Surf~N~Turf

EDIT TO SHRIMP RECIPE
The shrimp I bought for the Spicy Citrus Shrimp had been de-veined but not peeled. To achieve a richer, more intense flavoring, peel the shrimp before placing in the marinade. My shrimp was delicious ~ what shrimp isn’t?! ~ but I feel the marinade did not infuse the shrimp due to the peel. So, take a few minutes to peel the shrimp and you’ll be very happy at meal time. Adjust the seasoning and happy eating!

Today is Husband’s 35th birthday and to celebrate I made one of his favorite meals: pork tenderloin and green bean casserole. I also included two special treats: spicy shrimp and peanut butter pie.

Birthday Dinner Menu

• Spicy Citrus Grilled Shrimp
• Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Green Bean Casserole
• Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie

 

Now, before you get your panties in a wad, we are big fans of leftovers. Yes, there’s enough food here to feed at least six hungry adults. But rest assure, there won’t be a crumb left in a day or two.

In this post, I’m going to share my tips for enjoying this delicious meal with a milk allergy. That’s right, I’m allergic to dairy (cow’s milk) products ~ and considering I have not had any breakouts, we’re going to keep on keeping on without milk-laden delicacies I crave but can’t have.

Spicy Citrus Grilled Shrimp

Place one pound of extra-large shrimp (de-veined) in a large Ziploc plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the juice of one orange, one lemon, and one lime. Add a tablespoon of hot chili sauce and a teaspoon of brown sugar. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into the mixture and stir. When combined, pour mixture over shrimp; then, seal the bag and place in the fridge.

Add shrimp to wooden skewers and place on grill. Shrimp are done when they’ve turned pink.

Wow, that was difficult. <insert sarcasm>

 Marinated Pork Tenderloin

In a large Ziploc plastic bag, combine a terriyaki glaze with olive oil and a variety of spices (i.e. paprika, garlic powder, etc.). Remove tenderloin from wrapper and rinse with cold water. Using a sharp knife, carefully “butterfly” the loins and place inside the Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the meat, seal the bag, and place in the fridge.

Place loins on pre-heated grill and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side, turning once and basting with reserve marinade.

Man, this is difficult stuff! <add more sarcasm> 

Green Bean Casserole

Now, for you pitiful souls that buy your green beans in a can from the grocery store, I’m sending my condolences to you and your belly. At my house, the green beans come from a Mason jar specially sealed by my Mom, Dad, Neenie (Dad’s mom), or my Aunt Cathleen (Dad’s sister) and the green beans come from my parent’s garden. That “pop” you hear when opening a jar is a kiss from Kentucky.

Admit it, you’re jealous………as you should be!!!

I prepare my green bean casserole in a three-step process. If you don’t want to get this complicated, do your own thing. If you are using canned green beans, you might want to start this at least a half-day ahead so you can “infuse” those puppies with some love and seasonin’. God knows they need it.

Remember, when I say I’m using butter or milk in my recipes it is soy-based. I prefer Smart Balance Light butter made with olive oil and Silk Light regular soy milk, both are milk-free.

In a large stock pot, add two quarts (or four regular cans) of green beans. I like a mixture of Kentucky Wonders and Blue Lake. If you’re using canned beans, drain the can juice ~ yuck! ~ and add fresh water. Otherwise, use the juice in the Mason jar. Add a heaping tablespoon of bacon grease (a staple in EVERY country woman’s fridge) and several chunks of onion for extra home-cooked flavoring. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes…..MUCH longer if you’re using that store-bought crap.

Preheat oven to 300.

Drain the cooking liquid from the pot of green beans. Set aside but keep covered. In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt two tablespoons of butter and 1/3 cup of flour. Let the flour sit there for several minutes and soak up the butter. Stir with a whisk and add two cups of milk. Season with salt and pepper. Once the mixture is thick, add the cream sauce to the green beans. Stir in one bag of French’s fried onions.

Coat the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in bean mixture and top with another bag of fried onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until onions are brown.

At this particular point, everything is cooked so I don’t want to “bake” ~ I simply want to get the onions browned. As soon as the crispy onions get a nice golden color, take it out of the oven.  

Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie

I was inspired by Cocoa and Cheese’s Easy Peanut Butter Pie ~ click here ~ but I made a few adjustments to suit Husband’s tastes and my milk allergy. I did not add the full cup of powdered sugar but I did add peanut butter for an intense flavor.

8 oz. Tofutti cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup Great Value (Wal-Mart brand) powdered sugar
1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
8 oz. Hill Country (H-E-B brand) dessert topping
Keebler Ready-Crust, graham cracker

Optional Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips
1 teaspoon Smart Balance Light “butter” made with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Silk Creamer, original flavor

 In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Slowly add dessert topping and powdered sugar, stopping at least twice to scrape the sides of the bowl. Pour mixture into graham cracker shell.

For glaze: add chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 15-30 second, or until melted. Stir in creamer. Drizzle over pie.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is one of the easiest PB pies I’ve made in a long time. I was uber-excited when I found a dessert topping ~ aka Cool Whip ~ made without milk. Thank you, H-E-B!

I got a little fancy with the chocolate glaze and placed it inside a small Ziploc bag, cut the tiny corner and drizzled it over the pie for a nice zig-zag pattern. For easy clean-up, put a sheet of parchment or wax paper underneath. I had enough chocolate sauce left for a big “K” in the middle, in honor of my Husband.

So there you have it. My really easy take on a Surf-N-Turf birthday dinner that Husband loves and I can safely eat. Believe me, you CANNOT taste the non-dairy-ness in either the casserole or the pie. In fact, that pie is damn good!!!! I’ve served this meal to some big ol’ country boys and they didn’t complain or question my ingredients. Plus, they all went back for seconds and some had thirds. Bunch of pigs!

Enough blogging already, I want another piece of pie!!!!