Okay I am going to get right down to it….first Degusta review and recipe, I was recently told by another blogger, that he hates having to read the backstory on food blogs to get to the recipe, so for those folks I am putting that info first, it is your choice if you want to take it deeper at that point.
April’s degusta had some really interesting products, my recipe will feature the Nando’s Garlic peri-peri sauce. This recipe is so fast that you could have it on the table before you can even order pizza. It’s healthy, and I do really love it when I make something that isn’t just delicious but also low in carb, fat, gluten and calories. It will counter act the bagel sandwich I ate for breakfast! LOL.
Peri-peri Shrimp:
1 pound of shrimp, deveined, tails removed. So you can eat the whole damn thing with reckless abandon!
¼ Nando’s, I used garlic but they have several other varieties
1 tsp old bay seasoning
½ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp mirin, or white wine
1 Tbsp peanut oil
4 lettuce leaves that can be good for cupping the shrimp.
Garnishes that you like: I used tiny diced red and green bell peppers.
Marinate the shrimp in the peri-peri, old bay, mirin/wine, pepper, for up to 20 minutes.
Heat a skillet on high, add peanut oil, when the oil shimmers at you like a glitter covered stripper, add your marinated shrimp, making sure they don’t crowd each other, you want them to brown up. After about 3 minutes flip em, and cook another minute or two, turn of the heat. Place your lettuce cups on two plates, fill them with the shrimp and top with garnishes. Ya done, son, eat.
The next product I wanted to review was the Wilton’s Candy Melts drizzle pouch, I had, shall we say less success with this. (pic)
I followed the directions and reheated twice on top of that but mine never really got “drizzle” like, mine was more of a “plop pouch” with the consistency of peanut butter. That being said, it was rather tasty, and my kids really enjoyed it…plop and all. I think it needs a little less stabilizer (palm oil).
The lovely Candy chewy caramels were a hit, they are even wrapped with wax paper like the homemade ones the neighbors would give out at christmas when I was a kid …10 outta 10. I love Mutti tomato products anyway, so I was stoked to get tomato concentrate in a tube, best way to buy and use tomato paste, you utilize more product with the tube as the can, can be precarious to get all the paste out…WINNER! I liked the Bush’s hummus made easy, but the only thing that bothered me is the added sugar, hummus doesn’t need added sugar in my opinion so I probably will stick to buying tahini and making my own. I like the Better oats, and I would buy this again, it’s a lot heartier and tasty than conventional instant oats, great if you add some fresh fruit and toasted walnuts. The PR bar had a chalky aftertaste to me, but my 10 year old daughter loved it, so if i needed a quick meal replacement or snack if I was in a rush, I would feed these to my kids. The “chorido’s” are a snack food made with cricket protein, they have mole, ranch, and salsa flavor, they kind of look like a frito, and my kids loved them. I find it rather inspiring that a company is making a snack food that contains a sustainable protein, yeah I felt a bit weird at first, but other cultures have been utilizing insects as snacks for centuries. I loved the cafe Bustelo instant espresso, it was super easy to make or carry with you to mix with hot water, haters gonna hate on instant coffee, but I think the Europeans do it quite well. I don’t have a K-cup machine for the skinny girl tea, so I will pass those along to a friend who has one!
After nearly getting hit by a speeding van that ran a red light today, I have decided that I am on board with self driving cars. I have been in more than my share of minor-mid range car wrecks in my life. Auto accidents are fucking horrible, and I think that driving is hands down the most dangerous thing we do in a day. Yet, with all the hazards, health consequence, and expense, humans are totally addicted to cars and they are still some archaic shrine to social status! You know those “life flashes before your eyes” moments? I have felt it only twice in my 36 years, the second time was this morning. I made it out unscathed except I spooked myself real good, my heart still pounds due to adrenaline release, some folks do “extreme” sports and things to feel this….I don’t like feeling this, some say it makes you “feel alive”, I totally agree but it’s that lingering sense of how fragile life is that remains. Fragile things are usually beautiful, but often aren’t intended to last forever, just like being a human. I think the lesson is to focus on being present. Anyway, get us some self driving vehicles Elon, I trust the robots more than the humans. And if that offends you…you probably haven’t been in any car accidents.
Rog’s garlic cheese bread
I sometimes suffer from random insomnia, I will go to sleep at a reasonable hour but wake up at 3am and be flooded by memories from my life. This happened to me recently and I decided then I would need to blog this “recipe”, not because it is difficult, fancy, or exciting, but because it was there as a comfort in a formative period in my life. Continue reading “Rog’s garlic cheese bread”
Larb Satay
Portland springs are the best, bipolar, but I guess that is why they are so exceptional, if you visit right now you would want to live here. No matter the 6-9 months of rain, when spring has sprung its 80 degrees and gorgeously lush, due to the prior rain fall. The Willamette twinkles like diamonds and the locals set up outdoor picnics and find ways to absorb as much vitamin D from the sun as humanly possible, like depraved prisoners let out into the world for the first time in decades. Plus most folks don’t have air conditioning, like us, so cooking outside makes things a bit more comfortable. So with this in mind I have a Asian fusion recipe for your future outdoor, entertaining needs or just a simple weeknight dinner. Continue reading “Larb Satay”
Roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce
Food cart pods all over the city are getting the boot to allow for more high rise apartments. The beloved food cart scene in Portland could go extinct. One by one iconic carts are getting pushed out in the name of commerce. Continue reading “Roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce”
Oven “fried” chicken sliders
Personal morality and business just don’t mix….it’s honestly way too subjective, and limiting your clientele based on dogma is really selling the business owner short. I have patronized businesses that probably don’t agree with me politically, socially, or religiously. Continue reading “Oven “fried” chicken sliders”
Ham and Asiago pinwheels
Do you need a drinking buddy? Sure we all do…and today I’m inviting ham and a loaf of french bread in tube that I got free with a coupon and some cheese! Continue reading “Ham and Asiago pinwheels”
Thai style omelette and an ode to Sriracha
I’m currently laid out due to a back injury…I never appreciated full mobility as much as I do now, without it. But aside from feeling sorry for myself, I watched the documentary Sriracha Movie all about the hot sauce. It’s another awesome tale of American ingenuity, and the struggle that goes along with success. Continue reading “Thai style omelette and an ode to Sriracha”
Turkey and Summer squash Keftedes with Zucchini Tzatziki
I was recently gifted several zucchini and Summer squash from my neighbor. They may have grown a bit larger than ideal for quick sauteing which is usually my go to for these veggies, so I decided to do a play on Greek meatballs (keftedes) with tzatziki, I had a lot of product to use so I figured I would use the zucchini and squash in both the meatballs and the sauce and the results were delicious! Continue reading “Turkey and Summer squash Keftedes with Zucchini Tzatziki”
Waldorf chicken salad rolls
So the Waldorf is a famous salad served at the Waldorf Astoria, in NY, NY, for decades. It’s a throwback classic for sure, but if this salad was a rockstar it would be Mick Jagger, because it has staying power! Continue reading “Waldorf chicken salad rolls”
Pork Bulgogi Yakitori
Still hot, which means cooking indoors just isn’t appealing. So I did a bit of fusion with this one….I went to a great Korean restaurant on Friday and it totally made me want to try and create the bold and spicy complexity that Korean cuisine has. Continue reading “Pork Bulgogi Yakitori”