Pat's Shrimp Dip

Typically, I would not eat a dip with shrimp in it, but I could not stop eating this stuff. Yesterday we had a department meeting and Pat brought this wonderful shrimp dip. I was eating it before I knew what it was and for once I'm glad that I just dug in.

Pat's Shrimp Dip

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 can tomato soup
1 package unflavored gelatin
1 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
3 cans tiny shrimp
1 cup Miracle Whip

Add cream cheese and tomato soup to a small saucepan and melt together. Add gelatin and mix. Take it off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. Serve chilled.

Maple Plank Salmon

Last night I used a maple plank for my salmon. It imparts a subtler wood taste than either the alder or cedar, but it was just as good. I marinated the salmon for about 20 minutes in the juice of 2 lemons, 1/2 cup white wine and a clove of garlic coarsely chopped.

Before placing it on the plank, I sprinkled it with salt and pepper, fresh dill and more chopped garlic. I love using planks for salmon and really need to try and expand my horizons and use them for other fishes and meats.

I served the fish with some cooked carrots and this amazing couscous from Green Acres Market in Briarcliff Village. It is an Israeli Couscous with Edamame and Mint that you get from their deli counter. It's nice, light and refreshing and perfect served with fish.

Alder Plank Salmon

This weekend, I decided to try out something other than a cedar plank for salmon. We had bought an assortment of planks from Restoration Hardware and one of them was alder wood. When we were in Seattle, it seemed that this was the wood used in a lot of the restaurants , so that was the plank I used this time. It really did impart a different taste to the fish, which I actually preferred, it was not as strong as cedar.

Like the cedar, you let the plank soak in water prior to grilling and I place it on the grill without the fish to let it heat up first. I marinated the salmon with the juice of 1 lemon, 1 orange and a 1/2 cup of white wine along with the zest of the lemon and orange. Before placing it on the plank, I salt and pepper the salmon. When the salmon was finished I topped it with chopped flat leaf parsley and chopped chives.

Lime Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

On Friday, I was in the mood for kabobs, so I went to http://www.foodtv.com/ to search for a recipe. The first one I came across was this recipe from Paula Deen. We found them to be a little on the blah side, not much flavor Paula! I was a little surprised because I have had luck with her recipes in the past, but this one just did not do it for me.

Lime Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can pineapple rings, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Special Equipment: skewers

In a small bowl, whisk oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper.
In a shallow dish or re-sealable plastic bag, combine bell pepper, onion, pineapple, chicken, and shrimp. Pour lime mixture over chicken mixture; cover dish or seal bag, and place in the refrigerator to for 4 to 6 hours to marinate.
Heat grill to 350 to 400 degrees F.
Using tongs, remove chicken, vegetable pieces, pineapple and shrimp from marinade, discarding the marinade. Onto the skewers, thread 1 piece of chicken; 1 piece of pepper, 1 piece of onion, and 1 piece of pineapple, alternating to fill the skewer. Do the same thing with the shrimp alternating shrimp, pepper, onion, and pineapple to fill the skewer.
Place chicken kabobs on the grill, cover with grill lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout, with no pink center, turning occasionally.
Place shrimp kabobs on the grill, cover with grill lid over and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, and are cooked throughout, turning once.
Remove skewers from grill and serve immediately.