Sweet and Spicy Honey Grilled Shrimp

It’s almost that time of year. Grilling season. Well technically, the weather has been so nice lately that some of you may have been grilling already. Some of you may have indoor grills (I definitely need one) Shrimp is a fabulous food to grill. Small, perfect for skewers and tons of flavor!

Sweet and Spicy Honey Grilled Shrimp

You know how much I like a little heat in a lot of my food and this is just the right amount of kick! You can always add a little more kick!

Ingredients

• 2-2 1/2 lb. raw, shelled, de-veined shrimp. (Tiger Shrimp are great).
• 1 tablespoon minced or pressed garlic
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup hot chili garlic paste
• 1/2 cup sweet chili garlic paste
• 1 cup  honey
• 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cup canola oil
• Skewers to thread shrimp

1. Rinse shrimp in cold water and place in a large Ziploc bag.
2. Combine garlic, ginger, both chili pastes, honey, lime juice, salt, pepper, and oil in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Set aside 1 cup of the marinade.
3. Pour remaining mixture over shrimp and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
4. When ready to cook, thread shrimp onto skewers.
5. Preheat outdoor grill. This should really should be done outside because they get VERY smokey! When grill is hot, reduce heat to low and quickly place all skewers over the heat. Brush with reserved marinade. When they’ve cooked for 1 1/2-2 minutes, quickly flip them over and brush or drizzle with remaining marinade. Cook for another 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until opaque and pink.
6. Remember, shrimp cook QUICKLY. You want to be careful not to overcook them.
7. Remove skewers from grill and remove shrimp from skewers. Pile them on a plate, drizzle with any remaining reserved marinade, and squeeze the juice from a lime all over them.
8. Serve with rice or french fries any of your other favorite sides!

Easy Garlic Chicken

Looking for a quick dinner recipe that your friends and family will enjoy? This chicken has a touch of sweetness that is sure to please with ease.

Easy Garlic Chicken

These chicken breast get a touch of sweetness with a touch of brown sugar. Serve with white rice (or brown) and your favorite sides for a great dinner that doesn’t require a lot of kitchen time!

Via Food.com

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (drumsticks work well too- use your favorite piece of chicken)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
2. In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.
4. Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. (You can always add more after your chicken has cooked. It is very easy to over salt and pepper any dish so be careful. Salt lightly and then if you need more, add it)
6. Bake uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes.

Didn’t I still you it was easy! This dish would go great along side Garlicky Baked French Fries! 

ENJOY!!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Almost Famous Barbecue Chicken Pizza

California Pizza Kitchen is DELICIOUS! At Quinnipiac, I had CPK for the first time and I had the Barbecue Chicken Pizza. Yum! Well since becoming gluten free, I haven’t been able to enjoy CPK. But thanks to the Food Network Kitchens, I can recreate the CPK deliciousness in my own kitchen! (with a little adaptation of course!)

Almost Famous Barbecue Chicken Pizza 

CPK taste right in your own kitchen!

Adapted from Food Network.com

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Prepared gluten free pizza crust, at room temperature (Udi’s has a great pizza crust or use your favorite or make your own!)
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free barbecue sauce
• 1 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 cup grated Daiya mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro, for topping

1. Position racks in the upper third and middle of the oven. Place an inverted baking sheet on the top rack and preheat the oven to the appropriate temperature according to your pizza crust.
2. Mix 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small bowl. Put the chicken in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper and brush with the barbecue sauce mixture. Bake on the middle oven rack until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Cover the crust with with the remaining 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Top with the chicken, mozzarella and red onion. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto a pizza peel or another inverted baking sheet, then slide onto the baking sheet; bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.

ENJOY!

Potato and Sage Fritters with Lemon Aioli

Potato and Sage Fritters with Lemon Aioli 

Light potato fritters with a lemony sauce perfect to serve for a St.Patrick’s Day party appetizer!

Ingredients

For the Fritters

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 package regular active dry yeast
• 1 lb fresh russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Lemon Aioli

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. In small bowl, mix warm water, 2 tablespoons flour and the yeast. Stir; let stand in warm place about 30 minutes or until small bubbles form.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix aioli ingredients. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. In 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes with water; lightly salt. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook potatoes about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash potatoes with fork. Cool about 10 minutes.
4. In small bowl, beat eggs and olive oil with whisk; stir in salt, pepper, lemon peel and sage. Set aside.
5. In large bowl, mix mashed potatoes with yeast mixture and 2 cups flour. Stir in egg mixture until well blended. Cover with towel and set in warm place about 1 1/2 hours or until potato mixture is double in size.
6. In deep fryer or 4-quart Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil (2 to 3 inches) to 350°F. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels; serve warm with aioli.

Love perfect party appetizers like this!

Baked Basil Fries

We’ve got our sweets for St. Patrick’s Day. We have our Irish Soda Bread. But I feel like we are missing something. Maybe a potato recipe? Of course! These baked french fries have some basil for that touch of green that you can’t leave out on St. Patrick’s Day. Plus they are baked so they are better for you! Preheat that oven and let’s get to it!

Baked Basil Fries 

Ingredients

• 2 lb fresh russet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and set aside.
2. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
3. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Toss potatoes with mixture.
4. Spray foil with cooking spray. Place potatoes on cookie sheet in single layer. Bake 15 minutes; turn potatoes, and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until tender.

French fries are so easy, delicious and the perfect lunch or dinner side. Eat by themselves or your favorite dipping sauce.

ENJOY! 😀

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, E Peperoncino

It’s almost dinner time. A quick and easy recipe for dinner is pasta. I love putting pasta dishes together because they are SO easy and 9 out of 10 times, you always have some pasta and sauce in your pantry somewhere.

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, E Peperoncino translates to spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili pepper flakes. I KNOW we ALWAYS have these ingredients in my pantry at home. This is a delicious and simple dish that your whole family is sure to love.

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, E Peperoncino

Spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino is a traditional Italian pasta dish. It’s well loved by many because it’s so easy and inexpensive to make. This is a perfect solution whenever you’re pressed for time, stumped on what to have for dinner or just looking for something nice and simple. 

Ingredients

• 7 ounces of your favorite gluten free spaghetti
• 2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together very well. (You want every bite of spaghetti to be covered)
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

<a href=”http://www.mycitycuisine.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Aglio,_Olio_e_Peperoncino”><img alt=”Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino” src=”http://www.mycitycuisine.org/exlink/index.php?pg=1429&tp=4&#8243; style=”border:0px;padding:0px;width:500px;height:113px” /></a>