My mouth is still buzzing from this hot-n-spicy dish. Holy Moly. It is SO good! This recipe has been floating around on Pinterest for a while and I added it to my "Recipes to try" board several weeks ago. Actually, it may be one of the very first recipes I added. Anyhow, it is worth making. At first, I looked at the recipe and almost gave it the thumbs-down because it involved frying up the shrimp. I'm not crazy about anything fried. If it can be baked instead, I will go that route. But for some reason, I decided to give the frying a whirl. For the record, this is actually the first dish I ever used a fryer for. Can you believe it? SPICY "BANG BANG" SHRIMP INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined For the sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 4-5 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, such as Sriracha sauce 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon rice vinegar For the egg mixture: 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk For the breading mixture: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon dried basil For frying: 8 to 12 cups vegetable oil DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; cover and set aside. Combine beaten egg with milk in shallow bowl; set aside. Combine flour, panko, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl; set aside. Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading mixture. Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture, and then back into the breading. Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This step will help the breading to stick on the shrimp when they are frying. Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Use amount of oil required by your fryer. When oil is hot, fry shrimp 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on rack or paper towels. When all shrimp has been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce over shrimp and stir gently to coat. PERSONAL NOTES: As I mentioned above, this is the first time I ever used a fryer. It turned out great - it was so easy to use! But don't get me wrong; I do NOT plan to be frying up my food in the future (at least not consistently so). The sauce was HOT. If you don't like a lot of heat with your food, do yourself a favor and go lighter on the sriracha sauce. You can always add more later. Instead of using real mayonnaise, I chose to use Vegennaise. Real mayo just grosses me out. Always has. And despite the steps involved here, it really is an easy recipe to follow. The results are well worth the efforts. I will be making these again (and possibly trying them out in the oven instead of fryer next time :)
I get to use my penguin bowl again, yay! (As you can see, I am trying to revamp the appearance of this blog a little, so the layout might change a bit. I'm not sure how I feel about this one yet. Thoughts? Opinions?) A couple of weeks ago I was sitting around my friend's apartment, waiting to go to our gym class, when said friend offered me some anisette toasts. I think my unintelligent response was "Ani-wha?" About 15 of them later, I was cursing her and dragging my bloated, newly-anisette-toast-addicted self to the gym. You know what would have been great? Staying on the couch and finishing the rest of them. Batter scooped onto baking sheet; I only made a quarter at a time So, what IS anisette toast anyway? Well, it's basically biscotti! I googled around a bit and it seems like Stella D'oro is a producer of these--I used to ride past the Stella D'oro factory in the Bronx every morning on my way to high school and production days were the best because at least half the ride would smell like baking cookies. Which is much better than how NY usually smells (although still, nothing beats the stench of the Meadowlands over by Newark Airport in the summer--man, I always feel bad for tourists flying into Newark, imagine the first impression of this area being the smell of the Meadowlands and the Ikea in Elizabeth.) I actually saw anisette toasts for sale at the grocery, but my friend's grandmother very kindly shared the recipe. YAY. I love family recipes! After first bake These cookies are super easy to make. The recipe calls for margarine, but as an avowed butter devotee, I decided to make half the batch with margarine and half with butter. Honestly, I didn't think there was too much of a difference--the butter ones are maybe a tad more crumbly but I just baked them for an extra couple of minutes. So, use whatever you have on hand. Sliced and ready for the second baking I had a hard time visualizing the shaping until I actually was putting the dough onto the cookie sheets but it is seriously dead easy (see second photo). I suppose you could also pipe or spoon the dough onto into a log that's about 3 inches wide, for cookies that are all perfectly uniform, but scooping and dropping the dough is much less work! These are delicious with tea and would probably would also be awesome with coffee, but I have none and I'm too lazy to go buy more beans. This jar will be empty soon. I rewrote the recipe very slightly, but this comes courtesy of my friend's grandma. Thank you, Mrs. C! Anisette Toasts 1 stick margarine (or butter), softened l l/4 cups sugar 4 eggs 1/2 tsp salt (if using butter, otherwise, omit) 2 l/4 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder l/4 tsp anise flavoring Preheat oven to 350F. Cream sugar and margarine. If using butter, also include salt at this point. Beat in the eggs; the mixture may look curdled, but that's fine. Add dry ingredients and anise flavoring, and stir until smooth. Using a l/3 measuring cup - drop 6 mounds of batter on the cookie sheet (so you are forming 2 rows of 3 mounds). The batter will spread and run into each other slightly and rise. Bake about l3-l5 minutes till slightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and separate columns and cut into 1/2" slices. Lay the slices on the cookie sheet on their sides and bake for 6 minutes; flip slices over, and bake for another 6 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes a large cookie jar full that goes very, very quickly.
What a treat it was to stumble upon this recipe for avocado and crab salad. Two of my favorite things; especially in the warm weather. One...
I get to use my penguin bowl again, yay! (As you can see, I am trying to revamp the appearance of this blog a little, so the layout might ...
Scientific name: Rubus species Abundance: plentiful What: flowers, berries How: open mouth, insert flower/fruit, then chew. seep flowers/young leaves in hot water for tea Where: Sunny wastelands, borders between woods and fields. Dewberry plants grow as a low, horizontal ground cover. When: Spring Other uses: wine, jelly, tea, wine Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, vitamin C; small amount of minerals and vitamins A & B Dangers: sharp thorns Medicinal Summary: Root/Leaves - anti-diarrheal, soothes gastrointestinal inflammations, soothes skin inflammations (tisane) Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged in an alternate pattern along the stem. Leaf Shape: Leaves are compound with three to five leaflets. Each leaflet is oval-shaped, measuring approximately 1 to 3 inches in length and 0.5 to 1.5 inches in width. Leaf Venation: Leaflet venation is pinnate, with a central vein extending through each leaflet. Leaf Margin: Margins are finely toothed or serrated. Leaf Color: The color of the leaves is a deep green on the upper surface and a lighter green beneath. Flower Structure: Flowers are solitary or in small clusters, located at the ends of the stems or axils. Flower Color: The flowers are white or light pink, with each flower having five petals, measuring about 0.5 to 1 inch in diameter. Fruit: The fruit is a small, aggregate berry. Seed: Each berry contains multiple small seeds, which are hard and tan in color. Stem: The stems are trailing or arching, with many small thorns. Hairs: The stems and underside of leaves may have fine hairs. Height: As a trailing plant, the height is typically low to the ground. Ripe fruit. Unripe fruit. Getting more ripe. Dewberry flowers. Close-up of dewberry flower. Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping. North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. Dewberry vines can be found overrunning just about any sunny or shady open area. The dewberry plant creeps along the ground as a thorny vine as opposed to blackberries which grow in the form of an upright cane. Dewberries are common along Texas roadsides, fields, abandoned land, and woodland paths. The vines are quite thin, having diameters not much larger than the a pencil lead, but are tough and grow into impassable mats. The sweetest fruits will be found in areas that receive full sun but also plenty of water. A delicious tea can be made from dewberry flowers in the spring and its young leaves spring/summer/fall. I recommend using the leaves rather than flowers so not to reduce the amount of fruit produced. For tea pick young healthy leaves in late morning after any dew has dried but before the sun has had a chance to evaporate the volatile flavoring oils out of the leaves. Dry the leaves before use for a richer flavor as that will allow the cell walls to break down some, allowing the flavoring agents to escape the cells into your cup. The combination of dewberry and yaupon holly leaves makes a most excellent and vitamin-rich tea rich. Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.
A side of spaetzle is pure comfort. These noodle-like German dumplings are easy to mix up, then boiled in water and given a quick sauté in butter. Yum!
A quick and easy salad with chicken fajitas, sauteed peppers and onions, tomato, avocado, and cheese in a cilantro lime dressing!
I have a friend who truly exemplifies the word "gracious." When I recently threw a small birthday luncheon for her, she gushed repeatedly, "I can't believe all of the effort you made." Of course, she's the type who would be appreciative if I ordered Domino's pizza and mixed up a pitcher of instant tea. "I didn't go to that much effort," I protested, and I wasn't being modest. Here's proof that you can host a lazy luncheon and still make your guests feel pampered. Lazy Appetizer: The pesto torta, which we enjoyed al fresco with a couple bottles of bubbly, is pretty enough to look like you labored, but easy enough to assemble in less than five minutes. If you're feeling too lazy to slice your own baguette, have the bakery department at Von's Market do it for you. Lazy Table Setting: Use what you have. In my case, that meant backyard citrus for the center pieces and personalized grapefruit as the place setting. The gold napkins, purchased from Motif in Pasadena, pulled the look together. Not a Lazy Salad: This Winter Delight Salad is not exactly lazy, but the combination of slightly bitter arugula, sweet sliced pears, sour Granny Smith apples, sweet and salty candied pecans and pungent blue cheese is worth the effort. Lazier Option: Save time slicing fruit and candying pecans. Toss the greens with dried cranberries, slivered almonds and feta cheese. Still beautiful and delicious at a fraction of the effort. But, no matter how lazy you're feeling, please don't use a bottled dressing. Take two minutes and shake up your own balsamic vinaigrette - olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Lazy Entree: It doesn't get easier or more delicious than this. I called Euro Pane and ordered their vegetarian quiche with a potato crust. They even sliced the pie for me and threw in a half dozen crusty currant rolls. Lazier Option: Ask one of your guests to pick up the quiche for you. Lazy Dessert: Add some bling to your table with shimmering oranges and pomegranate seeds. Make it special with a splash of Galliano liquor. Lazier Option: While you're at Euro Pane, pick up some of Sumie's famous lemon bars. So, go ahead and take the kudos for a lovely luncheon. Only you and I know how easy (and lazy) it really was.
Vegan Madeleines for the perfect rainy day.
Did you see the movie, Julie and Julia? I loved that movie, about a blogger who decided to blog her way through Julia Child's iconic cookbook in a year. She cooked her little heart out
Looking for a creative way to enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers? Turn stuffing, green beans, and turkey into delicious juicy dumplings with this easy recipe.
Warm up with delicious winter cocktail recipes! Explore cozy flavors, festive spirits, and creative mixes for...Read More→
At dinner with friends one evening, one of our hosts served some pears she had preserved with ginger and lemon. The flavor was so heavenly I decided to use the fresh pears she gave us to try my hand at a ginger and lemon freezer jam.—Jeni Pittard, Commerce, Georgia
Shrimp lettuce wraps with sweet chili mayo. It's short on prep time but big on flavors. The sauce consists of sweet chili and mayonnaise, coleslaw mix, red onions, rice vinegar, sesame oil and lime juice. A great go-to crunchy and refreshing and quick shrimp recipe. Brace yourself because these are amazingly good!
Whether you're looking to eat less meat, or just want to save a few bucks on your next grocery bill.
Unbelievably rich and delicious! Of course, the sugars mentioned in this recipe are diabetic sugars such as Splenda!
These fabulously flavorful mushroom, shallot and herbed goat cheese tarts are the perfect creamy, flaky bite you need this time of year. These tarts are super easy to make and are great as a gourmet looking appetizer, snack, or accompaniment to any meal. Shallots and garlic are sautéd together with mushrooms, lots of herbs, white wine and creamy goat cheese to make the perfect filling for these puff pastry tarts. Try to only eat one!
Weekend brunch. Sandwich scarola bufala prosciutto crudo e crema di pomodorini. Oggi pic nic!!! In questi giorni ho fatto questa pagnotta...
Do you love the combination of chocolate and oranges? Then you're going to love this jaffa tart...
It's no secret that we're obsessed with Tender Greens' Happy Vegan Salad, and for good reason — it's essentially five salads (including a greens-packed
This recipe for braised beef shank in a deliciously rich sauce produces the most tender beef you will ever try! These absolutely mouth-watering beef shanks are slow-cooked, full of flavor, and super easy to make for any home cook.
Perhaps "stuffed" is quickly becoming a thing around here. Stuffed desserts, and now stuffed pasta shells. These stuffed shells are simple and straightforward, and while they don't taste quite as strongly of pumpkin as a dish titled "pumpkin stuffed shells" should (in my opinion), it's nice to know that there's more than just cheese inside.
Chunks of lamb, browned, and simmered in milk and cream with fennel and garlic. Spin off of a traditional Italian milk-braised pork dish.
Have you ever had a falafel? I hope so. If not, you need to make this falafel stuffed peppers so you know what your life has been missing. Falafel is usually shaped into little balls and deep-fried, then wrapped up in a soft pita. Instead, I decided to stuff that same falafel mixture inside of...Read More
The trick to a fully satisfying meal is to play with balance, and this combination strikes the perfect one.
Lamb shanks braised with cinnamon and tomatoes served over egg noodles.
A Cypriot pastry enjoyed by the Greek Orthodox on Easter Sunday to mark the end of the Lenten fast, flaounes are traditionally made with a special flaouna cheese made locally on the island.
É absolutamente irresistível. Adoro o aspeto, adoro as cores, adoro todos os ingredientes. Tenho de provar esta maravilha ainda hoje. Vou pedir ao meu querido Marido Mistério para fazer esta receita que descobri no blog Olive and Mango para o jantar de hoje. Ao almoço, nunca temos tempo para grandes cozinhados, já que o teletrabalho, […]
The truffle, a highly prized subterranean fungi, may be the last thing on people's minds in these troubled economic times. With a one ounce truffle costing up to $165, you can imagine my shock to see a basket of fresh...
A hint of lime and sweet cherries add a fun twist to your new favourite summer whiskey cocktails! This cherry whiskey sour will be on repeat this summer.
No-Bake Vegan Desserts
