Bean's Blog Recipe Book - Volume 3

We are back again with another entrant to the Bean's Blog Recipe Series. Today we got One recipe that was brand new to me and learned on the fly, one quick and easy dinner for Mexican night, one that we've been making weekly for almost a month straight, and one staple for a hungover Sunday. Don't have exact measurements for these recipes -- I kinda just eyeball the seasonings when I cook -- but will give all the ingredients and times/temperatures we used below!

Shrimp Fried Rice (With Homemade Crab Rangoons)

This was an ambitious choice on my part -- the fried rice quite literally could not be more simple, the crab rangoons quite literally could not have been more time-consuming/tedious. So I would recommend just getting Goons for $7 at the local Chinese joint -- but if you're feeling crazy, I'll give you the process below.

Ingredients:

Fried Rice

• Shrimp -- we used frozen peeled/deveined/tails-off, thawed before

• Rice -- used about 2 cups

• Frozen Veggies -- Peas, Carrots, Corn, whatever you like and can find in the freezer section

• Onion -- I used half an onion, diced

• 2 Eggs

• Soy Sauce

• Yum Yum Sauce

Steps:

Ideal way to cook fried rice is with a griddle or on a Blackstone/flat-top grill -- if you don't have one, you can use a big pan as well. Just makes it easier to mix everything together on a griddle.

1. Cook your Rice a day before if possible -- this lets the rice get sticky and drier/firmer, won't be so mushy when you cook it. If you can't the day before, cook it in the morning, put it in Tupperware tightly packed, and stick it in the fridge all day until you're ready to go.

2. Cook your Shrimp -- I tossed these in a Ziploc w/ Soy Sauce, Olive oil, salt and pepper for about an hour before cooking. 90-120 seconds each side on Medium-heat -- get a nicer sear on them.

3. Start your onion -- medium heat, oil in pan/on griddle, throw the diced onion down and cook for a couple minutes until it's translucent/softened.

4. Add your Frozen Veggies -- toss in the frozen veg, still on medium heat, straight outta the bag, no need to thaw before. Should give the veggies a nice crunch.

5. Add your day-old Rice -- throw that rice in with the veggies when done. If on a griddle -- can move the veggies over, rice on one side, then mix them in together with your spatula/s. In a pan, just dump the rice in and start mixing.

6. Add some soy sauce -- Don't go too crazy, but you want that rice to take the brown color you see at a Hibachi restaurant -- lower the heat to medium-low.

7. Crack a couple eggs -- can pre-scramble them in a cup if you'd like. I just make a gap in the middle of the rice mixture, crack a couple eggs in the middle, and start mixing everything up as the eggs cook.

8. Top with shrimp/sauce -- I like to keep the shrimp separate from the rest, get a couple scoops of fried rice on your plate, top with shrimp and Yum Yum sauce.

Crab Rangoons

• Imitation Crab

• Cream cheese (need at least 2 blocks -- we used the 1/3 fat cream cheese)

  • Want the ratio to be more cream cheese than crab for sure

• Green onion

• Wonton Wrappers

• Soy Sauce

• Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder

Steps:

1. Dice up/shred your crab -- I just dice up the crab for ease, but if it easily shreds that works perfect too -- whatever you prefer. Add to a big mixing bowl when done.

2. Add softened cream cheese -- important to set your cream cheese blocks out for a while so it gets softened, much much easier to mix when it's not hard.

3. Add Green Onion -- chop up some green onion stalks, as much as you like, and add to the mixture.

4. Add soy sauce -- a few dashes of soy sauce to the mix will also help it mix easier and adds that traditional flavor.

5. Season the mixture -- this was a step I did not do well enough in my rangoons -- gotta season it well or it will be a very bland flavor.

6. Form your goons -- this is the time-consuming step. Get a little bowl with water, get a cutting board and lay out your first wonton wrapper. Scoop in a spoonful of the mixture, wet your fingers and wet the outer sides of the wrap. This will help the sides stick. I folded opposite corners together, then the other corners together. Google wrapping techniques if you wanna get fancy. Don't over stuff -- and you can use egg roll wrappers as a substitute for wontons.

7. Heat some oil -- I used a little pot and filled it up with oil about 2 inches deep. You can fill it up high so the rangoons fully immerse, I tried to go somewhat light on the oil. I have a hard time gauging the temperature of oil, but you don't want the oil too hot or the wontons will burn. 350 is the number I got from Google.

8. Drop in your goons -- They should only take a couple minutes, flip around, cook till they're golden brown.

Surf and Turf Fajitas

This was an easy week-night dinner that only takes about 30 minutes to put together -- so long as you take the time to prep early and marinate your meat/veggies. This is a cheat-code to cooking honestly -- saves you time on the back-end and makes things so much more flavorful.

Ingredients:

• Steak -- we used thinly-shaved Steak, the kind they use for a Philly Cheesesteak basically

• Shrimp -- used the same type as above, however much you like

• Queso -- I think a white queso is essential for fajitas, but can use any cheese you like

• Bell Peppers

• Onions

• Flour Tortillas -- can use corn if you prefer

• Sriracha Mayo -- super optional, I just love it on tacos

• Taco Seasoning Packet -- low sodium one from Aldi is what I used, or just use cumin/paprika/chili powder and it's very similar

Steps:

1. Prep your Veggies and Meat -- most important step in my mind. I thinly sliced bell peppers and onions first, put them in a ziploc bag with lots of olive oil, salt, pepper, and about half of that Taco seasoning packet. Put the thinly sliced steak in a ziploc with the other half of the taco seasoning and olive oil.

2. Get the Veggies rolling -- big pan or pot, oil in the pan, medium-high heat to start. Add the veggies, get nice sear marks on them at first and mix em around, then turn the heat down to medium-low and let them get softened/caramelized for about 20-30 minutes.

3. Cook the Steak -- when I turned the heat down on the veggies, I started the steak in a separate pan. Cooked them in batches to not overfill, medium-high heat just to get a quick sear and brown it up. Should only take a few minutes -- get it brown and remove, don't wanna overcook.

4. Cook your Shrimp -- very similar process, shrimp cook quick. I seasoned them with cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Can add it to your steak on the side.

5. Mix it up -- once your veggies are cooked as much as you like, turn the heat down to low and add in your steak and shrimp. You can keep everything separate, I went ahead and threw it all together.

6. Heat your tortillas -- you don't need to use tortillas at all, can just eat the fajitas plain, but I like to make tacos. Toss them in the microwave a few seconds or on a low heat pan.

7. Assemble -- I went with a few scoops of the meat/veggies mixture, topped with a few spoonfuls of white queso, then a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Perfection.

Sheet-Pan Sausage and Veggies

This is the easiest meal we've ever made that is delicious every time. You can customize it and use whatever you like best -- I'll give you a bunch of options in the ingredients list -- and is wildly simple. Just like the fajitas -- the key is doing your prep-work early. I do it during my lunch break, bag it up, then dinner is as simple as dumping them on a pan with parchment paper and tossing them in the oven. We like to serve Goodles on the side -- but this can be it's own full meal.

Ingredients:

• Smoked Sausage -- we've used Turkey sausage and Kielbasa, both rock

• Onions

• Bell Peppers

• Sweet Potatoes

• Broccoli

• Brussel Sprouts

  • The veggies you use are up to you -- we've used all the above on different occasions and enjoyed them all -- you could use asparagus for sure, cherry tomatoes, whatever you like.

• Olive oil, Hot Honey, Balsamic Glaze

Steps:

1. Prep your sausage -- prep is the most important step. I start by slicing the sausage into 1 inch/half-inch circles.

2. Prep your veggies -- for broccoli, just cut the trees from the trunk into manageable bites. Sprouts, cut off the stem and quarter or halve the bulbs. Sweet potatoes, I like to peel them then cut into real thin circles. Peppers/onions, I don't have a good strat full disclosure. Dealer's choice.

3. Marinate -- I typically separate the broccoli and sprouts into their own bag, marinate them in oil, paprika, salt/pepper, garlic and onion powder, balsamic glaze and hot honey. I like to put the onions, peppers, sweet potatoes, and the sausage in another bag with salt/pepper, paprika, garlic powder, lots of olive oil.

4. Parchment Paper on your pans -- You can do everything together if you have a big enough pan, but we do one pan for each bag. Parchment paper down on your pan for easy cleanup.

5. Dump your bags, spread it out -- the other reason we do 2 pans is so we can have space to spread things out, which helps everything cook better.

6. Put them in the oven -- I do 400 degrees on the oven, put each pan in and let them go for about 20 minutes. Then I'll take them out, mix everything up so it cooks even. Back in the oven for another 10-20 minutes, or until cooked to your desired crisp.

   1. Our pans don't fit on the same level, so I'll start the sausage pan on top rack and the broccoli/brussels on the bottom rack. After 20 minutes, I'll switch them and let the broccoli/brussels get crispy.

7. Serve with Balsamic/Hot Honey Drizzle -- once done, put a few scoops down on your plate, drizzle with Balsamic Glaze and Hot Honey. It looks so much better than the picture on Instagram/below when it's done -- those are the leftovers from last night.

Sunday Biscuits and Gravy

This is probably a simple one for most -- I'm not sure if this is common knowledge for most people, but it wasn't for me, so I figured I'd share my recipe to close things out. Because B&G is the best hungover breakfast known to man, and everyone should know how to make it.

Ingredients:

• Ground Sausage -- I like to use the Hot breakfast sausage, but use what you like

• Milk

• Flour

• Butter

• Seasonings -- salt, lots of pepper, paprika

• Can of biscuits -- whichever kind you like

Steps:

1. Brown your sausage -- medium heat, season with a little salt and pepper, brown up the sausage, drain the excess grease with a paper towel when done and turn the heat down to medium-low.

2. Add in some flour -- I'd say about 2 tablespoons + 1-2 teaspoons of flour. I like to do a tablespoon, mix and coat, another tbsp, mix and coat, repeat. Let the flour cook out for a couple minutes.

3. Add in some butter -- don't need a ton just a couple tablespoons maybe. Like I said, I'm an eyeball it kinda guy

4. Add in some milk -- I'd say anywhere from 2-3 cups of milk should do, I usually add in one cup and stir/mix, then another cup, then see how it looks.

5. Season and Stir often -- I go heavy with the pepper and add some paprika for color. keep stirring on medium-low (closer to low) until that gravy thickens up and is the right consistency.

6. Make your biscuits -- while the gravy's going, pop a can of biscuits and throw em' in the oven. Follow the tube's directions -- those fuckers know what they're talking about.

7. Slice a biscuit, top with gravy, Enjoy -- simple as that!

And that'll do it for this edition of Bean's Blog Recipe Book -- let me know if you give any of these (or previous) recipes a try and how they turn out!