Grilled Shrimp with Avocado Salsa

I am a serious seafood lover. So when I found this recipe at Woman Know Thyself's Facebook page, I had to borrow it. It is so amazingly delicious!

Grilled Shrinp with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

For the Shrimp:

        16-20 count Prawns, peeled and deveined

        18 Cherry Tomatoes

        2 Tbs Fresh Thyme

        3 Tbs Shallots, minced

        1 Tbs Cumin    

        2 Tbs Basil, chopped

        ¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

        Kosher or Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste

        ½ Lemon (use while grilling)

For the salsa:

        1 ripe avocado, diced

        1 small red onion, diced

        1 small roma tomato, seeded and diced

        2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

        ½ lemon, juiced

        2 tablespoons olive oil

        1 tablespoon white vinegar

        Kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

For the Shrimp:

1. Soak the skewers in water for six hours before using.
2. Marinate the shrimp in all the ingredients, except the cherry tomatoes and lemon, for at least 4 hours before grilling. 
3. Skewer the prawns with the tomatoes and grill, 3-4 minutes each side. 
4. Season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper while grilling.

For the Salsa:

1. Mix all the ingredients lightly and let set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Beef Rendang or "Rendang Daging" - Spicy Beef Stew with Coconut

Beef rendang or “rendang daging” is of Indonesian origin. It's a time-consuming dish, but well worth it - save some leftover as it only gets better overnight.

Beef Rendang

Ingredients:

        1 1/2 lb Boneless Beef Short Ribs (cut into cubes)
        5 Tbs Cooking Oil
        1 Cinnamon Stick (about 2-inch long)
        3 Cloves
        3 Star Anise
        3 Cardamom Pods
        1 Lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and pounded)
        1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
        1 cup Water
        2 tsp Tamarind Pulp (soaked in some warm water for the juice and                             discard the seeds )
        6 Kaffir Lme Leaves (very finely sliced)
        6 Tbs Kerisik (toasted coconut)
        1 Tbs Sugar/Palm Sugar or to taste
        Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

        5 Shallots
        1 inch Galangal
        3 Lemongrass (white part only)
        5 cloves Garlic
        1 inch Ginger
        10-12 Dried Chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)

Directions:

1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
2. Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry them until aromatic.
3. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar/palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
6. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up.
7. Add salt to taste. If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste.
8. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Cook’s Note:

To prepare the kerisik or toasted coconut, just add the grated coconut to a dry wok and stir continuously until they turn golden brown.

This is good with white rice to tame the spiciness.  

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Bacon Roses: A creative treat for your loved one

The photo for this cute idea had been making it's rounds on Facebook.  I was lucky enough to find it in Pinterest via wacky owl and originally posted it in my family blog, Walking Between the Grapevines.Walking Between the Grapevines .

Bacon Roses

All you need to have bacon slices, bunch or artificial roses, baking tray. Drill gun and baking accessories. 

Just cut thin and even layers of bacon and wrap each layer in the form of a rose flower. 

Put them in a baking tray having small separate baking compartments. Place the tray in the oven and bake the bacon well before ending. Pull out the golden brown bacon roses from the baking tray and let them cool by putting them on the surface on a paper towels.

Now, take the artificial bunch of roses and remove the roses carefully from the bunch. Detach the lower part of the artificial flower and stopper from the artificial branches. 

Now, reattach the lower part with the artificial branches and insert the bacon roses on the pointed ends of the branches. 

Put the branches having the bacon roses on them in a glass vase and enjoy your wacky but tasty creation.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

I found this recipe floating around the inter-web so I'm not sure who to give credit for it.  I do have to say to whoever came up with this recipe:

☆.•♥•This is HEAVEN in a Cheesecake form•♥•☆

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Brownie Crust:

        6 Tbs Unsalted Butter, melted
        1 1/4 cups Sugar
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
        2 Eggs
        1 cup Flour
        1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
        1/2 tsp Baking Powder
        1/2 tsp Salt

        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

Cheesecake Filling:

        2 lbs Cream Cheese, softened
        5 Eggs, at room temperature
        1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, firmly packed
        1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter (not natural-style)
        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Decoration:

        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

         6 Peanut Butter Cups, cut carefully in half


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F .
2. Grease 9-inch Springform pan with butter.
3. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with spoon or wire whisk. 
4. Add eggs; stir until well blended. 
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. 
6. Spread in prepared pan.
7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from side of pan. 
8. Meanwhile make cheesecake layer (see below).
9. Immediately after removing brownie from oven, sprinkle milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups over brownie surface. 
10. Spoon cheesecake mixture over chips. 
11. Turn down oven 325°.

Cheesecake Filling: (makes extra)

1. Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; 
4. Mix until smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Pour filling into prepared crust.

IF SOME BATTER IS LEFT OVER, EITHER STORE OR PUT IN SMALLER SPRINGFORM PAN.

Directions, continued:

1. Double-wrap Springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water seeping inches.
2. Place Springform pan into a larger baking pan.
3. Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the Springform pan.
4. Bake at 325 degrees 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
6. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before decorating.

Decoration: (makes a lot extra-try using it on individual slices after cutting).

1. Remove cake from pan and put on a pretty plate.
2. Bring whipping cream to boil in a small saucepan.
3. Remove from heat and add semi-sweet and peanut butter chips. 
4. Stir, stir, stir until melted and smooth.
5. Drizzle over cake
6. Add peanut butter cup halves around the edge of the cake.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid