Spaghetti Squash and Chili

Did you think I died? Well, my husband started law school and I have been struggling to adjust to two kids and being a "law school widow." I have had some other major changes in my life and finally am feeling a little more normal.
With a little baby and a potty-training toddler, I don't have a lot of time in the kitchen unfortunately. I try to celebrate my husband being home on the weekends with a little more experimenting in the kitchen.

I saw this idea on Pinterest the other day. It is a super easy and inexpensive meal. You just put your favorite chili recipe on top of Spaghetti Squash. Use this method for easy cooking. My spaghetti squash was pretty big and my husband likes it a little softer, so we microwaved it for about 1 1/2 times what I did in that post. I tossed the Spaghetti squash in butter, salt, and pepper, and then topped with a simple "chili."

Super Simple Chili
1/2 lb ground beef, browned
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans (any kind, I used black)
cumin
garlic powder
onion powder
1 small pinch cayenne

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan, season to taste. Heat until warm.

Teriyaki Burgers

I am back! I know, I said that before. But I am really feeling into my groove now.
I was inspired by my sister, who stopped blogging to spend time with her family. I am not going to stop blogging, but I am going to stop living/cooking for my blog. I am going to make what I want to make, and when it seems blog worthy - you will get a post. I just didn't like the fact that I "couldn't" make a favorite dish because I had already posted the recipe. I still love to experiment and new foods - so there will always be something new - just maybe not as often as before.

Okay, now to the food. These burgers! Oh! These burgers are delicious, and they couldn't be easier!
Thanks to Marta's delicious salad recipe, I had some leftover Soy Vay. Hannah told me to just use it in burgers. They were moist, flavorful, and easy! Really. You don't need a recipe, but I'll give it to you anyway. They were so delicious I didn't need any ketchup, mustard or other sauce -- and that's saying a lot from a ketchup lover!

Teriyaki Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

1 lb lean ground beef
3-4 Tbsp Soy Vay, or other prepared teriyaki sauce

Combine ingredients and divide into four patties, shaping them so the center is a little thinner than the edges. (I learned this from Rachael Ray - this makes them cook evenly and so when they bulge, you have a flat rather than ball-shaped patty). Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, flipping once, or until desired done-ness.

We topped them with grilled pineapple, tomato, and lettuce. That's actually kind of a lie because we don't have a grill - I faux-grilled them. I sprinkled each pineapple ring with some brown sugar and then put them under the broiler until the sugar was dissolved and started to caramelize, maybe 3-5 minutes.

Panko-Crusted Salmon

Are you all loving Pinterest as much as I am? I love finding new ideas, crafts, and especially - recipes! I found this recipe for Panko-Crusted Salmon from Annie's Eats there. It is delicious and easy. Plus, it is done in about 20 minutes! We have made it twice since my mom has been here. It is probably my favorite Salmon recipe I have made!

Panko-Crusted Salmon

from Annie's Eats

2/3 cup panko
2 tbsp. finely minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 (6-8 oz.) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.
Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface. Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.
Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin. (If you don’t want to eat the skin, this step also helps the skin stick to the pan so the fillets can be easily removed without the skin later on.)
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.

Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

We finally started a cooking club here in Lincoln. Really, it's just an excuse to eat delicious food and have the girls get together. We had a blast. I hosted the first month so I did a simple theme "Favorite Foods." The only problem is I don't really have a "favorite" main dish... so I called Hannah and she told me hers, I cheated and made her favorite dish. It was quite delicious. (And just between you and me, it is healthy!)

Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

recipe from my sister, Hannah
1 1/2 tsp canola oil
6 slices white bread (crusts removed, torn small pieces)
1/2 c skim milk
2 lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp italian seasoning
salt & pepper
1 egg white

For the stuffing:
2 lbs frozen spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
3 green onions (green tops only, chopped)
1 egg white pepper
1/3 c freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 c toasted pine nuts

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. (Make sure the foil hangs over the edge an inch or two...) Spray foil with cooking spray.
In a bowl, mash the bread with the milk until milk is fully absorbed. Squeeze bread to eliminate excess milk.
In another bowl, combine turkey, mustard, oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the soaked bread and egg white and mix until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Spread in prepared pan to make an even later. Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
To make stuffing, cook the spinach according to the package and squeeze our excess moisture. Place spinach and green onion in frying pan and cook over medium-high heat until spinach is dry and fluffy. (About 5 minutes...) Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add egg and season generously with pepper.
Spread spinach stuffing evenly over turkey, leaving a 1-inch border of the turkey. Add toasted pine nuts on top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over stuffing and pine nuts.
Lifting the foil along the long side facing you, roll up the meat and stuffing like a jelly roll, pushing it forward a bit at a time and lifting the foil away, until a long log has formed. Pat the log gently to compact it. Brush with the remaining 1 tsp canola oil and center it on the pan. Cook loaf for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Let rest for 15 minutes. Cut meat into 8-10 slices and serve over spicy tomato sauce.
*If you want to see step by step pictures see Hannah's post.


Spicy Tomato Sauce
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 c. finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
28 oz. can whole tomatoes & juice
28 oz. can chopped tomatoes & juice
2 c tomato sauce
Stir together spices. Set aside. Warm olive oil in deep pan. Add onion and saute until they begin to soften. Stir in garlic. Add tomatoes. Break apart whole tomatoes. Stir in spice mixture. Raise heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.

Asian Glazed Drumsticks

Last week was my husband's spring break. I took one too - we left for Kansas City, saw some fun sites and museums. I didn't do much cooking or cleaning. It was fabulous.
Are you guys watching March Madness? Our team was in through the sweet 16, unfortunately loosing last Thursday night by just a few points. It was sweet while it lasted.
Even though it was just my husband and I watching the game I thought we needed some party food - so I finally made these Asian Drumsticks from Gina's Skinny Recipes. These were delicious, and you would never guess they were low calorie. Mmm!

Asian Glazed Drumsticks

recipe via Gina's Skinny Recipes
8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 Tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.

Yellow Thai Curry

I just started working night shifts now for my job. It is so much nicer to only miss a few hours of Lou's day - rather than the whole thing. I think we will both do much better.
The only problem is the obvious one - I am tired. I have great friends who are helping me watch Lou for a few hours in the morning so I can sleep, plus I sleep during her nap. That gives me about 6 hours of sleep - which is much better than I expected. But, I am a 8-9 hour girl. I know there are few of us out there, but I really need that amount of sleep or I am cranky/weepy/impatient. The days after I work I am moving slow and don't get much done around the house. Then dinner rolls around - and I need something fast and easy. This Thai Curry recipe is just that - easy easy! Thank you Trader Joe's!

Yellow Thai Curry

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small onion, cut in half then sliced
1 large bell pepper, sliced
1-2 tomatoes, sliced (I like to use a Roma or something with a lot of flesh and not a lot of juice)
Trader Joe's Yellow Thai Curry sauce (I use about half the jar)
Salt and Pepper

In a large frying pan or a wok, heat up a few tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper. Toss in wok, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through. Add in onion, cook for an additional two minutes. Add in bell pepper, cook another 1 minute. Add sauce and tomatoes, cook until heated through. Serve over Jasmine Rice.

*If you don't want to do chicken - substitute any meat you like - pork, shrimp, beef, whatever you have in the freezer!

Asian Chicken Salad

My husband and I are taking our last finals for the semester, and for me they are my last ever! Hoorah!! But as exciting as that is, we are a little stressed in our house. I only have one more final left so I am a little more relaxed than my husband who has 3 Law finals left. I have been trying to have meals planned out and the shopping done in advance so dinner is not something I have to worry about. Last night we had an Asian Chicken Salad. Done in about 15 minutes - it is a healthy and fast meal for us.

Asian Chicken Salad

2 small chicken breasts
Red bell pepper
Green onion
Shredded carrots
Chow mein noodles
Rice Wine Viniagrette (recipe follows)

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Saute over medium to medium high heat until center of thickest portion reaches 160 degrees. Let rest a few minutes before slicing. Toss ingredients remaining ingredients with dressing and top with chicken.

Rice Wine Vinaigrette
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp green onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp ground fresh ginger
pinch red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

Blend first 6 ingredients together. While whisking, stream in oil until desired consistency.

Corn Chowder

One great thing about cold weather is I have a good excuse to make soup. I love soup. I even make it in the summer. But it is a bit more comforting in the winter - but must be accompanied by big fuzzy socks.
This corn chowder is from my old roommate Monica. I love it because of the surprising flavors of rosemary and cayenne. Yum! And the original recipe calls for half and half - but I use milk to cut some calories. But really I can't taste much of a difference.

Corn Chowder
2 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
3 Tbsp butter
7½ cup corn (divided)
2 tsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
¼ tsp cayenne
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup half and half
1 bell pepper, sauteed
salt and pepper


In a large pot sauté onion, carrots, and celery in butter until onions are translucent and veggies are starting to get soft. Add 5½ cups of the corn, rosemary, cayenne. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes. In batches, puree in a blender. Return to pot. Add milk (or half and half for richer taste), remaining corn, and bell pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tips:

For the corn I think frozen is best. Fresh is great, but hard to find the majority of the year.

Honey Baked Ham... only homemade

The credit for this ham should go to my husband. Because I ended up being in charge of the turkey and the ham, and I don't have two ovens (sniff. sniff.), my husband offered to go to a friend's house to baste the ham every 15 minutes. Bravo sweetie. It was delicious. The picture, of course, doesn't do it justice (Any tips on photographing meat? This is my hardest subject.)

Honey Glazed Ham

adapted from here
1 small, spiral cut, bone-in ham
2 Tbsp whole cloves
1 cup honey
2/3 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Score the ham on a diagonal, about every 3/4 inch, to make diamonds. Evenly space the cloves in some of the intersections. Set aside.
In a small saucepan combine honey, butter, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, let brown sugar dissolve, reduce to low.
Brush sauce liberally over ham (you won't use all of it, just some, you'll use the rest later). Place in oven. Baste every 15 minutes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on size of ham). Keep sauce warm on low. After ham is warmed through, turn on broiler until crust is crunchy and caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon and Caramelized Onions

I love this foods of this season. They are so warm and comforting. Butternut squash is one of my favorites. This dish is one of those comforting meals you can snuggle up on the couch and eat.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon and Caramelized Onions

5 slices of bacon
1 large onion, sliced thin
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp butter, divided
6 c chicken stock
2 c water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbsp dried thyme
2 c Arboio Rice
salt and pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan

Cook bacon until crispy, set aside on paper towels to drain.
In a pan, heat onions, 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter and a pinch of salt over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until onions are caramelized, and soft. (Don't cook too quickly - takes about 30 minutes). Bring stock and water to simmer in a pot then reduce heat to low.
Heat a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil. When oil ripples, add the squash and garlic and soften 2-3 minutes. Add thyme and rice and toast 2 to 3 minutes more. Add 2 cups of liquid and cook it out completely, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue ladling in about 2 ladles of liquid in at a time. Stirring often, allow liquids to evaporate each time.
Risotto will take about 20 minutes. Season salt and pepper, to taste. In the last minute of cooking time, stir in the butter in small pieces,  Parmesan, cooked bacon, and caramelized onions. Garnish with a little more Parmesan and fresh parsley (if you have it... I was out).

Beef Goulash with Polenta

I saw a goulash dish being made on the food network, and for the first time in the past 13 weeks, I have really wanted to make meat. My lucky husband. Now, my grocery store was out of caraway seeds so I just left them out. I don't know if that is allowed in goulash, but don't be mad.

Beef Goulash

2 pounds beef, cut into 1-2 inch cubes (the better the cut, the more tender your final product)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, deviened and chopped finely
3 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp whole caraway seeds, toasted and ground
2 Tbsp paprika (if you have sweet and hot in your house, do a little of each!)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp ground marjoram
1 tsp thyme
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 cups chicken stock, low-sodium
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Season the beef with the salt and pepper, to taste. In a large oven safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until just smoking. Add the beef in batches, being careful not to crowd and be sure to brown the meat on all sides. (Make sure you have your fan going... or else your fire alarm might go off and scare your 20 month old). Remove the meat from the pan to a baking sheet, or something that can catch the juices.
Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, the moisture from the onions will loosen the bits at the bottom, so stir often. Add the peppers and the garlic and cook until caramelized and all of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 1 minute. Add in the caraway, sweet and hot paprika, the red chili flakes, the marjoram, and thyme.
Deglaze with the balsamic and let reduce for 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, then add the beef and any juices collected from the meat. Add the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir gently to combine.
Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley (no, we were out, so I used cilantro - and it was just as tasty). Serve with creamy or polenta if desired.

**Yes, I know there is red pepper flakes and a jalapeno, but I promise it just gives a little spice - not really "heat." Don't be nervous.

Mustard Pork Chops

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe with you. I got it from my sister years ago and it is a staple in our house. I put this on our menu at least twice a month. Mustard and pork is one of my favorite combination.

Mustard Pork Chops

4 Pork Chops
1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2-3 green onions, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook on each side until browned and just cooked through. Remove pork from pan, set aside and cover with foil.
Reduce heat to low. Add evaporated milk; stir to loosen brown bits from bottom of the skillet. Stir in mustard and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return pork to skillet. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened.

Tips: 

Can use pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch thick slices then pound until about 1/4 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

Meatloaf

Okay, don't go to the next blog post just because this one says meatloaf. I am not the biggest meatloaf person, but really this was delicious. Not as bland as most are. My husband told me after this came out of the oven that he usually dosen't like meatloaf (I didn't know this!) but he really liked this one. Another bonus - I used half ground turkey so it's less fat than those 80/20 loafs out there. I did a little olive oil but that's a much better fat for you.
This was a perfect Sunday dinner for us. I served mine with green beans, mashed pototoes and a green salad. Serve on a silver platter and the everyday looks gourmet!

Meatloaf

5 oz bag of garlic croutons (thanks to Alton Brown for this idea)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 onion, cut in 6 pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut in half
2 garlic cloves
2 celery sticks, cut in half
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg ground turkey (mine was 19 oz)
1 Tbsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Glaze

1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Add to crouton mixture. Add in meats and salt. Mix in egg. Combine well by folding and stirring, don't "squish" it.
Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Bake for about 10 minutes. While baking make your glaze.
Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. After the meatloaf has been cooking for 10 minutes, brush the glaze on. Cook for about 40 more minutes or until internal temperature has reached 155 degrees.

Chicken Pesto Panini

My husband has told his fellow co-workers about this blog and frequently talks about my cooking. After all that talking and bringing leftovers, they said I needed to feed them lunch. I fed his department - about 14 people. Not a huge undertaking. But seeing how we are moving this week, I didn't want to buy a lot of things or do a lot of cooking. (We are packing up the kitchen!) So I put together a simple lunch of panini and salad. These panini are so simple but were a big hit. I guess you could say I had my first catering event!
This is a great recipe because it is so simple to make for a few or multiple people. Because I made it simple I used a roatisserie chicken and prepared pesto. If you wanted to be really gourmet you could do these yourself, but I don't think you can really tell the difference. One of the women at his work is vegetarian, so she had one without meat - it was still delicious.

Chicken Pesto Panini

1 loaf Ciabatta bread, cut horizontally then in about 6 pieces
6 Tbsp prepared pesto
Mozzarella cheese
1 cup Baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup (ish) Sun-dried tomatoes
1-2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat

Prehead a panini press. To build the panini: Spread one tablespoon of the pesto on each piece of ciabatta bread (I like it split between both sides). Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on each side of the bread. Then layer a few spinach leaves, a few sun-dried tomato slices, and the chicken. Put your slices together and place onto hot panini press. Press sandwhiches until warmed through, cheese has melted, and the bread is crisp.

Tips:

• No Panini Press? Not a problem - check out how to make a panini press from what you already have in your kitchen!
• You can prepare these ahead (up to a few hours), wrap them up, and cook them when ready.
• To make even more gourmet - use fresh mozzerella (I was going to, but that's so expensive for 14 people!)
• Buy the sun-dried tomatoes in oil, the dry ones are not the best texture.
• Have your local bakery slice your bread loaf for you to cut on time.

How to Make a Panini Press

So the other day the girls were up at our cabin. We had planned fabulous, delicious food. One of said meals was a panini and soup. The only problem is our cabin doesn't have a panini press (and on that note, neither do I). So we got creative.

Here's how to make a Panini Press:

Place said paninis on griddle. Find something flat (baking dish, roasting pan, skillet) and place on top. Then place on the flat item place something heavy - in my case, the heaviest cans we could find. When bottom side of your panini is flat and golden, flip and repeat!

We made my friend Alma's recipe - Brie, watercress, turkey (good stuff - no fake lunch meat stuff, this is fancy!), and green apples. It doesn't get much better than that!

The Ultimate Burger

For the fourth of July, we got together with my sister's family and had some delicious food. We made salsa and burgers and had corn on the cob and watermelon. It was the perfect summer meal. I bought popsicles for dessert, but my brother-in-law doesn't believe something is dessert unless it has chocolate, so they bought a delicious Boston Cream Pie.

I made the burgers and brought lots of delicious toppings: bacon, provolone (no plastic "cheddar" allowed in this family), grilled pineapple, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado. Of course I couldn't decide which to include, so I did them all!

Looks yum doesn't it? Although, it was hard to eat by the end -- I had to use a fork and knife. PS - this is how we like burgers in our family (at least the girls): a little meat with lots of toppings!

Burger Tips:

Don't use a low-fat burger meat - you need the fat to hold it together.
Add some flavor, just throw in some sauces, spices that you like. But I always recommend Worcestershire.
For these burgers I put tomato paste, BBQ seasoning, mustard, and Worcestershire.

What do you like in/on your burger?

Balsamic Lime Shrimp

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday. I loved every minute of it. Great food, people, concerts, fireworks, and activities. We are so exhausted - we did way too many fun things!

A while ago my mom and sister were doing weight watchers and were trying to find as many zero-point foods as they could. They used to put balsamic vinegar and lime juice on their salads because there was no fat and barely any calories. At first I thought it was an odd combination - until I tried it. It was perfect together. I thought maybe I could carry that over into a marinade. I made this healthy marinade for shrimp skewers. no fat, and just a little calories really from the honey. Try this while your grill is still hot from the weekend!

Balsamic Lime Shrimp

1/4 inch fresh ginger - sliced thinly
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 lg or 3 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 T honey
Shrimp - enough for two skewers per person

Place all ingredients, except shrimp, into a large ziplock bag. Squish the bag around until the honey has dissolved and all ingredients are combined. Add shrimp. Marinate for 20-30 minutes (no longer!). Place on skewers (soak your wooden skewers in warm water for about 30 minutes before you grill - they won't burn - see mine for proof!) and grill for about 2 minutes on each side or until flesh is pink and is no longer translucent. I don't have a grill, so I do this under my broiler for the same amount of time. Garnish with cilantro.
I served mine with a green salad and whole wheat couscous.

Cilantro Lime Couscous
boil 2 1/4 cups chicken stock and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add couscous, stir, remove from heat, and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Stir in a splash of lime juice and a handful of chopped cilantro!

Tips:

Use this marinade on any protein - chicken, beef, salmon, pork. Would work great.
Don't marinate your seafood for more than 30 minutes, the acids start to cook the fish (and not the way you want it to).
If you need to/want to stretch your marinade a little further, use a little (1/2 c) flavorless oil, like canola. Unless you live on the coast and know your shrimp is really fresh - buy it frozen! That way you know you are getting the freshest shrimp possible in your area. Plus, you get can it peeled and deveined already.
Fresh ginger can not be substituted - it's just too good. Plus it's cheap. Buy a piece, peel it, then freeze what you don't use.

Coconut Shrimp

One of my favorite meals when I go to Hawaii is Macky's Coconut Shrimp. My mouth drools just thinking about it. I was having a little Spring fever and wanted something that reminded me of warmer weather.
This is not quite like Macky's (nothing could ever be!) but it was simple and tied me over until my next trip out to the North Shore.

Coconut Shrimp

1 lb shrimp, peeled and devined
1 1/2 c tempura batter
1 c coconut
ice cold water, or club soda
Peanut or Canola oil


1. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Should have enough oil so that shrimp will be completely submerged.
2. Once you have peeled and devined shrimp, set on paper towel to dry
3. Get your ingredients ready
4. Mix dry tempura batter and coconut
5. Mix in enough water to make a thick batter consistency (like a cake-mix cake batter)

Dip shrimp in batter so evenly coated, place directly in oil. Do not put too many shrimp in your oil or the oil temperature will get too low (I keep my thermometer in to help me keep an eye on it). Fry until golden brown. Remove from oil and  drain on paper towel for a minute. 6. Serve warm with favorite dipping sauce.

This is our favorite dipping sauce - it's what Maky uses. I buy it in Hawaii, so if you can't find it - choose something similar, or that you like.

Salsa Chicken

Need a simple, delicious dinner idea? Here you go! You're welcome. Actually, you can thank my friend Katy. Mmm. This one is so good. I think I need to make it again this week.
Katy usually serves this with mashed potatoes or rice. I thought it went deliciously with Spaghetti Squash. Do what you wish.

Salsa Chicken

adapted from Katy L.

2 large chicken breasts
1/4 c salsa
1/4 c honey
1/8 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1/8 cup molasses or honey BBQ sauce
4 pieces bacon

Preheat oven to 350°
Combine salsa, honey, vinegar, mustard, and molasses(or BBQ sauce). Fry bacon until brown, but not crispy. Place chicken in a Dutch oven or casserole dish and pour mixture over chicken. Place bacon pieces over chicken(or slice breasts and place bacon inside) and bake in oven until chicken is done(about 30 minutes, depending on thickness). Spoon mixture over chicken every 15 minutes.

*Katy's Tip: For a variation, slice a pocket in the middle of each chicken breast and fill with cheese and pepperoni.

Our Valentine's Day

I know it's a little late, but I wanted to share what AC and I had for dinner on Valentine's Day. It is much more fun for us to stay in. (Added bonuses - not worrying about finding a sitter, cheaper, and turned out - this was tastier!)

On our Valentine Menu: Surf and Turf (Ribeye Steak and Shrimp), Roasted Asparagus, Rosette Dinner Rolls, and a Spinach Salad (you can see it in the corner... there was nothing special about it). For dessert we had Lemon Bars. Don't be mad, we didn't have chocolate. But Lemon Bars are my husband's favorite. Stay tuned for all the recipes.
Here is the Surf and Turf for you though:

Steak and Shrimp

Turf:

2 Ribeye Steaks
3-4 Tbsp Butter
Seasoning Salt
Lemon Pepper

Surf:

12 shrimp
garlic powder
Lemon Pepper

In a large skillet or grill pan, melt butter. Apply a thin layer or seasoning salt and lemon pepper on the steak, give it a little massage and rub it in. Cook steaks until desired doneness. Let rest for 10 minutes before poking or cutting into it!
Okay, I know that's pretty broad, but it totally depends on how you like your steaks cooked and how thick they are. Here is what I did for a Medium steak: Heat was just between Medium and Medium High. My steaks were 1 inch (ish) thick. And I cooked them for about 5 minutes on both sides. Does that help.
5 minutes after your steak started resting, turn heat back on the skillet to Medium High (don't clean it out, that's good stuff in there!).  Once pan is hot, place shrimp in skillet, stirring for just a minute to pick up those yummy flavors left in the pan. (If it seems kind of dry, add 1 Tbsp of butter.) Flip the shrimp once down side looks white and slightly pink. Remove shrimp as soon as it is white all over.

Okay, more tips: remove your steak from the fridge and bring your steaks to room temperature before cooking - trust me.
Don't move your steak while cooking them except to flip. This gives you nice caramelization. Again, trust me.
If you are a newbie to steak (I am pretty new myself - this was my third steak and my first real success), and are worried about doneness - use a meat thermometer. yes, it is a little poke, but it's much better than cutting a big slice into it.