Saturday, March 31, 2012

Shrimp Toast

I am planning to make shrimp toast for dinner.  If you've ever had Dim Sum before then you're familiar with this dish.  Dim Sum is like little plates of different kind of foods similar to a 1-2 bites food good for 1-4 people or more.  Usually you get other dishes-LOTS of other dishes too  so you would have a variety of 5-8 foods.  I know it's a bite or two multiply that times 5 different dishes.  They also serve larger portions.  The menu varies from Shrimp Toast, Egg rolls, Shu Mai, Pot stickers that type of dishes to Chicken Feet, some kind of tripe, and other dishes.  I am not a "hardcore" Chinese food eater.  I usually stick to Chicken, noodles, ToFu that kind of dishes.

The Shrimp Toast is my own version.  I don't measure anything.  I will post pictures later when it is time to make it.   I use frozen kind in a bag with the tail on that is raw.  Pretty much just have to peel off the shell.

Shrimp a handful or two or more depending on how many people are eating
Salt and pepper,
green onions- cut to small pieces green and white about  part 2 stems
crushed red pepper flakes
garlic salt
sesame oil -optional
Mirin (rice wine vinegar) - optional
white bread- has to be white bread (let it sit out to dry on both sides)
2 eggs scrambled
oil 


Shrimp use a food processor to make it to a paste or can chop with knife to resemble paste (a little mushy) add all ingredients just put in a dash to three depending on how much shrimp you have.

Put shrimp mixture to the bread.  You can leave the crust on or cut it out.  It's up to you.
Spread it like you would peanut butter- you can make it thin or a bit thicker.  Sometimes my last few pieces are thin because I am running out of the shrimp mixture.  I hate to waste the bread.
Then dip to scrambled egg on both sides.  Dip enough to make them wet but not soggy.

Pour oil in the pan add enough to cover the lower half of the bread slice.
Put bread with the shrimp side down first.
 Fry till brown about 3-5 minutes then flip over.
Drain on paper towels.

You can serve as an appetizer or main dish.  I serve mine with steamed white rice.  I also have Chili garlic sauce huy fong.
http://www.amazon.com/Chili-Garlic-Sauce-Huy-Fong/dp/B000Z4JISQ
Most supermarkets carry them now.  You can also use sweet and sour sauce.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Adrenaline junky???

When I was in school for Surgical Technology back in 2000.  My professor was talking about working in the O.R.  She was big into adrenaline or adrenaline junky.  A surgical tech's job is to prepare the OR for surgery, working with a RN.  I am the one that prepares the instruments, they are all sterile.  I set it up from 1 trays to I don't know 5-8 trays of instruments.  There are about 25-75 pieces of instruments in each tray.  I know ALL the names because we have to count them before we start surgery, and as we close each layer and at the end.  We count those, needles or sutures, lap sponges and what ever we use.  Each tray have different instruments but there are the basics in there.  Pick- up forceps, now I can say there is Adson Forceps, Adson Brown Forceps, never mind, as you can see it can be specifics.  They all look alike.   I am not an adrenaline junky.  I like things calm and quite.  I panic easily, but I also draw diagrams on how the OR back table is set up.  One rotation I went to, the head RN was specific to where each instruments were placed.  That being said, if I was going to lunch, a RN from that specific team would cover my lunch, and Viola, the instruments are on the same place where she would put them.  There were sutures with no needles.  I would fold the towels and in between the creases, I put the sutures in them or they would be all tangled up.  Yes, I would label them too.  And some of them where attached to a hemostat, like a forcep.  I am so not an adrenaline junky.  As the semester went on, and went to different hospitals for clinicals.  I scrubbed in, and watch, scrubbed in and assisted with the help of my preceptor.  Then finally I scrubbed in alone, set up the OR table all alone, counted the instruments, started and finished the case alone.  My preceptor was nearby if I needed help, but some cases were so easy, that she didn't need to scrub in with me.  It also helped that I have worked with the nicest surgeons.  They are very nice, polite, knows my name and doesn't yell.  To me, they know what they are doing and they don't brag.  Now, the ones that yell, and throw, YES Throw instruments at me because I handed them the wrong instruments.
He said, "Forceps"
I ask, "Which ones?"  There are about 5 different kinds here.
"Anything" he yelled back.
So I handed them one that was close to me.  They were not happy with it.
THOSE, those type of surgeons are arrogant and they don't know what they want.  One guy yelled at me because he thought I gave him the wrong suture.  He didn't know what kind he used, but the RN knew.  This was when I first started working and after a while you get to memorize the steps and know to give them what they want before he asked.  I have reached that point in my hand surgery rotation.
I am no an adrenaline junky, if I know all my instruments, and I know what he is asking for and I am ready then I say, "Bring it on!"  As my professor said, "You KNOW what you KNOW."  They can't argue with you no matter what.
I saw pictures of a friend at a hospital in the OR and made me miss the OR.  Then again, I don't miss the yelling.  I do miss working at a dermatologist medical office.

Monday, March 26, 2012

First Day of Spring Break

I got three things done.  I went to an appointment, took a nap and did laundry.  I just now need to fold the laundry.  I still have the to do list on the back of my mind.  I also wanted to take the kids to the park, but it got cold.  In the 40's type of cold.  I am not complaining since I like, no I love the cold weather.  Last week was torture for me.  It was nice in the 70's to 80's.  I like 60's better.  I can open the windows have a breeze, the bugs are non existent,  and I can hear the birds outside.  I hope Tuesday will be a better day of getting things done.
Since it's cool outside, it's probably in the 60's in the house.   I didn't make Butter Braid.  http://www.butterbraid.com/  And OH.MY.GOODNESS.  Those things should be on the naughty list.  My daughter's school always have the fundraisers for them and each year I ignored them.  Finally, this time my husband and I thought we would try them.  We got two- Apple and Cream Cheese.  They had other flavors too Almond Creme, Cherry (not a fan but he is) Raspberry, and something else?  We got two and it takes 10 hrs or so to "make" them.  I had to let it sit, thaw and rise for 8-10 hours and baked for 27 minutes.  They were SO good!  Flaky and very buttery.  I had to text my friend Angela, because she also ordered and she never tried them.  OMG was my text.  Then I went on telling her how good it was.  A day later, she text me and she also said OMG.  Good thing we didn't order more or we would be in trouble.   I have the Cream Cheese in the freezer and I am for once waiting for a warmer weather so I can let the Butter Braid, sit, thaw and rise.  Then I can sit, eat, and drink coffee and read a book while I eat them.  If you find one selling them, order 1 or 2 maybe 3 for yourself and I promise you - you won't be sorry.  Your family will love you and if you give them as gifts your friends will love you.  They will also hate you too for making them love them and they want more of it.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Spring Break

Spring Break for my first grader is here.  I am excited like a little school girl.  I don't have to get up early.  I can sleep in late.  I can start on my to do list.  For some reason, I am up early or earlier I guess my internal clock doesn't know it's Spring Break.  I can stay up late and so can the kids, but I end up paying for it.  They are crabby in the morning and so am I.  We are off our "routine" and much harder to get back to it when school starts next week. In the mean time Spring is here.  Fresh new start, grasses are turning green, trees are coming to life, and windows are open to get fresh air.  I am just going to enjoy each minute in between keep the two kids busy, laundry, my to do list, sort out winter clothes, put away older clothes to save for younger sister, figure out how many clothes my older daughter have, put away my own stuff, and did I say keep the kids busy and maybe do practice writing?  Do some math, so she won't forget it?  Just thinking of all this I am tired.  I think I will sit for now and read a book.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Shrimp the easy way.

I am always looking up recipes on cook books, online, magazines and on TV.  I have a lot of Cookbooks, recipe cut outs, binders, and recipe holders.  I told you I have a lot of recipes.  This one I found on Pinterest.  I would like to give credit, but the link is not taking me back to the original post.  Their version is different from mine, but they gave me the idea of baking it on top of lemon slices.
They used butter, lemon and Italian seasonings.  I used less butter, the lemons and my choice of spices.  

I made it my own by using less butter and adding what ever spices I had.
I melted 1/2 stick of butter, and used 2 whole lemons and sliced thin it to cover the glass baking dish.
I put the shrimp on top and I left the tails on.  I used the EZ Peel Frozen Shrimp.  Then I sprinkled, garlic powder, garlic salt, Steak Seasonings- yes, steak Seasonings- Have you looked at the spices in this thing!?  Mrs Dash, the regular kind, Mrs Dash the lemon blend kind.  (The more lemon the better right?)  I also added crushed red pepper and for a good measure I squeezed the 4 lemon ends on top of this sucker.  Then I baked it at 375 for 15 minutes or so.

Let me tell you, it was good and none of the mess making shrimp in the pan?  Is it done?  Did I cook it too much?  Is it now rubbery?  I can see this will be a great party appetizer.

Here is the recipe that is my own.
1/2 cup melted butter

2-3 lemons sliced thin to cover the baking dish.
shrimps peel the skin and can leave the tail or take off
seasonings what ever you have, sprinkle  evenly over shrimp and lemon
squeeze the lemon ends before cooking or after...
bake at 375 for 15 minutes depending on your oven...you can always grab one to taste it.

You can say yummy after your tongue cooled off a bit......


Finally Doing It.

I've been thinking of starting a blog.  I've looked at books and blogs online and finally decided to do it.  I am taking the plunge.  I will share cooking, baking, couponing and what ever stuff I can think of.  I hope I will have readers.  Thanks for checking in as I start this adventure and join the trillion, well millions of bloggers out there.