Here's a quickie!

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted!  Sowwy. Been, ya know, doin' stuff.  Will try to post more often, if there is interest!

So, didn't really plan a dinner for tonight, but know we still need to eat.  Found this recipe in The Eating Well Cookbook, and since most of the ingredients just happened to be in the house, thought I would throw it together and see if we liked it. 

I found this to be a simple, easy and yummy recipe.  Kind of light, but satisfying as well.  Add your favorite salad and it's even more balanced nutritionally. 

Since both pasta and shrimp are no good when overcooked, do all of the other ingredient prep while waiting for the water to boil.  Once you have thrown the garlic and tomato paste into simmer, put the spaghetti in...you'll have an almost perfectly timed finish that way.  I'd also double the tomato paste if you like a slightly heartier and more flavorful result.   Let me know what you think!

Spaghetti Shrimp

(adapted from The Eating Well Cookbook, serves 4)

300 calories per serving, 19 g protein, 4 g carb, 128 mg sodium, 87 mg cholesterol

1 Tbsp. olive oil

15 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/4 c. dry white wine

1/4 c. Brandy

2-3 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 c. minced fresh italian parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb. spaghetti
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs, toasted

Garnish:
Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley sprig

Directions:

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until it is tender yet still firm. 

In a large, deep saucepan, heat oil over low heat.  Add garlic and tomato paste, and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add wine, brandy and lemon zest.  Increase heat to medium and simmer, unocvered for 5 minutes, or until garlic has softened.  Add shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes longer, or just until shrimp are pink.  Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Add spaghetti to shrimp sauce and toss until coated.  Plate either individually or in a shallow serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Add additional parsley for garnish if desired.

Butternut Miss This!

A few weeks ago, I went to a friend's 50th birthday party in Maine. Left Friday afternoon, returned home Sunday night about 10:30 pm. Did I mention I live in Virginia? Crazy long drive, but really great to see friends I haven't seen in a long time. I also got to attend a dinner party in a fabulous home right on Penobscot Bay, under a wonderfully starry sky, with a fire in the living room and met some really fun women. We had a yummy dinner of butternut squash soup with fresh whipped cream and chives, salad, crusty bread, and birthday cake (of course!) along with an assortment of desserts. Oh, and the wine. Mustn't forget about the wine. Which reminds me, I need to find out what that was...

I'm not much of a soup fan, unless it's really hearty. And this one was, so I set out to find a recipe that was easy, quick, and just as yummy. Made this one tonight...it was rainy, 55 degrees, and just a good day for a hearty soup. It's based on a recipe I found on FoodTV.com, yet attributed to Gourmet Magazine. And for the record, I do think that the collapse of Gourmet Magazine is a travesty. Even though I never was a subscriber..it's just one of those things that is assumed will always be, because it always was. So anyway, I took that recipe, and made a few super small changes...and it was delish. And hearty. And I will be making this one again!

Random question: If I take a recipe and change it slightly, does that make it mine?

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

(serves 4)

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)

nonstick vegetable oil spray (otherwise known as Pam)

1 sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (yes, the freshly grated matters here)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups chicken broth

1-2 cups water, as needed (I didn't need or want)

salt and pepper to taste

sour cream (low fat or regular) and chives for garnish

Crusty bread (for dipping/sopping/soaking)

Directions

Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Arrange the halves cut side down in roasting pan (or baking pan, doesn't really matter) that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Bake squash in the oven for 45 minutes at 475 degrees (or 375 degrees for 40 minutes if using convection) or until very tender. Set aside to cool. When the squash is completely cool, scoop the flesh from the skin.

While the squash is cooling, saute the onion, ginger and butter in a saucepan, over moderately low heat, for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the broth and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, covered. Add the squash pulp to the sauce pan. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, in batches, and puree until smooth. Add enough water to achieve the desired consistency (I like thick and hearty soup, so didn't add any water at all), and salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to the sauce pan and cook over moderate heat until it is hot. Garnish each portion with the heaping teaspoon of sour cream and chopped chives (I used garlic chives because that's what we had growing in our mini herb garden).

When I next try this, I will be making fresh whipped cream. Just didn't feel like making it on the first go....and sour cream does work really well here, so do whichever works for you!

If you have a stick blender (like we do), you can puree the mixture in the sauce pan, and eliminate the need to transfer it to a blender or food processor, saving you time, aggravation, and dish washing. I'm all for that!

Best. Burger. Ever.

So, I'm in the middle of a party a week or so ago, and while we are munching on the yummy food the hostess has prepared, someone tells me about these burgers she made for dinner the other day. And, oh-my-gosh, do they sound flippin' delicious! And I made them the very next day for dinner. And they WERE. Except, here's my problem with making homemade burgers...I always make them too big. Like 1/2 pound burgers. Every single time. They just don't look big enough otherwise, or I think they are going to shrink up more than they actually do, or I dunno...whatever. I make them big. Really kinda too big. I'm just warning you..the temptation is there.

This recipe is easily cut in half or doubled, depending on what you need. I personally think the cream cheese/jalapeno mixture makes much more than you need in each burger...use any leftover for an added nacho or baked potato topping, or on top of a breakfast burrito, etc.

I seasoned the ground beef a little with some garlic powder and Worcester sauce. We topped our burgers with melted Gorgonzola, bacon, tomato and mayo. Made my mouth SO happy!

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Burgers

2 cups seeded and chopped fresh jalapenos

2 (8 oz) packages, cream cheese, softened

2 pounds ground beef

8 hamburger buns, split

Directions

Preheat a grill for medium heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate. In a medium bowl, stir together the jalapenos and cream cheese.

Divide the ground beef into 16 portions and pat out each one to 1/4 inch thickness. Spoon some of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of 8 of the patties. Top with the remaining patties, pressing the edges together to seal.

Grill for about 10 minutes per side, or until well done, taking care not to press down on the burgers as they cook. This will make the cheese ooze out. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Olive this!

When I was in...oh, let's say 6th or 7th grade, we thought it was hilarious to get a classmate's attention from across the room, make eye contact, and mouth "olive juice". Because it looks like you are saying "I love you". You're doing it right now to see if I'm right, aren't you? Doing this either freaked out the person it was directed toward, or they burst out laughing. Or both. Ah, the good ole' days...

Anywho, the recipe below was served by one of my hostesses at a party this past weekend, and she kindly shared it with me. I also discovered this is an oldie but goodie...some version of this also appeared in an issue of Gourmet Magazine from 1969. It is a crowd pleaser, easy to make, and super yummy! And you get it, right? Olive this!=I love this!

OLIVE CHEESE BALL RECIPE
(courtesy of Brenda S.)

36 small pimiento-stuffed green olives
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Asiago cheese

Drain olives. Adjust rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with bakers' parchment. Combine flour, paprika and salt. Blend together butter and cheese. Add the flour mixture, blending to form a smooth dough. Using a teaspoon of dough at a time, shape into a ball, then flatten dough in the palm of your hand and center an olive on the dough. Wrap the dough around the olive to encase it completely and roll in the palms of your hands to form a smooth ball. Place on the baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or lukewarm.

This family recipe = summer

For as long as I can remember in my family (and no, I don't have long or short term memory problems)...summer has been quietly announced officially by the first batch of our homemade macaroni salad. Usually somewhere near Memorial Day weekend. Last year, I found myself giggling to myself when my then 6-year old came into the kitchen and said, "Hey! It must be summer--you're making macaroni salad! Tradition inadvertently and successfully passed on! Sometimes we call it macaroni salad, sometimes noodle salad. And I have NO idea why my family only made it during the summer, nor why I only make it during the summer. I just do, kind of like how I only make apple spice cake at Christmas time.

I just know this is the only kind of macaroni salad I like.

I made the first batch of the season shortly after Memorial Day. And have made 5 batches since....and we have eaten it all. We eat it for lunch. And sometimes I eat it for breakfast. I will need to make some more today. And probably 3 days from today. And then 3 days after that. Repeat. Until Labor Day weekend.

So, this is not your typical macaroni salad--there's no chopping involved, and you are probably not going to find a version of this already made at the grocery store.

It only has 3 ingredients, 7 if you want to count the seasonings. And I am totally guessing about the amount of seasonings---I eyeball it when I make it until it looks about right, especially with the parsley flakes. But we cannot stop eating it.

My Family Macaroni Salad Recipe

1 box of elbow macaroni

2 cans of tuna, drained

2-3 Tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise (Don't get me started on this. It matters. Just use it.)

1 Tbsp. Celery salt

1/4 cup Parsley flakes

Salt/Pepper to taste


Boil macaroni according to package directions, rinse with cold water and chill. If you are in a hurry, throw some ice cubes in it to chill it faster, or put them in the freezer for a few minutes..but you really want the noodles cold before you mix in the mayo, otherwise the noodles will just suck the mayo up and you will have to add more mayo.

Once you have chilled noodles, add everything else and mix it up. Adjust salt/pepper to taste...I tend to use more salt than pepper. And then let me know what you think!

Please, eat the whole pie

I think I've mentioned before that my husband loves pie. LOVES pie. A pie lover, he is. Pretty much any kind of pie. Are you getting the idea here?

We celebrated his birthday yesterday with a family dinner. And pie. Because he loves pie. (Did I mention that before?) And he got to eat an entire pie. Well, okay, everyone got their own individual pie, so it's truly not as gluttonous as that sounds. Nor is it as complicated as it sounds.

Actually?

Could. Not. Be. Easier.

I used a mix of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. From a bag of frozen fruit we got at BJ's. Didn't thaw it either. Did I mention this could not be easier to make?

The biggest source of angst about this recipe is wondering if the ramekins you have are the correct size. Because they are not labeled, and unless you have an incredible memory for that kind of thing....hard to know. We bought new ones, which still weren't labeled, but were bigger than the ones we had. And prettier. And then we topped it off with vanilla ice cream.



Individual deep-dish berry pies (makes 4, easily doubled)
from: Food Network Kitchens Favorite Recipes (cookbook)

4 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or stemmed and halved strawberries
1/3 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons instant tapioca
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sheet frozen puff pasty (8 ounces), thawed
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees (F). Toss the berries with the 1/3 cup sugar, tapioca and vanilla in a large bowl. Divide the fruit among 4 6-ounce ramekins and dot each with some butter.

Using a pizza wheel or very sharp knife, divide the puff pastry sheet into 4 squares. Brush the outsides and rims of the ramekins with water. Lay a puff pastry square over the top of each ramekin and gently press the points that drape over the sides against the ramekins to seal. Lightly brush the tops with water and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the pies on a baking sheet until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

These pies are best if served the day they're made. If you're not serving them right away, keep them at room temperature before reheating--don't refrigerate them or the crust will get soggy.

Make this if you LOVE chocolate!

So remember how I said a side benefit of my business is that I get to go to lots of parties? And eat lots of different party food? Yeah, well, here's another decadent creation discovered by one of my hostesses. If you are a chocolate lover...

You. Must. Try. This.

I don't even care what kind of Oreos you use (although probably also really good with the mint...), or what kind of chocolate you choose to dip them in. And yes, I know, the cream cheese ingredient might be making you wrinkle your nose up in doubt. But really, have I steered you in the wrong direction yet?

If you want to get all crazy and fancy like, dip them in one kind of chocolate, and drizzle another kind over the top.

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine, and Stacy U. for finding it and making it!

Oreo Bites
1 pkge Oreo cookies (any flavor)
1 8-oz pkge cream cheese
10 ozs chocolate chip (dark, semi-sweet, milk or white)

Empty bag of oreos in food processor and blend until fine crumbs form. Add the package of cream cheese and blend until completely mixed. Roll the mixture into 1.5 inch balls. Freeze for 30 minutes. Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring continuously. When melted, dip the balls into the chocolate and then let cool on wax paper. Serve once cool or refrigerate until ready to serve. SO yummy!