Thai One On

Continuing the "In Stock Challenge". I had a bag of frozen shrimp, rice noodles, and rice wine vinegar. It was 90 degrees outside and I wanted something light and fast.

I had leftover shrimp, cucumber, and sauce, and they are great in the morning wrapped in a tortilla. But I like the idea of a Thai shrimp breakfast wrap. It's not for everyone. I get that.

Thai-like Shrimp Noodle Salad

Serves 4

WW pts 6

1 lb shrimp, shell on, deveined 2 tbl olive oil

2 & 1/2 tbl garlic, minced

2 & 1/2 tbl ginger, minced

1/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. rice wine vinegar

sriracha, to taste

1 lime

1/2 english cucumber, chopped

1 package rice vermincelli, cooked

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.

Add garlic and ginger, salt and pepper.  Cook 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar, and sriracha. Cook about 5 minutes. Transfer to small dish and refrigerate. Add a little oil and cook shrimp. Cool and deshell. 

Combine shrimp, noodles, cucumber, cilantro and sauce. squeeze with lime juice.

Add crushed peanuts if you have them. I didn't and I am serious about keeping up this "In Stock" Challenge. I probably could've added one of the 13 remaining cans of pineapple chunks, but I am trying to pace myself.

Get My Grill On

This week I am taking on a new challenge. I am only cooking with what I already have in the pantry and freezers. I bought fresh meat and veggies, but everything else is in stock. I took a full inventory and began planning.

At some point, I bought a case (and a half?) of pineapple chunks in juice. Damn you Costco. So I figured I should try to use at least one of the 14 cans I have.

Pineapple Porkchops

Serves 3-4

WW pts 8

3 boneless butterfly pork chops

1 lime

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar

1 tbl sp red pepper flakes or chili powder

1 can pineapple chunks in juice

1 red bell pepper (seeded and ribbed)

1 green bell pepper (seeded and ribbed)

Pour pineapple juice into shallow bowl. Add lime, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and pepper flakes. Stir well. Marinate chops in this mix overnight.

Place pineapple chunks and peppers on skewers. sprinkle with soy, vinegar, and pepper flakes.

Toss it all on the grill. Throw on some foil wrapped corn in the husk. Sit down and have a beer.

Flip after 8 minutes. Remove from grill around 6 minutes after that. Ponder what do do with the other 13 cans of pineapple.

cherriescherriescherriescherries

Cherry season is happening now. I will buy them every week and cook with them every week. I will eat them everyday. I will not apologize. Use what ever fruit you want, but you will use cherries if you have any sense.

So many people want to over cook and over ingredient fruit. Keep it simple, kids.

Shortbread Fruit Tart

Serves 10

WW pts 9

2 cups whole grain white flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup of vegetable shortening

5 tbl ice water

3 cups fresh pitted cherries, halved

1/4 cup apricot jams

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. On low, cut in shortening using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer (or use 2 knives in a bowl), until all flour is blended in to form pea-size chunks.

Sprinkle water on, one tbl at a time until dough forms a ball.

Press ball into a pancake and roll out on a silicon bake sheet. Pinch edges to form a rim.

Spread on jam. Add cherries and chips. Bake at 350 for 30 or till crust is done.

A great dessert. An even better breakfast.

Hill of Beans

It is a holiday, so I will be brief. I got meat to grill. I forgot to take a picture but here is my super quick, super easy, extra yummy baked beans.

Beans can be so bland. Lentils have a similar texture but add a spicy, woody flavor that is much yummier. 

Baked Bean Lentils

1-lb Lentils

1 jar of your fav BBQ Sauce

Serves 9 

WW pts 4-5

Cook the lentils according to the package. Stir in the BBQ sauce, some salt and pepper, (and if you want a little brown sugar). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

To make a meal, add cooked ground turkey.

For variety try mixed soup beans.

Yummy.

Don'tcha Wanna Foccacia

Best Sandwich Ever. And I don't say this lightly.

Make the bread. Quit whining. It is fast cheap and easy. 

Gorgeous Foccacia

Makes 3 large loaves

1.75 cups warm h20

1.5 tblsp yeast

1 tblsp salt

.25 cup olive oil

Dump all in a stand mixer with a dough hook on low.

6.5 cups flour ( i used whole wheat white)

Add one cup at a time.

Scrape side of the bowl and mix again. Turn off and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temp for 2 hours.

Cut off a 1/3 of the dough. make a ball. Stretch the bread into a round loaf by tucking the sides of the dough in towards the center. Flatten the loaf out a bit till the size of a small pizza. Sprinkle with coarse salt, pepper, rosemary, thin sliced onion and a bit of parmesan. Press it all in gently. Let sit for 20 minutes.

20 minutes into bread resting, heat oven to 425. Put the bread on a cookie sheet in the oven.

Bake 20 minutes.  Let it rest, then cut wedges.

Top with salami, butter lettuce, campari tomato, deli mustard and sliced avocado. Delight. Enjoy with a Diet IBC Root Beer and try to avoid passing out with joy.

A Peach Of A Meal

So sometimes I go to the farmers' market and get a little out of control. This past week they had the first tiny gorgeous carrots of the season, tender baby leeks, corn, peas, peaches....too much for my heart to take. Sometimes I get so excited and overwhelmed that I buy one of everything. Sometimes we end up having plans and don't eat at home for a few days. Sometimes I have to cook it all at once. Sometimes that really works out. Yum. 

Chicken with Peaches

Serves 4

WW pts 4

This was perfect as these were the early small peaches and a bit too tart for just eatin'. Use a skillet with a lid that can go in the oven.

4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

flour

orange juice (light)

honey

balsamic vinegar

1/2 red onion

6 small peeled, pitted peaches.

Preheat oven to 350. Dust the chicken in flour with some cayenne, salt and pepper. Brown in a little veg oil over medium high. When brown, pour in enough OJ to cover the bottom (or about a cup). Drizzle in about a tablespoon of honey and 1/4 balsamic vinegar. Toss in the onion & peaches, cover & put in the oven. Take it out after 30 minutes. Eat it.

Sauteed Baby Leeks

Best Ever. You cannot argue. 

Peel off the outer leaf or too. Chop up. Toss in olive oil, course salt, fresh pepper, minced garlic and thyme.  Heat a small skillet over med-high. Cook while stirring till tender. About 7 minutes. Wish you made more.

Roasted Carrots

Same as the leeks, but place them on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes instead. Or sauté it and teach me a lesson.

We also had corn on the cob and a slice of bread. Extra yum.

Salad Days

Mother-in-law is on her way. Dinner for 3? In 10 minutes? done.

Strong enough for a man, made by a woman.

Steak Salad

4 Servings

WW pts (without bread) 7.5

2 heads Romaine, chopped

2 small or 1 medium tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1/2 english cucumber, sliced thin

1 cob fresh corn, cut off the cob

8 cherry peppers, sliced thin

1 & 1/2 leftover steak or other meat, sliced thin

Place all ingredients on a plate or bowl in an attractive manner. Add dressing. Enjoy deeply.