Ina's Shrimp Scampi

I had some shrimp I wanted to use, so I went onto my favorite cooking board on The Nest and asked for recipes. I got a few responses that I had to try Ina Garten's recipe. Well, I found a couple different ones, but this one I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand, so I went for it. Let me tell you, looking at the pic, it doesn't look like there is much sauce or flavor on those noodles, but there is. It was really yummy and flavorful. It had a very lemony taste. I changed a couple things with the recipe so it would be saucier, I added white wine and a bit more butter. I also forgot all about the lemon slices, so that was omitted. I had this meal prepped, and when I went to go make it it took me less than 15 minutes total. So easy and quick! I will definitely have to make this one more often.

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti (adapted from Ina Garten)

• Vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 pound linguine
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 1/2 cup of your favorite white wine
  
• 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 lemon, zest grated
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
• 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the white wine and let it cook a couple more minutes. Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Roasted Vegetables with Linguini

This is another recipe that I used to make all the time, years ago. I kind of forgot all about it until I was skimming through an online cookbook Id entered a bunch of recipes into. This one used to be my meal to impress. I always made it for company and everyone always loved it.

Speaking of company, I was just reminded of a funny thing that happened one night when I made this recipe. My sister and I were living together in my condo in Mesa and we decided to have our grandparents on our Dad's side over for dinner. So we planned ahead and decided to make them this roasted veggies with pasta. Well the evening comes and Ive got dinner all ready and they never showed up. I tried to keep it hot on the stove for awhile, but everything got really overcooked. Finally when they were 45 minutes late I called them and they were at home and had just ate. They completely forgot about dinner with us. They felt terrible and came right over. They sat down and had another entire dinner with us. I was watching my grandfather when he was talking, and he was pouring salad dressing all over his pasta. I didn't know what to think. Tiffany and I were eyeing him with curiosity. He ate his pasta first and thought it was wonderful. Then started in on the salad and realized there was no dressing on it. We all started laughing as he realized he poured the dressing all over the pasta dish, then ate it all up. It was so funny. I will never forget that. He said the pasta was still really good. hehehe. That was a fun night.

I clipped this out of a little Lipton recipe book that I bought in the aisle of a grocery store one time. I usually add some grilled chicken breast seasoned with poultry rub to this right at the end, to make it a more hearty meal. Also, the original recipe called for the Savory Herb with Garlic soup mix and I can no longer find that in stores. Now they are all some variation of onion flavor. I just use the Onion Mushroom flavor now and it tastes pretty much the same. Sometimes I add a few drops of hot sauce and a pinch of garlic powder to give it a little more spice. Ive also had good luck adding extra cheese and cream, to make it more saucy. I like saucy stuff.

Roasted Veggies with Linguine

2-3 lbs of veggies chopped (I like to use zucchini, squash, bell pepper, onions, mushrooms, asparagus)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 packet of Lipton Recipe Secrets
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Chop veggies into large pieces and put into a big plastic bag, pour in olive oil and soup mix packet. Shake until the veggies are coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through. After veggies are baked, pour cream and cheese into casserole and stir to make a creamy sauce. Toss with 1 lb cooked linguine or your favorite cooked pasta.

Creamy Ziti with Peas and Ham

My mom came over the other day and left one of her cookbooks here for me to look at. The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Its a compilation of 1200 recipes that have been tested with different and sometimes mediocre kitchen equipment, and even wrong ingredients, to come up with tried and true recipes that work the first time.

I was flipping through it with Sam and every single page, he would point to pictures and ask, "whats that?" And I would lovingly answer his questions. Well, you can imagine that after a few chapters of that, it was time to be done with looking through cook books. I did make it through the pasta section and I came across this recipe that I had almost everything on hand, so I tried it for dinner tonight.

This recipe took less than the 25 minutes it says it takes. It was easy and actually pretty light compared to other creamy pasta dishes Ive made. Carl even went back for 2nds, and he normally hated creamy pasta dishes. The pic just doesnt do this justice. It looked and tasted great!

Creamy Ziti with Peas and Ham
(adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces thick sliced ham, diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb small pasta (I used mini ziti, the recipe called for mini shells)
2 cups frozen peas
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (half of one lemon squeezed)

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil for the pasta.

2. Combine the ricotta, Parmesan, butter, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, in a serving bowl large enough to hold the pasta.

3. Cook the ham in the oil in a 12 inch skillet until the ham is cooked through and browned. Drain onto a plate lined with paper towels, reserving the oil.

4. Cook the onions in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Remove from heat and add to the ricotta mixture, stir to mix well.

5. When the water is boiling, stir in 1 tbsp salt and the pasta. Cook stirring often, until the pasta is almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite. Add the peas during the final 30 seconds of the pasta cooking.

6. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the shells and peas. Whisk the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water into the ricotta mixture until smooth. Add the shells and peas and toss to coat. Add the reserved ham, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Save the remaining 1/4 cup pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce before serving.

Pasta Alla Vodka

This is a yummy recipe that my awesome sister in law, Audrey, gave to me. Its supposed to be Penne alla Vodka, but I wanted to use the mini bow ties because my kids love them. And I also added some fresh basil to sweeten it up a bit. This is a super easy meal for week nights. I almost followed the recipe exactly, so I will put the original recipe here. Oh and you could probably leave out the vodka if you are opposed to cooking with it, and it would just be a tomato cream sauce, but why would you want to leave out the very best part??

3 Tbsp butter
2 Cloves garlic, chopped (I used 2 cubes frozen garlic)
1/4 cup chopped prosciutto
1 large can diced tomatoes (I used 1 can then 1 cup tomato sauce)
1/4 cup vodka
1 cup cream (I used Half&Half)
1 lb penne pasta

In a large skillet, melt butter, saute garlic and prosciutto for a minute, then add tomatoes and vodka. Let simmer a few minutes until it starts to reduce. Add cream and cook a few minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and some basil if desired. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Meaty Lasagna

1/2 box lasagna pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup red wine
1 container ricotta cheese
2 tsp dried basil
1 egg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cups prepared marinara sauce (or any leftover red pasta sauce)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Start by browning the meat. When it is cooked through ,drain off the fat and add the wine. Cook a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to season it up, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg and Parmesan cheese, basil. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

In the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish, spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce on bottom then lay 3-4 lasagna noodles on bottom, slightly overlapping them. Spread with 1/2 the ricotta mixture, then top with half the meat mixture then 1 cup marinara sauce. Repeat layers. Cover 2nd layer with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and marinara sauce, then top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake covered in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 more minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Quick Pasta Salad

I threw this recipe together in the time it took for the pasta to cook. Its so versatile. Add whatever veggies you have. I would have added tomatoes to this, but we aren't eating them right now with the salmonella outbreak. I served this up with some grilled BBQ shrimp and baked beans.

1/2 box mini penne pasta
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 cheese sticks, cut into chunks
1/2 cup imitation crab meat, shredded
1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup Italian dressing (I used balsamic)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

While pasta is cooking, prepare veggies and cheese sticks and crab. The last 30 seconds of pasta cooking, add broccoli. Drain and run under cool water to chill. Add carrot, cheese, and crab to pasta and broccoli. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo and dressing. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over pasta, then pour dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Fried Shallots

I took this salad to a family reunion last night and I got a lot of compliments on it. The fried shallots are soooo good on this.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Fried Shallots

1/2 pound penne pasta
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
2 cups vegetable oil
salt
1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/2 of an English cucumber, thinly sliced
10 radishes, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 small bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped (I skipped this since I didnt have any)
grated peel and juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp honey
Pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the shallots and oil to a simmer over medium heat and fry, stirring until golden, 18-20 min (this took about 10 minutes for me) Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Reserve 1/4 cup shallot oil for the dressing.

In a large serving bowl, combine the chicken, cucumber, radishes, carrots, cilantro and pasta.

Whisk the lime peel and juice and honey into the shallot oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and season with more salt and toss to coat evenly. Top with the fried shallots.

Poor Man's Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is one of those staple meals that is quick and easy to throw together on a busy week night. I used to always make it with sliced steak. Now I usually make it with ground beef (hence the title) since that is how Carl and Sam prefer it. They think its too chewey with sliced beef. I dont mind because I think it pretty much tastes the same either way. Plus, its cheaper. With the growing prices at the grocery store, cooking balanced, healthy meals can get expensive. I make it the same way I used to, with onions, mushrooms and sour cream. We always eat beef stroganoff with steamed broccoli. I dont know why, but for some reason, it just goes together. I love it all mixed together on the plate.

Poor Man's Beef Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 cup beef broth

2 Tbsp tomatoe paste

1 Tbsp Worcheshire sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 lb wide egg noodles

chopped parsley to garnish

Brown beef with onions until cooked through. Drain fat. Add mushrooms and beef broth. Cook 5-10 minutes, until liquid reduces and thickens. Cook noodles according to package directions. Add tomato paste and Worcheshire sauce to meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in sour cream just before serving. Let the mixture heat back up but dont let it boil or the sour cream could curdle. Serve over egg noodles and steamed broccoli. Sprinkle parsley to taste.

Mini Farfalle with Tomatoes and Corn

My mom made this a few weeks ago for my kids when they stayed at her house and she told me that they both just ate it up. Tonight I decided to try it out. I was skeptical of corn in a tomato sauce, but it turned out so yummy. I used canned tomatoes and I added a little chopped spinach since I had some that needed to be used up. This was so quick and easy! Really good. I think it would be great with some chicken in it. My mom put ham in it when she made it. I will definatly be making this again.

This recipe came from the back of the box of Barilla Piccolini.

1 box Barilla Piccolini Mini Farfalle

1 28 ounce of canned tomatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp chopped onion

1 15 ounce can of corn, drained

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 basil leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, saute onions in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add tomatoes to the skillet and simmer for 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add corn and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Stir in cheese and basil before serving.

Minestrone Pasta with Crispy Bacon

Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray. I didnt have any zucchini, so I chopped up a fresh tomato instead. I added 1 Tbsp minced garlic to the onions in the pan. I also substituted 2 cups vegatable broth for 2 cups of water to add a bit more flavor. I added 1/2 cup of toasted pinenuts just because I had been wanting to use them for awhile and I thought they would be good. This would be so easy to make into a vegetarian dish by just leaving out the bacon and sauteing the onions in 2 Tbsp olive oil. All in all it was very good. I prepped it a couple hrs before and cooked the bacon ahead of time. I usually prep dinner in the afternoons when Charlie is napping. Then at dinner time I can tell Carl to take the boys outside for a bit while I throw it all together as quickly as possible. It usually works well.

6 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped (about 6 ounces)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound short pasta, such as ditalini (1 1/2 cups)
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
2 zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped basil, parsley and mint
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat and drain the bacon on paper towels.

In a large saucepan, heat the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add 4 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender and the liquid is more than halfway absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, zucchini and peas and season with salt and pepper. Return to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fork-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan, herbs and lemon peel.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta and vegetables to bowls. Top with more parmesan and the reserved bacon.

Peking Peanut Penne

I decided to try this recipe after someone from Whats Cooking? posted a link to their blog with this recipe in it. Here is the link to the Food Blog. I served this with Asian Cabbage Salad. I have to say that when I was grilling the chicken breasts for this recipe, I got a phone call and completly forgot about my chicken on the grill. When I finally remembered, I had a mini heart attack as I tried to remember how long I was on the phone. I went to check the grill, expecting charred to the crisp breasts, but I was pleasantly suprised when I found my chicken cooked to perfection! My verdict on this recipe was that it was missing something. I didnt really know what. Carl and I both thought it was bland. I added extra salt. And when I mixed it with the Asian Cabbage, it was really yummy. I did love the flavors, but the texture was very clumpy and thick. Like cooled down alfredo sauce. I think I will try this again and maybe cook the sauce and use milk and add more of it to make it thinner. Its definately got potential!

1 lb. Penne Pasta

4 chicken breasts grilled, cubed
1 c. Creamy Peanut butter

1/3 bottle Bangkok Padang Peanut sauce

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 c. heavy cream or milk

1/2 c. plus 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta and chicken. Toss hot pasta with peanut butter, peanut sauce, garlic, milk and 1/2 c. parmesan. Use salt to taste. Transfer to Casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is light brown. Enjoy!

My Famous Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Everyone always asks me to make my spaghetti sauce. Its Carl's favorite dinner I make. Im not really sure where I came up with this recipe. Spaghetti sauce was one of the first things I set out to perfect when I started cooking in my early 20's. So now Im going to attempt to write out all the ingredients I use. I change it up all the time based on what I have on hand though. You can add other veggies, or just use ground beef and no sausage. I will write it up exactly how I am making it today.

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground italian sausage

1 large onion

1 large bell pepper

2 zucchini

1 container of sliced mushrooms

2 cans (14.5oz) diced tomatoes

2 cans (29oz) tomato sauce

1/2 cup red wine

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

2Tbsp dried basil

2 bay leaves

1Tbsp sugar

fresh ground pepper

While the meat is browning, chop up all the veggies. When the meat is browned, add the cans of tomatos and tomato sauce. Then add all the chopped veggies and stir to get it all mixed up. The sauce will be really thick and chunky but dont worry, it will all cook down.

Now add the garlic, basil and bay leaves and sugar and wine. Season with some fresh ground pepper. Dont add any salt yet. I always wait until the very end to salt the sauce as alot of times it just naturally salty enough and you may not even need it. Now the fun part...let it simmer at least 2 hrs...more if you have the time. Sometimes when I dont have time to stay home and let the sauce simmer, I will brown the beef and then pour all the ingredients in the crock pot and let it simmer in the crock pot all day. Then in the last 30 minutes or so I will take off the lid and let it simmer without the lid so it can thicken up a bit.

This will make a large batch of sauce. I like to use it for spaghetti dinner, then have some leftovers in the fridge. I also will freeze half of the sauce for another night when I need a quick easy meal.