Coconut Shrimp

One of my favorite seafood appetizers is Coconut Shrimp. They serve this dish at Red Lobster and I thought I would try it at home. It was a definite hit! This is best prepared in a deep fryer, but instructions for making in a dutch oven are below.
I am also adding an alternate sauce for this dish, but both sauces are equally delicious!

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
2 cups bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Vegetable oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 to 2 tablespoons dark rum

In a large bowl, combine coconut and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and bread crumb mixture into 3 separate bowls. Dredge the shrimp in flour and shake off excess. Next, dip the shrimp thoroughly in the egg and rub against the side of the bowl to lightly remove excess. Finally, coat the shrimp thoroughly with the bread crumb mixture. Lay out the shrimp so they do not touch on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter until ready to fry. In a large Dutch oven, heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Be careful not to overcrowd shrimp in the oil while frying. Drain on paper towels.
For the Dipping Sauce: heat the marmalade in a small saucepan over low heat. Thin with rum as desired.

Alternate Sauce: PINA COLADA DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pina colada nonalcoholic drink mix
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (canned)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

This recipe is courtesy Robert Pickens for foodnetwork.com.

Recipe File: Coconut Shrimp

One of my favorite seafood appetizers is Coconut Shrimp. They serve this dish at Red Lobster and I thought I would try it at home. It was a definite hit! This is best prepared in a deep fryer, but instructions for making in a dutch oven are below.

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
2 cups bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Vegetable oil, for frying

Dipping Sauce: 
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pina colada nonalcoholic drink mix
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (canned)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Shrimp:

In a large bowl, combine coconut and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and bread crumb mixture into 3 separate bowls. Dredge the shrimp in flour and shake off excess. Next, dip the shrimp thoroughly in the egg and rub against the side of the bowl to lightly remove excess. Finally, coat the shrimp thoroughly with the bread crumb mixture. Lay out the shrimp so they do not touch on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter until ready to fry. In a large Dutch oven, heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Be careful not to overcrowd shrimp in the oil while frying. Drain on paper towels.

For the Dipping Sauce:

Add all ingredients to a bowl, and stir to incorporate. Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from Robert Pickens for foodnetwork.com.

Cincinnati Chili

When I lived in Las Vegas and brought friends home for the holidays, we would always go to Skyline Chili. They liked it so much that I had to learn how to make this dish from scratch. It's a great yummy supper for a cold winter night-and a definite hit with kids (they love to customize their chili!)


3 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pounds ground beef chuck
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spaghetti, kidney beans, chopped onion, grated Cheddar, and oyster crackers as traditional accompaniments, if desired

In a large heavy kettle cook the onions and the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, add the beef, and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the beef is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, the paprika, the cumin, the coriander, the allspice, the oregano, the cayenne, the cinnamon, the cloves, and the mace and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, the water, the tomato sauce, the vinegar, and the molasses and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water, if necessary, to keep the beef barely covered, for 2 hours, or until it is thickened but soupy enough to be ladled. Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with salt and pepper. The chili may be frozen or made 4 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Serve the chili as is or in the traditional Cincinnati "five-way" style: Ladle the chili over the spaghetti and top it with the beans, the onion, the Cheddar, and the oyster crackers.

This recipe is from foodnetwork.com by Gourmet Magazine.

Cincinnati Chili

When I lived in Las Vegas and brought friends home for the holidays, we would always go to Skyline Chili. They liked it so much that I had to learn how to make this dish from scratch. It’s a great yummy supper for a cold winter night-and a definite hit with kids (they love to customize their chili!)


3 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pounds ground beef chuck
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spaghetti, kidney beans, chopped onion, grated Cheddar, and oyster crackers as traditional accompaniments, if desired

In a large heavy kettle cook the onions and the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, add the beef, and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the beef is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, the paprika, the cumin, the coriander, the allspice, the oregano, the cayenne, the cinnamon, the cloves, and the mace and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, the water, the tomato sauce, the vinegar, and the molasses and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water, if necessary, to keep the beef barely covered, for 2 hours, or until it is thickened but soupy enough to be ladled. Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with salt and pepper. The chili may be frozen or made 4 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Serve the chili as is or in the traditional Cincinnati “five-way” style: Ladle the chili over the spaghetti and top it with the beans, the onion, the Cheddar, and the oyster crackers.

This recipe is from foodnetwork.com by Gourmet Magazine.

Quick + Easy Ravioli

Tonight I prepared a quick soccer night meal that everyone enjoyed. It took less than ten minutes to prepare and again cost less than $10 for 5 people!

* Purchase a 4 pound bag (family size) of frozen cheese Ravioli and two to three different pasta sauces. Tonight I chose an Alfredo Sauce and a Mini Meatball Marinara.

* The Ravioli I chose (Meijer brand) boiled from frozen in three minutes, while I heated the sauce. I placed the sauces on the table so that everyone could try a bit. I'm thinking Basil Pesto next!

Quick + Easy Ravioli

Tonight I prepared a quick soccer night meal that everyone enjoyed. It took less than ten minutes to prepare and again cost less than $10 for 5 people!

* Purchase a 4 pound bag (family size) of frozen cheese Ravioli and two to three different pasta sauces. Tonight I chose an Alfredo Sauce and a Mini Meatball Marinara.

* The Ravioli I chose (Meijer brand) boiled from frozen in three minutes, while I heated the sauce. I placed the sauces on the table so that everyone could try a bit. I’m thinking Basil Pesto next!

Easy Peppermint Bark

I'm not a super baker. But during the holidays I do indulge my family and friends with an easy peppermint bark recipe. And by easy, I mean easy.

This year I purchased six bags of Nestle White Chocolate chips and five 1" round candy canes (the thick ones-they are usually around 59¢).

First, crush the candy canes. This is a fun job for a little helper! Next, simply heat the white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium heat until melted. Take the chocolate off the flame and add the crushed candy. Then pour onto a cookie sheet (or two) and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, you will have peppermint bark!

When the bark is ready, I break it into small pieces (about half the size of a Hershey's candy bar).
Next, I place six to ten pieces in a cello bag (available at any craft store) and tie with a pretty ribbon.

This is a great treat to have around, especially when holiday visitors come by!

Easy Peppermint Bark

I’m not a super baker. But during the holidays I do indulge my family and friends with an easy peppermint bark recipe. And by easy, I mean easy.

This year I purchased six bags of Nestle White Chocolate chips and five 1” round candy canes (the thick ones-they are usually around 59¢).

First, crush the candy canes. This is a fun job for a little helper! Next, simply heat the white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium heat until melted. Take the chocolate off the flame and add the crushed candy. Then pour onto a cookie sheet (or two) and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, you will have peppermint bark!

When the bark is ready, I break it into small pieces (about half the size of a Hershey’s candy bar).
Next, I place six to ten pieces in a cello bag (available at any craft store) and tie with a pretty ribbon.

This is a great treat to have around, especially when holiday visitors come by!