Béchamel Shrimp Gnocchi with Basil

We started a tradition where each one of our kids gets a night to cook. They're in charge of everything from the recipe all the way through cooking and serving. On Wednesday our oldest daughter who is 9, looked at all our proteins and decided she wanted to use Shrimp. Then she looked in the pantry and decided on Gnocchi. Last she decided she wanted a Béchamel sauce. So off she went to cook. Now either my husband and I help them, mainly to make sure they're safe and aren't burning things or adding too much salt, etc. This recipe was not only easy but it turned out SO GOOD that we didn't have enough. Next time we need 3 packages of Gnocchi. She was really excited for me to share her recipe on my blog, so here it is!



Béchamel Shrimp Gnocchi with Basil
1 lb shrimp
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
6 cloves of garlic, minced
Basil leaves (for garnish)
Olive oil
Gnocchi (we need 3 packages, I buy off the shelf at Trader Joes)

Heat olive oil in pan, once hot add Shrimp.
Cook for one minute, remove from pan and set aside.
Add butter and melt, add garlic and cook on low
Add heavy cream and Parmesan
Cook until thick
If the sauce gets too thick add 1/4 cup of the water the Gnocchi cooked in.
Put Shrimp and Gnocchi in sauce once it's to the consistency you want and cook a few more minutes.
Garnish with Basil
Enjoy! Serve seconds! Enjoy more!

Honey Shrimp Rice Bowls

We've started a tradition in our family where each school age child gets to cook once a week. That includes choosing what we eat that night. Last night was Orion's turn to cook and so we started by looking at what meat he wanted to cook, he chose shrimp. He knew he wanted to serve it on a bed of rice with Asparagus. I asked what type of seasoning he wanted on the shrimp, I for the most part let them choose all of the ingredients however I will stop them if they wanted to add say 'cinnamon' to shrimp. He said he wanted to use Honey, Garlic, Ginger and Soy sauce. So we started to get the ingredients all out. He used a microplane to grate the ginger and a garlic press for the garlic. It is so fun seeing the kids take charge and be so excited for what they're making, also being the Chef for the night allows them to pick different sous-chef duties for the other kids in the family. 

Honey Shrimp

1 lb shrimp

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp grated ginger 

1 head of garlic pressed

In medium bowl whisk together your sauce ingredients. 

Add shrimp to the bowl coating them well and refrigerate and let marinate for 20+ minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add the shrimp to the skillet.
Reserve the leftover sauce

Cook on both sides about 2 to 3 minutes per side until shrimp turns pink and is cooked.

Remove shrimp and set aside

Pour the leftover sauce back into the skillet and cook a couple minutes until sauce reduces and thickens, this makes an excellent dip for the shrimp or you can drizzle over top of your shrimp. 

Tom Kah----Instant Pot

Recently we ventured to a Thai restaurant that served Tom Kah, we'd never had it before so we gave it a try and fell immediately in love. We had also ordered Pho and my kids let me know right away that my Pho was better (swoon), so I then made it my mission to make my own Tom Kah. I've literally perfected my Pho recipe. So I made it a goal to now perfect my Tom Kah. Now I'm not going to lie, having never made it before I wasn't sure what to think, but for the very first time I knocked it out of the park. A few minor tweaks next time and I'm pretty sure we'll have another all time favorite soup in our repertoire. I love how easy this soup was to put together and lets be honest, the Instant Pot....what more can I say!!

Tom Kah

2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk (full fat)

6 cups chicken bone broth

2  stalks fresh lemongrass, remove tough outer layer and roughly chop into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large slices of ginger (skin on)

5 garlic cloves crushed (skin on)

2 limes squeezed

4 green onions, sliced (separate green from white)

8 oz mushrooms (I used shiitake, but any type will do)

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp sugar

*for toppings: the green part of the green onion, Thai red chilies, fresh cilantro, more lime juice

1.)  Turn IP on to Saute on high. Add lemongrass, ginger, white part of green onion, garlic and saute until fragrant. 

2.)Add chicken broth, and lime juice. Close, turn on soup mode to medium (20-25 minutes)

3.) When done vent and strain broth. 

4.) Add broth back to IP, then add coconut milk, mushrooms, fish sauce and sugar. Close and turn on soup mode to low (10-15 minutes)

5.) Serve immediately garnished with your favorite toppings

Enjoy and Repeat!