"Panda Express" Honey Walnut Shrimp

We have been to Panda Express a few times and the honey walnut shrimp is amaaaazing. I don't have a "normal" order because I've only been there a few times, but I have had a bite or two of this each time and know it's good. Norris requested that I make it at home and we loved this, too. It has a few more dishes than my typical weeknight meal, but they were worth it. I will use this coating technique for shrimp in any sauce again. Norris liked it so much that he suggested I use this recipe for school, and I know the kids would also love it!

"Panda Express" Honey Walnut Shrimp

1lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined, with tails removed)
1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
½ cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup cornstarch
¼ cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp milk (skim works)
1 cup oil (for frying)

 

Bring the water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the walnuts and boil for two minutes, then drain and spread on a baking sheet or plate to dry.

Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy (a mixer makes quick work out of this). Add cornstarch and stir until thickened.

Combine mayonnaise, honey, 1 tbsp sugar, and milk in a small saucepan and keep warm.

Heat oil in frying pan or deep fryer. Dip shrimp in egg white batter, shake off excess, and fry in hot oil until golden brown, or about four minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss shrimp in warm mayonnaise sauce, then toss with walnuts and serve.

adapted from allsecretrestaurantrecipes

Bangin' Good Shrimp

Lately, I've been making quite a few things Norris has absolutely loved (no, the baked zucchini wasn't one of them; that was all for me!:). When he finished this, he asked if we were having it for dessert, with the hopes that I had hidden some leftovers that he could have. It really was excellent and tasted like a restaurant dish, but was a lot cheaper and better for us. This came together quickly and would be a great weeknight dinner,especially if you already had the peels and tails off the shrimp. The texture combinations here are awesome. You can add, omit, or sub any of the pasta/veggies.We'll be having this again!

Bangin' Good Shrimp

1/3 cup light mayonnaise (thinking you may be able to sub at least half with Greek yogurt!)
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce (or to your taste preferences)
~2 tsp Sriracha (or to your taste preferences)
1/4 cup chicken, shrimp, or vegetable stock

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp vegetable oil
4 cups coleslaw mix or shredded purple and green cabbage
2 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta, cooked
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, and Sriracha in a medium bowl and set aside.
Coat the shrimp with cornstarch in a bowl.
Heat vegetable oil in wok over medium high heat. Once oil is heated, add shrimp and stir fry for about three minutes, or until pink and done. Stir shrimp into mayonnaise sauce.
Stir fry bell peppers in work for about two minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
Remove pan from heat and add the stock to it. Add shrimp with sauce to the pan and stir, whisking away any clumps that form. Leave in pan until sauce is heated through.
To plate, put the pasta on, then the cabbage, then shrimp/sauce, then peppers, then peanuts, then onions. Serve with extra Sriracha if desired.

adapted from Skinny Taste

Shrimp Stuffed Squash

This is another great summer dinner (and one that makes me wish I had my own garden since I keep using things from other people's gardens...thanks, friends and family!). It was light, but filling, and bursting with flavor. I kept telling Norris how much I loved it. You could adapt the filling however you'd like...omit tomatoes, add more cheese, use garlic powder instead of fresh, use crab, go meatless, use shallot instead of onion...whatever you have and love will probably work! Enjoy!

Shrimp Stuffed Squash

Serves 1 entree or 2 sides

1 large zucchini or yellow squash, split in half longways and seeds/pulp scooped out
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
3 Tbsp chopped red onion
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
dried or fresh basil, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of cayenne

Preheat the broiler to high and adjust rack to about six inches below heating element.
Brush squash with 1 tsp of olive oil and broil, cut side down, for about 8 minutes, or until it is releasing moisture beads. Remove squash from oven.
Reduce heat to 450 F.
Heat remaining olive oil in small saute pan over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion for about two minutes, or until soft.
Combine garlic, onion, tomato, shrimp, 1 Tbsp of cheese  basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stuff into the squash halves and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and filling is cooked and hot, about 20 minutes.

adapted from allrecipes

Spicy Mustard Shrimp

I'm going to make a bold statement here (well, bold for me and food anyway) and say that this is my favorite Cooking Light recipe to date! I have tried a lot of CL recipes and really enjoyed a lot of them, but wow, this was a winner. The couscous I put with it definitely has something to do with it, but this combination of flavors and textures was right up my alley! Plus, this is practically thrown together since it took all of fifteen minutes to make. It is fresh, light, and yummy!!

Spicy Mustard Shrimp

Makes 4 servings

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp canola oil
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup diced pineapple
chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
4 lime wedges

Couscous:
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
2 cups chicken stock

Bring chicken stock to a boil, add couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Allow couscous to cook for about 10 minutes while you cook the shrimp.
Combine mustard and hot sauce.
Heat oil in saute pan over medium high heat. Add shrimp and saute one minute. Add mustard mixture, stir, and saute another two minutes. Stir in pineapple and let heat through. If your sauce reduced too much, add a tablespoon or so of water (you want it to be on the thick side, but depending on your heat source, it may be clumpy...add water if you need it!).
Serve shrimp over couscous and top with chopped cilantro. Squeeze lime wedge on each serving before eating.

slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

If you have allergies or a cold, I suggest you make this soon. What a way to introduce a recipe....
The reason I suggest it is because it's a really good meal and has a great spice factor that will clear you right up. This is a Cooking Light recipe that you can change up however you like. Add in your favorite veggies, serve it over brown rice, rice noodles, however you like. I thought it was great with steamed broccoli...a little sauce on the broccoli was so good!

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

adapted from Cooking Light

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
baby corn
water chestnuts
snap peas
1 carrot, julienned

Pat shrimp dry and toss with cornstarch.
Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and Sriracha.
Heat oil over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for fifteen seconds. Add shrimp and stir fry another three minutes. Add veggies and juice mixture and cook another two minutes or until sauce thickens, shrimp is done, and veggies are crisp-tender.
Serve over rice, noodles, or more veggies.

Black Bean, Corn, and Shrimp Salad

This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that you could eat hot, cold, plain, over rice, in a tortilla...however you want. It's really good, too! The lime and cilantro add just the right touch of brightness.
Busy week of middle school football, a MASSAGE!! ($5 groupon score, awesome!), parent teacher conferences, a birthday brunch for a very special lady, and a KSU football watch party!

Black Bean, Corn, and Shrimp Salad

from Cooking Light

(it says 4 servings for the original version and I used less shrimp and more corn but would say it's plenty for six burritos)

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
cooking spray
2 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup salsa
2 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed

Combine shrimp with chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Toss to coat.
Heat a saute pan to medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray.
Saute shrimp for about three minutes, or until done. Add 1 tbsp lime juice, then remove shrimp from heat. Add corn to pan and saute until slightly softened. Add beans and salsa and cook until heated through. Add remaining lime juice and cilantro. Serve on tortillas, over rice, plain, hot, cold, however you like!

Shrimp Cobb Salad

This is a satisfying and quick main dish. Norris and I both really enjoyed it. The shrimp are amazing! I'm sure they would be great cold the next day, too, but ours didn't make it to the next day!
The dressing is really good on this, so I would suggest using it--Norris liked it, too. It's bright and citrusy and perfect for this warm weather we are finally getting! (by the way, did we skip Spring? We went from sweats to sweating in about two days!)
I have proclaimed my hate for paprika before, but loved it on these shrimp. They would be good on almost anything. If you'd rather cook outside, you can certainly grill your shrimp for this salad! I didn't put amounts on the vegetables because I think you should just adjust those according to your tastes. This salad will definitely be made again, and I will probably roast the corn next time and make it even better!

Shrimp Cobb Salad

from Cooking Light via Prevention RD

4 slices center cut bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp paprika (I used 2/3 tsp)
1/4 tsp black pepper (plus I used some in my dressing)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt, divided (I had to use a bit more in my dressing)
2 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
romaine lettuce
cherry tomatoes (omitted)
shredded carrots
frozen corn, thawed
diced avocado

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and wipe pan clean. Add 1 tsp olive oil to skillet and heat over medium heat.
Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Cook in skillet until done, flipping halfway through. This should take about two to three minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice and mustard. Drizzle in the oil and continue to whisk. Season with salt and pepper to taste and ajust liquids to taste.
Toss lettuce, corn, carrots, and dressing together. Arrange on plate and top with shrimp and bacon.

Shrimp Pasta with Cilantro Lime Pesto

I know I keep saying this, but this was another AWESOME dish!
When I did my menu plan last week, I planned on a fairly cool week so I had a shrimp soup planned. I got home from work sweating and knew soup would not cut it that night. I almost always stick to my menu plan, but I found myself searching for something to use similar ingredients, but not in soup form.
I love pesto, so I was excited to see a cilantro pesto, plus it had shrimp and feta in it, so I was sold! Norris and I both loved this dinner, and he doesn't even normally like meals with a lot of fresh herbs. I sprinkled the feta and crushed red pepper flakes on top, and the flavors blended perfectly. I would encourage you to try this very soon!!
**(two hours after the original post): Woah!! I just went to my cousin Amber's blog to print off her banana bread recipe, and I saw this recipe is at the top of her page!! I remembered seeing it somewhere before finding it through random search, and what a great source it is!!

Shrimp Pasta with Cilantro Lime Pesto

from Bon Appetit, July 2010 as seen on Erin's Food Files

1 1/4 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, plus 1/4 cup chopped (I used a bit more than this in the pesto portion of the recipe)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (used about 3 Tbsp chopped chives, since they were growing in the herb pot!)
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp chopped seeded jalapeno chile (didn't have one, so used a little cayenne pepper instead)
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb pasta (used whole wheat thin spaghetti)
1 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tbsp tequila (used reduced chicken broth instead)
1/4 cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese (used feta!!)
red pepper flakes (optional)

Blend 1 1/4 cups cilantro leaves, garlic, green onions, lime juice and jalapeno chile in food processor until blended. With motor running, slowly pour in olive oil and blend. Season with salt.
(can make pesto a day ahead of time--store in fridge)
Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add tequila (or chicken broth!). Return skillet to heat and stir until sauce is syrupy or about 30 seconds. Add pesto, stir to coat, and remove from heat.
Stir pasta into shrimp mixture. Divide into bowls and top with cheese, cilantro and red pepper flakes.
adapted from Tejas Texas Grill and Saloon

Summer Shrimp Rolls

This was one of my most favorite dishes in a while! They taste just like summer to me...soo good!

I would guess these are called "summer" because they use fresh sweet corn and pesto. BUT, you can freeze your corn on the cob while it's good and sweet AND freeze your basil, so really, this can be a year-round recipe even using fresh ingredients!! Even Norris, who wouldn't even try my pesto chicken panini last week, really enjoyed this recipe made with pesto. It gives it such a fresh flavor.

This winner is from Rachael Ray's magazine. She suggests serving it on hot dog buns or over greens (which would also be good), but I served it on broiled Nature's Own whole wheat sandwich thins and thought they were great that way! (good open faced if you want to cut out one side of the bread). Try this while that basil in your backyard is still going wild and the farmers are still selling corn on the roadside!!

Summer Shrimp Rolls

from Rachael Ray Magazine from last summer

1.5 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped

3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)--I boiled this for about 8 minutes before using in recipe to make it a little more tender

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup pesto

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (I just sprinkled on top, since I am the only pepper eater in my household)

3 scallions, thinly sliced (I left out, but I'm sure they would be good)

salt and pepper to taste

your preferred delivery method, whether it's buns, sandwich bread, greens, or just a plate!! I broiled Swiss cheese on Norris' slices of bread so his also had a cheesy flavor on it, but I definitely don't think cheese is necessary.

Combine the mayonnaise, pesto, and lemon juice and refrigerate.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and stir until cooked. It should be opaque/pink...will only take a few minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in corn. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then combine with pesto mixture. Sprinkle with the red peppers and/or scallions and serve.

Garlic Shrimp Linguine

Best meal I've eaten in a while! If you're gluten free, at least try the shrimp and sauce....incredible! Of course, most things made with real butter are incredible! I used the pasta I got from the farmers' market, a basil garlic flavor that was really great with this sauce. I could have eaten the whole pound of shrimp, but fortunately for my cholesterol, I did not. I sauteed some green beans for a side and they were good mixed in, too. One more great part of this is that it took me less than an hour including peeling shrimp, cleaning and trimming green beans, measurements, eating, AND clean up!

Garlic Shrimp Linguine

~10 oz uncooked linguine
1/4 cup butter
8 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup white wine (I used tree free chardonnay, since we had some of a bottle sitting around that I needed to use up in something)
~1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (don't use the powdered stuff! add more to your own taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or about 2 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound of raw shrimp

Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta cooks, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add garlic, wine, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Simmer mixture for 7-8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings after the sauce has reduced some.
Crank the heat to medium high and add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp is pink (~4 minutes).
Toss with pasta and serve. Top with additional parsley and Parmesan cheese if you like!

Garlic Lime Shrimp Tostadas

Yum!! I have been craving shrimp and looking at a ton of shrimp recipes that I can't wait to try. This one is actually from a McCormick's Recipe Inspirations. My aunt bought me a couple of these just to see what they were, and they're actually premeasured spices that come with the recipe. You add the protein, liquids, etc., but these would be great for a beginning cook or college student! I remember when I didn't have many spices and I would hate to buy a whole bottle of a spice just for the 1/2 tsp. and not even know whether I would like that spice! Now that I have a ton of them, I know I'll be able to recreate this from my own collection, but it's always fun to try new products! Thanks, DD! :)
Anyway, this package actually said Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas, but I had some corn tortillas and shrimp, so decided to do a baked tostada. I have mentioned this before, but rather than frying a corn tortilla to make my tostada base, I put it under the broiler and crisp up both sides. Works great every time! Tostadas are a quick go-to meal in my house and we both love them!
The flavor of this marinade was very good! It would also be excellent with chicken.

Garlic Lime Shrimp Tostadas

1 tsp minced dried garlic (can replace with fresh)
1 tsp dried onion
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup each of lime and orange juices (I used about 1/3 cup of lime only)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 to 1.5 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (they call for 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips)
any tostada fixings you like!

Mix all ingredients together in a zip top bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer for more pronounced flavor. (I marinated for about 5 hours)
I cooked the shrimp and diced up red bell peppers together in some of the marinade while the tortilla was under the broiler. Then, spread on fat free refried beans, the shrimp mixture, and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar and popped it back under the broiler until the cheese was melted. Topped with salsa and sour cream..so good! The lime and garlic flavors pulled through even with all my other fixings, but were just the right amount of flavor.

Penne with Shrimp and Mushrooms

While eating this, Norris declared it to be one of his favorites. I'm sorry Weight Watchers, but we had to finish the sauce with a bit more butter (about a teaspoon or so) and a little salt. There may have been a light sprinkling of mozzarella on top (but light, promise!!:). I sound like I'm actually on WW--no, I'm not. Just looked through my cookbook this weekend and decided to cook out of it for this week. A couple more recipes to come from them, but try this one! I love shrimp, Norris loves mushrooms, this was great for us.

Penne with Shrimp and Mushrooms

Makes 4 servings

1 Tbsp (plus 1 tsp, my addition) stick margarine

1 onion, chopped (obviously left this out)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup minced parsley

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

4 cups hot cooked penne (used whole wheat)

In a large skillet, melt the margarine, then add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is softened and garlic is fragrant. YUM!!

Add the shrimp and mushrooms (or if you're cheap like me, keep your already cooked shrimp out at this point) and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid--around 8 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper. Heat through, then combine with the cooked penne (hope you remembered to cook it!!) and serve.

Per serving: 379 calories (although I put it in Spark Recipes and it said less...hmm..), 6 g fat, 48 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 32 g protein

Marinated Carrot Slaw with spicy shrimp

I got this idea from a neighbor from a reallllly long time ago. I was pretty surprised when my grandparents recently sent me a newspaper story showcasing "the little girl from down the street" as the top student chef in the country!! How cool!!


Her recipe is not available online, so you are just linked to the story. I used her recipe as an idea. I meant to actually use her recipe, but I copied it down and then left it at work, so I just went with the ideas that I remembered! I thought it turned out really well. I served the carrots over romaine lettuce with dried cranberries and drizzled a little extra of the marinade on top of my salad. Her original recipe also has julienned apples in it, which sounds awesome! I'll try it that way next time. I marinated some shrimp to make it spicy, cooked them, and topped the salad with that. Really good!!

Marinated Carrot Slaw

3 medium carrots, julienned
2 t spicy brown mustard
2 t olive oil
2 t white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 t sugar
pinch salt

Combine everything but the carrots in a small bowl. Add carrots and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Spicy Shrimp

1 lb shrimp
2 t olive oil
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t minced onion
1/2 t garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1 T butter

Marinate shrimp overnight in everything but the butter, then cook the shrimp. When it is almost finished, add in the butter, let it melt over the hot shrimp, and serve.

Grilled Shrimp

This is a great healthy 30 minute meal. (And I actually mean 30 minutes, not like the Rach's "30 minute meals" that always take me much longer because I don't have anybody to mince my herbs and arrange them in bowls for me before I start cooking...)
I got this recipe from Cassie. She skewered hers and put them on a grill. I didn't have any skewers, so I broiled them and it worked just as well. My shrimp are a little smaller than hers too, but again, use whatever you have! I served this with my favorite apple/cashew/golden raisin salad, and counting salad and shrimp, it was all ready in less than 30!

Grilled Shrimp

Serves 4
1½ pounds 31/40 shrimp (31-40 shrimp per pound)
For the marinade:
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (I used part lemon and part lime)
1 tbsp tequila (optional)
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika (I only used a dash, because I'm definitely not a fan of this stuff!)
dash cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp dried parsley, or 1 tbsp finely minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the grill to medium high heat.
Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Peel and devein the shrimp if necessary and add them to the marinade. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Thread the shrimp onto skewers and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until pink and opaque. Serve warm.
Category: Blog
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© copyright Thu Apr 30 08:42:36 UTC 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Quinoa with Shrimp and Bean Saute

I am trying out quinoa for the first time after Jillian and I went on our inaugural trip to the awesome Whole Foods in OP. Another Eating Well recipe! I wanted to try something gluten free (the quinoa) to see if it settled my stomach down. Then I accidentally had a blueberry muffin with it. DUH!

Snapping the green beans made me long for summer and brought me memories of my mom and I in the kitchen snapping them and then simmering them for a long time and having just green beans for a few meals in a row. So good!!

Back to the food: Norris loved the meal, and I am still trying to decide if I like the flavor of paprika. I thought the meal was really good, but there was one flavor that just wasn't clicking with me, and I'm pretty sure it's the paprika. If you like paprika, or don't mind it, you'll really like this!

Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute with Quinoa

ingredients adapted slightly from Eating Well

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
4 cups green beans, trimmed (about 12 ounces)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 T minced garlic

2 teaspoons paprika

1 pound raw shrimp (21-25 per pound)

1 16-ounce can great northern beans (or some kind of white kidney bean), rinsed

2 cups hot cooked quinoa

¼ cup sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute Instructions
1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.

3. Divide the quinoa among the plates. Top with green beans, then the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

How to cook quinoa

(as instructed on the bin at WF!)

1 cup quinoa

2 cups cold water
1/2 t salt, optional

Soak the quinoa for 15 to 20 minutes in water in its cooking pot (different water from the 1 1/2 c). If you don't have that long, soak in hot water for 5 minutes.

Rinse and drain the quinoa.

Place quinoa in empty pot, pour 2 cups cold water over top, and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then cover with lid and reduce to simmering.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit with lid on for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff, just like rice!

Why quinoa is awesome:

It's not technically a grain, but we use it like one

It's the only "grain" that is a source of complete protein all by itself

It's gluten free

and many other nutritious benefits...look them up if you want to know more.

and I present my rigged steamer...I was thinking about buying a steamer basket, but thought it would take up a lot of space. This colander fits right down into my stockpot and a little saucepan lid fit tightly over the beans! So, if you don't have a steamer, give it a try! I'm still considering buying one so I can put more food into it to steam...we'll see...

Lemon Parmesan Shrimp Pasta

Sometimes when things are on sale, I stock up, and then wonder what in the heck I will do with them. This week's sale was lemons, and I wound up with four. Not a ton, but I sure didn't have any plans for them.


I remember seeing lemon pasta a lot from Giada on the Food Network, so I went in search of something similar.

This is a SparkPeople recipe that looked really great, and springy! I am so excited for the storms and sun and everything else spring and summer bring.

Lemon Parmesan Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients
1/2 lb. whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp (medium or small sized)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter (or whatever butter like substance you have)
1/4 c lemon juice
1/3-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, depending on your taste
1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions
1. Bring large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet. Saute shrimp and garlic until cooked through.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Add lemon juice and parmesan to chicken shortly before pasta is done.
5. Toss the cooked pasta with the chicken mixture.
6. Ladle in 1 cup of pasta water to extend the sauce.

Baked Shrimp

Just like the title of the recipe says--this is easy baked shrimp! We were grilling last night (yes, still a little cold for that!) and had some people over so I popped this in the oven while the meat was on the grill. Simple ingredients (use regular paprika, dried dill, regular bread crumbs if you don't have what it calls for). Here is the original recipe. It's something that everyone liked--Enjoy!

Easy Baked Shrimp

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 pound peeled fresh or frozen thawed shrimp, tails on optional
2 Tablespoons fresh dill weed, leaves stripped from stem
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (red pepper), or to taste
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:Preheat oven to 450 F (425 F for glass).
Line a shallow baking dish with nonstick foil or spray a glass baking dish with vegetable oil. Measure olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, and honey.
Squish to combine and add shrimp.
Toss to coat shrimp. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Combine dill weed, cayenne pepper, panko, and kosher salt until well-blended.
Remove shrimp from marinade with a slotted spoon and place in baking dish along with 1/2 cup of the marinade. Spread shrimp into a single layer.
Sprinkle evenly with the seasoned panko mix, then top with grated Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake shrimp 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Yield: 4 servings

Mini shrimp bites and Ramen noodle salad

Shelby is in town for a few days for the K-ACTE conference, so we have had a chance to hang out the last two nights!
The first night, we went to Cheddar's, which I normally like because it's casual and pretty quick, and we've always had good food. This trip made me not want to go back for a long long time! My food was not very good, and Shelby had a dead fly in her water. Gag!! They did give us both of our meals free, but the dead fly=no return trips for a while.

Last night, she came over and we made a really great meal. I was so glad she was here to help because I would have probably run out of steam about halfway through!
I had wonton wrappers, and I wanted to make something shrimpy or crabby:)
Norris' favorite salad is Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (I know, fancy!), so we made that, too.

Recipes:
Mini Shrimp Bites (from http://www.allrecipes.com/, a great website!)



Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour Yields: 16 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound medium shrimp - cooked, peeled and deveined
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cabbage
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
48 wonton wrappers
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
DIRECTIONS:
1.Chop shrimp; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add mozzarella cheese; mix well. Stir in the cabbage, onions, carrot, soy sauce, garlic and shrimp. For each shrimp roll, place 1 tablespoon of shrimp mixture across the bottom third of a wonton wrapper to within 1/4 in. of bottom and side edges. Combine flour and water until smooth; brush a 1/4-in. wide strip on side edges and fold side edges over 1/4 in. Brush side edges and top edge with water mixture. Fold bottom third of wonton wrapper over filling, then bring top over and pinch edges to seal completely.
2.Lightly spray rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve warm.

I don't really remember to take pictures of food, but they were great! We dipped them in a little soy sauce. I think next time I will make some sort of asian sweet chile sauce rather than plain soy sauce; that would have made them perfect.


Ramen Noodle Salad:
1 package ramen noodles (any flavor; uncooked)
small package slivered almonds
3 T sesame seeds
1 T margarine
1 head Napa Cabbage

1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c Splenda
1/2 c white vinegar
2 T soy sauce

Break up the uncooked ramen noodles (save the flavor package or toss it; you don't need it for this recipe!) into small pieces. In a medium sized skillet, melt 1 T margarine. Toss in the ramen, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds. Stir occasionally and toast them in the skillet. They should be crunchy and golden brown.

Clean and chop Napa Cabbage while toasting those ingredients. I like to chop it into really small shreds.

Mix together oil, sugar, Splenda, vinegar, and soy sauce. Shake it, shake it real good!! Put this in the fridge until ready to serve.

Right before you're ready to serve, toss the dressing into the cabbage and top the salad with the crunchy topping. YUM!!


Both recipes were a hit with both of us girls and with Norris! We made 30 of the wontons (rather than 48, since I used some last week) and between the three of us, we ate all but two. Hope you enjoy!