Asian Shrimp Salad

A healthy lunch, and quick and easy to boot!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 Tbs. Adams Reserve Asian spice rub
• roasted red pepper strips (to taste)
• 6-8 oz. baby spinach
  
• 2-3 Tbs. Canyon Foods sweet chile lime sauce

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat until hot.  Add the shrimp and Asian spice rub and cook, turning, for 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked.
2. In a salad bowl combine the spinach and roasted red pepper strips.  Add the cooked shrimp and drizzle with the sweet chile lime sauce.

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How to make Caramel Corn

This is an easy treat and would be great to gift over the holidays.  Based on the recipe from Real Simple, October 2011.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernals
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pop the corn in an air popper or stirring popper
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and lightens in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour over the cooked popcorn and, with a rubber spatula, toss to coat.
4. Spread the popcorn mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until deep amber, 30 to 35 minutes.  If you are using peanuts, add them halfway through baking when you toss. Remove from oven, toss, and let cool on the baking sheet. (The popcorn will crisp as it cools.)

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Three Bean Salad - the Lazy Way

The basics of this recipe are from Simply Recipes.  Her recipe is prettier.  Mine is faster, because I am lazy shrewd like that.

 

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped rosemary

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the beans.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.

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Tortilla Soup - Slow Cooker style

This recipe is originally from my friend Joan, but I've tweaked it a little to make it easier. Super quick to put together, but it does require some planning.

Ingredients
4-5 large chicken breasts - frozen
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
32 ounces chicken broth
4 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
28 oz can enchilada sauce
8 ounce can green chili peppers
2 T chopped garlic
2 t cumin
2 t chili powder
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 bay leaf

Optional Ingredients:
chopped cilantro
shredded cheddar
corn tortillas

Directions
Place frozen chicken in the bottom of your 5.5 - 6 qt. crock pot.  Dump in tomatoes, broth, water, onion, enchilada sauce, green chilis, garlic, cumin, bay leaf and salt and pepper.

Cook on low 8 hours, then shred up the chicken and serve, topped with fresh cilantro and cheese.  Yum.   We usually toast some corn tortillas until they crisp up and serve them with the soup.

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Barbeque sauce

My favorite sauce for chicken sliders.  If your grocery has ground mustard in the bulk section it is probably much cheaper than when bought as a bottled spice.

Ingredients
1/4 c + 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 TBS ground mustard
1 TBS ketchup
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS vegetable oil

Directions
Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a low simmer, whisking occasionally and simmer 3 minutes.  Whisk in oil, remove from heat and let cool.  Store in the refrigerator.

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Chicken Sliders

Recipe # 16.  So easy and even the kids love them!

Ingredients
4-5 pounds chicken thighs in fajita marinade (HEB sells these pre-marinated)
1 beer

Directions
Dump chicken in crock pot and pour beer over the top.  Cook on low 8 hours, then shred.  Top with homemade BBQ sauce and cole slaw on slider buns (or my favorite, Kings Hawaiian sweet rolls).

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Sweet Potato Fries

We eat these a couple of times a week - they are quick, easy, and healthy!

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, cut into fries
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat sweet potato fries with olive oil and then add sea salt and pepper.  Bake for 18-24 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fries, turning after 10 minutes.

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