Gianna's Easy Fajitas

Gianna’s Easy Fajitas (Luvin*Livvy)
***This doesn’t have much measuring, I just wing it.

Ingredients:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken OR approx 30 uncooked peeled shrimp (medium).
1 bottle of World Harbors Fajita Sauce (http://www.worldharbors.com/Fajita.html)
1 large Red Pepper
1 large Green Pepper
1 Large Vidalia Onion
Olive Oil
1 small tomato
¼ red onion
Juice of a lime
Sour Cream
Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
Guacamole
Fajita shells (tortillas) LARGE

Directions:
Cut up chicken in strips or peel shrimp and marinate in ½ bottle of Fajita sauce for about an hour or so.
Cook chicken or shrimp in large frying pan until cooked through. Approx. 15-20 minutes.

Cut up peppers and Vidalia onion in strips.
Sauté in olive oil in medium pan until cooked, but still a bit crispy.

For salsa:
Dice tomato and red onion and mix in small bowl and add some lime juice. Mix well. (For topping).

Warm fajita shells in microwave for approx 1 minute.
Serve with sour cream, guacamole, homemade salsa and cheese.

Creamy Shrimp and Grits

Creamy Shrimp and Grits (biochemgirl)

For the grits:
4 ¼ cups chicken stock
¾ cup whipping (heavy) cream
6 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup corn grits (aka polenta. Can be replaced with cornmeal)

Bring chicken stock, whipping cream, butter and garlic to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Return to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered until grits thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Whisk often.

For the shrimp:
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp
½ cup dry white wine (chardonnay)
1 14 ½ ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained with the juice reserved
4 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin strips
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh chives

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a second bowl. Add wine to the skillet and boil until reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and half of the prosciutto and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, chives, and shrimp and simmer for a few minutes until the shrimp are warmed through. Mix in the remaining prosciutto and season with salt and pepper. If need be, thin shrimp mixture with the reserved diced tomato juice.

Spoon grits onto plates and top with the shrimp mixture.

Hints:
Serve with warm, crusty bread to sop up all the sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

Creamy Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto (wedding905)

Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz) Bertolli Alfredo Sauce
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 TBS olive oil
1 small shallot or onion, chopped
3 TBS sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. drained and chopped
1 cup arborio rice
8 ounces asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

In a saucepan, bring Sauce and broth to a boil, keep warm.

Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 TBS Olive Oil and cook shrimp 2 minutes or until shrimp are almost pink. Remove shrimp.

In same skillet, heat remaining Olive Oil and cook shallot and tomatoes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened. Add rice and cook. stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Slowly add sauce mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding sauce mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently, reserving 1 1/2 cups. Add asparagus, then remaining sauce mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in shrimp. lemon juice and lemon peel, cook until shrimp turn pink. Serves 4.

Coconut Shrimp with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Coconut Shrimp with Peanut Dipping Sauce (wedinfeb05)

1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp
1/2 c corn starch
salt & pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
4 egg whites
2 1/2 c shredded coconut (for baking - sweetened)
oil (for frying)

Peel and devein shrimp and pat dry. Combine cornstarch, salt, pepper and cayenne in a bowl. Whisk the egg whites in another bowl and place the coconut in a third bowl. Coat the shrimp lightly with the cornstarch mixture, dip in the egg whites, and coat with coconut.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet (about 1/4 inch of oil will do). Place the shrimp in the hot oil, frying one side for about three minutes or until golden. Flip them over and fry on the other side, about 2 minutes. When both sides are golden place the shrimp to drain on paper towels. Serve with peanut sauce or orange marmalade thinned with a bit of warm water and heated to make a sauce.

PEANUT SAUCE
1/4 c chicken stock
3 oz coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 oz lime juice
1 oz soy sauce
1 t fish sauce (optional)
1 t Tabasco sauce
2 t garlic, minced
1 T ginger, minced
1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter (use Skippy or Jif, NOT natural or unsweetened)
1/4 c chopped cilantro

Mix all ingredients to blend.
Note: I make this a lot, and pretty often I really cut back on the ingredients in the sauce. Mostly I use chicken broth, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, and peanut butter - in whatever proportions I feel like. I don't always have all those other things and it doesn't matter too much.

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut Shrimp (Luvin*Livvy)
(I modified this from allrecipes.com)
Servings 6

** You may need to alter how much oil, flour, coconut, you will use. Add a little more here and there.

1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
½ cup flour
1 TBSP salt
2 cups shredded coconut
Oil (for frying)
2 eggs

Heat pan with oil for frying.
Mix together flour, coconut and salt, in a bowl.
Beat eggs in another bowl.

Dip shrimp in egg, and then into coconut/flour mixture.
Then put in hot oil…cook about 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. Also, keep them in the oil until they turn golden brown. Remove from heat and drain oil on paper towels. Continue until all shrimp are cooked. ***I use a large frying pan and can usually do 6 or 7 shrimp at a time or more.

DIPPING SAUCE
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup Dijon-style mustard
¼ cup honey
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce (I use Franks)

Mix together and enjoy!!!