Coconut Curry Shrimp

Oh boy, is this ever easy and oh, so good! I had frozen shrimp that I defrosted earlier in the day. Super easy because they were already cleaned and shelled. Basically all I had to do was chop an onion and some garlic and BOOM!-dinner is served!

3/4 lb shrimp
some butter 3 T or so
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 can light coconut milk
1 T curry powder
some agave syrup
some Sriracha for heat
a little salt
fresh basil
1/2 lime-squeeze a quarter into sauce and save a quarter to serve with dish

Cooked rice--basmati or jasmine

Get your rice cooking. This comes together fast once the chopping is done so you can easily make it as soon as your rice is finished.

In large skillet, melt butter and shrimp and cook for a minute or two on each side and remove to another bowl. Then, to the same skillet add onion and garlic, stir a few minutes and add the curry powder stirring well. Add the coconut milk and some salt, then add the lime juice, some agave, and a squeeze of Sriracha. Taste and see what you think it needs. More salt, lime or heat? Add the shrimp back in to the skillet and stir to heat through. Serve over rice garnished with chopped fresh basil and a lime wedge.

Stuffed Vegetables with Vegetables!

I had a couple really large zucchini and decided that they'd make lovely "boats" for something. I had a nice eggplant and some chopped greek olives so that was the beginning of my stuffing! I added some other items and it all came together quite well. It helps to have a well stocked pantry so you can whip dinner up without too much trouble or having to run to the store. I hate running to the store for an item or two. I will go to great lengths to avoid that.

2 large zucchini, cut in half and hollowed out
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
red pepper flakes
olive oil
1 jar spaghetti sauce ( I used Mario Batali Tomato Basil)
some bread crumbs
some shredded parmesan

In skillet, brown the onion and the eggplant in some olive oil. Add the red pepper flakes. Stir in olives and the sauce and then simmer for 1/2 hour.

Preheat to 400
Fill the zucchini boats. Add some olive oil to the bread crumbs and Parm and then sprinkle that mixture over the boats. Bake for around 40 minutes or so.

Sweet Potato, Pork and Kale Stew

I don't usually make stews in the summer. I think of them as cozy food. However, sometimes ingredients in your fridge dictate what you're going to make. I had about 1/3 of a cooked pork tenderloin, a sweet potato, and a bunch of kale that was wilting before my eyes so that combo screams "STEW" to me. It really was quite flavorful due to the two large jalapeños I had as well as the secret addition of 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter. YUM--served over brown rice.

1 cup cooked pork tenderloin, cut in small chunks
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in large dice
1 large onion chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 jalapeños, chopped
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 28 oz box or can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin

In large lidded skillet, sauté the onion and jalapeño, add the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes, potato, beans, and pork-stir well, bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Add peanut butter and stir well then add the kale. Cover for 8 minutes or so to throughly wilt the kale. Serve over brown rice.

Pasta with Hot Sausage and Kale

So the other night my DH says to me, Will I ever see pasta again? Poor him. He seems to be tired of "zoodles" and wants the real deal. Well, what can it hurt? So, I go all out and use whole wheat spirals, hot sausage, and KALE! I have to say this was quite tasty if I do say so myself :-) I bought the hot Italian sausage at Sparrow Meat Market in Kerrytown and it is really good stuff--head and shoulders above what you might get at the local grocer like Meijer, Kroger, etc.

1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
4 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 bag whole wheat spirals
parmesan cheese

In large skillet, brown the sausage, remove to bowl. Add the garlic and stir a bit, add the kale and the chicken broth--add the sausage back in and cover and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Boil the pasta, drain (save a little pasta water in case you need it). Add the drained pasta to the sausage kale mixture--stir around and add a little Parm-if mixture seems a little dry add the pasta water. Mine didn't need extra water. Spoon into bowls and pass extra Parm.

Chimichurri!

I have posted a couple different recipes for chimichurri on this blog and here you'll find yet another. I just love this robust, flavorful sauce. It is so versatile. You can serve it with meats and poultry or with veggies. It's a bit too strong for fish and seafood I think. I made this batch a couple of days ago and it has been gracing cold grilled pork tenderloin, grilled chicken breasts, sliced tomatoes, and fresh sweet corn!

1 bunch flat leaf parsley
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 T red onion, diced
1 t dried oregano
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt

Pulse parsley in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend.

Chicken and Avocado

If you happen to love chicken salad and you also love guacamole, why not do a combo concoction? Seems totally reasonable to me and I have to say the outcome was delicious. This dish is really more of an avocado salad dressing (rather than a true guac) that you make for the chicken mixture.

2 grilled chicken breasts, chunked and shredded a bit
1 large stalk celery, minced
1 large shallot, minced

Dressing:
In small processor, add
1 chunked avocado
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 T fresh mint and parsley
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper
Whirl it into dressing

Fold dressing into chicken mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so.

Good served on toasted whole wheat.

Sunday Breakfast

Toast a piece of whole wheat bread.
Mash 1/2 of a small avocado-spread on said toast.
Add one over-easy egg. Season to taste.
Gobble it up!

Summer Time Dinner on the Deck

We are having perfect summer time Michigan weather. It is sunny, 76-no humidity-everything is green-flowers are blooming-Pure Michigan! This kind of weather calls for something yummy on the grill as well as vegetables that you don't need to fuss over. Basically, you want dinner to magically appear without ever having to leave the pleasant, breezy surroundings. Earlier in the day, I marinated the chicken, made the salsa and cut up the veggies so when it came for cocktails on the deck--I was pretty well set :-)

Easy Grilled Chicken
Marinate chicken breasts in Italian salad dressing a couple hours before dinner

Preheat grill to hot--season the breasts well and place on grill-turn grill to medium and let them cook with lid down for 5 minutes. Turn them, and cook another 5 minutes--them let them rest for at least 5-10.

Salsa Cruda 
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
some balsamic
some red wine vinegar
sat and pepper
1 garlic clove smashed and minced
fresh basil slivers

Stir that well and let sit out on the counter for an hour or so. Very tasty over sliced, grilled chicken.

Mixed Veggies Bake
Carrots, Onions, Peppers and Zucchini-cut in chunks and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh herbs (I used rosemary, thyme and oregano). Spread on parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 400 for about an hour. Drizzle with Sirracha and some Parmesan before serving.