Tag Archives: recipes

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Main Course, Pasta and Grains, Seafood/ Fish, Side Dish, Uncategorized, , , ,

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Pasta salads are one of the most versatile dishes anyone can prepare. A pasta salad basically consists of pasta and any vegetable, meat or seafood you can think of tossed with a nice dressing. Since there are such a variety of pasta noodles available it is easy to be creative. Even if you use the same basic ingredients when you prepare a pasta salad it can become new all over again by using a different type of pasta. Shells, gemelli, bow tie and cavatappi are a few of the pastas I like to use in cold salads. They have little ridges that absorb whatever dressing you use and most of them just have a cool shape.

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For my Shrimp and Pasta Salad I used small pasta shells because I wanted the pasta to cuddle some of the dressing and provide a subtle burst of flavor with every bite. The veggies I used with this pasta salad were meant to make the dish colorful with the deep green of the asparagus and the bright red of the peppers and tomatoes. The shrimp added a pretty pink hue that pulled everything together.

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Most of us are first attracted to a dish because of the way it looks. If a dish looks weird, we figure it will taste weird too. Although that is not always true it is human nature to judge certain things by the way they look. That is way it is important to add rich vibrant color to every meal. My Shrimp and Pasta Salad is both appealing to the eye and tasty on the tongue. Try it as a main course or side dish. Either way I think you enjoy this simple flavorful salad.

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Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 lbs ex-large shrimp peeled and deveined
2 boiled eggs chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1” pieces
1 bag arugula
1 box small pasta shells
1 large tomato seeded and diced into cubes
1 shallot sliced thin
½ cup red pepper diced
½ cup black olives chopped (optional)
½ cup vinaigrette
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1juice from ½ lemon

Prepare pasta shells according to the package – al dente. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat butter with olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp and lemon juice. Stir and then add ½ tsp salt, ½ black pepper and old bay seasoning. Cook until shrimp are pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Add veggies (except for tomatoes) to the same skillet and add remaining seasonings. Cook for 2- 3 minutes until veggies soften slightly but still crisp. Do not over cook.

In a large bowl add pasta, shrimp, veggies, arugula, eggs, tomatoes and olives. Drizzle with vinaigrette and gently mix. Serve with a nice side salad.

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Chopped Salad

Main Course, Seafood/ Fish, Side Dish, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Salads! A quick and light meal during warm weather. A refreshing side dish with heavier meals during cooler weather and good for you all year round. I am in salad mode which means I am into preparing some type of salad for my family almost every night for dinner. Fortunately, my family loves salads as long as I give them variety.

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It really isn’t hard to come up with new combinations of of ingredients when I create salads. However, I do have to make sure the combination of ingredients work as a salad. A few times I have had some wild salad ideas but I decided against posting them because although I like sauerkraut it just didn’t seem to work well with tomatoes, cheese and carrots.

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One of the best things about chopped salads is that chopping up everything that goes into the salad keeps it simple. The only thing I worry about is making sure there is a great combination of flavors and textures. Like the crunch of salty bacon and the smooth creamy taste of boiled eggs and avocado. Plus, lots of sweet tomatoes and just the right bite from carrots and red onions.

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There are so many options of veggies to use when making a chopped salad. If you like certain veggies and they compliment each other, go for it. Chop them up. Put them in a bowl and dress it up with a nice salad dressing. You cannot go wrong.

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Chopped Salad

 Ingredients:
2 heads of romaine chopped
2 salmon fillets blackened and flaked
6 slices crisp bacon chopped
3 boiled eggs chopped
1 avocado diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ cup green or red peppers diced
½ cup shredded carrots chopped
½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
¼ cup oil based dressing
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp red onion small diced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently.

Optional:
grilled chicken chopped
grilled turkey chopped
grilled shrimp

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Grilled Chicken Salad

Fruits, Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , , ,

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Grilled Chicken Salad is another family favorite when the weather is warm and no one wants to eat a real heavy meal. Chicken of course is good any time of the year but chicken salad is one of those dishes I tend to make when I need a quick meal and I am too tired to turn on the oven or stove. I like to make Grilled Chicken Salad when my hubby is in the mood to do a lot of grilling. Grilling is his territory not mine so I take advantage whenever hubby is ready to fire it up.

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That being said the last time I made Grilled Chicken Salad for the family I didn’t wait for hubby to grill the chicken for me. Instead, I went to Trader Joe’s and purchased packaged grilled chicken which is actually very tasty with a great grilled flavor. Home grilled is wonderful but if you are short on time check out the grilled chicken at Trader Joe’s.

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Most chicken salad is just chicken and a few veggies. I kick it up another level by adding fruit. Grannie Smith apples, fennel, green grapes and golden raisins provide both a sweet and slightly sour taste to the salad. The combination of sweet and sour along with different levels of texture from the chicken, walnuts and tomatoes made this one of my signature dishes.

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To really put a smile on my family’s face I served the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce then sliced up a little brie and served it with crackers. De-li-ci-ous!

Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 pkgs grilled chicken cubed (approximately 2 cups)
2 boiled eggs
½ cup sliced apples
½ cup sliced fennel
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
½ cup green grapes sliced in half
¼ cup golden raisins
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dill
¼ tsp celery seed
¼ tsp cilantro
¼ tsp parsley
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp ranch dressing
1 tbsp sour cream
juice from ½ a lemon

Remove yolks from boiled eggs and then chop the egg whites. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix until chicken, veggies and fruit are well coated with dressing. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour then serve on a bed of lettuce or with crackers.

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Fried Spare Ribs

Appetizers, Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, , , ,

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Last Christmas my brother “O” insisted on making Fried Spare Ribs as an appetizer. I will admit I was skeptical for two reasons. One, because he wanted to make ribs as an appetizer prior to a big Christmas dinner. Two, because he wanted to fry the ribs. I had never heard of fried spare ribs and could not imagine what they would look like or how they would taste.

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Usually, when I fix ribs it takes hours in the oven or on the grill. I figured that frying ribs would make them tough. Well, I was wrong. I was surprised at how tender the ribs were and even more surprised at how everyone gathered in the kitchen waiting for the ribs  drooling. As fast as as the ribs came out of the pot they were gobbled up.

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Compliments to my brother “O” for giving me a new idea for ribs even if he did not share his exact recipe. Of course, since I am a decent cook it didn’t take much for me to figure out how to make my own delicious Fried Spare Ribs. I can say with confidence that once you try fried ribs you may not look at BBQ ribs the same way any more.

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Fried Spare Ribs

Ingredients:
2 pkgs baby back ribs or 1 slab of ribs cut up
4 cups vegetable oil
1 ½ cups flour
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat until lightly smoky.

Combine flour, Adobo seasoning, onion powder, seasoned salt and paprika in a large plastic zip lock bag then shake to mix ingredients.

Season ribs with salt and black pepper. Drop 5 – 6 ribs into the plastic bag then shake to coat ribs. Shake off excess flour and gently drop ribs into hot oil. Cook for 10– 15 minutes turning ribs mid-way through cooking process. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

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Okra and Tomatoes

Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetables, ,

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If you find fresh okra at your local grocer, use that instead of frozen. Frozen okra is not bad but as with most recipes fresh is better. Okra and tomatoes is one of those southern dishes that goes great with all types of meat entrees.

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Being a truly southern gal my mom use to make okra and tomatoes with fried fish and hush puppies. I also like pairing okra and tomatoes with fried fish. I just have not perfected making hush puppies . At least not yet.

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For those folks that don’t know much about cooking okra, let me give you a tip. Do not cut off the top of the okra unless you want it to be slimy in your dish. The only time I cut okra is when I am cooking fried okra then it does not get slimy. My cousin Bernice taught me that. Not everybody likes the taste of okra which is why I usually prepare it as a separate vegetable side dish. Of course when you are making okra and tomatoes the okra is the star of the dish.

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If you have not tried okra or thought you did not like okra, give it another chance. Both the tomatoes and okra compliment each other with a wonderful flavor. To my southern folks I say try my version because I know you already know how good okra can be.

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Okra and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb okra (fresh or frozen)
1 14 oz can spicy diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can corn drained
2 slices bacon diced
1 medium onion diced
1 stalk celery diced
½ cup green pepper diced
½ cup chicken broth
½ tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp olive oil

Place olive oil and bacon in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook until bacon becomes crisp. Reduce heat to medium then add onions, peppers, celery, worcestershire sauce and seasonings to the pan. Stir and cook until vegetables soften. Add tomatoes, okra, corn and broth. Let simmer for 20 25 minutes. Serve over rice if desired.

 

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Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , , ,

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I had just come back home from a 3 day business meeting when I decided I should cook dinner for my hubby and youngest son since I knew they had been eating take out while I was gone. However, I was mentally tired and did not feel like making something too complex for dinner. On my way to the grocery store I kept trying to think of a simple meal that would satisfy their tummies, be easy for me and make them remember how much they missed my cooking.

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Rolling through the grocery store doors it hit me. Sandwiches would be easy to make but they couldn’t be just any ol’ sandwiches. Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami sounded like a good combination. I had never made them for the family but I recently discovered my hubby likes Reuben sandwiches. Who knew after all these years. I didn’t have any sauerkraut and I didn’t have the time or the energy to fix some for the sandwiches. So, I decided to use corned beef and pastrami along with pepper jack cheese, provolone cheese, Kumato tomatoes and thousand island dressing. I used Kumato tomatoes on the sandwiches only because I like the color and taste of the tomatoes. Of course any type of tomato will work.

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As I said earlier I was mentally tired so making fancy side dishes to go with the sandwiches was out of the question. To at least make the sandwiches seem really special I added a sliced deli pickle and potato chips with aged cheddar and cracked black pepper.

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Don’t let anyone tell you that sandwiches are boring when it comes to dinner. Actually, they can be pretty exciting if you remember flavor and texture are the key to any meal. The different flavors of the meats along with the contrast of flavors of the cheese mixed with the tang of the thousand island dressing put a little pizazz into my Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches. Both of my men loved the sandwiches and let me know they missed me and definitely missed my cooking.

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Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 slices sourdough bread
½ lb sliced corned beef
½ lb sliced pastrami
¼ lb pepper jack cheese sliced
¼ lb provolone cheese sliced
1 small tomato sliced thin
2 tbsp thousand island dressing
6 tsp softened butter

Spread a little thousand island dressing on one slice of bread. Top with 2 slices pepper jack cheese then slices of corned beef and pastrami. Add slices of tomato then top with two slices of provolone cheese. Place second slice of bread on top of cheese. Spread butter on one side of the bread.

Heat 2 tbsp of butter on a griddle over medium high heat. Place sandwich butter side down on heated griddle. Spread butter on other side of the bread. Flip sandwich once browned on one side. Brown second side of bread. Serve with pickles and chips.

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Cannellini and Kale

Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Many moons ago when I was single and purchased my first home I lived next door to a wonderful elderly Italian couple. Ernie and John B. welcomed me into the neighborhood and into their home with open arms. I quickly became part of their extended family and was blessed with many delicious Italian treats Ernie always liked to share.

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Ernie was a great cook and I looked forward to her knock on my door to say she had something extra she wanted to me to try. Besides Ernie’s holiday pizzelles there was one treat I looked forward to eating. It was a simple cannellini bean and garlic dish made with olive oil and Italian seasonings. Simple but delicious. Probably the most important ingredient Ernie added was love. I have always said that food prepared with love is the best food in the world.

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I have since moved from the old neighborhood and my extended Italian family has passed on. I have fond memories of Ernie and John and only recently remembered her cannellini and bean recipe. In honor of Ernie, I decide to create my own version of her dish. I souped up the cannellini and garlic by adding fresh chopped kale and red pepper slices for color. The creaminess of the beans, the sweetness of the red peppers and slight crunch of the kale ( I like it al dente in some recipes) created a ping pong of textures in my mouth. Throw in nice Italian seasonings and you have a fantastic side dish or meal.

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I think Ernie would be proud of my version of her delicious beans and would give me a big hug for honoring her memory.

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Cannellini and Kale

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped kale
2 15oz cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic sliced
½ red pepper seeded and sliced thin
½ cup chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp oregano
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan. Add kale and saute until slightly wilted (cook longer if you do not like kale al dente) for 3 – 5 minutes. Add garlic, sliced red pepper and seasonings. Stir then add chicken broth and beans. Stir to mix beans with kale and peppers. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.

Salad (Italian Sub Style)

Main Course, Side Dish, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

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I was eating a small Italian sub the other day and started thinking about my promise to cut back on eating bread. As we all know, eating too many carbs is not good for you. I was feeling guilty since I had already eaten a bagel for breakfast and I was trying to limit my bread intake to once per day if at all.

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While eating my sandwich I was thinking of ways I could ditch the roll and just eat what was inside the roll. Then I thought why not turn my sandwich into a salad. Viola! I could still have the ingredients of an Italian sub but no bread. I decided to create a Salad (Italian Sub Style) with lots of romaine lettuce and a sprinkling of meats, cheeses, tomatoes and Italian seasonings. This salad can be either a nice small portioned start to a meal or a meal unto itself. Either way I think you will enjoy it.

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Salad (Italian Sub Style)
Ingredients:
1 bunch romaine lettuce chopped
½ cup pepperoni sliced into strips
½ cup capicola sliced into strips
½ cup salami sliced into strips
½ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ cup provolone cheese sliced into strips
¼ cup sweet peppers (optional)
½ tbsp parsley chopped
½ tbsp red onion chopped small (optional)
¼ cup black olives sliced
¼ cup olive oil

Seasonings:
2 tbsp Italian salad dressing
½ tbsp lemon zest
½ tbsp oregano
½ tsp onion powder
½ tbsp dill
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salad dressing, salt, black pepper, oregano and dill. Set aside.

Combine romaine, tomatoes, red onion, black olives, sweet peppers, meats and cheeses in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil dressing then drizzle over salad. Toss gently. Enjoy!

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Spiced Up Chick Peas and Couscous

Pasta and Grains, Side Dish, Vegetables, , , ,

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I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a new vegetarian side dish that was a little spicy and different from the “usual” side dishes we have at most meals. I say vegetarian side dish because I didn’t want to add bacon or any other meat product to enhance the flavors. I only wanted to blend together spices and the natural flavor of the veggies to create a wonderful tasting dish.

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I decided to use chick peas as my main veggie after searching my cabinets for an idea. I had not prepared anything with chick peas for a while so I figured it would be a nice change of pace to incorporate them into a side dish. I finally decided to make Spiced Up Chick Peas using spices similar to what I use in my Moroccan Chicken recipe. I guess you could say I made Moroccan Chick Peas but I’ll stick with calling them spiced up.

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To tell the truth, this dish could be a main entree as well as a side dish. The chick peas are very filling and coupled with couscous it really can be a full meal. Whether you use a fork or a spoon, I think you will want to catch every drop of this very flavorful dish.

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Spiced Up Chick Peas

Ingredients:
2 15 oz cans chick peas drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 14 oz can pureed tomatoes
1 small onion diced
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 cups couscous
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cilantro
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin
½ lemon zest
½ tsp mint chopped (optional)
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger

Prepare couscous according to package. Saute onion in olive oil until onion is softened and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly so that garlic does not burn. Place chick peas and all other ingredients in a large pot and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve over couscous.

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Boneless Leg of Lamb

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, ,

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Boneless Leg of Lamb is one of those “special” meals I make when I find lamb on sale and I have a little extra time to prepare dinner. I like to cook the lamb low and slow which means on relatively low heat and slow in the oven to ensure the lamb gets nice and tender.

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The last time I made boneless leg of lamb was for Easter. I wanted something other than the traditional ham we usually have each year and everyone seemed on board for a change of menu. That was my first hurdle. The second hurdle turned out to be browning the lamb. I idea was for me to brown the lamb in my dutch oven then saute the veggies in the same pot to infuse the flavor of the lamb into the veggies. Well, when I placed the lamb in the dutch oven the hot oil sloshed up onto my wrist and burned me. No worries. After I finished screaming and running cool water over the burn I finished browning the lamb and kept on cooking.

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Needless to say I was determined that my boneless leg of lamb would be a success since I had suffered for the “art” of cooking. I was not disappointed and neither was the family. Everyone enjoyed the meal and the celebration of renewed life as dictated by the day. I even added to our old family tradition by preparing lamb instead of ham. Next year I think we will have both!

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Boneless Leg of Lamb

Ingredients:
1 boneless leg of lamb
1 large onion sliced
1 pint mushrooms whole or sliced
1 bottle good beer
1 cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp thyme
smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat until slightly smoky.

Season lamb with all seasonings then gently place in hot oil. Brown leg of lamb on both sides. Remove from dutch oven and set aside. Add onions and mushrooms to dutch oven and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stir veggies and let them brown a little. Add beer and water to deglaze the pot. Return leg of lamb to the pot and place in the oven. Baste the lamb every 15 minutes for the first hour then every 30 minutes the next hour. Remove lamb the oven and dutch oven. Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred lamb and enjoy.

Optional:
Make a light gravy with the broth from the lamb or use a jar of beef bistro jus.

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