Outback Steakhouse Coconut Shrimp

1 1/2 lb large raw shrimp
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 T salt
1/2 T white pepper
2 T vegetable oil
1 c ice water
oil for deep frying
2 c short shredded coconut

Peel, devein & wash shrimp. Dry well on paper towels. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients for batter. Add 2T oil & ice water.
Stir to blend. To fry: heat oil to 350 in deep fryer or electric
skillet. Spread coconut on a flat pan a little at a time, adding
more as needed. Dip shrimp in batter, then roll in coconut.
Fry in hot oil until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.

Bake at 300 5 minutes to finish cooking of the shrimp.

Serve with sweet & sour sauce or the following sauce: Combine
marmalade, Grey Poupon mustard, honey & Tabasco sauce to taste.
1/2 c orange marmalade
1/4 c Grey Poupon country mustard
1/4 c honey
3-4 drops Tabasco sauce

Chicken Pasta Whiskey, Wine, and Mushrooms

Ingredients
■24 ounces, weight Thickly Sliced Mushrooms (baby Portobellos Are Best)
■2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■Kosher Salt
■Black Pepper
■2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■2 Tablespoons Butter
■1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Sliced
■1 cup Dry White Wine
■3/4 cups Whiskey (Jack Daniels Is Good)
■1/2 cup Chicken Broth
■1 cup Heavy Cream
■Salt And Pepper, to taste
■12 ounces, weight Mostaciolli, Cooked Al Dente
Chicken Thighs or breast

Preparation InstructionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle mushrooms with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
Salt and pepper the breasts, then brown them on both sides…


In a large pot, heat additional olive oil along with the butter over medium heat. Throw in the sliced onions and saute for a couple of minutes, or until beginning to turn translucent. I put the chicken back into the pot…

Pour in wine and whiskey and allow to bubble for a minute or two. Pour in broth and allow the liquid to reduce for a couple of minutes. Stir in cream and reduce heat to low. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and simmer until sauce thickens.
Toss in cooked pasta, using a little hot pasta water if sauce needs a little thinning. Taste for seasonings and add immediately.

Black-Bean Salad
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Directions
Heat 2 smashed garlic cloves
1 diced jalapeno
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
In a skillet with olive oil over low heat, 5 minutes. Toss a 15-ounce can of black beans, 1 1/2 cups each diced cucumber and halved grape tomatoes, 4 chopped scallions, a squeeze of lime juice and some chopped cilantro in a bowl. Mash the hot garlic mixture and add to the beans. Season with salt and toss with watercress.

Chocolate Fondue recipe

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups water
¼ cup corn syrup
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¾ cup heavy cream, plus more, as needed
5 ounces chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon whipping cream
Favorite cake, cubed, for serving
Fresh fruit, cubed, for serving

Directions:

1) Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer 15 minutes, until liquid reduces by almost half.

2) Add cocoa powder, whisking to mix. Add heavy cream; bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

3) Remove from heat; stir in chopped chocolate and whipping cream. Transfer to fondue pot to keep warm.

4) Serve with cake and fresh fruit.

Caramel Fondue recipe

Take a leap back to your childhood with this homemade caramel fondue. Served with skewered marshmallows, it's a first-rate camping trip brought indoors.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rum
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup milk, warmed
¼ cup boiling water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh apples, for serving
Marshmallows, for serving

Directions:
Place sugar in a small pan; heat over medium until sugar melts and liquefies, stirring. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and rum. Set aside.
Combine egg yolks, milk, and reserved rum mixture in a double boiler over hot water; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Combine melted sugar and boiling water in a small pot; immediately add to warm milk mixture; continue stirring over low heat 20 minutes, until caramel has melted.
Remove from double boiler; stir in vanilla and transfer to a fondue pot.

Serve with apples or marshmallows on spears

Basic Fondue

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground dry mustard, garlic and flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.

Bread Bowl Fondue

Bread Bowl Fondue
Ingredients
1 (1 pound) loaf round bread
8 ounces process cheese (eg. Velveeta), cubed
2 cups sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Assorted fresh vegetables

Directions
1.Cut the top fourth off the loaf of bread; set top aside. Carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Cube removed bread; set aside.

2.In a bowl, combine the process cheese, sour cream and cream cheese. Stir in the ham, green onions, chilies and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon into bread shell; replace top. Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes or until the filling is heated through.

3.Meanwhile, toss reserved bread cubes with oil and butter. Place in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Unwrap loaf and remove bread top; stir filling. Serve with vegetables and toasted bread cubes.

Beef Fondue with Sauces

CURRY SAUCE:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
MUSTARD SAUCE:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
ONION-HORSERADISH SAUCE:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
FONDUE:
1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups vegetable oil
Directions
1.In three separate bowls, combine the curry sauce, mustard sauce and onion-horseradish sauce ingredients. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a fondue pot to 375 degrees F. Use fondue forks to cook meat in oil until it reaches desired doneness. Serve with sauces.

BBQ Wings

Ingredients

8 chicken wings
pinch smoked paprika, or you could use ordinary paprika
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons plum sauce
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions

Remove the wing tips and discard, then cut the wings in half at the joint. Season with salt and pepper and smoked paprika. Oil the rack of the barbecue. Barbecue the chicken wings skin side down for 8 to 10 minutes, turn and barbecue for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked through. Meanwhile, combine the hoisin and plum sauces with the tomato ketchup to make a sticky sauce. Brush the wings with the sauce, then barbecue for 1 minute. Brush again, turn and cook for another minute. Brush again, turn and cook for a further minute. Repeat this process. Cool slightly before serving.

Sizzled Citrus Shrimp

Ingredients
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 pound medium shrimp (30-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt , or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Directions
Combine lemon juice, wine, 2 teaspoons oil and garlic in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain well, reserving marinade.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until barely pink, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add bay leaf, crushed red pepper and the reserved marinade to the pan; simmer for 4 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan; heat through. Season with salt, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Lemony Green Beans

Ingredients

1 pound green beans
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Zest of 2 large lemons (yellow part only)
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)
1/3 cup lightly packed grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

For crunchy green beans, blanch them in boiling salted water for 1 minute. For softer beans, aim for 5 minutes. Either way, drain them, plunge them into ice water, and drain again thoroughly. Transfer them to a bowl.

In a small skillet over low heat, sauté the garlic in the olive oil just until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let it brown). Pour the mixture over the green beans and add the lemon zest, parsley, cheese, and salt and pepper, tossing everything together. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pork Kabobs

Ingredients

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice , (about 1 medium orange)
3 garlic cloves,, smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil, (extra virgin)

1 green apple, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
bamboo or metal skewers
1 pinch salt and pepper

Directions

Measure vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a large zip-top bag. Seal and shake to combine.
Cut pork chops into 1 1/2 inch cubes and add to the bag, seal and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to one day.
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.
Remove pork from the marinade, and place the marinade, minus the garlic, in a small saucepan. Heat the marinade to boiling and boil until slightly thickened and reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes. Reserve.
Skewer the pork, along with the apples and onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a grill pan (or your broiler) to medium high.
Drizzle pan with a little oil to keep the skewers from sticking.
Place the skewers on the pan and grill for 4 minutes.
Turn them a quarter of the way around and grill another 4 minutes.
Finish grilling the remaining two sides for 4 minutes each, grilling the skewers for a total of 16 minutes. If using your broiler, broil for about 10 minutes total, flipping once.
Do not overcook the pork, or it will become tough.

Margarita Chicken

Ingredients
zest from one lime
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tequila, optional
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon chile powder
pinch salt and pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 6-8
Directions
Place all ingredients, except for the chicken, in a gallon-sized zip top plastic bag. Squish to combine. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Coat grill pan (or grill) with cooking spray. Heat pan (or grill) to medium-high. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning breast a quarter turn after two minutes if cross hatch marks are desired. Serve immediately.

Homemade Root Beer

Ingredients

6 cups white sugar
3 1/3 gallons cold water
1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract
4 pounds dry ice

Directions

In a large cooler, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the cooler, and cover loosely with the lid. Do not secure the lid, as pressure may build up.

Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in one gallon milk jugs.

Serves 64

Here is another recipe from my sister-in-law!