Food Friday!

Coconut Shrimp (spicy but not hot)

35 large shrimp deveined 1/4 cup of lime juice 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp ginger 1 1/2 cup grated coconut 12 oz. beer 2 1/2 cups flour

Apricot Dipping Sauce: 1 cup apricot preserves 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 1 tsp. paprika dash of Tabasco sauce 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 tbs. sugar

Split shrimp lengthwise down to tail with a sharp knife, but do not sever tail. Combine lime juice, salt, hot curry powder and ginger in a small bowl. Add shrimp, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To prepare coconut coating and beer batter, lightly toast coconut on cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside. Mix beer, flour, salt, white pepper, sugar and paprika. Heat oil in heavy skillet; hot. Dip shrimp in batter and fry until brown. Roll immediately in toasted coconut. Serve with apricot sauce. Combine apricot preserves, both vinegars, paprika and Tabasco in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring several times. Heat until thoroughly blended. Serve warm with coconut shrimp.

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Food Friday!

Key Largo Cooler

Ingredients:
2 oz. 10 Cane Rum
1 oz. DeKuyper Key Largo Schnapps
1.5 oz. orange juice
1.5 oz. pineapple juice

Prep:
Shake the ingredients together, pour on ice, and garnish with a cherry and a slice of fresh pineapple. Put on some Jimmy Buffett and enjoy!

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Recipe- Marks Feed Store Potato Salad

Here in Kentucky, it isn't always about fried chicken. Sometimes it's about BBQ!! One of the more well known places here is called Mark's Feed Store. Not only do they have great BBQ, but also super-fab potato salad! Enjoy!

Mark's Feed Store Potato Salad
(makes 10 servings)

Ingredients:
3 lbs unpeeled red potatoes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sliced celery

Prep:
1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add red potatoes, cook until tender but firm, (about 15 minutes). Drain cooked potatoes, cool and then chop into 1 inch cubes.
2. Bring eggs to a boil, cover and let eggs stand in hot water 10 minutes, cool, peel and dice.
3. In a small bowl whisk together mayo, milk, vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Add potatoes to the mayo mixture, mix well covering all potatoes, and then add the eggs and celery. Chill 2 hours before serving.
5. Because I like vinegar, I added a bit more at the end to taste.

{ps.- they also have more of their recipes online here}

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Recipe- Italian Bread Salad

I hadn't heard of this before, until a friend explained. The more she spoke, the more by mouth watered! It seems like a light alternative to a heavy summer side.





Italian Bread Salad

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped fresh basil
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Rub a peeled clove of garlic around a wooden salad bowl.
2. Pull apart or chop the bread into bite-size pieces.
3. In the prepared salad bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, garlic, basil and thyme. Add enough olive oil and vinegar to lightly coat, toss and serve.

Enjoy! :)

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Sweet and Salties Recipe

I saw this in a magazine and had to share! Warning: it's not low fat, or low-cal! :)

Sweet and Salties
(20 servings)

You'll need:

40 saltine crackers (use grahams for sweeter snack)

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

8 oz semi-sweet choc chips (about 1 1/3 cups)

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet (not glass) with aluminum foil and the crackers

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 min.

3. Remove from heat and pour over crackers, covering them evenly.

4. Place baking sheet into oven and watch them closely. Bake for 5 min or until just bubbly.

5. Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over crackers. when chips begin to melt, spread them over crackers with a knife or spatula.

6. Transfer pan to freezer. Let stay 15-20 min or until cold.

7. Remove from freezer and break/cut into pieces.

8. store in air tight container.

Enjoy! :)

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Healthy Potato Recipe

I love, LOVE, potatoes! They are one of my favorites, and I've begun to cook them as a healthier alternative.

Last night, I whipped this up:

Lemon Dill Potatoes:
* 4 potatoes
* 1/2 c olive oil
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* juice of 1 lemon
* 1/2 tsp of dill

Scrub the outside of the potatoes to clean the skin. Slice them very thin (the thinner you slice them, the faster they cook). Heat a skillet (that has a lid) on medium high. Add all ingredients except potatoes. Allow to heat for 3 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown, about 10-15 min.

Enjoy! :)

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Instead of Wings..

Try these buffalo meatballs! They are great for parties and your waistline!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
(modified from Women's Day magazine)

* 1lb ground chicken
* 1 cup bread crumbs (I used crushed crackers)
* 1/4 cup onion flakes
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* buffalo sauce

Prep-
1. Preheat oven to 475.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with Pam.
3. In a bowl, mix all ingredients.
4. Roll into about 32 balls and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating occasionally.
6. Remove from oven and drizzle with buffalo sauce.

Use ranch or blue cheese for dipping!

Enjoy!

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Teriyaki Baked Chicken

I tried to get creative last night with some chicken, and it was surprisingly good! I paired it with rice (cooked in chicken broth), and broccoli. Yum!

Teriyaki Baked Chicken

*5 boneless, skinless chicken strips
* 2.5 cups teriyaki sauce
* 1 cup teriyaki sauce
* butter spray
* 3 cups breadcrumbs (I used crushed crackers)

Preparation:
1. add chicken and 2.5 cups of teriyaki sauce to shallow bowl. Make sure teriyaki sauce covers chicken. Let marinate at least 1.5-2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Remove chicken from marinade and dip into breadcrumbs. Make sure to cover thoroughly. Add to oven ready dish.
4. Spray with butter spray.
5. Cook in ove for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Enjoy!
:)

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Sweet and Sour Chicken with Noodles & Egg rolls

As you know, part of my goals are to blog a new recipe every month. This month I attempted a little bit of Chinese. It was scrumptious! Next time I might try it with rice instead of the noodles.









Sweet and Sour Chicken with Noodles & Egg rolls

Ingredients:
* package of chicken breasts (I had a pack of 4)
* 3/4 jar of sweet and sour sauce (my jar was 12 oz)
* 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
* 1-2 shakes garlic powder
* 2 8-oz cans of pineapple chunks (with juice)
* 1 package frozen pork egg rolls
* 1 package Simply Asian Sweet and Sour Noodles

Preparation:
1. Heat skillet on medium/high. Add sweet and sour sauce, garlic powder, teriyaki sauce, and both cans of pineapple with juice.
2. Let heat 5-7 minutes.
3. Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Add to skillet.
4. Cover half of skillet with lid and allow to cook until chicken is done (or white and not translucent).
5. Cook egg rolls and noodles according to package directions.

On the plate, add the noodles and eggrolls first. Then dish the chicken and pineapple onto the noodles. Enjoy!

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Baked Ranch Chicken

As part of my monthly goals, I try to make at least one new recipe. It really helps with the meal planning. :)

Last night I made Baked Ranch Chicken, and it was a hit!

It was somewhat of an odd preparation, because I used french dressing as a marinade, but it was really good! Also, I used refrigerated chicken, because I did not have time to thaw it, but in the future I may get bulk frozen chicken.

Baked Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:
* 8 chicken breasts
* 1/2 packet ranch seasoning
* 1 cup bread crumbs
* pinch of garlic powder (or minced)
* salt & pepper
* 3-4 cups french dressing (or enough to coat chicken)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix french dressing, pinch of garlic, salt and pepper in shallow bowl. Add chicken.
3. Marinate for at least 1 hour (you can also marinate over night or while at work)
4. Spray glass pan with Pam or cover with olive oil.
5. Mix ranch seasoning and bread crumbs.
6. Remove chicken from french dressing marinade, but do not rinse. Dip marinaded chicken in ranch mix to coat thoroughly.
7. Place chicken in glass pan.
8. Cook for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Enjoy :)

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Happy Bloody Mary Month!

To celebrate 75 years, I've included my favorite recipe of the famous drink.

* 1 oz. vodka
* pinch of celery salt
* pinch of salt and pepper
* 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
* 3 drops hot sauce (or to taste)
* 6 oz. tomato juice
* 1 oz. lemon juice
* celery stalk

Mix all, top with celery stalk, and enjoy! :)

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Must Have for Cookouts- Dirt Cake

This cake is a cookout must! It's somewhat light, due to the whipped cream, and has just enough chocolate! It makes a great finished after a couple of hot dogs, chips, potato salad, and who knows what else.

Some people make it in a pan, others make it in a small plastic bucket and add a plastic shovel.



Dirt Cake
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
12 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
gummy worms (optional)

Directions:

Cream together the cream cheese, margarine and sugar. Mix together pudding, milk and Cool Whip. Combine chocolate mixture with creamed mixture. Stir well.

In a clean flowerpot, layer mixture with crushed Oreo cookies, ending with cookies on top. Add gummy worms or silk flowers on top. Also, if made in a plastic bucket, include a shovel for serving.

Enjoy! :)

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