Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Asian Shrimp Pops

These shrimp pops are so delicious and really easy to make. I made them for a BBQ cook-off and although they didn't win, they were a big hit. I served them with a nice pear and avocado salad to balance the richness of the shrimp pops and sauce.


Sauce
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, stirred
1⁄3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili sauce, such as Sriracha
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Shrimp Pops
1 pound ground pork
¾ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup chopped basil
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Place over medium heat and cook (but do not simmer), whisking constantly, just until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes (the sauce will thicken further as it cools). Remove from the heat.

2. In a food processor, pulse the shrimp pop ingredients and process until a chunky paste is formed. Pour the vegetable oil onto a sheet pan and brush it evenly all over the surface. Shape the mixture into ovals, placing them on the oiled sheet pan as you make them. Turn them, making sure they are well coated with oil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up the texture.

3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat.

4. Place shrimp mixture on the end of each skewer. Grill the shrimp pops over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until they are firm throughout, 4 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice (cut one open with a sharp knife to test for doneness). Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

Left Over Shrimp Pops

I love to re-purpose left overs.  I had several shrimp pops left from dinner so I sliced them up, browned them in a skillet and added a hand full of  frozen peas. Then served them over flat rice noodles with the remaining peanut sauce. SOOO GOOD!


Kid's In the Kitchen

I invited four of the cutest girls to come learn how to make puff pastry pockets. I set up a work space for each girl with many choices for filling their pastries. They had so much fun and were so proud of their finished products.

We used frozen puff pastry that was thawed and cut into 4 in squares. They then filled them with sweet and savory fillings, sealed the pockets, brushed them with egg wash and sprinkled coarse sugar or sea salt on top. We baked them until they were puffed and golden brown. The girls took home their creations to share with their families.

Fillings included:

Spinach & Feta
Pizza Toppings
Chicken and Cheese
Sweet Potato & Marshmallows
Apples with Cinnamon
Cherry Pie Filling







Homemade Pizza - Oh Yeah!

We make homemade pizza all time. The following are a sample of the latest. We make traditional pepperoni and red sauce for the kiddos but I prefer simple olive oil with sea salt and pepper.

Asparagus and Mushroom on Wheat with Fresh Shaved Parmesan and Cheddar


 Blue Cheese, Spinach & Mushroom on Cracker Thin Whole Wheat Crust with Mozzarella


Monday, October 1, 2012

Weeknight Cheeseburger Soup

So easy and fast!
The soup is NOT canned cheese yellow, I promise.

This is the perfect soup for the entire family on a weekday night. It took one pot and less than 30 min to make and I only used what I had on hand.

  • Brown ground meat
  • Add onions and garlic (dried onions & garlic powder work too)
  • Add one can diced tomatoes with juice (any style)
  • Season with salt and pepper (I used seasoned salt)
  • Add any kind of broth or bullion / water combo
  • Add cheese (whatever you have on hand)

I had a small piece of Velveeta, a cup of grated cheddar and some left over queso dip.

Trust me - just use what you have on hand. You can't mess this up. Kids and adults love it!!!

Hadley's 2nd Birthday Cake

The sweetest baby Hadley turned two!
This is an owl cake for the most precious 2 year old ever. One layer was strawberry while the other was vanilla. Who doesn't like blue icing?

MMMMMM Meat!

Blue Cheese Rib Eye





We got our meat on last weekend. I grilled up tasty rib eye steaks with blue cheese accompanied by asparagus and baked beans. So simple and so good.