Shrimp scampi is one of the easiest shrimp dishes to prepare. Simply saute 5-6 cloves of minced garlic, 2-3 shallots or one onion, and herbs (oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper if you like spice) in olive oil, then add shrimp and about a cup of white wine. Fresh lemon juice can also be added at this point. Simmer until the shrimp are cooked, then toss with pasta.
Scampi is great with a side of bread. The recipe for the French bread shown below can be found at Allrecipes.com.
Start by brewing some very strong chai tea–two tea bags in about 3 tbsp. of boiling water. Let steep and allow to cool before squeezing the tea bags to extract as much tea as possible, then set aside. Next prepare the vanilla pudding, and allow it to cool completely before whisking in the chai tea and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. The pictures in this blog entry are courtesy of Lesley of www.blameitonthefood.com.
Ingredients:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Very gradually whisk in milk, then whisk in the egg yolks.
2. Wisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low, still whisking and cook one minute more. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a sieve into a bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into the hot pudding.
3. Press plastic wrap to the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 3 hours, then whisk in the chai tea and a little cinnamon.
It’s always fun to have friends over for dinner, and when it’s someone visiting from out of state, lobster is a must! This dish is fun to prepare, and is easier to make than one might think. All photos in this blog entry are courtesy of our friend Lesley of www.blameitonthefood.com.
Seafood Fra Diavolo
(Serves 6)
3-4 tbs olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you like spice)
1/4 tsp white pepper
24 oz jar of good quality marinara sauce
2 lobsters, cooked and picked
1 lb shrimp, cleaned
1 lb sea scallops
2 packages fresh pasta
fresh grated parmesan
1/2 c. dry red wine (chianti works well)
Heat olive oil in a large pan, and saute garlic 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add all herbs and spices and saute another minute before adding the scallops and shrimp. Cook the scallops and shrimp just until they turn opaque, then add the lobster, cooking 1 more minute. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Meanwhile, be sure the pasta water is ready. Add the red wine to the seafood mixture in the pan and prepare the pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese.
One of my favorite things about the holidays is the homemade cookies and fudge. My current favorites are Gingerbread Cookies, M&M Shortbread Cookies, Melt in Your Mouth Cookies, and the peanut butter fudge that my friend’s dad used to make when we were kids…
The Melt in Your Mouth Cookies, above, have a name that speaks for itself. They have been a crowd-pleaser at the different gatherings I’ve brought them to. I don’t make them often because of all the butter involved, but nothing else can be substituted to create the unique flavor and texture of these cookies.
Gingerbread Cookies
(Recipe from Wilton–came with a pan I received as a gift last Christmas.)
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray pan cavities with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended. Beat in egg; mix well. Beat in molasses and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; beat until well-blended.
3. Press dough into the cavities of the pan, filling 2/3 full. Bake 9-10 minutes or until light brown around edges. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn pan over; lightly tap to remove cookies. Cool completely on a cooling grid. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
This peanut butter fudge is soft and creamy, and unlike any other peanut butter fudge I’ve tried. So far I’ve never had a failed batch. Thanks for the recipe Mr. J!
Peanut Butter Fudge
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. whole milk
1/4 stick butter
pinch of salt
3/4 c. peanut butter
3/4 c. marshmallow fluff
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1. Stir together the sugar, milk, butter and salt. Heat over med-high and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla, fluff, and peanut butter. A wooden spoon is recommended…
3. Pour into buttered glass 8×8 pan and allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.
*Optional: While the fudge is still hot, sprinkle shredded dark chocolate or chocolate chips on the surface.
Yesterday we had a wonderful meal with Mom & Dad before trimming their tree. They made a family favorite–pork loin cooked all night in the Crock Pot with sliced onions and Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry. Another variation that works nicely is to add several chopped apples to the Crock Pot during the second half of the cooking time, or at the start of the cooking time when baking in the oven in a covered clay dish.
Recipe
1 pork loin
2 large onions, sliced
2 large green apples, cubed (optional)
1 c. sherry (NOT cooking sherry–too salty!)
Bake in the oven at 325 degrees in a covered clay dish, about 2 hours or until pork reaches 160 degrees at the center. When it’s done, it will begin to fall apart. The other option is to cook it overnight in the crock pot on low.
The broccoli side dish is simple, and can even make an easy dinner when tossed with pasta. To prepare the garlic pepper broccoli, stirfry 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, and about 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper in 2 tbs olive oil for a few minutes. Add the broccoli and stirfry until cooked to your liking. Squeeze fresh lemon juice or a pour a little white wine in during the last few minutes of cooking.
Three gatherings in two days = time to make cookies! This recipe really was easy, and the cookies are soft, fluffy, and delicate. The icing really helps the eggnog flavor stand out, so don’t omit the icing if you try this recipe!
This recipe makes an easy, flavorful, and health-conscious dinner. The recipes I’ve seen usually only call for parsley and bay leaves to flavor the dish, but I modified the recipe to give it a little kick.
Drain 1 can of white canellini beans, and rinse about one pound of shrimp. Roughly chop 1/2 cup red onion or shallots, and 5-6 cloves of garlic. Pour about 1 cup of vermouth (white wine could be substituted) into a pan, and place 2-3 bay leaves, 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, onion and garlic in the pan and simmer over medium heat for a minute or two.
Then add the shrimp and beans and simmer until heated. Season with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil (optional) and fresh lemon juice just before serving. Serve with a little fresh parmesan and a slice of Italian bread.
Dinner in less than 15 minutes!
I love Indian chutneys, especially with Naan or other breads. Last night I tried making a red onion chutney and an apple cranberry chutney which we tried this morning with potato pancakes made from leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes.
Left: leftover cranberry orange relish from Thanksgiving
Top: curried apple cranberry chutney
Lower Right: Indian onion chutney
Brunch!
Today, while shopping for supplies at Axis Natural Foods, I stumbled upon a bottle of pumpkin pie soda. Since pumpkin pie is one of my favorite foods, I thought it was worth a try. It is definitely interesting!
This soda is made in Maine by Maine Root and is fair trade certified and organic. While I think I will continue to enjoy pumpkin pie in its solid form more frequently than this soda, I am interested in trying out some of their other varieties.
Happy Thanksgiving!
My “better half” had the day off today, and decided he was going to make something creative to go with dinner. He dusted off our copy of Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet and found a recipe for Curried Cauliflower Pakoras.
The batter, which contains a fair amount of curry…
Cauliflower pieces, coated in batter
Voila: pakoras!
While not the most health-conscious option from the vegan cookbook, they were really flavorful and I would eat them again sometime if a certain someone were to make them again sometime…
