Corn Tortilla Chips

White or Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips!

When I go to any Mexican or Tex Mex Restaurant, I expect Corn Tortilla Chips and salsa.  I want my chips hot and salty, like they just came out of the fryer.  Then I eat at least an entire bowl for myself before the help even has a chance to bring me my food.  It’s kind of funny.  Aren’t the Corn Tortilla Chips and Salsa food?  No, that’s the food before you get the food.  The food before the food!  Though it usually fills me up, its still just Chips and Salsa.  But, don’t you crave this at home?

First things first.  If you don’t already have a Deep Fryer, go get one.  They’re only $30 bucks and they really go a long way. Now, when you’re deciding what kind of tortilla you want to use, it’s really simple, because there’s only a few choices.  Sure you could get all exotic and go for the Blue corn, but most likely, all you’re going to find at your local grocer are the basic yellow and white corn tortilla’s.  So, all of you got to do is choose your favorite.  I personally like a lighter corn taste, so I go with the white corn tortilla’s for that reason, and that reason alone.  This video will show you how easy it is.  Fry the tortilla slices at 350 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes and salt heavily.  Then sit down and enjoy your fresh Corn Tortilla Chips with my Fresh Salsa recipe.

Corn Tortilla Chips Ingredients:

1 Bag of Yellow or White Corn Tortilla’s
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Slice the Fresh Tortilla’s into fours and fry for 2 minutes at 375 degrees F and then salt the Corn Tortilla Chips to taste.

Peaking Ravioli Pot Stickers

Pot StickersWhat are Pot Stickers?

If you don’t know by now, Americans love Chinese Pot Stickers.  If you’ve been to any Chinese Buffet in the last 10 years, you’ve seen them.  They’ve even become so popular, they sell them right next to the frozen burrito’s of just about every grocery store in America.  I don’t know the history or the exact Origin of the Pot Sticker, I mean, that’s what Wikipedia is for, right, but I can tell you that these are usually prepared fresh everyday, and they’re made by hand, not stamped out of a cookie cutter.

What are Pot Stickers made of?

IMG_20120712_211337The breakdown is very simple;  Ground Pork, Onion, Carrots and a few Asian Sauces, Hoisin and Oyster Sauce.  Just a few secret folds that aren’t too complicated, and Voila, you’ve got Pot Stickers!  Well, at least in theory, right.  But now what?  Do you throw them in boiling water?  The answer is NO!  Technically I guess you could, but these things are traditionally steamed.  And if you don’t have a Steamer, no worries.  This video tutorial will show you how to do it without one, So let’s dive right in and make some Pot Stickers.

Be sure to check out my Shrimp Dumplings recipe because I have the best sauce recipe in that post to dip these Pot Stickers in if Tempura dipping sauce isn’t available in your area.

Pot Stickers Ingredients:

1 pkg Pot Sticker Wrappers
8 oz Ground Pork Sausage or just Pork
1/4 cup Carrots
1/3 Cup Scallions
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
1 tsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Black Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp Chopped Garlic
Water to glue the Wrappers together

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Wet the edges of each wrapper and place about 1 tbsp of Ground Pork mixture  in the center, and then fold in half like a taco.  Then proceed to one of the corners and pleat the edge of one side and apply pressure to make the wrapper stick, all the way around in a half moon shape.  Then place Pot Stickers in a steamer lined with Bok Choy leaves or Cabbage and Steam for 7 minutes.  Pan fry in a lightly oiled pan for a 1 minute, or until the bottoms turn a light golden brown,  Drip dry onto some paper towels then serve your Pot Stickers with some Tempura Dipping Sauce.

Sauteed Coconut Shrimp

Tropical Coconut Shrimp!

So you’re probably use to having Deep Fried Coconut Shrimp.  Well if that’s what your looking for, CLICK HERE for that recipe.  This Coconut Shrimp recipe however, is sauteed, seasoned and tossed with Pinapple and Scallions.  Is that peaking your curiosity yet?  Not to sound too cliche, but this is one of those recipes where the secret is found in the sauce.  Luckily it comes already prepared for us in a can.  It’s called Coco Lopez.

Coco_LopezCoco Lopez can be found in one of three places at your local grocer; with the Mixers or in the Asian or Hispanic section.  It is advertised as “Cream of Coconut”, but, nay nay I say.  Coconut cream made by all other brands isn’t anything like the Coco Lopez Brand.  Other brands are more like Coconut Milk, creamy and frothy and you shouldn’t use any of them when preparing this Sauteed Coconut Shrimp recipe.  It won’t turn out at all.  The reason is because Coco Lopez is more of a syrup than anything.  It is concentrated and sweet, not milky or creamy like the other brands.  So it’s really interesting to me that it is referred to as Coconut Cream, or “Cream of Coconut as it reads on the Label.  But don’t let that discourage you.  The only point I’m making is that Coco Lopez is what you want to use when you’re making Sauteed Coconut Shrimp, not other brands or other versions of it because it is not the same thing, at all.  Trust me.  But just for the record, I also use Coco Lopez’s Cream of Coconut when I make Pina Colada’s, and if you’re interested in that recipe, it can be found HERE!

Sauteed Coconut Shrimp Ingredients:

1 lb Peeled Shrimp
2 Chopped Green Onions
1 cup Fresh Chunky Chops of Pineapple
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
Olive Oil for cooking
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large frying pan on Medium High heat, add 3 tbsp of olive oil and the peeled shrimp.  Season with Salt and Pepper and Saute until the shrimp turns Orange and Pink.  Add the Butter, Garlic, Scallions (green onions), and Pineapple to the pan and toss until the butter is completely melted.  Then simmer for one minute, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and plate.  Pour the Coco Lopez over the top and serve your Coconut Shrimp over rice.