Pan Fried Shrimp With Green Curry

Ingredients:
1 slice (1/4 inch thick) fresh ginger, peeled
3/4 c. plus 2 T. roasted cashews
1/3 c. plain low fat yogurt
1/4 c. cilantro leaves, packed
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. curry powder
1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 T. olive oil

Directions:
In a food processor, pulse the ginger until finely chopped. Add the 3/4 c. cashews; process until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add yogurt, cilantro, sugar and curry powder; season with salt. Process until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl; sprinkle with remaining cashews.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T. of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over med.-high heat. Add half the shrimp and cook until opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining tablespoon of oil and remaining shrimp. Serve the shrimp with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I love shrimp so this was kind of a no brainer for me. The curry sauce with it was good. I liked it. Blake just ate his shrimp plain and the kids ate rice.

Lentil Walnut Burgers With Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce

For the burgers:
3/4 c. lentils, picked over and rinsed
3/4 c. walnuts
1/3 c. plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
4 T. olive oil
1 large egg
4 hamburger buns

For the sauce:
3/4 c. plain yogurt
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 T. lemon juice
coarse salt and pepper

For the sauce:
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

For the burgers:
Preheat oven to 350.
Place the lentils in a small saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and cool.
Meanwhile, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven until fragrant and darkened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
In a food processor, combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper; process until finely ground. Add the lentils and 1 T. of the oil; pulse until coarsely chopped. (Some lentils should remain whole.)
In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4 inch thick patties.
Heat the remaining 3 T. oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the burgers; cook over medium low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently wit a thin edged spatula, 8-10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to drain. Serve on buns topped with yogurt sauce.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
At least once a week I try to make a meatless meal. Sometimes when I am picking out recipes I think to myself "They are not going to like this." Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised and sometimes I am right, they don't like it. I knew when I was making this I was going out on a limb. Blake is not the biggest fan of "non meat" made to act like a burger, and then I was throwing the nuts into it. For him that is insult on top of insult. Both of us thought that it was alright. Not great. Not horrible. I think I overcooked the lentils and I didn't like that it has a spice "dryness" to it. Canon on the other hand loved it.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 T. cornstarch
salt and pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
8 green onions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1 inch pieces
2 T. rice vinegar
3 T. hoisin sauce
3/4 c. cashews

Directions:
In a med. bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.
Heat 1 T. oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining oil and chicken to the skillet along with the garlic and the white parts of the onions. Cook tossing often, until the chicken is browned about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Add the vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add the hoisin sauce and 1/4 c. water; cook, tossing until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the green parts of the onions and cashews. Serve immediately over white rice.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
My kids thought they had died and gone to heaven. Who knew that they loved cashews so much? Blake and I both really liked this too...and not just because of the cashews.

Stuffed Squash with Sausage and Gruyere Cheese and Red Grape Waldorf Salad

For the squash:
2 acorn squash, about 1 lb. each
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. pork sausage
1/2 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. sherry
4 c. fresh spinach
1 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs
3/4 c. Gruyere cheese, shredded
balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. rubbed sage

For the salad:
1 c. red grapes
1/2 c. celery, sliced thinly
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped, toasted
1/4 c. sour cream
2 t. honey
1/2 t. lemon juice
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.
Slice each squash in half horizontally; scoop out the seeds. Cut a thin slice off of the bottom of each half to allow squash to sit flat.
Drizzle squash flesh with oil; sprinkle with salt. Place squash halves on a baking sheet, flesh side down. Roast squash 15 minutes. Flip squash and roast 10 minutes more, until the flesh is tender and the edges begin to brown and caramelize. Remove squash from oven. Heat broiler to high and place an oven rack 2 inches below broiler.
Heat 1 T. oil in a skillet. Add sausage to the skillet.
Saute sausage, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon, sprinkle sage over meat and cook until meat is browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Add onion and cook until onion is translucent about 3 minutes.
Deglaze with sherry; simmer mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Add spinach to skillet; stir and toss until spinach leaves are wilted, 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in bread crumbs and 1/2 c. of the Gruyere.
Scoop 1 c. of the sausage mixture into each squash half.
Sprinkle remaining Gruyere over sausage mixture. Return stuffed squash to the baking sheet.
Broil until Gruyere melts, 2-3 minutes. Remove squash from oven and drizzle balsamic vinegar lightly over each squash half.

For the salad:
Combine grapes, celery, and walnuts in a bowl. Whisk together sour cream, honey, lemon juice, and salt. Toss with grape mixture.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
Blake thinks I am crazy making him try all these things with squash. But he didn't think I was crazy once he tasted it. It is so good. We even ate it the next day. My squash took longer to cook than the directions say. I would just test the squash with a fork to see if it is tender in the thickest part. I think mine could have cooked a little longer but they were still good. Acorn squash doesn't have a ton of flavor. I would almost liken it unto a potato. So don't be a hater. Try it. The salad reminds me of family reunions when I was little. It made me happy.