Archive for April 2008
Leahs Coconut Jerked Shrimp
April 30, 2008 | 
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Now if you haven’t yet made your own coconut shrimp, this recipe couldn’t be easier. I adore coconut shrimp, and since it is so easy to make at home, I can save my money on something else with the way prices are soring these days from everything like eggs to gas. This is great to make as a party appetizer as well!
Ingredients:
- 4-6 shrimp per person- deveined, cleaned, shells removed, tails intact
- 2 large eggs
- 1/8 cup corn starch
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4 good shakes of red chili peppers
- 2-3 tablespoons jerk seasonings
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked tri-colored pepper
- 1/4 to1/2 cup water
- 1-2 cups of shredded coconut, spread out in shallow pan
- Vegetable oil to fry shrimp in
- wax paper and plate or plater that can go into freezer
- paper towels for draining shrimp after cooking
- Fresh lemon wedges to serve with shrimp
- Dipping sauce of your choosing – I used my ‘Best Homemade Tartar Sauce’ (already posted)
Directions:
- After cleaning shrimp, drain and place on paper towels to pat shrimp dry.
- In Bowl, put all other ingredients except coconut to make batter, With whisk, stir till all well combined. Let sit for five minutes so ingredients can ‘get to know’ one another. If batter is too thick, you may add more water to thin it out, it should be less thick than pancake batter, yet not thin like crepe batter.
- Line your plate or platter that will go into freezer with wax paper and place next to bowl with coconut.
- Dip shrimp holding to tail into batter, let excess drip off, then place battered shrimp into coconut. Flip over once, so that coconut has coated shrimp. Use fingers to gently throw coconut onto batter on shrimp to coat.
- Next place shrimp onto waxed paper. Continue with all other shrimp.
- Once compete, place coated shrimp that is sitting on platter with wax paper into freezer to ‘set up’ for one hour or more.
- I used my wok to fry the shrimp since it would allow me to fry six at a time – have at least 1/2 inch of oil.
- Heat up oil to 350 degrees – or to test if oil is hot enough, place a small cube of bread in, and see that it browns quickly.
- Cooking times may vary depending upon size of shrimp you are using.
- So add shrimp carefully to hot oil, and let cook for about 4 minutes on each side depending upon the size of your shrimp – the shrimp I cooked were the colossal sized ones and extra huge, so you may want to adjust the time accordingly.
- Once each shrimp is done, using tongs or slotted spoon, take out of hot oil, let drain a bit and then place on paper towels on a plate to further drain.
- Serve your shrimp up with fresh lemon wedges and your dipping sauces could be anything from a mustard apricot jam concoction, to my tarter sauce (already posted) which is what I did. This dish I served last night also includes with Notyourmomma’s Garlic French Fries with added rosemary and Leah’s French Fried Onion Circles (just posted) as photo shows.
Posted in homemade from scratch | 
Tags: coconut shrimp, homemade from scratch, quick easy dinner ideas, shrimp | 
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Best Homemade Crazy for Chocolate Souffle Is Super Easy to Make
Crazy for chocolate? Then get in line for this dessert to come out of your own oven! This is a great easy to make version of a vanilla soufflé.
If you like great desserts, this is one to try for your next party or for when you are craving your chocolate but bad!
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 eggs separated (separate when cold, much easier to do when eggs are cold)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter to stabilize egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Well pre-heated oven at 425 with oven rack placed low in oven (not on the lowest, but not in the middle either)
- 1 UN-greased casserole dish 1-1/2 quarts size
- 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
Directions:
- Note: you can bake this at two different oven temperatures…
- If you want a soufflé that is evenly moist, then bake it at 325 for 50-60 minutes.
- If you want a soufflé that has a thicker crust and a soft moist interior, then the quick baking method is for you: bake your soufflé at 425 for 25 minutes.
- The above baking techniques work for all fruit soufflés that I post.
- In a saucepan on top of stove on medium low heat, combine flour, sugar, salt, chocolate and stir in milk a little at a time.
- Cook stirring constantly with a whisk until the entire mixture is smooth and thick.
- Beat egg yolks under mixer until thick and yellow. Gently fold into cooked mixture and allow to cool on counter.
- While that is cooling, start on your egg whites.
- Wash out your mixing bowl really well and beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add extracts and cream of tartar.
- Fold one half of the beaten egg whites into the cooled down cooked mixture to lighten up the ‘batter’, then add remaining egg whites and gently fold in.
- Pour into un-greased casserole dish and put into preheated oven at your chosen temperature.
- Try not to peak and open up your oven, as this can upset the soufflé from rising. Let it do its thing, I know patience is a virtue and a really good soufflé.
- Once baked, bring to table at once and serve it up with a soft dollop of whipped cream – to go extra fancy, add a little of a chocolate flavored liquor to your homemade whipped cream as flavoring) and add a fresh spring of mint on the serving for that “Martha look” or a squirt of your favorite chocolate syrup.
- Sprinkle and sift a little of confectioners sugar on top and voila.
- And as I mentioned above in the description, you can do all the preparing, and throw your soufflé into the oven when you are sitting down to eat your dinner. By the time you have finished dinner and you are making coffee, your dessert will be ready to eat!
- Photo credit belongs to gastronomicaljourney.wordpress.com (though I edited and brightened it), but recipe is 100% Divaliscious!
Best Homemade Outrageous Orange Souffle Recipe From Scratch
Want to impress them with a fruit soufflé? You can easily make this in a casserole versus in individual dishes. I show you tricks for 2 types of soufflés, this is an easier dessert to make than most people think. So go ahead, impress someone you love today, easily! You can prepare the soufflé then throw this in the oven when you are sitting down to dinner. By the time you are ready to serve coffee, your dessert is ready.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed certainly the best for fresh flavor)
- 4 eggs separated (separate when cold, much easier to do when eggs are cold)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter to stabilize egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange rind
- Well pre-heated oven at 425 with oven rack placed low in oven (not on the lowest, but not in the middle either)
- 1 UN-greased casserole dish 1-1/2 quarts size
Directions:
Ah, the wonders of a dessert soufflé are super easy. Once you attempt this dessert, it will easily become a part of your arsenal in your dessert recipes. The warm fresh orange juice baked into this light and airy soufflé really help to impress your family and friends and your next dinner party!
Strawberry Whip Sensation
Now most of you know by now, that I am a from scratch homemade, ‘just out of your garden’ kind of cook and baker, but this recipe I tried the other day from a foodie pal I know as ‘Shirley Oma’ and was hooked from the start. She found it on a website and shared it with me, so I in turn am sharing it with you. I wish I could tell you where the recipe came from, but alas, we do not know.
I was surprised at not only how great this delicious dessert tastes, but how easy it was to make and is so pretty and perfect to make for those hot summer nights coming up. The fresh strawberries and lemon juice make for the perfect combination for this quick dessert. Just make sure you have at least 6 hours before you wish to serve this dessert to allow it the freeze and set up properly before serving.
Ingredients:
- 3-4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
- 1 can (14 oz.) EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
- 8 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Directions:
- Strawberry Whipped Sensation
- Recipe Rating:
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 6 hr 20 min
- Makes: 12 servings
- LINE 9×5-inch loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan.
- Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in large bowl. Add condensed milk,juice and 2 cups of the whipped topping; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
- MIX chopped cookies and butter. Spoon over whipped topping mixture.
- Cover with ends of foil and gently press cookie mixture into whipped topping mixture. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
- INVERT dessert onto serving plate when ready to serve; remove pan and foil.
- Spread remaining whipped topping onto top and sides of dessert.
- Slice remaining 1 cup of strawberries; arrange over dessert.
- Store leftovers in freezer
Posted in desserts, strawberry | Tags: desserts, frozen desserts, how to make frozen fresh strawberry desserts | No Comments »
Best Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
Now who doesn’t love lemon meringue pie – yes many of us had some if we went to the diner – but that is not necessarily the real deal. If you want to know how to make a great lemon meringue pie that is quick, affordable and always works – this is the recipe for you! So what are we waiting for…. let me get typing!
I have seen a lot of versions out there, but a recipe that doesn’t use lemon zest to me is really not a real lemon meringue pie – the added zest and fresh lemon juice with a little pulp really makes this pie truly tart and sweet simultaneously and after making few of these pies you will see there really is no effort at all to making fantastic great authentic lemon meringue pie just like your grandmother used to bake for special occasions.
Ingredients:
1 baked pie shell cooled
3 large eggs separated (easier when done while eggs are still cold)
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 teaspoons grated lemon rind
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with some pulp
1 cup white sugar for lemon filling
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
***for meringue:
6 tablespoons of Super Fine white sugar for meringue
dash of salt for meringue
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tarter – to stabilize egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for meringue
*****
Equipment Needed:
Double boiler, mix master such as kitchen aid or hand mixer, whisk
Directions:
- To double boiler add all of the following: cornstarch, salt, 1/2 cup of the white sugar, mix till combined then add water and stir.
- Cook over boiling water until thick stirring constantly.
- Then cover with lid and let cook for ten minutes.
- Combine egg yolks and rest of sugar into a bowl – stir till combined and add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks to temper them. Then add egg yolks to hot mixture and stir.
- Turn off heat yet stir mixture for 2 minutes.
- Remove double boiler from hot water, and place on trivet or counter where it is safe. While still hot, stir in butter, lemon rind, lemon juice and pure lemon extract.
- Let cool to room temperature – without stirring and NEVER cool in fridge! Keep lid off so that steam can escape.
- Once cooled, pour into baked pie shell and cover with meringue. Make sure all mixture is covered with the meringue – and place on the middle rack of your oven about 15 minutes at 325 degrees or until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve it up that night!
- *****
- To Make Meringue:
- Make sure your bowl, beaters are super clean void of any grease from previous uses. Add egg whites to bowl and start to beat.
- Once eggs have started to be white and frothy, add sugar gradually. You might want to keep beating speed on medium or medium low so that your egg whites can dissolve the sugar. This is an imperative step that will help prevent your meringue from ‘weeping’ later on in the day as it sits for getting ready to be eaten.
- For those of us that have kitchen aids – note, this process can be quicker than we realize being that these sort of mixers are super quick. So it is ok to beat slowly at first, so that the sugar has had the time to dissolve in the egg whites.
- Continue beating until smooth and add vanilla extract.
- To ensure all sugar has been dissolved, put a little on your fingers and rub them (as if you were making a snap) if you feel any bits of sugar, you will need to keep beating until smooth – so be careful not to over beat your meringue – which is why I suggested to beat at a medium speed.
- Once meringue is shiny and peaks form, your ready to top your pie.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: authentic lemon meringue pie like grandma used to make, how to make meringue, lemon meringue pie | No Comments »