Turkey and Vegetable Meatloaf Muffins with Balsamic Glaze

It has been a long time since I have made meatloaf; in fact I am not sure if I can even recall making it in my adult life.  I am not sure how many of you are on Pintrest, but it has become my latest obsession.  Recently, there has been a consistent homage to the muffin pan and it is being utilized for foods that have nothing to do with the traditional muffin.  I love the idea because it creates individual portions that are perfect in size, but the best part is that each portion has the lightly crisped crust that is my favorite part of any baked dish.  Everybody gets the good piece!  Be on the lookout- more muffin recipes to come! 

Turkey and Vegetable Meatloaf Muffins with Balsamic Glaze

Adapted from Bobby Flay

Serves 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small zucchini, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

¼ lb. cremini mushrooms, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)

1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, mushroom, onion, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Fill a muffin pan with 12 individual portions of the mixture. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Let it rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Roasted Chicken

I think that most people that enjoy cooking have a threshold of where their comfort zone begins and ends in the kitchen. Maybe it is triggered by uncommon ingredients, multi- step processes or fear of just going through the steps and getting it all wrong. I am very familiar with that feeling and still encounter it on a regular basis, but I have learned that the challenge always brings me back and at some point those daunting recipes become small but important feats in my culinary adventures. Believe it or not, roasted chicken was one of those dishes for me up until a couple of years ago. Even with a meat thermometer, I could not envision myself pulling a perfectly moist, yet golden brown bird out of the oven. I am so thankful that I tackled this one, because I am telling you, this is the easiest dinner to pull together for company or family. It can be prepared in advance (*see note below), it fills your house with the most inviting and comforting smell, and it presents beautifully on a platter. Fall is fast approaching; there is no better time to try it!


Perfect Roasted Chicken
Serves 3-4
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

· 1 4 1/2 lb roasting chicken
· Kosher salt
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 1 large bunch fresh thyme- divided
· 1 lemon, quartered
· 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
· 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the most of the thyme, lemon quarters, and all the garlic. Rub the outside of the chicken with the oil and sprinkle again with salt and pepper- be generous. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions and carrots in the roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, and the left over sprigs of thyme, Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 55 minutes-65 minutes depending on the weight of the chicken, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

*To prepare in advance: clean, stuff, tie, and season the chicken. Place it in the roasting dish over the vegetables and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you are ready to roast it, pull it out for 30 minutes so that it can sit at room temperature prior to going into the preheated oven.

Quick Shrimp and Grits

Let me start by saying that am from NC so I do know that most self-respecting Southerners find the thought of instant grits abhorring.  I used to subscribe to that school of thought, however the other night I caved during a desperate attempt to make dinner before falling asleep standing up- hence the “Quick Shrimp and Grits”.  If you have the time I would use stone ground grits and let them simmer to creamy perfection, but if you are trying to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes this is your short cut.    Keeping frozen shrimp in your freezer (peeled and deveined) will make this even easier.   This is a great weeknight dinner, but I would most certainly serve it to company, it is that good!

Quick Shrimp and Grits

Serves 3

·         3 cups water

·         Salt and pepper

·         1 cup instant grits

·         1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

·         ¾  pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

·         4 slices bacon, chopped

·         2 tablespoons lemon juice

·         1 cup thinly sliced scallions

·         1 ½ cups chopped mushrooms

·         2 large cloves garlic, minced

·         ½ cup white wine

·         1 tablespoon butter

In a microwave safe dish add the grits, water, salt and pepper and cook until thick, but still a little runny (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Meanwhile rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; remove from the pan. In grease, add mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes, and then add scallions garlic and shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, white wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Add butter.

Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well and top with chopped bacon. Serve immediately.

Penne with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese

With countless days of 100+ degree heat and summer colds rotating throughout our house I can safely say that preparing dinner has not been a top priority over the past few weeks.  Finally last night, after weeks of takeout, sandwiches, and pizza I hit my breaking point with the cooking boycott and surrendered to the kitchen. With comfort food in mind I turned to my pitifully stocked pantry and refrigerator for inspiration. Comfort food translates into different things for different people, but for me a nice starchy carb usually gets the job done. With a box of pasta, some chicken sausage and frozen peas I was able to throw this meal together in 15 minutes. A welcomed transition from my little hiatus!


Penne with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 6

Ingredients
· ½ pound whole wheat penne pasta
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 3 cloves garlic, chopped
· 1 pound hot Italian chicken or turkey sausage, casings removed
· 8oz frozen peas, thawed
· 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
· 1 bunch fresh basil leaves chopped (about 3/4 cup)
· 1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese
· 1 teaspoon salt
Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes if dry or according to package directions if fresh. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into bite-sized bits. When the sausage has browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the peas to the pan and, using the back of the wooden spoon, smash the peas. Turn off the heat. Add the ricotta cheese along with the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding the pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup additions, if needed, to make the pasta moist. Return the sausage to the pan. Add the basil, PecorinoRomano cheese, and salt. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.

Roasted Salmon with a Lemon-Caper Sauce

If you want to add a new meal to your "dinner in under 20 minutes" category, check out my post today on Ask Miss A.  This was created around salmon, but any other mild fish or even chicken can be used.  Enjoy!

Roasted Salmon with a Lemon-Caper Sauce

For all of the salmon lovers out there, come check out my post on Ask Miss A.  It's a good one, that can be made in 20 minutes or less- enjoy!

Thai-Style Shrimp with Coconut-Curry Broth

With summer fast approaching, I am trying my best to cook our meals a little lighter for obvious reasons! Ellie Krieger is always my first resource when looking for healthy meal ideas because I have found that her food does not compromise in flavor like others sometimes do. In this recipe, I like how she cuts the richness (and calories/fat) of the coconut milk with chicken broth and enhances the curry with lime and cilantro to make it more of an everyday meal. This sauce is so delicious! I have a real fondness for curry and am always looking for new ways to incorporate it into my regular menu rotation so I always double the sauce when I make this so that I can freeze half. The next time I crave this for dinner I can have it on the table in 15 minutes!


Thai-Style Shrimp with Coconut-Curry Broth
Adapted from Ellie Krieger
4 servings

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion
3 teaspoons red curry paste
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning
1lb peeled and deveined shrimp (21-30 count)- firm white fish or chicken are great substitutes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly cover asparagus spears with olive oil or cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus on a baking sheet lines with tin foil for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Set aside to cool and then cut into 1 inch pieces.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

In a separate pan season the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté the shrimp in a little oil in a non-stick pan for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Arrange a pile of rice in the bottom of 4 plates. Top the rice with the shrimp and the asparagus. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the shrimp, rice, and asparagus.

Grilled Herb Shrimp

Our local grocery store ran a buy 1, get 2 free special last week on 21-30 count bags of frozen deveined shrimp. This is close to $60 in savings! Frozen shrimp is the easiest dinner staple that I have in my kitchen because it thaws quickly, needs little time to marinate and can be cooked in less than 5 minutes. I love to add it to pasta dishes, roast it, boil it and in this case, grill it! Turning to my always reliable Barefoot Contessa cookbook, I found this delicious marinade for grilled shrimp. The fresh herbs and lemon give this shrimp a wonderful brightness while the mustard and garlic provide a very mild heat. I like to serve this dish at dinner parties because I can marinate and skewer the shrimp in advance and then cook them at the last minute. It makes an easy summer meal with roasted tomatoes, grilled squash and couscous.

Grilled Herb Shrimp
Barefoot Contessa
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds large shrimp (21-30 per pound), peeled and deveined (see note)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Directions

Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Skewer the shrimp. I use 5-6 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill to med-high heat. Grill the shrimp for only 1 minute on each side.

Note: I leave the tails on when I'm peeling the shrimp.

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is oil and vinegar based marinade that is used in Argentine dishes to accompany grilled steaks and other meats. I find chimichurri to be interesting because there are hundreds of variations and interpretations of the sauce. Traditionally, it includes red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and red pepper flakes. Aside from using different ingredients,  the real balance is developed in the ratio of vinegar to oil that is used. I prefer my sauce heavy on vinegar because I think it adds a great depth to the overall taste. I usually prepare it in advance so it allows time for the flavors to blend.  I also like to use my chimuchurri as a marinade and a dipping sauce, so I usually make extra!  It can be stored in the refrigerator up to a day in advance, but be sure to bring it to room temperature prior to using.

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Courtesy of Cookthink.com

Serves 4

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

1 2lb flank or skirt steak

Combine the first seven ingredients and whisk until the sauce has emulsified. Take half of the marinade and add it to a Ziploc bag with the steak and marinate for 4-6 hours. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.

When ready to grill, remove the steak and the sauce from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat the grill to med-high heat and grill the steaks (4-5 minutes per side if using flank steak or 2 minutes per side if using skirt steak). Once ready, remove the steaks and allow them to rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting. Cut them against the grain and drizzle remaining sauce over the top.

Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken

It is hard to believe that we did not own a grill until about a month ago. Needless to say, I have gotten really good at cooking meat indoors! My parents surprised us recently with a new grill which has instigated a thorough dig for some old favorite grilling recipes that I have made over the years. The one I am sharing with you today is what I consider to be a summer staple; made easily from things I always have on hand. Aside from chopping some garlic, there are 2 minutes of prep time and dinner is essentially ready. This is also delicious with bone-in, skin on chicken breast; you would just need to grill them 8-10 minutes on each side.


Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken
Food and Wine Magazine
Serves 3-4

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6 chicken cutlets (about 1 ½ pounds)

In a shallow dish, combine the lemon juice with the thyme, red-pepper flakes, garlic, oil, salt, and black pepper. Coat the chicken with the mixture. Marinate for 2-4 hours. Light the grill or heat the broiler. Grill over moderately high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Slow-Cooked Carnitas

Ah, pulled pork, what’s not to love?? My husband requested carnitas on Saturday night and decided to go the easy route and cook the meat in the crock pot instead of in the oven. I dug into my recipe archive and came across several recipes, but this one clearly stood out as the least time consuming. There are a lot of crock pot meals that I think I could live without, but this is not one of them. After 5 minutes of prep time and six hours of slow cooking, this pork fell apart on contact. It was wonderful not only in our carnitas on Saturday night, but on our bbq pizza last night too!

Slow-Cooked Carnitas 
Adapted from epicurious.com
Serves 6

2 ½ lb pork loin, cut in to 1 ½ inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro
Sliced avocado
Hot sauce

Toss pork in bowl of slow cooker with salt, black pepper, cumin and dried oregano to coat. Place onion pieces atop pork. Cover slow cooker and cook pork on low setting until meat is very tender and falling apart, about 6 hours.

Using slotted spoon discard onion pieces. Using two forks, shred pork and then add the sugar and lime juice. Wrap corn tortillas in damp kitchen towel; microwave until warm, about 1 minute. Serve pork with warm tortillas, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce.

Spicy Thai Steamed Mussels

On our recent trip to California we had the most enjoyable lunch with friends at this great little bistro in Laguna Beach, 230 Forest Avenue. The most memorable part of our meal there were the mussels that we shared as an appetizer, prepared in a traditional wine, herb, and butter broth. Our friend commented that he wished restaurants made mussel broth soup and served it with a loaf of bread and I agreed! The broth is the best part! Ever since we got back I have been craving mussels and decided to try them as a main course for our dinner last night. Being that it is “all about the broth” I decided to try something a little different that incorporated a lot of our favorite Thai flavors. I served these with a loaf of garlic bread and a spinach salad with the most amazing ginger dressing. For those of you that are fans of ginger dressing, check out this post.

A note on mussels: When you purchase your mussels make sure that you keep the plastic bag open so that they are able to breathe. Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. 30 minutes prior to cooking, go through the mussels and discard any chipped or opened mussels. Place the remaining tightly closed mussels in a large bowl of cold water and soak them for 20 minutes. This will give them time to expel the sand and grit that is still in the shell that you do not want in your food! When finished soaking, remove them to a colander and pat them dry. Be careful not to pour them into the colander or else all the sand that you just strained will be right back where it started. Just remove them with a slotted spoon.

Spicy Thai Steamed Mussels
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Serves 2 as a main dish (with a lot of extra sauce!) or 4-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients
2 pounds mussels (preferably cultivated)
3 limes
13 1/2-ounce can light unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ½ tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh chopped cilantro

Scrub mussels well and remove beards. Squeeze enough juice from limes to measure 1/3 cup. In a dutch oven bring the lime juice, coconut milk, wine, curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring, 5 minutes. Add mussels, tossing to combine. Cook mussels, covered, stirring occasionally, until opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Chop cilantro and toss with mussels.

Serve mussels with garlic bread.

Thai Chicken with Basil and Vegetables

At first glance, you might not expect for this dinner to be flagged as one of your easy weeknight dinners, but it can be if you have 30 minutes to prepare it. For those of you that have basil plants that are starting to grow, this is a great recipe to help use it up. The original recipe calls for Thai Basil, but I ended up using regular sweet basil out of convenience and it was wonderful. What I love about this dish is how quickly the flavors develop and I can only imagine how good leftovers would be if we had any! Note to self- must double this recipe next time!  I usually will not insist that you serve a particular side dish with my recipes, but I do insist on the coconut rice.... amazing!

Thai Chicken with Basil and Vegetables
Adapted from epicurious.com
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
 ¾ lb pound skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
¼ cup diced onion
1 large fresh red or green Thai (bird) chilies or serrano chilies, or to taste, seeded and minced
4 oz chopped mushrooms
1 ½ cups steamed broccoli
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
3 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup loosely packed fresh basil

Directions

• Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces and marinate in 1 teaspoon of olive oil , salt and pepper. 
• Heat a heavy skillet over med-high heat until hot. Add oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and brown on one side for two minutes, flip and brown the other side for 2 minutes and remove from the pan. Be sure to not overcrowd the chicken or it will steam instead of brown. 
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil, onions, garlic, and chili pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. 
• Add mushrooms and broccoli and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add broth, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and black pepper and stir-fry until combined. Add basil and stir seconds.  
• Serve chicken with coconut rice.

Hoisin Barbecue Chicken

Hoisin sauce is one of my favorite Chinese condiments.   Like ketchup in the US, hoisin is a dipping sauce that is also used as a base in a lot of Asian inspired barbecue sauces.  Hoisin, made with soybeans, garlic, chilies, and spices, is more complex in flavor and provides an element of saltiness and spiciness in addition to its sweet flavor.  It is also very thick in consistency which is great for this recipe because it allows the sauce to really stick to the meat and create a caramelized crust as it cooks.   This chicken truly benefits from marinating overnight, so if you have the time I would recommend not skipping that step.   I have made this as explained below and with boneless/skinless chicken thighs.  If you use the boneless/skinless thighs, decrease the cooking time to 30 minutes. 

Hoisin Barbecue Chicken

Cooking Light

Serves 6-8

Barbecue sauce:
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine or sake
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Remaining ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks, skinned and trimmed (about 2 pounds)
8 chicken thighs, skinned and trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray

Preparation
To prepare barbecue sauce, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place 3/4 cup sauce in a large bowl; cover and chill remaining barbecue sauce.

Add chicken to barbecue sauce in large bowl; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Remove chicken from bowl; reserve marinade. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Turn chicken; baste with reserved marinade. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until done. Discard marinade.

Bring remaining 3/4 cup barbecue sauce to a boil in a small saucepan; reduce heat, and cook until slightly thick and reduced to about 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Drizzle chicken with sauce.

Steak Tacos

As most of you know by now, Mexican food is a favorite of mine.  I love just about any form of tacos, rice, beans, guacamole… whether it is traditionally prepared or newly deconstructed  I can assure you my plate is always clean when the menu is featuring something south of the border.  Finding a good steak taco recipe proved to be a little challenging, but finally I have found a keeper!  This “jam” that accompanies the steak is really what makes this dish special, so the freshest ingredients should be used.  Also, make sure your pan is hot so you sear that rub on the steak, it makes all the difference!  

Steak Tacos with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce

adapted from Bon Appétit 

serves 4

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 1 1/4-pound top sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, diced
3/4 pound plum tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

8 flour tortillas

1 small avocado, sliced
1 lime quartered
Sour cream and queso fresco

Rub cumin and chili powder onto both sides of steak, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to skillet and sauté until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium an add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cilantro. Cook until tomatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cut steak crosswise into thin slices. Arrange slices on platter. Mix any steak juices into sauce. Spoon sauce over steak and assemble tacos with your favorite toppings.  

Orzo with Shrimp, Feta Cheese, and White Wine

I have been making this dish for as long as I can remember.  It is a wonderful main course for a dinner party that gets rave reviews every time I serve it.   I like it because it is filling enough to keep the men satisfied, but also light enough to keep the women happy.  As I said…crowd pleaser!  I have made this meal for two, I have made it for twenty and it is consistently wonderful!  I usually serve it with a green salad or roasted asparagus and bread to make it a complete meal. 

Orzo with Shrimp, Feta Cheese, and White Wine

Adapted from epicurious.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces orzo pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (divided)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined (I use 21/25 count)

½ small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Preparation

·          Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 11x7-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain well and return orzo to same pot.

·          Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons basil; stir to blend. Arrange orzo mixture in prepared dish. 

·          Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté until slightly pink, about 2 minutes (shrimp will not be cooked through). Remove shrimp from the pan and arrange shrimp atop orzo.

·          Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

·          Add tomatoes with juice; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine, oregano, crushed red pepper, and remaining 1/4 cup basil.

·          Simmer uncovered until reduced to thick sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; spoon over shrimp.

·          Bake orzo until heated through, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup feta cheese and serve. 

Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Boneless pork chops can be difficult. They are not very forgiving once they are overcooked, but unlike some other cuts of meat, they have to be cooked through.  Some of my initial attempts cooking the “other white meat” yielded unpleasant results, so I can sympathize with those of you that “think” you do not like them.  If you are weary of the dry and flavorless pork chop, this is the recipe for you! I have made this recipe at least 20 times and I have never once been disappointed. These pork chops are far from flavorless with their beautiful brown crust that absorbs all of the gingered soy pan sauce!  I like to serve these with wasabi mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and steamed snap peas.  

Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Serves 2

adapted from Cooking Light

2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 (6-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 tablespoons peanut oil (divided)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Place panko in a shallow dish. Place egg in another shallow dish. Dip pork in egg; dredge in panko.

Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook for 4 minutes on one side, add more oil when flipping and then cook 4 more minutes on other side until done. Remove pork from pan; sprinkle with salt.

Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Combine broth and the next 4 ingredients (through wasabi) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in green onions. Spoon sauce over pork.

Chicken, Bacon, and Spinach Pizza

We are BIG pizza fans in our house.  We most certainly eat it once a week whether is it take-out or homemade, but I prefer homemade because I have more control over the quality of ingredients.  When making homemade pizza the big question is homemade dough or store bought crust?  The obvious better tasting dough is the fresh dough, but I have not ever been terribly interested in making my own from scratch.  I was thrilled to recently find that most grocery stores that have a bakery will sell you balls of dough for just a few dollars.  I have started stocking up and freezing what I don’t use so that I always have it around.  Couple that with a few pizza staples (only you know your favorites) and you can have dinner on the table most any night of the week!   The following is my current favorite!

Chicken, Bacon, and Spinach Pizza

Serves 4

1 ball of pizza dough

Cornmeal for dusting and rolling out

Olive oil

¼ lb bacon, cooked and chopped

2 cups of baby spinach chopped

1 chicken breast, shredded or chopped- I usually use rotisserie chicken

1 small jalapeno, diced and seeded

2 tablespoons red onion, minced

Mozzerella and Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Preheat the oven to 425.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. 

Prepare the toppings and set aside.

Sprinkle a large surface with cornmeal and roll out dough to desired thickness.  Transfer the dough to your prepared baking sheet.

Brush the entire crust lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Add a thin layer of cheese, then bacon, chicken, spinach, jalapeno and red onion, leaving a ½ border.  

Top with mozzarella and parmesan.

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbling.  

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

While we still have a bit of cold weather left, I thought I would share one of my favorite winter comfort foods.  Beef Bourguignon is typically associated with a long list of ingredients, several steps of preparation, and an interactive cooking process.  That being said, it is one of the most delicious dishes that I have ever eaten and I find all of the effort quite rewarding.  Initially, I was reluctant to try this “crock pot” version of Beef Bourguignon because I was certain that this dish could not possibly have short cuts that would not compromise flavor.  However, I am a sucker for a good crock pot dinner so I decided to give it a try.  Am I glad I did! Now my “special occasion” meal can be made any day of the week with very little effort. 


To ensure this dish is successful I would advise using a quality Burgundy wine.  It is the focus of your dish, so a decent bottle that you would enjoy drinking is necessary.  Also, a proper sear on the meat will deliver much better flavor, so take the time on the front end to sear your meat over med-high heat in an uncrowded pan.  It might take a few batches, but this is the only active labor and makes a huge difference.  


When I am making it for a crowd, I make it a day in advance and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator- it gets better with age!   To reheat, transfer to an ovenproof dish, wrap with foil and bake at 350 until it is bubbling (around 30 minutes).  It doubles and freezes beautifully! 

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Recipe adapted by Aggies Kitchen


2 pounds beef chuck shoulder pot roast, cut into 1-inch pieces- seasoned with salt and pepper- genorously
1/4 cup all-purpose flour- seasoned with salt and pepper
olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
2 cups Burgundy or other dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 crushed garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried marjoram leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon thyme
10 ounces baby carrots
10 ounces fresh or frozen pearl onions, or quartered onion pieces
10 ounces mushrooms, cut in half if large
Chopped fresh parsley

Lightly coat beef with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown 1/2 of beef; remove from stockpot. Repeat with remaining beef, adding oil as needed. Remove beef from stockpot and into slow cooker; season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup broth to stockpot and deglaze beef drippings.  Add this broth to slow cooker.
Stir in wine, tomato paste, garlic and marjoram. Add carrots, onions and mushrooms.
Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos

I love, love, love the combination of fresh cilantro and lime. These two ingredients are staples on my grocery list as they are often the foundation of marinades or side dishes in my weekly meals. It is amazing what fresh herbs and citrus can do! For this recipe, I used frozen 31-40 count peeled and deveined shrimp and marinated them for 30 minutes prior to cooking them. I do not advise marinating them much longer than this because the lime juice will actually “cook” the shrimp…hello ceviche! I assembled the slaw earlier in the day to allow time for the flavors to blend. When it was time to prepare dinner, it took all of 10 minutes to pull it together!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
Adapted from Closet Cooking
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon oil
½ jalapeño, finely diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1 large handful chopped cilantro
1 tsp teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
4-6 flour tortillas
Cilantro lime slaw (see recipe below)
Sliced avocado

Directions:
Marinate the shrimp in the lime, oil, jalapeno, garlic, green onion, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper for 30 minutes in a sealed container in the fridge.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add the shrimp and  cook until the shrimp is done, about 1-2 minutes per side. (The shrimp will have turned pink and no longer be translucent.)
Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven and fill with the shrimp, slaw and slices of avocado.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

Ingredients
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups of shredded cabbage


Directions
Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, celery salt, vinegar, and lime juice together in a bowl. . Stir in cilantro. Add cabbage; toss to incorporate evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.