Tag Archives: recipe

Seafood Arrabbiata 

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Seafood Arrabbiata 

Y’all, this is the most amaaaaazingly yummy dish! “Arrabbiata” is Italian for “angry”, and it comes from the red pepper flakes in the dish. I like my pasta’s anger somewhere between 1) they’re out of my mascara at the store and 2) on hold with American Airlines for an hour and they just hang up on you. Of course, you can add more or less to your liking 😄

You may have also noticed those aren’t regular pasta noodles in there. No, it’s not spaghetti squash either. It’s yellow summer squash and zucchini cut from my brand spankin new Veggetti! I’m so very happy with my “As Seen On TV” purchase! It cuts the squash into these deliciously long and incredibly pasta-like strands and you can choose thick cut like a linguini or thin cut more like spaghetti/angel hair. That being said, of course you could make this with traditional pasta, but I think you should give the veggie pasta a try!

First, here’s the Veggetti:

You can buy it here on Amazon cheaper than you can get it at Bed Bath & Beyond if you don’t already have one:
Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer, Makes Veggie Pasta

I used yellow squash and zucchini for this pasta, but next time I will probably just use zucchini because it cut up in half the time as the squash and I really couldn’t taste a difference. I’m so excited to try this with my other favorite pasta dishes!

Ingredients:

  • 4 squash, zucchini, or combination of them
  • 1 chopped sweet onion
  • Olive oil
  • 3 chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes drained and chopped
  • 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
  • 1/2 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 1/2 lb scallops
  • 1/2 lb mussels
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper

1. Get your “pasta” ready by putting your four squash/zucchini through the Veggetti.

2. Get your can of whole peeled tomatoes and drain the juice, then chop the tomatoes and set aside.

Why am I not using diced tomatoes? Because whole tomatoes are generally the highest quality canned tomato and use plum/Roma tomatoes that have been peeled. Diced tomatoes can be a mix of different kinds of tomatoes and not always peeled, so it’s worth the effort to dice these up.

  

3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, drizzle olive oil and add your shrimp and scallops, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they’re totally done. You might need to drain off a little liquid while its cooking if they give off too much water. Once they’re finished, drain and set aside.

4. In the same skillet, add another drizzle of olive oil and add your chopped onion and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Start out with 1/4 tsp and you can always add more later if that’s not enough for you. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add your chopped garlic and sauté another minute.

6. Add your chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried parsley flakes, and bring to a boil. Then add your “pasta” noodles, stir, and let boil for one minute.

7. Turn your heat down and add your seafood back into the dish you cooked earlier, plus your mussels.  At my store, mussels are sold already cooked and only need to be heated through. But, if the mussels you purchase are not cooked, add them to the sauce while its boiling and put a lid on your skillet to allow them to steam for a few minutes. You’ll know they’re done once they open up. Any mussels that don’t open are no good and will need to be removed.

Voila! Your angry Italian dish is complete and ready for a glass of wine to go with it!

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Mexican Steak Burritos

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Mexican Steak Burritos

 

These burritos are very yummy and use pretty much whatever cheap cut of beef you want for your steak. The marinade for the steak is easy and helps tenderize whatever cut of beef you decide to use for your steak. This steak I purchased was around $2 and is classified as “family steak” at my grocery store – whatever that means. So feel free to shop your clearance section to make these as pocket friendly as possible!

Ingredients:

  • Steak for burrito
  • Italian dressing
  • Lime juice from 1 lime
  • Fajita seasoning
  • Toppings for burrito like grilled veggies, cilantro lime rice, refried black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc! 
  • Tortillas

1. Take a large ziploc bag and place your steak in there and give it a few big squeezes of Italian dressing, the juice of one lime, and several dashes of fajita seasoning. Then allow the marinade to work for a minimum of four hours or even overnight.

  

2. If you’re planning on veggies, I used two sweet onions and ten of those sweet mini peppers sautéed with two tablespoons of butter, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. I cooked them for fifteen minutes over medium high heat, then added one chopped garlic clove and cooked for an additional five minutes.

   

  

3. For the steak, you can go outside and grill your steak, or if you live somewhere that going outside is terrible (like where I live), just cook your steak in your cast iron skillet inside. Drizzle a little oil in the pan, turn the heat up fairly high, and cook your steak to desired doneness. Personally, I like mine more of the rare end. That’s the beauty of cooking your own burritos!

 

  

 

4. Now start stuffing your burritos! I used whole wheat tortillas, refried black beans, cilantro lime rice,  lettuce, tomatoes, grilled veggies, and sour cream. So delicious!!! 

   

Shrimp Linguini With Lemon Butter Sauce

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Shrimp Linguini With Lemon Butter Sauce



This is soooo yummy! It has a light white wine/buttery/garlicky/lemony deliciousness and I absolutely love it! You can of course use any pasta like angel hair, whole wheat spaghetti, penne, etc… But my favorite is linguini 😄

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and de-veined 
  • 3 T butter
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 lemon (juice and zest)
  • 1/2 lb pasta (8 oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 glugs of white wine
  • Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and dried parsley

1. Start boiling your water for your pasta. I like to add salt in there to help flavor it up a bit. Then add your noodles.



2. Start melting your butter over medium high heat in a large sauté pan and add a drizzle of olive oil to it.



3. Once the butter is melted, add your shrimp. It’s best to use shrimp after you’ve pat it dry a bit, otherwise it can make the sauce watery. Season it with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.



4. Now add two glugs of white wine. That’s the sound your bottle makes when you turn it into your pan. If you’re going with box wine, press the spout for a couple seconds over your pan. See how I keep it classy with my pinky out? 😄



5. Now add your lemon juice and garlic and cook for about five minutes. You’ll know the shrimp is done when it turns orange and form little c’s.



6. Once it’s done, turn the heat off and add your lemon zest and sprinkle parsley flakes all over it. Stir it all together.



7. Your pasta should be done by now. Drain and add noodles to your sauce pan. 



Stir it all together, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy! 

Sautéed Greens

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Sautéed Greens



This is a quick and easy recipe for sautéing pretty much any green. This time I had a big bag of mixed greens, but this would’ve been good for any of the greens alone in the mix as well. Serve with a peppery vinegar sauce to take it to the next level of deliciousness!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Lb greens
  • 1 garlic clove chopped
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 T olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

1. First add butter and oil into your largest sauté pan. Also add your chopped garlic and turn on medium high heat.



2. Next, add your greens to the pan. Today, I’m working with kale, Swiss chard, and spinach!





3. I know it looks like waaaay too much food for the pan, but trust me, it’s going to wilt into practically nothing! This is seriously a serving for two people. You’re going to stir it around every little bit to help the cooked leaves get to the top so newer ones can wilt down too. Watch.







4. Add salt and pepper and enjoy like that or add a little pepper vinegar to make it outstanding! Yum!

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

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Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries



Mmm french fries! I love any and all potatoes almost every which way, but there is a special place in my heart for french fries. Yall might remember I’ve posted a recipe before for sweet potato fries dredged in seasoning and deep fried. While delicious and something I do whenever I’m having a “fry me to the moon” sorta weekend, these are a bit better for you and honestly much easier to do. 

Ingredients:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Your favorite seasoning salt

1. Peel and cut up your sweet potatoes into the fry thickness you desire. Use a very sharp knife, because they’re hard to cut through. I’ve broken three fry cutters that swear they’ll cut sweet potatoes, so just get out your knife sharpener if you need to.



2. Drizzle olive oil all over the fries, then season with your favorite salty seasoning (or even just kosher salt) and toss together so the fries are all coated.





3. Spread out evenly over a sheet pan you’ve covered in foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 



4. Place in your pre-heated oven at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Give them a good shake about halfway through to make sure they cook evenly.



Enjoy 🙂

Lightly Crusted Flounder With Lemon Butter

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Lightly Crusted Flounder With Lemon Butter

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We’ve been eating a lot of fish lately and baking it, while delicious, can get a little old. So I mixed it up this week by putting a light crust on these filets and finishing them with a little lemon butter and dill. If you have rice flour, I recommend using it because it gives a light and crispy crust that you can’t get with regular flour, not to mention gluten free if you’re into that sorta thing. But if you don’t, regular flour works just fine.

Ingredients:
Flounder filets (I did 2 lbs)
Olive oil
1 T butter
Flour
Dill weed (optional but great addition)
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Season both sides of your filet with salt and pepper. Then using your hands, sprinkle a light dusting of flour on both sides as well.

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2. Pour a couple of tablespoons into a skillet on medium high heat. Then put your filets is for a few minutes each side. Leave it 2-3 minutes before flipping it over do it gets a nice crust and is easy to flip. Don’t overcrowd your pan and work in batches, pouring more oil in later if needed.

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3. Set your fish aside on your serving platter once it’s all done cooking. Then add 1 T butter and the juice of a lemon to your pan and stir around about a minute. Then pour lemon butter over flounder filets.

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4. Finally, sprinkle some fresh or dried herbs over your fish before serving. I love the taste of dill sprinkled over mine! White wine is fab with this dish 😄

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Creamy Spinach With Caramelized Onions

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Creamy Spinach With Caramelized Onions

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This is definitely one of our favorite sides in our house. So delicious and cheesy and perfect! It’s a perfect side dish, but also something fun to stuff chicken with if you want to try something different!

Ingredients:
2 boxes frozen spinach drained
1 sweet onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c cheddar cheese
2 oz cream cheese
2 T butter
1/4 c milk
1 T flour
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

1. Chop your onion and garlic and put in your skillet or Dutch oven with butter and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Keep it on medium heat and cook for about ten minutes.

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2. Meanwhile, defrost your frozen spinach. I had taken mine out earlier in the day, but you can defrost it easily in the microwave.

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3. Place your spinach in a colander and squeeze all the water out with your hands. You will be surprised how much water comes out!

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4. Once your onions look golden and delicious, add your flour and give it a stir. Let it cook 2-3 minutes.

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5. Now turn down the heat a bit and add your squeezed out spinach, cheeses, and milk.

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6. Stir it around until everything is melted and combined. I like to add a little more salt and pepper here too.

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Enjoy 🙂

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Broccoli Rice Casserole

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Broccoli Rice Casserole

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We’ve all had broccoli rice casserole at one time or another, and this isn’t too far off from the original recipe from Cambell’s. It’s just got a few tweaks to give it some extra dimension and flavor!

Ingredients:
1 lb (16 oz) frozen cut broccoli
8 oz Velveeta
1 onion
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 c rice
2 oz cream cheese
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Roasted red peppers
1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup (the blend is really good!)
1/3 c milk
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

1. Sauté your chopped onion in your butter for about 15 minutes until they start to turn golden. Meanwhile, cook your 1 1/2 c rice according to the package instructions.

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2. Put your broccoli in a microwaveable safe container and fill halfway with water. Pop it in your microwave for five minutes to steam them so they’re cooked but still crunchy.

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3. After your onion is mostly cooked, add your chopped garlic and sauté another few minutes. Season it all with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I also added chopped up roasted red peppers. I only had a half a jar, but would’ve done a full jar if I had it.

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4. Add your cheeses and cream of mushroom & chicken and cook on low until it’s melted.

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5. Add your milk and it will thin out the sauce a bit.

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6. Now add your broccoli…

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7. …then add your cooked rice 😄

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8. Now pour this into a buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. So good!

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