Dark Chocolate "Almond Joys"

Last night was my favorite night of the year. The annual Samuels family holiday party.

And oh what a holiday party it was.

As usual there was great food, great drinks and a ridiculous amount of singing and dancing.

I would like to point out that our holiday parties are never advertised as a party that you would dance at. But every year with out fail, at a certain point in the night a switch turns on and everyone starts singing into wooden spoons and paper towel holders and dancing like a crazed dance troop. Usually right after some sort of group shot.

The rest of my weekend is going to be spent recovering from all the fun and dancing and shots.

Part of my resting is making yummy things.

Like these little tasty suckers.

You will need…

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

8 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Pinch of salt

Roasted salted almonds

16 ounces good milk or dark chocolate, chopped

Start by combining the coconut, condensed milk and salt in a bowl. Make sure it is completely combined.

Pop it in the fridge and let it refrigerate for 20 minutes. Just till it is hard.

While the mixture is cooling, place a metal bowl in a large pot of gently boiling water and add in the chopped chocolate.

Use the double boiler to melt the chocolate until it is smooth.

After the coconut has cooled and hardened, remove it from the fridge and use your hands to roll coconut balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place and almond in the top of each ball, pressing it gently into the coconut.

Freeze the balls for 7 to 10 minutes.

When the chocolate is melted and the balls have been in the freezer, use 2 spoons to place the balls in the chocolate and roll them around until they are completely covered.

Place them back on the sheet and allow the chocolate to harden.

Serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Dark Chocolate "Almond Joy"

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

8 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Pinch of salt

Roasted salted almonds

16 ounces good milk or dark chocolate, chopped

Start by combining the coconut, condensed milk and salt in a bowl. Make sure it is completely combined.

Pop it in the fridge and let it refrigerate for 20 minutes. Just till it is hard.

While the mixture is cooling, place a metal bowl in a large pot of gently boiling water and add in the chopped chocolate.

Use the double boiler to melt the chocolate until it is smooth.

After the coconut has cooled and hardened, remove it from the fridge and use your hands to roll coconut balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place and almond in the top of each ball, pressing it gently into the coconut.

Freeze the balls for 7 to 10 minutes.

When the chocolate is melted and the balls have been in the freezer, use 2 spoons to place the balls in the chocolate and roll them around until they are completely covered.

Place them back on the sheet and allow the chocolate to harden.

Serve.

Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce

When I lived in Los Angeles, I got to spend a lot more time with my youngest brother. 

He and his roommates would come over once a month for a big family dinner. We would eat and drink and tell stories of college parties, undie runs and sporting events. For a couple of hours, Lish and I would feel like we were back in college.

Then we would wake up hung over and have to go to work.

Even though he’s only an hour away now, the time we get to spend together is minimal. Even worse, I almost NEVER get to see his close friends. The people that I broke bread with on a regular basis and came to know and love.

Josh’s old roommates and his good high school friend were staying with us for a couple days and it was a rare treat.

And his friend Sticks wanted to make sure he got his face time on the blog now that he goes to Berkley.

Apparently he didn’t trust me to just write about him.

Because after I went to sleep, he decided to have a little food photo shoot of his own.

I guess my delicious shrimp wasn’t enough for him.

Maybe it will be enough for you.

You will need…

For the Shrimp:

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

2 cups bread crumbs

2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs, beaten

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable oil for frying (about 6 cups depending on how large your pot is)

For the Dipping Sauce

½ cup light colored jam (a marmalade or jelly would work)

1 mango, diced

2 tablespoons dark rum

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combing the mango and the rum in a small sauce pan and cooking it over high heat until the alcohol has cooked out. About 2 minutes. 

Add in the jam or jelly and reduce the heat to medium. 

Cook the dipping sauce until all the jelly has completely melted into a sauce. About ten minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste and removed it to a serving bowl. Cover with aluminum foil and let it cool. 

Then, in a large bowl, combine the coconut and bread crumbs. 

Then place the eggs, flour and coconut and bread crumb mixture on 3 different plates. 

Add some salt and pepper to the flour and combine well. 

Dredge (dunk) the shrimp into the flour mixture and shake off the excess. 

Then dip the shrimp in the egg so that it is lightly coated. 

Dip the shrimp thoroughly with the bread crumb coconut mixture and la the shrimp out so that they don't touch until it's time to fry. 

When all the shrimp are coated, heat several inches of oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Heat the oil until it is at 350 degrees F. I put my burner on medium high heat but every stove is different. 

Fry the shrimp in batches (do not crowd the pot) until the shrimp is golden brown and cooked through. About 3 to 4 minutes. 

Remove the shrimp and drain on a paper towel. 

Serve with the dipping sauce. 

And make sure you get your fill so you don't have to do this...

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Coconut Shrimp Soup

Hold on. Hold on.

I know what you are thinking.

This sounds gross.

But just think about those delicious little coconut shrimps you’ve had in the past. You know the fried ones. Usually with some sort of tangy and tropical dipping sauce. Perhaps accompanied by a drink with an umbrella in it?

It’s pretty much like that in soup form.

I have been toying with the idea of making this for a while now since lately I have been loving me some Asian flavors. And man was I not disappointed.

This little guy is like a whole meal in one tasty little package.

Noodles? Good. Shrimp? Good. Veggies? GOOOOOOODDDDDDDD!

Honestly? There is nothing here that isn’t rocking.

And just look how pretty it is. How can you say no to something so beautiful?

You will need…

2 tablespoon sesame oil, divided (if you don’t have sesame you could use vegetable or olive oil)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound carrots (6-8 medium carrots) grated

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 ounces angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

4 green onions, chopped for garnish

Start by heating the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the ginger, garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add the carrots, coconut milk and chicken stock.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth and then add it to the pot.

Bring the soup to a boil.

While you are waiting for the soup to boil, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. 

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 1 minute on each side. When the shrimp is cooked, remove it from the heat and set aside.

As soon as the soup boils, break the pasta in half and add it to the pot. Return the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender. About 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice, taste and add salt if needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish it with the green onions.

Serve immediately.

Prepare to be amazed.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Coconut Shrimp Soup

2 tablespoon sesame oil, divided (if you don’t have sesame you could use vegetable or olive oil)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound carrots (6-8 medium carrots) grated

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 ounces angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

4 green onions, chopped for garnish

Start by heating the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the ginger, garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add the carrots, coconut milk and chicken stock.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth and then add it to the pot.

Bring the soup to a boil.

While you are waiting for the soup to boil, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 1 minute on each side. When the shrimp is cooked, remove it from the heat and set aside.

As soon as the soup boils, break the pasta in half and add it to the pot. Return the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender. About 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice, taste and add salt if needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish it with the green onions.

Serve immediately.