lovethechefblog

It has been a very busy few weeks around here. If you think when your children grow up that you will have more time….WRONG! The grandchildren come along and you get to do it all over again. This time with lots more grace and patience’s. Life is full of adventures!

Now on to the menu for the week……

Shrimp Taco’s

Cashew Chicken

Kabob’s

Bacon Burgers

Shrimp Taco’s

When I make Shrimp Taco’s I first cut up the cabbage, onion, lightly chop the cilantro, limes and avocado. Keep the avocado seed and place it on the plate with the avocado to help with the browning.

1 pound raw clean shrimp

½ tsp. garlic salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ head purple cabbage thinly sliced

¼ red onion thinly sliced

½ cup cilantro – I use 1 cup because I really like cilantro

1 lime sliced into wedges

1 avocado peeled and sliced

1 TBS olive oil

1 TBS butter

6 small corn tortillas

Sauce:

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 Chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce

½ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ of lime juiced

Season the cleaned shrimp with garlic salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Mix up gently and cover. Refrigerate if you are not ready to cook it. Cut up all veggies. And now for the sauce, I use Greek yogurt whenever possible. Put yogurt in a medium size bowl, add finely chopped Chipotle pepper, garlic salt and lime juice. Mix well. Now that you have all ingredients chopped heat up a skillet and add butter and olive oil. Melt butter but be careful not to burn it. Add shrimp and cook for about 5-7 minutes until shrimp is a pretty pink. Remove from heat and assemble. Corn tortilla, shrimp, sauce, purple cabbage, red onions, avocados, cilantro and squeeze a lime wedge over the taco. I also add a little cheese but that is optional. Voila …Shrimp Taco’s! Makes 6 tacos.

Grocery List:

1 pound of raw shrimp- fresh or frozen (fresh is better)

1 small purple cabbage

1 small red onion

1 bunch of cilantro

1 lime

1 avocado

1 stick butter

1 small plain Greek yogurt

garlic salt

cumin

cayenne pepper

olive oil

1 small can of Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce ( I freeze what I don’t use for next time)

flour or corn tortillas

Cashew Chicken

(serves 3- 4)

1 chicken breast

2 teaspoons cornstarch, divide

1/4 cup of cashews

7  scallions coarsely chopped

2 cusp broccoli

1 cup red or green peppers sliced

1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon ginger

1 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Cut the chicken breast into very small bite sized pieces. Toss the chicken in 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch. Once combined stir in 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat a small pan to medium low heat. Add the cashews and toss regularly until toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Trim the ends off the scallions and then chop. Chop the vegetables into large bite sized pieces. Mince the garlic and the ginger.

In a small bowl stir together the chicken stock, hoisin sauce, remaining soy sauce and remaining cornstarch.

Heat a pan to high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil and when it starts to smoke add the garlic, ginger stir fry for 30 seconds and then add the chicken. Stir fry until just cooked, remove everything to a plate. Turn down the heat on the skillet and wipe clean with  a paper towel.

Heat the skillet to high again and add remaining oil. Stir fry the vegetables, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook.. When vegetables have started to soften return the chicken to the skillet, along with the cashews. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for 1 minute. If it hasn’t thickened then you may want to add more corn starch. Stir a teaspoon of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of water and stir the mixture into simmering sauce. Always give the cornstarch 1 minute at a simmering temperature to thicken.

Taste and season with soy sauce until it is well seasoned. Serve hot with rice.

Grocery List:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 bunch scallions

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

broccoli

1 small pack of mushrooms

1 garlic clove garlic

1 small piece fresh ginger

1 can chicken broth

soy sauce

hoisin sauce

vegetable oil

cashews corn starch

rice (cook as directed on package)

Chicken Kabob’s 

Makes 4 Chicken Kabob’s (if you have leftover veggies…make veggie kabob’s)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 package fresh mushrooms

1 package fresh cherry tomatoes

1 yellow squash

1 red onion

1 bottle of a Lawry’s Teriyaki Marinate

kabob sticks

rice (cook as directed on package)

Cut chicken into small pieces. Try to cut all about the same size so they cook with in the same time. Chop all veggies. You can use whatever vegetables you would like. These are the ones I use. If you use wooded kabob sticks be sure to soak them in water so they don’t burn on the grill. Take a kabob stick and put meat and veggies on it. Then marinate in Ziplock bag of large flat container for at least 30 minutes with teriyaki marinate in the refridge. Cook on your grill at low-med heat. I usually turn mine 3 times to make sure all the sides have touched the grill and are cooked all the way through. If you cut larger pieces of chicken the kabob will need to cook longer if smaller less. I cook for about 4-5 minutes per side.

Grocery List

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 package fresh mushrooms (white or baby bella’s)

1 package cherry tomatoes

1 yellow squash

1 red onion

1 bottle of Lawry’s Teriyaki Marinate

Kabob sticks

rice

Bacon Cheese Burgers

I did a burger bar for a party one night and these were one of the favorites!

1 pound of lean ground beef 93/7

1 pound of 80/20 ground beef

2 eggs

1/3 cup bread crumbs

½ teaspoon garlic salt

Pepper

1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 package of bacon

Mix meat together.  Add eggs and bread crumbs.  Mix well.  I use my hands. Then add all other ingredients  except bacon. Make hamburgers and wrap each burger with raw bacon.  Grill for 6-8 minutes per side on medium. If burgers are big you may need to add time. This recipe makes 6-8  burgers.

Grocery List

1 pound 93/7 ground beef

1 pound 80/20 ground beef

eggs

cheddar cheese

1 package bacon

garlic salt

bread crumbs

pepper

Serve with lettuce, tomato and whatever else you like on your burger!

I hope you enjoy you dinners around the table with your family this week!