Simple Sundays

Looking forward to my Healthy Mediterranean Class on July 8th.

Tropical Summer Entertaining

Spring is here and Summer is just around the corner. Now is the time to prepare all those delicious dishes that are too cold and fresh for the winter but are perfect for warm summer nights. During this time I really enjoy adding a touch of fruit to my meals. Whether is a mango salad or pineapple dipping sauce, fruit will be sure to bring a bit of excitement and freshness to your summer menu. Here is one of my favorite fruit inspired dishes. Not only does the pineapple dipping sauce add a zing of freshness, the subtlety of the coconut pairs nicely, creating a perfect tropical balance.

If you like this recipe you will love my Tropical Summer Entertaining class on June 30th. Just visit Amandacooks.com to register.

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 3 to 4 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut
• 1 1/3 pounds large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, butter-flied
• 2 cups canola oil, for frying
• Dipping sauce:
• 1 cup canned pineapple
• 3 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 Tb. lime juice
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• Salt

Procedure

1. Combine the flour, salt and cayenne on a flat baking sheet. Place the egg whites and coconut on two separate baking sheets. Dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the whites, then in the coconut. Press the coconut onto the shrimp. Chill for at least an hour.

2. Heat the oven to 200. In a medium saucepan heat the oil until moderately hot but not smoking. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

3. In a processor combine the pineapple, scallions, apricot preserves, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and salt to taste. Process until blended and taste, adjust seasoning.

4. Serve the shrimp on a platter with the sauce in the middle in a serving dish.

Fall in Love with "The Bird", All Over Again...

This post is meant to revive your love for chicken. If you are one of the many people that have come to the conclusion that chicken is a boring bland meat, I have something to say to you. Your wrong. And to prove it, I'm giving you one of my all time favorite chicken recipes to try. One bite of this sweet and spicy chicken, and you will never bad mouth the bird again. If you are interested in rediscovering chicken, and want to learn how to give it some razzle dazzle, sign up for my Fabulous Chicken for Every Day cooking class coming up on June 30th. Just go to Amandacooks.com to register. Or make this recipe at home and let the food do the talking. Either way it's a win win situation.

Happy Eating!


Sweet and Spicy Sticky Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tb. lime juice
½ cup soy sauce
1 Tb. minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
8 chicken thighs or 4 breast halves with the skin and bone
Salad:
2 large carrots, peeled, julienne
1/2 daikon radish, peeled, julienne
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
Cilantro sprigs, garnish

Procedure
1. Whisk together the sugar, lime juice, soy, ginger, garlic and chili flakes in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken skin side down until golden brown about 10 minutes. Turn over and sauté the other side for 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Discard the fat.
3. Meanwhile combine the carrots and daikon radish in a medium bowl, add the vinegar, sugar and salt and toss well. Chill if possible for twenty minutes
4. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer until slightly thickened about 3 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the pan lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook until done, turning a few times about 12 minutes for dark meat and 8 minutes for breasts. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with foil. Heat the sauce to boiling and reduce the sauce until syrupy about 3 minutes and then pour over the chicken.
6. Surround the chicken with the carrot salad and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Back from Amazing Crete!

After spending an amazing and revitalizing month in Crete I have returned with newfound appreciation for the Mediterranean diet. Filled with organic produce, olive oil, herbs and "free-range" everything the food is amazing - we ate every meal with enthusiasm and enjoyed many new dishes such as Briam, Kalitsounias, Braised Giant Beans, Katsikaki and of course the ever abundant Grappa like alcohol; Raki.

If you like this recipe you will love my Big Fat Greek Dinner class on June 23rd. Just visit Amandacooks.com to register. I look forward to sharing these wonderful dishes with you in a number of hands-on cooking classes this summer. For those of you who can't make it here is a delicious recipe that utilizes the famous Cretan cheese; mizithra. Kali orexi!

Kalitsounia

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 to 2 ½ cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 Tb. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

4 Tb. butter

¼ cup vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

2 tsp. ouzo or raki

1 to 2 Tb. milk or water, room temperature

Filling

2 cups fresh salt-less mizithra or farmer’s cheese

1 large egg

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tb. honey

½ tsp. 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tb. chopped mint

confectioner’s sugar

Procedure

1. In a medium bowl sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is mealy. Add eggs and stir with a fork until a mass forms. Add the raki and milk or water but only enough for the dough to be soft and elastic. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth. Set aside while you make the filling.
2. In a medium bowl combine the cheese, egg, sugar, honey, cinnamon and mint and mix well. Heat the oven to 350.
3. Break off a walnut sized piece of dough and roll out into a 4 inch square. Fill the center with a rounded teaspoon of filling and fold over to form a package. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake the pastries for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

* In Crete these pastries are often deep fried in vegetable oil for a few minutes and then served drizzled with honey.

Healthy Appetizers

Summer months are approaching and there is only one thing on my mind. Getting my beach body back! During the winter months we all tend to "slack" a little, but with the warmer weather approaching, the need to feel good, returns. Having a healthy body is important to leading a happy life and now is the time to get back on the health train. In celebration of my upcoming cooking class that focuses on healthy appetizers, I wanted to share one of the recipes to inspire you. The class will teach you how to entertain with delicious and nutritious ingredients, with recipes so simple, anyone can learn. If you are interested in reserving a spot in this class or one of my many others please visit amandacooks.com. Enjoy the recipe!


Summer Rolls with Lime Dipping Sauce
Makes 10

Ingredients
3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, cooked (or ground pork, cooked all the way through in 1 Tb. canola oil with 1 Tb. fish sauce)
8 leaves red leaf lettuce
1 package small spring roll skins, eight inch rounds- also called rice paper wrappers
½ cup packed cilantro, rinsed, dried
½ cup packed mint, rinsed, dried
½ cup packed basil leaves, rinsed, dried
1/2 English cucumber, seeded, julienne
1 red pepper, julienne
2 ripe avocados, cut into thin slices
Lime Dipping Sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Juice of 3 limes
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 Tb. sugar
1 Tb. minced garlic

Procedure
1. Slice the shrimp in half lengthwise. Set aside.
2. Pull the leaves off the lettuce and break into large chunks. Set aside.
3. Soak a few wrappers at a time in warm water until pliable.
4. Fill the summer rolls as demonstrated.
5. Place seam side down on a baking sheet until they are all finished. Cut on the diagonal and serve with dipping sauce.
6. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes to dissolve the sugar. You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

* You can substitute the tofu for the shrimp, drained and finely diced.

My Favorite App

Here is a recipe that I wanted to share with everyone because it's one of my favorites! I usually make this for dinner parties and people are always impressed. It is such an easy appetizer but filled with layers of flavor and beauty. My guests often think it is a much more complicated recipe than it is. I'm a huge fan of thyme so I make sure to add a good amount of it to the onions. Remember, fresh herbs are always best when possible.

Happy Eating!

What is your go-to appetizer? Does it change with the seasons?

Crostini with Herbed Chevre and Caramelized Onions

Serves 15



Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced thinly

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, halved

8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature

1 tsp. chopped rosemary

1 tsp. chopped thyme

salt, pepper to taste

5 tsp. olive oil

Onions:

1 Tb. butter

1 1/2 pounds red onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tb. sugar

1 tsp. thyme, chopped

2 Tb. sherry wine vinegar

salt and pepper

chopped parsley, garnish



Procedure

1. Heat oven to 400. Brush the bread lightly with olive oil and toast in the oven until lightly browned about 8 minutes. Rub the crostini with the cut sides of the garlic. Discard garlic.

2. Combine the goat cheese with the herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Mash it up with the back of a fork. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions, sugar and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft about 20 minutes. Increase the heat for a minute and add the vinegar. Cook until vinegar is evaporated and set aside and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread the cheese lightly on the toasts.

5. Spoon a dollop of onions onto each crostini and garnish with chopped parsley.



* pesto can be substituted for the onions if desired

A Simple Spring Salad

The days are becoming warmer and longer! When this happens I love to delve into my spring/summer recipes for light and refreshing dishes. If you love beets, (I do) and goat cheese (check), you will love this salad. It goes nicely with a light chicken or beef dish and would be great at a summer BBQ. The endive gives a nice bitter flavor that is a bit more unusual with beet salads. As with all my favorite recipes, this salad is simple. The freshness of the ingredients is really what makes this an outstanding dish.

Warm Beet Salad with Endive and Chevre

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds beets, washed and quartered

7 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt, pepper, to taste

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

6 Tablespoons minced mint

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 heads endive, sliced into thin julienne strips or 1 head frisee can be used

1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed

5 oz. chevre, feta or shaved parmesan

Procedure

1. Heat the oven to 400. Place the beets on a baking sheet and toss with two tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

2. Meanwhile combine the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, mint and lemon zest in a large serving bowl and whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Reserve three tablespoons of the dressing in a medium bowl.

3. Peel the beets and dice and add to the reserved dressing, toss well.

4. Add the endive and watercress to the larger bowl of dressing and toss. Divide the salad between four serving plates. Top with the beets and crumble the cheese over the top, serve warm or at room temperature.