Shrimp Burgers

If you don't mind busting out the food processor, these shrimp burgers are super simple, come together in a flash, and require little in regards to your shopping list.

Shrimp Burgers

Adapted from Cooks Country Magazine

Ingredients

3/4 cup sour cream (or mayo)

1/2 tsp Old Bay

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

a few dashes of lemon or lime juice

1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp sour cream (or mayo if it doesn't repulse you)

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Old Bay

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 cup bread crumbs

vegetable oil for cooking, about 3 tbsp

4 burger buns

lettuce

1. Mix first set of ingredients in a small bowl for saucing up the burgers after they are cooked.
2. Place 1/3 of shrimp, sour cream, pepper, salt, cayenne, Old Bay, and celery in the food processor.  Pulse until shrimp are finely chopped. Add remaining shrimp and pulse until coarsely chopped.
3. Divide mixture into 4 patties.  Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish.  Working with 1 patty at a time coat with bread crumbs.  When all patties are coated heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side.
4.  Serve on toasted buns with lettuce and prepared sauce.



How did I only take 1 picture!? Sorry readers, I have failed you.

Macarons

YES! Homemade macarons! I was so ridiculously excited about the mere idea of baking these that when they came out perfectly I was beside myself.

Use this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.  She has great step-by-step photos to guide you along.  I followed her recipe as it is written.  We added almond extract and a little red food coloring.

I was intimidated by the process of baking macarons, but really there wasn't much that was actually challenging.  It is no doubt time consuming, but a lot of that time is waiting for things to sit. Probably the most difficult part was piping and making it so the cookies were an even size.



These are filled with strawberry preserves, but I am definitely itching to try it with some chocolate ganache. Next time....

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza

Two comfort foods come together to make one delicious dinner. The magical creamy filling of a pot pie on top of a pizza crust, covered in cheese.  Since winter doesn't seem to want to quit anytime soon, this will surely warm up your kitchen and your belly.

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza
From i am a food blog

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar
1/3 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 of a small onion, diced
1 smallish potato, diced and cooked
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 pizza dough

1. Preheat oven to 500. In a small pan melt butter, then whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in chicken stock. Stir until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Stretch out your pizza dough. Spread on the sauce, then top with onion, potato, carrot, celery, chicken, and cheese.
3. Cook about 15 minutes until crust has browned and cheese has melted.

Yes. Yes. Yes. This is absolutely as good as it sounds. Make it to celebrate Pi Day!

Banh Mi Bowls

All the goodness of a banh mi sandwich, captured in some easy to make rice bowls.

Banh Mi Bowls

From Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
6-8 carrots, peeled into ribbons or cut into matchsticks

1 lb ground pork
1 tbsp lemongrass paste (it's with the herbs in the produce section)
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp salt

cooked rice
scallions
sesame seeds
tzatziki sauce, or a spicy mayo, or nothing...

1. Preheat oven to 475. Combine the first set of ingredients in a bowl and set aside for the carrots to pickle.
2. Mix second set of ingredients in a bowl.  Roll into small balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake about 15-20 minutes.
3. Build your bowls with some rice, meatballs, scallions, sesame seeds, and sauce of your choosing.

These are so damn good I cannot wait to make them again!

Yes! I really love dinner in a bowl.  It is quite glorious.