Chicken San Marco

I am always looking for new ideas for the crockpot. We have a few recipes we like, but in the winter I use it a lot during the week and hate making the same thing week to week. I cook overnight and we bring the (sometimes good, sometimes bad) results to work for lunch. Since I'm portioning it out in the morning when I am (usually) late for work, I never take pictures so I can share. However, this recipe is definitely worth sharing!

I need easy recipes that don't require lots of additional cooking when the crockpot is done (to say, thicken a sauce or add a few last minute ingredients). This definitely lends itself to that as it can be served alone if you are watching your carb intake, or with ready made rice in your freezer that is waiting for you. We love this recipe, particularly how it flavors the vegetables. The carrots are my favorite; they remind me of carrots boiled with ham or corned beef - soft and slightly salty. I changed it a bit to suit our tastes... took out the peppers and shifted around the proportions on the veggies.



Chicken San Marco
Slightly adapted from Family Crockpot Recipes

1.5 to 2 cups broccoli florets, cut small
1 large onion, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 (8 ounces) can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice, or 3 plum tomatoes chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes or left whole*

Place broccoli, onions, carrots, and tomatoes in the bottom of crockpot. Place the chicken on top. Mix together remaining ingredients and spread over chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve... however you like! I think it would be good with pasta or brown rice, but I eat just eat it as is... delicious chicken and vegetables!

*I always use frozen chicken because I am too lazy to thaw it. We've never had any problems.

Cranberry Upside-Downer

I decided that since it is now February, it was time to use up the cranberries that I had been hoarding in my freezer since fall (and make more room for chili!). I flipped through my copy of Baking: From My Home to Yours, and saw the Cranberry Upside-Downer. It looked simple, I had all the ingredients on hand, and seemed like it would be delicious. I made some vanilla ice cream to go along with it, as Dorie suggests (and I am never one to turn down ice cream!). This turned out SO good! I will definitely be making this one again next winter!


Cranberry Upside-Downer
From Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

~1 cup all purpose flour
~1 tsp baking powder
~1 tsp ground cinnamon
~1/4 tsp salt
~1 3/4 sticks (14 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
~1 cup minus 2 Tablespoons sugar
~1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
~2 cups cranberries-fresh or frozen(if frozen, do not thaw)
~2 large eggs
~1 tsp vanilla extract
~1/3 cup whole milk
~1/3 cup red currant jelly, for glazing the cake

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Put a 8x2 inch round cake pan on a baking sheet. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Melt 6 Tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle in 6 Tablespoons of the sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this evenly over the bottom of the cake pan, then scatter over the nuts and top with the cranberries, smoothing the layer and pressing it down gently with your fingertips. (If frozen berries cause the butter to congeal, don’t worry - everything will melt in the oven.) Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick of butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Pour in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the cranberries and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and run a blunt knife between the sides of the pan and the cake. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter. If any of the berries stick to the pan-as they might-just scrape them off with a table knife and return them to the cake.

Warm the jelly in a small saucepan over low heat, or do this in a microwave oven.
Gently brush the glaze over the hot cake.

Oreo Cupcakes

I saw these cupcakes and knew they would be perfect for an upcoming holiday party. Once the guests found out what I was making, they couldn't stop talking about it! And really, what sounds better than rich, chocolatey cupcake filled and topped with a cool, creamy whipped frosting...with a surprise oreo in the bottom!


I saw them at Dinner with Danielle, and based on the reviews, wanted to go with the devil's food cake recipe she used. The filling and frosting recipe was provided by the Bumbling Baker, but I had one problem with it. I combined the two recipes since they were about the same and why make two batches of something when you can just make one? I don't know if I just skimped on the filling part, but I had a ton of frosting leftover! So below, I've listed the recipe as Danielle did. Also, a note about cutting the oreos in half for the top... I tried cutting them at an angle, with the tip of the knife on the cutting board and pressing down into the oreo - this did not work! They kept cracking and I couldn't use some of the halves since they crumbled so much. I found that they split much better when the blade is even across the top of the cookie, with one firm, swift press straight down.



Ultimately, these are my second favorite cupcakes. (The banana split cupcakes hold a special place in my heart!) The whipped cream frosting is the perfect complement to the chocolate cake, and well, oreos just make everything better. As for that extra leftover frosting...? I see some cookies and cream ice cream in my future.


Oreo Cupcakes
Cupcake from Williams-Sonoma Cakes and frosting from Little Cakes From the Whimsical Bakehouse; directions adapted slightly.
Yield: 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
~ 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
~ 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
~ 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
~ 1/2 tsp. baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
~ 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
~ 2 tsp. vanilla extract
~ 4 eggs, at room temperature
~ 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
~ 24 oreos, one side twisted off and reserved for frosting

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Place one oreo in each liner, creme side up.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour, beating after each addition.

Divide the batter between the prepared liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 19 to 24 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Let the cupcakes cake cool completely before filling and frosting.

For the frosting/filling:

~ 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
~ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (I just pulsed some granulated sugar in a mini food processor)
~ 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
~ 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs, made from reserved oreo sides

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag (or gallon sized ziplock bag), and using a 1M tip, inject filling into each cupcake by sticking the tip into the middle of the cupcake and squeezing a bit. Frost the cupcakes and top with 1/2 of an oreo.

Cinnamon Nutella Cake Bites

Nutella holds a special place in my heart. I've made nutella cupcakes, ice cream, and muffins, all with great success. For an upcoming (after?) holiday party, I decided to take them in a new direction - cake bites! I was inspired to create them after seeing strawberry vanilla cake bites in my google reader. What could be better than nutella with cinnamon cake, enrobed in more chocolate?? YUM! (Admittedly, I'm still stuck on the cinnamon nutella ice cream combination.)


I decorated the tops with thinned royal icing so people could tell the difference between the two. I love the flavor combination of the strawberry vanilla, but toyed with the recipe and ultimately think it would be better as written (see my note with the recipe). The cinnamon nutella bites were SO good, but I really didn't expect anything less! Can you really go wrong there? I think not. I even snuck some chopped hazelnuts into the center.





Cinnamon Nutella Cake Bites
Cake recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan
Makes approximately 30 cake bites (1 tablespoon size)

- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup nutella
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, or about 30 whole
- 12-14 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan, and line bottom with parchment or wax paper. Place pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, the baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture, and whisk gently until you have a homogenous batter. Now, using the whisk or rubber spatula, fold in the butter with a light touch until the butter is absorbed. You'll have a smooth satiny batter. Scrape the batter into the pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until cake is puffed and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. A thin knife inserted into the middle will come out clean. Transfer cake to a cooling rack, and let it rest for 15 minutes before unmolding it onto another rack. Peel off the paper, and cool to room temperature.

Once fully cooled, break up the cake into a large bowl. Add the nutella and mix thoroughly. Shape into tablespoon sized balls, press 1 whole hazelnut or a few hazelnut pieces into the center of the ball, and reshape to close up the cake ball. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up the cake bites. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Dip the chilled cake bites in the chocolate and thoroughly coat. Set cake bates on parchment line cookie sheets, and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set the chocolate coating.





Strawberry Vanilla Cake Bites
adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook, as seen at Joy the Baker
Makes: approximately 30 cake bites (tablespoon size)
I thought the cake/preserves mixture was too dry, so I added a little extra preserves. Once completed, I thought they were too wet. Next time I'll stick to the recipe!

For the Cake:
~1 cup cake flour
~1 teaspoon baking powder
~1/4 teaspoon salt
~1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
~1/2 cup sugar
~1 egg plus 1 egg white, at room temperature
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~1/3 cup whole milk

For the Strawberry Binding:
~1/3 cup strawberry preserves
~2 heaping Tablespoons of marshmallow creme

14 ounces milk chocolate for dipping.

To Prepare the Cake:
Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour one 8-inch round baking pan, knocking out excess flour. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer, on medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla, and beat until thoroughly blended, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed and add flour mixture and milk, alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix until batter is just smooth, do not overmix. Batter will seem loose.

Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cake will still be pale in color, not golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a rack, then invert on a rack to cool completely. While Cake cools, mix together the strawberry preserves and marshmallow creme.

When cake is completely cool, crumble into a large mixing bowl. Add the strawberry mixture and mix together with hands This will be messy. Mix until the cake and preserves are thoroughly incorporated.

Shape cake mixture into 1 inch balls or squares by pressing the cake mixture together with your fingers and rolling in the palms of your hand. Place the shaped cake bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Once all the bites have been rolled, cover and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Melt milk chocolate in the microwave, or over a double boiler. Dip chilled cake bites into the melted chocolate and place back onto the baking sheet. Once all balls are dipped, place in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden the chocolate.

Orange Sherbet

I've been looking to branch out from our usual mint chocolate chip or peanut butter ice cream, and orange sherbet came to mind as a past favorite of mine. I started with the basic ice cream recipe I've been using from Doc Wilson (sadly the site has been down for some time now), and after googling to get an idea of what goes in sherbet, I set out to mix up the base. At first, it wasn't sweet enough, but after a quick melting and re-chilling I was able to fix the problem! This turned out great - it's very refreshing with a bright citrus taste. My favorite way to serve is with jimmies (chocolate sprinkles for you non-New Englanders).




Orange Sherbet
Adapted from Doc Wilson's Old Time Vanilla Ice Cream

~1/4 cup egg beaters
~1/2 can of fat free sweetened condensed milk (7 ounces)
~6 Tablespoons white sugar
~juice of 4 oranges, about 10 ounces
~4 ounces heavy whipping cream
~6 ounces fat free half and half
~4 ounces skim milk (or 1%, or 2%, whatever you have)
~zest of 1 orange

In a large mixing bowl whisk together egg beaters, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar until thoroughly mixed. Add heavy whipping cream, half and half, skim milk, orange zest and orange juice. For the very best results (who wants anything less?), let the mix chill in the refrigerator for about four hours (or overnight) which allows the mix to age before freezing according to the directions with your ice cream freezer. Makes about 4 cups.

BB: Easy Sticky Buns

I learned a few things making this week's recipe for Barefoot Bloggers.

1. These are really really good (when not burnt).

2. I should pay more attention to potentially oozing brown sugar/butter all over my oven, because airing out a smoke filled kitchen with it's 10 degrees outside is less than enjoyable. (Secondary lesson here is to copy down the ALL the instructions, since the parchment lined baking sheet would have helped. Tremendously.)

3. I do not know how to voluntarily disconnect my smoke detector. (maybe this is a good thing?)

I don't have good pictures because I definitely had some issues, and I don't think I flipped them soon enough. When I did, the bottom had already hardened. Anyway... here's a glimpse of what could have been...



Easy Sticky Buns
from Back to Basics, page 240
Chosen by Melissa of Made by Melissa
Be sure to check out how everyone else faired, here.

Makes 12
We used to make really delicious sticky buns at Barefoot Contessa, but they took two days to make because the yeast dough needed to rise overnight in the refrigerator. I was dying to find a way to make them easier, so I decided to try baking them with Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough, instead. OMG are they good … and they’re really easy to make! Light, flaky dough filled with brown sugar, toasted pecans, and sweet raisins — my friends go crazy when I make these.

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted for the filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins (I used craisins)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Glazed Chicken and Vegetables

Another recipe I found in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook was Glazed Chicken and Vegetables. We are always looking for different things to do with chicken, including a little variation from boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This looked like a great way to change it up.

We really enjoyed the combination of flavors here, though I think next time I'll make a little more sauce and baste the chicken with it more. It dripped off more than I wanted it to. Other than that, we thought it was great! I'll admit - I didn't eat the apples and will probably leave them out next time. :-)


Glazed Chicken and Vegetables
Reworded from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition

~3 to 3.5 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken
~cooking oil
~3 medium potatoes, quartered (about 1 pound)
~6 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 1 pound)
~1/2 cup honey
~1/4 cup mustard
~2 tablespoons butter
~2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
~2 teaspoons curry powder
~1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
~1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
~1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
~2 medium apples, cored and cut into wedges

Directions:

Rinse inside of chicken, pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow baking pan (or large oven safe saute pan). Roast, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes and carrots in boiling water (or steam them) for 15 to 20 minutes or until nearly tender, then drain.

To make the glaze, combine honey, mustard and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside. Discard drippings from roasting pan and arrange potatoes, carrots, and apples around chicken in pan. Spoon glaze over chicken, vegetables and apples. Roast, uncovered, for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until thigh reaches 180 degrees. Serve cooking juices over chicken and vegetables.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I saw these on Good Things Catered and thought they'd be a great addition to the basket I was making for a friend that recently had surgery. Even though I found out a little too late that my orange extract had evaporated, they still turned out fabulous! I can't wait to make some that I can keep for myself!

Cranberry Orange Muffins
Source: Good Things Catered

~2 c. all-purpose flour
~1 Tbsp baking powder
~1/2 tsp salt
~2 large eggs
~1 c. milk
~2/3 c. sugar
~6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
~1 tsp vanilla extract
~1/4 tsp orange extract
~2 Tbsp orange zest
~2 c. fresh cranberries

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cups
-In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt
-In another bowl combine eggs, cream, sugar, butter, extracts and zest.
-Whisk until thoroughly combined.
-Add dry ingredients and fold until just moistened.
-Fold in cranberries and divide batter among muffin cups.
-Bake for about 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.
-Let cool 2 - 3 minutes before removing from pan.

Chocolate Biscotti

I didn't think I liked biscotti, but decided it would be a good addition to some gifts I was making for some friends. I absolutely fell in LOVE with this chocolate biscotti recipe and ended up making it three times in the week before Christmas! I made some more this weekend to give to a friend after surgery. It is so hard not to steal some for myself! I substituted the almonds (since initially I made them for a number of people and wanted them to appeal to the masses) with chopped white chocolate, and ended up loving that direction and have continued to make them that way!



Chocolate Biscotti
Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours)

~2 cups all-purpose flour
~½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
~2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (I replaced with cocoa powder)
~¾ teaspoon baking soda
~½ teaspoon baking powder
~1 teaspoon salt
~¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
~1 cup sugar
~2 large eggs, lightly beaten
~1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
~1 cup chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched (or about 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped)
~4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
~Sugar, for dusting

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes; don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12-inch-long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are ½ to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack - and that’s just fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)

Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between ½ and ¾ inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet - you’ll have an army of biscotti - and baking the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.

Spiced Shrimp and Barley Risotto

After Christmas, I finally found time to organize my recipes. I came across a lot that I have been meaning to make, so I decided that I'd make new recipes every weekend to work through the list. This weekend, I pulled out my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition. I decided to go with a shrimp dish, and saw a recipe for spiced shrimp with rice. I didn't want or have long grain rice, but as I read through the directions, I thought it would be perfect as a risotto! I remembered seeing barley used in risotto recipes, and thought it would be a great way to use up some leftover barley.

I removed all the heat from the original recipe, so while it's not hot-spicy, it's still plenty flavorful. The five-spice powder and saffron play so well together! The green onion garnish adds a wonderful burst of bright flavor, so don't leave it out!


Spiced Shrimp Barley Risotto
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition

~3/4 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined
~1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
~1 teaspoon ground coriander
~1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder
~1/2 teaspoon paprika
~pinch of saffron threads, or 1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
~3 tablespoons margarine or butter
~1 tablespoon cooking oil
~1/4 cup finely chopped onion
~3 cloves garlic, minced
~3/4 cup pearl barley
~6 cups water (with 1/2 teaspoon of salt) or chicken broth (I did 4 cups broth and 2 cups water)
~2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

In a large bowl combine ginger, coriander, five-spice powder, paprika, and saffron or turmeric. Toss the shrimp in the spices, and let stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes. Heat the water or broth in a pot until simmering. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and oil and when butter is melted, add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add barley and toss to coat, then heat 2-3 minutes in pan. Add a ladleful of water or broth and stir gently until almost absorbed. Repeat with remaining water or broth. When barley is fully cooked, stir in spiced shrimp and cook until shrimp turn opaque (about 5 minutes). Top with green onions.