Panko Breaded Shrimp

Nothing much to say about this!  It is what it is.  Any size shrimp will do--popcorn, medium, large--just adjust the baking time.

Panko Breaded Shrimp

2 eggs
1 t. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4. t. salt
1 - 1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1 lb. peeled and deveined raw shrimp

Whisk together the eggs, old bay, garlic powder and salt in a bowl.  Toss in the shrimp until they are well coated with the mixture.  

Put the panko bread crumbs in another bowl.  Toss in the shrimp until they are coated with the crumbs.  Working with a slotted spoon or tongs for the transfer works well. You can work in smaller batches and add more panko if you prefer.

Place the shrimp on a well oiled or sprayed baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for 6-8 minutes depending on shrimp size

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lb = pound
t = teaspoon

Cheesy Rice Casserole

I got this recipe from a really old Mr. Food recipe book that was passed along to me.  It's a nice fancy version of a rice side dish.

Cheesy Rice Casserole

1 large onion, diced
2 T. butter
2 c. cooked white rice
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 c. swiss cheese (or another cheese of our choice)
1/4 t salt
pepper to taste
paprika and parsley for garnish

In a large skillet,  saute the onion in the butter until the onions are golden brown.   Add the rice, milk, cheese, salt and pepper to the pan to combine.

Bake at 375 degrees in a greased baking dish for 20-25 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and paprika.

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c = cup
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

American-Style Hamburger Meatloaf

Looking for a plain-old-no-frills meatloaf?  This one is for you.

American-Style Hamburger Meatloaf

1/3 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1/4. c. finely chopped dill pickle
3 T. milk
3 T. ketchup
2 T. mustard (yellow or dijon, your choice!)
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 lb. ground beef (at least 85% lean)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl except ground beef.

Add ground beef to bowl and combine.

Form in a log that fits in a bread loaf pan but leaves at least 1/2 inch on all sides.  Or put on a rack on a sheet pan to let the fat drip away.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until internal temp of meatloaf reaches 160 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes or so before slicing into thick slices.

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c = cup
T = Tablespoon
t = teaspoon
lb = pound

Chicken Taco Salad

Waist friendly salad here!  It's not all that pretty to look at so there is no picture, but it is good none the less!

This makes about 4 main meal servings.

Chicken Taco Salad

1 lb. chicken breasts
1 c. salsa, your choice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 c. frozen corn, optional

Throw everything in a crockpot.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return to crockpot.
Keep warm until ready to eat.

Put a good pile of choice of lettuce or greens on a plate.  Add a big scoop of chicken mixture.  Top with cheese and serve with the Avocado Buttermilk Dressing in the previous post.  You will be glad you did.


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lb = pound
c = salsa

Avocado Buttermilk Dressing

I got this recipe from skinnytaste.com and made a slight modification.  Yes, I will be repeating this!   Looking for something to put it on?  Try the chicken taco salad recipe in the next post.

Avocado Buttermilk Dressing

3/4 c. lowfat buttermilk
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, but keep some ribs if you want a bit of a kick
1/4-1/2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro
1 avocado
1/2 - 3/4 T. minced garlic
1 green onion, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/8 t. cumin
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt

Put everything in a blender to combine.

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c = cup
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

Taco Salad Pizza

A pizza that is also a salad?!?  Yup.  This is a great way to use up leftovers from taco night and would work with beef or chicken.

Need a good taco seasoning recipe?  Check out the recipe posted on January 23, 2016.

Taco Salad Pizza

All of these amounts are estimates and can be altered based on your preference

Thin pizza crust
1 c. refried beans
1/2 c. salsa
1-2 c. ground beef, cooked and crumbled.
1 1/2 c. shredded mexican cheese
2-3 c. shredded lettuce
1/2 tomato, diced
2-3 green onions sliced thin
Sour cream for garnish, if desired
Guacamole for garnish, if desired

Spread refried beans on pizza crust.
Spread salsa over the bean layer.
Add ground beef (or chicken) all over the pizza.  If beef is not already seasoned with taco seasoning, sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of taco seasoning.
Add shredded cheese all over the pizza.

Bake at 425 for about 8-10 minutes (or according to your pizza crust instructions) until everything is hot and melted.

Top with lettuce, tomato, green onion, sour cream and guacamole.

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I use a store bought, already cooked, ready-to-go, very thin pizza crust
c = cup

Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi

We are trying to eat more fish but we don't want boring fish.  I made this one up and it was a really good meal.  Mahi mahi is a more 'meaty' fish and the mustard coating really gave this some nice flavor.   Gonna make this one again for sure.  This recipe is for 2 filets about 3x3 inches in size.

Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi

1 T. or so spicy or dijon mustard
About 2/3 c. almond flour (I used Trader Joe's)
About 1 t. lemon pepper seasoning
About 1/2 t. dill

Combine the almond flour, lemon pepper and dill in a shallow dish.

Rub the mustard on all sides of the fish.

Coat the mustard covered fish filet on all sides with the almond mixture.  Have extra?  Try to press some more on to the already coated fish filets.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes per side or until white and flaky.

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T = tablespoon
c = cup
t = teaspoon