Baked Shrimp Scampi

Though does not live on meat alone!  I love steak, chicken, pork, ham.  However, once in a while I need to have a bit of seafood.  I can't cook it that often because the family is not big on seafood.  I would post about my wonderful salmon, but my sister already beat me to posting it. Who would have guessed that 2 sisters living in 2 different states would find the same favorite salmon recipe.  She hasn't told me where she found it....I think I gave it to her! 

Anyway, my daughter loves shrimp.  I made this shrimp scampi and the original recipe called for so much butter.  Given my latest doctor report on lowering my cholesterol intake I thought it best not to follow the recipe to the T.  I thought about skipping the topping, but the topping makes the shrimp so flavorful and delicious.  I did not miss the extra butter.  I served the shrimp with a bit of steamed asparagus and angel hair to keep the meal kind of light.

Adapted from: Big Oven

Ingredients
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons Dry white wine
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup Shallots minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Breakfast Bars

Mornings in my house are crazy busy. Sometimes I don't get to actually eating until after I get to work.  In my hunt for on-the-go breakfast, I came across this recipe for Breakfast bars.  These are super easy to make and taste like dessert for breakfast!  Make the whole batch and freeze them. I used a tropical dried fruit mix that had pineapple, mango and papaya.  Try not to eat all of them in one sitting!

From: 4 Kowboys
Ingredients
1 ½ c All purpose flour
1tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbls. Wheat Germ
¾ c Butter melted and cooled
1 c Brown sugar
½ c Sugar
3/4 c Applesauce
2 Eggs
1tsp Vanilla
3 c Old fashioned oats
2 Or 3 bananas smashed
1 cup mixed dried fruit

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350. Spray Large cookie sheet with cooking spray Combine: flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, cinnamon in bowl set aside.

Combine: sugars, and butter and beat with a mixer until well blended. Add the applesauce, eggs, and vanilla beat with a mixer till smooth. Add bananas and fruit and mix well.  Stir in flour mixture till just combined. Stir in oats. Pour into greased cookie pan. Bake till golden brown about 20-30 mins depending on oven. Cool and cut into bars.

Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toasts

Veggie Wednesday.  I got a call from the doctor today and she said I need to watch my cholesterol. So what do I eat that is fatty?  Duck, cheese, pate... Hmm...so we are watching the fatty food intake.  So one day a week I'm going to attempt to cut out the meat.  We'll see how that goes.  

Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toast

During the winter and when the temperature is in the 30's, it is time for soup.  I have  gone out to eat and ordered bisque and loved it.  So I found this recipe to do bisque and now I find out it is not hard at all. 

Adapted from Fine Cooking
Serves two.
For the bisque:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée
1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt; more to taste
1/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper; more to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

For the toasts:

1 load french bread
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 slices cheese (I used Muenster)
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 7 min. Add the garlic and thyme; stir until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomatoes, broth, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by a quarter and thickened, about 15 min. Using a stand or immersion blender, purée about half the soup; it will be still be chunky and thick. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Heat gently and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley if using, and serve immediately.

Arrange an oven rack to the highest rung and heat the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice the bread into one inch slices.  Put the bread on the foil and toast each side until golden brown. Spread the mustard evenly on one side of each toast, cover with the cheese, and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Slide the toasts back under the broiler and cook until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 2 min. Cut each toast in half and serve immediately with the soup.

Chicken and rice soup with baby bella mushrooms

I was so good this week with bringing lunch and making dinner.  Then today we went to the school to watch the rescheduled band concert....we ended up with take out pizza- bleh.  Oh well. I need to redeem myself with a good recipe to share.  

So during Christmas week, my husband and I were sick.  I think we've been eating every type of soup around. My sister made some great turkey soup from the turkey breast I made after thanksgiving.  I was looking for a soup that was different than the norm.  This soup is chowder like with fantastic flavor. I took a picture of the soup but it looks like white mush in a bowl.  I need to improve my food picture taking skills.

Adapted from Recipes Straight from the Kowboys Home
Chicken and Rice Soup with Baby Bella Mushrooms
2 cups shredded chicken 
6 cups home made broth
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice
8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/4 cup cooking sherry (I used chinese cooking wine)
1 1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning


Combine flour and 1 cup milk, stirring until no lumps appear, set aside. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter until onions are translucent. Add chicken, broth and rice. Cover and cook for the directed time on rice (15-20 min) . Once rice is done, add flour mixture and the additional 2 cups of milk along with sherry, stirring until well blended. Season to taste with Adobo. Cook on medium until it bubbles and thickens then turn off and serve. 

Note: You should serve this immediately otherwise it will be too thick.  If you are making this ahead of time, make sure you have some extra broth to thin this out when you reheat it.

White chicken enchiladas with green chile sour cream sauce

My family loves tex-mex food. The family loves tacos, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, tex-mex stew, guacamole, salsa...must I go on?  Typically when I do enchiladas they are covered in a red enchilada and salsa like sauce.  This enchilada recipe intrigued me because there is no enchilada sauce or salsa; it's a white enchilada.  My favorite enchiladas when I go out are at Rosa Mexicano's in DC. Rosa's chicken enchiladas come with a green/vert sauce.  I think this recipe might top Rosa's enchiladas!

This is a perfect weeknight meal.  It took about 5 minutes to assemble and 25 minutes to cook.  I was going to serve it with a salad, but there was no time.  We will have double the vegetables tomorrow!

Adapted From: Home Cooking with Sonya
8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Cheddar)
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
Cilantro for garnish, if desired

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into a 9 x 13-inch pan.

• In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and green chilies. Pour over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. 

• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Starting the new year

My goal in 2010 was a new recipe each week.  I think I doubled that number even though I took some time off to have a baby.  I was planning on sharing these gems with my friends.  During Christmas I asked my sister what was the best way to share the recipes.  She has her own food blog. She even wanted the Christmas recipes for her food blog!  Each person has their own way of keeping recipes.  Even now, I have at least 3 different places to look.  So here it is, I have decided to put my recipes and food adventures here for all my friends and others to enjoy.

Each year we start of with resolutions.  My resolutions this year are:

1.  Exercise more (there isn't much less I can do).
2.  Spend less money
3.  Eat healthier

I think I can definitely spend less money by bringing lunch to work instead of eating out all the time.  What I bring for lunch will definitely be healthier than going out to eat.  One should not deprive themselves though of all pleasures...maybe I'll go out once a week.

Anyway, I'm well on my way.  Sunday night and my lunch for tomorrow is packed. My dinner for tomorrow is planned.  We'll see how long I can keep this up.  Stay tuned....