Spicy Chiptotle Shrimp Skewers {Tasty Thursday}

Happy Thursday Y'all! I'm here with another edition of Tasty Thursday. I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, which is my favorite recipe site because it is so easy to save the ones you like all in one place. Simple, love it.

These skewers are great! I could actually handle them a little spicier, but they were the perfect level for the hubs and I do try to compromise the spice level every once in a while. And how can you beat grilled pineapple? You can't, its just delicious. I forgot to take pictures (again), but there are great shots on Simply Scratch. I suggest using large shrimp so you're not loading the skewers all day long. You can also use two skewers to keep the shrimp stable while grilling. Okay, here's the recipe!

What you need:
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
2 teaspoons Reserved Adobo Sauce
1 Lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablepoon Fresh Cilantro, or more to taste
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 pounds Fresh Uncooked Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined {I suggest using large}
4 Pineapple Slices
Rice, cooked
Soaked Wooden or Metal Skewers

What you do:
In a food processor combine the garlic, chipotle peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cilantro, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. In a large bowl or plastic bag place the cleaned shrimp. Pour the marinade over the shrimp, and mix well to thoroughly coat. Marinate for 20 minutes. {longer, if you have time!}

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade, and discard the excess. Thread about 6 shrimp per skewer, and grill on the preheated medium-high grill until the shrimp turn pink and opaque in the center, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve on top of grilled fresh pineapple and your favorite rice!

*Remember to soak your skewers in water for up to 60 minutes before grilling!

So delicious, fresh, and summery! Invite some friends over this weekend and try this recipe!

Tasty Thursday {chicken with tomatoes and garlic}

Happy Thursday y'all! Almost through the week. It's been gross and rainy here most of the week, but at least it washed the pollen away!

This week's recipe is one of the Pioneer Woman's from Tasty Kitchen. I actually found it about 4 or 5 months ago and it is a quick, easy throw together meal that my husband approves. Here's the link on Tasty Kitchen.

Sorry, no pictures. Boring, I know. But Ree's will be better than mine anyway!

What you need:
* 8 boneless, skinless breasts
* Salt And Pepper, to taste
* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon Butter
* 1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
* 1 can (14 Ounces) Whole Tomatoes
* 2 Tablespoons (Heaping) Tomato Paste
* Fresh Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary
* 8 cloves Garlic
* 16 ounces, weight Pasta
* ½ cups White Wine (or Red Wine)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt and pepper chicken legs.

Heat ovenproof skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When oil/butter is hot, add chickento the pan. Using tongs, brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Pour in wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes with their juice and add tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat. Add plenty of fresh herbs, 8 cloves of peeled (but whole) garlic, and the chicken. Put lid on pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove pot from oven and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.

Cook the pasta to al dente, Drain and add to a large serving bowl.

Remove lid and check sauce. If it’s overly thin, remove the chicken from the pot and boil the sauce on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust as needed.

To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh Parmesan and serve with crusty French bread.

It was really good y'all! A refreshing, light sauce.

Cowboy Chili {tasty thursday}

Seriously delicious Chili here y'all! We were watching Rachel Ray's new show - 5 meals, 1 day - and the hubs looked at this & said it looked great, so we had it for Sunday dinner. The. Best. Rachel. Ray. recipe. ever. period. Here's the recipe on Food Network.

What you need:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped, optional
• 1 1/2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin
• 2 Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Fresno chili peppers, sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 large fresh bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer {I used Corona Light}
• 4 cups beef stock {I used 3 cups}
• 1/4 cup thick Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (16-ounce) can baked beans
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes
• Scallions, thinly sliced on an angle for topping

What to do:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, cook until browned, and remove with slotted spoon.



Add the beef, brown well, and then add the potatoes, onions, chilis, carrot, garlic, chili powder, and bay leaf. Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper, and cook 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add the beer and stir about 2 minutes, or until the beer almost cooks out completely.

Stir in the stock, thick Worcestershire sauce, baked beans, bacon, and tomatoes, and thicken to desired consistency, about 20 to 45 minutes over a steady simmer for loose to super-thick chili.

Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

What's cooking at your house?

Cooking Link-ups:

Spicy Black Bean & Chicken Soup {tasty thursday}

I've got an easy-peasy crock-pot soup for y'all today! It's healthy and delicious as well, so a win-win for everyone.

What you need:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 16 oz package frozen mixed veggies
• 1 16 oz can salsa - i used chiptotle & black bean
• 16 oz Chicken stock
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 3 tbsp diced jalepenos
• pinch chili powder
• pinch black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 3 cans black beans, drained

What you do:
Place everything but the black beans in the crock-pot, stir, and cook on low for 6-7 hours. I place the chicken on top of everything else and just leave it for the 8 hours.

Shred the chicken, stir, and add the black beans. You can taste as this point to see if you need additional salt, pepper, or cumin. Cook on low for another hour so the beans will soften.

Stir and serve! This is excellent served with Trader Joe's cornbread:) Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken {Tasty Thursday}

Welcome to all my new followers! So happy to have you here!

Y'all, this chicken is seriously the best, hands down. It's my grandmother's recipe. Its got the perfect amount of spice, the perfect amount of vinegar, and just the right amount of awesome.

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup brown vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 tbsp white sugar
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tbsp mustard
• 2 slices finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 slices lemon
• 1 tsp red pepper
• Chicken ( I use all white meat, sometimes bone in, sometimes not, sometimes skinless - my grandmother uses whole chicken with skin on and bone in - so whatever floats your boat! one is cheaper and one is healthier)

What you do:

Salt and pepper the chicken. Broil of grill until the outside in just golden brown. (It will cook the rest of the way in the sauce.)

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan.

Boil for 15 minutes.

Add the chicken and simmer for at least 30 minutes. It will start looking awesome and delicious like this. The longer you simmer, the chicken will start to fall apart and the sauce gets in every little piece - just how I like it!



It's done after the 30 minutes, so just let it simmer until you are ready to eat. It is particularly tasty served over white rice.

Enjoy! Super Yum!

Tasty Thursday {Goulash}

Happy Thursday y'all! Welcome to my new followers! So happy to have you:)

Here's another recipe for this cold cold nights we've been having. We had snow here on the beach of NC again this week. Boo. I am really over winter. Anyway, this Goulash kept us warm and provided us with plenty of leftovers for our snow day. Here's the link to the original recipe - on Tasty Kitchen of course!

I changed just a few things on the ingredients- noted in red below - I followed the instruction below, just like the original recipe. I was skeptical at first because I've never made Goulash, but it seems to be a homemade healthy version of Hamburger Helper. And it was delicious!

Here's what you need:
* 1 Tablespoon Oil
* 1 Large Onion, Chopped
* 4 cloves Garlic, Minced {used five}
* 1 pound Ground Beef {lean beef}
* 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (or 1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt)
* ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
* 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder {2 tbsp ancho chili pepper}
* 1 teaspoon Paprika {added Tumeric, about 1 tbsp}
* 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
* 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (14.5 Oz), Zesty-style Works Great {only one can}
* ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt (or 1/4 Teaspoon Table Salt), Or To Taste
* ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 8 ounces, weight Macaroni Or Your Favorite Pasta Shape
* 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley


What to do:
Fill a pot with some water for the pasta; cover, and set over high heat. Start heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook until fully browned. Drain.

While still over medium heat, add the bell pepper, chili powder, paprika, and tomato paste to the ground beef and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, then stir to combine. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer.

When the meat mixture has come to a full simmer, add a good amount of salt to the boiling water. Add the pasta, then stir to combine. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the shortest cooking time listed on the box. You want it undercooked. While the pasta is cooking, stir the meat mixture periodically.

Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the meat mixture, then stir to combine. Allow the pasta and meat mixture to simmer together for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the pasta is as done as you like it. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Add the parsley and stir to combine.

That's it! Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Soup {Tasty Thursday}

Yep, you read that right. I'm finally getting another Tasty Kitchen post up. If I can manage my time better in 2011, you should get many more - I try to make one new recipe a week.

I put this soup in the crockpot and it was perfect when I got home from work. The house smelled great! I love using the crockpot - it's so easy and then my evenings are free to get my craft on:). Here's the link to the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen. I made some changes, so I posted my process and ingredients below.

What you need:
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 16 ounces, weight Salsa
* 32 ounces low sodium Chicken Broth
* 16 ounces, weight Frozen Mixed Vegetables
* 1 Tablespoons Salt
* 2 Tablespoons Pepper
* 2 Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes
* 1 Tablespoons Ancho Chili Pepper
* 2 Tablespoons Cumin
* 3 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

What to do:
Mix everything but the chicken together in the Crockpot. Stir. Place the chicken breasts on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken and stir. Serve with homemade tortilla chips.

Notes: I adjusted the salt levels from the original recipe. Of course, salt to taste, but I prefer thinks less salty!

Perfect soup for these cold winter days:) And made my husband happy because he loves black beans!

Chicken Chimichangas {Tasty Thursday}

These Chimichangas are super delicious. Definitely a good addition to the recipe book. I did not take pictures, but there are good ones on Tasty Kitchen and the chef's blog. I left out the cheese of course, but I must say that they were still really good! Would make great party food if you made a mini version. I served with homemade tortilla chips.

Here's the recipe from Tasty Kitchen:

What you need:
* 1-½ cup Cooked Chicken, Chopped
* 1 teaspoon Cumin
* 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Crushed
* ½ teaspoons Chili Powder
* ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder
* ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt (1/4 Tsp Table Salt)
* ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 5 Scallions, Finely Chopped
* ½ cups Drained And Rinsed Black Beans
* 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro Or Chopped Baby Spinach
* ¾ cups Salsa (salsa Verde Also Works Great)
* 8 ounces, weight Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)
* 7 Taco-size Flour Tortillas (about 8-9")
* Vegetable Oil Or Olive Oil For Brushing

What to do:

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, scallions, black beans, and cilantro. Add the salsa and cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water then place them in a stack on a clean kitchen towel. Wrap the towel around the tortillas. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.

Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm.

Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling.

You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other tortillas – heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.

Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. Bake for 23 to 26 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Serve with additional salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.

Enjoy!

Tasty Thursday {Baked Pecan Chicken Nuggets}

No picture for you today, but these chicken nuggets should definitely go on your menu list for this weekend. They are ummmm....dee-licious! Here's the recipe on Tasty Kitchen (she has a picture there!)

What you need:

* 2 whole Chicken Breasts
* 2 whole Egg Whites
* ½ cups Milk
* ½ cups All-purpose Flour
* ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans (we used 3/4 cups pecans)
* ½ cups Breadcrumbs
* 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
* ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
* ½ teaspoons Onion Powder
* ½ teaspoons Hot Paprika
* 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
* 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, about 7-8 pieces per breast. In a bowl, beat egg whites with milk until well blended. Add chicken to egg mixture and set aside.

In a shallow dish, mix flour, pecans, breadcrumbs, seasoned salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter until sizzling. Place chicken pieces in the skillet and allow to brown lightly. Turn each piece over and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.

*words from original post on Tasty Kitchen.

Tasty Thursday...er Friday {Chiptople Turkey Sloppy Joes}

I did manage to get this week's Tasty Thursday up. A day late, but oh well! This is a healthier, spicier version of the Sloppy Joe. Pair it with some grilled veggies or roasted potatoes and you've got a game day meal!

Here's what you need:

* 1 pound Lean Ground Turkey
* ½ whole Red Bell Pepper, Diced
* 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 2 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce, Finely Chopped
* ½ whole Sweet Onion, Diced
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* 6 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
* 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
* 1 package (about 1.3 Oz. Packet) Sloppy Joe Seasoning
* 4 whole Wheat Buns Toasted

Here's how to do it:

First, brown the turkey, pepper, garlic, adobo peppers, and onions in olive oil.



Once brown, add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and about 1 cup of water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until thick and hearty.



Meanwhile, toast the buns. If using the oven, preheat to about 400 degrees and place on a baking sheet, insides facing up. Keep checking on them until they are toasted to your liking!

Serve Sloppy Joe turkey over toasted wheat buns. Enjoy!

Tasty Thursday { Grilled Chicken Caprese}

Hello my friends! This chicken caprese recipe is super easy and it passed the husband test:) I'm afraid I did not take any pictures, but this has to be the easiest recipe I have ever posted here on PCM. Here's the link to the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen.

What you Need:

* ¼ cups Olive Oil, Plus 2 Tablespoons, Divided
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 4 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
* 4 whole Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
* 4 whole Roma Tomatoes--sliced
* 1 cup Bocconcini Cheese
* 4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
* ½ cups Fresh Basil, Cut Into Chiffonade

What to do:

1. In a large resealable bag, drizzle ¼ cup olive oil, salt and pepper over 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Seal bag and mix the bag around to coat the chicken evenly.

2. On the barbecue or in a grill pan over medium heat, grill the chicken until cooked through (about 7 minutes per side).

3. To serve, place a cooked chicken breast(s) on a plate or platter, top each with the tomato slices, bocconcini (or slices of fresh mozzarella), drizzle the balsamic vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and top with the fresh basil.

We did not use any cheese because CAT doesn't like it, and I think the recipe was just as good without it. The chicken was fabulous! Crispy, crusty, and favorful! This would make a great entertaining meal as well - easy to do and you could just put the ingredients out kind of like a taco bar. Enjoy!

(all ingredients and instructions from the original tasty kitchen post)

Mahi Mahi with Pineapple-Mango Salsa {tasty thursday}

Here's what you can have for dinner tonight! This salsa is super yummy over fish and I can imagine it would be delicious with chicken and shrimp as well. Also great for a cook-out because you can prepare the salsa beforehand. Here's the link to Pineapple Mango Salmon on Tasty Kitchen. I used Mahi Mahi instead because I can get it fresh here at the coast.

What you need:

* 5 whole Limes, Divided (juice Only)
* 1 pound Salmon Fillet (any fish would work! or shrimp or chicken)
* 5 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Minced, Divided
* 2 Tablespoons Parsley, Minced
* 2 whole Mangoes
* ½ whole Pineapple
* 1 whole Sweet Red Bell Pepper
* 2 whole Plum Tomatoes
* 1 whole Jalapeno
* 4 whole Green Onions
* 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I did not use in Olive Oil, the juice from the limes was plenty of liquid and our fish did not stick)
* Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

How to do it:

Start by squeezing 2 limes over the flesh side of the salmon fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons cilantro and parsley. Allow to sit while you prep the salsa and preheat your grill to 500° F.



Peel and dice the mango and pineapple. Chop red pepper, tomatoes, jalapeño and green onions. Mix together. Squeeze in juice from remaining three limes. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely minced. Salt if desired. Allow to sit in the fridge for the flavors to combine while you grill the salmon.





When the grill is hot, spray fish lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place flesh side down on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon to the skin side and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from grill. Top with pineapple-mango salsa and serve.



Enjoy! I have enough salsa leftover to try it on some different things this weekend!

{words from the original recipe, pictures from me}

Tasty Thursday {Steak Tacos}

In my house, it doesn't get any better than Mexican food.  I could honestly eat Mexican every single day and be totally happy with that.  The hubs would request a change every once in a while, I do believe:)  These steak tacos are Fabulous and will  feed a army so they make a great entertainment food.  I got the basic recipe here on Tasty Kitchen.  I 'll note my changes.

What you need:

• 1 whole Boneless Chuck Roast, 2 1/2 To 3 Pounds
• 3 Tablespoons Pure Olive Oil, Divided
• 1 Tablespoon Plus 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin {I love cumin, I doubled this}
• 1 pinch Salt And Ground Black Pepper
• 1 can (4.5 Ounces Each) Chopped Green Chiles {I also added jalepenos!}
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 4 whole Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 2 cups Chicken Broth {I only used 1 cup}
• 2 whole Medium-large Onions, Ends Left Intact, Peeled And Each Onion Cut Into 8 Wedges
• 2 whole Medium Multi-colored Peppers, Each Cut Into 8 Wedges
• 12 whole Medium Flour Tortillas
• 1 container (8 Ounces) Light Or Regular Sour Cream {we don't do sour cream}
• 1 bunch Cilantro
• 1 whole Lime, Cut Into Wedges

How to do it:

 

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a 5 to 6-quart heavy Dutch oven {I used a large skillet and a glass casserole dish} over low heat.

Meanwhile, place roast in a large bowl; coat with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with 1 tablespoon of the cumin and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix chiles, chili powder, remaining 1 teaspoon of cumin, and oregano in a small bowl.

A few minutes before searing, increase heat to a strong medium-high until wisps of smoke start to rise from the pan. Add roast; sear, turning only once, until both sides form an impressive brown crust, about 8 minutes total. Transfer roast to a plate; set aside.

Add garlic to the now empty pot; sauté until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Add chili mixture; sauté to intensify flavor, another 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, bring to a simmer; return roast to the pot.

{Here I just poured the chicken broth mixture over the roast, which I had placed in the casserole dish}  Using 2 potholders to protect hands, place a sheet of heavy-duty foil over the pot, pressing on the foil so that it touches the stew. Seal foil around the edges; repeat with a second sheet of foil to completely seal. Turn burner on medium-high until you hear juices bubble. Set pot on middle oven rack; cook for a total of 1 1/2 hours. {2 hours is better.  The meat gets super tender!}  Remove roast from oven, cool to room temperature, and shred into bite size pieces. About 30 minutes before roast is done, toss onions and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on a baking sheet large enough for vegetables to fit in a single layer. Place pan on bottom oven rack; cook until tender-crisp, about 30 minutes.  {I have done the veggies 2 ways.  The way above and I have sauteed them on the stove top & just pop 'em in with the steak when it is about half way done.  This way the veggies soak up the delicious juices from the steak and the chiles.}

{Here it is all shredded and juicy!}

Serve with warm tortillas, bowls of sour cream, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges. {Whatever tacos toppings your crowd prefers! We use avocado, tomatoes, and lettuce.  We also always have rice, black beans, or both with ours.}

Enjoy! This is a great crowd pleasing meal & the boys love it too:)

Cilantro Lime Shrimp {tasty thursday}

cat is applauding with you that Tasty Thursdays in back.  Sorry for the hiatus!  But I have some really delicious things lined up for the next few weeks.

This recipe is particularly tasty and summery.  See the original recipe here on Tasty Kitchen.  The only change I made was to use seasoned salt instead of the plain stuff.

What you need:

• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 2 pounds Medium Shrimp, Shelled And Deveined
• 1 dash Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 6 cloves Garlic, Crushed
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• ½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Here's what to do:

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan; when hot, add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.

When the shrimp is cooked on one side (about 2 minutes), turn over and add garlic.

Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked. Shrimp should have just turned pink; do not overcook, or your shrimp will be chewy and tough!

Remove from the heat. Squeeze lime all over the shrimp and toss with cilantro.

Serve over salad, rice, in tacos, or all by its lonesome.

The instructions and directions are from the Tasty Kitchen post.  The pictures are from me:)  I served it over rice, obvi.  The lime and cilantro flavor infused the rice and it was super yummy.  But these shrimp would be divine served cold over a simple salad or with gnocci.

the tastiest way to save $150/month

Get yourself a coffee grinder, a mason jar, and a french press.  We have this one:

It works great! Grind one cup of Espresso beans on the coarse setting.  Put in the french press and fill with water.  Put the top on (but don't press yet!) and let the whole sh'bang sit on the counter for about 12 hours.  Now you can press!  Press the grinds down and pour your Espresso into your mason jar for storing in the fridge.

Now you're ready to make your Latte.  Pour in a little of your favorite syrup.  (You may have to experiment with the amount - start small and add more later I always say!)  Add one part espresso and one part milk to make whatever size latte your heart desires.

There ya go! You've just increased your clothing/crafting/shoe budget:)

Tasty Thursday {Grilled Veggie Pockets}

Happy Thursday Lovelies! It's been a gorgeous week here on the Crystal Coast! Our days are filled with painting, unpacking, hanging pictures, and lots and lots of yardwork. We did manage to get back into the swing of cooking last week and these grilled veggie pockets are delicious and super easy. This would make a great side at a cook-out or summer party, with individual pockets for each person. If you have kids, they could fill their own "pockets" with veggies of their choice as a DIY activity. Would this help kids eats their veggies? Worth a try, right?!?

Here's the ingredients:
Bell Peppers
Onion
Zucchini
Spices like Adobo, Season Salt, Cumin, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
and whatever other veggies you like! mushrooms & carrots would be good additions.

Here's how to do it:

Cut one tinfoil piece for each serving you will be grilling.

Chop veggies into bite size pieces and place one serving size on each piece of tinfoil.

Sprinkle your array of seasons on your veggies. Take it easy on the salt if you are using something like Adobo, which already has salt in it.

Make a pocket with your tinfoil, closing it loosely before putting them on the grill. {p.s. Do you like the countertops at our new house?!? love them!}

Grill for about 25-30 minutes at about 400 degrees. Check halfway through and move to the top shelf or away from direct heat if the bottoms are getting burned.

Enjoy!

Tasty Thursday {Sauteed Grouper}

Tasty Thursday is back! Sorry for the hiatus ya'll, I just couldn't get the meals together and the few times I did, I forgot to take pictures! Here's a quick and easy Sauteed Grouper recipe. Of course you could use any white flaky fish for this and it would taste just as yummy.

The ingredients:
Grouper (how ever many fillets you need to feed your group!)
Cumin
Old Bay
Adobo Seasoning
Cajun Seasoning

Here's how to do it:Get yourself a nice piece or two of white flaky fish.  This is grouper and is a little over 1 lb.  This would feed three people.

Dry it off really well with a paper towel.  If you don't do this, you won't get a nice blackened crust when you saute it.  

Here's the mix of ingredients.  I did not add any salt because Old Bay and Adobo both have salt in them.  Some cajun seasoning will also (mine didn't), so you want to be careful not make it too salty.

Season both sides of the fish with your mix of ingredients.  Here's a good ratio: 1 part Old Bay, 1 part Cajun, 1/2 part Adobo and 1/2 part cumin.  Tasty mix.

Spray a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat over high heat.  When the pan is hot, add your fillet (?) side down.  Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes or until you have a nice crust on the outside.  The sides of the fish will begin to turn white.

See? A little whiteness.  Turn the fillet over and cook another 3 or 4 minutes until you get a nice crust on the other side.

Yummmm. Nice, slightly blackened crust.  If you have a normal size fillet, you're done! If your fillet is like this one and about 3 inches thick, stick it in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Yummmo! Nice flaky white yummy fish. Enjoy!

Tasty Thursday - Chocolate

a little different take today - my favorite chocolate deserts! yum yum.  

caution: reading this may cause a serious, uncontrollable chocolate craving.

typically, round these parts, its low-fat chocolate pudding for us.  good weight management people.  and it gives us a chocolate fix. but when we indulge, we indulge big time.  here are a few of our favorites:

 

triple chocolate cake from the White Oak Bistro

ghirardelli brownies with a hershey's bar in the middle. (if you haven't tried this - you must. oh seriously you must.  you can put any of your favorite candy bars in the middle)

german chocolate chip pound cake. yumm yumm yumm.  my mom makes this.  i will get the recipe & do a tasty thursday dedicated just to this sometime. you won't be disappointed. 

chocolate peanut butter ice cream. love it.

chocolate pecan pie.  i will never turn this down.

your turn! what are your favorite chocolate loves?  post & share below!

Tasty Thursday - Cajun Chicken Pasta

Good morning lovelies!

My camera is in the shop this week. Yes, the one I just got for Christmas. The lens won't open. Totally bummed. But Canon says I will have it back in a week's time and it will work like new. So I could not take pictures on my cuisine this week. Another bummer!

I did make one of the Pioneer Woman's recipes on Monday and lucky for ya'll, she takes pictures and gives instruction! I made her Cajun Chicken Pasta and, hmmmmm, loved it! The only thing I modified was the heavy cream and the sauce. (Are ya'll seeing a trend here? no cream, no cheese, etc. Blame in on CAT.) Because the sauce won't really thicken up without the cream, I only used 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1/8 cup of wine. This was enough sauce to coat the noodles and give them a little flavor. And it passed CAT's test. He loved it as well!

Get the recipes and instructions here.

Up next week - Sauteed Scallops. yum.

Tasty Thursday - Lettuce Wraps

Get ready to cook because these lettuce wraps are seriously delicious. And seriously easy.  Cook 'em up for your honey for Valentine's Day this weekend - he'll (or she'll!) be super impressed!  The recipe is from my brother.

 

What you need:

2 to 3 pieces skinless boneless chicken

salt and pepper

1 zuchini

1 onion

1 bell pepper

1 tbsp olive oil or butter

rice, cooked

1 tbsp. paprika

red repper, if preferred

1/2 cup soy sauce

romaine lettuce

Here's how you do it:

 

Season chicken with salt & pepper and saute on medium heat until cooked mostly through, about 10 minutes.

  

 When the chicken is cooked mostly through, cut it up into small bite size pieces.

 

 While the chicken is cooking, dice up the onion....

 

 into small, bite size pieces.

Then dice up the bell pepper and the zuchini.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the olive oil (or butter) over medium high heat and add the onions.  

 

 When the onions get soft, add in the peppers 

and the zuchini.  Pour in the soy sauce gradually through this process so it has a chance to soak into the vegetables.

 

 When the vegetables start getting soft, add the chicken to the wok.  Add the remaining soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and paprika.  Stir and cook about 7-8 more minutes.

 

  To serve: spoon rice onto a piece of romaine lettuce and top with chicken & veggie mixture.  Fold the lettuce over the stuff and enjoy.

Enjoy the yummy goodness!