Coconut Shrimp

Today I actually was looking forward to my (fish) Friday meal for once, because it contained one of my very favorites - coconut.  Oh wow, was this good.  Since none of the kids like coconut (weirdo's) I made half of the shrimp dipped in panko crumbs instead of the coconut.  One of my boys refused to try the shrimp, he said he hated it.  I begged him to try just one and he finally did.  Then he ate another.  And another.  Then he asked me to make fried shrimp for his birthday dinner.  This is my kid who hates almost everything (except steak and baked potatoes).  I made a quick dipping sauce from orange marmalade and Chinese mustard.  I went easy on the mustard because I wanted it more sweet than spicy, but you can just adjust for taste.


Coconut Shrimp
Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup water (the recipe really calls for beer, but we were all out.  I kid, I kid!!)
1 1 /2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
24 shrimp (I ended up doing more like 40)
3 cups oil for frying

Directions:

In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, water and baking powder.  Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.  Hold shrimp by tail and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour.  Dip in egg batter;  allow excess to drip off.  Roll shrimp in coconut and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.   Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer (I used a large pan).  Fry shrimp in batches; cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain.  Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo and 30 Minute Breadsticks

How wrong is it that I am starting to dread Fridays because I've committed to the whole Fish Friday thing?  Sigh.  I've read so many times that the way to get 'children' to start eating foods they don't like is to keep offering it to them and eventually, they start to eat it and enjoy it.  I hope this is the case with me!  Or I could just make the Fish Tacos every week, because I really did like that one, the batter really offset the taste of the fish!  This recipe was good, although I have to admit I only had one piece of shrimp.  And so long as I'm admitting things, I only ate half of the one piece of shrimp.  I know!  I'm horrible.  But I tried it, and that's all that counts.  My husband and seafood loving sons loved it.  The breadsticks were a snap.  I was intrigued when I saw the recipe, and thought, really?  30 minutes?  Really?  I'll bet they're no good.  But they were as promised, done in 30 minutes and tasty!  Perfect recipe for those days when you forget to make bread for dinner, or put off making it because you are dreading to eat SEAFOOD. 


Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Recipe from Allrecipes

1 pound fettuccine pasta

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup half-and-half

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

In a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken.

When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve hot.

30 Minute Breadsticks (or Rolls)

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cups plus 2 tsp. warm water
1/3 cup oil
2 T yeast
1/4 cup sugar or honey
½ tsp. Salt
1 eggs
3 ½ cups flour

Directions:

Mix 1st 4 ingredients and let rest for 15 minutes. Add salt and eggs – gradually add flour. Shape into breadsticks or dinner rolls, or use in your favorite recipe that calls for dough. After shaped, let rest for 10 minutes. Bake 10 minutes @400 degrees until golden brown.

Maple Salmon and Sugared Asparagus

Oh yay, it's Fish Friday again already!!

Since I'm not a fish person, I played it safe and made a recipe that had a ton of great reviews on Allrecipes.  My husband was excited we were going to have salmon since he loves it.  He declared the recipe a keeper and my two oldest boys went back for seconds and thirds.  I ate it, but I didn't love it like the fish tacos from last week.  This having fish once a week thing is going to be harder than I thought.....

Maple Salmon

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound salmon

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

*  I followed some of the review suggestions and baked it for 15 minutes in foil, then opened the foil and broiled it for the last 5 minutes.

Sugared Asaparagus

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high, heat butter and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add asparagus; saute for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove asparagus to a serving dish and keep warm. Cook sauce, uncovered, until reduced by half. Pour over asparagus and serve immediately

.

Fish Tacos

Another one of my food goals for this year is to serve more fish to our family.  I'll confess -   I hate fish.  No, that doesn't explain it right.  I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE fish.  That's better.  But, my husband loves it, a couple of my kids love it, and I know that it is good for you.  So, although I have only made it twice before in my entire cooking career, I have decided that from now on (or until I can't handle it anymore) we will have Fish Fridays in our home.

Tonight I made fish tacos.  Before I had one, my husband and two fish lovin' boys helped themselves.  They inhaled them and went for seconds.  My husband told me if I didn't like this, there was no hope for me and fish to ever develop a relationship.  I felt the pressure and was nervous.  Mom's have to be a good example, and I was determined to at least try it.  So I made myself a taco and took a big bite.  Hmmmm...... what's this?  This was actually, uh, I don't think I can say it.  Okay, okay.  It was good!  No, it was delicious!!!  I loved it.  I don't believe it myself.  This is a first people.    So, if you're a fish hater like myself, oh, excuse me, like I USED to be, then I say give this a try.  You might be surprised too!!


Fish Tacos
Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes


1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup water (the original recipe called for beer)

1 quart oil for frying

1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
1 (12 oz.) pkg. corn tortillas
1/2 med. head cabbage, finely shredded


Directions:

In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.  Blend egg and water (beer), then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps).

Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pan to 375 degrees.

Dust fish pieces lightly with flour.  Dip into batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp.  (I just heated mine over the flame on the gas stove).  To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla and top with shredded cabbage and white sauce.  The original recipe included the white sauce, but I just took some ranch dressing that I had made earlier in the day, added cumin, mexican oregano and some Chalula (hot sauce) and it was perfect!!  I served it with some black beans and loved every bite.