BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP

Make this tasty appetizer for your family or friends. The addition of a thin jalapeño strip add a little kick but you can definitely leave it out. The bacon and the garlic infused melted butter are super delicious.

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, butterflied, and tails left on
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and cut into 12 thin strips, optional

6 bacon slices, I used applewood bacon

6 T unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce

12 toothpicks, soaked in water for a couple of hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the shrimp and jalapeño and set aside.

Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and fitted with a rack and bake in the oven for 6 to 7 minutes, just to partially cook, render some of the fat, but not crisp up.

Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
When cool, cut bacon in half, crosswise.

Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt on the stove.
Add the pressed garlic and a couple of dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Season with salt and pepper and very slowly simmer for 30 seconds to infuse the garlic.

Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees F.

Open shrimp and place a strip of jalapeño inside and then wrap a half bacon strip around shrimp and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Place on the same baking sheet lined with foil and fitted with a rack and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until bacon is brown and crisp.

Serves 4 

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE

Grilled Chicken Mole is delicious served with Mexican Coleslaw and guacamole. You can also serve it with Spanish rice. Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers. Guajillo chiles are dried mirasol chiles. . .both are delicious with chicken.

1 whole chicken, cut in half lengthwise and patted dry

Dry Rub

2 t of your favorite chile powder

2 t granulated garlic

½ t sea salt

½ t fine ground black pepper

1 t ground cumin

1 t onion powder

¼ t ground cinnamon

Place chicken on a platter and rub with the Dry Rub ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Mole Sauce

1 dried ancho or guajillo chile, chopped, stems and seeds discarded

1 T avocado oil

½ medium yellow onion, chopped
1  jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

3 T semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 t New Mexican chile powder
1 t ground ginger
½ t ground cinnamon
2 T tomato paste
2 to 3 chipotle peppers with sauce (freeze the rest)

½ t sea salt
½ t ground black pepper

½ cup toasted sliced almonds

½ cup chicken stock

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Place the chopped chile into a small bowl with ½ cup boiling water and set aside to rehydrate.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and jalapeno and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the chocolate and dry chile pepper.  Simmer 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and add the chocolate and stir until melted. Spoon mixture into a blender and add the chile and chile water.  Puree until smooth.

In a charcoal barbecue grill with some mesquite wood, grill chicken directly over coals for 2 minutes, to get grill marks. Move to the cooler side of the grill and cook 6 minutes on each side. 

Brush chicken some of the Mole Sauce and grill another 2 minutes on each side.

Pour the rest of the mole sauce into a bowl and sprinkle chicken with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4 

CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, & CABBAGE STIR-FRY

Here is another quick chicken stir-fry dinner. If you don't like broccoli, add snow peas instead.

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 boneless chicken breasts

Sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup chicken broth

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

¼ cup dry sherry

2 T rice vinegar
t toasted sesame oil

1 T cornstarch

2 T avocado or coconut oil

½ savoy cabbage, shredded (or any green cabbage)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Pinch red pepper flakes

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 T toasted sesame seeds

In a wok or large skillet, add about ½ cup water and bring to a gentle boil.

Cook the broccoli florets until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove to a bowl and pour out the water; saving the wok or skillet.

Thinly slice the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, soy, sherry, vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

In the same wok or large skillet, heat half of the oil and stir fry the chicken until lightly brown on each side.

Remove to a platter and set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil and stir-fry the cabbage, onion, celery, and bell pepper for 3 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry another minute or two.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the soy sauce mixture.

Cook another 2 or 3 minutes and serve over cooked rice or noodles.
Top sesame seeds.

Serves 2 to 4