THAI COCONUT SHRIMP CURRY

 SHRIMP:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

 
COCONUT CURRY:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bell pepper, sliced
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons mild red curry paste
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk, full fat
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon sriracha, optional
Handful of torn Thai basil
Toppings: scallions, cilantro, fried onions, chili pepper

1.    Get all the prep done before you start cooking.  Add shrimp, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, turmeric, garlic powder and white pepper to a bowl. Stir to combine, set aside.

2.    Grate the ginger and garlic cloves.  Finely chop the shallot and slice the bell pepper.

3.    Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over high.  Place shrimp in a single layer.  Sear, 1 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet.

4.    In the same skillet, add bell pepper.  Sauté for 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften.  Add garlic, ginger and shallot.  Cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Deglaze with chicken broth, simmer for 2 minutes while stirring and scraping up the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.

5.    Stir in red curry paste.  Add brown sugar, turmeric, cumin, coriander, white pepper, soy sauce, and fish sauce.  Cook for 1 minute, stir frequently.  Pour in coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

6.    Add lime juice, sriracha and Thai basil.  Stir to combine.  Toss in shrimp, simmer for no longer than 1 minute.  Top with cilantro leaves, fried onions and chili pepper.  Serve with a crunchy cucumber salad and steamed rice.

WINTER WHITE CAKE COOKIES

1 box white cake mix

2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 bag white chocolate chips
colored cake decorating sprinkles (optional)

Using a Kitchen Aid*, mix first four ingredients  together.

Fold in white chocolate chips and add colored sprinkles if desired.

Drop by tablespoon on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350E for about 10-12 minutes if using air-bake cookie sheets, or about 7-8 minutes if using a regular cookie sheet.

*(A hand mixer will not be strong enough for this thick dough recipe).

BANANA SNACK CAKE

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Frosting:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

6 Tbsp. milk

2 1/2  – 3 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in bananas and vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in nuts.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack.

For frosting, combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.  Frost the cake.

PULL-APART CARAMEL BREAKFAST CAKE

2 tubes refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cut each biscuit into four pieces; arrange evenly in a 10 inch fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar, cream and cinnamon; pour over the biscuits.

Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.

BUTTERMILK COFFEE CAKE

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup butter, margarine, or shortening

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 beaten eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9 x 13 baking pan; set aside.  Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt.  Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside 1/2 cup.  Stir baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture.

Combine eggs and buttermilk.  Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture; mix well.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Stir together reserved crumb mixture and nuts.  Sprinkle atop batter.

Bake at 350º for 35 to 40 minutes or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

GRANOLA

2 cubes butter                        

1-2 cups brown sugar            

7 cups rolled oats

2 tsp. cinnamon, optional

1 cup of any dried fruit, nuts, and/or coconut

1-2 Tbsp. almond extract

In a large skillet, melt butter.  Sprinkle in brown sugar and almond extract; stir to combine.  Add rolled oats, stirring until combined. 

Heat over medium heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes.  Stir in cinnamon, if desired.  Add fruit and nuts of choice. 

Cool and serve with milk or yogurt.

CHERRY ALMOND GRANOLA

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 Tbsp. almond extract

6 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups dried cherries or cranberries

1 cup slivered almonds

Vanilla yogurt, optional

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, milk powder, honey, apple juice concentrate and oil.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved; stir in extract.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, cherries and almonds.  Drizzle with sugar mixture and mix well.

Spread in a thin layer in two 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Cool completely.  Serve with yogurt if desired.  Store in an airtight container.

*Add a little baking cocoa to the brown sugar for a flavor twist.

OATMEAL OH HENRY BARS

2/3 cups margarine (10 Tbsp) 

1 cup brown sugar     

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup dark karo syrup

4 cups oats

Melt margarine and add ingredients.  Spread in greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 300º for 12 minutes.

Topping:
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips (or 1/2 cup choc. chips & 1/2 cup butterscotch chips) and 2/3 cups peanut butter.  Refrigerate to firm bars up when weather is warm or in summer.

LEMON BLUEBERRY CRUMB BAR

Base

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 egg, beaten

Topping

1 egg

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups blueberries, thaw if frozen

Grease 9 x 13 baking dish.  Preheat oven to 375º.

1. Base:  In a bowl mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and lemon zest.  Using a pastry blender, cut butter in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Set 2 cups aside.  Add egg to remaining mixture and mix until just combined.  Spread evenly in prepared dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

2. Topping:  In another bowl, beat egg, condensed milk and lemon juice until smooth and blended.  Blend in flour and lemon zest.  Stir in blueberries.  Spread evenly over base.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes longer or until lightly browned.  Place dish on a rack to cool completely, then cut into bars.

OATMEAL CARMELITAS

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 cup chocolate chips (or less)

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1/2 (12 oz.) jar caramel ice cream topping

5 Tbsp. flour

Combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter.  Press 1/2 of mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350º for 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.  Blend caramel topping with flour and pour over chocolate chips and nuts.  Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes.  Cool completely and cut.

COCKTAIL SMOKIES

1 large package smokies or wieners

1 cup ketchup

1 cup open pit bbq sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cranberry sauce or jelly of choice

Put together in crockpot and cook. Tastes better if cooked for a long period or cooked, cooled and warmed again later.

BARBECUPS

3/4 lb. ground beef                                 
1 to 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup barbeque sauce   
3/4 cup grated cheese

12 refrigerated biscuits                          

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Brown ground beef; drain.  Add brown sugar and barbeque sauce. 

Use ungreased muffin tins.  Press biscuits up as far as you can go in the muffin tins.  Spoon meat mixture into cups.  Sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.