#116 :: Shrimp and Pasta in a Tomato-Chile Cream Sauce

We wanted to go to the Westside Market since Jamie and I were both off this weekend, so I sat down and planned out our meals for the week before we went. I found some great recipes in my searching, so we've got some great things to add to the blog this week! We bought fresh bacon, chorizo, chicken, hamburger and shrimp. We also hit up the veggie stands for Romain, Swiss Chard, Corn, Poblanos, Green Peppers, Roma Tomatoes, Fresh Parsley, Sweet Onions, Jalapenos, and then we got some Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. All I can say is it's going to be a delicious week!

I searched Food Network's website for a cream pasta and came up with this gem of a recipe from Emeril. Onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and garlic with shrimp in a creamy sauce, hit with Emeril's Cajun spices. It was fantastic! Restaurant quality served right at home, and I think we calculated the ingredients cost us about ten dollars.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 pound linguine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 11/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Set a large 1-gallon stock pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Place the linguine in the pot and stir the pot until the water returns to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender, but with a bit of resistance (al dente), about 12 minutes. Drain a reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pan. Once the butter has melted, season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Essence and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and add the shrimp to the pan. Sear the shrimp until well browned on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and jalapenos to the pan and saute until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, remaining 1 tablespoon of Essence, remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce until the cream is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the pan, and add the tomatoes, linguine and the reserved cooking water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the Pepper Jack, Parmesan, parsley and basil and toss to blend. Serve immediately.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
(Yield: 2/3 cup) Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Cook Time: 23 mins

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from: "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, posted on FoodNetwork.com

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#114 :: White Bean and Chicken Chili

It's been quite a while since we tried out some new recipes. Jamie was on vacation from work this week, so while he was home we had a chance to spend some time in the kitchen. We caught a show on Food Network with this chili and immediately went out to the store to buy a few things so we could make it. It's definitely something we're going to make regularly through the chilly winter months!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ground chicken (we used diced chicken breasts instead of ground chicken)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (we omitted these because I don't like them)
  
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained (we used Great Northern beans)
  
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Optional: Serve with Cheddar and Scallion Bread



Makes 4-6 servings (we considered it 4 servings)

Recipe from Giada at Home on Food Network

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

#97 :: Herb Tilapia with Green Beans

This is a one pan meal! It had the potential to be really good, but the crust didn't stick to my fish! Most of it ended up stuck to the bottom of the pan -- not burned, just stuck....and I'm not really sure why. It's said to cook over med/high heat (so I used medium), plenty of butter in the pan, followed the instructions to the letter.....all I can think is that the heat should have been higher so they spent less time in the pan. I got the perfect golden color I was looking for, it just wouldn't stick to the fish! Anyway, the important part is that the flavor was good, even if most of the fish had crumbled coatings. (Luckily we got one piece that turned out alright, so we were able to use it for the photo).

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish (we used 1 tsp. dried)
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (we used 1 tsp. dried)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 6-ounce tilapia fillets
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound thin green beans or haricots verts
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (we skipped the tomatoes!)
  
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Combine the flour, oregano and parsley in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the skillet, then add 2 fillets and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 fillets.

Add the green beans and garlic to the skillet and cook about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the tomatoes and cook until just softened, about 1 more minute. Stir in the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water, then cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until just melted.

Divide the fish and vegetables among plates. Garnish with oregano.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#84 :: Lemony Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Seafood and pasta is a favorite of ours, and this one was another great combo! The recipe called for shrimp, but we used a combo -- shrimp, scallops and calamari. The extra bonus was that the leftovers tasted even better than the original dinner.





Ingredients

* 6 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
* 2 lemons, zested and juiced
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound medium shrimp (21 to 25), peeled, de-veined and butterflied (reserve shells)
(we used a mix of seafood - shrimp, scallops & calamari)
* 1/4 onion
* 3/4 pound thin linguini (we used angel hair)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped


Directions

In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside.

Meanwhile make a quick shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the remaining marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.



Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#70 :: Pacific Salmon Potato Skins

We've had some salmon fillets in the freezer for a while now, and last night I decided it was time to use them up. All the salmon recipes I had sounded bland and common, so I set out to find something different. I definitely found it! We were a little skeptical about this one, but it was surprisingly wonderful and we ate every morsel!

Toppings: Flaked grilled salmon, sauteed wild mushrooms, and chopped parsley and chives

**To cook our salmon fillets, we seasoned them with a squeeze of fresh lemon, salt & pepper and grilled them for a few minutes on each side. Then we flaked them apart to top the potato skins. We didn't have mushrooms, so we re-vamped the toppings a bit -- on half of the skins our toppings consisted of sour cream, butter, parsley and a squeeze of lemon. On the other half we used some of the blue cheese butter we had leftover from our steak meal last night, and it went amazingly well with the salmon!

Directions

How to Make Classic Potato Skins:

Pierce 4 large russet potatoes with a fork. Bake directly on the oven rack at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool, then quarter lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Brush both sides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake, skin-side up, at 450 degrees until crisp, about 15 minutes. Add your favorite team toppings. (For cheesy skins, flip the baked shells over before topping, sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and bake an extra 5 minutes.)

Blue Cheese Butter & Parsley


Sour Cream, Butter, Parsley & Lemon


Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#35 :: Garlic Hasselback Potatoes w/ Herbed Sour Cream

If you like garlic, you'll love these potatoes. They were perfectly cooked...crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. It was the perfect side dish to compliment the chicken!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces red new potatoes
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Herbed Sour Cream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a wooden spoon as a cradle, place each potato in the spoon and make several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through. Place 3 garlic slices between slits at the crown of each potato. Toss in a medium bowl with butter and olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and top with Herbed Sour Cream.

Herbed Sour Cream:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Season, to taste, and refrigerate until use.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#25 :: Veggie Pasta

**We haven't posted for a few days. Shame on us! But we've still been cooking and have a lot to blog posting to catch up on. So here we go!**

Jamie says this recipe is one of his favorites so far. It was simple to make, but big on flavor. I made a couple adjustments to this recipe, and I noted them. This is something we'll definitely be having again soon!

Ingredients

• 2 ears roasted corn (*we omitted the corn, we didn't have any)
  
• 1 pound rotelle pasta, or any spiral-shaped pasta (*we substituted angel hair)
  
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup roasted garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (*we substituted dried parsley flakes)
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (*we substituted shredded mozzarella)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap corn in foil and roast in preheated oven for about 1 hour. This can be done in advance on a prep day. Do the same with the garlic cloves.

Cook rotelle according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn cut from cob, zucchini and onion and saute for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add oregano and cook 1 minute. Add broth and roasted garlic and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to combine, adding cooking water, if necessary, to moisten pasta. Fold in parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer pasta to a serving platter and top with feta cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#22 :: Garlic Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair

We bought some frozen shrimp at the grocery store and have been waiting to try something with it! This was one of our own creations (no recipe followed), and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients

• Angel Hair pasta (or your favorite kind)
  
• About 40-50 small shrimp (we just got a bag from the frozen foods)
  
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. parsley
  
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
  
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

Directions

Zest the lemon first, and put aside for later use.

Boil the pasta for 8-12 minutes or until al dente. (I always use salt and oil in my pasta water, salt for flavor and oil to keep the noodles from sticking.)

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, butter and lemon juice. Stir until mixed. Add in the garlic and saute (be careful not to overcook the garlic.) Add the shrimp and saute for about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove from heat. Toss in the lemon zest, parsley, crushed red pepper and salt & pepper. Cover the saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Serve over a bed of angel hair pasta and drizzle remaining oil from the saute pan over the top.


Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Me. :)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#11 :: Slamma Jamma Chicken Parmesana

A word of warning - don't leave these chicken breasts brining for longer than 30 minutes! I left my first one quite a bit longer than that, so it came out waaay too salty! Luckily I was doing a practice run with the first chicken breast, just to see how it would came out. I didn't want to ruin the whole bag! Thank goodness the rest turned out much better! Don't skip the brining process, it really does makes all the difference....but as I learned, don't leave it in too long either...brining timing is everything!

Ingredients

• 4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish, grated
• Olive oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
• 1 pound penne rigate, cooked al dente
• Tomato Sauce (Pasta Sauce)
  
• 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions

Lightly pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness. Combine the kosher salt, sugar, and 1 quart of water in a 1-gallon size resealable plastic bag; shake until dissolved. Add the chicken breasts and soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place the flour in a medium bowl. Remove the chicken from the brine. Shake off excess moisture and, with tongs, lightly dredge the chicken in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and transfer to a large plate.

Mix the eggs and milk in medium bowl and whisk thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, oregano, basil, parsley, sea salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the egg and milk mixture with tongs and let excess mixture drain off. Now dredge the chicken into the bread crumb mixture, and lightly pat down in the bread crumbs to adhere.

Preheat the broiler.

Let the breaded chicken sit for 5 minutes before frying. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to come 1/3 up the side of the chicken. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan when cooked and place on a sheet tray. Repeat with remaining chicken.

When all the chicken is cooked, sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and is golden brown.

Serve chicken over pasta and ladle tomato sauce on top. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Guy's Big Bite on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#8 :: Yukon Gold Potatos : Jacques Pepin Style

One of the first things I learned during this project is that chicken stock only stays good for 7 days in the refrigerator. To make sure it didn't go to waste, I looked for a side dish recipe I could use it on today. Since I had extra Yukon gold's left from the chicken hash, this recipe was perfect.

This recipe took me a LOT longer than Rachael Ray said it would. :) I used medium heat, and now I'm thinking maybe I should have cooked it on high? They just seemed like a lot of work, but it was a much healthier side dish for a burger instead of fries. Anyway, the taste was good, they just weren't done cooking until half an hour after our burgers..... so we had a 2 course lunch.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt
  
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Place the potatoes in a deep skillet and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover potatoes halfway with chicken stock, about 3 cups, add the butter and cover skillet with a lid. Cook the potatoes in the stock until almost tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending upon the size of the potatoes. Remove the lid and allow the stock to evaporate, about another 5 minutes. Once the stock has evaporated pop each potato using a ladle or large spoon, creating a small crack in each, but do not smash. Allow the potatoes to brown on each side, another 5 minutes, and re-season with salt and pepper, if necessary or desired. Remove the browned potatoes from the skillet and place onto a serving platter, garnished with the parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Rachel Ray's Holiday Feast on Food Network.

Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

#5 :: Savory Chicken Hash

First I saw it on Barefoot Contessa. She was having a black & white dinner party and serving chicken hash just like Capote did at his black & white ball. Then on Big Daddy's House I saw chicken hash again. After seeing it twice and both ways looking very tasty, I chose one of them and added it to the week's menu.

This Chicken Hash was a lot spicer than I ever imagined Chicken Hash could be. But, to my surprise, it wasn't the"mouth-on-fire" hot that I don't like. I really liked this a lot. Very spicy and savory.

Ingredients

• 4 Yukon potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon salt
  
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 (3-pound) store-bought *rotisserie chicken, meat removed and diced
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

* We used a 3 lb. bag of frozen chicken leg quarters instead of a rotisserie chicken. We cooked them at 375 in the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes before shredding it for the hash.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bring a large pot or water to a boil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 12 to 14 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the cayenne, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and oregano. Stir in the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until chicken is warmed through. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the chicken stock to add some moisture, along with the parsley and lemon juice. Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add the cooked potatoes and put into the oven until the potatoes are crunchy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe from Big Daddy's House on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars