Thai Green Bean Salad with Shrimp

I love Thai food. I love the spice, the tang, the fresh flavors. This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Thai dishes, Papaya Salad.

 

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (with seeds)
2 cups green beans
10 large cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, very thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, minced 
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts
1 lb. Gulf Shrimp (bigger and saltier-- worth the extra $3 bucks)
Olive Oil
Pepper

Mix the first four ingredients together and set aside (This is the dressing).
Boil the green beans in salted water until lightly cooked, approx. 5 minutes.
Drain the green beans and add the jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and red onion. Mix and set aside.
Heat olive oil with garlic and add shrimp. Season with pepper and spritz of lemon juice. Cook until pink.
Add shrimp to green bean mixture. Top with dressing and peanuts. Stir and serve.

I made wild rice with shredded coconut to serve on the side.

WARNING: super spicy and awesome.
-e  

Apple Crisp

So I happened to have an extra 8 granny smith apples on hand (a little turkey day over purchase), and instead of making an apple pie, I went a healthier route...well slightly.

Ingredients

6 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
(If desired, add chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel topping)

Instructions

 

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Lightly coat an 9"x13"  baking dish with cooking spray.

In a bowl, squeeze the lemon over the apples and add granulated sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Toss to coat. Place the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish..

 

Mix together the brown sugar, oats, flour, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.  Blend in the butter pieces until small clumps form and the butter is well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
 

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples and bake until the streusel is crispy and the apples are tender, about an hour.

Serve with frozen yogurt or ice cream...
really good and tart-- so if you like it sweeter add more sugar!
-e

Seriously Perfect Roast Chicken

When I say "perfect," I am being serious. I have made this chicken or at least a version of it at least 5 times and each time, it is AWESOME!!!
The recipe originates from Emeril's Perfect Roast Chicken.
The key to this recipe is high heat and seat salt. Just trust.

 

Ingredients

2 onions, peeled and cut into quarters

Any other veggie you want cut up (peppers, potatoes, parsnips, carrots)

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, rinsed and patted dry (inside and out)

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Pepper

1 lemon, halved

2 bay leaves

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Rosemary and sage, dried

1 cup chicken stock

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup dry white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (yes, 500)
In a roasting pan (lined with foil for easy clean up), add all veggies and coat lightly with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.

Take your hand and put between the skin and the chicken and stretch out the skin to create space. Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken and place the rinds inside the cavity. Place the bay leaves inside the cavity.  Rub the garlic over the chicken and place under the skin and inside. Rain the salt over the outside of the chicken and then sprinkle with rosemary and sage.

Put the chicken on top of the veggies and place the pan in the oven and roast the chicken for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Take about 1/2 cups of juices and put into a sauce pan. Whisk in flour, white wine, rosemary and sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened. Season with pepper if needed.

Serve chicken and veggies with gravy on the side.
It tastes like it was cooked in butter. You will love this.
-e

Easy Breakfast Frittuffins

This is inspired by my friend and co-worker Emily (her blog here), She told me about how she makes these mini frittatas in a muffin pan—easy to warm up as you want them! Great for quick breakfasts! The best part is you can use whatever you have on hand The recipe that follows is what I had on hand...

 

 

6 eggs

1/3 C milk

Chopped ham

½ Cup cheddar cheese

5 mushrooms, diced

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crack and the eggs and whisk with milk until fluffy. Add desired ingredients.

Divide amongst a greased muffin pan (this yielded 10 very full muffins. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Cool and Refrigerate. To warm, place in toaster oven for 2 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds.

 

Super easy and will save you from spending 4 bucks on a starbucks sandwich ! (other mix ideas include: chopped veggies, breakfast sausage, peppers, goat cheese or feta and salsa!!) Also...you can use only egg whites! I only recommend if you have a use for the yolks...waste not, want not.

Enjoy!

-e

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

A different little twist on the typical mashed potatoes and ground lamb. This was created from the last 3 sweet potatoes left from Thanksgiving. Note: We didn't eat my sweet potatoes for thanksgiving...so you can only imagine how much STUFF I have made since...(sweet potato/pumpkin soup, whole wheat penne, sweet potatoes, spinach and leeks, recipes to come soon....)
 

 

 

 

3 large sweet potatoes

Salt and pepper

½  cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

1 Tablespoon butter

extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces  white mushrooms, quartered

2 lbs. ground beef or turkey

½  onion, chopped

2 tablespoons dried sage

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup dark beer

1 cup chicken or beef stock

3 tablespoons A-1 Sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 

 

Cook the sweet potatoes. I am typically short on time, so I bake them in the microwave for like 8 minutes. Squeeze the potatoes out of the skin and mash with the milk, the egg and paprika; season with salt and pepper.

Place a heavy pot  on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, onions and cook until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Drain. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the peas.

While the meat is cooking,  in another pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk.  Add the beer, until reduced, a minute or two. Add the stock and A1 sauce; season with salt and pepper. Cook until thickened slightly, then whisk in the mustard. Stir the gravy into the meat.

 

Pour the meat and gravy into a casserole pan (13x9) and top with the sweet potatoes. Broil until the potatoes golden-brown and set.

Enjoy this delicious, comfy casserole!

-e