Mango Float
Topic: Desserts
This dish doesn't float and until now I still don't know what it's origin and why the name is Mango Float. I tried and tasted many variations already, like using graham crackers, sliced bread, chiffon cake, wafer, marie biscuits or soda crackers as its base and what is the best for me was the latter, the skyflakes soda cracker, (I hope skyflakes will give me credit for writing this, lol). My siblings, cousins and friends also like it. I remember one time when I was still in Phillippines and I served Mango Float with soda crackers to our guests and she asked me how did I made it since it tasted different from the mango floats she ate before. She said the combination of the ingredients are really good. My favorite way to prepare it is to refrigerate it for an hour then freeze it for another one hour and the texture will be really great.

Yesterday, I tried using the Swiss made butterfly biscuits in our home. A very nice thin and crispy biscuits with hazelnuts on it. I thought it would make a nice different since the biscuits itself are really delicious but I was wrong, I still prefer my old recipe, the soda crackers. LOL :)

Ingredients:
1 cup thick cream
2/3 cup condensed milk
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1/2 cup mashed ripe mango
1 or 2 ripe mangoes, thinly sliced
Soda crackers (or any biscuits of your choice)
Few slices of mango for garnish

Directions:
1. Blend together cream, milk and butter until smooth. Add mashed mango and vanilla, mix well.
2. In a clear dish, arrange 1 layer of soda/graham crackers at the buttom. Add few slices of mango above the crackers, then pour few amount of cream mixture on it. Cover again with the crackers and repeat procedure until all the ingredients are done. Making the cream as the last layer.
3. Garnish with few slices of mango and crushed crakers.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Freeze for another one hour before serving. (optional)

Naked Fried Shrimps
Topic: Shrimps
As what they said, sometimes simplier is better, this recipe was cooked in a very simple way. I named it naked fried shrimps since the shrimps were being peeled then fried as it is, no batter, no breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:
Shrimps, peeled and deviened
salt and pepper to taste
green onions, sliced into 1 inch length
1 tbsp.light soy sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions:
1. Season shrimps with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet, fry the shrimps over medium-high heat until the color changes to pink. (fry batch, don't over-crowd the skillet).
3. Drain on paper towels. Add the green onions.
4. Combine the ligth soy sauce and lemon juice, pour the mixture over the shrimps. Serve.

Grilled Squid
Topic: Squids
We used to eat medium-large squids (white variety) in Philippines everytime we dine at any seafoods restaurant in Iligan, Cagayan or Davao and I really miss those squids. Unfortunately I cannot find that kind of squids here in Kuwait, I stayed here for more than 4 years and until now I did not able to see it yet in the fish markets here. All they have here are the pink variety (not so large), and one very large variety, the thick one, I forgot the real name of this squids which I cooked it this way and this way and this way and also this way. LOL :)

Ingredients:
Medium squids
1 medium onion, minced
2 tbsp. crushed ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper powder
Sesame oil (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix together onion, ginger and garlic powder.
2. Make some slits at the squids' belly horizontally. Insert few amount of onion mixture to each slit.
3. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper powder.
4. Brush each squid with few amount of soy sauce mixture.
5. Grill over medium heat brushing occassionally to avoid drying until done.
6. Brush each squid with the sesame oil. Serve over Lettuce Salad if desired.

Tips: Marinate the squids with 7-Up and few amount of soy sauce for an hour before grilling and see or taste the big difference!

Plain French Toast
Topic: Breakfast Recipes
French toast is one of our regular breakfast at home and our favorite is to make it into a sandwich before coating it with egg mixture. Sometimes I also made it plain when I missed to eat the basic and simple french toast.

Ingredients:
pre-sliced sandwich bread
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c evaporated milk
1 tbsp. sugar
Butter cooking spray

Directions:
1. Mix together milk, beaten egg and sugar.
2. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture.
3. Place the egg-coated sliced bread into a pan previously sprayed with butter and cooked until each side are browned and the egg has cooked through.
4. Serve.

See also:
French Toast Tuna Sandwich

Spicy and Crispy Deep Fried Shrimps
Topic: Shrimps
Here's another variation of deep fried shrimps. Spicy! Yummy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tempura flour
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup cold water
1 1/2 tbsp. curry paste
2 pcs. lemon leaves, chopped very thinly
1/3 tsp. salt
pepper
Medium Shrimps, peeled leaving the tails on, deviened
Breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying

Directions:
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients together in a bowl. Blend well until smooth.
2. Hold each shrimp's tail and dip it into the batter, then dredge it into the breadcrumbs until fully covered.
3. Deep fry in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat procedure until all shrimps are done.
4. Serve with sweet chili sauce or any dipping sauce you like.

See also:
Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura
Coconut Fried Shrimp
Deep Fried Shrimps