We are serious shrimp people. Actually, we are serious seafood people. We LOOOOOOOVE being in the water. I won’t point her out but one of my sisters even has webbed toes. Lol j/k.  Last night I made the infamous Linguine with Shrimp Scampi that is a fav to a few people around here. However, I stored a few for the people who have been asking me for the recipe for the coconut shrimp I posted pics of on Facebook a couple months ago. (See, I try to look out )

Well, I won’t keep you. (That’s what my aunt says AFTER keeping you on the phone for about 2 hours o_O)  This is super easy, super quick and super tasty! Get to it!  

Recipe slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili-garlic hot sauce (optional)
• 1 pound tail-on shrimp, shelled but leave tail on*
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk (or regular milk)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• Oil, for frying (I used vegetable)

 *  I prefer at least the U15, flash frozen wild Jumbo shrimp (pictured). “U15” means that there are less than 15 shrimp in a pound. The larger the number the more shrimp you get in a single pound. (Popcorn shrimp would be about 41 to 50 per pound).

Directions

1 In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and the chili-garlic hot sauce (optional). Set aside.

2 With a paring knife, slice down deep at the middle of the back of the shrimp, but do not cut all the way through. Discard the black vein/tract.

3 Set three shallow bowls side by side. Place flour in the first bowl; whisk the egg and coconut milk in the second; and combine the panko and coconut flakes in the third.

4 Lightly season shrimp with salt and pepper.

5 Heat 2 inches of oil in a sauté pan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 350°F.

6 As the oil is heating, bread the shrimp by dipping the shrimp on both sides in the flour and shaking excess off. Next dip in the egg/coconut milk mixture and then in the panko/coconut flakes, patting to ensure the coating sticks well.

7 Fry the shrimp in small batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Serve with Sweet Chili Mayo for dipping.

Serves 4.

I was charged with babysitting my nephews the other day and I couldn’t resist their little pleading faces when they asked me for dessert. I caught a glimpse of the bowl of apples in my periphereal and decided to make the “Company Apple Crisp”  dish I’d found in my Cook’s Illustrated magazine. I recalled how simplistic and common the ingredient list appeared to be and knew I had those items but was still amazed that I did, in fact, have every single item with the exception of fresh lemon juice. I did, however, have a lime and that would HAVE to work….and it did.

Sorry, but site or no site, I was too tired to wash dishes after babysitting and definitely NOT for the SAME 2 little reasons I was so beat. Therefore, you’ll have to deal with the styrofoam bowls I used to serve this sweet treat. They’re not completely unsightly when you peek in on their contents. YUM-MEEEEE.

It may have been inconsiderate of me to give them the Apple Crisp JUST before turning them back over to their mom but all they know is that Auntie Zina is the fav (and if you truly know anything, you know that is a bold face lie).

INGREDIENTS

Topping:

 3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 c pecans, chopped fine

3/4 c old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 c (3 1/2 oz) packed brown sugar

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/2 tea. table salt

8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

 3 lbs. Golden Delicious apples (approx 7)

1/4 c granulated sugar

1 c apple cider

2 tea. juice from 1 lemon

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

For the topping:

•  Adjust rack to the middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
• Stir in butter until mix is thoroughly moistened and crumbly.
• Set aside.

For the filling:

• Toss apples, sugar and cinnamon together in large bowl; set aside.
• Bring cider to a simmer in a 12-inch oven-safe* skillet over medium heat. 
• Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, approx. 5 minutes.
• Transfer reduced cider to bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in lemon juice and set aside.
• Heat butter in now empty skillet over medium and cook stirring frequently, until apples begin to soften and become translucent, 12 to 14 minutes. (DO NOT FULLY COOK THE APPLES BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE TO BAKE IN THE OVEN)
• Remove pan from heat and gently stir in cider and mix until apples are coated.
• Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks.
• Place skillet on a baking sheet and bake until fruit is tender and topping is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 mins. and serve….preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Today my girlfriends and I started laying some of the groundwork for our fitness 2010 plan. I didn’t speak up too much because I had already defrosted my pork chops with every intention in lightly breading and pan-frying them. These aren’t TOO bad though. Instead of the large amount of gravy I usually use, I made a small amount and then added chicken broth. Better right? lol In my defense, I served baby carrots (although they were cooked in brown sugar and butter) and brown rice with them. Needless to say, I’m already in the running for “Most Improved”. : )

On to the recipe. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE….DO NOT be afraid of pan gravy!!! It is Super Duper Easy!

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops (bone in)

1/2  large white onion

Vegetable Oil

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Seasoning Salt

• Roughly chop onion. Set aside.
• Season pork chops with salt, pepper and seasoning salt.
• Dredge in flour.
• Once grease is heated, fry at medium high in a shallow pan of oil for 4-5 mins. on each side. (I started with EVOO and when I realized I needed more oil, I switched to veg. oil)
• Remove from pan,  and place on paper towels to drain some of the fat.
• Pour out all the oil. Pan should be coated with a little oil and the bits of flour that may have come off the chops (aka the good stuff)
• Turn pan back on to medium.
• Add 4 Tbsps. of oil back to the pot. (Or if you can eyeball it, just pour off all but 4 Tbsps. from the beginning) 
• Get a whisk and starting with a Tbsp., begin whisking in flour.
• After it’s pretty much broken up, add another Tbsp. Keep whisking.
• If you need more liquid, add liquid. If you need more flour, add flour.
• Add onions to the pan and toss around to saute.
• After they get going add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Whisk.
• It may need a little seasoning so taste it. If so add salt and pepper.
• Return pork chops back to pan and simmer on low for about 5 or 6 minutes.