SHRIMP FRIED RICE

This recipe is light, flavorful, versatile and most of it can be made ahead and just heated together at meal time. It is one of our favorite's (summer AND winter) and double or tripled, it is great for a crowd!! 

 

3 cups of cold COOKED rice (day old rice is best)
5 slices of bacon (save 2 tablespoons bacon fat )
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup sliced green onion tops
1 pound of  large shrimp
2 eggs beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dry crushed red pepper flakes to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Sliced cherry tomatoes for decoration
Any veggies you want to add (cooked and chopped)


Spray your largest frying pan with vegetable spray and heat to medium high. Beat 2 eggs and pour them into the pan, tilting the pan so the eggs spread out nice and thin. When the eggs are starting to "set", sprinkle lightly with a few crushed red pepper flakes. Flip the eggs over and remove from heat. If the eggs don't flip over in one piece, that's ok, just keep the pieces as large and thin as you can. Remove from pan.

When the eggs are cool enough to handle, roll them up and slice thinly (to get thin strips of egg). This sounds like a hassle, but it is an important part of the dish; set aside.


Fry 5 slices of bacon until crispy, remove and drain on paper towels set aside (reserve some bacon fat).

Put 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat in a wok or large frying pan, add 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion and saute until tender; add 3 cups of COLD cooked rice, the crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup sliced green onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and any other chopped (cooked) vegetables you want to include; gently mix over medium heat.

Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil and one pound of COOKED shrimp (see note). Gently toss, and heat through; gently stir in egg strips just before serving. Decorate with sliced cherry tomatoes.

NOTE: If you are using precooked shrimp, just stir them in at the end of the recipe.

NOTE: If you are using raw shrimp (which I highly recommend), CLICK HERE for my easy cooking method.

NOTE: If you are using  frozen raw shrimp, make sure they are completely thawed and drained and patted dry before you cook them (or they will boil as they defrost and get rubbery).

NOTE: It is important that the rice used in this recipe be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge. It is a great use for leftover rice. 

NOTE: You will not be happy with the outcome of this recipe  if you use freshly made rice.

PAUL PRUDHOMME SEASONING MIX CLONE

I've thought about trying commercial dry rubs for a long time, but I have trouble spending several dollars on them since the ingredient list tells me I have those same spices at home!! So...... I've been experimenting with my own spice rack (with picky-picky husband's timid pallet in mind of course). He is (has always been) a meat and potatoes...salt and pepper...mild barbecue sauce kind of guy, so I've had to introduce these dry spice rubs "subtly" (snicker).

Today's post was a big hit. I found it during one of my "2 AM can't sleep" Internet sessions and I failed to write down it's source, I apologize. The spice combo is just right for our taste..... not too spicy, but VERY flavorful and it goes well with just about any meat, even seafood.

PAUL PRUDHOMME (style) SEASONING MIX

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon DRY mustard powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix everything (makes about 1/4 cup) and rub, liberally, onto raw meat about an hour before grilling.

EASY BUTTERSCOTCH CANDY BARS

This delicious recipe (posted by Ellen b. over at MGCC) was originally a cookie bar; but you know me, I can't leave a recipe alone, so I doubled the topping ingredients and the end result was almost like a candy bar. I served them at a BBQ, recently, and they were inhaled by kids and adults alike. They are SO easy to make, but a warning here... they are totally addicting!!

 

COOKIE BASE (original version)
1½ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (room temperature)
¾ cup brown sugar

Mix the flour, salt and brown sugar, then cut the room temperature butter into the mixture. To do this, I used my stand mixer with a wire whisk on medium high and it gave me fine crumbs like this, which is perfect. Put the crumbs into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with vegetable spray.

Level the crumbs out with your fingers and then pat them down evenly. I used the bottom of a smooth  measuring cup to tamp down the crumbs, which produced a nice flat layer like this:

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes.

While the cookie base is baking, mix the following ingredients in a microwave safe bowl:

BUTTERSCOTCH TOPPING (my version)
12 ounces of butterscotch baking chips
½ cup light corn syrup (I use  Karo syrup)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt

Melt the above ingredients in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds (my microwave took about 75 seconds). When the mixture is completely smooth, add two cups of coarsely chopped (and toasted) pecans.

After the cookie base has baked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and spread the butterscotch-pecan mixture over the top and put back in the oven for another 8 minutes.

Cool completely before slicing.

Store in lightly covered cookie jar.

Thank you for sharing the original recipe Ellen b.

EASIEST BREAD STICKS EVER !!

If you have a stand mixer, these bread sticks practically make themselves!! Just throw everything in the stand mixer at once, and let it mix for 3 minutes, let it raise for an hour, shape them then let them raise again and bake... that's it!!

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, put

2/3 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons of yeast

Stir it up just a little (with a spoon), then add

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons butter (room temperature)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Put your paddle blade on, and mix for three minutes on medium low speed, it should look like this (the walls of the bowl should be clean)

Take the dough out of the bowl and spray the bowl with some vegetable spray and put the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and then a dish towel, and let it raise for an hour. It won't get huge because there is only 2 cups of flour, but it should be nice and puffy

Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them out to (about) the diameter of your thumb.  Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (or just a lightly greased sheet) a few inches apart and lightly spritz them with vegetable spray. Cover them with plastic wrap and gently lay a THIN kitchen towel over the plastic wrap.

Let them raise for about an hour, then remove the plastic wrap and bake them in a pre-heated 375 oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown, then remove them and brush them with butter. Some times I brush them with butter and then roll them in Parmesan....Mmmmmm. Serve hot!!

 

NOTE: I'm sure this recipe would work very well in a bread machine as well.

SALAD DRESSING CLONE RECIPES

It is BBQ season, that is for sure and what goes better with grilled "anything", than a fresh green salad?!?  I've posted these salad dressings before, however, I've tweaked them again and this time I think they are perfect, well at least that is what picky-picky husband says.

Not only are they delicious, but they certainly save a lot of money and I  feel good knowing exactly what is in my salad dressing!!

HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH CLONE

1 cup mayonnaise (low cal OK)
1 cup buttermilk (don't substitute)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)
2 large pinches dried thyme

Whisk together and chill overnight before using.

NOTE: Don't use this dressing right after you make it; it will NOT taste like ranch dressing. Something magical happens to it after it sits overnight...trust me!!

*****

We like Light House brand Thousand Island salad dressing (in the refrigerated veggie section) but the price has increased to nearly $4.50 for a small jar, which is crazy.  The following recipe  is VERY close to the original, I hope you like it... picky-picky husband loves it.

LIGHT HOUSE THOUSAND ISLAND  CLONE

3/4 cup mayonnaise (low cal is OK)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons finely minced celery
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Whisk everything together and refrigerate at least a couple of hours before using.

*****

This Catalina salad dressing is delicious, our grand kids love it. I can't believe how easy it is to make.

CATALINA SALAD DRESSING CLONE

1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

2/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

big pinch of paprika (not the spicy kind)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender (I used an immersion blender) and mix on high speed (salad dressing will really thicken up as you process it).

NOTE: Catalina needs a good whisk before using (if it has been in the fridge for a few days).

NOTE: All three of these salad dressings last an easy 10 days (or more) in the fridge.

BRIGHT CITRUS SALAD

In the heat of summer, this great salad is a nutritious combination of crunch (from the broccoli and sunflower seeds) and sweetness (from the oranges and raisins).  It gets its brightness from the lemon juice, green onions and red bell pepper and finally the addition of the black beans give you that wonderful "full feeling" that you do not get with some light meals. This is a GREAT side dish!! Measurements given here are approximate (except for the dressing). YOU decide how much of each ingredient you would like in your salad. The amounts given here are catered to MY taste buds. 


3 small heads of broccoli (broken into small pieces)
1 red bell pepper (diced finely)
1 cup raisins
2 oranges (peeled and sliced thickly)
15 ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup  toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops

Dressing:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Wash (and shake dry) the broccoli. Remove as much of the stalk and stems as you can so you can break the florets into bite size pieces. Add diced red bell pepper, raisins, oranges, black beans, sunflower seeds and green onions.

Mix dressing ingredients with a whisk and pour dressing over the salad. Toss gently and serve immediately. NOTE: You may not need or want all of the dressing.


NOTE: Peel the oranges, removing as much of the white as you can, then slice the orange into thick slices; cut the thick slices into four wedges.

NOTE: Let your imagination go wild with this salad, you can add just about anything that strikes your fancy.

CROCKPOT PICNIC BEANS

I love beans of all kinds, baked beans, chili beans, bean soup, refried beans, you name it; so I've tried a lot of bean recipes.  As usual, I ended up taking the best part of several recipes and combining them to create this crockpot picnic bean recipe. Every BBQ needs a big pot of beans !!

 

These beans are slightly sweet and smokey, not to mention VERY flavorful and an inexpensive (and nutritious) way to feed a crowd. The trick is to start them the day ahead (with soaked beans), then let them cook in the crockpot all day (or overnight is even better). Your kitchen will smell heavenly.

3 cups DRY navy beans  (soaked overnight)
3/4 cup tomato puree
3/4 cut ketchup
2½ cups (bean) water   (see note)
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons DRY mustard powder
1 medium onion chopped
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 pound of bacon (fried and crumbled)

Rinse and sort the dry beans (sometimes, there are tiny rocks or pieces of dirt in the bag). Cover them with water (about 3" above the beans) and put them in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight.  Drain and rinse them again.

Put the beans in a large kettle and cover with with enough water to measure  3-4 inches above the beans. Gently boil  for 1 to 2 hours (all beans cook at different rates, so just test for doneness after an hour ...just don't let them get mushy). If you want to skip this step, see alternative method below.

Drain  the beans, but reserve 2½ cups of the bean water. Put the drained beans, onion and crumbled bacon in the crockpot. 

Mix the 2½ cups of reserved bean water with the tomato puree, ketchup, molasses, sugar, dry mustard, and salt until smooth then pour over the beans, stirring very gently to distribute everything.

Cover and cook on low setting of your crockpot for about 8 hours. Don't be afraid to add a little water towards the end if it looks like it needs it (it won't effect the taste).

 

NOTE: If you don't want to mess with boiling the beans, you can soak them all day and then before you go to bed, put the beans in the crockpot, cover them with water (water only) and let them cook on low all night.   In the morning, drain the beans (saving 2½ cups of the bean water) and then  proceed with the rest of the recipe.

NOTE: Navy beans work the best for this recipe, but northern beans or any small white DRY bean will work, just don't use a dry lima bean...they get mushy too fast.

NOTE:  "Bean water" is simply the water that you boiled the beans in.