Shrimp and Asparagus au Bearnaise en Papillote

I was invited to join a new group called Fish Friday Foodies, and accepted.  I liked the whole concept of posting once a month on a theme using seafood.

I don't cook seafood often.   Why?

Well, honestly, I have no idea.   I live in an area where there is abundant seafood available year round, from fish, oysters, shrimp, to lobsters and clams. 

So this is getting me out of my comfort zone, just a little.
This month Karen"s Kitchen Stories is hosting the event, and her theme was "En Papillote".

 En papillote simply means to cook in paper or you can use foil, which is what we used to do when I was in Girl Guides, many, many years ago.   I loved the 'hobo' dinners we made in the coals of a campfire. 

The whole concept is ridiculously easy, get your ingredients together, wrap them in paper, place them in the oven and bake.
Pull out of the oven, open the paper and VOILA!!!  Perfectly steamed and cooked food.

So, here's how I did it.
First off, I had to cut the parchment paper, I had thought of using my reusable parchment paper, but did not want to cut it.
I pulled out the paper, folded it in half and then cut a 'half heart' shape, so that when it was unfolded, it formed a heart shape.

Took that over to the food, and unfolded the paper, placing my filling on half the paper, folded it over and sealed it using small pleating folds along the edge of the paper.
Placed the filled packets in the oven for 8 minutes at 375 degrees, flipped them over with a tong, let the cook another 5 minutes, then flipped them over again and let them cook an additional 4 minutes.  (I hate to admit I used frozen shrimp, but I had some in the freezer, so I used them, but they were local shrimp)
I served these as an appetizer and surprised my guests with something fun.

Recipe:  Shrimp and Asparagus au Bearnaise en Papillote
  375 degrees   Cook for 15 minutes

1 lb. Shrimp (I used the 30-50 count) (they were frozen so took an additional couple of minutes to cook)
1 lb. Asparagus, washed and cut in thirds
1/2  package Knorr Bearnaise Sauce mix
3 Tablespoons Home Made Butter


Divide the shrimp and Asparagus into three portions, and place the shrimp on one side of the prepared parchment paper, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Bearnaise Sauce Mix, then place a portion of the Asparagus on top of the shrimp,

sprinkle some more Bearnaise Sauce mix on top of that.  Add a tablespoon of butter and proceed to seal up the parchment packet.

  Make small folds, starting at the top of the 'heart', folding each fold over the next,

continuing down the side of the heart, finish off the heart at the tip by folding over the last little bit.

  Place on a cooking sheet and put into the oven to cook.

  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, turn packet over, cook an additional 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for about another 5 minutes.

The asparagus came out crisp tender, the shrimp were perfectly cooked, sweet and tender. This was a fun dish to make, but I think next time I will cut the asparagus into thirds rather than halves.  I served this as an appetizer, it would also go very well with some buttered noodles or Basmati Rice.

(Did I mention, that not only did I make this as an appetizer, but also had people in for dinner as well as had a plumber in working on my kitchen sink, cause it was plugged up, and it took him a while to get it cleared.  No stress in my life, none.)

An InLinkz Link-up

St. Patrick's Day Menu

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

If you're just now looking at the Corned Beef you bought and are trying to figure out how to cook it.

Here's how I do it. 

Cook it in liquid for about 3-4 hours, then slather it with my special Sauce and bake it for another hour.

Actually here's the link to the whole recipe and how-to's. 

I've got a couple in the crock pot right now.   And while I could type it all out again, why?  It's all here.

I made lots of my special sauce earlier to go on top and serve with it as well. 

I'll be making some Soda Bread to go with it as well as some Home Made Butter I made a little while ago.

Special Sauce
1 cup yellow Mustard
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
Mix together and serve with the Corned Beef.   You also use this to slather on top of the Corned Beef when you bake it in the oven as well.
And...
You can also serve this with Ham.   

 Now, please excuse me, I need to go and inhale the wondrous scents wafting out of my crock pot.  giggle.

I can't wait til dinner.

BTW...
If you should happen to have any leftover, Corned Beef that is, you can turn it into a killer breakfast.
Corned Beef Hash

Just sayin... 

Boat Club Potluck for March

It was our monthly Boat Club potluck yesterday and as usual, great food was brought and shared.
Boat Club is co-hosted by friends of ours, and usually happens in the cooler months.   We don't meet in the summer months, since most people have a lot going on.   We meet monthly, nothing formal, just lots and lots of great food, socializing and some people also play games. 
Me?  I socialize, take pictures and have fun trying to come up with something new to make every month.
Cause I can.
This was my plate from last night, with a little bit of everything on it. 
Just a taste of everything, well, I missed getting a piece of the chicken, but got to taste everything else.

And we had some fun stuff too.
Let me show you.
Pizza

 Deviled Eggs (these are always gone before I get to them, has to be one of the most popular items brought)

 Chicken Chili Taco Dip  (sorry for the weird color, my camera intensifies the red/orange)  But this was so good.  I need the recipe. HINT!!!

Crab Bisque, I think I could have just made a meal of this.  I need the recipe for this as well. 

 Pasta Vegetable Salad, and you know I'm a sucker for Pasta, and I love this kind of salad.

Sausage and Sauerkraut.  I have to admit I'm a latecomer to liking Sauerkraut, but really, I've been missing something really good, for years. 

 Chopped Salad, so pretty in that blue bowl.  And it tasted great as well.

 Fried Chicken, I missed getting a piece but I tasted a little of my SO's and it was good.

 Mashed Potatoes, these were light, creamy and delicious.  I love skin on mashed potatoes.

 And look at the pretty bowl it was served in.  I'm a sucker for pretty serving ware. 

 There was some Yellow Rice with Chicken, again, something I could have made a meal of.

Served with Black Beans and onion

Chicken with Snap Peas and Beans, a southern thing, and was very nice.

 Salad with a yummy dressing, so fresh and tasty.

 And the bowl it was served in.  Like I said, I love pretty serving ware. 

Santa and his pineapple made an appearance.

And I did not forget the Brisket.  I'm just kicking myself I didn't take a picture of it before it was carved.  I was too busy snitching tastes. 

Well...  I had to, Quinn carved off bite size pieces, and I was not about to say no.  And boy was it good.

There was also Desserts.

A Lime Poke Cake, notice the green for St. Patty's Day.

 Rice Krispie Bars with chocolate frosting. Little bites of richness.

A Turtle Pie, gone before I could taste it.

 And I made some Cheesecake Tarts with  Partridge Berry & Cranberry  topping on some and Cherry Jam on others.  I'll share the recipe later on this week.

And that is the round up for this month.  

Somehow I don't think I want much to eat today, I had lots last night.

Sunday Musing - Open Face Egg Sandwiches

I've been doing a lot of making the same old stuff the past couple of weeks.  Gotten into a rut, but a comfortable one.

So even though I haven't make a whole lot of new stuff, it doesn't mean I haven't been been eating well.
Thanks to a post by a friend I decided to make some Egg Salad Sandwiches using some Watercress I bought in the big city.  Jenny had made some Egg and Cress Sandwiches, and my mouth watered when I read about them.

And if the mouth waters, well, let me just say I had to make some Egg Salad Sandwiches, but I channeled my Danish Side and made them Open Face aka Smørrebrød

  I was disappointed in the cress though, it was so mild as to be totally inoffensive.  But that didn't stop it from being eaten.
First off, I made an Egg Salad and put it on the bread.  And while it tasted good, it didn't work so well. 

I discovered that the egg salad squished out when I tried to cut and eat them.  But I ate them anyway.

Recipe: Egg Salad

2 hardcooked Eggs, diced finely
2-3 Tablespoons Mayonaisse
1/2 teaspoon Capers
1/2 teaspoon Yellow Mustard.
 Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix together the eggs, mayo, capers and mustard.  Taste and add salt and pepper if you like.

Spread on a thinly sliced artisanal bread which has been lightly buttered.  

Top with fresh Water Cress.

But I still had a lot of Cress left so...

The next day, I made them the proper Danish way.

 Danish Style Open Face Egg Sandwiches.
1 hard cooked egg
1/2-1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Water Cress
Butter some thinly sliced artisanal bread, (I used a Ciabatta Roll)  add a thin layer of mayonnaise on top, then add the sliced hard cooked egg,

and place the Water Cress on top.

Proceed to eat.  I was hungry and tired of taking pictures, so I made a big faux pas and just picked up the sandwiches and ate them.  I should have used a fork and knife.

This past week or so we've been on a Mexican Food kick and I've also been making some fun Asian food as well. 
I also made some Home Made Gyoza Wrappers along with the Potstickers.   For which I used my leftover Pork Carnitas from my dinner out at the Mexican Restaurant.   (I did say we'd been on a Mexican Food kick lately).  I've also become a big fan of Sweet Soy Sauce lately.

Boat Club is coming up and I still haven't figured out what to make for it.  I'm sure I'll think of something though.  

Potstickers using leftovers

I made a huge mistake the other day when I learned how to make my own Gyoza wrappers.

A HUGE MISTAKE!

Because now that I know how to make them, I can make them all the time.

My waistline may never forgive me.

Here's how I filled them, and ate them not only for dinner,  but also for breakfast the next day.

I had to make them again for breakfast, the pictures I took of my dinner looked awful, and I really wanted to take some good ones to post on here.

Did I mention that the first time I ever had Potstickers was while I was living in Denmark.  Yup, my cousins took me to Sweden on the ferry and we went to a Chinese restaurant in Sweden.  I fell in love with them then.
I've always thought that was funny.  Going to Sweden to eat Chinese food.

At any rate...

Here goes the how to's . 

I used some leftover Pork Carnitas (I brought it home from a Mexican Restaurant in my doggie bag)  as part of the filling when I made some the other day.

I think I just made some fusion cuisine.
Or as a friend of mine once termed it, confused cuisine.

Recipe:  Makes about 35 potstickers
1 recipe of Gyoza Wrappers or
1 package  Wonton Wrappers
1/2 bag frozen Japanese or Asian mixed vegetables
6 oz or more or less of, cooked meat, chicken or pork or beef.
1 tablespoon Sweet Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
1/8 tsp (or more) Chile Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (I always keep a ginger root in the freezer)
or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons Sweet Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Oyster Sauce
1 finely chopped green onion, white and green parts
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (optional)

Saute or microwave the frozen vegetables, then chop them up a little, add to finely chopped leftover meat. 

Add the seasonings, taste and adjust, add more Soy Sauce if you like.  Set aside while you prepare the wrappers.
Set the wrappers out on a cutting board and place a spoonful of filling on each wrapper, then moisten the edges with a little water, and fold over, pleating the top.

  Continue until you've either used up all the filling or the wrappers.

  Set aside for a minute while you heat up a shallow pan.
Spray the pan with some non stick spray and heat up.  Place the filled potstickers in the pan,
Serve with either the Gyoza Dipping sauce above or a commercial one.

flat side down or on their side, does not matter.   Brown them a little, turning over if you like.

Then add 1/4 cup water to the pan, and cover.  Let that simmer for about 3-4 minutes and take out of pan. 
Enjoy. 

Serve with the dipping sauce.

 And those extras you made up, they freeze beautifully.

 And they can wait patiently, well sorta patiently, until the next time you need Potstickers.