I owe my blog a few recipes from this past week, and I am here to deliver them (finally).  I forgot to take pictures for this round, so we'll just have to use our imaginations.

Blueberry Breakfast Grilled Cheese:  I loved this!  It was super easy to make, and was very delicious.  I wouldn't alter this a bit.  The recipe below is good for two sandwiches, and would probably be even better when served with a side of hash-browns and scrambled eggs (be your own IHOP).  I could make this every weekend.                                                                                5 out of 5

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells w/ Sage Browned Butter:  I had high hopes for this because I really love butternut squash, and unlike most recipes this did not call for the squash to be sweetened; something I am not a fan of.  When everything was said and done my kitchen looked like a disaster, the shells were not that great, and I was left with so many left overs, even after cutting this in fourths.  The flavors seemed to battle with each other, and the shell stuffing had a gritty texture to it.  It wasn't awful, it's just not worth the mess and I won't ever make this again.                                        2 out of 5

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice:  The stuffed shells were not that great, but this was the star of the night.  The cauliflower was cooked just right and had a great flavor.  This will be something I will make on a regular basis.                                                    4 out of 5

Broccoli, Ham, and Cheddar Quiche with a Brown rice Crust:  This was adequate.  The quiche itself was not bad, but I did not particularly care for the crust.  I thought this would be a nice, healthier alternative, but it was just so flavorless and had the texture of baked cardboard.  I would make the quiche again but use a regular pie crust.                                                                                    2 out of 5

Now, recipe time .....


Blueberry Breakfast Grilled Cheese:
                       Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup blueberries (frozen will work, just make sure they are thawed)

                         Instructions

1. Mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
3. Butter two slices of bread on only one side per slice.  Stick the buttered slices together.  On an unbuttered slice, spread half of the cream cheese mixture.
4. Pull the bread apart and stick the slice with the cream cheese mixture, buttered side down, into the skillet.  Place blueberries on top of the cream cheese, and top with the other slice of bread, buttered side up.
5. Cook on one side for 5 minutes, flip, and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
6. Remove for the skillet and top with powdered sugar and blueberries.  Slice and serve.

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells w/ Sage Browned Butter
                                Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz package jumbo pasta shells (about 20-24)
• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup packed fresh spinach (chop after measuring)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• zest and juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves

                                  Instructions

1. Preheat oven yo 425 degrees F.  
2. Peel the butternut squash and chop the flesh into cubes.  Toss the cubed squash in 1-2 tbsp olive oil and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the squash is fork tender.  
3. Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package
4. Scrape the warm squash into a bowl and mash with a fork until smooth.  Let it cool to warm room temperature before using in the recipe.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
6. In a medium bowl combine the squash, ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, spinach, egg, salt, pepper, and fresh lemon zest.  Stir well.
7. Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the squash mixture and place them in a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking dish.  Depending on how you fill the shells, you may not use all of them.
8. Bake the shells for 18-20 minutes, until they are hot all the way through.
9. while the shells are baking prepare the brown butter sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter is golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.  Watch carefully as the butter can go from browned to burned in a short amount of time.
10. Add the sage leaves and cook until the leaves are crispy (the butter should be hot and bubbly when you add the leaves so that the sage cooks quickly).
11. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
12. Drizzle the sauce over the cooked shells and top with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.  

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower w/ Garlic & Lemon Juice:
                      Ingredients

• 5 to 6 cups cauliflower, about 1 inch in diameter (about 1 medium head)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• Chopped chives, for garnish

                        Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Place the cauliflower florets in a large pan.  Drizzle with the olive oil.
3. Season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan and chives.
6. Serve while warm.

Broccoli, Ham, & Cheddar Quiche w/ Brown Rice Crust:
                          Ingredients 

• 2 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup diced ham
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

                          Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix the rice, finely grated cheddar cheese, and one egg in a bowl.
3. Press the rice mixture into a pie plate, about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the edges and bottom just start turning golden brown.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
6. Mix the remaining eggs, milk, broccoli, ham, sharp cheddar, and green onions in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour the egg mixture onto the pie crust.
8. Bake until golden brown and set in the center, about 30-35 minutes.

Tonight was my first night of my cooking challenge; #5MillionDaysOfKitchenDisasters.  Tonight I decided on Bang Bang Shrimp, with Coconut Rice, and Roasted Cabbage Steaks.  I also made Beer Cheese Dip earlier in the day in preparation of tomorrow's game day.  I'm going to review each of these and give you some of my thoughts; take them for what they're worth.  Afterwards I'll give you the recipes for each of these.  

Bang bang Shrimp:  This was really good.  I'm glad that I didn't mix the shrimp into the sauce after it was fried though.  The sauce was very flavorful and spicy (which I like), but I am not a huge fan of Mayo, especially Mayo heavy sauces, and this was basically Sriracha Mayo.  Overall, I liked the shrimp and in the future I will probably try to find a different sauce to go with these little guys.  Though I do realize that this sauce is what makes it "Bang Bang".  This recipe was supposed to be just an appetizer, but I thought I'd turn it into a meal, and I think it worked out well.  I did not cut down the recipes, but I could of halfed it.                                                                                                   4 out of 5

Coconut Rice:  This was pretty decent.  It wasn't as coconuty (Is that a word?  If not, it is now.) as I would have liked.  I'll make this again at some other point, but when I do I'll replace the cup of water with an extra cup of coconut milk. Basically I'll boil the rice in pure coconut milk.  I'll also add more green onions and probably take out the ginger and lemon juice; they seemed pointless for this recipe.  I did like the use of coconut oil to help prevent the rice from sticking during the simmering process.  It was a brilliant!  Overall, this was a good call.  I cut the recipe in half, but I could have even quartered it.  That's definitely what I'll do next time.                                                                                    3 out of 5

Roasted Cabbage Steaks:  This was my favorite recipe of the night.  I was a little worried when they came out of the oven because the smaller pieces looked burned.  They were pretty brown (not burned) and these had a great flavor.  The cabbage was very tender and seasoned just perfectly for me.  This was super simple and will be a go to veggie dish in the future.  I used the smallest cabbage I could find, and I think it worked out well for me, as there were only a few left over.               5 out of 5

Beer Cheese Dip:  I only tasted this enough to make sure the flavors and the mixture were just right.  I added twice as much beer than what the recipe calls for to thin it down (it was really thick), and also to give it a bit more of a kick.  Based on what I tried I really liked it, but we'll see how it does after sitting overnight in the fridge.  I have high hopes for this.  I did not cut down this recipe.         4 out of 5

Now, time for the recipes .....

Bang Bang Shrimp:
                        Ingredients

• 1 lb. medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)

For the sauce (optional):

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4-5 tsp Sriracha
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

For the egg mixture:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup of milk

For the breading mixture:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried basil

For Frying:

• 8-12 cups vegetable oil

                            Instructions

1. Rinse, peel, and devein the shrimp.  Place on a paper towel, set aside, and let dry.
2. Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.  Cover and set aside.
3. Combine the beaten egg with the milk in a shallow bowl.  Cover and set aside.
4. Combine flour, panko, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in a second shallow bowl.  Cover and set aside.
5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Bread each shrimp by covering it in the breading mixture, dipping it in the egg mixture, and then back into the breading mixture.  Place them on the cookie sheet and place them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.  Letting them sit in the fridge will help the breading stick on the shrimp when they are frying.
7. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan to 350 degrees.  Use an appropriate amount of oil for your frying method/device.
8. Why the oil is hot, fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on a rack or paper towels.
9. (optional) When all the shrimp have been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl and spoon the sauce over the shrimp and stir gently to coat.

Coconut Rice:
                    Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1/2 inch sliver of ginger
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tbsp lemon
  
• Salt to taste

               
                  Instructions

1. Wash and clean the rice and leave it in the strainer.
2. Chop the green onions, and peel the ginger.  Place in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Pour the coconut milk, water, and coconut oil into a large pot.  Place the pot on the stove and heat it until the liquids boil.
4. Once the liquids are boiling, reduce heat, add the rice, green onions, and ginger.  Let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.
5. Add the lemon juice and salt.  Stir and serve.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks:
                               Ingredients 

• 1 head of green cabbage
• Non-stick cooking spray (or spray olive oil)
• Olive oil (to taste)
• Sea Salt (to taste)
  
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• Minced garlic (to taste)

                             Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse the cabbage and remove the top leaf.
3. Cut the cabbage head from top to bottom (bottom being the root) into 1" thick slices.
4. Coat a baking sheet with the cooking spray.
5. Place the cabbage slices onto the baking sheet.
6. Drizzle the desired amount of olive oil onto each cabbage slice.
7. Sprinkle the desired amount of salt and pepper onto each cabbage slice.
8. Cover each cabbage slice with the desired amount of minced garlic.
9. Roast on the middle rack for 30 minutes.  

Beer Cheese Dip:
                     Ingredients

• 2 - 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup beer
• 1 envelope of ranch dressing mix
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

                     Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, beer, and ranch packet until well blended.
2. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
3. If the mixture is too thick, add more beer until the desired consistency is reached.  
4. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Another Bonus: Beer Bread Mix
My father gave me this last year for Christmas and I'm just now getting around to making it.  It's a bread mix, so all I had to do was add some beer and butter, pop it in the oven, and it was good to go.  I didn't have any Budweiser on hand so I substituted with a beer from Montana called Moose Drool.  It worked out well for this.  The bread was delicious!  I normally make all my bread from scratch, but if I ever need a fun flavorful bread quickly (without buying a pre-made loaf) I would totally buy more of these and make them.  Two thumbs up for the fathers awesome and delicious gift!

The Absolute Sandman Volume 1
 The Absolute Sandman Volume 2