Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

I love, love, loved this dish!! It was so good!! 

Delicious salmon rubbed down with some spices, topped with an awesome avocado salsa, you just can't go wrong!

This picture doesn't do it justice to how yummy this dish was. If I am not convincing enough scroll down past the recipe and click on the link to where I got the recipe from. Her pictures will for sure convince you, you should make this for dinner asap!

If if don't have a grill, no problem! We used our panini press to grill this up, and it only took 5 minutes to cook! You do need to let the rub marinade for about 30 minutes on the fish, but while that is marinading you can quickly whip up the salsa and have dinner on the table in 40 minutes flat.

Again, do yourself a favor, make this!

Ingredients:

2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces

1 tbs olive oil (I used light extra virgin olive oil)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

For the Avocado salsa:

1 avocado, sliced

½ small red onion, sliced

Juice from 2 limes

1-2 tbs finely chopped cilantro (depending on how big of a cilantro lover you are)

Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix

refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the grill.

Combine the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.

Grill the salmon to desired doneness. (I grilled for about 5 minutes)

Top with avocado salsa and enjoy!

Recipe from: The Cooke Rookie

Shrimp & Grits

Hooray I finally am doing a recipe update!!

Now, I have never had grits before in my life. But since I live closer to where a lot of good southern cooking is made I decided I need to try them. 

When I told my Dad I was having grits for dinner, he told me to tell him how much of my dinner was going to be wasted after I tasted the grits. He served his mission in the Carolina/Virginia area, so he has had grits before. He wasn't too sure how shrimp and grits were going to pair together so well either.

Dad, the whole dish was absolutely delicious!

I will admit it probably helped that the grits had 2 cups of cheese in them. The grits are a different texture but I liked them.

It was a prefect bite when you got a little piece of bacon, a little shrimp and grits all together. 

All I can say is:

YUM!

For those of you who have never tried grits, I suggest you give this recipe a try. 

It is always fun to try something new!

Shrimp & Grits

Serves 4-6

4 c. water

1 c. grits (regular or quick-cooking, but not instant)

3 Tbsp. salted butter

Tabasco sauce to taste

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 

6 oz. regular (not thick-sliced or maple) bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1 c. thinly sliced green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

Cook grits according to package directions. When you have about 15 minutes left on the grits, cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon drippings.

Cook the shrimp in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat until they are just starting to turn pink (about 2 minutes). Add the lemon juice, garlic, green onions, parsley, and cooked bacon and cook for about 3 more minutes or until the shrimp are just pink all the way through. Season with kosher salt and Tabasco sauce to taste (if desired).

When the grits are done cooking, stir in the butter and cheese until smooth. Season with kosher salt and Tabasco sauce to taste. Ladle the grits into shallow bowls and top with the shrimp mixture for serving (although you’ll want to stir it all together before eating). Serve with a light green salad to offset the heaviness of the grits. 

Recipe From: Our Best Bites

Coconut Shrimp Curry

I love, love, loved this dish! 

It has 2 of my favorite things in it, curry and shrimp.

I made this before we left for our trip, I had been craving curry for weeks.

It hit the spot dead on!

This dish had some nice heat to it as well. The whole dish was just awesome.

It was really simple to make as well, I love dishes that don't take too long to make that taste delicious!

I highly recommend for those of you who like shrimp to try this recipe. For those who don't like shrimp I would suggest you just omit that and add chicken. It will taste just as great.

Now, for some reason my curry doesn't look like the picture from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I always wonder if I missed a step or did something wrong when I am trying new recipes. But hey, as long as it taste wonderful who cares what it looks like, right? Right? 

Coconut Shrimp Curry

*Serves 6

For the shrimp marinade:

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

1-2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from about a 1-inch peeled piece of ginger

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can coconut milk, light or regular

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired

For the simple shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.

Recipe From: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

For New Year's Eve we had shrimp as one of the finger foods on the buffet table. My Mom has had shrimp and lil' smokies for New Year's Eve for as long as I can remember, Dave loves shrimp and lil' smokies so it was an easy tradition to keep going. 

I am getting to the point where I hate buying sauces that I could easily make at home. Cocktail sauce is kind of pricey so I decided I need to find a good recipe and just make it. Plus the ones in the jars are never as good as homemade, right?

This recipe is excellent!! 

Though I still think the Hubby added more horseradish then it called for, he claims he added the correct amount. So if he did, I would say for those of you who don't like really spicy cocktail sauce to add a little at a time until you get the zing you are looking for. 

Cocktail Sauce

2/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon horseradish

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill and serve.

Recipe From: Keller Creative 

Cajun Shrimp Pizza

So I left my camera at a friend's house the other night so we used Dave's phone to take a picture of this amazing pizza! It's not the greatest quality of picture so the pizza doesn't look amazing, but it tastes amazing!!

I love pizza with lots of toppings on it. I am NOT just a plain pepperoni pizza person. I want variety and flavor while I eat, this pizza was perfect for that. 

Dare I say, my husband and I ate it all and were sad after we each had our 4th piece and there was no more pizza to eat. 

I loved the spicy cajun shrimp, the roasted red pepper, I even loved the onions on it. 

You will love the homemade pizza sauce as well, it is simple and I think it is the perfect texture and taste.

Cajun Shrimp Pizza

Pizza dough

olive oil, for brushing

1/3 cup pizza sauce (to follow)

1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2tsp. olive oil

Cajun seasoning, to taste

1 oz. grated Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)

2-3 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/4 cup green onions

Preheat the oven and a pizza stone at 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes (I used a pizza pan, and I didn't preheat it in the oven). Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round (I usually roll it out on the pizza pan, I am not good at getting a perfect circle). Lightly brush the surface of the dough with olive oil. Top with a thin layer of pizza sauce leaving a clear perimeter around the edge for the crust.

Combine the shrimp, olive oil and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss until the shrimp are well coated with the seasoning. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Place the shrimp in the pan in a single layer and cook briefly, turning once, just until the shrimp are just opaque. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Sprinkle the Romano and mozzarella cheeses evenly over the pizza dough. Top with roasted red pepper, red onion, and green onions. Evenly distribute the cooked shrimp over the pizza. Sprinkle the pizza with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone if you are using the pizza stone and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes (mine took 8 minutes).

Cool slightly before slicing and serving. 

Pizza Sauce

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomates, drained

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe Adapted From: Annie Eats

Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Now I know a lot of people aren't fans of tuna casserole, lets use my husband as an example. It's just not his favorite thing. I happen to LIKE tuna casserole. I crave it every once in awhile. For those of you who also crave and like tuna casserole I think this is worth trying!

I used fresh mushrooms instead of canned mushrooms, I am not a big fan of canned mushrooms. If you don't like mushrooms just leave them out. I love cracker crumb toppings too! This recipe also calls for the new Philadelphia Cooking Creme. I would definitely try more recipes with this cooking creme.

Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme

2 cups egg noodles, cooked

2 cans (5 oz. each) chunk light tuna in water, drained, flaked

1 cup frozen peas

1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, undrained

8 Ritz Crackers, crushed (about 1/3 cup)

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Heat oven to 350. 

Combine first 5 ingredients in 1 1/2-gt. casserole; cover. Bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix cracker crumbs and butter. Stir casserole; top with crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until topping is golden brown. 

Fish Tacos

I have my brother in law Kelly to thank for introducing me to fish tacos. Not just any fish taco, his version of fish tacos. They are fantastic! Kelly makes his own batter, salsa, and white sauce. There is a restaurant called "Rosa's" here in Lubbock, and we were told they make great fresh tortillas. They were perfect for these fish tacos! I don't think I will ever buy store bought tortillas again! Any way on to the ingredients for this fabulous recipe!

Fish Tacos


Cod or your favorite white fish, cut in small pieces
Corn or Flour tortillas


Beer Batter:
1 cup flour
1 cup beer
garlic powder
pepper to taste


White Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup yogurt (I used sour cream)


Salsa:
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
6 tomatoes, ripe, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 onion, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper


Garnish:
green cabbage, shredded
1 lime, cut in wedges 


Mix yogurt or sour cream with mayo set aside.
Mix together garlic, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, salt and pepper together. (I went a little heavy on the salt, so add to taste :).) Set aside.
Mix together beer, flour, garlic powder (I did a 1/2 tsp, I would do a tsp. next time), pepper. The batter should be like pancake batter, a little thicker. Dip fish pieces into beer batter, fry in oil. Remember fish cooks quick so don't over fry. 


Place fish in tortilla and top with salsa, white sauce and garnishes. 
Delicious!

Spicy Shrimp and Cherry Pie

First off let me just say that I love shrimp, and I love cherry pie. They are both pretty high in the food categories for me. So when I saw this spicy shrimp recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website I was pretty excited to try it. My Aunt made a cherry pie the other day and I loved the pie crust so I decided I would make a pie for my friend Lindsey for her birthday.

 I don't know if this pile of shrimp looks appetizing to any one else but they sure were delicious.

 Spicy Shrimp

 3 pounds (more or less) Unpeeled Shrimp (21-26 count or larger)

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 whole lemons, just the juice

1/4 to 1/2 cups Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce (I don't ever put that in)

1 stick of butter

Thoroughly rinse raw shrimp with shells still on. The Pioneer Woman uses 21-26 count (that means 21-26 per a pound.) I use bigger than that. Any smaller than this and it's difficult to get the peel the shrimp. So stick with 21-26 or bigger. Place the shrimp in a large baking pan in a single layer. Over the top of the shrimp pour the olive oil.

Generously sprinkle black pepper over the top of the shrimp. Be very generous! Now sprinkle generously the salt (I use kosher salt).

Squeeze the juice of the 3 lemons over the top of all the shrimp. Now generously drizzle Worcestershire sauce all over the shrimp, about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup. Drizzle Tabasco sauce over the shrimp to your desired temperature.

Now grab your stick of butter and cut into pats. Place the pats of butter on top of the shrimp as evenly placed as possible. 

Place the pan of shrimp under the broiler in your oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the shrimp are no longer translucent. Serve with crusty French bread. Use the bread to dip into the juice that is in the pan. 

 Cherry Pie! I only made the crust, I don't know how to make cherry pie filling yet.

Pie Crust

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 to 1 cup vegetable shortening

1 tsp. salt

Cut shortening into flour and salt with a fork or a pastry blender until you get crumbles the size of a pea.

6 Tbsp. cold water

Add the cold water to the dough and work together with hands. Do not over work dough! It will become too tough. 

Roll out for pie pans. Use pie filling of choice. 

This recipe will make enough to do one double crusted pie or two single pie shells.