Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple-Jalapeno Sauce

Okay, so here I go again, promising to be a better blogger. Yada yada yada. It's a new year, so I'm going to try again. With the new year there is a new 52 weeks of cooking challenge. Week one is appetizers. I've been meaning to make this for so long, so I finally have something to push me.

So here's what you need for the coconut shrimp...

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
honey/water mixture, about 1 tbsp of each mixed together
parchment paper

Peel and de-vein your shrimp...

Mix the honey and water together...

Mix the coconut, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder together...

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then set up an assembly line.

Dip each shrimp in the honey-water mixture, then coat with the coconut mixture. Set each coated shrimp on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 8-10 minutes.

While they are cooking mix together the pineapple-jalapeno sauce.

Here's what you need for the sauce...

1/2 cup pineapple preserves
1/2 jalapeno, minced
juice from 1 lime

Serve the shrimp with the sauce and enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi and Pasta in a White Wine Sauce

I'll have to finish writing out the direction later. I am sick and really can't concentrate, but I needed to get this up to post on Reddit.


1.5 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled, and de-veined
1 bulb if garlic, minced (Yes, a whole bulb. We have to keep the vampires at bay!)
2 Roma tomatoes, diced and de-seeded
the juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp of butter
dry white wine
parsley
salt and pepper
linguine, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

On medium heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic. Saute garlic for about 3-4 minutes, but do not let it burn. Add the lemon juice, and some wine, about 1/2 cup. Let the liquid come up to temp, then add the shrimp and tomatoes.

Edit 2/12/12, Little to no chance I will finish this post. I'm still very tired and to be honest, it wasn't my best scampi. It was edible, but really lacked something. 

Pan Fried, Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

Week 4 of 52 Weeks of Cooking is pan frying. I had this idea in mind for pan fried, cornmeal crusted tilapia, but Hubby is kind of picky about fish. Needless to say, I was thrilled when he suggested it!

tiliapia fillets
cornmeal
flour
2 eggs
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
seasoning of your choice

I bought a package of frozen, individually wrapped tilapia fillets at Safeway for this challenge. When I opened the package, I realized they were pretty thin, so I decided to make two for each of us.

I started by setting up an assembly line. Starting with the fillets...

A plate of flour...

A bowl with the eggs, scrambled, and a plate with cornmeal, mixed with your seasoning of choice. I decided to use Dizzy Pig's Shakin' the Tree. It is their version of lemon pepper.

Now that you have this set up, start heating the oil in a large frying pan.

Flour the fish on both sides.

Then dip the fish in the egg.

Let the excess drip off, then coat each side in the cornmeal mixture.

Place each fillet on a cookie sheet until you are ready to fry them.

When the oil is hot, place the fillets in the oil. Depending on the size of the pan and the fillets, you may have to do this in batches.

Turn them after about 2-3 minutes.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until cooked throughout. Move to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

I served this with roasted red potatoes, roasted asparagus and lemon wedges.

Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine and I didn't change a thing. It was delish!

• 2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 cod fillets, (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with garlic, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer, cut side down. Bake, tossing potatoes once, until beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rub fillets with remaining teaspoon oil; season all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Remove baking sheet from oven. Add tomatoes and olives to potatoes; stir to combine. Push vegetable mixture to one side; place fillets flat on baking sheet, next to vegetables. Return to oven, and roast until fish is cooked through and potatoes are brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer fish and vegetables to serving platter. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges if desired. 

 

I served this with brussel sprouts from the freezer. The kind that you steam in the bag. Easiest veggies ever.

Wasabi Pea Crusted Salmon w/ Honey-Ginger Roasted Carrots

A couple of weeks ago we stopped by the Catonsville Gourmet Market to pick up some truffle butter. They no longer carried it, and it was a crucial ingredient in that evening's meal, but the owner was nice enough to give me a small ramekin of truffle oil free of charge. He suggested that I try infusing butter with the oil. Then as we were checking out everything else they had we saw some containers of wasabi pea crust. I'm sure I could make this on my own, but since I have no food processor, I figured I would give their's a try. (I had to make the truffle butter using my blender! I really hope Santa brings me a new food processor!)

Anyway, last night I decided to make salmon crusted with the wasabi peas, roasted carrots, glazed with honey and powdered ginger and a simple steamed white rice.

Wasabi Crusted Salmon
4 salmon steaks or 1 large fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1 cup crushed wasabi peas
1 egg

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the egg with 1 tbsp water. Dip each piece of salmon in the egg wash and press, skin side up, into wasabi pea crust. Carefully place in a baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray, skin side down. Bake for 20 minutes, or until opaque throughout.

Honey-Ginger Glazed Carrots
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
powdered ginger
honey
olive oil
Coarse ground salt and pepper

Place carrots in a separate baking dish. Sprinkle with powdered ginger, salt and pepper. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil (1tbsp?) and a generous amount of honey (1/4 cup?). Stir well and bake in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.

I don't always use measurements. Most of the time I just eyeball the amounts. You can always use more or less to suit your tastes. I also like my carrots crispy. I cannot stand eating over cooked carrots. They could have gone a little longer, but I thought they were great just the way they were.

I really only made two pieces of salmon this way. My husband and I love salmon, but my father and brother also live with us. Dad likes salmon, but hates peas of any sort. My brother hates all fish. So, because I like to make sure they all eat well, I made one piece of salmon and one piece of chicken that I baked and glazed with a mixture of soy, teryaki, honey and lemon juice.