Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage

I realized something tonight. And it's something I'm really awful at. Want to know what it is?

Jeopardy.

I don't think I have ever gotten a single question right before it's answered, even when I know that I know the answer. I crack under pressure. I'm more of a walnut, less of a Brazil nut (they're really hard to crack, vs walnuts, which are easy). Seriously, I read the question slowly and can't seem to focus. I think of the answer and then choke. And by that time, we've moved on to the next question anyway. Classic stage fright symptoms, you name it, it happens to me. Maybe it's the song. Who knows, but I feel the pressure.

This is why I think anyone who is actually good at Jeopardy is probably a robot. Ken Jennings, you, sir, are definitely a robot.

But let's talk about something I'm good at, shall we? Because that's more fun for me. 

Yea, it's food.. Good guess!

It's no secret, I love ginger.

I put it in cookies... 

And in my oatmeal...

I hang out with this ginger all the time...

It's also no secret that I love shrimp!

You've seen it over polenta...

And in burritos...

Scallions? Yes, please.  Sesame seeds? Sign me up. Fried rice? Sure! And this is brown fried rice with less fat that's actually not greasy? Ok, ok, I'll have two, thanks. So, here's an opportunity to make something easy, quick, and delicious for yourself. So you can be good at this food thing too! It's not just for robots.

And just to prove how much I love you, here is something hilarious to read so you can forget about how hungry all these pictures are making you, if it's not dinner time: funny stuff.

And here is some throwback music you can groove to:

Soundtrack: The Sounds - Myspace playlist

Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage

Adapted from Ellie Krieger 

4 c cooked brown rice, very cold (freezer cold)
1 drizzle EVOO
4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thinly1 tbsp ginger, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 lb small shrimp, deveined and peeled

4 c thinly sliced red cabbage, cut crosswise into 3 in pieces
2 large eggs

1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seeds, pan toasted until golden brown (about 1 minute)

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat. Add scallions, ginger, garlic and shrimp. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp turn pink. Add cabbage and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until cabbage begins to soften. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.

Spray a small fry pan with nonstick pan spray and drop 2 eggs into the pan. Fry until cooked through and chop into small pieces using the spatula.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil over medium heat in the same pan used for the shrimp and cabbage. Toss in the rice and cook for about 5 minutes, spreading it evenly, then stirring, then spreading it evenly again, about every 30 seconds.

Once the rice is heated, add soy sauce, eggs, shrimp and cabbage, and sesame seeds. Continue to cook until combined for another 2-3 minutes. Serve. 

Giant scallion. Huge.

Red cabbage... except it's really purple...

Work space... ready to fry!

Too much green here!

Yea purple! Finished product. I will take 2, thanks!

Grilled Shrimp Burritos with Zucchini and Sweet Potato

First, let me just clear the air here. I know you're disappointed by the subject of this post and I know who you are. But I promise, the dark chocolate peanut butter bacon truffles are coming soon. I'm tweaking it to turn up the bacon and turn down the peanut butter. And in the meantime, I'm just trying to entertain taste buds and keep things healthy. Because if I talk about how much I ate last weekend one more time everyone that reads this has the right to block me forever. Oh no, I just did. Ok, starting now.

Can I have a bite please?

This week flew by for me. I'm not really sure why that is, considering I never fully recovered from last weekend (ps I didn't mention food) and I've had a really rough time of getting up every morning, but I'll take it! Tomorrow is Friday. And this brings up some philosophical questions for me. Like, will the memory of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon performing together Rebecca Black's "Friday" ever NOT be the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the final day of the work week? Is it too early in the year to buy a case of Pumking this weekend? Do dogs find weekends confusing? How many hours will Adam spend playing FIFA this Saturday? And many others. I'm deep. In the words of a wise old (just kidding) man, "about as deep as a shot glass." (Dear Jess, yes, I stole that from your dad.)


Most importantly, however, is the age-old question, "What's for dinner?". And no, it's not beef. Ok, sometimes it's beef. But not this time!


Delicious. Healthy. Spicy. Sweet. Easy. Fast. These tacos. PS Adam created the seasoning for the shrimp. He asks that we call him "Skrimp Masta Flex".


Soundtrack: One more (nu?)disco dance party, in honor of the new Magic Tape (14!) ala the Magician, and then we will move on (and I will share my truffle recipe). I swear.

Magic Tape Fourteen by TheMagician

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Zucchini and Sweet Potato
Serves 2-3


1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (ew!)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into large cubes
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can black beans
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp chili powder, divided
1 tsp chipotle seasoning, divided
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp Old Bay
1 tsp garlic powder, divided
1/2 tsp paprika
1 lime
salt & pepper
flour tortillas
pineapple salsa (This is important. I use Wegmans, I'm obsessed)
EVOO


Boil a small pot of water. Add the pieces of sweet potato and par-boil for 2-3 minutes, until just softened. Drain, chop potato to smaller pieces and set aside.


Heat grill and skewer shrimp. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tsp chipotle, 1/2 tsp Chile power, 1/4 tsp garlic powder,1/2 tsp Old Bay, and a dusting of salt & pepper. Sprinkle the shrimp with this seasoning mix and juice from 1/2 the lime. Grill the shrimp for about 3 min on each side until done. After cooking, squeeze the other 1/2 of the lime over the shrimp, chop coarsely, cover and set aside. (Or have a Sue grill the shrimp, while you move on to the next step!) 


In a saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add zucchini and sweet potato. Season with thyme, 1/2 tsp chile powder, 1/2 tsp coriander, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. Saute until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan (I rinsed the same one from the potato for less dishes) heat the beans over medium heat. Season with paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder (And a big thank you to Pepperjack's).


While beans are heating, (yea this is a lot of action at once, it's ok, you can do it!) warm the tortillas according to package directions.


Assemble tacos using beans, zucchini, sweet potato, and shrimp. Top with pineapple salsa and enjoy!

Zucchini: it's so in season! Like white pants!

Check out Sue, sprinkling that seasoning!

Zucchini & Sweet Potato saute.. Ole!

You can just see the spices! Or just Jeremy's thumbs up
in the background... We're also reppen' the Wegs salsa!

Tomato-Gouda Shrimp over Polenta

Ok guys, after that last one let's do something a little lighter, shall we? Because I'm still living in a world where THIS CAKE is in my fridge and I'm slowly chipping away at it. With some help of course, but it's still not getting any better for my thighs. ...SO WORTH IT.

And just like that I'm talking about avocado frosting again. Oops.

OMG, POLENTA!

Yesterday I went to the dentist. "Why do I care?" you ask. Well you probably don't. But this is my blog and if I want to tell you, you've got to read! Actually you don't. You could just skip ahead to the recipe. Or close this window entirely. But I digress! So yesterday I went to the dentist (no cavities!!) and of course I couldn't let that go by without a small homage to my boy David.


Unfortunately, I didn't have nearly that much fun on my trip to the dentist. Although, when I had my wisdom teeth taken out I had that much fun. I stole a magazine from the waiting room and giggled about it the whole way home. True story. Ran through the parking lot with it and everything. My poor mother. How. Embarrassing.


Anyway, I consider going to the dentist to be an accomplishment, because it sucks. I could also consider my first experience cooking with polenta an accomplishment. (Add another one to the list! Who's keeping track again?) Ok, confession: I bought a pre-made variety that came in a tube. It was bouncy and very interesting indeed. I added some water and made a "mush". Think grits. (I LOVE GRITS!) It was alright. Then I looked up some recipes for the stuff. Looks so easy! Who knew? Next time I'll just make my own.


But I wanted to share the rest of the recipe, because it was so easy and quick and it really hit the spot! A little spicy and a little sweet. It pairs really well with the polenta-mush. Is there a technical term for that?


Soundtrack: Isolee - We Are Monster


Tomato-Gouda Shrimp over Polenta
(serves 3-4)


1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 clove garlic
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 c. chicken stock
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
5- 1 in cubes of gouda cheese (sorry, that's my measurement.. 5 cubic inches of gouda)
6-7 leaves of fresh basil
EVOO
Salt & Pepper
1 lb polenta, prepared and mashed into a "mush" (add some water)


In a saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Salt & pepper the shrimp and add to the oil. Saute, stirring every so often, until fully cooked. Remove to a bowl and set aside.


Add a bit more EVOO to the pan. Add garlic and toast, stirring fairly consistently, just until it begins to brown to open the flavor. Add tomatoes (with liquid), stock, red pepper flakes and oregano. Season with salt & pepper. Bring sauce to a boil and simmer until reduced, about 7-10 minutes.


Once sauce is reduced and while the heat is still on, stir in gouda cheese. Break up the cheese with a spatula until melted into the sauce.


Remove from heat and stir in the shrimp. Serve over polenta and garnish with a few leaves of fresh basil.

We only had whole tomatoes,
Cue Jeremy, dicer extraordinaire!

Got his dice on!

Skrrriiiimp!

Let there be sauce!

Looks like butter, but it's just pieces of the moon

Ready to go...

I love fresh basil!

Would you like some?