Coconut-Macadamia Crusted Shrimp

1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 large eggs, whisked
3/4 cup chopped salted macadamia nuts
3/4 cup sweetened coconut

Dipping Sauce:

1 very ripe medium mango
1 cup chopped pineapple chunks (I used fresh, but you could substitute drained pineapple chunks)
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch or 2 of kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, if desired

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly crumple some aluminum foil and place it on a large baking sheet. Set aside.
In a shallow bowl or on a plate, combine the chopped macadamia nuts and the coconut. Set aside.
Rinse the shrimp. In a large Ziploc bag, combine the flour, lime zest, kosher salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
Shake the excess flour from the shrimp. If your shrimp are smaller, dip a few shrimp at a time in the egg mixture, shake off the excess, and then roll them in the coconut/macadamia mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet. If your shrimp are large, work with one at a time. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Place the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 10 minutes (slightly longer if your shrimp are very large).
While the shrimp are cooking, combine the mango, pineapple, salt, and cayenne in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve the hot shrimp immediately with the dipping sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Shared by Brighten

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Stoby's Cheese Dip and Ziti

Submitted by Shasta: I have 2 recipes to start this new year off!! There is a restaurant in Arkansas named Stoby's. There are 2 in Arkansas and it is Zagat reviewed (I know that came as a shock to me to). This place makes the best sandwiches and cheese dip. Now, don't look at the ingredients and throw the recipe out. This is definitely a great one to try (if only once or twice a year). But, if I ever lose this recipe I will be emailing every single one of you. I LOVE this recipe. I have had this recipe since I was 14 years old (yes, I have been a foodie for a while now) and now I will hand it out to each of you. Enjoy!!!

Stoby's Cheese Dip
4 cups water
1 cup powder coffee creamer
1 lb Velveeta cheese (cut in chunks)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp dry mustard
1 cup melted butter
2/3 cup flour
3/4 cup Pace Picante Salsa*
1 tsp lemon juice

In small bowl combine all spices, set aside. Boil water, then slowly add coffee creamer stirring constantly. Slowly add cheese and stir until melted. Add spices. Mix flour with melted butter then add to cheese. Stir until thickens. Add Pace Picante salsa and lemon juice. Serve warm with chips (a thick chip is best).
* I used to make it with mild salsa but I found that hot gives it more flavor without burning your mouth.

Ziti
1 box of ziti noodles, cooked and drained
1 recipe of tomato sauce (see below)
1 small container sour cream
1 package provolone cheese
1/2 lb mozzarella

Oil bottom of casserole dish and spread about 1 cup of tomato sauce and place some cooked ziti noodles in a thin layer on bottom. Then spread out the provolone cheese. Top with 1 cup tomato sauce and then another thin layer of noodles. Spread the sour cream out over that layer of noodles (the more sour cream you use the creamier the end result will be). Top with another cup of tomato sauce and noodles. Top with tomato sauce and cook in oven until bubbly. Spread mozzarella on top and melt in oven. (If you like more sauce, use more sauce) I just assumed I use about 1 cup of sauce on each layer.

Easy Tomato Sauce:
2 cans tomato sauce
1 clove garlic-minced
Tuscan style Italian Seasoning*
Oregano*

Boil everything and then simmer until ready to use, or you can package in quart bags and freeze for when you need them. It tastes better than jarred tomato sauce.
* I have never measured the seasonings but you can start out with 1-2 tsp of the Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp of oregano. Adjust this to your own tastes. Remember: you can always add seasoning, you can't take it out. If you have over-salted a meal, add herbs or salt free seasonings to your dish, this will help cut the salt.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Alfredo Sauce
1/4 cup butter
2 T flour
2 cloves of garlic or 1/2 tsp minced garlic in jar
1/2 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules (not cubes)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 cup milk
1 cup real whipping cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 bag of fettuccine or penne pasta
2 chicken breasts cubed and cooked

Ingredients to make it Cordon bleu pasta
2 green onions
1/2 lb mushrooms
Grated Swiss cheese
Crumbled crispy bacon

Directions:
1. Cook pasta as directed
2. Brown cubed chicken. Saute about 2 green onions and 1/2 lb of mushrooms with chicken in some oil or butter.
3. Melt butter for sauce in a saucepan. Mix in flour until completely dissolved. Then add garlic, onion powder, chicken bouillon granules and parsley flakes. Mix well. Next add both milks and stir constantly until it almost comes to a boil. Do not let boil fully or it may curdle or burn. Next add Parmesan cheese. Last of all; add noodles and cooked chicken with mushroom and green onions and mix together. Heat until piping hot. If the sauce is a bit too thin let it sit hot on stove for 15-30 min. The flour from the noodles will thicken it up. It too thick add a little extra milk.
Put pasta in a baking pan, grate some Swiss cheese and crumbled crispy cooked bacon on top. Broil in the oven until Swiss cheese starts to brown a little and serve.

Submitted by Marti: This Alfredo sauce is good with just noodles and chicken I've tried different kinds of Alfredo sauce recipes and this one is still my favorite. It is especially good if you really use butter and fresh parmesan cheese and it has never turned out not tasting good.

Chips Miai and Curry Chicken Salad

Submitted by April: I have two recipes this month, since they are both simple and easy (but delicious!) recipes and I couldn't decide which one. Feel free to make one or both! Chips Miai (pronounced "my eye"). It's something that street vendors in Tanzania serve frequently. The chips part of the meal is fries; we prefer steak fries, but any fries will do. The miai part is eggs. We got this recipe from a friend who served his mission in Kenya, and it has definitely become a monthly favorite at our house.

Chips Miai
1 pkg. steak fries, baked according to package directions and seasoned*
6 eggs, beaten
cheddar cheese, grated
1 to 2 Tbsp. cooking oil

Heat cooking oil in a large skillet. Add the cooked steak fries and let them crisp for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beaten eggs and stir to coat steak fries. Cook until eggs are cooked through, turning occasionally. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top, turn off heat, and cover. Once cheese is melted, serve.

We like to eat our chips miai with ketchup. You could also use hot sauce. Yum! Serve with fruit or raw veggies and dip.

*We sprinkle our chips lightly with seasoning salt. We've also tried regular salt and pepper and curry. It's all good, but the seasoning salt is our favorite.

Curry Chicken Salad
3 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped (or one 12 oz can from costco! Yummy and so much easier!)
1/2 cup to 1 cup low-fat mayo (the exact amount depends on how much "extras" you add)
2-3 tsps curry powder (we like a lot, so we always use 3 tsp)
3 stalks celery chopped
1 apple chopped

optional:
green onions, chopped
1/2 can chunk pineapple
grapes
raisins
nuts (either pecans, walnuts, or cashews....whatever is your favorite)

Directions: Mix together in medium bowl. Add or take away ingredients based on your family's preference. This is a great way to introduce your family to curry flavoring! You can serve it in pita bread, tortillas, croissants, regular sandwich bread, or with crackers. For those watching their carbs you can even eat it with lettuce and make little lettuce wraps!

Note: I always add green onions and pineapple as well. I don't always have grapes. If I don't, then I sometimes add raisins. The picture is missing both grapes and raisins, but has everything else.