Polenta Crusted Shrimp with Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise

I am always looking for new shrimp dishes, and when I came across this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network, I thought it looked delicious. Besides, anytime you can get crispy shrimp by baking it in the oven, I think that is a good choice. This recipe uses a classic breading technique by first dipping the shrimp in flour, followed by an egg wash, then finally dipping the shrimp into the polenta. I used a medium coarse ground polenta, and I would recommend using a finer grind, or just plain cornmeal. The flavor was really good, but the coarse ground was a bit too "grainy". When I make this again, I will used a finer grain of cornmeal. In addition to the mustard and herb mayonnaise sauce, I also made some homemade cocktail sauce. I simply use three ingredients, ketchup, prepared horseradish, and lemon juice. It is really up to you how spicy you want it, I usually add a heaping tablespoon of horseradish, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to about a half cup of ketchup. Also, the mustard and herb mayonnaise makes a lot, so I just used it as a spread for some turkey sandwiches and for some tuna salad. It will keep in the fridge for quite a while.

Ingredients

Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Polenta Crusted Shrimp:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups polenta
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil (or non-stick cooking spray)
  
• Kosher salt, for sprinkling

Directions

To make the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the Polenta Crusted Shrimp:

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cover a heavy-duty baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the flour, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into another small bowl. Mix together the polenta, paprika and thyme in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour. Shake off any excess flour. Dip the flour-dredged shrimp into the eggs and then coat with the polenta mixture. Drizzle the shrimp, on both sides, with the olive oil. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with the kosher salt.

Serve immediately with the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise and cocktail sauce, if desired

CEiMB: Curried Chicken Salad

I am so excited because this is my week to select a recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly! The recipe I chose for my fellow bloggers and me to make is the Curried Chicken Salad from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger. It's a very simple, but delicious salad consisting of chicken and grapes in a yogurt curry sauce.

First of all, I really love the flavor of curry powder, so I was sure that I would like this salad, but I was quite impressed how well the flavors were balanced. The warm spice of the curry balances well with the sweetness of the grapes and the bitterness of the cilantro, and the almonds added a nice crunch and contrast in texture. I actually mixed my sliced almonds into my salad instead of sprinkling them on top. Many chicken salads feel heavy and rich, but this was very light. The recipe doesn't make a lot of sauce, just enough to coat the chicken and grapes, so it doesn't weigh them down, and their flavors really come through. I served my salad on a bed of spinach sprinkled with lemon juice along with toasted whole-wheat pita chips.

The recipe on the Food Network website includes instructions for poaching chicken, so I have included the instructions for that as well in case you wish to cook your chicken that way.

I want to thank all of my fellow bloggers over at Craving Ellie in My Belly for participating with me! I really enjoyed this recipe, and I hope that they did too. Be sure to check out their blogs as well to see how they made their Curried Chicken Salad.





Curried Chicken Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds, poaching instructions below)
• 1 cup halved red grapes
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 ounces mixed greens (about 5 cups lightly packed)
• 4 lemon wedges
• 4 ounces pita chips

Directions:

• For poaching the chicken: Bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken to broth and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Turn the heat off and let chicken stand in the cooking liquid, covered, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and cool completely in the refrigerator. Cut into 1/4-inch dice.
• Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder. Fold in the chicken, grapes and cilantro and season to taste, with salt and pepper. This salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To serve, put a scoop of the chicken salad on a bed of greens and top with the toasted almonds. Add a lemon wedge to squeeze over the greens jut before eating. Serve with pita chips.

Serving size:

• 1 cup chicken salad
• 1 1/4 cups mixed greens
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1 ounce pita chips

Easy Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This really should just be a recipe for the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, because I made the cupcakes using a boxed mix, and all I did to improve on that was to add the zest of half a lemon to the batter. The real star of the cupcakes is the frosting. It's rich and creamy with just the right about of lemon flavor and tang to balance out the sweetness of the cupcakes. I added a Lemon Drop candy to each of the cupcakes to make them look special.




For the cake:

• 1-18.25 oz box lemon cake mix
• 1 1/3 Cups Water
• 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 Large Eggs
• Zest from half a lemon

For the frosting:

• 1-8 oz package of cream cheese (can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened to room temperature
  
• 1/2 (or 1/4 cup) of butter, softened to room temperature
• juice from 1/2 lemon (just a scant couple of squeezes)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 16 oz. powdered sugar

• 20-24 Lemon Drops (optional)
  

Directions:

• Bake the cupcakes according the to directions on the box, the only difference is to add the lemon zest to the batter last, and make sure that it is fully incorporated without any clumps. The cake mix I used made 20 cupcakes when the cupcake liners were filled 2/3 full. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature before frosting.
• To make the frosting, it is very important that the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. If they are not, there will be lumps of butter or cream cheese in the frosting, and that will be very unappealing.
  
• First, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until they are uniformly mixed, then add the lemon juice and lemon extract, and mix briefly to incorporate.
  
• Next, slowly add the powdered sugar in batches, and ensure all the sugar is incorporated before making the next addition. If you want a stronger lemon flavor, add a bit more lemon extract at this time. If you want it sweeter, add more powdered sugar. This frosting is very versatile, and it is easy to make to your liking.
  
• You can frost the cupcakes at this time, but I like to stick the frosting in the refrigerator for an hour or so, so it will firm up, and make the cupcakes easier to frost. After frosting the cupcakes, if you wish, top with a Lemon Drop and enjoy!

CEiMB: Arugula, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly is from Maria of Half Meatball/Half Matzoh Ball Children. She chose for us to make the Arugula, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger. This is a quick and easy meal, you simply sauté onions until they are soft and caramelized, you then add arugula to the skillet to wilt it slightly. Then you top your whole-wheat tortilla or flatbread with the onion/arugula mixture, dot with goat cheese, and pop in the oven. I added some sun-dried tomatoes to the onion/arugula mixture to balance the peppery flavor of the arugula with the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes. I also added a small amount of balsamic vinegar. It really perked up the topping. I used herbed goat cheese that had basil and garlic in it. I think this tasted great. It's really quick and would make a great dinner for one or two, or it would be a great appetizer when it is cut into wedges.

Chicken Teriyaki Stir-fry over Udon Noodles

One of my favorite quick dishes to make is teriyaki stir-fry. I start with a purchased teriyaki sauce, my favorite is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, it has a great flavor and is full of sesame seeds, which I really enjoy. I then make some additions to the sauce, which I think really enhances the flavor of the whole dish. This time I served the stir-fry over udon noodles, but I often make this same dish with rice as well. The recipe makes a lot of sauce, so it is good to have something like noodles or rice to soak it up.


Chicken Teriyaki Stir-fry over Udon Noodles
serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 cups purchased teriyaki sauce
• 2-3 heaping tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (or more or less depending on your preference for heat)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 5 cups of assorted vegetables (I used a combination of onions, carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli, and sugar snap peas)
• 1-8 oz. can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 4 oz. fresh bean sprouts

• 1-10 oz. package of udon noodles
• Chopped cilantro (optional)
  

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the teriyaki sauce, chili-garlic paste, and honey. Mix well.
  
• Place the chicken pieces in a resealable bag and add 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade. Move the bag around to distribute the marinade to make sure it coats all the chicken pieces, and place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining marinade for later use.
• Following the marination, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the udon noodles and cook according to the package directions.
• While the water is coming to a boil and the noodles are cooking, begin stir-frying the chicken and vegetables. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add the vegetables that take longer to cook (onions, carrots, peppers) and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, just to soften.
  
• Drain the chicken and add it to the skillet, discarding the marinade. Stir-fry the chicken until it is almost cooked all the way through, about 6-8 minutes.
  
• Add the vegetables to the skillet that cook quickly (broccoli, sugar snap peas), and continue stir-frying until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
• Add the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and remaining 1 cup of marinade to the skillet, and cook until the sauce is heated through.
  
• Place some udon noodles on a plate and top with chicken stir-fry and a few extra tablespoons of sauce.
• Sprinkle some cilantro on top if desired.
  

CEiMB: No Bake Lemon Bars

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly was chosen by Amy of Playing House. She chose for us to make the No Bake Lemon Bars from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger. I love anything lemon, and this recipe looked easy and quick, so I was looking forward to trying this recipe.

I really liked the flavor of these bars, they were creamy and tart. I had added the zest of the whole lemon, not just a teaspoon to amp up the lemon flavor, and I am glad that I did. My only complaint is that even though these are "No bake" lemon bars, I would suggest baking the crust to get it to set up more. My crust was very crumbly, and it kind of fell apart when I was removing the bars from the pan. Other than that, this was an easy, tasty treat!

Baked Shrimp Scampi

I wanted to make something special this past week for dinner, and I came across a recipe for Baked Shrimp Scampi from The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. There was only going to be two of us enjoying this dish, so I cut the recipe in half. Per reviewers' suggestions, I also cut down on the amount of butter called for in the recipe, and increased the amount of crushed red pepper to give the recipe a bit more heat. You can always decrease amount of, or eliminate all together, the crushed red pepper if you don't like things spicy. I think this dish is easy to put together, and it cooks in just minutes. I did choose to place my shrimp under the broiler for just a few minutes to make the buttery breadcrumb mixture bubbly and golden brown. I would definitely make it again, it is great for a special dinner.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 pounds large shrimp, tail on, peeled and deveined
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

If needed, peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 1 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a small gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1-2 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 2-3

CEiMB: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly is from Tessa of Handle the Heat. She chose for us to make the Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger. I was really looking forward to this dish. I loved the flavor combination of the mustard sauce. I didn't have any dried marjoram on had, so I added a tablespoon of chopped fresh dill to the sauce. I also lightly seasoned the chicken thighs with salt and pepper before adding the sauce on top.

This dish couldn't have been any easier to throw together. It literally took me five minutes to whip up the sauce and get the chicken in the oven. My chicken was done in about 5o minutes, and the mustard sauce made a nice "crust" on top of the chicken. The chicken was moist and flavorful, this dish will definitely make in into the weeknight rotation. So easy and delicious.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had some leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving, and I was thinking about what I could make with it, when I came across this recipe from the Taste of Home website. I altered the recipe a bit by decreasing the amount of sugar, and increasing some of the spices in the recipe. The original recipe states that this recipe makes 24 muffins, I had enough left over to also make a miniture Pumpkin Chocolate Chip loaf. In other words, this recipe makes a lot of muffins, so if you only want a dozen or so, I would recommend halving the recipe. The pumpkin in these muffins is very subtle, so are the spices, but they are definitely there, and it works well with the chocolate chips. Speaking of chocolate chips, these muffins are chock full of them. I could barely test to see if the muffins were done without poking into a chip. These were moist and rich, and I would make them again. Next time, however, I might add in extra pumpkin and decrease the amount of oil in the recipe to get a more prominent pumpkin flavor.



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1-1/2 cups canola oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
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Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
• Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 2 dozen muffins.

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Per my co-worker's request, I decided to make her miniature cherry cheesecakes for her birthday lunch. I adapted these cheesecakes from this recipe over at the Martha Stewart website. This recipe is super simple to throw together, and they come together in no time. I made these the night before because they are supposed to set up in the refrigerator overnight. I think these are great for an office or holiday party. Note: It is very important that your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. I took my cream cheese out in the morning, and let it sit on the counter all day until I made the cheesecakes in the evening. The eggs took less time, I only let them sit out for about 30 minutes prior to making the cheesecakes.

Miniature Cherry Cheesecakes
makes 14-16


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound cream cheese, softened (two 8 oz. packages cream cheese)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Pinch of salt
• 1 can of cherry pie filling (21 oz)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Mix graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Stir in butter. Press 1 tablespoon of mixture in bottom of each cup. Bake until set, about 7 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, then vanilla. With mixer running, add eggs slowly, scraping down side of bowl. Add sour cream and salt. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the tops.
3. Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Wrap tins tightly with plastic, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
4. Spoon about 3-4 cherries from the pie filing onto each cheesecake. Cheesecakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.