LEFT OVERS: COCONUT CURRY SHRIMP SOUP

LEFT OVERS: COCONUT CURRY SHRIMP SOUP.        (Found one I forgot to post. )   :)

I love left overs I really do.  There are so many possibilities.  One of my most favorite things to do is to add left over stir fries, dirty rice or noodle or any thing that sound good to stock or broth and make a really yummy soup.  The flavors are so good they make you tingle inside.   I just made Stock tonight and it just entered my mind that their is some Coconut Curry frozen in the freezer and I just bough some shrimp.

INGREDIENTS:
Left overs from Coconut Curry or fresh made, either way is ok.
1 pound shrimp.
A lose handful of Cilantro
4 peeled garlic cloves.
2 Tablespoons olive oil. 
About 6 cups of Stock or broth.  

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

FIRST:  Broth or stock.
Note: You can use less stock or broth or more depending how much you want to use.  

Put your soup broth or stock in a pot and put on medium low, let it cook while your working with the shrimp.  Keep the left over or new Coconut Curry in the refrigerator, this will just be heated up, not cooked.  

SECOND: SHRIMP & MINCE
Get a large bowl and pour all the shrimp into it and fill with water as the shrimp are defrosting.  Get out a pan large enough to accommodate all the shrimp set aside.  

Now I love a lot of cilantro in my soup so I put about a cup and a half.  I suggest a big hand full which is about a cup or less.  Wash the cilantro and pat dry with a clean towel then pinch off the leaves set in a pile in the middle of your cutting board.  Next peel your garlic and then mince the garlic and cilantro. Put in pan with olive oil. Do not turn on yet.  

1. Note: If you want you can cook the shrimp ahead of time.

2. Note: If you are using precooked shrimp skip this part.

3. Note: After the shrimp are done cooking and removed from the pan, add a to ladle spoon fulls of hot broth to the pan and swish it around with a spoon and add back to the soup.  

Now time to fiddle with the shrimp. Place a clean dish towel or some paper towel in a bowl, because you want to soak up as much of the water as possible.  Gently peel the shrimp and devein them if need be, some time they are already devein.  Basically hold the little shrimp level so the body curls hangs downward. Take a knife and parallel to the back gently slice it. Sense the body is transparent you see the little dark line that is the vein, just pull it out the best you can.  After you have clean all your shrimp let the paper towel soak up the water as much as possible.  If their a little bit in their that ok.  
Turn the stove top to Medium and start to saute the garlic and cilantro and as soon as you start to smell the aroma of the garlic, turn down to low and put in the shrimp. Shrimp like to be cooked on low, if you cook them at a higher temperature they will be come rubbery.  
Keep your eye on the shrimp and watch how they react as they cook they will start to curl up, this also depends on the size of your shrimp.  Try to evenly space out the shrimp, so they are all face down.  As they cook they will also start to lose their transparency and look more whitish, turn them over according to doneness.  Yes it takes a bit of patients, but it is so worth it for taste and texture.    Here is a little trick I like to do. Have a bowl set aside, and place all the cooked shrimp in their until their all in the bowl, them return them all and cover the pan with a lid for about 2 to 3 minutes on low, this way you'll be doubly sure their cook all the way thought.   Careful look over the shrimp to judge how much longer you want to cook it.

THIRD:
   
When the shrimp are done.  Add all to the soup and add the left over Coconut curry to the soup, bring to a light boil. Then turn off.   And sit back and enjoy the flavor.  

You can all so add cooked rice or noodles to the dish to add some extra umph, if you don't have enough left overs.

MMmmmmmm  that all I have to say.  

Here is the Easy Coconut Cauliflower Curry Recipe. 

http://susenkitchencorner.blogspot.com/2015/08/easy-coconut-cauliflower-curry.html

And Stock & Broth recipes.  

http://susenkitchencorner.blogspot.com/2014/06/all-about-broth-stock.html

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA & FIG MUFFINS

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA & FIG MUFFINS


INGREDIENTS:

2 Bananas
1 cup of figs
1 bag of Chocolate chips.
1 Cup of all purpose flour.
2 Egg
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar.
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda.
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder.
2 oz or 6 1/2 Table Spoons of Olive oil or Vegetable oil. 
Paper muffin cups (optional).    I don't really like using them, but that me. 

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Note: You will need a muffin Tin. You can spray it or butter it.

FIRST:
Dice up the figs and put them in a bowl set aside.   Then use a mash potato masher and mash it up the bananas in another bowl really good, if there is some bigger chunks left that is totally okay.   Next break the eggs into the mixture and add the cinnamon, brown sugar, baking soda and powder, and oil. Now add the figs.   Mix all with a wooden spoon very well.

Add the flour a little bit at a time, mix until all the flour is incorporated into the batter. The batter should have a thick and moist look, but not dry.  If it is too dry add table spoon of milk at a time until it becomes wet.    But not soggy or oat meal like.  Now take your sprayed muffin tin and add spoon fulls of batter to each cup until all are full.  If they heap over a little that okay to.  But make sure their all sort of evenly filled.  If you have empty cups in the muffin tray. Place the Tin in the oven and take care to carefully fill all the empty cups with hot water. This will help the muffin tray not warp as it heat up.
Now Set the oven at 325.  Have a tooth pick ready to check the muffins.   Remember the more batter the longer it will take, the less the shorter it will take to cook.
Note: Use the biggest muffin in the tray to help you judge them when their done.  When you stick the tooth pick into it, it should come out clean.  And the finished muffins should have a nice golden look to them.    After their done pull the muffin tin out and remove the muffins and put them on a wire rack to cool.

A big tall glass of milk also is good with these muffins.  Enjoy.

FLAKED SALMON, EDAMAME & SHAVED JICAMA SALAD

FLAKED SALMON, EDAMAME & SHAVED JICAMA SALAD.

This is easy spin on a salad with out the pasta.  I really like using Salmon for salads.


INGREDIENTS:
1 Salmon Steak
1/2 cup of Edamame beans podded.
1/2 lose cup of shaved Jicama (Use a hand held veggi peeler.)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise  Less or more as you desire.
1 Tablespoon capers
1 Two tables spoon diced white onion.
Serve on a small bed of fresh greens.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:
FIRST: COOKING THE SALMON
Put the Salmon steak skin down in the pan.  Turn the pan to low and cover with a lid that fits.  Keep your eye on the color of the salmon. At first it will be bright reddish pink, and as it cooks it will turn into a lighter pink.  Also watch for white drops of fat to appear on the out side of the salmon as it cooks.
Next: Now if your looking at your salmon that is cooking and it appears to be done on the out side, it may not be done on the inside. Turn off the burner and take off the lid. Take two forks and very carefully pull the salmon apart and look in.  Try to pull it apart by the grain.  If you see dark red inside, it still need to cook more. Put in back on the burner on low to finish cooking.
 If it is done, then when you take the forks and pull the salmon apart gently it will flake apart really easily, and it should all be the same even light pink, no dark pink.
When the salmon is all the way done take a metal spatula and scoop the whole salmon up off the skin that will be stuck to the pan.   Put the salmon on a plate and let cool a bit then remove all the bones and then flake apart.

SECOND: SHAVE & MIX.

Shave the Jicama,with a veggi peeler and flake the salmon and  mix all the ingredient togetheir.  Done!      This salad goes great with Mandarin Pancakes.


 http://susenkitchencorner.blogspot.com/2014/06/mandarin-pancakes.html


ENJOY!

VEGETARIAN YAM BALL SPAGHETTI

VEGETARIAN YAM BALL SPAGHETTI

This is a great meal and it's so flavorful and what even better this is one of those meals you can eat cold or hot.  I like this cold.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Egg.
1 lb Yam or you can use Sweet Potatos too.
1/2 of a medium white onion or red.
2 celery sticks.
2 cups of Panco bread crumbs or bread crumbs.
1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
1 teaspoon of cumin
2 diced garlic cloves.
A handful of cilantro.
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Toasted Seame seed oil (Optional)

 FOR SPAGHETTI SAUCE 
 1 16 oz Can of ready cut tomatoes.      
 2 8 oz Can of tomato paste.
 A pinch of Basil and Rosemary finely chopped.  Add teaspoon of  cinnamon and pepper if desired.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Have a cookie tray ready to put the yam balls on and a Table spoon ready to make the balls.

FIRST: COOK THE YAM.
1. Peel the yam.
2. Cut the yam into small equal pieces.
3. Put yams in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil.
4. Cook until soft not mushy or chunchy.  Take a piece out cool and try it.    
5. Drain and remove and pat dry with paper towl

SECOND: 
Add cooked yams to a large mixing bowl and add, diced Onion, Celery, Garlic, cilantro. To this mixture add spices and 1 cup of Panco bread crumbs mix very well.  Now add one tablespoon of Olive oil to the mixture and egg. Mix very well.     Pour the other cup of crumbs into a small bowl.  With a Tablespoon scoop out a little bit and put into the palm of your hand. If you cup both of your hands together their should be enough room for it to move. If not pinch a bit off. Drop it quickly from one hand to another it will form a ball on its own.  Now that you have a ball dunk it in the bread crumbs. Place on cookie try. Repeat until all the yam is used up.  Now you can either cook these right away or cover them up and put them in the refrigerator until the noodles and sauce is done. Find out what works best for you.

THIRD: Cooking Yam balls.
Note: The Yam balls are basically already cooked, except for the binder which is the eggs.
Coat a large pan with two table spoons of oil.  We're not drenching the yam balls in oil.  Cook on  a range from Medium High to Medium Low, adjust accordingly.  It's okay to turn the stove down to low if you feel their getting to dark and then back up if their not cooking at all.   Use tongs to turn them over as they turn golden brown. Keep cooking meat balls until they are all browned on all sides. Place cooked Yam balls on a plate and cover and keep warm in over on the lowest temp.

THIRD: Cooking the Spaghetti.
Fill a pot with water. Turn stove top to high. As soon as you see little bubbles starting to form break your spaghetti in half and put in the water. Stir noodles to prevent from sticking together.  If need be turn down the burner to Med-High  the noodles will still cook.  Leaving the water on high the entire time will only make the water boil up and over.  The noodles will cook at Med-High, Medium, and even Medium Low.   Test the noodles along the way.  When you see white foam on top of the water, that is when their close to being done.  That is the starch coming out.  Noodle take about 7 to 8 minutes to cook.

FOURTH:  Making the sauce.
This is the easiest.  Open your cans and pour all into a pot add rosemary and basil and spices. Cook on Medium stir often.  If you have any soup broth add a cup to the sauce and it will get absorbed into the tomato paste. Just keep stirring it and turn down if need be, then back up.  You can let this simmer for 15 minutes or longer.  If you don't have broth, add water.  You can add a 1/2 cup more of water or broth.

A big slice of French Bread and Parmesan and Dig in.



                                       
                                         

WHEAT BERRIES

WHEAT BERRIES

Wheat berries is the best breakfast cereal hands down, because they have a great taste, and they're the one cereal that will never go soggy.  So here we go.

INGREDIENTS:
1cup, 2 cups or 3 cups. WHEAT BERRIES.    You prepare it all the same.

METHOD:  Hey just like beans. :)

1. Look over wheat berries for any thing like rocks or twigs. 
2. Wash wheat berries and drain off water.
3. Put wheat berries back into pot and cover with ample water, the berries will absorb some of the water.
4. Let the berries rest in the water over night. 
5.  In the morning pour off the water and rinse berries in clean water. Return to pot.  If you don't want to cook them when you get up, drain and put in refrigerator cover until later. 1 day Max. 
6. With berries in deep pot, fill with water until berries are submerged really good. Turn burner to high and bring to a boil, then turn down to low and let simmer for an hour. 
7. Turn off burner and let wheat berries rest in water for another 30 minutes.
8. Rinse water off and enjoy or freeze.  
9. It's that easy. :)

Here are some additional ideas for uses.
1. Add a table spoon or two to your salad.
2. Add a little bit to your yogurt.
3. Use as a filler for spaghetti meat or another meat dish. A cup will do.
4.  Need something extra in your soup, wheat berries make a great addition.
5.   Mix them in your scrambled eggs. 
Basically the ideas are endless.  

ENJOY

COBRA BEAN SALAD

COBRA BEAN SALAD  

I love cooking beans and cobra beans are great for salads.    Please don't let dried beans be intimidating, their so easy to make.  And so much healthier, canned are good, but you have all the extra little ingredients and beans are not naturally sweet, and it depends on the brand too.  

A little guide to beans:  This process apply to 1 to 40 cups of beans. 
1. Purchase beans.  :)     Lentils do not apply here even thought they are a Legume.
2. Spread beans out on a tray, look over for rocks, remove any thing that does not look edible.  
3. Wash bean.
4. Put beans in a huge pot and cover with water, make sure beans are really submerged, because they will soak up the water, so use ample water.
5.  Soak over night.  Don't worry about having a timer. 
6.  In the morning rinse beans with clean water and put in a cooking pot and cover with water. 
6a.  or  rinse bean, drain and store in refrigerator until you can cook them.  1 day max. 
7.  Lid off bring to a boil.   Watch beans they create a foam that tends to rise.  To control this Turn it down to medium high. When you can see he beans being agitated by the boiling water turn to low, let cook.
8. Test beans periodically.  The beans should be tender, but not nutty.  When you think their done take a few out and cool them put a tad of salad dressing on them and eat.


INGREDIENTS:
4 CUPS COOKED COBRA BEANS
2 Tablespoons Capers
15 Grape Tomatoes halved.
1/2 minced white onion
2 grated garlic cloves
About three grates of ginger
2 Tablespoons of wheat berry
2 celery stalks
A lose handful of Cilantro chopped.
2 Tablespoons Rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
6 oz of Marinated Artichoke hearts
Diced or sliced Avocado for garnish.
Dill.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

FIRST & LAST :)
Chop onion, celery, cilantro, and add to cold Cobra beans.  Grate garlic and fresh ginger over bean mixture.   Add wheat berries, Olive oil, Rice vinegar, Capers.   Chop up Artichoke heart and add.
Mix all really well.  Add Avocado and sprinkle with Dill.

ENJOY.

FAST FOOD: POTATOS AND SAUSAGE.

POTATO AND SAUSAGE

There are time when I don't want to spend 1 to 2 hours cooking.  I get home and I want something quick and easy.  This is my go to Fast Food.  

INGREDIENTS:
1 good size link of Precooked Sausage your choice any type is fine.  Precooked is better, because your really not cooking it your just heating it. 

 About 4 Potatoes.     Red, Yellow Finnish, Yukon, Yams, or Sweet potatoes it's all good.    And you can mix and match if you like.  2 Red potatoes and a half of Yam etc.  It's all going to cook the same. 

1/2 Tablespoon of Olive oil.

1 half minced Jalapeno (optional)   I like it because it adds some nice heat and really wakes you up.

2 minced garlic cloves.
Note: You can also add red bell pepper to the sauté and any thing else that you think will make it more yummy.    Another thing I do is if I have any gravy ice cubes in the freezer I use them for this meal.  It makes it into a stew.   Another thing is steam up some carrots.  Again make it your own.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

FIRST: 
Cut the potatoes into bite size chucks. Remember the smaller the quicker they cook and the bigger the longer they cook.   Put all into a small pan of water and bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes and then turn to low.  Always check your food.   Take the biggest piece out cool it and take a bite.  If it's crunchy not done.  If it falls apart it's over cooked.   It should be able to hold it's shape and be kind of al dente, but not crunchy.   

SECOND:  
Cut the sausage length wise and dice into small pieces.    You can use a lot or a little this is up to you.  
Mince up garlic and jalapeno and add to a pan with about a half of table spoon of Olive oil. Saute' on medium until garlic is fragrant then add the sausage.  
Note: Depending how strong the jalapeno is this will make your eye water up a bit.  It dose mine.  That the good burn. :)     
Cook sausage until you see the tips of the sausage turn brown here and their, then turn off burner. 

THIRD: 
Drain Potatoes and add to the sausage.   EAT!  

The premise here is fast and easy.  If you want to add more things like carrots and other veggies,  go for it.

My Hubby and I like to add Sriracha Sauce it.   

ENJOY