Spicy Shrimp Pasta

This recipe came from one of my cooking magazines that I get in the mail, I didn’t really do much modifying because it already sounded so delicious! The “spicy” part refers to the crushed red pepper flakes, which you can add as much or as little as you want. The original recipe called for 2 teaspoons, but we like things a little spicier so I probably added 1 teaspoon to the shrimp while they were cooking, and another tablespoon to the sauce while it was cooking. But, definitely alter based on your special spicy level!

The key here is to NOT overcook the shrimp. I’ve gotten quite good at this (if I do say so myself) by just letting the shrimp cook for about 1 minute on each side. When you remove them to a plate, they will continue cooking and then when you add them back in the sauce at the end, they will be fully cooked through and very tender.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 oz. pasta (any kind you want, I used mini penne)

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 shallot, finely minced

2 TBS crushed red pepper flakes

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

1/3 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth if you don’t want to use wine)

2 TBS heavy cream

1. In a medium-heat pan, drizzle about 1 TBS of olive oil and add in the shrimp in one layer. Sprinkle with about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. 

2. Cook shrimp for about 1-2 minutes on each side (NO LONGER, or you'll overcook them). Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. 

3. In the same pan, add the diced shallots and saute for about 5 minutes until translucent. 

4. Add in white wine and stir. Let simmer for about 2 minutes and then add in the canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes (to taste) and chopped basil. 

5. Let the tomato mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until it reduces and starts to thicken. Add in the 2 TBS of heavy cream and stir. 

6. Add shrimp back into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes until the shrimp warm back up. 

7. Add in the cooked pasta and stir all together. Enjoy!

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Chicken Burrito with Peanut Sauce

My favorite restaurant has this dish and I started to wonder if I could make something similar at home...the only problem is that it has a tasty peanut sauce and I was afraid to buy something at the store that wouldn't live up. So my solution was to attempt my own peanut sauce! The recipe I found was easy and I had all of these ingredients at home in my cupboard. The chili paste I had was only 2 dollars from the store and I've used it in a few different dishes, and I think its critical in this dish to get a good level of flavor. Mix all of the peanut sauce ingredients in a food processor and then drizzle in the warm water to get the right consistency. (NOTE: This was the messiest I've ever gotten in my kitchen, there was peanut sauce flying everywhere...I must not be as experienced with my food processor as I thought! It was worth it though!)

The rest of the recipe is pretty easy. Cook the chicken tenders whichever way is easiest for you...I put them on a foil-lined pan and cooked them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. The slaw is also easy to mix together in a bowl and really adds a lot of good "crunch" to the dish. For extra crunch, add some chopped peanuts to the dish too...that's what they do at the restaurant but I didn't have any at home for this replication.

Ingredients
Chicken Tenders
Brown Rice, 1 cup uncooked
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
2 TBS chopped cilantro
1 lime
Tortillas

Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 TBS chili paste
Juice of 1 - 2 limes
1/2 cup warm water

1. To make the peanut sauce, add the first four ingredients in a food processor and blend together until smooth. Drizzle in the warm water to get the right consistency for the sauce. Once finished, set aside.

2. Cook chicken tenders in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of the brown rice. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer until fully cooked. About 30 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime. Set aside.

5. When the brown rice is finished cooking, add about 3 TBS of the peanut sauce to the rice and stir to combine.

6. On a warm tortilla, place the brown rice and cooked chicken tenders. Drizzle another TBS of the peanut sauce on the chicken tenders.

7. Top with about 1/4 of the slaw mixture and chopped peanuts if you have them. Enjoy!

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Stir-fried Rice with Sunny-Side Up Eggs

Rice=good; bacon=good; eggs=good; spinach=good.  Mixed all together=OUTSTANDING!

I found this recipe in a cookbook and it looked awesome, plus I had all the ingredients in my refrigerator, including the cooked rice!  We had it for dinner, but it would make a good brunch meal as well.

INGREDIENTS

5 oz. fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups)
5 strips bacon
3 cups cold [leftover] rice (white or brown)
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 Large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Large skillet with lid

1.  Make sure the spinach is washed and patted dry. (or you can use a salad spinner if you have one)

2.  In your large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, until crisp.  Transfer to paper-towel lined plate, but KEEP the bacon drippings in the pan. (you should have about 2 Tablespoons)

3. Stir the cooked rice and soy sauce into the bacon drippings and cook until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.  

4.  Put the spinach on top of the rice and cover the skillet.  Let steam for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts.  Then (using tongs or a spoon) fold the spinach into the rice.  

5.  Lower the heat to medium low.  Make 4 small wells in the rice and carefully crack eggs directly into each well.  Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are soft...about 3-5 minutes.

6.  Break the bacon over the rice and eggs, season with pepper to taste, then serve!  

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Pig & Fig Pizza

Recently I ordered flatbread pizza at a local restaurant.  It was DELICIOUS!  So I figured, I could make this at home.  While eating it, I was deconstructing the entire dish in my head.  I then sifted through each ingredient with my fork.  Okay, I lied, used my fingers. I probably looked like a crazy person!

So I came home and started to make my list of all the things I needed.  The next day I bought a pork loin and slow cooked it, shredded it and froze it for whenever I was prepared to make this pizza. Then I had to ask my sister where to find the figs, since I've never bought them before (they are with the raisins).

While this pizza was served on thin crust, it would be equally as good on a regular crust pizza. I think the next time I make it (oh yes, there will be a next time), I might try this on a regular crust and not use as much barbecue sauce.   

INGREDIENTS
(keep in mind these are estimates and should be adjusted accordingly to your liking)

1 pizza crust
2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded (cooked) pork
1/3 cup diced figs
1/3 cup diced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup diced goat cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
sprinkle with garlic powder and parsley

1.  Spread BBQ sauce on pizza crust (if using regular crust, you'll want to pre-bake according to instructions)

2.  Dice up figs and mushrooms.  

Figs: I know these don't look appealing,
in fact they look like quite disgusting!

3.  Layer all ingredients on your pizza shell and bake @ 425 degrees (for thin crust) for 10 minutes.  

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Stuffed Shells with Cheese & Spinach

OK so this recipe isn't as "healthy" as our recipes have been so far this year...but can you blame a girl for wanting some good Italian cheese-stuffed shells in her life? This is a good vegetarian dish too since the shells only have spinach in them, but if you absolutely need some protein in your meal, you could add shredded chicken inside and that would be great too. I always boil a few more shells than I think I will need because they sometimes can break apart either while they are boiling or when you are trying to fill them. This recipe makes about 12 - 15 shells. Also, since I don't typically make my own marinara sauce (*GASP*), I like to amp up store bought sauce by sauteing some peppers, onions and garlic in a skillet and then once they are browned, I add them in with the marinara sauce to give a more homemade-y feel.

Ingredients

Jumbo pasta shells (about 15)

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1.5 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. dried basil

1 jar marinara sauce

Optional: Sauteed onions and peppers to add to the marinara sauce. 

1. Cook jumbo pasta shells in a large pot of boiling water. Once fully cooked, drain and set aside. 

2. In a mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, egg, garlic, pepper and basil. Mix together and then fold in the chopped spinach. 

3. Pour about a cup of the marinara on the bottom of a baking dish. 

4. Fill each cooked jumbo shell with about two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture and set in the baking dish on top of the marinara. 

5. Top with remaining marinara and then the remaining half cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil. 

6. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 5 minutes to brown the top.

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Pork Chops with Fennel

I've never cooked with fennel before, but whenever I see it in the produce section I wonder what I could do with it. So one day I picked up the fennel bulb and some pork chops and decided I would try and look something up when I got home. I found a good looking recipe and made a few changed depending on what I did and didn't have at home. You'll need to trim off the top part of the fennel bulb that has the stems and leaves (I read that you can use the leaves in salads or dressings so you can definitely save those for later use). Cut the bulb in half and then slice it thinly into a half-moon shape as seen below. Overall, I really enjoyed the flavor when it was cooked down with some onions and garlic, and it was a sweeter flavor that seemed to pair well with the pork chops. The only thing I might change next time is to cook down the sauce a little more to make it thicker, possibly adding some flour or cornstarch to make the consistency more creamy. 

Ingredients

6 pork chops

1 medium fennel bulb, stocks removed and sliced

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 TBS paprika

Salt & Pepper

Olive oil, about 2 TBS.

1 TBS. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 TBS. fresh lemon juice

1. Rinse your pork chops and then pat dry. Cover each side of the pork chops with salt, pepper and paprika and rub into the pork chops to season them well. 

2. In a medium heat pan with about 1 TBS. of olive oil, sear pork chops on both sides until they have a good brown color on them, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside. 

3. In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil, the sliced fennel, onions and garlic. Saute in the pan until the fennel and onions start to get brown and soft. About 7-8 minutes. 

4. Add in the chicken broth and white wine and bring to a boil. 

5. Once the pan is boiling, add the pork chops back in the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for about 8-10 minutes depending on how thick your pork chops are. 

6. Remove the pork chops and place them on a platter. Boil the sauce for another 5 minutes or so, without the lid, so that it can reduce down. 

7. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the platter of pork chops and Enjoy! 

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Grilled Tuna Steaks

Our neighbor was nice enough to bring us 2 thick-fresh Tuna steaks last fall from the Coast. They had been vacuumed sealed in my freezer ever since.  Having never prepared tuna steaks before, I was a little unsure the best way to cook.  

With a little research, I learned they are best when marinated and grilled, remaining slightly pink inside.  Since I don't like any meat prepared rare, this was a little scary, but I figured millions of people eating sashimi can't be wrong. 

Also this was a perfect opportunity to buy a new grill pan!  

What to marinade them with?  hmmmm...good question!   Corinne had bought me some really cool ingredients from her time working at the Green Olive shop, so I used these to marinade the steaks.  If I didn't have these, I might have made an apple/pear juice, vinegar and oil mixture.  

INGREDIENTS

Marinade of choice (approximately 1/2 cup)
1 Tablespoon Basil
Pepper
Olive Oil for grilling

1. Mix marinade ingredients and pour over tuna steaks.  Season and rub on spices, coating both sides.  Cover and refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  I think I had these in the marinade for several hours.  

Aren't these steaks beautiful???

2.  Remove from refrigerator and sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.  

3.  Heat indoor grill pan under medium-high heat with oil.  You can also use outdoor grill.  
Grill tuna steaks for about 3 minutes per side.  They should be slightly pink inside.  

4.  I served these with a simple tzatziki sauce (Greek yogurt, diced cucumbers and garlic powder) and grilled asparagus (also done on my new pan!)

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Shrimp stir fry with peanut butter

I'm not sure if it is a dangerous thing, or a good thing, but I've been watching a lot of episodes of Chopped on the Food Network lately.  Corinne got me turned onto that, and now I'm addicted. For those of you who have seen it, can you imagine preparing the dishes they do in the time frame in which they have?  I would be a mess!

So on one episode, one of the basket ingredients was peanut butter and the chef added it to a stir fry, thus this recipe post.

I love stir fry and usually just make it with this great Soyaki Sauce I like from Trader Joe's.  This time, I decided to amp it up with some peanut butter too.  If you don't have this, you can use any teriyaki sauce, or just soy sauce seasoned with garlic, ginger and sesame seeds. 

INGREDIENTS

Cut up vegetables of choice - about 3 cups
     (I used slightly blanched carrots, zucchini, onions and yellow peppers)
Sesame oil 
1-1-1/2 cup Soyaki, Teriyaki or Soy Sauce (see note above)
1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
Cooked shrimp (if using uncooked shrimp, cook with vegetables for a few minutes)


1.  With a little sesame oil, in a skillet, saute [to mild crispness] vegetables, remove from pan.

2.  Add sauce into pan and stir in peanut butter until smooth

3.  Put vegetables back into the pan to infuse the flavor, stir.  Add the cooked shrimp in the last few minutes, so they don't get chewy.  You just want the shrimp to get warmed.  Serve over rice!  

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Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos

In one of my latest cooking magazines, there are a lot of recipes listed for healthy eating after the new year. This was one that I came across that sounded delicious because A) I love ALL Mexican food, B) I've never made tacos in the crock pot, and C) Turkey tacos sounded different and kind of fun. So I threw everything in the crockpot (which took a total of about 8 minutes) and enjoyed these delicious tacos when I got home from work. I had some tomatillos in the fridge so I diced those up to put on top for a "fresh" crunch to the tacos and I will definitely make sure I have those next time I make these too. Although fresh diced tomatoes would also be a nice addition. (By the way...each taco is approximately 360 calories!)

Ingredients
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 scallions, diced
2 TBS. peanut butter
1.5 TBS. soy sauce
1 TBS chili powder
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 skinless, boneless turkey breast (about 1.5 - 2 lbs.)
Corn or Flour tortillas

Optional: diced tomatillos for the topping

1. Combine in a slow cooker the tomatoes, green pepper, cilantro, scallions, peanut butter, soy sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Stir ingredients together.

2. Add the turkey breast and stir everything to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

3. When finished, take the turkey breast out and shred in a bowl. Add shredded turkey back into the crockpot to coat with the juices.

4. Serve in warm flour tortillas and top with more cilantro and diced tomatillos or other of your favorite taco toppings.

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Cous Cous Stuffed Peppers

I was looking for a healthy recipe to add to my new year's resolution recipes...this was the first one I came across that I wanted to add to my recipe box! Its a healthier version of traditional stuffed peppers that have tons of meat, cheese and rice! The cous cous I used was whole wheat and you could really put any combination of vegetables inside the peppers, but I decided to use onions, zucchini and tomatoes. This is a great dish for vegetarians and you could also eliminate the feta cheese to make it vegan. Very yummy and felt good to eat! 

Ingredients

3 Bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 small zucchini, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Cherry tomatoes, about 10, halved

1 cup dried Cous Cous

¼ cup feta cheese

½ cup chickpeas

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 TBS. dried Basil

½ tsp. pepper

1. Prepare the cous cous according to the box directions, mine says to boil 1 cup of water with a TBS. of olive oil. Once the water is boiling, add in 1 cup of cous cous and stir. Cover and remove from heat, fluff with a fork after 5 minutes.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add in pepper halves and boil for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

3. In a medium saucepan, sauté onions, zucchini and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add in cherry tomatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. In a large bowl, mix together cooked cous cous, chickpeas, onions and zucchini mixture, dried Basil, pepper, ½ cup tomato sauce and feta cheese.

5. In a glass baking dish, pour the rest of the can of tomato sauce and placed in finished boiled pepper halves. Fill each pepper with cous cous mixture.

6. I had extra of the cous cous mixture because I could only fit 5 pepper halves in the pan, so I poured the extra cous cous mixture all around the peppers.

7. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.

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