CLICK Photo Contest - March - Metal

Contest Entry

Here's my very first submission for the monthly CLICK food photography contest. This month's theme is METAL. You'll find more info about the contest here:

http://jugalbandi.info/2008/02/click-march-2008-the-theme-is/

This is a shot of my new spice rack. I thought is would be a good subject for this month because of the way the colors of the spices contrast with the metal of the rack.

I took it using my Nikon D50 DSLR and the 18-55mm Nikkor lens.

The photo below is just another shot that I thought was pretty neat. It shows the spice rack in motion...

Twice-Baked Potatoes

***I got this recipe from my dad....he's such a great cook!***

Ingredients:
3 large Russet potatoes
3-4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded; plus more for garnishing
1/2 cup sour cream
4 scallions, chopped
4 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and finely chopped (you can also use Bac-Os)

***Also, none of these ingredients are exact measurements. I just eyeball most things like this. So, please feel free to play around with the amounts.***

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place potatoes in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for approximately 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Carefully cut each potato in half....be careful, they will be hot! This is the tricky part - Scoop out the potato from each half, making a bowl or shell out of the skin. Be careful not to scoop too close to the skin...this will make the shell too weak. Place the scooped portions into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. Add butter, sour cream, and cheese; stir until well combined and butter is melted. Next, add scallions and bacon pieces. Stir again.

Now, spoon a heaping amount of the potato mixture back into each potato skin shell. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the tops of the potatoes just begin to become golden brown and potatoes are heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with more shredded cheese. Place back into the oven just until cheese is melted.

Serve hot!

Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce

***Here's another wonderful recipe from Paula Deen. I was craving coconut shrimp, and I saw her make these recently on "Paula's Home Cooking." I got started in the kitchen pretty late last night, but these were totally worth it. The orange marmalade dipping sauce was the perfect addition. The red pepper flakes added just the right amount of heat.***

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup orange marmalade

4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Shrimp:

Peanut oil, for frying

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup water

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:
Add all dipping sauce ingredients to a pot on a low temperature. Heat for 10 minutes, making sure you stir ingredients every few minutes.

In a large, heavy pot, heat 2-inches of the peanut oil to 325 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes.

In a wide, shallow bowl, toss the coconut and bread crumbs together. Put the shrimp into the batter. Remove the shrimp, 1 at a time, and dredge in the coconut mixture, pressing to help the coconut adhere. Fry the shrimp in batches in the hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Serve the shrimp with the dipping sauce.

Source: Paula Deen - www.foodnetwork.com

Baked Pita Chips

*** These are SO incredibly simple to make, and they're very good....almost like mini pizzas, hah. You can alter this recipe to make as many servings as you need! I served them as a side to the Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken & Herbs posted below, so we only ate 3 pita chips each.***

Ingredients:
1 large piece of pita bread
1 - 2 cups mozzarella or cheddar cheese, shredded
Dried oregano

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut pita bread into 6 triangular-shaped pieces. Place pieces on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and oregano.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until pita chips are crispy and cheese is melted.

Voila!

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken & Herbs

***A few nights ago, I was trying to come up with something to eat, and this is what we had. It was one of those nights where I had to take stock of the pantry and use my imagination. It actually came out really yummy...we had the left-overs the next night. I served this dish with baked pita chips sprinkled with cheese and oregano (I'll post those later!). I'm excited that I'm finally getting to the point where I don't have to really follow a particular recipe. I can just get in the kitchen and be creative!***

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, E.V.O.O.
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 pound angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. dried parsley

2 tbsp. dried oregano

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in an oven-proof baking dish. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt & pepper. Bake chicken for 40 - 45 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.

Drizzle remaining EVOO in a large skillet, and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 15 - 20 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Pour 3 ladlefuls of the pasta cooking water into the cooked onions and stir. Drain the pasta and add to the onions. Add the cheese, parsley, oregano and chicken, then season with pepper and toss.

Voila!