Recipe Review from 3/12/2017

Shipping season supposedly opened this week - I've seen the ice breaker out, but no ships yet.   Pup went to the groomers (I failed with my English Setter with some basic grooming, trying to do better with the Springer) and had his feathering taken off in anticipation of Mud Season (ah, the joys of living in the country).  He looks a bit...nekkid...now.  Still getting used to that.  And other than that, a rather uneventful week with temps moving into the 40's.  Yay!

The Meal Plan from week of 3/12
Sat (L)  out    (S)  leftovers...
Sun (L) Chili   (S)  Hawaiian shrimp
Mon (yoga)  leftover hawaiian shrimp
Tues - Curried Tofu
Wed - Curried tofu
Thurs (yoga)  Birds and Brews
Fri - Brats and a side


Sheet Pan Hawaiian Shrimp (Ckng Lght, March 2018) gluten free*
I've been intrigued by sheet pan suppers the past several months and this is a continuation of that.  These are a bit more involved than previous recipes I've posted, the theory being that ingredients don't cook at the same rate, so you want to add them in stages.  So you have the simplicity of everything cooking on one pan, but, you have to watch times and add additional ingredients. 

This wasn't oo involved when all was chopped and cooked.  I am SUPER excited that my grocery store now carries pre-cooked rice!  I thought I was going to have to pre-cook some, but lo!  There it was!  And, I made this as written, with the teeny exception that I added some mushrooms I had in the fridge. 

End result?  I would totally make this again.  This made enough for 2 of us, for 2 dinners.  Recommended.   

photo from cookinglight.com

2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked jasmine rice
3 tablespoons canola oil2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (about 8 oz.)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 1/4 pounds raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce*
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves  (I skipped)

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven (do not remove pan while oven preheats).

Step 2

Place rice and oil in a bowl. Using your fingers, break apart rice and coat with oil. Carefully remove pan from oven; spread rice mixture in an even layer in center of pan. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes; stir. Top rice with pineapple and bell pepper; bake at 450°F for 5 minutes. Arrange shrimp over rice mixture; bake at 450°F until shrimp are done, about 6 minutes.

Step 3

Place soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 45 seconds. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Drizzle over pan. Add black pepper; toss. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Sheet Pan Curried Tofu With Vegetables  (Ckng Lght, March 2018)  gluten free

This was the second sheet pan dish I made this past week, and my comments from above apply - a tich putzy with the staggered cooking times.  But I need to remind myself that while I'm waiting to add the next thing, I was cleaning up the kitchen, setting the table, and enjoying a glass of wine.  

I also made  this pretty much as written, omitting the cashews and pomegranate seeds - both seemed a tich unnecessary, and my store doesn't carry pomegranates right now.  I did splurge on fresh mint and I'm very glad I did - it added a flavor POP!  that really pulled the dish together.  Don't skip the fresh mint if at all possible. 

Oh, I almost forgot - The Husband doesn't like cauliflower, so I added 8oz of chopped broccoli to the dish in addition to the cauliflower.  I'm glad I did because it helped to extend the dish a bit more and we each got a veggie we liked. 

Recommended! 

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes
1 (14-oz.) pkg. extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

photo from cookinglight.com

4 teaspoons red curry powder or Madras curry powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Cooking spray
8 ounces fresh cauliflower florets
1/3 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped unsalted cashews
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Step 1

Preheat oven to 500°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven (do not remove pan while oven preheats).

Step 2

Combine potatoes, tofu, 2 tablespoons oil, curry powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl; toss to coat. Carefully remove pan from oven. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer on pan; bake at 500°F for 10 minutes, stirring once after 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cauliflower to pan; toss gently to combine. Bake at 500°F until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven.

Step 3

Whisk together remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, yogurt, and juice in a small bowl. Drizzle yogurt mixture evenly over tofu mixture. Sprinkle with mint, cashews, and pomegranate arils.