Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp

Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds extra large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Combine fish sauce, dark brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes and water in a bowl and whisk until brown sugar is dissolved.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a few minutes more. Do not brown.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and add shrimp. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are just barely pink and still translucent in spots, a few minutes. Add fish sauce mixture, turn heat down to medium, and simmer until shrimp are cooked through, a few minutes more. (Note: the sauce will be thin.) Off the heat, stir in scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

recipe from Onceuponachef.com.  I get her emails with new recipes, amazing!

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

recipe from onceuponachef.com.  Love her site. Everything I have tried has been amazing from her.

Homemade Caesar Salad

Servings: Makes 1-1/3 cups

Ingredients

• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp fish oil or you can use 1 tsp of anchovy paste
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I like the brand Maille)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's Real
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking.

I threw all the ingredients in a my bullet blender, it turned our thick and amazing.  You can use your blender as well :)

Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu

AMAZING! From Our Best Bites.

Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. shredded mozzarella, provolone, or Swiss cheese
6-12 thinly sliced ham
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place a breast on a cutting board and place your non-dominant hand on top of it. Using a sharp knife, cut each breast completely in half horizontally. Place each piece between two pieces of plastic wrap and, using a meat mallet, pound until the piece is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breast halves; you should have 6 pieces of chicken.
3. Combine seasoning and sprinkle evenly over one side of each chicken piece.
4. Divide shredded cheese among all pieces, layering on top of the spices. On top of the cheese, layer 1-2 pieces of ham.
5. Roll each chicken piece up and secure with toothpicks.
6. Place flour in a shallow bowl, eggs in another bowl and both panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a third, stirring to combine bread and cheese. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour, rolling the chicken around to cover the whole piece, then in eggs, and finally in bread crumb mixture. Use your fingers to press bread crumb mixture in on all sides of chicken.
7. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle melted butter evenly over chicken.
8. Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. If desired, place pan under the broiler to lightly brown the tops of the chicken. Cook for 10 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks.

Chicken curry

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - chopped
• 1 small head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 1/2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• OR TO KICK IT UP A KNOTCH ADD...
•  1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
• few scrapes fresh ginger
• four tblsp yellow curry, 
•  Fresh basil,
• 1 tspn garam masala,
• squeeze of lemon
•  2 tsp brown sugar.
• salt and pepper to taste
• (optional) carrots, potatoes, and frozen peas

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender. Mix in the chicken, and cook 10 minutes, or until juices run clear.
2. Mix the cauliflower, curry powder and garlic salt into the skillet. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock. (add remaining ingredients if you want to kick it up a notch). Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Curry Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasthalves - cubed
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups water
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• skewers

Directions

1. In a large, shallow dish, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, curry powder, chili powder, and ginger. Place the chicken in the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
3. Discard marinade, and thread chicken pieces and mushrooms onto skewers. In a saucepan, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers, turning often, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.
5. In a small bowl, toss together the tomato and onions. Serve the grilled chicken and mushrooms over rice. Top with the onions and tomatoes.

Guacamole

Ingredients

• 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Shrimp or Chicken caesar lettuce wraps

Ingredients

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce
• 1 pound jumbo fully cooked shrimp, from the seafood counter in market
• 1 rotisserie chicken, available in many markets
• 4 heaping tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional (But it tastes better with it in. If you think you don't like anchovies, try them in this sauce. They just taste salty and yummy!)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few handfuls
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper, eyeball the amount in the palm of your hand: 1 teaspoon is equal to about 1/3 of a palm full
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, pour to the count of 4

Directions

Cut bottoms off the romaine and cut the heads in half lengthwise. Wash lettuce and separate the leaves. Let it dry in the dish draining rack while you prepare the rest of the menu.

Remove the tails from the shrimp and place the shrimp in a bowl or, pack for travel, if this is a picnic meal.

To remove the chicken meat from the chicken, cut the chicken breasts off first. Cut the legs and thighs off using kitchen scissors to help you. Slice the meat up on an angle. Arrange on a plate or in a plastic container.

Place mayonnaise, garlic, lemon, anchovy paste, cheese, Worcestershire and pepper into the blender and turn it on. Stream the extra-virgin olive oil into the dressing through center of the lid. When the oil is combined, remove the thick dressing with a spatula to a bowl or a portable plastic container.

Place lettuce on a serving platter or pack in large plastic bag or container to travel.

To assemble, spread dressing onto a lettuce leaf. Fill leaf with a large shrimp or sliced cold chicken, like a lettuce taco, and eat!

To pack for picnic, take the romaine hearts in plastic food storage bags. Pack the shrimp and cut chicken in separate bags and pack dressing in small plastic container.