Author: Sheridan

Bilingual foodie who finds life in creating dishes from all over the world. Food doesn't have to be expensive to be delicious!

King Crab Fried Rice

Living in Portland has been a culture shock for this beach bae. Missing Southern California with sun and seafood and moving to rain and what I thought would be a seafood city, ended up being a small batch beer and wine destination (not complaining).

I’ve been craving seafood but being that the seasons in Oregon are REAL, I wanted to mix it up with a “winter twist” with my veggies choices. Let’s get started shall we?

Ingredients:

  • Cooked basmati rice (cooled/ cold)
  • 1-1.5lbs of king crab per person
  • Unsalted butter
  • Button mushrooms (minced)
  • Spinach (finely chopped)
  • Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning
  • Garlic (minced)
  • Lemon
  • Chinese 5 spice
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Cracked black pepper

Directions:

  • In a large frying pan melt half a stick of butter. Add in your chopped fresh spinach and minced mushrooms. Lightly sauté for 1-2 min. Then add in your cooked rice.
  • Add your Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning, a tablespoon of minced garlic and Chinese 5 spice.
  • Toss lightly and consistently for about 2-3 min at high heat to get the rice toasty but not burnt.
  • You can add in crab meat chunks here or wait till the end, let’s be honest, I’m greedy so I did both.
  • Using scissors I cut the legs horizontally and removed the top side of the shell. With the Parmesan mixed in the butter lightly brush the legs and place them on the grill with Chinese 5 spice and cracked black pepper to taste. (or in the oven to be baked at 350 for 15min).
  • Remove the crab. Plate your rice and place your legs on top. Shell provides more presentation and taking them out just means your about your foodie business.

A super simple and delectable plate to show off to friends, your beaux, or prep for a nice dinner for one. Feel free to add more veggies or twist it and make it your own! It’s worth it, trust me!

Rubio’s Copycat: [Baja Shrimp Tacos]

Nothing like mixing the flavors from Baja California right inside the comfort of your kitchen. Take a quick trip to the store and a even quicker amount of time in the kitchen for these poolside tacos and enjoy them at the dinner table (or on the couch). I promise I won’t tell.

Ingredients:

  • Corn tortillas
  • Raw large deveined shrimp (4 per taco)
  • Half head of cabbage
  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • 2 limes
  • Cilantro
  • 1/4 white onion
  • Cotija cheese
  • Sour cream
  • EVOO, black pepper, sea salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder.

Instructions:

  1. In a mixing bowl place your peeled and deveined shrimp and season them with cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika and the juice of half a lime and mix thoroughly. Season to taste or about 1/2 a teaspoon each
  2. In a sauté pan heat olive oil on medium heat. Once the pan is warmed place your shrimp spread evenly and let them cook evenly on both sides. Once done remove from heat.
  3. In the same pan with the drippings from the shrimp, add more EVOO and let that get warmed up. Add in your tortillas and let them cook in the same pan.
  4. For the slaw: cut thin long strips of cabbage and place in a bowl with diced tomatoes, white onion, cilantro the other half of lime (juice only) and sour cream. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Let refrigerate.
  5. To build your tacos grab a sauteed tortilla, place shrimp inside and top with slaw. For extra love add Cotija cheese and avocado for the perfect crunchy and creamy combo that will take you straight to Baja California. Plane ticket not included.

Surf + Turf Mexican Caesar Salad

Summer is here and yup, as you know it California (and the entire world) is open and closed at the same damn time. Masks are mandatory but some people are fighting against wearing them while black people are fighting for civil rights with a mask on. Mexican Kids are living in cages with a lock on and justice hasn’t been served for black and brown men and women alike. The irony of 2020 just keeps surprising me… enough to get me HOT and beyond bothered.

I’m doing my best to take mental breaks from the news and social media and take care of me. Write emails instead of Instagram posts or tweets and use my mouth and energy for a good cause. Be the change. Keep the faith. Spread love, awareness and educate. All while not forgetting to drink water, cool down and breathe. Its too hot outside to be hot inside so do it with me: In through the nose… Out through the mouth (repeat 3x).

Another way to cool down is to avoid the stove and turning on the oven as much as possible during the summer. We all don’t have A.C.

So this quick one pan surf and turf medley is all you need to top your Mexican Caesar. Let’s get right to it shall we?

Ingredients:

  • 6 shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • Small boneless Ribeye or Filet Mignon diced
  • 1/3 orange, green and red pepper julienned
  • 1/6 yellow onion julienned
  • 1 lime (for juice) or 2 tablespoon lime juice*
  • 4 white crimini mushrooms halved
  • 1 small avocado
  • 1//2 cup pepita seeds
  • Spring lettuce mix, can add kale and purple cabbage optional
  • Caesar dressing
  • Cotija Cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • EVOO (to drizzle your pan
  • Spices: tspn cumin, tspn garlic powder, tspn smoked paprika, salt, black pepper.

Surf & Turf Sauté

  1. Heat an oiled pan and drop in your diced steak to brown for 5 min flipping to brown and sear all sides.
  2. Drop in your bell peppers and onions and add in your spices and lime juice. Wait about two minutes tossing around and mixing ingredients. Add in your shrimp and mushrooms tossing for about another 2 min then add in 1/2 cup of water, mix and cover for another 2 min.
  3. Uncover and let cool, most water should be evaporated and leave you with a nice fajita coating.

Mexican Caesar Salad

  1. I’m a mixing bowl add 1 small avocado (if large use half), a creamy Caesar dressing, lime juice, a few punches black pepper, salt and chopped cilantro. Whisk ingredients together until its smooth throughout. No chunks.
  2. Pour over dressing or toss with your salad mix and don’t forget to add crumbled Cotija cheese and pepita seeds for the finishing touches.
  3. Add some extra cilantro or black pepper if desired.

Taste so good! Makes you want to slap yo mama!

(RIP John Witherspoon)

Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Ceviche

2020’s Cinco de Mayo could’ve been epic. Falling on a taco Tuesday during a pandemic labeled the “corona virus”, how perfectly orchestrated and ironic. We all had to stay in amongst virtual happy hours and yet another Netflix and chill evening. During this beautiful warm day in LA, I wanted to enjoy it. Instead of cooking all day, I wanted to let IT do the cooking. The perfect answer: ceviche.

The acidity of the limes (citrus) is what cooks the tender shrimp in it’s own juices. So that’s how you get that done and let me tell you, sweat free. The flavors of the pineapple are sweet, cucumber are cool, jalapeños are spicy and the classic combo of onions, tomatoes and cilantro: Mexican trinity. Let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

  • 1.5lb of peeled shrimp (preferably tiger shrimp)
  • 10-15 limes (depending on size and juiciness)
  • 3 roma tomatoes
  • 1 white (or purple) onion
  • 1 bushels of cilantro
  • Pineapple 8-10oz crushed
  • 2 medium cucumbers
  • Spices: sea salt & Tajin
  • 2 fresh Jalapeños (1 seeded)

Instructions:

  • Cut each of you shrimp into small 1/3-1/2 inch pieces. Rinse and add alone into a low half pan (1/2 lasagna pan)
  • Cut your limes in half and juice them into the pan. This will allow your shrimp to start cooking as you chop up your vegetables.
  • Add in all your veggies diced down adding 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and a few shakes of Tajin then mix together.
  • Cover and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours mixing occasionally every 30-45 min.
  • Bake some tortilla chips on a baking sheet using white corn tortillas raw cut into sixths. Tossed in a light amount of olive oil and a few sprinkles of sea salt. Bake at preheated 350 degrees for 10 min then flip over for another 3 min and remove from oven to cool. Enjoy with some hot sauce for extra satisfaction.

‘Impossible’ Impasta Bowls

During this quarantine I’ve realized I got a little too comfortable with my “walks to the fridge” adding some extra pounds diving into chip bags and biting into hefty sandwiches. Loungewear has become the new everyday attire and the enabling elastic waistband does not judge when you’re stuffing your mouth with ice cream and fries lol but I’ll digress. Time to take matters into my own hands and get back to what I know worked for me!

Vegan diet is a safe and healthy way to lose weight by doing minimal work. Full of fruits veggies and vitamins that your body needs in general. I felt great. When I ate I was full but not with a bulging stomach and I had much more energy. I’m not perfect so I cheated at times but I tried to stick to seafood if I wanted “meat”. So I wanted to kick this off with one of my favorite dishes to make, everyone loves spaghetti! Let’s dive right in shall we?

Ingredients:

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 1lb Impossible meat
  • Tomato sauce (canned spaghetti sauce)
  • SPICES: Italian blend, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, sea salt, crushed red pepper, McCormicks steak and chop seasoning, smoked paprika.

Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 375. Cut your squash in half and season with paprika, salt, pepper and a generous amount of olive oil. Lay flays open face side down and bake for 15min. After 15 min flip the halves over. Finish baking for another 15 min. Remove your seeds in the center before shredding your squash with a fork.

Once you shred your squash. It’ll look like this.

  • Now for the impossible beef. Brown your meat on a pan and add salt, pepper, steak and chop, paprika, Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. 4-5 shakes will do the job, lol. Add in your pasta sauce and let it simmer.
  • Use the spaghetti squash as it’s own bowl or you can remove it and plate it. However you like. Garnish with parsley and cherry tomatoes and voila, vegan dinner is served. It’s possible! Enjoy street team! Let me know what other things you’d throw in some spaghetti squash. 😊

Hibachi at Home

Postmates, UberEats, Eat24, the fees and prices and WHEW CHILE the wait times! This day I just couldn’t take it. In 95min (my minimum delivery wait time for Benihana lunch) I could’ve grocery shopped, cooked and ate with more than over 50% in savings and spare me 30min to make with leftovers included! So let me share my recipe with y’all. Great idea for a date night at home with bae or kitchen fun with the kids. Let’s dive in shall we?

Ingredients:

  • Chicken (3 thin sliced breast fillets)
  • Steak (1-2 filet mignon or a boneless smaller cut steak)
  • Cooked white rice (3cups)
  • 2eggs
  • Frozen peas and carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1/6 chopped white onion
  • 1 zuchini
  • 5 sliced white or bella mushrooms
  • 1 stick of butter
  • SPICES: ginger powder, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sea salt, garlic pepper.

Directions:

Let’s start with the rice. This is the lengthiest process but nothing takes long for this dish so be prepared to eat soon, don’t have to wait for the onion volcano or choo-choo train.

  1. In a heated wide & flat pan, add in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and finely chopped white onion. Then add in 1 thin sliced & DICED chicken breast filet. Toss and brown.
  2. Add in the 3-4 cups of cooked rice, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4-1/3 cup of soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Toss to make sure the rice is coated with all ingredients.
  3. Add frozen peas and carrots and a few shakes of sesame seeds.
  4. You may/ can add more sesame oil to make the rice even crispier. The key if you don’t have a wok pan is to make sure you’re repeatedly tossing the rice don’t let it sit too long or it’ll turn into a crunch when it’s sitting long on the pans surface.
  5. Move your fried rice over and crack two eggs on the empty side. Let scramble and mix well with your rice. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
  6. Warm two other pans. One for veggies and one for meat. The meat was pre-seasoned with garlic pepper, sea salt and ginger powder.
  7. For the veggies: cut 1/6 of the onion and keep the pieces fairly large chunks or into strips. Brown onions in pan with 1 tablespoon butter. While that’s browning. Cut zucchini the long way into fourths. The cut each strip into 1 inch pieces. Add zucchini and chopped mushrooms to your caramelized onions and toss on medium heat. Add dashes of garlic pepper and sea salt. Should be done in no more then 10 min.
  8. For the meat: I used a flat sesame oiled cast iron skillet. Make sure it’s warmed and ready before adding your meat to the pan (major key). Drop in your meat. Let it sizzle and cook on one side. For chicken 3-4 min each side (it’s thin) for the steak 5-7 min depending on how thick the cut is for medium/medium rare temperature. After the initial side is cooked flip to the other raw side and add a teaspoon of butter to the pan near the chicken or steak. Retains juiciness and moisture. Remove from heat and let rest for about 3min then proceed to bust out your killer (please be safe) knife skills (just cut strips) lol.
  9. Garnish with sesame seeds, sriracha sauce or green onions annnnd you did it! All under 10 steps and you’re ready for a $100 hibachi dinner, just watch out where you throw that spatula! 😂