Coconut Shrimp

Adapted from Rachael Ray's recipe. I love coconut shrimp, but can't afford to eat out. This is the closest I've found to my favorite.
Canola oil for frying
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt or sea salt
2 pinches ground cayenne pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Chinese five spice blend
1 cup shredded coconut
3 egg whites
1 pound large shrimp, peeled but leave the tails on
Fresh lime, orange marmalade (easy to make your own out of fresh orange juice, grated orange peel, a little sugar and corn starch)

Mix bread crumbs, salt, cayenne and five-spice powder. Add the coconut, mix well.

Lightly beat egg whites, add the shrimp, mixing well. Press each shrimp into the breading mix. Put on wax paper to dry. Handle carefully. If breading doesn't stick, dip again in egg whites and bury it in the breading, pressing gently. Handle gently. Let dry for 10 minutes or so.

Heat 1 inch or so of oil. It's hot enough when you put a piece of bread in oil and it browns quickly. Gently add shrimp. Fry for about five minutes, browning well on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve with lime wedges and marmalade on the side.

Trudy's Chicken Tortilla Soup

This looks very yummy...

1 small rotisserie chicken
2 lbs.large tomatoes, chopped
2 medium jalapenos
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons green chiles, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 7-10 oz. can enchilada sauce (Macayo's)
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons red chili powder
¼ teaspoon celery salt
Wondra quick mixing flower
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Saute onions in large saucepan until transparent. Add tomatoes until they are softened. Cool and put in blender with cilantro, green chile, jalapenos, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Puree to medium consistency. Shred chicken and add remaining items to blended mixture in pot. Heat through and serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

Yumminess and Rice

I probably don't even have to say it at this point, but this recipe (like basically every recipe I post) is both easy and delicious. I made it up this evening!

You will need:

rice (1/2 dry cup per eater) and water (twice as much as the amt of rice)
a basic protein such as tofu or chicken (3-4 ounces per eater)
a clove of garlic
a small jalapeno of the spiciness you desire (scarred ones are spicier than smooth-skinned)
fresh or frozen greens (one cup uncooked per eater - I used frozen collared greens)
diced tomatoes (1/4 cup or more per eater)
a bit of butter or oil (less than a tablespoon)
salt to taste


Steam the rice in a pot with a lid that fits tightly. Put the rice and water in the pot, cover it, and turn the heat to medium. When it is starting to steam (hopefully before it boils over) turn the heat about as low as possible. Do not check on it for at least 1/2 hour. The rice will be done when there is no loose water left in the pan and you can see holes in the mass of rice.

As you steam the rice, dice the garlic and jalapeno and chop the protein into bite-sized chunks. Put a tiny bit of oil in a frying pan, turn the heat to medium and let it warm up, then add the garlic and jalapeno bits. Let them cook for less than a minute before you add the protein. Stir this occasionally, but don't be afraid to let the protein brown a bit on the bottom.

In another pan, add bit of oil or butter, turn the heat to low-med, and throw in the greens. Let them defrost if frozen, or begin to cook if fresh. Then throw in the tomatoes and cook it until they are hot.

Now, throw everything in a bowl, salt to taste (or not at all), and eat it up!