I have to work on Saturday, so I still have 2 more days to go, as opposed to most of you who just have 1, but that's fine with me! A weekend is a weekend.
I've discovered a new route to work, which involves taking the scenic route downtown, but it avoids the congested highway and gets me to work on time - without me having to leave any earlier than normal. So score one for me!
I know this is late in the season, fresh strawberries are hard to come by - but that doesn't necessarily stop me from making this. It's a great condiment for tacos or fish, and even better as a replacement for tomato-based salsa as a dip for tortilla chips! I've been in a real dippy mood the past couple of days, haven't I? Sorry, can't help it!
10 strawberries, diced 1/2 English cucumber, diced 1 scallion, thinly sliced small handful of cilantro, chopped salt and pepper, to taste 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, cucumber, scallion, cilantro, and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for fish or tacos!
Well, I'm off to enjoy a nice bowl of some carrot-ginger soup and some of Andy's famous grilled cheese! Have a great night guys!
TGIF! That's what I screamed when I woke up this morning. Well, not literally, but just inside of my head. But seriously. Thank. Goodness. It's. Friday.
Definitely have a good weekend lined up. It's the birthday weekend of a couple pharmacists I know, so we're going out for sushi tomorrow night. Pretty amped about that because I could use a good meal of sushi right about now!
And I've decided to do something pretty cool here soon. I've decided to kind of expand my "culinary abilities" and recreate dishes that I've had at restaurants. I know... nothing new. People do that all the time. But I'm going to combine restaurant reviews and meals I've eaten and compare them to what I actually make at home. Kind of like a side-by-side comparison of sorts. Don't get it? Well... the first post will be sometime in the next couple of weeks, and maybe it will be clearer then.
Anyway, this recipe was kind of an evolution of an idea really. I had set out to make some shrimp ceviche, but then wanted tacos. So shrimp ceviche tacos sounded pretty good. Then I opened up the pantry and saw some tempura mix, and it was on. Shrimp. Tempura. Tacos. Oh yeah.
Oh, and don't forget this week's dessert poll at the end of the post!!
Ingredients:
1 lb. frozen shrimp, defrosted 2 cups tempura batter vegetable oil for frying 1 english cucumber, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 tomato, seeded and diced small handful cilantro, chopped juice of 1 lime 1/4 teaspoon cumin salt and pepper, to taste corn tortillas, warmed shredded cheddar cheese, optional rice and salsa, for serving
In a large bowl, combine shrimp and tempura batter. (A lot of Asian markets cell tempura batter mix and it's pretty easy... mine was a "just add water" kind of thing and tastes pretty great) And of course, you could always make up your own tempura mix, but I had the pre-made stuff handy, so that's what I used. Let sit for about 3-5 minutes.
In a heavy, deep pan or pot, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil. You know it's hot enough when you add a little bit of the tempura batter and it sizzles.
Add shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until the tempura is crispy and golden brown.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
To assemble tacos, place a thin layer of shredded cheese on each tortilla, then add a few shrimp (about 3-4 per taco), and top with cucumber/tomato salsa.
We served the tacos with some rice (which I basically just cooked in the rice cooker and added about a 1/2-3/4 cup of salsa to and mixed).
This made for a great impromptu taco. The flavors were fresh and I loved the contrast of the fried tempura shrimp and the delicate salsa. Definitely a winner in my book!
Have a great weekend guys!
And for the poll this week, I'm feeling like I want to make some cheesecake... so here's some flavors (don't know if some of them actually exist... but hey... I will make it happen if it wins!)
Phew that weekend just flew by, didn't it?! It seems like there's never enough time to catch up! But here Monday is, again, without fail. It's been a hectic day, that's for sure. The one thing that put a smile on my face, is that the local radio station I listen to on the way home, 91.9 WFPK, played a song from a band that Andy used to be in, Clyde. I was mad at Andy today, for Lord knows what (something trivial I'm sure), but I couldn't help but smile when I heard the song playing. Of course, I am no longer mad, and realize it was stupid to be mad in the first place.
Anyway, I've got a fancy for salads lately, and adding fried chicken strips is just the icing on the cake for me (of course, you could definitely be healthier than I, and go with grilled chicken strips, but there's no fun in that, now is there)
2 cups baby spinach 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced 1 apple, chopped 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 ounce pecans 2 chicken thighs, deboned ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet under high heat, add vegetable oil.
On a small plate, combine the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.Dredge chicken thighs in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
Add thighs to skillet and fry for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.Let rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. Slice chicken into small pieces and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F.
Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Spread in an even layer on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until caramelized.
Combine spinach, chicken, pecans, cucumbers, and apples together. Top with dressing (recipe below).
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon dijon mustard salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together and whisk well. Top salads with desired amount of dressing.
