Bang Bang Shrimp

Great recipe from Shirley P. So good, so easy and better yet, crazy quick!

5 T mayonnaise

3 T Thai sweet chili sauce

1 tsp  Sriracha sauce (we like our Sriracha sauce so I used a tablespoon)

For shrimp

1 lb shrimp, shelled, and deveined (bag of frozen, thawed)

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp oil

3 C shredded lettuce

1 C shredded purple cabbage (I used the bagged coleslaw)

4 T scallions chopped

Combine mayo, chili sauce and Sriracha. Set aside. Combine lettuce and cabbage in bowls, set aside. Coat shrimp with cornstarch, mixing well with your hands. Heat large skillet on high heat, add oil. Add shrimp and cook tossing a few times until cooked through and pink, about 3 minutes. Add sauce, combine coating well. Place shrimp in bed of lettuce and top with scallions.

Veggie Pizza

Always a favorite! Use whatever veggies you like and take the easy route…go to the salad bar and get just enough of the different veggies for your toppings.

Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 packages of crescent rolls

Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, about 11-13 minutes. Cool.

Sauce

1 C mayo

8 oz cream cheese, softens

1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

Mix together until smooth. Spread over cool crescent crust.

Add desired toppings—whatever veggies you like

Chopped carrots

Chopped onion

Chopped broccoli

Chopped tomatoes

 

Top with 1 C shredded cheddar cheese

South Beach Pizza: Phase I

I saw this on FB…No one will accuse this of truly being pizza–crust and all, but it is really very good and satisfies your taste buds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust

1 x 8 oz full fat cream cheese, room temperature

2 eggs

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ C grated parmesan cheese

Topping

½ C pizza sauce

1 ½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

3 T torn basil

Desired toppings–Turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, sausage, etc.

Lightly spary a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. With a handheld mixer, mix cream cheese, eggs, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan cheese until combined. Spread into baking d ish. Base for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from over, add sauce and toppings and bake for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and brown.

South Beach Taco Salad: Phase 1

I found a great blog KalynsKitchen.com that has tons of Phase 1 recipes. This taco salad is very good!

Makes enough meat/bean mixture for 4-5 salads.

For Meat/Bean mixture:

1 lb low fat ground beef (less than 10% fat)

1 tsp olive oil to sauté beef

1 can black beans

1 T chili powder

1 tsp cumin

¼ tsp Chipotle chili peppers (can use chipotle chili powder)

2 C water

For salad

3 C romaine lettuce

3 T Lite Ranch dressing

¾ C meat/bean mixture

1 C diced tomatoes

Dices avocado (1 avocado for 2 salads)

¼ C grated cheese

Dump beans into the colander and rinse with cold water until no foam appears.  Heat olive oil in pan and brown ground beef. When browns add beans, chili powder, cumin Chipotle chili powder and water and simmer until nearly all the water is evaporated.

Assemble salad.

Bacon Appetizer Crescents

1 pkg cream cheese

8 slices bacon cooked, crumbled

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 C feta cheese

¼ C finely chopped onion

1 T chopped parsley or basil (depending on what you have handy—cilantro would be good too)

1 T milk

2 cans crescent rolls

For spice…add 3 T Sriracha hot chili sauce (highly recommended)

Heat oven to 375

Mix together all ingredients except crescent dough.

Separate each can of dough into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise in half. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous teaspoon cream cheese mixture. Rool up, starting at short side of triangle. Place, pointed sides down on baking sheet.

 Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Summer Squash Saute

2 lbs zucchini cut into matchsticks (use a cheese grater for ease)

1tsp kosher salt

¼ C sliced almonds

2 T olive oil

2 garlic closed, slices

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

¼ C finely grated Parmesan

Pepper to taste

Toast almonds in a large dry skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Fold in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Fold in almonds.

Alex’s Lomo Saltado

Alex first tasted this made by at his friend Luis’ Dad who is from Peru. Out of the blue he texted me saying we should make it…I had no idea what it was.  I had even less of an idea how awesome it was going to taste. The french fry element seemed like something out of a Chopped basket but totally made the dish.

Preheat oven and bake 1 bag frozen steak fries according to instructions

1/2 of a large red onion sliced

2 large aji amarillo chilis sliced

3 tomatoes chopped

Marinade 1 1/2 lb boneless top sirloin sliced in 1-2 inch strips for 30 min in:

1 1/2 T crushed garlic

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp pepper

2 T white vinegar

2 T soy sauce

2 T olive oil

Heat oil and add steak and marinade to pan. Fry the meat until just cooked and the juices release. Remove the meat from the pan and cover with foil. Saute the onion until transparent. Add the peppers and tomatoes  and cook until tomatoes soften. Add the meat back into the pan and salt and pepper to taste. Add the baked french fries and stir. Serve over rice or couscous.

Rouge Sangria

I saw this recipe in People or InStyle or someplace like that. It looked SO good, I thought I’d try it out on some friends. Delish! A bit on the strong side, but the Vernor’s really mellows it out.

1 bottle of red wine

1 C Grand Marnier

1 C rum

1 C pineapple juice

1/4 C fresh lime juice

1 C fresh lemon juice

1 C orange juice

1 can Vernors ginger ale (can be substituted with Sprite or 7 up)

sliced oranges, lemons and/or other fruit.

Gator Ron’s Chicken Strips

Gator Ron’s Angel Wing Sauce is my new go-to!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1 pkg boneless chicken tenders (I like the buying the tenders already sliced…quick and easy)

1/4 C mayo

3 T Gator Ron’s Angel Wing Sauce

1 C crushed goldfish

Mix together the mayo and Gator Ron’s Angel Wing Sauce. Brush the chicken strips with the mayo/wing sauce combo and dredge in crushed goldfish. Put the strips on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper if you like a little kick.

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Gator Ron’s Wing Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 C Gator Ron’s Angel Wing Sauce

1/4 C Blue Cheese Dressing

1/4 C Crumbled Blue Cheese

Combine cream cheese, Gator Ron’s Angel Wing Sauce, and dressing in the food processor and blend. Fold in crumbled blue cheese. Serve with celery sticks or pita chips.