Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi

            From The Pioneer Woman (but with a few edits from me)

       Ingredients

·              4 Tablespoons Butter

·              2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

·             1/4 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced

·             6-8 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced Or Pressed

·             1 pound Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined

·             ½ cups White Wine

·             2 whole Lemons

·            6 dashes Hot Sauce (I Used Tabasco; More To Taste)

·            Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

·           8 ounces, weight Angel Hair Pasta

·           Chopped Fresh Basil To Taste

·           Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

·           ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

     Preparation Instructions

     Boil water for pasta; have it ready.

     Heat olive oil and melt butter in large saucier pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for two        
     or three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, then stir and cook for a couple of minutes.   
     Squeeze in lemon juice. Add wine, butter, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low.

     Throw angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just done/al dente. Drain, reserving a cup or two of   
      the pasta water.

     Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and toss, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs to be thinned. Taste    
     for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.

     Top with grated Parmesan and minced parsley and serve immediately.

Easy Cilantro Rice

I love "real" cilantro rice (with fresh cilantro), but I'm digging this easy cilantro rice lately. I make maybe 3 C. of basmati rice and add almost a full tube of cilantro paste, maybe 6 Tbsp of jalapeno sauce, and the juice of half a lime. So good and so quick.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Tacos

These are SO GOOD. They're an absolute favorite.

Ingredients

·       2 pound(s) (about 6) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or a mix of thighs and breasts, or breasts. Whatever makes you happy)

·       4 clove(s) garlic, thinly sliced

·       1/2 cup(s) prepared tomato salsa (I usually use chipotle salsa), plus more for serving (optional)

·       1 to 2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo. I blend these in a small food processor.

·       1 tablespoon(s) chili powder

·       Coarse salt and ground pepper

·       8  hard corn taco shells or soft corn tortillas

I also serve these with cilantro rice in the taco itself. I think my recipe for cilantro rice is on this blog somewhere, but lately I've been cheating. I make basmati rice, then mix it with lots of cilantro paste (that you can buy in the grocery store), the juice of half a lime, and something like 4-5 Tbsp jalapeno sauce (like Tobasco, but green and milder). 

·       Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream, for serving (optional)

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Directions

1.     In slow cooker, combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Cover; cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours).

2.     Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells, with rice and with toppings, if desired.

Shrimp Lo Mein

    Shrimp Lo Mein

    Ingredients

·             8 ounces lo mein noodles

·            2 tablespoons canola oil

·           1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

·           1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed

·            4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

·            2 cloves garlic, chopped

·           kosher salt

·           1/4 cup oyster sauce (found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets)

·           2 tablespoons rice vinegar

·           1 tablespoon soy sauce

·           crushed red pepper, for serving

    Directions

    1.     Cook the noodles according to the package directions.

    2.     Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, snow peas, scallion    
         whites, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked  
         through, 2 to 3 minutes.

     3.     Add the oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, and ¼ cup water; cook, tossing, until thickened, 1 to 2   
        minutes. Add the noodles and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with the red pepper and scallion 
        greens.

Sweet Garlic Baked Chicken

Sweet Garlic Chicken

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Recipes Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sriracha

½ tsp Salish or kosher salt

¼ tsp curry powder

dash chipotle powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

fresh ground pepper

Directions

1 - Preheat oven to 450°F Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil.

2 - In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.

3 – Mix together brown sugar, cayenne, salt, curry powder, chipotle powder, sriracha, and fresh ground pepper

4 - Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar mixture. Add additional herbs and spices as desired.

5 - Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture. (Note: just put on top, not also underneath chicken.)

6 - Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.