Spring Has Sprung!!

Hello,

Spring has definitely sprung!  I was at work yesterday and the birds were chirping outside.  I went outside to see just how warm it was and before me was a mother duck and 10 of her little ducklings swimming in a water puddle.  It was amazing....  So that's when I got the idea to make a very spring type dish.  I made an easy version of "Tabbouleh".  Tabbouleh is very spring like with fresh tomatoes and herbs.

"Cous Cous"

Typical Tabbouleh is made with Bulgar wheat.  I decided that to make an easy version I would use, "cous cous".  I love cous cous!  It can be made many different ways and it makes a great Tabbouleh.  Cook your cous cous according to the directions on the box which is usually 2 cups of bowling water to 1 box of cous cous.  I like to add salt and olive oil to the water while it's bowling.   I think its easy to prepare the cous cous by pouring the water over the cous cous in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the steam does not escape.  You know your cous cous is ready when the water has completely left the bowl and the cous cous is soft. 

"UMM UMM GOOD!!"

While you are waiting for the cous cous to get ready, you can start chopping the other ingredients.  I like to use fresh tomatoes, parsley, mint, and spring onions.  The fresher the ingredients the better.  Before you chop your tomatoes it is best to seed them ( remove all the seeds and juice).  I like to cut the tomatoes around the middle of the tomatoes and use my fingers to get all the seeds out of the pockets of the tomatoes.  Any extra liquid you can remove from your vegetables the better for your salad.  The tomatoes should be chopped small.  As you can see from the photos there is a lot of herbs in this salad.  I use equal amounts of parsley and mint all chopped small.  Slice the green onions as thin as you can.  Depending on your own taste buds will decide on how much lemon juice you would use.  Using fresh lemon juice is definitely better in this dish.  Just be careful of the seeds!  Add more olive oil and taste it for salt and pepper.  Once you decide that it has enough flavors for you then it is ready!  I hope you enjoy this easy version on Tabbouleh and I am sure your family will at the next family gathering.

INGREDIENTS:
COUS COUS
TOMATOES
PARSLEY
MINT
SPRING ONION (GREEN ONION)
LEMONS
OLIVE OIL
SALT AND PEPPER

MO

Not Your Typical Shrimp Salad!

"Shrimp Salad"

 Hello,
This is not your typical "Shrimp Salad".  I was recently requested by a customer to make a shrimp salad without mayonnaise.  At first I was thinking "What the *^%?", but then I thought "Hmmm!  I could do this".  So I came up with this idea.  First I steamed some shrimp in salty water flavored with onion and lemons.  Just throw in the whole onion and lemon both cut in half.  While waiting for the water to boil you can begin cutting your vegetables.  For this particular salad I chose: carrots, peppers, celery, zucchini, and green onions.  Everything is cut thin and long in what most may consider a julienned type cut or matchsticks.  The way you cut it is completely up to you. 

"Yummy!"

Once your flavored water starts to boil you then add your shrimp.  Please be careful not to over cook your shrimp no one likes rubbery shrimp.  Once you remove your shrimp it would be best to cool them before adding them to your salad.   While waiting on your shrimp to cool you can chop some from fresh parsley and throw in some capers for an additional burst of flavor.  With this salad I made a vinaigrette. 
So in your Cuisinart, blender, or in a bowl using a hand blender add the following: a small shallot, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and seasoned rice vinegar, garlic clove, and salt and pepper.  After you have mixed the top ingredients slowly add in olive oil while either machine is blending all the ingredients,  adding just enough to make your vinaigrette. (also great on a lettuce salad)  Always taste the vinaigrette and adjust it to suit your taste buds before adding it to your shrimp and vegetables.  So now that everything is chopped, cooled, and blended it is now time to mix everything together.  This is a great summer dish and it would even work being adding to some pasta of your choice to stretch it for large families.  I hope you enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:
SHRIMP (COOKED IN WATER, LEMON, SALT AND ONION)

CARROTS
ZUCCHINI
GREEN ONION
RED AND YELLOW PEPPERS
CELERY
PARSLEY
CAPERS

VINAIGRETTE:
SHALLOT
GARLIC CLOVE
LEMON JUICE
SEASONED RICE VINEGAR
DIJON MUSTARD
SALT AND PEPPER
OLIVE OIL

ENJOY,

MO

It's Been a While!!

Hello,

I know it has been some time since I last posted.   Life has been busy and I have been rushed.  Oh well its over now and I getting back into the grove of getting back on track.  Thanks to all of you that have been following me.  I am back now!! Sorry for the delay!!

Mo

Its Lent.... Have Shrimp

Hello,

I know not everyone does Lent, but I thought it was a snappier title.  Much better than "Shrimp"!!  Well like usual I got creative last night.  I had just finished peeling 5 lbs of shrimp with the thoughts of steaming them for shrimp cocktail.  That idea soon passed with a little inspiration.  A bag of already chopped onions and a large container of whole garlic cloves.  I decided to make some garlic shrimp.  You will be surprised where inspiration comes from.

"Garlic Shrimp"

I was told they were very very good!! I had to take the words of three others who wanted "seconds and thirds", word for it.

So first peel and de-vein (remove the gross part on the back of the shrimp).  I won't say exactly what it is, its not very appetizing.  Okay moving on.  I left the tails on, but you can remove them if you would like.  With 5lbs of shrimp I used about 1 large chopped onion, 5 garlic cloves rough chopped and 1 1/2 lemons.  So you can guesstimate for the amount of shrimp you have on hand.

In a large frying pan add olive oil about 3 tablespoons or enough to saute everything without sticking.  Get the pan hot without smoking add your chopped onion and garlic.  Saute these items for about 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile salt and pepper your dry shrimp.  Once your onions are done add the shrimp and keep stirring.  I didn't want the shrimp to over cook some and not the others so I kept stirring.  "No One Likes Rubbery Shrimp".  Once the shrimp are done remove it from the stove top and squeeze in fresh lemon juice.  Keeping an eye out for those pesky seeds.

I was surprised the great smell that this recipe gave off !! I hope you will enjoy them as much as the ladies at my job did sampling them for me.

Enjoy,

Mo

I Was Challenged

Hello,

Recently a friend, whom we will just call "J.R." he knows whom I am referring to, challenged me to come up with recipes from left overs.  I am always up for a challenge!! The problem is of course when I come up with ideas I forget to document them either with a picture or by writing down what was in it.  So the other night I had to come up with a quick dinner and had no idea what to make.  When I went into the refrigerator for the millionth time I saw that I had some steamed shrimp left over and decided I would do something with that.

"Shrimp Pasta"

Sorry it isn't on a beautiful plate, we had already began eating when I realized "OMG I should take a picture of this because "J.R." has challenged me!!  So I ran to the kitchen and snapped a picture in the pot.  I know tacky, but I got it!!

So the left overs are the steamed shrimp that I removed all of the tails from.  In a frying pan I added a little olive oil, large strips of peppers (color of your choice) and red onion.  I added garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the veggies.  While I am sauteing the veggies I start cooking the spaghetti pasta in salted water.

"Shrimp Pasta"

Don't over cook the peppers, but once they become limp I added some frozen peas, fresh lemon and the cooked shrimp.  Since the shrimp are already cooked you only have to warm them.  If you over heat the shrimp they will become rubbery.  No one likes a rubbery shrimp!!   Once the pasta is finished drain and toss with olive oil Parmesan cheese and squeeze in some fresh lemon juice.  "Watch out for seeds" Now combine both items and blend well.  Taste for salt and flavor and add more red pepper flakes, salt, or cheese if you would like.  Once I put the meal on the plates I topped them with extra Parmesan and crushed red peppers to those that like it SPICY!!

Enjoy,

Mo
PS:  "J.R." Be on the look out for more ideas from left overs I have not forgotten our challenge!!

Missing...

Hello,

This has been a busy couple of weeks.  Sorry for not writing for so long.  With kids being sick, myself being sick, and working to support my kids,  I have not had a great opportunity to participate in what I really enjoy doing.  I am back so be on the look out for new ideas that are floating in my head.....

Mo

Quick Cacciatore

Hi,

Do you like "Chicken Cacciatore"?  I like it, but I like most chicken dishes.  I think I could eat chicken everyday.  Usually when you have Chicken Cacciatore its usually with chicken that is still on the bone.  This recipe I made is quick and in a hurry, but just as tasty.  I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast. 

"Chicken Cacciatore"

First I like to trim any extra fat off of the chicken breast and season it with dried basil, fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Get a frying pan nice and hot and brown your chicken to a nice color.  Once it is browned place it in the oven 400F degrees and finish cooking for 10-15 minutes until it reaches 165F degrees or higher.  Not to high or you will have dry chicken.  While your chicken is cooking in the oven I like to add to the same frying pan the following items to make the sauce: sliced mushrooms, onions, green peppers and chopped garlic.  Saute all the vegetables and add a splash of white or red wine to deglaze the pan.  When you deglaze you remove any of the brown that was stuck to the bottom of the pan from browning the chicken, it has plenty of flavor.  If you don't like to use wine you can also deglaze with chicken broth or a splash of water.  If you do choose to use wine be careful because the alcohol could catch fire and burn off in the pan.  Once this is finished deglazing add canned tomatoes and fresh or dried basil.  Simmer the sauce until it reaches a nice consistency and all the vegetables are tender. 

"Chicken Cacciatore"

I like to add a little sugar to this dish when ever I use canned tomatoes to cut the bitterness, but just a little. Check for salt and pepper and adjust it as needed.  Now that the sauce is ready and the chicken is out of the oven it is time to put the two together.  I like to add the juice that comes off of the cooked chicken to the sauce as well.  More flavor the better.  Place the chicken on your plate and spoon your sauce over it.  YUMMY!!!! Wishing I had some right now.  This dish would taste good being served with some steamed green beans and either some spaghetti noodles sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or some creamy mashed potatoes.  Okay I'm getting very hungry now..............................................
I hope you enjoyed

INGREDIENTS:
BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST
SLICED ONION
SLICED MUSHROOMS
SLICED GREEN PEPPERS
GARLIC (FRESH OR DRIED)
BASIL (FRESH OR DRIED)
CANNED TOMATOES
OLIVE OIL
SUGAR
SALT AND PEPPER

Mo