Coconut Shrimp

Yes-another shrimp recipe. But, can you blame me? I bought a huge bag of shrimp and thawed all of it. What was I thinking? I can't eat that much, even when I eat more than Brent. Anyway, I looked for some yummy shrimp recipes on allrecipes and this is what I came up with--they are amazing. I did have to modify the beer (you substitute chicken broth). They turned out great!! Just wish I had researched dipping sauces a little better!

Coconut Shrimp

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups flaked coconut--(you may want to put it thru a food processor so it sticks better)
  
• 24 shrimp
• 3 cups oil for frying
  

1. In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, chicken broth and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
2. Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/broth batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (This is a very important step. It keeps all the coconut stuck to the shrimp so when you fry it--it doesn't all come off.) Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer. (You can also pan-fry these.)
   
3. Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Shrimp & Rice

I had this leftover link-sausage and was trying to find something to make with it--when Rachael Ray answered the call. :) She made a Spanish Shrimp and Chorizo with Sweet Pea Couscous. I didn't like all the spice she put in hers, and I didn't have couscous--so I made my own. It turned out delicious! Brent even ate it. (And, I know that whenever I make something--if Brent likes it--I consider it good. Even though he's picky and not the best judge...)

Shrimp Marinade
1 tsp paprika
4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
1 tsp parsley
2 TBSP EVOO
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
24 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

Combine and set aside.

Rice
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups chicken broth
Any spices you want--I put in some thyme (I think)

Bring to a boil. Set to low heat. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.


While the rice is cooking. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO. Add the sausage and cook, stirring every now and then for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook another 4-5 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock to the skillet, cook about 30 seconds then remove from heat.

To serve: Place a serving of rice on a plate. Top with shrimp & sausage and some of the sauce. Serve with steamed veggies. ENJOY!

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe was in my Kraft Food magazine, and since Bryan and I love Mexican food I thought I'd try it. It is so good. The cream cheese makes it creamy without being runny and the flavors are really good. The cilantro in it is yummy too (unless you are Kelli), and it's pretty cheap at the store. It's a nice change from the chicken enchiladas everyone makes with the cream of chicken soup! Also, if your Costco carries the "bake-yourself" tortillas I highly recommend them!


1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (I did two)
4 cooked small chicken breasts (about 1 lb.), shredded (I cooked mine in chili powder and garlic powder)
1 cup salsa (whatever your favorite is), divided (I used more than a cup)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (I used about 2T)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheese, divided (again, I used more)
8 Flour Tortillas

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Heat large skillet spayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add chicken, 1/4 cup of the salsa, cream cheese, cilantro and cumin; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese; mix well.

SPOON about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 3/4 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

I had this at a BBQ tonight and LOVED it! It is like a strawberry ice cream cake. The best part is how easy it is. I can not wait for an excuse to make this one myself.

4 cups strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tub cool whip whipped topping, thawed, divided
8 Oreo sandwich cookies, finely chopped. (she took out the filling)
1 T. butter, melted

Line an 8x4 in. loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of strawberries in a large bowl. Stir in condensed milk, lemon juice and 2 cups of the cool whip; pour into pan.

Top with combined chopped cookies and butter, press into mixture and cover.

Freeze at least 6 hours, overnight if the recipe is doubled. To serve, invert onto plate and remove the foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip and top with sliced strawberries.

Makes 12 servings

German Potato Salad

This is another one of those recipes I thought were authentic and came straight from a German neighbor or something. Until I found it in the Betty Crocker cookbook my mom handed down to me. It's so great and so good. I always think you could use more sauce with it. So, if you want to feel free. I love that the Germans flavor their food with bacon grease. Who cares about fat content, right? :)

Hot German Potato Salad

(Ina Robertson)

4 medium potatoes
3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 TBS flour
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp celery seed
Dash pepper
½ cup water
¼ cup vinegar

Boil potatoes. Cook bacon in 8-inch skillet until crisp, remove bacon and drain. Cook and stir onion in bacon fat until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon into mixture and slice in warm potatoes. Stir gently to coat until warm and bubbly. Yield: 5 servings.

Tilapia Dijon

So we try to eat fish once a week, depending what's on sale. My midwife told me to try to shoot for one to two servings a week, and although I can't guarantee two servings - hello fish can be expensive! - I can say that we do, for the most part, eat it once a week. This has become my new favorite fish recipe. Not only is tilapia pretty cheap (I paid $6 for 3 fresh fillets) but it cooks in under 10 minutes. I would definately recommend fresh fish. I buy it the day I make it. I hate frozen fish, it never thaws properly and it doesn't taste nearly as great. Tilapia, for those who have never tried it, is really mild. My boys thought they were eating chicken. The recipe calls for 2 fillets, but I used 3 and didn't run out of the dijon mixture or the panko. If you use more than 3, I'd double everything.

2 6-oz tilapia fillets
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter, divided
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I used 2 tsp dried basil and it was perfect)
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel - don't skimp on this, it's so good with the lemon!
½ cup panko - NOT bread crumbs, you won't get the crunchy exterior!
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter. Combine melted butter, mustard, parsley, and lemon peel in a small bowl; spread over both sides of tilapia. Combine panko and cheese in a shallow dish; generously coat tilapia with crumbs.

Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tilapia 8 to 10 minutes or until it just begins to flake, turning once. (Mine was a medium to dark golden brown, almost looked burnt, but it wasn't).

Deviled Eggs

Nothing yells summer to me like a barbecue or picnic. Really, why is food always the highlight of every season and event and holiday?! Anyway, I almost always bring deviled eggs to functions and have even made them just because I felt like them. Every time I make them they are gone within minutes and I usually end up doubling the batch! Anyway, here is the recipe. Feel free to half it if you are entertaining just yourselves or even double it for a big barbecue! I get lots of compliments, and these are so easy and simple.

Deviled Eggs

12 eggs, hard boiled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp mustard (I always squeeze in a little more!)
2 tsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Halve eggs lenghwise (obviously without the shells on!) and remove the yolks. In a bowl, mash the yolks with a fork. They won't be smooth. Add mayo, mustard and vinegar. Combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture (I put mine in a gallon size Ziploc and cut the tip off so I can just squeeze the mixture easily into the egg whites). Garnish with paprika.

Tip: I read in a Kraft magazine that a great way to boil eggs without getting that green ring on the inside is to put the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, cover the pot and then turn off the heat. Let stand covered for 15 minutes. Or you can do it your way :)

Southwestern Corn on the cob

This is corn on the cob with a twist! This sounds kinda weird but it is really good! Trust me and try it for your next BBQ!

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
4 ears corn, husks and silk removed, cut in half
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, preferably chipotle (I double that and it is still not too spicy!)


Directions
1. Heat grill to high. Place cheese on a plate or in a shallow bowl; set aside.
2. Brush corn with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and slightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Brush corn with mayonnaise, and roll in cheese to coat. Sprinkle with chili powder.

I place the mayo in a bowl and mix in the chili powder. Then I brush that onto the corn and roll in the parm. cheese. I also just boil my corn and don't use the butter or salt and pepper. I am sure the real way tastes better, but the lazy way taste good too!