Cajun Shrimp

I will continue my ridiculous blogging because I have been getting positive feedback! I found this awesome website that gives you recipes to restaurant meals! ( scroll down I posted the website). So my first recipe I experimented with was Red Lobsters Cajun Shrimp...mmm I've been on a shrimp obsession lately. Turned out good! Next time however I'm going to lighten up on the spices and not use all of it. I served the shrimp with a spring lettuce salad but you can serve it over rice or pasta as well. Enjoy!

Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp

1 lb. shrimp, use at least medium size
1/2 C. margarine
4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the margarine in a 13 x 9 baking pan, and then place the pan in the oven. While the pan is in the oven wash and peel shrimp. Devien the shrimp. By the time you have finished prepping the shrimp, the margarine should be melted in the pan. In a small bowl mix together the spices and blend well. Place shrimp into the pan, and then sprinkle on the seasonings you have just blended together on the shrimp. Mix the shrimp, margarine, and spices until the shrimp is coated well with margarine and shrimp. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, remove shrimp, and check for doneness. The shrimp should be pink when done.

http://www.copykat.com/   ....awesome website!!

Friday Night Dinner

Friday night I decided to cook dinner & sent out a text to a few of my girlfriends to come over, and before I knew it I had four hungry girls knocking on my door! The menu included: spicy lemon garlic shrimp, walnut salad, and artichoke pesto served on garlic bread. I had been drooling over that shrimp and pesto recipe all week...... I just drooled over my keyboard thinking about it again. Dinner was a success...how do I know? Well let me tell you, the only way to tell if your dinner was a success is if everyone over eats and leaves your house full and uncomfortable! Success! Sorry this blog post will be long because I will just post all three recipes in one....not really sure why I just apologized since you aren't obligated to read it..wait yes you are.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp:

I'm starting to learn that you can cook shrimp so many different ways, and I want to try all of them! Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it. NAME THAT MOVIE! If you said Forrest Gump please tap yourself on the back. Overall, the sauce on the shrimp was delicious, and I promise you that all etiquette will be thrown out the window and you will lick your plate clean.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Shells On
• 2 sticks Cold Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly

Artichoke Pesto

This pesto makes a great appetizer. Toss some warm bread in the oven & put this pesto spread on it...mmm mmmm mmm. Please don't literally toss the bread in the oven...just making that clear.The frozen artichoke hearts were hard to find, but our lil friend TRADER JOE had it....always can count on that guy!

Ingredients

Before the freezer:

• 1 (8-ounce) pack frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed down
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

After the freezer:

• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan (2 teaspoons per cube)
• 1 (12 to 16-inch) ciabatta loaf, cut into slices
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

In a food processor combine the artichoke, parsley, walnuts,lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Run the machine to finely chop all the ingredients, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. Then, with the machine running, drizzle in 1/2 cup extra virgin oil. Spoon the pesto into the cups of an ice cube tray. Tapping the tray gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

When ready to serve, thaw the pesto. Mix in the Parmesan. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Grill until toasted, about 5 minutes. Spread the artichoke pesto over the toasted slices and serve.

Walnut Salad

This is  my favorite salad, I've been making it for years. Very simple but very good. Be careful not to forget your walnuts in the oven when toasting them...uhhh not saying I did that or anything.

 Ingredients

• 4 ounces walnuts, whole
• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 2 Tbsp honey mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 lb mixed salad greens, including fresh baby spinach
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-2 inch thin slices

Method

1 Preheat oven to 300°F. Place walnuts in a bowl, pour melted butter over them, sprinkle with sugar, and gently toss until the pecans are all well coated with a dusting of sugar. Place them in a single layer on a parchment paper or Silpat lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool to touch.
2 Whisk together the honey mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes, and balsamic vinegar in a medium sized bowl. Slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture, whisking constantly until completely incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3 Place lettuces and baby spinach in a large bowl. Add the goat cheese, dried cranberries, red bell pepper, and pecans. Toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing.





 

THAT'S IT FOLKS...HAPPY COOKING!

STIR FRY

I love stir fry and I think the name "stir fry" is totally appropriate. While you stir everything together you are guaranteed to get fried! I made a few changes to the recipe. 1) I didn't use corn and substituted it with zucchini and broccoli instead. 2) I used canola oil instead of peanut oil. While in the store I went t buy peanut oil and it was $10.99....uhh no thank you. 3)I didn't know what arrowroot was...well apparently it is a sauce thickener, but I used cornstarch because I read it does the same thing. Also, I didn't make this over rice because I'm trying to stay away from carbs...why would I ever want to do that??? I know I know TRUST me I love carbs, but so do my love handles...so please make this over rice for me and my love handles, thank you! Overall, it turned out Delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 whole Chicken Breasts (or Other Meat), Cut Into Pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil (plus Extra To Drizzle Over Meat)
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (plus Extra To Drizzle Over Meat)
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth, Divided
• 2 teaspoons (rounded) Arrowroot
• 3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil, Divided
• 1 whole Medium Onion
• 1 whole Red (or Other Color) Bell Pepper, Cut Into Chunks
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) Fresh Ginger, Minced
• 10 whole White Mushrooms, Sliced (can Use Any Mushroom You Like)
• 1 jar (small Jar) Baby Corn, Cut Into Pieces
• 1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
• 1/4 cup (to 1/2 Cup) Roughly Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

After cutting meat into chunks, drizzle with a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
Prepare all vegetables and have them ready.
Mix ½ cup soy sauce with sugar. Stir together and set aside. Mix ¼ cup chicken broth with arrowroot. Stir together and set aside. Measure an additional ¼ cup chicken broth. Set aside.
To begin stir fry, heat skillet or wok over high heat. When it’s hot, drizzle in 2 teaspoons peanut oil.
Add meat to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2 to 3 minutes. When brown and just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl.
Add additional 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same skillet. Throw in onions and cook for 1 minute. Add red bell pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add garlic and ginger. Stir. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for 45 seconds. Add baby corn. Stir.
Pour in ¼ cup chicken broth and soy sauce/sugar mixture. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon sesame oil.
Dump in cooked chicken. Stir together. Pour in chicken broth/arrowroot mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce should be much thicker.

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Yesterday was my moms birthday and I was in charge of dinner. I was planning a fancy steak dinner, but my mom told me she wanted shrimp. So it was SHRIMP TACO night at the Boulos residents! I found this recipe and instantly fell in love...anything with the word "chipotle" steals my heart. Everything turned out DELICIOUS...no left overs! I served the tacos with fresh corn, wheat tortillas, and the corn guacamole(scroll down for that recipe). Enjoy!

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
Marinade
1 can (7 oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 3 peppers)
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 5-6 limes)
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
1 large handful cilantro

Rinse shrimp thoroughly. Place in a large plastic storage bag.
Combine all marinade ingredients except cilantro in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add cilantro and blend until just combined. Pour into bag with shrimp. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours to overnight. Saute in skillet with veggies of your choice for 5-10 minutes or until shrimp is fully cooked.

Corn Guacamole

I love avocados.I love corn.I LOVE GUACAMOLE. I love saying the word guacamole even more! I seriously can eat guacamole with a spoon...... that is after I finished all the chips...joking...not really. Trust me a good guacamole will never EVER disappoint! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 ears Corn, Shucked
• 6 whole Avocados, Diced
• 1 whole Large Tomato, Diced
• 1/3 cup Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Diced Fresh Jalapeno
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 cup Cilantro Leaves

Preparation Instructions

Grill corn until nice and golden, with good grill marks on the kernels. Allow to cool a bit, then cut the kernels off the cobs. Set aside.
Halve avocados and remove pit. Cut avocado into a dice inside the skin, then scoop out with a spoon.
In a bowl, combine corn kernels, diced avocados, diced tomato, jalapenos, minced garlic, lime juice, salt, and cumin. Stir gently to combine. Add cilantro and stir in.

Posted by Ree on July 14 2011

Spicy Molasses Cookies

This is not your everyday cookie....but it should be! I didn't want to bake the traditional "chocolate chip cookie" because what's the fun in that! I love watching old movies & seeing the kids run in from playing outside to homemade cookies fresh out of the oven and all the love in the air fills the kitchen...ohhh how the times have changed! These cookies turned out amazing! I'm taking them to a friends house, but I sort of wish I made a batch for myself to eat when no one is watching ( I have a theory that if you eat cookies when no one is watching calories don't count!). Happy Friday cookie day!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cups Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
• 1/4 cup Molasses
• 1 whole Egg
• 2 cups Flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg together until well combined. Dump in dry ingredients, stirring dry ingredients together lightly. Mix together until dough is combined.
In your hands roll dough into walnut-sized balls, then generously coat each ball with sugar. Place balls on a baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, allowing to bake for about a minute after cookies begin to crack.
Remove cookies from baking sheet and allow to cool…though these are delicious while still warm.

Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite things ever, and I probably wouldn't have survived college without it. I always have to have hummus in the fridge because I dip it in EVERYTHING. I dip my carrots in it, my chicken, I put it in my sandwiches...shoot I might as well start using it as toothpaste! Surprisingly, this is my first time making homemade hummus. I usually go to my friend Costco and buy the pre-made kind. I liked the recipe because it was simple. However, I did use a lil more of everything it asked for. I used a whole lemon instead of half, more chopped garlic, more olive oil, and more cumin. Without adding more of everything it tasted a little plain.Overall,it turned our pretty good, but I still like the pre-made one from Costco better ...damn it Costco!! I will play around with a few other hummus recipes..Costco will not win this battle!! If you have any please share! Enjoy for now!

• 3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Garbanzo Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 1/3 cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Tahini
• 3 cloves Garlic, Chopped, Or More To Taste
• 1/2 whole Lemon, Juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin, Or More To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Fresh Basil Or Italian Parsley
• 3 Tablespoons To 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Combine chickpeas with all ingredients, except water and olive oil, in a blender or food processor.
Pulse until mixture becomes somewhat smooth and combined, but do not over mix.
Add water as necessary to facilitate blending. At the end, add olive oil and pulse no more than three times, just to incorporate.
Pour mixture into a bowl and stir to ensure mixture is combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days in the fridge