Oyster Stew

Oyster stew is so easy to make.  I found this recipe on a container of oysters at The Fresh Market.  I think it's a great way to enjoy the taste of oysters in a simple form.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of oysters, drained
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 cups of milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter.
2. Add oysters and cook until the edges curl (about 3 minutes).
3. Add the remaining ingredients and heat until almost boiling
4. Garnish with optional chopped parsley.  Add hot sauce if desired.

You can also serve with some oyster crackers.  I love these crispy, puffy little things! 

Red Curry Chicken

I have made this similar recipe that I found at Whole Foods for Green Curry Chicken, and check it out!  They have my picture up on their web site!  (Just click on the link to see under customer photos.)  This time, I wanted to try the red curry paste instead of the green curry paste to see the difference.  In a direct label to label comparison, the only difference was that one is made with green chili peppers, and the other is made with red chili peppers.

I also decided to use coconut water instead of coconut milk.  This eliminates all fat from the contribution of coconut milk.  A regular can has about 10 grams of fat, and the light version has a little bit less.  You can find this zero fat coconut water in the organic section of Kroger Marketplace.  So many great things come from that section!  Don't confuse it with coconut juice.  That stuff has unnecessary added sugars.  This stuff is naturally sweet enough, and comes packed with 650 mg of potassium! 

This recipe is so easy to make!  You just start with a tiny amount of oil, add the red curry paste, then your meat and veggies, then the coconut water.  Simmer until cooked through, and serve with rice or noodles.  This is a good way to cook up all those things in the fridge that you need to cook up!  I had gone to Memphis over the weekend, came back, and said I better cook this stuff up before it goes bad!  You can use any vegetable, and you can use any other protein.  I developed this recipe based on what I had in the fridge!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of canola oil
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of red curry paste
• 1 (11 oz.) container of coconut water
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 1 pound of skinless, boneless diced chicken
• 1 cup of shredded carrots (optional)
• 1 package of button mushrooms
• 1 cup of spinach or arugula
• diced green onions, white onions, and cilantro to garnish

Directions:

1. Add a thin amount of oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large pan.  Heat over medium high heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the red curry paste.  Stir.  Enjoy the fragrant aroma...
3. Add the chicken, and stir fry over medium high heat.  Mix in carrots and mushrooms.  Add the fish sauce.
4. After about 5 minutes, add the coconut water.  Simmer over medium low until everything is done, about another 5 minutes.  Add spinach or arugula until wilted.
5. Garnish with diced green and white onions and cilantro.  Add basil if you have it...serve over rice or noodles.

Singapore Noodles

I love to slurp up some noodles from my chopsticks!!  So I'm always making them.  These noodles, I've never made before.  How fun to make a new noodle dish!  Singapore noodles are often served in Chinese restaurants.  They can be rice, buckwheat, udon, bean thread, potato starch, shirataki, or any other kind of noodle that you would find in an Asian food market like Little Rock's Sam's Oriental or K Oriental.  The significance of any noodle prepared with "Singapore" in it is that they're curry flavored.  I recently got on a curry kick, so on a trip to B&N, I checked out a book called 500 Curries. 

I decided that I wanted to make the dish with some brown rice noodles that I found in the organic section at Kroger Marketplace.  I love the Annie Chun's brand.  The ingredients of all her products are all natural.  I've also read that brown rice is better for you.

Next I was surprised to find a great cabbage, carrot, celery, green onion, and cilantro blend at Sam's (the American one).  My friends and family and I often have to elaborate on which Sam's we're talking about when we say we got something from Sam's. 

It's good to use a large pan with tall sides for a dish this large.  Start with a little oil, then add the onions.  I picked up a fresno chili, (which looks like a red jalapeno) to add some color.  No seeds mean no heat...

 Next comes the veggie mix for texture, color, and great nutritional value.  This was a great shortcut for me because I had planned to buy all these things separately to put into my Singapore noodles.

Then the noodles are added into the pan.  These are fine vermicelli rice noodles, which are thinner than any cappellini noodles that I've ever cooked. 

To make the sauce for the Singapore noodles, mix one cup of chicken stock with a tablespoon of curry powder.  Pour on top to make it easier to mix everything together.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of rice noodles (I used Annie Chun's brown rice noodles)
• 1 package of Taylor Farms Asian Chopped Salad mix
• 1 onion cut into crescent shapes
• 1 fresno chili cut into thin slivers
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

Directions:

1. Prepare the noodles per package instructions by soaking in hot water for 10 minutes.  Drain, cut into smaller strips, then add sesame oil.
2. Mix the chicken stock and curry powder.  Set aside.
3. Heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat in a large pan with high sides.
4. Add the garlic and ginger.  Saute for a minute. 
5. Add the onion and fresno chili.  Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the salad mix.  Turn heat up to high, and stir fry until soft, about 8 minutes.
7. Add the noodles, reduce heat to medium high again.  Add the chicken stock and curry powder mix.  Continue to toss around in the pan until everything is heated and coated well with the sauce. 

Summer White Sangria Singles

If you're in the mood for some sangria, and you don't want to make it with a whole big bottle of wine, you can always opt for a single selection!  Also, if it's summa summa summa time, and you don't want the red variety, then opt for some white wine instead!

 I started with a 4 pack of Barefoot Pinot Grigio because I like dry white wine.  I filled a small pitcher with some frozen peaches, then I poured the bottle in.

Next, I poured in a single portion of sparkling wine, aka champagne not from France.  For this occasion, I was at my neighbor's pool, so I doubled this recipe for enough to share.  But it's that simple!  Usually sangria recipes have a dash of this and a dash of that, but I found out that mixing the wine and champagne with some fresh fruit did the same trick!  Thanks to my friend Karen who gave me this idea when she served sangria with some red wine and champagne.  Since I'm partial to white wine, I adapted the recipe to suit my own preference!  And finding the single bottles were also a bonus!   

Ingredients:

• Single bottle of white wine (as sweet or as dry as you like)
• Single bottle of champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine
• Fresh or frozen fruit (peach slices, strawberries, blueberries, orange slices, etc.)

Directions:

1. Mix all and enjoy the flavor of sangria!

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Canapes

Salmon is one of the best sources of omega - 3 fatty acids, which combat inflammation in the body.  Omega 3s also have a ton of other great benefits, including fighting obesity and managing blood sugar.  And ladies, when you feel a mood swing coming on, reach for some salmon to release a ton of tryptophan.  This is one of our favorite weekend snacks!  And I always say it, but the best for you is Wild - Caught Alaskan.

Cucumbers are a great complex carb which gives you energy, and will help you feel fuller longer.  As often as possible, I try to eat a complex carb with a lean protein at every meal.  In these canapes, I used a delicatessen style mustard with white wine.  This little condiment with those powerful, antioxidant mustard seeds is another great thing for the body! 

Ingredients:

• 1 package Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon
• Delicatessen style mustard with white wine
• Non - pareil Capers
• English cucumber

Directions:

1. Partially peel, then slice the cucumber.
2. Dab some mustard on the cucumber.
3. Tear a few small pieces of salmon, then layer on top.
4. Find a place to put the capers on where the mustard can help keep it glued on.

Thai Green Curry Chicken with Rice Noodles

I found this recipe at Whole Foods.  It was displayed somewhere, and I slipped it into my purse because it looked good.  I haven't always been a huge curry fan to be honest.  But one day some friends from work, aka the plantation, said I should try Taj Mahal, the Indian lunch buffet with them, and I decided I loved Indian food and all curries moving forward.  I learned at Barnes & Noble that curries come from all over - from India to Africa to Thailand.  The frst time I opened the Thai green curry paste, the first thing it reminded me of was my mom's venison.  She always marinated it in tons of herbs, including lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and garlic.  And that, my friends, is exactly what is in this green curry paste.  I am so glad I found this recipe!  Thank you Whole Foods!  And Mom, make me a huge jar of this stuff!

Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese food all have so much in common.  You can't cook any food from these regions without a minimum of 3 or 4 or 5 different ingredients to create the kaleidoscope of flavors that lead to unforgettable moments on your tastebuds.  I found all of the exotic ingredients for this dish either at Whole Foods or at the Kroger Marketplace on Chenal in the international aisle.

This recipe, I found at Whole Foods:
(The difference in mine:  I used skinless chicken thighs instead of breast.  I also used snap peas insted of green beans.)

Serves 4

Green curry paste and coconut milk make a flavorful base for this curry featuring chicken, green beans and basil. This recipe was inspired by Whole Planet Foundation microcredit clients.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil
2 tablespoons prepared green curry paste
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces pad-thai or stir-fry rice noodles
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 red chile pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add curry paste and 1 1/4 cups coconut milk and whisk constantly until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Add chicken and green beans and return to a boil. Cook about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and green beans are tender, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Add remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk to skillet and return to a boil. Stir in fish sauce, sugar and basil leaves and remove from heat. Serve over rice noodles, garnished with chiles, if you like.

Nutrition

Per serving: 500 calories (150 from fat), 17g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 900mg sodium, 60g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 28g protein

Roasted Red and Golden Beets

I first became curious about beets when my friend Casey became a consultant for Juice Plus, and she was talking about how we don't get enough servings of fruit and veggies.  I knew without a doubt that it had to be true, and I remember her saying something about how often will we eat beets?  That peaked my interest in beets because I love to explore new food!

So I found some organic red beets at The Fresh Market.  Then I found some organic golden beets at Whole Foods.  I started noticing that all the power food and healthy eating cookbooks have information or recipes about beets.  Jillian Michaels says in The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook that beets are anti-cancer, heart healthy, metabolism boosting, and immunity boosting. 

In Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, beets were said to be low in calories, high in fiber, rich in iron, and full of cancer - fighting beta carotene and folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects. 

Even six year old Sasha Rasico ate roasted beets, and she said they tasted like corn.  She has gotten much more experimental with food lately!  These shrimp skewers that you see above are sold at Whole Foods for $2 each.  They were easy to throw under the broiler until they turned just the right color.

Gianna Rasico had beets in her salad.  I probably should have sliced them thinly for her.  Next time, I'll know better.  So......what does everyone think of beets?

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 bunches of beets, red or golden or both
• Olive oil or spray oil
• Course kosher salt

Directions:

1. Wash the beets thoroughly, then quarter if they're large.  Trim each end.
2. Line a large pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil.   
3. Place the beets on the pan, drizzle or spray with oil, then salt, then toss to coat.
4. Cover with more foil.
5. Cook for 45 minutes at 400 degrees or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife.
6. When cooled, slip the skins off with a paring knife.  Enjoy!

Don't forget to save the beet greens for a great stir fry!  I'll try to post that one soon!

Bumpy's Tex Mex Grill & Cantina

Sunday afternoon my husband asked if I'd been to the restaurant that replaced The Faded Rose on Bowman in West Little Rock.  I told him no, but I'd seen a Groupon ad for a shrimp and jalapeno dish that looked pretty good.  He asked what type of food they had, and I said I thought Mexican.  Great!  He wanted a margarita, so we headed there.

So we pulled up, and there was a banner hanging in front that said "Happy Hour Everyday 3pm - 7pm" and that sounded good.  Then we found out that all the margaritas were only $2.50!  Even better!  So we got the bumpin' blue because I love blue curacao.  I also love all the mispronunciations of this liqueur!  I got mine frozen, and Jereme had his on the rocks.  They were superb.

The Shrimp Perfecto dish was also superb!  The shrimp, jalapeno, and monterey jack cheese are all bound by crisp, delicious bacon served on a sizzling platter with tasty white onions with lime butter to dip it in.  Everything was tasty.  Our server Chrissy was outstanding, the kids were happy, and we know we'll be back.  My husband told Chrissy that they had big shoes to fill because we loved The Faded Rose so much, but they did it well.  We're really glad to have them there.  The atmosphere reminded me of some of the El Paso and Las Cruces restaurants my husband and I used to visit when he lived at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.  That might have been some of the appeal to us too.  And my daughter Gianna screamed out, "This is way better than Senor Tequila!"  LOL

They have a few extra touches that I enjoyed, such as the fesh jalapeno that came with the salsa.  The cheese dip with chili was yummy, and the girls loved the free ice cream!  You can find Bumpy's Tex Mex Grill and Cantina at Bowman Curve in West Little Rock.