Hot Honey Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas with Sriracha and Lime

Large 16-20 shrimp seared and glazed in a garlicky, sweet and spicy sauce...and the dish only takes about 20 minutes to make.

 This dish can be served with lo-mein noodles, rice or veggies.  The sauce works with chicken or pork as well.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter 
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-20 count)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper 
• 8 ounces of sugar snap peas or snow peas 

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup of hot honey or regular honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 4 cloves of garlic-minced
• 1 teaspoon of Sriracha or more or less to taste.
• juice from 2 limes

Instructions:

1. Parboil snap peas or snow peas for 4 minutes, remove from boiling water and set aside.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil and butter.  Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cayenne.
3. Add shrimp to the skillet in a single layer (you may need to cook the shrimp in batches depending on the size of your skillet).  Cook 2 minutes per side, until pink and golden brown.  Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium.  Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the hot skillet.
5. Stir and let cook for 2 minutes or so, until bubbling.  Add snap peas or snow peas to skillet and heat through, then add shrimp back to the skillet and stir to coat.
6. Serve by itself or with rice or noodles.
7. Serve with lime wedges and additional Sriracha if you like it a bit spicier. 

 

  

 

Shrimp Eggroll in a Bowl

The season to cook on my Blackstone griddle has arrived and that makes me very happy.

I love to cook outside, whether it be on my grill, griddle, smoker, or my Big Easy Air Fryer...it doesn't matter to me which I am using, as long as I am outside using one of the many devices that I have available to me.

 My Blackstone griddle is the 4-burner model which is ideal if you want to have the ability to make large batches of food for the entire family.  If you aren't apt to have more than a couple of people over for dinner, then a 2 burner model would suffice.

 I am going to give you my recipe for Shrimp Eggroll in a Bowl but this recipe can be modified to use any protein that you would like, whether it be beef, chicken, seafood or plant based proteins such as tofu.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 cups of roughly chopped green cabbage
• 1/2 cup of chopped carrots (or you can purchase a bag of pre-chopped slaw mix that has the cabbage already chopped and the carrots in it.  This is what I do)
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tails off
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce (you can use reduced sodium soy sauce if you like)
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon or Sriracha sauce (more or less to taste, I use about 2 tablespoons)
• 4 green onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat or do the same on your griddle.
2. Add the onion, cabbage, carrots, and garlic.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is softened, and the carrots are tender.
3. Push the vegetables to the side of the griddle or pan.  Add the sesame oil to the griddle top or to the pan and let it heat up for a minute, then add the shrimp.  Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is pink and opaque throughout.
4. Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, Sriracha sauce, green onions and sesame seeds (if using).  Stir to combine all items and cook for another minute or two, mixing the sauce well throughout the mixture.
5. Serve and enjoy.

If you use chicken, pork or beef with this recipe the cooking time will be longer so that the meat reaches the proper temperature for consumption.

 Drink Pairings

Beer: For this dish, I would enjoy a Gateway Ale from Lockport Brewing here in NE Ohio.  If you can get their beers, I highly recommend making the trip.  

Brewery | Lockport Brewery | United States (lockportbeer.com)

If you don't have access to the wonderful beers from Lockport Brewing, then I would go with a Summer Solstice from Anderson Valley Brewing or a Little Kings Cream Ale from Cincinnati Beverage Company.

Wine: A nice Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau St. Michelle is ideal with this dinner.  It is a light and tasty wine, and you can usually find it for under $20.00.

Cocktail: A classic Mojito is ideal with this dish. 

 

   

 

Happy Wife, Happy Life

 Thai Basil Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas

If you want to make your wife happy make her one of her favorite dishes for dinner.  For Julie, that is Thai Basil Chicken.

I enjoy making this dish almost as much as I enjoy eating it.  It is a stir fry chicken dish with served over rice.  The sauce is very similar to a "teriyaki" sauce but with bit more spice.  As I have said in prior posts, I like things a bit spicy so many of my dishes contain some "heat".  I do tone it down for Julie as she doesn't like to "sweat" while she is eating dinner.

Just an FYI, Thai Basil is a type of basil.  If you cannot find it, any fresh basil will work. 

 

Ingredients:

•  1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or for less fat, you can use boneless, skinless breast portions.  Cut into bite size pieces.
• 2 green onions cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup of Thai basil leaves (or regular basil if you can't find Thai basil)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 chili peppers or a teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons of canola or olive oil.
• 6 ounces of sugar snap peas, par-boiled

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon of "oyster sauce"
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 teaspoon of Sriracha (more or less to taste)

Instructions:

1. Put the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine.
2. Heat oil in wok or large skillet
3. Add minced garlic and peppers and cook for about two minutes.  Don't breathe in the vapors.
4. Add the white part of the green onions, red peppers, and chicken and stir-fry until cooked through.
5. Add par-boiled snap peas or omit if you don't want them.
6. Add your sauce mixture and cook until liquid reduces to make a thick glossy sauce.
7. Toss through the green part of the onions and the basil leaves.  Stir until just wilted, then serve immediately over rice. (I prefer Jasmine rice)

Note: I don't add any extra salt to this recipe as the soy sauce and oyster sauce tend to be a bit salty...but I do recommend adding some additional black pepper if you want to spice it up a bit more.

Drink Pairings

If you want wine with your meal, I recommend a Pinot Noir, Bread & Butter makes a nice Pinot Noir that isn't terribly expensive.  If you are a wine "purist" and feel that you have to drink a white wine with chicken, then I recommend a Riesling from Chateau Ste. Michelle.

If you prefer a beer with your meal, I recommend a citrusy IPA like Jai Alai from Cigar City or a "white" ale such as Blue Moon, Hoegaarden or Allagash White. 

If you want a cocktail, I recommend a Gin and Tonic with a slice of lime.  You may even consider a "botanical" gin with tonic if you are feeling a bit adventurous.  My "go to" gin is Bombay Sapphire, but any good quality gin will suffice.  If you want more lime, then use Tanqueray Rangpur Lime Gin.