Sunday, August 26, 2012

Grilled Shrimp with Brown Butter and Rice


There are 4/5 of us here who love shrimp, so when one was away at her friend's, guess what we had for dinner! I saw this recipe and decided to try it out, it sounds wonderful, right? Grilled chili garlic shrimp over brown butter rice? It's such an easy recipe and will be ready in no time at all. You may add any veggies you like, I just happened to have peas. The brown butter adds such a nice flavor to all this.


Grilled Shrimp with Brown Butter and Rice
Serves 6
adapted from Coupon Cooking Cook

2 cups instant Brown Rice
1 3/4 cups Water
1 cup frozen Peas
30 raw medium Shrimp deveined and shelled with tails on
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
¼ teaspoon Salt
6 tablespoons unsalted Butter
4 whole Green Onions, sliced

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan, add rice, cover and cook on low 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes or until all water is evaporated.

Microwave frozen peas in 1 cup water for 8 minutes, drain, stir into cooked rice, set aside.
While the rice and peas are cooking, start the grill on medium heat.

In a medium size bowl add the raw shrimp, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt and olive oil.
Mix the shrimp in with the spices and olive oil until they’re completely coated. Set aside. (I did this a few hours ahead of time, kept in fridge)
Add the shrimp onto skewers then grill on low heat and cook on both sides until done (about 3 to 4 minutes per side for large shrimp). Remove the shrimp from the grill and set aside for just a moment while browning the butter.

Add the butter to a small skillet and stir as it melts on low-medium heat. Continue stirring. Watch it!! It will burn! When it turns a golden color (and has a nutty aromoa) remove the skillet from the heat.

Add half of the brown butter to the rice and gently mix it together.
Add the rice to a serving dish, top with the shrimp.
Drizzle the remaining brown butter over the shrimp and rice (or as much as you like).
Garnish with the pieces of green onion.



Please share this post if you liked it. =)

enjoy,

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops



Here's a great recipe I sort of came up with after searching around the net for something similar. This recipe would be great with any cut of meat really, chicken, beef, veal...it's Italian flavors full of pesto and cheese. I served it along side creamy mashed potatoes and a veggie. My chops were really thin, but I recommend using thick cut for better pockets. We loved this and will be adding it to our regular menu.


Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

2 low fat string cheese sticks, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 pork loin chops or boneless pork loin chops, cut 1-1/4 inches thick
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 Tbl olive oil
8oz. can low sodium tomato sauce
Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Make a pocket in each chop by cutting horizontally from the fat side almost to the bone or the opposite side. Lay a piece of cut string cheese and scoop a little pesto and garlic inside each pork chop. If necessary, secure the opening with a wooden toothpick.
Season pork chops with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.
In a large medium-hot skillet heat oil, cook pork chops 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Add tomato sauce and let simmer for about 8-10 more minuites or until pork chops are cooked through. Garnish with fresh basil, serve.






Please share this post if you liked it. =)
enjoy,