Simple Shrimp Stir Fry

This evening I made one of my all time favourites. I find it to be quick and easy to make. There is very little prep work involved, and I can have it on the table in under 20 minutes.

I first made this particular stir fry only a few months after our wedding. I made the mistake of leaving the dinner preparations to my husband, since I often work late into the evenings. The recipe called for a bag of frozen peppers, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and onions. I had bought a stir fry mix of frozen veggies and left them to thaw in the fridge, on top of the chicken he would need for the meal. Unfortunately, he thought the recipe called for a bag of each veggie, which we did not have. Therefore, he made do with what we had in the fridge. He used a bag of frozen mixed veggies (you know, the peas, carrots, corn, and lima beans one) and chopped up a fresh pepper and onion. I do have to give him some credit as he did not do a half bad job at improvising with what he had available, despite missing the bag of stir fry veggies entirely. The dish was fairly tasty, but I was then left with a bag of thawed veggies that I needed to cook with shortly after. I had some leftover frozen shrimp in the freezer that I decided to use in a stir fry (since the the bag of veggies is called "Stir fry medley").

Shortly before moving out of my parents place my step-mother taught me the key to especially delicious stir fries: Oyster Sauce. You can find it near the soy sauce, usually in the international foods aisle. Don't be concerned with the name. Though it sounds very fishy I can assure you it smells and tastes nothing of fish. The following stir fry recipe was originally created in order to use up some ingredients that had little life left in my fridge. The contents of the stir fry can be changed as little or as much as you may desire since it is the sauce that makes it.

Simple Shrimp Stir Fry
Cook: 20minutes
Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (Green Giant: Stir Fry Medley)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
• 340g frozen cooked, peeled Pacific white shrimp, thawed and tail removed
• 150g egg noodles
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp Oyster Sauce

Directions

1. Heat oil in wok or large non-stick skillet on high heat. Fry frozen veggies and sugar snap peas for about 1 minute, then add half of the soy sauce, half of the Worchestershire Sauce, and half of the Oyster Sauce. Fry until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Add Shrimp and cook for another 5 minutes, or until shrimp turns white. Reduce heat to low.
2. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to package instructions, then drain.
3. Add egg noodles to veggie mixture and combine the rest of the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir to evenly coat noodles and serve.

Please attempt, tweak, and enjoy our favourite stir fry.





Kage

Mushroom Masala

This evening I tried a new recipe: Mushroom Masala. I picked up a few recipe cards at the grocery store the other day and this recipe is the last of three thus far. After attempting the two simpler ones first - both successful by the way - I thought it was time to try the more complicated one. The unfortunate thing was I couldn't find all the ingredients, so I had to make do. The following recipe is the original recipe.


Mushroom Masala
Prep time: 20 min.
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes: 4 servings

http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/recipes/recipeslisting/mushroom_masala.html



Ingredients:
  

• 3 tbsp Omega Oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 cups chopped white onions
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced ginger root
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 can whole tomatoes, pureed with juices
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 pkg (250g each) White mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 2 sweet red peppers, chopped
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp plain low fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander

Directions:

1. In saucepan, heat half of oil over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds; cook for 30 to 45 seconds or until they sizzle and start to pop.
2. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until soft and browned.
3. Stir in garlic, ginger, ground coriander and turmeric; cook, stirring for 2 minutes longer .
4. Stir in pureed tomatoes and salt. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of water as necessary to prevent sticking
5. Meanwhile, in large non-stick frying pan heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and peppers; cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until soft and browned. Add chili powder; cook for 2 minutes longer
6. Stir mushroom mixture into tomato mixture; simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Stir in yogurt and coriander. Adjust consistency by adding more water if you like. 
8. Serve over basmati rice.

Now, perhaps because I couldn't find Turmeric and I omitted it altogether, my husband and I found this dish somewhat bland. However, he did return for seconds, leaving very few left-overs. I do like the combination of the spices with peppers, tomatoes, and especially the mushrooms, but it certainly needed something else to add a little more flavour, for our tastebuds anyway.

And on that note, please attempt, tweak, and enjoy!




Kage

Healthy Taco Salad

I really need to thank Pintrest. Most of my more exciting finds have been discovered on that fabulous website. My husband often accuses me of being addicted to Pintrest. Is that even possible? I say no. I don't know about you, but I know I can't get enough of it. Besides, he only enjoys the discoveries.

Today, I want to share my husband's personal favourite, a Pintrest find of course. We call it "Taco Salad", but it's more like a chicken salad with taco flavouring. The link I found on Pintrest took me to yet another blog, where she calls it "Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad". I like this particular dish because it's easy to make, extremely delicious, always a huge hit, and super healthy. I don't feel guilty going back for seconds, and when my husband doles up his third portion, I am happy knowing he's getting so many nutrients. 


Taco Salad: Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
servings: 6
Time: 15 min.
 

http://www.greensnchocolate.com/2012/05/southwestern-chopped-chicken-salad.html

Ingredients
     For the Salad:

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 2 cans yellow corn (or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed and chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 cups (approx.) crushed tortilla chips

     For the Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonaise
• 2/3 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 package ranch seasoning

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine all the salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips
2. In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients together
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine
4. Dish salad onto serving plates and top with tortilla chips

Since I usually make this for just the two of us, I wait to add the tortilla chips once the salads are on individual plates to prevent the chips in the leftover salad from going soggy. My husband certainly appreciates this.

Please attempt, tweak, and enjoy this delicious dish as we have! And I won't tell the kids it's actually good for them.





Kage

Welcome

Welcome to Kage's Kitchen. I'm Kage, and I simply love to cook. It all started almost a year and a half ago when I married my best friend, Thomas. I moved out of my parents house, where I did little in the kitchen, and into a place of my own, that is, with a man to feed. Leading up to the wedding I had heard stories of wives only knowing how to cook one dish, therefore feeding their husbands lemon chicken for their first 3 months together, until he decided he'd make dinner for a change. I surely did not want to do that to my husband, so we probably tried something new about 4-5 times a week for the first month or so. And I have loved being in the kitchen, creating personal masterpieces, ever since. 

There is only one problem. I enjoy being in the kitchen so much, that I want to share every new find, or new idea, with all my friends and family. To do so I have often shared some of my left-over lunches with my co-workers, who then invite themselves over for dinner. I have also entertained friends and family in order to share some of my delicious finds, which usually results in little, if any, left-overs for lunches the following day. After I discovered how much I truly enjoy cooking, my husband suggested I start a blog. Now here I am. 

As my first recipe, a personal favourite, Brownie Surprise. 

            I found this on pintrest, and simply made them according to the picture.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of chocolate chip cookie mix (a package of the break-apart cookies would work too)
• 1 package of 12-pack Peanut Butter Reese cups 
• 1 box brownie mix   

1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. Prepare cookie as directed on package
3. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package
4. Line muffin pans if desired
5. Press a 1inch ball of cookie dough in the bottom of each pan
6. Place an unwrapped Reese cup on top of the cookie dough
7. Scoop a dollop of brownie batter on top the Reese cup 
8. Bake in preheated oven for 20 min. 
9. Cool on a wire rack

 Unfortunately, we usually don't have the patience to allow them to cool completely so they are still fairly gooey, but a delicious combination of classic desserts nonetheless. I made these for a family get together once, and we have called them "Yummy Yum Yums" ever since.  


Please attempt, tweak, and enjoy my favourite treat as my first official blog entry. 




Kage