Bang Bang Shrimp Deliciousness!

Hello all!  Sorry I have been really slacking lately.  Work has really been consuming me a lot more, and I have been put on several projects at this point.  Yesterday I actually was put on a a new project as the LEAD DESIGNER!  Which is kind of a big deal, and really exciting!  I am hoping that this really does mean that she is interested in hiring me as an actual designer.  We shall see...  Also I have been going from staying at Grant's place some nights, to staying at my parents house alone in Raytown some nights, to going down to Nevada some weekends.  Kind of busy/crazy right now, but I am happy to be busy.  I have been cooking most nights when I'm with Grant which he loves, and I like to do as well.  I finally made a recipe I had wanted to try for a loooong time.  I saw it on pinterest a while ago, and it looked delicious and different.

Thanks to Renee for this awesome recipe that I will be making many more times I'm sure!

Bang Bang Shrimp

The original poster's picture

Ingredients
  -  1 lb. medium sized shrimp  (I used this little bitty shrimp which was harder to fry, but was nice and bite sized)
  For the Sauce
  -  1/2 cup mayonnaise
  -  4-5 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce (we used Sriracha of course!  she also suggested it for the recipe)
  -  1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  -  1 teaspoon rice vinegar (we didn't have this and I forgot to pick it up at the store, so it didn't go in and it was fine)

  For the Egg Mixture

  -  1 egg, beaten

  -  1 cup milk (so we forgot to get milk at the store too, but I had some vanilla soy milk that I drink in the fridge so I used it.  couldn't even tell that I had used it)

  For the Breading Mixture

  -  1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  -  1/2 cup panko bread crumbs  (which we always have on hand...  so many things u can use it in)

  -  1 teaspoon salt

  -  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

  -  1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  -  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  -  1/4 teaspoon dried basil

  For Frying

                                                                                                                      -  8 - 12 cups of vegetable oil (so this time i 

                                                                                                                         did pan fry them, but I really want to try 

                                                                                                                         baking them next time, so they are a lot 

                                                                                                                         more healthy!) 

Instructions  (the real ones, not exactly what I did) 
1.  Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; cover and set aside.
2.  Combine beaten egg with milk in shallow bowl; set aside.
3.  Combine flour, panko, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl; set aside.
4.  Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading mixture.  Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture, and then
      back into the breading.  Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes.  This step will
      help the breading to stick on the shrimp when they are frying.  (I guess I missed this step completely, because I just dipped them
      in the egg mixture, the breading mixture, then in the pan they went.  oh well, they were good none the less!)
5.  Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees.  Use amount of oil required by your fryer.  (I fried them in the skillet because we don't have
     a deep fryer, nor do I ever want one)
6.  When oild is hot, fry shrimp 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on rack or paper towels.
7.  When all shrimp has been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce over shrimp and gently coat.

Mine weren't near as pretty as those above, but they sure were delicious!  Next time I'm going to try baking them though, and have them with steamed rice and veggies.  Yum!  Well that's all for tonight.  Hope you guys get a chance to try this recipe!  Soo glad its the weekend!  I really want to try and go to the Titanic Exhibit at Union Station, but I don't think we'll go this weekend so not sure what we will be up to tomorrow.   Going to go watch some more Weeds with Grant, and get caught up with Season 6.  Until next time...

Best,
Megan

Beautiful Day on the Farm

What a beautiful Saturday!  Today we did some yard work out here on "the farm".  The grass needed to be cut, so my mom Lauren and I went out and picked up limbs to get ready for the lawn mower.  My mom and Lauren took turns mowing, while I helped my dad give Ginger a bath.  We also cleaned out her kennel for her.  After we were done, and we had some lunch, I went around took some photos of our land (well the 40 acres we live on anyway).  Not too many blooms out yet, but it still was pretty nice out.  Here are the pictures I took today....

This is the front of the house

And the back of the house

I love these old planters!

The old fountain my grandmother had put in when
the house was built

This is our BBQ pit/smoker.  sooo good
when my dad makes his amazing ribs!

This is our shed/barn on this piece of land.  Down
the road on the rest of our property are several
barns and the house my grandmother and
father grew up in.

Here's Ginger after her bath.  She's such a pretty
girl.  I love her so much!

After lunch we kind of lounged around watching HGTV, and I was on pinterest (even thought the internet is terribly slow down here!) pinning my heart away.  We're going to start a movie here in a bit, so until next time...

Best,

Megan

Rain, Rain Go Away

Am I right?  Well at least here in KC it has rained EVERY SINGLE DAY!  But this week has kind of flown by, and it has been a pretty busy one!  Since I am lame, and haven't wrote since Sunday I will just briefly explain what all has been happening recently.  My dad is now in Nevada with my mom and sister while he recovers from his surgery.  So that means I have the whole house to myself.  Monday and Tuesday were a little slower at work, since I had been gone that week before and was trying to figure out what I needed to help out on and what not.  By Wednesday I was being put on 3 different project, so its really nice to be working with the other designers and doing actual design work!  We are also working on this special project as a company that only 17 design firms in the nation are working on so that has been pretty exciting as well!

Also at work I have been taking on more responsibility in walking people around the showroom, that come in to look at our kitchens.  I enjoy it most of the time.  Most people are really nice and want to hear all the information about each of the set ups, but sometimes there are some rude or strange people that come through. I guess you could say I'm making the best of it.

This weekend I am in Nevada (just got here about an hour ago) and everyone is here (my mom, dad, hannah, and lauren)!  My dad is looking really good!  I'm really glad he was able to take off a lot of time from work and be down here with my mom.  He was also able to schedule all of his rehabilitation stuff here at the Nevada Hospital, so he doesn't have to drive to Harrisonville or even Kansas City to be able to do what he needs to do these next 2 months.  Lauren is off of school this next week for Spring Break, so she just got here tonight like I did.  Its been a while since I've seen her (I think it was right before new years if I remember right), so it's nice to be able to catch up on what she's been doing.  I wish we could talk more, but she's busy with school, and I keep pretty busy myself with work and my organizations and the little bit of a social life I have (if you can even call it that lol).

I really wish my best girlfriends lived here in Kansas City.  I miss them all so much!  I know that going out with girl friends is something that has been lacking in my life really since last summer.  I wish I could go and visit them all soon, but I know that I won't be able to do that for a while.  The girls at work keep talking about doing happy hours every once and a while, so hopefully that starts happening.  I don't want to be a lame person who just goes to work and then goes home (at least while I'm still young!).  It's hard when I have no income right now though.  I guess things will change once I have a real job.  Just gotta stay positive and keep my eyes out for any openings.  I don't want to stoup low for something that is outside of my major, but sometimes I find myself thinking about it.  I dunno, good things will happen I'm sure of it.  I really am very lucky for what I have and I try to remember that each and every day.

Well, I am exhausted from work and the hour and a half drive down here to Nevada, sooo I'm going to hit the hay.  Until next time...

Best,
Megan

One Year Down... Many More To Go!

this lovely photo credits to Twiggs Photography on Etsy

First off I just want to say how wonderful the weather has been this past week!  Just gorgeous for March (especially here in the mid-west)!   Today is Grant and I's anniversary.  It is so wild to think that it has really been a year already.  Although we may not have spent a lot of time together in the beginning, between him traveling for work and me being in Columbia still finishing up my degree.  Since moving back to Kansas City we are able to see each other on a regular basis, which has been so great.  I know that their were challenges along the way, and there will be many more but I know that we will get through them together.  I love him very much!

We decided to celebrate last night, and went out to dinner and then watched a movie when we got home.  After this long stressful week it was great to spend this weekend with the one who keeps me going, and the one that makes me so very happy.  Today we finally cleaned Grant's house.  We had planned on doing it many times before, but something else came up or we weren't very motivated to get it done yet.  I can say that now his place looks even better!  Tonight I am going to make dinner for us, and we'll probably curl up on the sofa and watch something on tv.  Just a nice simple weekend; just the two of us.  It has been nice!

I may have used this quote before, but it is one of my favorites of all time and something that I firmly believe in.

Saturday we went to the Kansas City's St. Patrick's Day Parade.  It was nice to go, since neither of us had been before, but I can't say that I would die if I didn't go again.  Maybe it was just because we were at the end of the parade route, but it wasn't all that I thought it was cracked up to being.  Saturday my dad was released from the hospital as well!  Which is GREAT!  He did so well in his recovery that he was released fairly early compared to others having the same surgery.  Today my mom, my sister, and him are making their way back down to Nevada.  Hopefully his recovery in these next few months will be just as great as well!  

Well it's about time to get dinner started, so until next time...

Best,

Megan

Makin' Our Way Through the Week

I can't believe this week is almost over.  We went to the hospital again today to see my dad and he got moved back to the Cardiology rooms instead of being in Intensive Care.  He is still really tired, and even things like taking a shower really takes a lot out of him, but we're all so proud of all the progress he's made so far.  Last night was a bit of a scare, when he called and said he had a fever.  Luckily it was nothing serious and he got back to sleep just fine.  I only wish I could go to the hospital more for him, because I know that it can be so lonely.  Sure my times in the hospital haven't been anything like his, but I know that being alone for any amount of time in that situation is rough.  My mom always leaves early in the morning to go see him, but I have to wait for my sister to get up and get ready every day.  If it were up to me I would be going right with my mom early in the morning.  O well, I think tomorrow we will be able to be there earlier.  

This weekend Grant and I are planning on going to the KC St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Neither of us have ever been, so it should be really fun!  Sunday is our anniversary so hopefully we'll get to do something nice together.  We shall see!  I am just glad I will get to spend some time with Grant.  He keeps me grounded and puts me at ease.  Maybe we'll even go and visit my dad together this weekend.  

Well, I better get some sleep cause I'm sure tomorrow will be an early morning and then most of the day will be spent at the hospital.  Thanks for reading (hope its not too boring, I'm not great at this...), and hope you all have a great Friday!

Best,

Megan