Barbecue Shrimp Spicy Fajitas

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

"Once Upon a Time in Mexico" stars Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi who returns in the final chapter of the Mariachi/Desperado trilogy. CIA Agent Sands (Johnny Depp) tracks El down and offers him a job to kill General Marquez (Gerardo Vigil), and beautiful Carolina (Salma Hayek) is in the mix. This film has drug lords, corruption, CIA, FBI you name it. Our recipe for Barbecue Shrimp Spicy Fajitas and our featured film take you through a deliciously wicked ride in Mexico without taking you over its spicy edge!

1 pound large shrimp (32), cleaned, devained, dash of salt and pepper

1/2 of 4 oz. can chopped diced jalapenos pepper, drain

1/2 cup premium quality barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 tablespoons sour cream

1 -1/2 cup thinly sliced or grated Colby-Jack cheese

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

8 ea. Flour Tortillas for Soft Taco and Fajitas

Warm 8 tortillas in a preheat 200 degree oven, while you prepare the shrimp.

In a skillet melt butter, barbecue sauce, garlic, diced jalapenos and shrimp. Stir over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp has a pinkish color. Remove from heat.

Lay the 8 tortillas out and spread each one with one tablespoon of sour cream all over the tortillas. Add a large pinch of lettuce all over each piece and spread out, add 4 shrimp to the left side, with some of the sauce and top with a large pinch of cheese, spread out.

Start rolling each piece firmly, ending with open side down. Slice an angle.

Place 16 pieces on serving dish.

Serves 8 to 16

Drunken Peaches

The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)

Our recipe for Drunken Peaches and "The Legend of Drunken Master" starring Jackie Chan as "Wong" have many things in common. Wong has learned the art of "drunken boxing" that gives him super fighting powers. This film and our "spirited" dessert are a fun ride from beginning to end. You won't want either to end. Enjoy!

5 large ripe peaches, rinsed, halved and pit removed

1- 1/2 cup Peach Liqueur

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup sugar

Dash of cinnamon

_______________

After marinating add

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla flavor

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Dash of cinnamon

Mix liqueur, lemon juice, mint and sugar. Place peaches in a glass container and pour mixture over them, turn peaches face down and cover. Let marinate overnight, or as long as possible. Preheat oven to 325. Add butter, vanilla, brown sugar, dash of cinnamon and bake peaches covered with foil for 50 minutes. After baking, remove any course pieces from the center of peaches.

Serves 10

Optional, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Brown Sugar Pancakes

Brown Sugar (2002)

Our recipe for Brown Sugar Hip Hop Pancakes is by far the most grandiose of pancakes! Melt in your mouth goodness with the flavors of brown sugar and cinnamon packed into buttermilk pancakes! Our spotlighted film, "Brown Sugar", is all about two people Andre (Taye Diggs) and "Syd" (Sanaa Lathan) who find love around their love for Hip Hop music. There's brown sugar and spice and all things nice, that's what Brown Sugar Hip Hop Pancakes are made of.

2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract


Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl

Combine melted butter, eggs, buttermilk (or milk) and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Spray griddle or skillet with cooking spray, Preheat over medium high heat. Pour pancake mixture to form 5 inch pancakes. When pancakes bubble, flip and cook another few minutes or until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup and additional butter, if desired.

Makes about 14-5" pancakes.

Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables

Crazy Delicious!!

Stir Crazy (1980)

"Stir Crazy" has Richard Pryor in his prime. We have provided the video clip below with one of my favorite scenes. This totally funny film was the inspiration for our recipe Stir Fry Crazy Delicious Chicken and Vegetables. Like the movie, we stirred up a fun and yummy combination just like Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder!

1 - 8 oz. package spaghetti

2 Tbs. seasame seed oil

Mix the following 7 ingredients, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into thin strips

2 spring onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoons olive oil

Dash of hot sauce

Dashes of salt and pepper

____________________

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil for wok

1/3 cup thinly sliced baby carrots

1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

1 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed), finely chopped

2 cups water, mixed with 2 tablespoons flour, whisk until smooth

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain, add 2 tablespoon sesame seed oil and dashes of salt and pepper. Set aside

Preheat oil in a non-stick wok or large fry pan over medium high heat. Add chicken, carrots and jalapeno pepper, stirring until color brightens, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, black bean garlic sauce, soy sauce, and flour mixture. Stir over high heat for 2 minutes, then lower heat, cover and let simmer for 2 more minutes.

Combine chicken and spaghetti in large serving bowl.

Serves 4

Pineapple and Pork Hawaiian Shish kabobs

What do you do when you have a broken heart? You go to Hawaii, what else! Our lovable guy Peter (Jason Segel) takes a trip to paradise to forget the love of his life, Sarah Marshall, who has kicked him to the curb. In honor of this hilarious movie, our 50th state and birthplace of our President Barack Obama "Reel Good Recipes" is hosting a luau starring our recipe for Pineapple and Pork Hawaiian Shish kabobs. Broken hearted or not, bring Hawaii's flavors into your home with our fabulous recipe. Just put "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" into the DVD player, place a lei around your neck and enjoy our beautiful and super easy kabobs. For drinks, add a batch of Mai Tai's - it doesn't get much better than this!

2 pounds thick cut regular or country rib pork chops (remove excess fat). 1 package McCormick Grill Mates, Hawaiian Luau Marinade (prepare according to package instructions). Marinate at least an hour, but longer for more flavor.

After pork has marinated, cut into thick chunks.

1 each green, red, yellow and orange bell peppers - cut into large chunks

1 can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, drain - Reserve pineapple syrup in a bowl add 1 teaspoons soy sauce, mix. You will use this to marinate kabobs once they are on the grill or in the broiler.

6 bamboo skewers brochettes (sticks) be sure to pre-soak for at least 30 minutes before use.

Alternate peppers, pork and pineapple and try to have at least 4 pork chunks on each skewer.

Grill - Preheat

Cook on your foil covered grill - cooking time varies from 30 to 40 minutes or until done, turning a few times. Use the pineapple syrup and soy sauce mixture to baste kabobs.

Broiler - Preheat

Place shish kabobs in oblong baking pan (at least 13" long), baste with pineapple syrup and soy sauce mixture. Place under broiler for 8-10 minutes on each side or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Optional, lightly salt after cooking

6 Shish kabobs

Serves 3 to 6

Sock-It-To-Me Cake

A Real TKO!!

Rocky (1976)

"Rocky" is one of the greatest boxing films ever made. Not because Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) won the "big one", but because he went the distance with the champ. With the odds stacked against him, "Rocky" showed he could not be broken. Stallone wrote this boxing classic and it won 3 Oscars including Best Picture in 1977.

Our recipe for "TKO - Sock it to Me Cake" delivers a one-two punch of championship flavor and TKO in moistness with total satisfaction guaranteed. Like our inspirational film "Rocky" our cake goes the distance and if you share, you will get a standing ovation!

1 pkg Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden cake mix

8 oz sour cream

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

4 oz Philadelphia cream cheese

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 - 3 Tbs. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 10" bundt pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, sour cream, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 25 minutes before inverting.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Serves 10 - 12.

Optional, serve with strawberries or other fresh fruit.

Click here for more great desserts

Strawberry and Orange Low-Fat Smoothie

Give you high energy, just like the B-Boys.

Planet B-Boy (2007)

Our recipe for Strawberry and Orange B-Boy High Energy Low Fat Smoothie is inspired by the high energy and dramic art form known as break dancing. The Tribeca Film Festival gives viewers exclusive access in the film "Planet B-Boy," to the underground world of break dancing and B-boy teams practicing for the all-important break dancing championship. This is a must see film for all dance lovers and our high energy smoothie will give you the energy to give it a try!

1 cup of fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries (put in a bowl after rinsing and add 3 tablespoons sugar or 3 Equal sweetener packs squeeze a slice of fresh lemon in bowl and put it in -Set aside.

1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 -1/2 cup ice cubes

Place all the ingredients above in a blender, except lemon slice and blend until smooth. Optional, top each glass with fresh strawberry.

4 - 6 oz Servings

Ox Tails (Beef) Stew

Just like Mama used to make!!

Big Mama's House (2002)

Martin Lawrence is an FBI agent who disguises as Big Mama for a case and falls in love with her granddaughter Sherry (Nia Long). This is my favorite Martin film because it delivers "big" on laughs.

Mama's Ox Tails Stew will melt in your mouth. "Big Mama's House" is like most mom and grandmom's houses, filled with good eats. The beef in Ox Tails is just wonderful when you take the time to cook it with love and care, the way mama's do.


2 packages of Ox Tails (approximately 10) remove excess fat, rinse, add dashes of salt and pepper
2 Tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup celery, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water
4 cups chicken stock
1 -1/2 cups red wine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
5 fresh on-the-vine tomatoes - remove outer skin (dip in hot water and peel) - cut into large cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup uncooked bow-tie pasta
1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon each if using dried thyme)
1 Tablespoon fresh basil (1/2 teaspoon each if using dried basil)
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Dash Cayenne Pepper


Using a large soup/stock pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add Ox Tails. Sear about 6 minutes on each side.

Turn up heat and add water to pot. After it boils, lower heat and cook for 1 hour. After an hour, drain all the water from pot, rinse Ox Tails, and return to heat.

Add garlic, red onion, celery and Bay Leaves and black pepper.
Turn heat up to high and add chicken stock and red wine. After pot boils, reduce heat to simmer, and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 2 hours, turn up heat add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, hot sauce, bow-tie pasta, basil, thyme, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper - after boil, lower heat to a simmer and let cook 8 minutes.

When cooking is completed, remove bay leaves.

Serves 6

American Mini Fried Apple Pies

Recipe courtesy of my granddaughter, Dessert Guru Alecia Baxter

3 large apples, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs flour
1 package wonton wrappers

egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water

vegetable oil for frying

cinnamon sugar:
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Combine apples, lime juice, sugar, vanilla and flour. Set aside.

Combine egg yolk and 1 tsp water. Set aside.

Working on a large surface, such as a cookie sheet, lay out 1 wonton wrapper. Brush outer edge (1/4") with egg wash. Place 1 tsp filling onto one side of wonton. Fold wrapper over and seal edges shut . Repeat with remaining wontons.

Add vegetable oil to a skillet until 1/2" deep. Heat oil over medium high heat. When hot, carefully place wontons in oil (work in small batches, do not overcrowd the pan). Cook 3 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown. Carefully flip each wonton and cook an additional 3 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Repeat process with remaining wontons.

American Beauty (1999)

"American Beauty" is visually a beautiful film. Great American family with all the right touches in life, right jobs, home, neighborhood and kids. Well, as you know nothing is perfect, and this film shows just how screwed up "perfect" can be. Kevin Spacey (Lester) and Annette Benning (Carolyn) are a couple in chaos. Lester is having a mid-life crisis and Carolyn is a crisis. Very well made, this is one of the good ones!

The film "American Beauty" is American as apple pie or our American Mini Fried Apple Pies. Our mini's are a new and yummy twist to the same ole, same ole, bringing apple pie into the 21 century!

Wedding Chicken with Asparagus & Pasta

juice of 1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 package penne pasta
1 bunch asparagus, washed and cut into 2" pieces
1 Tbs butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 Tbs flour

Combine lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Add chicken. Toss to coat. Put in refrigerator.

In a large pot, cook pasta until soft but still firm, about 8 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain water and set aside. Do not cover.

Cook asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or until bright green and still firm. Drain water and set aside. Do not cover.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, stirring constantly until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet, keeping juices in skillet.

Stir in chicken broth and white wine. Reduce heat, let simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in milk, cream cheese and pepper. Add 2 Tbs water to 1 Tbs flour to make a paste. Stir into skillet. Reduce heat to low, let simmer 5 minutes.

To the pasta pot, add sauce, chicken and asparagus. Stir until well combined. Serves 6 to 8.

Muriel's Wedding (1994)

Muriel lives in Porpoise Spit, Australia (yes Porpoise Spit), and all she wants in life is to be a bride. This film is a gem, with laughs and sorrow from beginning to end. Muriel is a huge ABBA fan and I love the musical number between Muriel (Toni Collette) and Rhonda (Rachel Griffith). One of my favorite scenes is on the video below with the "mean girls" attaching Muriel and Rhonda comes to her rescue.

Our recipe for Wedding Chicken with Asparagus & Pasta is inspired by "Muriel's Wedding." This elegant and delicious dish is perfect for a bride's special day. It's wedding perfect yes, but will be appreciated by dinner guess and family alike!

Corn and Crab Cornbread Pie

My, Oh My, it's corn and crab pie!

1 can Mexicorn – 11 oz can
½ jalapeno or Serrano pepper (remove seeds) finely chopped
8 oz fresh lump or claw crab meat
1 package Jiffy or other corn muffin mix (8 ½ oz)
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 large garlic clove, chopped
¾ cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Dash of salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons melted butter for top crust after baking
Optional, 10 cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients above, except butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently and only until ingredients are blended together. Use a well (9 inches) greased (solid or liquid oil) iron skillet or a metal baking pan (if pan is non-stick, still grease lightly). Pour in mixture, even out and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly (5 minutes) and loosen sides with a knife. Place large plate over skillet or pan, turn over and tap top of pan to loosen. Your corn and crab pie should rest nicely on plate. Spread butter over top crust.
Optional, 10 cherry tomatoes - cross cut tops and place around pie.

This dish is wonderful with chicken, turkey, beef, or pork and can stand alone as a satisfying main dish.

Serves 8 to 10

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece "Pulp Fiction" tells the story of two hit men Jules and Vincent played by acting giants Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta. Bruce Willis also stars as Butch, an over the hill boxer in all kinds of trouble. Please check out the video below set in a diner that's being robbed, and the thieves have the misfortune of running into Jules and Vincent.

In "Pulp Fiction", the diner's special that day could have been our recipe, "My Oh My, It's Corn and Crab Pie." Jules was enjoying every savory bit, when some dumb ass decides to stick a gun in his face. Huge mistake, never come between a man and his corn and crab pie!

Smooth or Nutty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Smooth or Nutty? You choose--

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup sweetened evaporated milk
1 tsp half and half
2 cups premium milk chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
2/3 cup honey roasted peanuts (optional)


Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Combine peanut butter, evaporated milk and half and half. Mix well until creamy. Set aside.

Melt 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips in microwave for about one minute or until melted. Stir until smooth.

Drop 1 Tablespoon of chocolate into each cup. Add 1 teaspoon peanut butter mixture into the center of each cup. Place in freezer for 5 minutes.

For Smooth Peanut Butter Cups:

Heat remaining chocolate chips in microwave until melted. Drop an additional teaspoon chocolate over each cup. Let sit 5 additional minutes or until chocolte is set.

For Nutty Peanut Butter Cups:
Top each cup with peanuts. Heat remaining chocolate chips in microwave until melted. Drizzle over peanuts. Let sit 5 additional minutes or until chocolte is set.

Serves 8.

The Nutty Professor (1996)

The comedy "The Nutty Professor" is one of Eddie Murphy's funniest movies. Please check out the video below of the dinner scene with the Klumps. Amazingly, all of the characters are played by Eddie Murphy except Jada Pinkett Smith (Carla) and the kid, played by Jamal Mixon. Eddie is truly gifted in his character portrayals, each totally unique and will give you real belly laughs!

You have the powerhouse flavors of smooth premium chocolate and the salty sweet taste of peanut butter and peanuts. This super easy, super fast, no-bake recipe was inspired by "The Nutty Professor." Like our film, its packed with nuts at every turn. The Klumps were never "picky" eaters, but if they tasted our Smooth and Nutty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, they'd be spoiled and never finish another whole cake or pie!

Chicago Deep Dish Sausage Pizza Pie

1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 package refrigerated pizza crust
1 - 15oz pizza sauce
14 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 - 14.5oz can stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
Additional parmesan cheese for garnish


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and peppers and cook until soft. Add sausage to pan, stir until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

Press pizza dough into bottom of a springform pan. Add sausage mixture, pizza sauce, parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Top with chopped tomatoes and additional parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes, loosen edges and remove ring from springform pan. Serves 6.

"With the right song and dance you can get away with murder," that is the tag line for the film "Chicago" starring Renee Zellweger as Roxy and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma. The film is about music, fame, murder, betrayal, and although set in the 1920's, it shows strong and determined women. Catherine gave an outstanding performance and won an Oscar for her role.

Chicago (2002)

"With the right song and dance you can get away with murder," that is the tag line for the film "Chicago" starring Renee Zellweger as Roxy and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma. The film is about music, fame, murder, betrayal, and although set in the 1920's, it shows strong and determined women. Catherine gave an outstanding performance and won an Oscar for her role.

Our recipe for Chicago Deep Dish Sausage Pizza Pie salutes the city of Chicago for its crazy delicious deep dish pizza pies. Chicago is known as the "second city," but the film "Chicago" with its music and style, and our deep dish sausage pizza pie are second to none!