Coconut Chicken

The curry gives these sweet chicken fingers an unexpected kick, and they go really well with mango peach salsa and chips. This is great when the summer heat puts you in the mood for something tropical!

 Ingredients

1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut, chopped
1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Cut the chicken in strips and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
2. Combine the coconut, breadcrumbs, flour, brown sugar, and curry powder in a medium bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy; add the chicken tenders and toss to coat. Lift the chicken from the egg whites one at a time, and coat with the coconut mixture, pressing so the coating adheres.
4. Place the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray both sides of the chicken with nonstick spray. Bake until lightly golden and crisp, about 15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time.
5. Serve with salsa.

Adapted from the Deen Brothers.

Beer Shrimp Boil

When the 90 degree days roll in for July, it can be tempting to ditch the kitchen and run out for dinner (free air conditioning!). But when you would rather relax with your family and peel shrimp together, this is the recipe for you. It takes a little time, but the ingredients and steps are as simple as could be. In my opinion, serving it with a loaf of French bread is required.

Ingredients

3 (12-ounce) bottles lager beer
1 cup water
1 T Cajun seasoning
1 t salt
1 t black peppercorns
1 lemon, juiced, halves reserved
1 stick unsalted butter
1 lb large shrimp, head and shell left on, rinsed well
French bread

Directions

1. Cut the lemon in half and juice it. Save the juice in a bowl, place lemon halves in a large pot.
2. Add beer, water, Cajun seasoning, salt and peppercorns to the pot. Bring to boil over medium heat.
3. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.
4. Rinse the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the pot of boiling beer. Cover it and turn off the heat. Cook for 3 minutes, or until pink throughout.
5. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and transfer to serving bowls.
6. Put the stick of butter in a small saucepan and melt. Add the lemon juice. Turn off heat.
9. Add ½ cup of the beer boiling liquid to the butter with lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into small serving bowls. Serve the warm shrimp with the butter dipping sauce on the side. (Put out empty bowls for the shells.)
10. Serve with French bread.

From Food Network

Strawberry Ice Tea

Combining two summer favorites - fresh strawberries and refreshing ice tea - makes a fabulous drink for a hot and humid day. If you don't enjoy ice tea, try mixing 2 tablespoons of the pureed strawberry with a lemon-lime soda. I tried this with Sprite and it was delicious!

Ingredients
1 package (about 2 cups) strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 lemon
1/2 gallon ice tea

Directions
1. Boil 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of water. Pour over 2 tea bags and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes. Chill in refrigerator. (I chilled it overnight)
2. Wash and cut the stems off of the strawberries. Place in blender and puree. You may need to stir the strawberries around a few times to help it puree (I did).
3. Strain the pureed strawberries into the iced tea.
4. Juice the lemon and add to iced tea.
5. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
6. Chill until ready to serve.