We had these honey lime shrimp kebabs for dinner last night.

You know when you have a big project and you tell yourself you will not do anything else until it is finished?  That is what I feel like these days.  A 264 page publication is set to come out in August, and I need to get it done.  But I do have to cook.  And last night I had a creative moment in the form of this marinade.  We bought some great shrimp at Publix, and the evening had cooled off enough to use the grill.  Unfortunately, our propane tank lost its juice.  But that’s okay because these kabobs can be done in the oven, and they are still amazingly delicious.

I only marinated these for an hour, but in the future, I will definitely give them longer.  The flavors are so fresh that they need time to fully get in there.

The vegetables I used for the kabobs included large chunks of green bell pepper, yellow squash, and red onion.  I marinated all of it with a pound of peeled shrimp.  I just threw these ingredients in as I went, so I am estimating these measurements.  It should be slightly sweet, and not overpoweringly tart.

These honey lime shrimp kebabs are good in the oven or on the grill.

Honey Lime Marinade

whisk together with a fork in the bowl you plan to marinate in:

• juice of 2 limes
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1.5-2 tbsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp of orange juice
• 1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• salt to taste

Since I have most of my cooking adventures in the kitchen, I thought I’d put a before picture of the awful wallpaper I just took down.  I plan to do a major overhaul–painting cabinets a dark brown, new countertops, tile backsplash, undercounter lighting.  I’ll keep you guys posted as I work on it.  I’m really excited because I love being in the kitchen.  I know I’ll love it even more when it’s all done.  Here’s what the wallpaper looked like before I steamed it all off the walls:

The awful wallpaper in our kitchen. Who thought this pattern would be a good thing?

Andrew’s Asian Marinade:

• 2 tbsp. soy
• 3 tbsp. hoisin sauce (easily found in the Asian section)
• 2 tbsp. EVOO
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• a few scallions (I used regular onion diced into tiny pieces b/c I was fresh out of scallions)
• 1/2-1 inch of fresh ginger (or a dash or 2 of the powdered ginger)
• 1/2-1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

The black pepper really lends a new level to this marinade so don’t be afraid to use it liberally.

It’s also good for a tofu marinade. Just cut and dry out your extra firm tofu as you normally would. Marinate it overnight. I baked it in the oven at 350 last night, and it was my best attempt at store-bought tofu to date.

My other idea was to deep fry it first then toss with the marinade in a pan and serve over rice. I have been trying to figure out for months how restaurants get their tofu so perfectly browned on all sides without destroying the shape of their cubes. They have to deep fry. They just have to.

A note on side dishes for this: If your grocery has those large dispensers of organic rices, grains, and dried beans, go for it!  I got my wild rice from one of these bins at the Turnip Truck (but I have also seen these dispensers at Wild Oats and Whole Foods).  It’s a cute little natural market in East Nashville.  I’ve made it a goal to visit all the farmer’s markets and local produce/grocery stores in the Nashville area.  I’ll be posting thoughts soon.