Coconut Shrimp

Hey all you seafood lovers out there! I finally found a great Coconut Shrimp recipe for ya that is super yummy.  Well at least the seafood lovers in my family loved it.  I like to just eat the breading :)  I also created my own pina colada dipping sauce to go with it, that I'll share with you tomorrow. I found this recipe in my new Taste of Home magazine.  I changed it up just a bit. 

The key that I have found over the years is that you never want to add wet, to wet when battering something.  I'll explain...  Shrimp, chicken etc, have a moist surface, so when you are dipping it straight into an egg batter, it doesn't stick as well.  But if you dip it into a dry ingredient like flour, first and then into the wet mixture (like egg) then back into a dry mix (coconut and bread crumbs) it turns out so much better.  The batter all sticks to each other so much better.  Their recipe, doesn't have you dip into the flour first.  I do want to say a little something about the Panko bread crumbs.  They are different than regular bread crumbs. I really like them.  You should be able to find them near the other bread crumbs at any grocery store. 

Coconut Shrimp

1 cup flour

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 cup flaked sweetened coconut

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Oil for frying

2 shallow bowls and 1 medium sized bowl

Add flour into a shallow bowl.  Into another, whisk egg and water together.  Combine bread crumbs and coconut into the medium size bowl. 

Dip shrimp into the flour and coat. Then dip into the egg mixture and coat.  Then roll into the coconut mixture, pressing the crumbs to the shrimp to coat well.

In a skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil at 357 degrees. ( I had it on about medium to medium low heat so it didn't brown to quickly) Fry a few at a time for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Pina Colada dipping sauce.

Honey Butter

When we lived in UT, I used to love going to a restaurant called Chuck-a-Rama.  Especially when I was pregnant.  I constantly craved their rolls with honey butter.  Mmmmm! 

Since we don't live there anymore, I decided it was time to figure out a recipe to satisfy the craving. It's so easy to make and adds a great flavor to any bread. It goes deliciously well with the Basic White Bread recipe I posted earlier this year. 

Honey Butter

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

3 tbsp honey (more if desired)

Soften butter to room temperature in a bowl. Add honey and whip with egg beaters for 1-3 minutes. Serve with bread.



Artichoke Dip

This pregnancy brain of mine is seriously the worst it's been! I promised this recipe weeks ago!  This recipe comes from the winner of our Baby B Boutique giveaway.  Part of the contest was to enter a recipe using 6 ingredients or less. The picture is also hers.  So everyone, give it a try! Thanks Brianne for the entry.  

Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayo
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1-4 oz. can green chilies
1 small can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar

Mix all ingredients together, adding artichokes last. Bake in small baking dish or double recipe for a 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Guacamole

A while back, we went to On the Border with the family and they ordered chips and Guacamole.  I decided to be brave and try some. I normally hate avocados.  Its a texture thing.  I loved it!!! I've never been able to find one that I liked since.  I tried to find a recipe that had in it, the same things that I remembered from the restaurant.  I found a few recipes and then created my own from it.  I like the different textures and flavors mixed in with it, rather than just avocado. Still not a huge fan of avocados. But, this recipe is helping me adapt :)  My husband absolutely loved it though! 

Guacamole



2 small avocados peeled and seeded

¼ cup cilantro (chopped fine)

½ tsp cumin

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 tomato diced fine

½ tsp onion powder (more if desired)

1/2 tsp garlic powder (more if desired)

1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

Smash avocados with a fork and add all other ingredients.  Mix well. Serve immediately. 

Tip:  Avocados go brown pretty quickly.  The lime juice will help preserve it longer than normal. This is not a make ahead dish. It needs to be made as close to serving as possible. 

Deviled Eggs

You can't have Easter without eggs right?  These Deviled Eggs will make a great side to add to your Easter dinner. I used to always make these with Mayonnaise.  Then for a family bbq, my mother-in-law made them with Miracle Whip. It gets it a little more of a tangy flavor. Either way... super yummy! This recipe is for just two eggs, to make 4 deviled eggs.  So depending on your crowd, you can double, triple etc the recipe.
The main thing is to add enough mayo to make it really moist.

Deviled Eggs

2 hard boiled eggs cut in half

3-4 tbsp mayo or miracle whip (enough to make it good and creamy)

small squirt of yellow mustard (about 1/8 tsp at most)

pinch of salt

generous amount of pepper

Cut eggs in half and remove yolk.  Combine yolk and all other ingredients in a bowl and smash with a fork or beat with egg beaters until creamy. Pipe or spoon mixture back into each egg. (Only in the part where the yolk was.)

Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of paprika and garnish with finely chopped parsley and/or green onion curls. (see how to, below)

How to make green onion curls

Trim the green parts of the green onion into long narrow strings.  Place in a bowl of ice water. (make sure they are submerged) after about a minute, they will curl themselves. 

Grilled Salmon and Mango Salsa

The other day, I was in the mood for some serious grilling.  I also wanted to use up some of the veggies that we got in our basket from Bountiful Baskets. If you don't know about Bountiful Baskets, they are a co-op to get produce for really cheap.  I like to use them every once and a while. It's fun to try new veggies and fruits that I normally wouldn't buy. Each week is a whole new basket.  It all depends on what is in season.  They also have great offerings like bread, tortillas, granola etc. 

In this basket we got some mangos and zucchini that went well with this meal.  There was a bunch of other things that we enjoyed, that I'll post in the upcoming days.  I decided to try a homemade mango salsa recipe.  I had to add a little bit of sugar to sweeten it up, because the mangos weren't quite at their peak of sweetness. This recipe came from All Recipes. I changed it up a little bit to match our tastes. I would also add less lime juice next time.  It was a little too much.

 Grilled Salmon

4 oz. Salmon Fillet

1-2 tbsp butter

salt

pepper



place 1-2 tbsp butter cut into pieces on a piece of tin foil. Lay salmon on top of butter and top with salt and pepper.  Grill at medium heat until desired doneness. 

Tip:  You will only want to flip the salmon once while it is cooking. If you mess with it too much, it will flake apart.

Mango Salsa



1 mango - peeled, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup  chopped tomato

1 green onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

sugar to taste (optional)

 

In a medium bowl, mix mango, tomato, green onion, cilantro,  lime juice, and lemon juice. Cover, and allow to sit at least 30 minutes before serving

Bruschetta With Tomato and Basil

We have a ton of basil growing in our garden right now and I wanted to use it up before it goes to seed. Unfortunatly my tomatoes aren't totally ripe yet, so I had to buy some. I have been searching for some good basil recipes and found a few that I will try out and then post if I like them. I found this recipe on a Rachel Ray 30 minute meals video that I checked out from the library.  You can also find it here. I am not a huge fan of some of Rachels recipes.  Sometimes she adds some interesting stuff to her dishes. I like to keep my meals pretty basic and simple.  I did like this one though. It's a pretty light flavor and a very simple one for sure.  Also, I didn't add all of the basil it called for. I think I only used about 10-15 leaves. I also didn't use fresh garlic, because I didn't have any on hand.  I just rubbed a little with the prepared garlic in a jar and then baked it.

Bruschetta With Tomato and Basil

1/2 baguette or crusty long loaf bread, sliced (12 pieces)

2 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 small plum tomatoes, halved and seeded

20 fresh basil leaves ( I used about 10-15)

Coarse salt

Preheat broiler to high, (if you prefer you can also grill the bread). Place bread slices on a broiler pan. Char bread on each side under hot broiler, keep an eye on it! Rub toasts with cracked garlic and drizzle with oil. Chop seeded tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Pile basil leaves on top of one another and roll into a log. Thinly slice basil into green confetti and loosely combine with tomatoes. Add a drizzle of oil and a little coarse salt to the bowl and gently toss tomatoes and basil to coat. Pile toasts around the bowl of topping. Place a spoon to scoop topping in bowl and serve.

Jennie's Famous Salsa

My mom has been making her own salsa for years.  I used to love making salsa with her.  I've since adapted my own recipe just slightly from hers. (I like to use the prepared garlic that comes in a jar.  It's easier to keep it on hand that way.  My mom likes to use garlic salt ) This salsa tastes so fresh and delicious!  The key that I have found to making salsa is to let your eyes do the work.  There is a lot of beautiful color in this salsa. If it looks too red because there is too much tomato, add some more green or vica versa.  And if there isn't enough white, then add some more onion.  Really I have found that when my salsa looks the prettiest, it tastes the best.  Don't be afraid to taste as you go and add a little more of this or that as needed.  Just remember that as the flavors sit, they will combine and get a little stronger over night. 

If you like it with a little more kick, then add a jalapeno to it  A lot of kick... add the seeds. Most of the heat is in the seeds.  I like it very mild so I don't lose the wonderful flavor.  I don't add the seeds at all from my anaheim pepper.  Anaheims are very mild but have great flavor. It really makes the salsa what it is. Also, if you like thick salsa, drain the juice, if not, you can just dump the can right into the bowl. If you like it more pureed, you can combine all ingredients in a blender and blend it. 

Jennie's Famous Salsa

2 (28 oz) cans of petite diced tomatoes

1/2 medium yellow onion chopped

1 bunch of green onions chopped

1 bunch of cillantro chopped

1 large anaheim pepper chopped

1-2 cloves garlic chopped (I use the prepared garlic in a jar)

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Serve immediatly or chilled. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Tip: I have found that when blending the salsa, it is best to keep the vegitables and the tomatoes separate. When I blend them together, the green seems to take over. I add a little bit of the tomatoes to the veggies to give it some liquid. But the rest, puree separatly.



Grape Salad

It's salad week here at Mommy's Kitchen Creations!  I've got some super yummy selections for you this week. I've got a wide variety of salads for you all.  Today's recipe comes from my dear mother.  She used to make this Grape Salad for dinner parties. We even had it at my sisters wedding.

The number one key to this recipe is to choose FIRM red seedless grapes.  Mushy grapes are disgusting in this dish! So make sure to pick through and get all of the mushy ones out. Also take out all of those little stems that like to sneak in. The second key to this dish, is to soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Make sure beat it by itself and then beat in the other ingredients. Every time I add everything all at once... the cream cheese end up lumpy. I'm not sure why but it does. 

Grape Salad

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (softened to room temp)

1 jar of marshmallow cream

1 (8oz) tub of cool whip

1 bag of firm purple grapes (de-stemmed)

With an electric mixer, blend cream cheese well. Add marshmallow cream and cool whip. Mix together and fold in grapes. Serve as a side dish or a dessert.

Grilled Shrimp

Shrimp is a hot item in this house!  I have a 4 year old daughter who will eat shrimp and crab like its going out of style. I'm not even kidding. Its hilarious to watch her and my husband race to see who can get the last piece. Seafood is one of those things that I have tried to enjoy and really just can't get past the gag reflex to make the operation a success.  For some reason though... I do really well at cooking it, even without tasting it.   This recipe is super easy.  We don't splurge too often to buy seafood because its so expensive. But when we do, we like to buy the big bag at Costco and stretch it a couple meals. Tomorrow I'll share another shrimp recipe that is an even bigger hit for my family.

Grilled shrimp

1/4- 1/2 cup Olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 lb uncooked shrimp shelled and deveigned

salt

pepper

Lay shrimp in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Mix garlic and oil together. (you can use canola or vegetable oil also or even melted butter if you want) Drizzle over the shrimp and top with salt and pepper. Let it sit for about 10 minutes in the oil and then lay shrimp on the grill. Cook on low for 3-5 minutes each.side. 

Tip:

You can also add a splash of lemon juice to the oil mixture for a yummy flavor. (at least that's what they tell me :) )

Cheesy Potatoes

This one is another recipe from my mother-in-law.  It is a definite favorite in my family. I don't know what it is about this dish, but it is one of those comfort foods that just hits the spot. It's another quick and easy one to make too. You can easily customize this dish to your tastes.  We like ours really cheesy, so we add tons of cheese. You can also add a variety of shredded cheeses. I like cheddar the best, but you can use  whatever you have on hand. We also like it crispy on the sides and top, so we leave it in the oven longer.  Mmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Cheesy Potatoes

1 Bag frozen hash browns
1 cube melted butter
2 to 4 tablespoons dehydrated onions
2-3 Cups shredded cheese ( I usually use cheddar)
2 small cans cream of chicken soup (I use one large can)
1 pint sour cream
1-2 more cups shredded cheese

In a large bowl, combine hash browns and melted butter.  Add cheese and onions.  Then stir in soup and sour cream. Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 pan and top with more cheese.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Sweet Corn Side Dish

My mother-in-law makes the best corn in the world. Every time we would go to their house for dinner and corn was on the menu, I would load my plate. Something about it was just so yummy. Her corn was always so sweet. Finally I asked her how she makes it. She told me her secret ingredient. Are you ready for this?  Sugar! That's it, just sugar.  So simple yet I never thought to add sugar to my corn.  Also, it works best with frozen corn. For some reason, it just tastes so much better than out of the can.  Of course when corn is in season, fresh is even better!

Sweet Corn Side Dish

4 cups of frozen corn

4-5 tablespoons of sugar

4-5 tablespoons butter

1/2 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a small pot on the stove. Cook on low until heated through. (about 15 minutes) Stir Occasionally.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

My children love this dish.  My friend brought it to a party one day and we've enjoyed making it ever since.  It's a very simple and quick recipe.  I love the beautiful color.  It's light flavor makes a great side dish to any summer BBQ.

                                   

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

3 cups of cubed tomatoes (I use grape tomatoes cut in half)

3 cups cubed cucumbers (I love the hot house ones)

1/4-1/2 cup Italian dressing (I like Kraft zesty Italian)

Stir together and chill.

Creamy Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of those comfort foods that always hits the spot for me. My favorite thing is to ditch the spoon and use Doritos or potato chips as the scoop instead.  I this recipe from Real Mom Kitchen and then I modified it a little. 

The thing I like the most about this recipe, is that my husband likes it.  He usually doesn't eat potato salad because he doesn't like the onions in it. So I make it with onion powder instead and it works great.

Creamy Potato Salad

1 cup mayo

4  hard boiled eggs chopped
1/2 cup diced dill pickles

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tsp salt

a pinch of pepper

1 Tbsp sugar
4 large potatoes (boiled until very tender)

Allow the potatoes to cool.  Mix all other ingredients and stir into cooled potatoes. Refrigerate until time to serve.

TIP:

Be sure to cover the potatoes while allowing them to cool. They will begin to turn brown after being exposed to air.