Diana's Summer Salad

Diana P.

1 container fresh strawberries, quartered
1 can pineapple chunks, drained well
1 bag broccoli slaw (they will never know its broccoli)
1/2 bottle Poppyseed dressing
Cooked shrimp (optional if you want it as a dinner salad)

Mix all together and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs.....then toss well and serve.

Creamy Lemon Alfredo (with Shrimp)

Jennifer S.

2 cups Penne pasta, uncooked

1-1/2 lb. uncooked de-veined peeled medium shrimp
1/2 cup Chicken broth
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.)Cream Cheese, cubed
2 tsp. zest and 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste.
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding shrimp to the boiling water for the last 3 min. Meanwhile, heat broth in large skillet on medium heat. Add cream cheese, zest and juice; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Add seasonings to taste.
DRAIN pasta mixture. Add to cream cheese sauce in skillet with Parmesan; mix well.
TOP with mozzarella; cover. Cook 3 to 4 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Sprinkle with parsley.

Basic Fajitas

Jennifer S.

Before you ask, yes, there is soy sauce in this recipe (I consider it the "secret ingredient") I got the idea years ago when I asked the cook in a Mexican restaurant about his great fajitas, so I feel I'm on safe ground. Skirt steak is traditional, but you can really use whatever beef you like, boneless skinless chicken breast, pork loin or peeled/vein removed shrimp.

Ingredients:
•1.5-2 lbs skirt steak or other beef, pork loin or chicken cut into strips. Or shrimp. Use a combination of meats. You can also use sliced Portobello mushroom caps.
•1 medium onion, sliced
•2 large Bell peppers, sliced - two different colors is nice, seeded and sliced.
•1/4 cup soy sauce
•1/4 cup lime juice
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•2 Tablespoons oil

Preparation:
1. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, and oil. If grilling, save a couple of Tablespoons aside to toss with the vegetables.
2. Slice the meat into about 1/2 inch slices. If using skirt steak, flank steak, or other meat with an obvious grain (lines through the meat), be sure to cut perpendicular to the grain, or you will be chewing a very long time. (Think about it - you want to create a lot of short fibers, not a few long ones.) It helps to put meat in the freezer for about and hour before slicing. Makes it easier to cut.
3. If cooking in a skillet, marinate everything together in a bowl or plastic bag (a zip-type works well). If grilling, marinate the meat and veggies separately. 2 hours to over night is great. Only marinate shrimp and mushrooms for about 20-30 min before cooking.
4. If grilling, remove from marinade and grill.
5. For cooking in a skillet (preferably regular, not nonstick), cook the meat first (it will probably take two batches, depending upon your pan). Add a little oil to the skillet and get it very hot (the oil will shimmer). If you don't get it hot enough (or crowd too much meat in), the meat will steam instead of browning. When the meat is browned, remove and add veggies. When they begin to soften, return meat to skillet to heat through.
6. Serve with salsa or fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, cilantro (if desired, shredded cheese,guacamole. Place in tortillas and top as desired.

Chicken, Shrimp and Egg Fried Rice

Jennifer S.

4 shallots or 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
2 fresh small red chili peppers, seeded
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Indonesian sweet dark soy sauce (ketjap manis)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3-4 tablespoons peanut oil or corn oil
5 cups COLD, cooked white rice
1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup green peas, blanched for 1 minute and drained
1/4 lb medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup diced, cooked chicken
4 green onions, sliced
4 eggs

In a mortar or mini food processor, combine the shallots or onion, garlic, shrimp paste, chilies and turmeric and mash with a pestle or grind to a paste; set aside. In a bowl, mix together the catsup and dark and light soy sauces; set aside.
Place a wok over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the spice paste and fry, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes.
Raise the heat to high. Crumble the cold rice between your palms into the wok. Using a wok spatula, toss and gently flatten any clumps of rice until the grains are separated. Add the catsup mixture and stir-fry until all the rice grains are evenly coated. Add the cabbage, peas, shrimp and chicken; stir and toss until the shrimp turns pink, 2-3 minutes. Divide the rice among 4 individual plates and garnish with the green onions. Cover loosely to keep warm.
Reheat the wok over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot and almost smoking, crack 1 egg directly into the oil. Fry until the edges are blistered and crisp and the whites are almost set, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spatula, turn the egg over and fry for a few seconds longer to brown. Transfer the fried egg to the top of 1 plate of rice. Repeat with the remaining oil and eggs. Serve hot.