Italian Tomato Gravy

One of the most wonderful things my husband and I received for our wedding (almost five years ago!) was a booklet of recipes compiled by my husband's late grandmother.  Inside, my mother-in-law had placed this sticky note:

By that point, I had already heard a lot about this legendary tomato sauce.  My husband was so in love with it, in fact, that he turned his nose up at every other version.  Our first year of marriage was full of cooking fails- like the time I accidentally melted a nylon spatula into my chicken approximately one hour into my America's Test Kitchen chicken marsala.  But this tomato gravy, complex despite its simplicity, was a sure bet each and every time I whipped up a batch. 

These days, I usually serve it with Italian sausage, but it also makes a great meat sauce base and is fabulous in homemade lasagna. 

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 6-oz cans tomato paste
3 cans water
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet basil

DIRECTIONS
1.  Saute onions in oil.  Add garlic, then add all other ingredients.  Cook 1 hour on low.

Makes enough to dress 1 lb of spaghetti, noodles, or with lasagna recipes.

Meat Sauces

Using the above recipe, brown 1/2 to 1 lb ground beef or pork and add to gravy, OR, 8 links of browned Italian sausages may be added.  Be sure to prick sausages with fork before browning.

Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini

My husband and I are not usually into casserole-type meals, but this tetrazzini was a very pleasant surprise.  I took several liberties with the original recipe, jazzing up the sauce with garlic and spices while cutting back on the butter and cream.  After digging into it for dinner tonight, I wouldn't change a thing next time.  It was a nice way to use up some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey we've got in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS
8 oz dry spaghetti, broken in half
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
10 oz button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
Seasoned salt to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 X 13 pan.

2.  Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.  Drain.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent and mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

4.  Reduce heat to low.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and stir until smooth.  Add cream, milk, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and stir until combined.  Bring to a low boil and allow to cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add poultry, seasonings, and cooked spaghetti and stir well.

5.  Pour mixture into prepared pan and top with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted and dish is hot and bubbly, 15-20 minutes.
 

Weeknight Kung Pao Shrimp

What I've been up to lately:

Sharing an experience of a lifetime with the most wonderful group of six year olds I know,

Hunting for my first "new" car,

 Cutting out a metric crap-ton of lamination,

Feverishly essay-writing,

 And painting my fingernails.  Poorly.  Very poorly.

Anyway, with everything going on, I've been doing well to get dinner on the table, much less neatly photographed and accompanied by a semi-witty intro.  In fact, I haven't been inspired to blog at all lately.  Until this happened:

It may not look like much right there, but this Kung Pao Shrimp is officially my favorite weeknight meal.  It's a true 30-minute dish from start to finish.  (Don't you hate when a recipe is rated as a 30-minute meal, but they expect you to have already chopped 19 million different veggies and pre-cooked the protein?!)  Anyway, the ingredient list was so skimpy that I wasn't expecting fireworks, but the final product was amazing.  Garlicky, spicy, and flavorful, it beats my favorite take out hands-down. 

Very slightly adapted from Cook's Country, October/November 2007 issue

INGREDIENTS
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp hot sauce (I used chili paste from my local Asian grocer, & Sriracha would be fine.)
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 lb extra-large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced

1.  Whisk chicken broth, oyster sauce, hot sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add shrimp and peanuts and cook until shrimp are speckled with brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate. 

3.  Add remaining oil and bell pepper to empty skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in sauce mixture and bring to a boil.  Add shrimp and peanuts and simmer until sauce has thickened and shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute.  Serve over rice.

Tortellini Minestrone

I've been on a quest lately to find healthy, filling meals that I can get on the table in a hurry.  This one definitely fits the bill- it's chock full of veggies and on the table within 30 minutes. 

I didn't care for the canellini beans in the soup and plan to leave them out next time.

As seen on Cook Like a Champion, originally from Cook’s Illustrated Soups, Stews & Chilis

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced
5 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
3 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 3/4 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini (preferably whole wheat)
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pesto (homemade, or if store-bought, use the refrigerated variety)
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until just softened. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until all the vegetables have softened, 5-6 additional minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in the broth, making sure to scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the vegetable juice and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the tortellini and zucchini and continue simmering until tender, another 5-7 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Divide among serving bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan before serving.

Endless Summer Salad with Homemade Maple Vinaigrette

You just can't beat an entree salad as a weeknight meal.  This one is particularly special, with its crispy bacon pieces, feta cheese, and homemade maple dressing.  I've omitted measurements for the veg as people have their own preferences for salad proportions.

Oh, and my recent discovery that partially frozen chicken is WAY easier to slice than thawed has changed my world.  

Endless Summer Salad
An Ommy Noms original, shout-out to Oishii for helping me name it!
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
Spring mix
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Sweet onion, several thin slices
2 granny smith apples, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts (or you can go for almonds or sugared pecans if you'd like!)
2 oz feta cheese crumbles
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 slices bacon, thinly sliced
Maple vinaigrette, recipe below

DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add bacon and cook until fat begins to render out.  Add chicken pieces and cook in rendered bacon fat until browned and cooked through, flipping occasionally.

2.  Remove cooked chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Continue cooking bacon pieces until they reach desired level of crispness.  Remove to plate.

3.  Layer all ingredients in individual salad bowls and drizzle with maple vinaigrette.

Maple Vinaigrette
Adapted from Southern Living

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1.  Whisk together first five ingredients.  Gradually whisk in oil until fully incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

*  I tend to taste and adjust my dressings to suit my preferences.  I wound up adding more maple syrup in the end.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli-cheddar soup is one of my favorite meals to prepare on those especially frigid winter nights. You know, when the temperature gets down to, like, 50. (Hey, I'm a Texan after all!)

My first foray into making broccoli-cheese soup was less than successful. The cheese separated, leaving us with a bowlful of broccoli chunks and cheese-sand. Appetizing, eh? I've since learned my lesson- the secret to a smooth soup is adding the cheese bit by bit over medium-low heat. Crank it up, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

This simple-but-flavorful version originally hails from Allrecipes, although I've made several adaptations. Namely, halving the butter.

You're welcome.

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 3-4 as a main course

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 1 large head of broccoli)
3/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (buy the block and shred it yourself)
Dash red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine broccoli, carrots, and chicken broth in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Melt butter over medium heat in a medium pot. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add flour and stir to combine with onion mixture. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

3. Pour broccoli, carrots, and reserved cooking liquid into pot with onion mixture. Stir to combine. Add milk and heat until piping hot but not boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add shredded cheese a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Remove from heat once all cheese has melted. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

First of all, I apologize again for neglecting my dear blog.  I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, as I just turned in a paper/project that are worth 40% of my grade in one of my masters classes.  (EEK!)  Suffice it to say that take-out and frozen pizza have graced our table a lot more frequently than home-cooked goodness in the past few weeks.

Now, onto this delicious butternut squash pasta... 

I wouldn't exactly call Mr. Ommy Noms a "meat and potatoes" guy, but it's safe to say that vegetarian dishes usually aren't his bag.  So when I set a plate of butternut squash pasta in front of him, I expected a lukewarm reception at best.  Oh, but I was surprised!  My husband RAVED about this dish, going back for seconds and insisting we reserve some for leftovers.  It paired beautifully with a fresh green salad.  Despite its fancy taste, this was a very low-effort dish.  Shredding the cheese and squash ahead of time would make this a great after-work meal.

Serves 4-6
Adapted from A Little Bit of Everything

INGREDIENTS
9 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
1 butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed
10 oz blend of hard cheeses (I took the easy way out and used a bag of shredded Italian)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups cream (I used light cream)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Boil the pasta until al dente.  Drain and set aside to cool.
2.  Shred the squash flesh using a cheese grater.
3.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shredded squash, half the cheese, garlic, and parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4.  Transfer pasta mixture to a buttered baking dish.  Pour cream over pasta.  Top with remaining cheese.
5.  Bake until cream is absorbed and squash is cooked, about 30 minutes.

Hot Ham and Brie(z!)

First of all, I apologize for my extended absence.  I have been so busy lately that I haven't known what to do with myself.  I guess time flies when you're not having fun. 

For the past few years, my husband and I have vacationed in Hot Springs, Arkansas over spring break.  We are always sure to take a ride out to Cafe 1217 for a delicious light lunch.  The neat thing about this restaurant is that the menu changes on a monthly basis, so there's always something new and exciting to try.  Last year, my husband's pick was a hot ham and brie sandwich.  He let me try a bite and I was hooked.  I recreated the sandwich at home for a quick supper and it was just as delicious as I remembered.

Inspired by Cafe 1217

INGREDIENTS
Sandwich buns
Brie cheese
Sliced deli ham
Jam of your choice (I used strawberry)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Layer ham and brie slices on bottom half of the bun.  Place in toaster oven at 350 and cook until ham is heated and cheese is beginning to melt.  Put the top halves of the bun in the toaster oven until lightly toasted.

2.  Remove.  Slather the top half of the bun with jam of your choice.  Enjoy!

Roasted Okra

I get a little "Bubba Gump" when I talk about my okra- fried okra, boiled okra, stewed okra, okra gumbo, I love it it all!  Until today, though, I was lacking one glorious method of preparation in my repertoire- roasted okra!  I don't know why I'd never thought to roast it before.  Roasting veggies almost always results in awesomeness, and this was no different.  The roasted okra had less of the "slimy mouthfeel" that my husband loves so much.  (Not!)

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 3

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the seasoned salt label for gluten sources.

INGREDIENTS
18 fresh okra pods, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
Seasoned salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 425.

2.  Place okra and olive oil in a gallon-sized Ziploc and shake to coat.  Place okra on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in preheated oven and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Peanuts

This was a throw-together meal that turned out so tasty I cooked it again the following week.  The marinade gives the dish a nice Asian-inspired flavor.  The first time I made it, I marinated the chicken for a full 24 hours and thought the meat tasted a little too salty.  If you're going to marinate it for that long, I'd recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.

This would make a great after-work dish because the bulk of the cook time is hands-off.

From How Sweet It Is
Serves 3

*  Gluten-free diners should ensure that their soy sauce is gluten-free.  Kikkoman now produces a gluten-free soy sauce that is clearly labeled.  Additionally, double-check your peanuts for gluten sources.  Diamond Nuts brand peanuts are gluten-free.  You may opt to substitute plain peanuts for the dry roasted ones.

INGREDIENTS
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used large ones)
1 each: red, green, yellow pepper, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sherry wine (I just used a couple tbsp of vermouth)
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS
2-24 hours beforehand, combined marinade ingredients in a baking dish. Add chicken to the marinade and let marinate for 2-24 hours, turning occasionally to coat.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and add pepper slices with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Remove peppers to a plate and turn heat up to medium high. Add chicken breasts and sear on each side until well browned, about 5 minutes. After the second side has seared, top the chicken with the pepper slices and add the entire skillet to the oven uncovered.

3.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with peanuts. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve over rice.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

After a long day of studying, this was the perfect 20-minute entree.  It was so rich and spicy- we loved it!  In the future, I would probably stir a teaspoon of cornstarch into the half-and-half to thicken the sauce up a bit.

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces linguine pasta

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

4 large button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Additional Cajun seasoning to taste 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2.  Meanwhile, dry chicken with paper towel and season with Cajun seasoning. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost done (5 to 7 minutes).

3.  Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

 

4.  Add the half-and-half and basil. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Add additional Cajun seasoning to taste.

Sizzling Hot Shrimp

I tell you, I have been one busy lady lately.  I wrote eight essays last week, I've got seven due this week, and I'm taking my ESL certification exam on Saturday.  (Aaaah!)  I've been reaching for fix-it-fast favorites like pan-seared tilapia and Mongolian beef, but was longing to try something new.  Oishii came through again with this Shrimp Pil-Pil, more aptly described as Sizzling Hot Shrimp.

This dish was ready in a snap and went well over savory polenta.  It definitely had a kick to it, so it isn't for the faint of heart.  Next time, I plan to cook it in a nonstick skillet with only a tablespoon or two of oil so that I don't have to deal with any spattering.

Adapted from Oishii, originally from Liz Pearson
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or 1-2 tbsp in a nonstick skillet)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
1 teaspoon paprika 
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, sliced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 
1 loaf crusty bread, sliced


DIRECTIONS
1.  In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, paprika, and chipotle and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook until opaque, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

2.  Transfer the shrimp mixture to a bowl and serve with the bread.

Corn-Fettuccine Salad

Souper Salad is definitely my favorite lunch spot.  I always enjoy nomming down on their crunchy chow mein noodles, gingerbread cake, blueberry bread, and complimentary soft-serve ice cream - uh... lettuce.  But my absolute MOST favorite thing to pile on my plate at Souper Salad is definitely the fettuccine pasta salad.  It's got sweet corn and parmesan, all wrapped up in tasty pasta goodness.

I came across a copycat recipe for that glorious salad awhile back and had to try it out.  Copycat recipes often miss the mark, but this one is a definite keeper.  It went well with leftover blackened chicken.

Adapted from Copykat.com

8 oz. Fettuccine
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Prepare fettuccine according to package directions.  Drain.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta, mayonnaise, corn, parmesan, and garlic powder.  Stir well, and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve chilled.

Pan-seared Tilapia with Jalapeno-Lime Butter

A friend of mine gave me a goodie-bag full of home grown cherry tomatoes and jalapenos yesterday.  Score!  The tomatoes didn't last long around me.  (If you have never eaten a home grown tomato, you are missing out!)  I concocted this jalapeno-lime butter to dress up seared tilapia, and it was a big hit. 

I've got 3 jalapenos left- any ideas?

Seared Tilapia

*  Gluten-free diners should double-check their seasoning for gluten sources.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper (or Cajun seasoning if you're feeling spicy!)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Pat fillets dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the tilapia and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Jalapeno-Lime Butter
An Ommy Noms Original

INGREDIENTS
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
Juice of 1/2 a lime

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Dollop onto seared tilapia fillets.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I love stuffed bell peppers, but I never make them.  I don't like having to go through the trouble of blanching and stuffing the peppers, and I can never seem to get them quite tender enough in the oven.  This soup has all the flavor of stuffed bell peppers, but none of the hassle. 

I adjusted the preparation of this recipe to suit my "I really didn't mean to be standing over the copy machine until 5:00" day.  I had two pots going at the same time, and I cooked the peppers and onion along with the ground beef.  This cut down on the cooking time quite a bit.  Next time, I'd like to top each serving with some shredded cheddar!

Adapted from Cooking with Chrissy

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp oil
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large green bell peppers, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
28 oz can tomato sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups long grain rice
32 oz low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper
DIRECTIONS

1.  Place oil in a large skillet and swirl to coat bottom.  Heat over medium high until shimmering.  Add ground beef, bell pepper, and onion.  Saute until peppers are tender and beef is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, pour tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beef broth into a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Add rice, brown sugar, and garlic.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add beef mixture to rice mixture.  Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and ground chipotle pepper.  Stir well.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Scallion and Garlic Shrimp

My husband and I are big fans of Asian cuisine.  But let me tell you what I am NOT a big fan of- ginger.  As a kid, my family frequented a local restaurant that served the most delicious Cantonese chow mein.  It was chock full of meats, veggies, and crunchy pan-fried noodles, doused in a rich brown sauce.  Mmm!  Unfortunately, the cooks at this restaurant were very fond of ginger.  And I'm not talking about finely diced ginger, either.  The dish was riddled with chunks of ginger root the size of your thumb.  Shudder.

The lovely brown sauce did a bang-up job of disguising the offending spice as, say, an innocent mushroom.  So eating the dish was kind of like playing a game of Minesweeper with your food- you had to clear the good stuff off your plate without accidentally chomping a ginger-bomb.  (Guess who always managed to find the bomb?  Yep- yours truly.) 

That brings me to tonight's entree.  Try as I might, I couldn't bring myself to buy the ingredient that caused me so much dinnertime strife as a kid.  But with an ingredient list so simple, I didn't want to leave the ginger out without replacing it with another flavor.  A splash of soy sauce fit the bill.  The resulting dish was light and really hit the spot.  The best part was that it only took 25 minutes from start to finish.  It would make a great after-work entree, although I would probably prepare the scallions the night before.

Adapted from Rachael Ray

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg white
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
Vegetable oil to coat pan
4 scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise, cut into 1 inch pieces, dark green parts set aside
Steamed rice

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk egg white, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and black pepper until a paste forms.  Add shrimp and toss to coat.  Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce in a small bowl; set aside.

2.  Drain marinade from shrimp.  Coat bottom of a large skillet with oil.  Heat over medium-high until shimmering.  Add shrimp, along with the light green and white scallion pieces, and stir to coat with oil.  Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the shrimp are almost cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic mixture and dark green scallion pieces.  Continue to cook until shrimp are cooked through, about one minute.

3.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over steamed rice.

Pasta e Fagioli

I'll admit it- eating at the Olive Garden is one of my guilty pleasures.  And the only thing that's better than Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi is their endless soup, salad, and breadsticks special.

I've tried most of the soups, but I always go back to the pasta e fagioli.  It's hearty and satisfying, with just the right amount of spice.  So when this recipe came across my Google Reader last month, I knew I had to try it.  It was quick and easy to throw together after work and was just as satisfying as its restaurant counterpart.

Two quick notes:  I will tell you that "large pot" means LARGE pot.  I had to break out the biggest, deepest pot I own when I realized I wouldn't be able to fit it all in my 3 quart.

I didn't have a cheese rind, so I just sprinkled a good bit of shredded parmesan into the soup along with the beans.  No harm, no foul.

Adapted from Stephanie Cooks, originally from Cook's Illustrated

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces of pancetta or bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 parmesan cheese rind
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans cannellini beans
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
8 ounces small pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded parmesan to top

DIRECTIONS


1.  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the pancetta or bacon, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

2.  Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, tomatoes (and the juices from the can), scrapping up the brown bits on the bottom. Add cheese rind and beans, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes.

3.  Add chicken broth.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is cooked, about 8-10 minutes.

4.  Turn off the heat and discard the cheese rind. Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle into bowls- top with additional shredded parmesan cheese.

Creamy Vinaigrette

I made a simple salad with spring mix, tomatoes, purple onions, mushrooms, avocado, and seared shrimp.  With a quick homemade dressing, it made for a great, filling weeknight meal.

I'd usually say that posting a salad recipe is a bit of a cop-out, but I had to share this Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette.  It is everything a good vinaigrette should be- tangy and unique.

Dressing adapted from Mark Bittman

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons or more good white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
Dash garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Whisk until a creamy emulsion forms.  Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Springtime Shrimp Linguine

There's only one thing more awesome about this dish than its tastiness, and that's its speed of preparation.  This recipe took about 25 minutes from first chop to first bite, making it the perfect after work dish. I altered the recipe to suit our tastes by adding chopped tomato and green onions.

Quick tip:  We're not wine drinkers.  I always keep mini bottles of white wine on-hand for cooking so that it's always available but won't go to waste.

Adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

4 oz linguine
1 tsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lb shrimp
2 tbs butter
1 small greenhouse or roma tomato, squeezed to remove seeds and juice, diced
1 bunch green onions, cut finely
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
Dash red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil and drain linguine.

2. Saute garlic and mushrooms in oil over medium heat for about a minute. Mix in broth, lemon juice, and spices. Simmer until reduced by 1/2.

3. Add shrimp and butter. Cook until shrimp is done. Add tomato and green onions; stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve over the linguine.

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry

DH and I both love Chinese food.  This was just as good as anything you get in a restaurant, with a lot less fat.  I planned to take leftovers in my lunch tomorrow, but we devoured it!

Inspired by Food.com

Stir fry ingredients:
1 lb beef, thinly sliced across the grain
Handful of snow peas
6 cremini mushrooms
Handful of bean sprouts
6 green onions, sliced into 1 inch sections
Vegetable oil to cover bottom of wok

Sauce ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp flour

1. Whisk sauce ingredients together in medium bowl and set aside.
2. Add oil to wok. Heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add beef and stir-fry 2 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Add snow peas and mushrooms.  Stir-fry 2 minutes.
3. Pour off oil. Add sauce and bean sprouts. Cook until sauce just begins to boil. Serve over rice or noodles.