features luscious fresh crab, a jalapeno kick and a crust made from a fun secret ingredient. Does anything say best of shore food like a yummy crab cake?!

We are in the "last call" for recipes. Layout of the book is beginning and we will keep you posted on publication news. Please email recipes to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your participation!

Cool Cocktail for a Hot Summer Day

For weekend celebrating, or any time, thank you so much to Brenne Whisky (mixologist Warren Bobrow) for the delightful cocktail recipe "Etienne Pellot 'Montvieux' (The Basque Fox, last French privateer) Cocktail"--hmm might sneak up on you?! Very cool and refreshing with grapefruit notes on a hot summer day!

Brenne is the first-ever French single malt whisky, "organic field to bottle...single cask, unfiltered and uncolored" says The Coopered Tot.  Brenne is imported to the US by Allison Patel whose shore town is Ocean City. Allison has submitted three recipes to the Savoring the Shore cookbook. We are so grateful for her participation!

The three complete recipes will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook, all proceeds to NJ Sandy relief. We are going to design--please email your recipe today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com! 

Chilling with Garden State Gazpacho

We're cooling things down this week with Gourmand Cooking School's light and bright Garden State Gazpacho recipe submitted by Chef Jason Crispin. It's a flavorful medley of tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with a couple of splashes of seasoning. It's perfect for a summer beach day, quick, easy and very chill. Gourmand Cooking School is located in Point Pleasant Beach and offers a wide range of classes. They also do private events. Their complete Garden State Gazpacho recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook, with all proceeds going to NJ Sandy relief. Chefs and home cooks, we are still seeking recipes. Please email as soon as possible to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you for participating!

Terry's Fresh Blueberry Pie

This Fresh Blueberry Pie is our family's favorite dessert for the Fourth of July. We are personally submitting it to the Savoring the Shore cookbook, and it comes by way of our special friend Terry who is an excellent home cook. It also has to be about the easiest pie you'll ever make.

Start by boiling up some blueberries with sugar and water.  

Thicken. 

Pour into a baked pie crust and refrigerate. Top with fresh made whipped cream before serving. May be garnished with fresh raspberries or strawberries for a holiday touch. Yum and Happy Fourth of July to all!

The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. Proceeds benefit NJ Sandy relief. We are still accepting recipes but hurry please! Email recipes to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for contributing!

Award-Winning Ponzu Spiced Beef Short Ribs & Cucumber-Apple Salad with Meyer Lemon Citronette

Chef Dominick Hayman's recipe, Ponzu Spiced Beef Short Ribs and Cucumber-Apple Salad with Meyer Lemon Citronette looks almost too beautiful to eat, except it's so mouthwatering! It took first place in the first-ever Black Culinary Expo held June 15 in Brooklyn. After a half-hour marinade in some tantalizing spices and Ponzu sauce (or low sodium soy sauce) the short ribs cook in mere minutes on the stove. The salad is a dance of julienned apples and shredded English cucumbers dressed in a bright balance of Meyer lemon, olive oil and seasoning. Thank you to Chef Dominick whose complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook to benefit NJ Sandy relief. Please email your recipe today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. 

Choco Avo Mousse

These tiny treats pack a big, rich, chocolate taste. The recipe comes from Linda M. Jensen, the nutritionist for Mary's Place By the Sea which is a center for help and healing in Ocean Grove, NJ, for women and their families who are battling cancer. Linda is a certified cancer support and nutritional educator and a healing arts practitioner in Rumson, NJ. 

The deep chocolate flavor comes from carob powder and the richness from a combination of avocado and almond or cashew butter.

Add in some raw agave for sweetness and mix it altogether in a food processor.

Spoon the prepared filling into a crust, or into a small dessert dish for a totally raw dessert. Garnish with shredded raw coconut or fruit.  The recipe is quick, easy and did we mention that it is very rich?! It will appear in its entirety in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. Proceeds go to NJ Sandy relief. Please submit your recipe by email to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you to Linda and Mary's Place by the Sea and to all others in advance for participating!

Spring Asparagus with Chicken and Watercress

This yummy recipe comes from Chef Sharon Merkel-Prudhomme who is originally from NJ and who with her husband owns and operates Prudhomme's Lost Cajun Kitchen,
www.lostcajunkitchen.com in Columbia, PA.

Start by sauteing tender chicken breast cubes with a little oil and some unexpected seasonings. 

Then it's the vegetables' turn, highlighted with some freshly grated lemon zest.  

Minutes later the vegetables and chicken reunite, punctuated with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and served over a bed of fresh watercress. Mmm good! 

Chef Sharon is one of Harrisburg, PA's ABCTV27 Mid Day Gourmet Chefs. Her complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. All proceeds go to NJ Sandy relief,. We are still seeking recipes from chefs and home cooks, so please email yours today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. 

 PS to ghost lovers, just for fun: Prudhomme's Lost Cajun Kitchen is a "known haunt" featured on the cover of the book "Ghosts of the River Towns" by Rick Fisher. Please check out their web site for information about ghostly dinners. 

Crepes Are Back, Scrippelle 'MBusse

One of the most fun things about Savoring the Shore is the stories you learn along the journey. This recipe for a super easy soup was passed down from a grandma to our contributor Jill whose family loves Ocean City, NJ. The soup is a family tradition and favorite and the story has even deeper NJ shore roots. The grandma who passed it down met her husband, grandpa, on the Atlantic City boardwalk while he was on leave during World War II. The rest, as they say, is history.

The tender, savory crepes in this recipe float in a light chicken broth. (We love that Chef Central has pointed out in a recent newsletter that crepes are back  http://www.acornadvisors.com/Chef_Central/CCNJ_Finished_E-Newsletters/CCNJ_Crepes.html.) The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. All proceeds go to NJ Sandy relief. Chefs and home cooks, please submit a recipe today by emailing to savoringtheshore@gmail.com.  Thank you in advance for participating!

Chopped Champion's Yummy Mousse

If you love peanut butter and chocolate, do we have a treat in store for you! We are so grateful to Chef Eric LeVine for this totally delicious recipe, "Peanut Butter Mousse and Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnut Sauce" which will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. Chef Eric is a Food Network Chopped champion. He also has been named Restaurant Guild International's Chef of the Year 2013. He owns Morris Tap and Grill in Randolph, NJ, and he is known throughout the region for his philanthropy, working often with the American Cancer Society and other organizations. Please join Chef Eric in submitting a recipe to the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook by emailing it to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. All proceeds go to NJ Sandy relief. Thank you Chef Eric, and to all others in advance for participating. As Chef Eric would say, "Fire It Up!"

Super Sweet Treat to Kick Off Summer at the Shore

​Mrs. Highlands New Jersey 2013, Melissa M. Festa, has shared a recipe for one of the most over-the-top sweet treats we've ever tasted. She calls them Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies and they are triple chocolate and major yum. They also were completely gone in less than twelve hours at our house. 

They come together quickly too. First layer chocolate chip cookie dough and top with chocolate sandwich cookies.​ Then top with brownie batter, bake and enjoy. Definitely for days when only a chocolate fix will do!​ The complete recipe will be in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook, all proceeds to NJ Sandy relief.

Our contributor, Mrs. Highlands New Jersey 2013, recently competed in the Mrs. New Jersey 2013 pageant. Her mission and platform in competing has been Sandy recovery,  "Restoring the Shore: Hope for the Highlands." Please see more about her journey at http://therealmelissamaria.wordpress.com/category/mrs-highlands-nj/. Her message and example are perfect for this weekend as the summer season launches at the shore. So much has been accomplished as so many boardwalks reopen. So much more is still to do. We are still seeking recipes. Please email yours today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you.

Easy Orzo Salad

Must try this at home! This Orzo Salad recipe submitted by Anna of Farmingdale, NJ, is super easy and bursting with fresh flavors. It came together in under 20 minutes and we served it immediately. Did we mention it won best dish accolades at a family barbecue this weekend? ​The recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. All proceeds benefit NJ Sandy relief. We are still seeking recipes from home cooks and chefs. Please email yours today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for participating! 

Fresh Oysters with Spicy Bloody Mary Granite

Attention taste buds everywhere. If the freshness of the sea hasn't danced on your palate recently, take heart. This recipe from Chef Mike Jurusz of Chef Mike's ABG in South Seaside Park brings it all, the sea for sure, with a kick. It's also astoundingly easy to put together. The recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. All proceeds benefit NJ Hurricane Sandy relief. Chef Mike has been named by his peers to the first-ever Best Chefs America list. His ABG (Atlantic Bar and Grill) is open for business with fun specials and an active commitment to Sandy relief. We are grateful for his participation! Home cooks and chefs, please follow Chef Mike's lead and email your recipe today to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance!

Baked Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast

We are two moms on a mission and of course we love Mother's Day. It always makes us think of breakfast (in bed optional). ​This recipe, submitted by Linda, a "Jersey Girl turned Maine-iac" is perfect for celebrating mom's day or for entertaining any brunch day.

It comes together in minutes the night before.

Arrange bread in bottom of 8 X 8 baking dish.​

​Top with cream cheese and blueberries.

Then add another layer of bread.​

​Top with egg mixture. Refrigerate overnight, then bake.

​Just out of the oven you can already tell it's bursting with flavor. We may have taste-tested this recipe with mom's day in mind, but it was a huge winner with the men in our lives. It is truly rich and delicious!  The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. All proceeds go to NJ Sandy relief. Please submit your recipe today by email to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for participating. And to all of the moms out there (and the dads and kids who love to make breakfast for them), Happy Mother's Day!

White Sangria

Many thanks to Chef Marilyn Schlossbach of Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park, Labrador Lounge in Normandy Beach, and more, for the fruit-packed recipe for White Sangria that she has shared with the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook. This tasty libation is a fun celebration drink--for celebrating spring, the weekend, or the "re-birth" of the Langosta Lounge after much post-Sandy repair (official celebration Friday night May 10, tickets available at Dauphin Grille in Asbury Park). 

Chef Marilyn's White Sangria recipe combines white and rose wines, fruit juices and liquor, and a wonderful abundance of fruit. The taste is fresh and grown up--most definitely not your Mama's "fruit cocktail"! The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore cookbook to benefit NJ Sandy relief. Chefs and home cooks, please share your recipes today. Just email to savoringtheshore@gmail. com and stay tuned here and on Facebook and Twitter for updates. Thank you in advance for your participation!

St. Joseph's Day Pastry

We are so grateful to Joe Leone's for submitting two recipes for publication in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook to benefit NJ Sandy relief. The second of these is the yummy dare we say slightly decadent St. Joseph's Day Pastry pictured below. Joe explains these cruller pastries are usually enjoyed during the feast days for St. Joseph, the second of which celebrates St. Joseph the Worker on May 1. Since this week also marks six months since the work began to clean up after Hurricane Sandy, we are celebrating all of the workers who have spent countless hours the last six months rebuilding the NJ shore.

Joe Leone's St. Joseph's Day Pastry is a doughnut shaped pastry filled with luscious vanilla custard and topped with a cherry. The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore cookbook. Chefs and home cooks, please take a minute today to email your recipe to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. All proceeds will go to NJ Sandy relief. Thank you in advance for your participation!​

Happy Earth Day--WGirls Seashore Surprise!

Happy Earth Day! We love all of the emphasis on greenery today and are thrilled that the chives are up in our herb garden. Yay! At the NJ Shore, though, there is something else that we are grateful for: Mother Earth's beautiful, golden sand. As any know who have been to the shore since Superstorm Sandy, we need to add a very quick disclaimer here. We especially love sand on the shoreline (not in our intersections, crawlspaces and garages if we are lucky enough to still have these). On the shoreline, though, sand provides fresh air playgrounds and all-important protective dunes. We recently received a recipe that is perfect for celebrating the NJ shore's sand, and it's also a dessert that kids are sure to love!

The Seashore Surprise is a tasty trifle featuring layers of yummy vanilla pudding and ​graham cracker crumbs. It's decorated with Swedish fish, or your favorite seashore motif candy. It comes together in minutes and is a family-friendly recipe that the kids can help make.  The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook to benefit NJ shore Sandy relief.

​The WGirls Coastal NJ who submitted "Seashore Surprise" are a charitable organization who provide women and children from NJ shore area communities with assistance in times of crisis. We love that they have submitted as a group and encourage other groups to do the same!  Please email recipes to savoringtheshore@gmail.com.  Thank you for participating!

Pork Loin Roulade with Mushroom, Spinach and Jack Daniel Cream Sauce and Smashed Roasted Garlic Potato

This beautiful and flavorful recipe is from Chef Barret Beyer of Hell's Kitchen's current season on Fox TV, Tuesday nights at 8 PM.

The tender pork is topped with a mixture of gently sauteed mushrooms and spinach flecked with pine nuts. It is rolled, baked, sliced and served over smashed potatoes bright with roasted garlic.  The piece de resistance is the sauce, rich with heavy cream and Jack Daniels. We are most definitely ready for dinner! The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore fundraising cookbook to benefit Sandy relief. Chefs and home cooks, please join Chef Barret in submitting your recipe using the form on this site or by simply emailing to savoringtheshore@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for participating!

Where Fun Meets Yum, Mystery Cake

This very rich, moist cake is a childhood favorite recipe submitted by a shore lover who lives in Summit.

Everything for the batter, including the secret "mystery" ingredient, gets stirred up by hand in one bowl. We baked in an 8 X 8 but it can also be baked in a loaf pan. While it bakes, whip up the simple cream cheese frosting.

​We followed Clinton and Mario's advice from The Chew and took a bite (and of course dropped a crumb) before we took the finished pic--but who wanted to wait anyway? This cake is so flavorful, rich and moist it tastes like the cake Grandma used to make before mixes were invented. The complete recipe will appear in the Savoring the Shore cookbook to benefit Sandy relief. Chefs and home cooks, please join Joe Leone, three Hell's Kitchen chefs, Carmine's Atlantic City, and more, and email your recipe to savoringtheshore@gmail.com today. Thank you in advance for participating!