Thai Shrimp Bites with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce

I have trouble repeating recipes.  It's not that I don't like any, it's that there are so many fish in the sea and I feel like I need to try all of these new recipes I bookmark.  That and the fact, I'm forgetful.  There are times however, when something will just pop into my head and I generally take that as a sign that I need to make it.  Wes wishes those times would be more frequent so he could quit living the life of a guinea pig, but such is life when you live with an aspiring chef. 

These tasty little bites never disappoint (first time I made them).  I love that they are relatively quick to assemble, yet taste like they took all day to prepare.  It's also easy to prepare the filling and sauce ahead of time, so I appreciate that.  I love that you get the peanut flavor, mixed in with the soy, and the texture of the shrimp.  I also appreciate that they're steamed, rather than fried.

The kids both loved them, even the one who refuses to eat shrimp!

I really do need to take the time to come up with my own ideas.  Often, those turn out to be some of our favorites.   

Thai Shrimp Bites with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce
from: Inquiring Chef

{Print recipe!}

For the sauce:
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup roasted peanuts (unsalted), roughly chopped
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 T. soy sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp. siracha (more or less, to taste)

For the bites:
1 Tbsp. roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
3/4 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined (I prefer precooked but the recipe calls for raw.)
24 wonton wrappers
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Make the sauce.  Combine coconut milk and peanuts in a small saucepan over medium heat.  When the coconut milk begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until thickens slightly.  Pour coconut milk into the bowl of a blender or food processor.  Add remaining ingredients and pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Pour the sauce into a small bowl and leave the blender out to use for the filling.

Combine the filling.  In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse the peanuts and garlic until they form a paste.  Add green onions, cilantro leaves, soy sauce, and shrimp, pulsing until only very small pieces of shrimp remain and the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

Assemble the bites.  Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, place a heaping teaspoon of shrimp filling into the center.  Dampen the edges of the wrapper by dipping a finger in water and running it along the edge.  Gather the wonton wrapper at four points, pressing them together to enclose the filling.  Put the filled wrappers on parchment paper and cover with a slightly dampened paper towel (to prevent them from drying out).

Cook the bites.  Place a large saute pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat.  Add vegetable oil, swirling it to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.  When the pan is warm, place the shrimp bites in the pan, close to one another, but barely touching.  Cook until the bottoms of the bites are crisp and golden brown, 5-6 minutes.  Gently pour 1 Tablespoon of water down side of pan and cover with the lid.  Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook, covered, for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Serve immediately, with Peanut-Lime Sauce on the side.

–

Make Ahead. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before serving.  It will need to be gently heated in the microwave or on the stove in order to return to a smooth consistency for serving.

The bites can be assembled up to four hours before cooking.  Store them in the refrigerator on parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Cover them with slightly dampened paper towels to prevent them from drying out.  

Weekly Recipe: Naan with Goat Cheese, Sauteed Chard, and Crispy Shallots

Remember when I actually used to post recipes?  Yeah, it's been a while.  You're probably starving and it's all my fault.  Please forgive me.  I have a great appetizer/side dish/bread in one to make it up to you. This is a great way to add some greens to your meal without having to have yet another salad.  Don't get me wrong, I love salads, but I also love variety!

This bread was inspired by a recipe in "Fast & Fresh Vegetarian" and I only slightly adapted it.

Naan with Goat Cheese, Sauteed Chard, and Crispy Shallots

3-4 pieces of naan bread, depending on size (Trader Joe's has my very favorite!)

1 bunch chard (any kind of chard or kale would work), washed and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 large shallot, sliced thinly

2 T, plus 1 tsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

2-3 oz goat cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato spread (mine was from a specialty store but you could substitute a pesto)

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the shallots.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, or until they begin to brown.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

While the shallots are cooking, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the chard and turn until it is incorporated with the garlic.  Place a lid over the pan and turn the heat to low.  Allow the greens to wilt completely.

Place naan on a baking sheet.  Heat in preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until warm.  Remove from oven and spread each piece with equal amounts of goat cheese.  Note: Doing this while the naan is still warm makes the spreading go a lot easier.  Spread about 1 T. of sun-dried tomato spread on each piece, on top of the goat cheese.  Divide the wilted chard amongst the naan and top with the crispy shallots.  

**Linking up to the What's Shakin' Link party.

Weekly Recipe: Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cheesy Amazing Mexi Rice

It's been a while but the kitchen is still up and running.  I'm learning to perfect the make-ahead meals in order to maintain my sanity.  Let's face it, it's not the easiest feat to pull off dinner in 30 minutes!  On the nights I have to pick up both children from school, I get home at 5:30, where they both act as if they've been living in a 3rd world country and are famished, hurriedly get them a snack, and I'm left with less than 30 minutes to cook and get a meal on the table by 6pm (a personal goal, not a hard-coded, combustible time).  

This meal was made almost entirely ahead of time and then tucked away in the fridge until I was ready to pop it in the oven and reheat.  The egg rolls would be a great accompaniment to a full meal, as an appetizer, or doubled up for a main entree as I did.  The rice makes enough for an army, so be prepared to freeze the leftovers or invite 10 of your closest friends to dinner that night!

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
source:  Annie's Eats

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers (about 24 total)

In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers.  Mix well to blend.  Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place ¼ cup of the filling in the center.  Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center.  Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free.  Dip a finger in water or beaten egg and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner.  Finish rolling and press to seal closed.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking.  Serve warm with salsa.

Cheesy Amazing Mexi Rice

source:  Emily Bites

4 c cooked brown rice (cooked the day before to save on prep time – recommended!)

6 oz (about 1 ½ c) shredded cheddar cheese 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes in their juices
1 c fresh or frozen corn
1 (2.25 oz) can of sliced black olives, minced (I omitted)
1 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced – *omit if making this vegetarian*
2 t chili powder
2 t salt

Directions:
1.    In a large (really large) bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together with a large spoon until thoroughly combined.
2.    Bring a large nonstick sauté pan (what I used) or cast iron skillet (do not use a stainless steel pan) over medium heat and add the rice mixture, spreading it out across the bottom of the pan. Let it sit and cook that way in five minute intervals, stirring in between. Do not stir more frequently than every five minutes – you are waiting for the cheese to caramelize before scraping it off the bottom of the pan! Scrape the cheese off the bottom and stir it in every five minutes for 35-45 minutes (I did the full 45).

The Secret Recipe Club: Thai Shrimp Bites with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce

It's time once again for the Secret Recipe Club.  Today I'll be outing my secret.  Sounds dramatic, huh?  After holding it in for a month, I finally get to reveal my new blog crush, Inquiring Chef!

As always, I could not wait to start my assignment and I quickly delved into her recipe index.  I'm very thorough when I make my selection because I have to make sure I'm choosing the perfect one for me.  That means I read through EVERY single recipe!  I'm not looking forward to the day that I'm assigned a blog with thousands of recipes.  Who am I kidding, I'm always up for a good challenge.

Being rather indecisive makes selecting just one recipe a little challenging.  I swear I don't remember always being this indecisive but as of late, I can't seem to make a single decision on my own!  Well to add to it, I literally wanted to make every recipe I came across on the Inquiring Chef's site.  Maybe I was hungry, maybe her pictures lured me in, or maybe I've just been having a hankering for Asian-inspired food.  You see, Jessica was has been in Bangkok for about 2 years (I think she's home now) and has been inspired by the culture around her.  If her recipes are any indication of the food scene in Bangkok, sign me up!  The flavors, the produce, the varieties are just endless.

I bookmarked no less than 10 of her recipes in a matter of minutes.  I know you'll be surprised to hear that I passed up her Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies!  It was hard but when you see all the rest of her recipes, you'll understand.  Once again, I chose 2 recipes to try.  The first, and the one I'm entering this month, is her Thai Shrimp Bites with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce.  Holy wow!  These little gems were de-lightful!  Wes, my mom, and I could not keep our paws off of these.  Thankfully we had around 30 to share between us and we easily could have gobbled them all up in one sitting.  They had so much flavor on their own but the dipping sauce amped it up even more.  Wes couldn't say enough about them.  I'm already thinking of new additions to change them up next go-round.  And there will be a next go-round!

Thai Shrimp Bites with Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce
by:  Inquiring Chef


for the sauce:
1 cup (235 mL) coconut milk
1/3 cup roasted peanuts (unsalted), roughly chopped
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp. siracha (more or less, to taste)


for the bites:
1 Tbsp. roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
3/4 pound (340 g) raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined (I used precooked)
24 wonton wrappers (I think I got more like 30)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil


Make the sauce.  Combine coconut milk and peanuts in a small saucepan over medium heat.  When the coconut milk begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until thickens slightly (mine never really got thick, so I just cooked it for about 7 minutes).  Pour coconut milk into the bowl of a blender or food processor.  Add remaining ingredients and pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Pour the sauce into a small bowl and leave the blender out to use for the filling.
Combine the filling.  In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse the peanuts and garlic until they form a paste.  Add green onions, cilantro leaves, soy sauce, and shrimp, pulsing until only very small pieces of shrimp remain and the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.
Assemble the bites.  Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, place a heaping teaspoon of shrimp filling into the center.  Dampen the edges of the wrapper by dipping a finger in water and running it along the edge.  Gather the wonton wrapper at four points, pressing them together to enclose the filling.  Put the filled wrappers on parchment paper and cover with a slightly dampened paper towel (to prevent them from drying out).

Cook the bites.  Place a large saute pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat.  Add vegetable oil, swirling it to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.  When the pan is warm, place the shrimp bites in the pan, close to one another, but barely touching.  Cook until the bottoms of the bites are crisp and golden brown, 5-6 minutes.  Gently pour 1 Tablespoon of water down side of pan and cover with the lid.  Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook, covered, for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
Serve immediately, with Peanut-Lime Sauce on the side.
–
Make Ahead. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before serving.  It will need to be gently heated in the microwave or on the stove in order to return to a smooth consistency for serving.  I did make mine a day ahead but did not reheat it the next day, I just served it cold.  It was still just as tasty!

The bites can be assembled up to four hours before cooking.  Store them in the refrigerator on parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Cover them with slightly dampened paper towels to prevent them from drying out.  

I also tried her Salmon Tacos Avocado Salsa and Cilantro-Orange Slaw.  As many times as I've made fish tacos, the thought never occurred to me to use salmon as the fish!  The lightbulb went off when I saw Jessica's recipe and it was a delicious combination.  I think I might actually prefer the salmon to plain white fish because it packs more flavor and add a little more meatiness to the tacos.  I did jazz up her the salsa a bit by adding a little cumin and chili powder but that's a personal preference when it comes to guacamole inspired things.  I also let the slaw marinate overnight to allow the flavors to soak up a bit more.  Overall, a great recipe that we'll surely be repeating.

How Sweet It Is

The shower is over.  All my hard work and preparations have come to a close.  I was happy with the way everything turned out and I honestly wasn't that stressed the day of the event.  I was able to get somuch done the day before that allowed me to enjoy the actual event.  The bride was happy, so I accomplished my main goal.  Here is the day in pictures.  WARNING:  There are a lot of them! 

The mantel with banner

Me, the bride (Kristina), and Brooke.  The 3 of us lived together post college (they were in pharmacy and law school). 

The drinks - cranberry/pomegranate mimosas

All of the food/drink had love-themed titles.

Water with labels for the pregnant, non-drinking guests.

Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Turkey & Brie Wraps with cherry preserves

My personal favorite, sugar cookies!

Cupcakes with toppers

Favors to go.  I had to do something with all those extra sugar cookies!!

In case you didn't notice the theme/pattern, each of the dishes were red in some way.  If you didn't notice, you're not alone.  I think that was one detail that went unnoticed by everyone except me.  At least it was a way to get my creative juices flowing!  

There were a few other details that I didn't get pictures of, like this paper heart garland I had on 2 of the windows.

 What's funny is that I had about a dozen recipes bookmarked as ideas for the shower and I didn't use a single one!  I thought the ones I did choose were all very good and I'd make them all again.  I think the favorite was the Strawberry Walnut Bread but the Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam was the favorite in our house (Colin ate 4 of them!).  Somehow I couldn't find links to any of them except the crostini and hummus, so watch for upcoming posts with the other recipes. 

Thanks for humbling me and reading this far (: