Shrimp Scampi Anne

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pound jumbo bay shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
salt, black and red pepper -- to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
8 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup white wine
1 dash Tabasco sauce
linguini -- cooked
1/4 cup Parmesan and Romano Cheese -- grated

PREPARATION:

Slit shrimp down the back leaving tail tip section of shell on the shrimp. Devein, wash and dry shrimp.

Arrange shrimp, single layer, in 10-inch square baking dish. Pour olive oil evenly over shrimp. Sprinkle to coat with salt, black and red pepper, garlic, parsley and bread crumbs. Cover dish and bake in preheated 300F oven for 20 minutes.

Pour butter, Tabasco, and wine evenly over shrimp. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until done. Do not overcook; the shrimp will toughen. Serve over cooked linguine and top with grated cheese.

Serves 4.

*Recipe from cdkitchen.com.  Andy's cousin, Lori, made this at a family reunion. It was amazingly easy and delicious.  Also was easy to quadtruple to feed a large crowd.

Ratatouille Bake

courtesy of : Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups peeled and diced eggplant
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C); spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the garlic, onion, and eggplant with the garlic until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Cook the frozen ravioli as directed on the package; drain. Spread the cooked ravioli in a layer into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; spoon the hot vegetables over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

This is an awesome recipe!!

Quinoa Pilaf with Salmon and Asparagus

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Start To Finish: 30 Minutes
4 Servings (1 3/4 cups each)
Whole Grain Serving: 2

Ingredients
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 6 cups water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 lb salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 20 stalks fresh asparagus, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)
• 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas (from 1-lb bag), thawed
• 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed


Directions
1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly by placing in a fine-mesh strainer and holding under cold running water until water runs clear; drain well.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups of the water to boiling over high heat. Add quinoa; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until water is absorbed.

3. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 4 cups water and bouillon cube to boiling over high heat. Add salmon, skin side up; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Remove with slotted spoon to plate; let cool. Discard water. Remove skin from salmon; break into large pieces.

4. Meanwhile, rinse and dry skillet. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in onions; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in peas, tomatoes and broth; cook 1 minute.

5. Gently stir quinoa, salmon, lemon-pepper seasoning and dill weed into asparagus mixture. Cover; cook about 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutrition
1 Serving: Calories 420 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 6g; Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 90mg; Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 37g (Dietary Fiber 5g; Sugars 6g); Protein 34g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A 35%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 8%; Iron 30%
Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Vegetable, 4 Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat
Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2

Reference: www.foodreference.com
This is super fast, easy, and delicious!

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

serves 6
prep time: 25 minutes
total time: 1 hour

4 flour tortillas
1 T. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer or 1 1/2 c. water (I used water)
10 oz. frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim the tortillas, if necessary, to fit into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the beans and beer or water to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium; simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Fit a tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 c. cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 c. cheese on the top layer. Bake until hot and the cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Unmold the pie; sprinkle with scallions if desired. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Source: Everyday Food Great Food Fast

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwhiches

1 T vegetable oil
3 1/2 to 4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
1 can (10 1/2 oz) Campbells Condensed French Onion Soup
1 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup cider Vinegar
3 T packed brown sugar
12 round sandwhich rolls, spilt

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast and cook until browned. Place roast in slow cooker.
Mix soup, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. Pour over roast.Cover and cook on Low 8-10 hours/High 4-5 hours or until roast is fork tender.Remove roast from cooker and let stand 10 minutes. Shred pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to cooker. Divide pork mixture and sauce among rolls.

This is great easy dish to serve to a big group. I have skipped the first step and put the roast straight in the slow cooker and it turned out great. It goes further than just 12 sandwhiches

Fettuccine Paolo

1 1/3 c. red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 pkg. fettuccine
1 1/3 c. chicken stock
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes
1/2 c. marinated artichoke hearts with liquid
1 1/2 c. grilled chicken, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers and cook 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add stock and vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half. Add sun dried tomatoes, artichokes with liquid, chicken, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. In large pot cook fettuccine and drain. Add to pasta sauce and mix thoroughly. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

This is a KEEPER that I found from a recipe blog that had posted this from Giada from Food Network. I made it yesterday for Sunday dinner and I have to say that all three boys gobbled it up, including Ewan. Andy and I can't get enough of it and are loving the leftovers. This was from an episode about dishes you can freeze. It really didn't take that long to prepare, either. YUM!

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
Yield: approximately 6 cups

(I didn't make the Arrabbiata Sauce, but just poured a bottle of Newman's Marinara Sauce in its place. For the freezing method, I'm thinking of stuffing the shells and freezing them on a large baking sheet so once they are frozen I can put them individually in a large freezer storage bag. Then I can just take out what I need when I need it. Seriously, this is a great recipe.)

Thai Veggie Stir Fry

3 T oil

3 garlic cloves

(a little ginger root, if you want)

1/4 c slice onions

1/4 c bean sprouts

1/4 c sugar peas/snow peas

1/4 c sliced carrots

1/4 c sliced red bell pepper

1/4 c broccoli flowerets

1/4 c cauliflower flowerets

1/4 c sliced mushrooms

(basically whatever vegetables you have on hand.)

2 T fish sauce

2 T oyster sauce

2 T sugar

1/4 t. white pepper

1. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat, then add the oil and garlic. (If you wanted to add any meat or tofu, add it now. Cook until done.)

2. Add the sauces and pepper. Stir to combine

3. Add the vegetables all at once. Stir to cover with sauce (about 30 seconds).

4. Reduce heat to medium and cook slowly for a further 2 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp but tender. Serve with rice.

**The sauce combination of fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper is a BASIC recipe for practically every Thai style stir fry. You can use any vegetables you want. In this picture, I used 2 cups chopped collard green, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and 1/2 cup carrots. (Basically what I had in the fridge.)

Spiced Honey and Black Pepper Glazed Ham

1 (8 to 10 pounds) fully cooked, bone-in ham
2 T Cracked Black Pepper
2 T Ground Mustard
2 T Garlic Powder
1/2 c. honey
1 1/2 t. ground Cinnamon
1/2 t. ground Cloves

Preheat oven to 325F
Score ham at 1-inch intervals with a sharp knife; place in baking dish/roasting pan. If ham appears dry, moisten surface with water. Combine black pepper, mustard, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub pepper mixture over surface of ham. Roast according to manufacturer's directions. Combine honey, cinnamon, and cloves. Drizzle over ham during the last 30 minutes of roasting. Remove ham from oven and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

(I don't have a roasting pan, so I just cut a long carrot in half length-wise and put that down for the ham to rest on so it isn't sitting in the water.)

Maple-Brined, Wood Smoked Grilled Turkey Recipe

I heard about this recipe on NPR one day, it was written by Fine Cooking - Issue No. 24. They seemed a bit possessive of their secrets (subscription only), so I found it here Maple-Brined, Wood Smoked Grilled Turkey Recipes at Cooking.com. I found this to be the most delicious Turkey ever, we had a banner year this Thanksgiving between the Turkey and the Stuffing (also posted, and raved about on my own blog).

You should allow a few days for brining and ~4 hours to cook.

Large non-reactive container for brining (no aluminum or copper). Many people use a cooler or 5 gallon bucket, I used a giant (I mean enormous) stainless steel mixing bowl and plastic wrap. Some of my turkey was hanging out. If yours hangs out of your brining container, turn it 2X per day. It's recommended to brine a thawed turkey. I didn't have that luxury, and my bird still turned out fine, I started brining Tuesday afternoon, but I wished I'd had 1-2 days longer.

Please note, a grilled turkey doesn't make drippings for gravy, so you'll need to make other arrangements. It'll be worth it.

2 C brown sugar

1 C maple syrup (use the good stuff, Mrs Butterworth won't do it)

3/4 C coarse salt (I used a mix of kosher and sea salt)

3 whole heads garlic, cloves separated (but not peeled), bruised

6 large bay leaves

1 1/2 C coarsely chopped unpeeled fresh ginger (I was out, and had to shake in some dry, I didn't use that much)

2 t dried chili flakes

1 1/2 C soy sauce

3 quarts water

Handful fresh thyme sprigs

12-14 pounds fresh turkey (I used a free range turkey. The regular freezer turkeys are injected with a brining solution, so they are not ideal for at home brining)

Olive oil to baste the bird

Combine all of the brine ingredients in an enamel or stainless-steel pot, Bring to a simmer, remove from heat and let cool completely. (I skipped the cooling step, warm water helped thaw the bird, but it may pose a food safety hazard)

Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey (impossibly to get out of a frozen bird, woulda-shoulda), rinse the bird well, and add it to the brine (or bring the brine to the bird if you're using a plastic brining vessel). Add water to cover the bird if necessary. Refrigerate for 2-4 days, turning twice a day.

To cook the turkey, remove the bird from the brine, pat it dry, and brush with olive oil. Light the grill with about 30 pieces of charcoal (hardwood lump charcoal preferred). We have a smokey Joe Weber smoker, which worked smashingly. Use a foil drip pan to catch the drippings. When the coals are hot, add a few pieces of soaked wood to smoke. Center the turkey on the upper rack of the grill, breast side up. Cover the grill and damp the vents, add coals as necessary. Try to maintain a temperature between 275 and 325F. The bird will cook for ~3.5 hours. Cook to a thigh temperature of 155F. Allow to rest 20 minutes before carving.

Cashew (or Peanut) Chicken

1/4 cup oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chicken, thinly sliced

SAUCE:
2 T fish sauce
2 T oyster sauce
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper

1/2 c. roasted cashews (or peanuts)
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 c. sliced red bell pepper

1. Heat a large skillet then add the oil, garlic, chicken, the sauces, sugar, and pepper.
2. Turn the heat to high and reduce the sauce until a glaze forms.
3. Mix in the roasted cashews and then turn the mixture onto a serving dish. Garnish with the green onion and bell pepper.
Serve with white rice.

Herb-Rubbed Chicken with Tropical Salsa

2 t oregano
1 t thyme
1 t sea salt
1/2 sugar
1/8 t allspice
1/8 t cayenne pepper
4 chicken breasts


Tropical Salsa

1 large Mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 small banana, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 can of Mandarin oranges, drained
1 small red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 T honey

In a small bowl stir together the oregano, thyme, salt, sugar, allspice, and cayenne. Rub the mixture into the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the mango, banana, oranges, red pepper, green onions, lime juice, and honey, Cover and refrigerate.

Heat skillet, Grill chicken until cooked through, turning the chicken several times as it cooks, about 5 min per side. Transfer chicken to dinner plates and top with salsa.

I substituted the mandarin oranges for pineapple, just in case you wanted to add pineapple.

Sauteed Shrimp with Basil and Cherry Tomatoes

2 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/8 cup of basil
1/3 cup of chicken broth
1/2 t freshly grated orange zest
1/2 t salt

In a 14-inch skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add shrimp and garlic and saute until lightly cooked, but not cooked through, about a minute.

Add the tomatoes, basil broth, orange zest, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just cooked through and the tomatoes have started to collapse, about 2 minutes longer.

This dish is super fast and simple. We usually serve it over whole wheat noodles.

Chicken Fajitas

12 oz bite size strips of chicken or turkey
1 T purchased or Homemade Fajita Seasoning
6 8-inch flour tortillas
2 T cooking oil
1 c. thin strips red or green sweet pepper
1/2 c thinly sliced onions, separated into rings
3/4 c. chopped tomato
1 T lime juice

1. Place meat strips into a deep bowl. Sprinkle with 2 t. fajita seasoning. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

2.Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until heated through.
Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet heat 1 T of the oil over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, onion, and remaining 1 t of fajita seasoning. Cook and stir about 3 minutes or until crisp-temder. Remove onion mixture from skillet.

3. Add remaing 1 T oil and meat to the skillet. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Drain well. Return onion mixture to the skillet. Stir in tomato. Cook and stir 1 minute or until heated through. Remove skillet from heat; stir in lime juice.

4. Serve with warm tortillas. Garnish with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lime wedges.

HOMEMADE FAJITA SEASONING:
In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. oregano, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. ground red pepper, 1/4 t. ground black pepper, 1/8 t. garlic powder, and 1/8 t. onion powder.

The prep time is what took the longest for this meal. Other than that, it was super fast! I had some extra red and green peppers and onions. I just continued chopping the rest and made two freezer bags of "Fajita Pepper Mix" for a night when I need a quick dinner.

Spaghetti Chicken

1 jar of spaghetti sauce of your choice
1 pkg of noodles
1/8 cup of butter
8oz pkg of mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup of milk
egg
1 cup bread crumbs, I buy seasoned for extra flavor
4 chicken breasts(I cut 2 pieces of chicken directly in the middle to make 4 thinner pieces, it tastes better)

Preheat oven to 350F

Put chicken in egg and milk mixture then into bread crumbs. Brown the chicken in a frying pan with butter for about 5-10min or until evenly browned. Put two cups of spaghetti sauce into 13x9 pan, place chicken breast over that. Pour the remaining sauce over chicken breasts. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes. Make noodles according to package. Serve chicken and sauce over the noodles

Stuffed Zucchini

1 large zucchini (or several smaller ones)
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. plum tomato, chopped
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided in half
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 375. Carefully scoop out zucchini pulp, leaving shells intact. Finely chop pulp; set aside. Place shells, cut side up in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add chopped pulp and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring frequently. Add tomato; cook 2 minutes or until tomato begins to soften a bit. Remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs, 1/4 c parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, and salt. Spoon mixture into zucchini shells; sprinkle with leftover cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Preheat broiler. Remove foil; broil 4 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Filling:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 T. onion flakes
1 T. chicken soup base
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. water
2/3 c. milk
2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed
10 oz. frozen mixed peas or carrots (or any mixed vegetables)

Heat butter over low heat until melted; stir in flour, onion flakes, soup base, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add water and milk, stirring constantly. Heat to boiling and boil 1 minute. While stirring, add chicken and vegetables. Set aside and prepare pastry.

Celery Pastry:

2/3 c. shortening
2 c. flour
2 tsp. celery salt
4 T. ice cold water

Make as a pie in a 8x8 inch pan. Bake at 425 F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until brown.

***Addition***

I just made this for dinner again, but was really short on time, so I just mixed up some Bisquik (heart healthy kind) and spread it on the top. I baked it at 425 F for 20 minutes. So yummy and so quick!!!!