Lobster and Shrimp Paella

Firstly, let me apologize for my extended absence.    We have been travelling a ton and life has just gotten a bit crazy... Whenever C goes out of town, it is a seafood extravaganza around here.  I had originally planned on making paella for a dinner party, one seafood and one chicken & sausage.  I decided that might have been a lofty goal, so I decided to make it for Miss F and my parents one night while C was out of town for work.  This paella couldn't be any easier, it is brimming with shrimp and lobster, which are the standouts of paella for me.  Now that I know how easy it is to make, I will be making this for a dinner party in the future.  This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten.

Lobster and Shrimp Paella

¼ cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 cups white rice
5 cups chicken broth
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lobster tails, split in half
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup white wine
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice, chicken broth, tomatoes, saffron, red pepper, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the rice gently and nestle the lobster tails and shrimp into the rice and sprinkle with the paprika. Return the pot, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more. Return the pot to the stove top over medium heat. Stir in the wine and peas, stir until the wine is absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve, garnished with lemon wedges.

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Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

This recipe was a massive hit in our family. Miss F, C and I all really enjoyed this meal. I didn't partake in the beans, but I was just as happy to have the beef over rice alone.  Make sure you add a generous squeeze of lime juice before you eat it, it makes a huge difference.  We used the leftovers in quesadillas the next night, but the qould be equally good in tacos, burritos or taquitos. The meat is amazingly tender, thanks to being cooked low and slow all day.  Next time I will try and prepare it in the Instant Pot, for a dinner when I don't have time to mess with the crockpot in the morning.  Thanks to Little Spice Jar for the amazing recipe.

Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

2 to 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon oil
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
white rice
black beans
1 lime, cut into wedges

Using a paring knife, score three small “X” marks into the meat, press one garlic clove into each “X”. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear on each side for 5 minutes.

Chop the remaining cloves are garlic. Add the chopped garlic, tomato sauce, bell pepper, onions, chilies, tomato paste, oregano, salt, cumin, vinegar, red pepper flakes and cilantro to the crockpot. Add the seared roast, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the beef with two forks and stir into the sauce. Serve with white rice, black beans and lime wedges.

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Flat Iron Steak Peperonata

When I saw this dish on Elly Says Opa, I knew I had to make it right away.  And I knew it would pair perfectly with polenta.  Bell peppers are an easy sell in my house, no matter what the color, so this was a huge success for dinner.  The steak was deliciously tender and the peppers were sweet with a nice tang from the caper brine.  I may have a made a bit of a smoke disaster during cooking, I hate using the exhaust fan because of the noise, but the smoke alarm going off is worse noise, right?

Flat Iron Steak Peperonata

1 (1-pound) flat iron steak
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
½ onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon capers
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Cover the steak with the oregano and 1 teaspoon salt, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, red pepper flakes and basil. Transfer the Peperonata to a bowl, cover to keep warm.

Pat the steak dry with a paper towel. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, cook the steak 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Allow the steaks to rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain. Serve the sliced steak with the Peperonata.

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Thai Sweet Chili Shrimp

C was in London for a week for work, which meant it was seafood for dinner every night he was gone. I first became obsessed with Thai Sweet Chili sauce years ago at a sushi restaurant. They served it alongside their fried calamari appetizer. When we were in Vancouver, specifically China Town, we were looking for a spot to grab an early dinner. A man came out of a restaurant and raved to me about the Thai Sweet Chili Shrimp on the menu, he said it was a must order. And he was right! I have craved that dish for the longest time and really wanted to try and recreate it at home.  I adapted this recipe from Once Upon a Chef.

Thai Sweet Chili Shrimp

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons bell pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 cups cooked white rice

Toss the shrimp with the cornstarch until lightly coated. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the shrimp and stir fry until starting to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, ginger, garlic and sweet chili sauce, sauté for 30 seconds. Add the water and soy sauce and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the sesame oil and serve over rice.

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Pork “Lo Mein” Ramen

I was obsessed with ramen when I was a kid. I would have a bowl nearly every day after school. I would drain the noodles and toss them with La Choy Lite Soy Sauce. It had to be La Choy Lite Soy Sauce, there was no substitution. In college, I learned to make the noodles in the microwave since I didn't have access to a stove. After college, I would come home to my loft nearly every day for lunch. One of my go tos for lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of beef ramen soup, dubbed the KT special. I always preferred ramen noodles to rice for serving stir fry, so I wanted to try using them in a lo mein recipe. It was fantastic! Totally curbed my ramen craving and added a little healthiness with a nice helping of fresh vegetables.  One thing I have yet to try is a fancy ramen noodle restaurant...I think I would be disappointed.

Pork “Lo Mein” Ramen

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon Sriracha
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup chicken broth
2 packages ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ pound pork loin chops, sliced thin
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
¼ pound snow peas
½ green bell pepper, julienned
½ cup carrots, julienned
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sesame oil

In two cup measure, whisk together the cornstarch, ginger, Sriracha, soy sauce and chicken broth. Prepare the ramen per package instructions, drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the pork, mushrooms, snow peas, bell pepper and carrots for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds more. Pour the broth mixture over the chicken and vegetables, bring to a boil and cook for a minute more. Add the noodles and sesame oil, toss well to coat completely. Serve.

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Vegetable Calzones

Vegetable Calzones

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees )
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 head broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 cup spinach leaves
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 mushrooms, quartered
1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add the honey and stir together, let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, then the flour and salt. Use the dough hook to knead at low speed for 2 minutes. Turn up the speed to medium and knead 5 minutes more. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 3 minutes more. Oil the mixing bowl and return the dough ball to it, tossing well to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm spot. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each by gently pulling the dough and tucking it underneath the bottom of the ball. Roll the ball on a smooth surface until it is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes more. The dough can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Press out each dough piece on a lightly floured surface, gradually spreading each into a circle 8" across. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on half of each circle, then top with broccoli, artichoke, spinach, bell pepper, mushroom and tomato. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top of each, then fold over to create a half circle. Press the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown.

While the calzones are baking, simmer the crushed tomatoes over medium-low heat with the Italian seasoning. Serve the calzones with tomato sauce on the side.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

I may have a bit of a problem with making Cajun chicken pastas. It is reminiscent to my past Spaghetti Carbonara obsession.  As soon as I saw this recipe on All Recipes, I knew I had to make it.  I adore mushrooms, but I am the only one in the family who does.  So while we ate dinner, both C and Miss F piled my plate with their excess mushrooms.  We used fresh vegetables from Froberg Farm after a big afternoon of strawberry picking.  Miss F was a huge help in making  this dish, she is becoming much more confident working with things on the stove top, it's all quite exciting.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

16 ounces Penne pasta
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1” cubes
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare the pasta per package directions, drain and set aside. Toss the chicken with the Cajun seasoning. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and mushrooms, cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the cream, basil, salt, garlic and pepper, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the parmesan cheese and drained pasta, serve.

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Crockpot Italian Chicken and Peppers with Parmesan Polenta

We didn't get to enjoy this meal the night is was planned for. I had just loaded up the crockpot and not 30 minutes later, got a 5 pm showing request for our house (which is currently for sale.) So we headed out for dinner, Pappasitos, Miss F's choice, and I transferred the fully cooked meal to the refrigerator. Luckily, it was completely delicious a day later.  The bell peppers get so tender and sweet, which is perfect over the rich polenta.  I still cannot convince Miss F to try more than the tiniest bite of polenta, but she inhaled this chicken.  The recipe was heavily adapted from Budget Bytes.

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Peppers

2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced
½ onion, sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Lay half of the bell peppers and onions in the bottom of the crockpot and place the chicken on top. Sprinkle the chicken with the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover the chicken with the remaining bell peppers and onions, then pour the crushed tomatoes and brown sugar over top. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Use tongs to shred the chicken and toss well with the sauce. Serve over pasta, rice or polenta.

Parmesan Polenta

2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup polenta
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Make the polenta about 30 minutes before ready to serve. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese.

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Chicken Lo Mein with Vegetables

I love cooking lo mein, as a kid, I hated rice. So whenever my mom would make a stir fry of any kind, I would boil up a pot of ramen to serve with mine, so that I didn't have to have the rice. I now love rice, but I am still a noodle girl at heart. One of my favorite snacks to this day is drained ramen tossed with lite soy sauce. I used to have it after school all the time, it is a comfort food for me. Miss F loves lo mein, but we couldn't get her to try the mushrooms, she was happy to send hers over my way.  This dish is heavy on vegetables, there are more veggies than there are noodles.  Which makes it tasty and a bit healthy.  Nice to have after days of turkey, gravy, butter and pie!

Chicken Lo Mein with Vegetables

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon Sriracha
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup chicken broth
8 ounces uncooked Asian noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
¼ pound snow peas
1 large red bell pepper, julienned
½ cup carrots, julienned
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

In two cup measure, whisk together the cornstarch, ginger, Sriracha, soy sauce and chicken broth. Prepare the noodles per package instructions, drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the chicken, mushroom, snow peas, bell pepper and carrots for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the broth mixture over the chicken and vegetables, bring to a boil and cook for a minute more. Add the noodles and sesame oil, toss well to coat completely. Serve.

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Sweet Sriracha Glazed Pork Skewers

As soon as I saw this glaze on Pink Parsley, I knew I wanted to try it. I adapted it to include other veggies on the skewers for a more complete meal.  This glaze is amazing.  I am going to try it on chicken next.  Miss F had a grand time threading the skewers.  She made pork and bell peppers ones for herself and made skewers without tomatoes for C.  Feel free to make these on the grill, they would be equally fabulous on the barbecue.  Miss F had such a great time making the skewers, she made us fruit skewers for dessert that evening.  It's more fun to eat from a stick!

Sweet Sriracha Glazed Pork Skewers

1 pound boneless thick cut pork chops, cut into 1” cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 cup grape tomatoes

Toss the pork and salt together in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Whisk together the brown sugar, Sriracha and cornstarch in a small bowl. Soak wooden skewers in water and spray a broiler pan with cooking spray. Preheat the broiler to high. Thread the pork, bell pepper, pineapple chunks and tomatoes onto the skewers and place them on the prepared pan. Brush the skewers with half of the glaze. Broil the skewers for 4 to 5 minutes, flip the skewers and brush with the remaining glaze. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes more. Serve.

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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

I have way too many recipes for Cajun pasta (chicken, shrimp, shrimp again, chicken again, pork, chicken alfredo and chicken once more) on my blog. Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it. I love this dish in any form and when I saw this version from food.com on Pinterest, I wanted to try it. I love sun-dried tomatoes and I knew they would be a fantastic addition to this dish.  I made a lot of changes from the original, but everyone loved this dish.  The sun-dried tomatoes were just as perfect as I thought they would be, in fact, I know I may try them in carbonara next.  I use the dried tomatoes that you re-hydrate with hot water instead of the ones packed in oil.

Creamy Cajun Pasta

12 ounces linguine
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chacheres)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
¾ cup cream
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Prepare the linguine per package instructions, drain and set aside. Toss the chicken with the cajun seasoning and flour. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken and bell pepper for 5 to 7 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Bring to a simmer. Add the cream, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, stir and heat through. Stir in the parmesan and linguine, toss to coat and serve.

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Sweet Corn Fettuccine

This pasta is "pinspired" by this recipe I had pinned from Fearless Homemaker.  The end product ended up being quite far from the original, but right now I am taking full advantage of my parents' vegetable garden when I can.  The bell pepper, tomato and basil were all homegrown, so they made the dish infinitely better.  The tomatoes melt into an amazing sauce that is quite full of flavor.  Miss F was mainly a fan of the bacon and bell pepper, she prefers her corn on the cob.

Sweet Corn Fettuccine

12 ounces fettuccine
6 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 fresh ears, or frozen)
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup half-and-half
hand full of fresh basil

Prepare the fettucine per package instructions, drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, drain on a paper towel and remove all but one tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pan. Add the bell pepper, tomato, garlic and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the white wine, cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the half and half, salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the fettucine with the sauce, corn and bell pepper. Top with the bacon and sliced basil, serve.

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Pork Tenderloin Fajitas

Pork fajitas a my most favorite kind of fajitas, especially at El Tiempo. While we were in Colorado, I knew I wanted to attempt some on the grill and pork tenderloin seemed like the perfect cut for fajitas. This recipe was inspired by Food and Wine. The tip to half the pork tenderloin crosswise made it quite easy to cut into fajita strips and allowed for a really quick cook time.  Make sure to cut the bell pepper into rings so they are easy to grill without having to worry about them falling through the grate.  Any bell pepper color will work.

Pork Tenderloin Fajitas

Herb and Spice Rub:
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
juice from one lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pork tenderloin, halved crosswise
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into rings
8 tortillas

Whisk together the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, lime juice, and olive oil. Pour over the tenderloin and toss to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grate with vegetable oil. Grill the pork until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the tenderloin to a platter, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. While the pork is resting, grill the bell pepper for 3 minutes.

Slice the pork into strips, toss with the bell pepper and serve on warmed tortillas with guacamole.

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Shrimp Fajita Salad

One of my favorite items to order from Pappasitos is the fajita salad. I wanted to recreate something like it at home, but using shrimp instead of chicken.  This is a fresh salad that really fills you up.  Miss F won't touch the lettuce, but she was fine with the rest of it rolled up in a tortilla and baked with a little shredded Colby Jack cheese.  I don't remember when I started enjoying salad, but it certainly wasn't at five years old, so my expectations of her actually eating this were low.  I cleaned my plate, it was delicious.  You could also add shredded jack cheese, drained black beans or even crushed tortilla chips for some crunch.

Shrimp Fajita Salad

1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups lettuce, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ red onion, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

Whisk together the lime juice, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the shrimp and allow to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.

While the shrimp are marinating, prepare the dressing. Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a small stream while whisking constantly.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink.

Toss the lettuce, corn, bell pepper, onion, avocado and cooked shrimp with the dressing. Divide among four plates and serve.

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Turkey Gumbo

Firstly, happy new year!  C left for Aspen the day after thanksgiving to take ski lessons, so he missed out on the best part of Thanksgiving: the leftovers. So while Miss F and I visited Aspen, we had a second turkey feast, C style. Pop n serve rolls, log cranberry sauce from a can, and copious amounts of gravy. Since there were only three of us eating the turkey, I had a ton of meat leftover. My friend Erica was telling me about the turkey gumbo that her family made with leftovers. And it took me back in time, because I used to make turkey gumbo every year after Thanksgiving, but it has been at least 10 years since I have done it. The roux takes nearly an hour to make, but it is worth it. I set my laptop next to the stove top and caught up on my internet browsing (Pinterest!) This recipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse.

Turkey Gumbo

¾ cup canola oil
¾ cup flour
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
6 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 bay leaves
Salt and cayenne
Creole spice
2 cups shredded cooked turkey meat
Steamed rice, for serving

In a large soup pot slowly heat oil and flour together over low heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes a nutty brown color and is very fragrant; be careful not to burn. Add onions, pepper and celery and cook, stirring, 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add broth, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, cayenne and Creole spice to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add turkey and simmer 30 minutes more. Adjust seasonings and serve with hot steamed rice.

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Cajun Shrimp Pasta

I was going to make my new favorite Cajun Chicken Pasta for dinner, but Miss F ended up napping until 6:30 pm and I needed something that could get to the table a little quicker. I had been eyeing this recipe from the wonderful Tide and Thyme for quite some time.   since the shrimp cook so quickly, the whole meal took about 15 minutes to get to the table.  When you have a grouchy and hungry four year old, every second counts.  Miss F had two helpings and was a huge fan.  She really loves bell pepper, especially if she gets to select what color we buy at the grocer.  The recipe calls for a green and red bell, but I halved the recipe and only used the red bell.  You can really use whatever color pepper you like.  This dish was amazing and absolutely perfect for a weeknight.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup cream
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 pound cooked linguine

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons Cajun spice over the shrimp, toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip shrimp over and cook for 1 minute more. Remove to plate and set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over medium high heat until peppers and onions are tender. Remove all vegetables from the pan to a plate, and set aside.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream and cheese, whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens. Add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetables to the sauce. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained linguine and toss to combine. Serve spicy shrimp on top of pasta.

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Ginger Chicken

I usually make a stir fry on Friday night with whatever vegetables I have leftover from the week. It is a great way to clear out the fridge and money saving as well. This recipe can be easily adapted to use up whatever leftover veggies you have on hand, I have even added tomatoes to stir fry with great success (though not in C's eyes!) I adapted this recipe from Tide and Thyme's recipe for Ginger Pork. Miss F wanted chicken, so I made the change for her. The sauce is incredibly easy to make and tasted just perfect. Miss F ate all her veggies except for the mushrooms. I was a huge mushroom fan as a kid, but I understand that many folks just don't like them.  I am still getting used to cooking rice at 8000 feet.  White rice takes over 20 minutes, so I haven't even bothered with brown rice up here...it would probably take hours!

Ginger Chicken

2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
½ cup mushrooms, quartered
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup chopped green beans

Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine soy sauce, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, garlic, and grated ginger in a Ziploc bag. Add chicken to the bag and toss to coat. Let marinade 30 minutes at room temperature.

Whisk together the broth, corn starch, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sherry in a two cup measure. Set aside.

Heat two teaspoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper and onion, stir fry for a minute more. Add the broccoli and green beans, stir fry for two minutes more. Add the sauce, stirring until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice.

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Spicy Pineapple Chicken

Over ten years ago my roommate made me Chicken, Pineapple and Peppers. Still to this day it's one of my favorite easy weeknight recipes. When I saw Spicy Pineapple Chicken on Elly Says Opa, I knew I would enjoy it.  I did make some adjustments to accommodate my Aspen pantry supplies, I am going to try it with Sambal Oelek at home next time I make it.  This was equally a hit as my old standby.  Miss F even cleared her plate, though she no longer likes pineapple like she used to.  It is strange how her tastes have changed.

Spicy Pineapple Chicken

For the sauce:
1 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the chicken and vegetables:
¼ cup cornstarch
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ medium onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, sliced
½ green bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped pineapple

In a small bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, Sriracha, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, water and cornstarch and set aside.

Toss the chicken in the cornstarch until well coated. Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken for two minutes, add the onion and bell pepper, sauté for two minutes more. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce, allow to come to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring in the pineapple during the last minute. Serve over rice.

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Baked Chicken Fajitas

I love fajitas. If we are out for TexMex, nine times out of ten I am ordering fajitas. The main problem I have with making fajitas at home is that I am usually juggling warming the tortillas, setting out the toppings, warming the sides and cooking the meat all in the final ten minutes before we eat. It is usually kitchen chaos! Enter Baked Chicken Fajitas from Alida's Kitchen.  This recipe solves the kitchen chaos and makes delicious fajitas.  I omitted the diced tomatoes from the recipe because I have never seen tomatoes in fajitas and it just didn't seem right for me.  Rotel works great for soft tacos, but not so much for fajitas.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lime
12 tortillas, warmed
Toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken, onion and bell pepper in a 9x13 baking dish in a single layer. In a small dish, whisk together the oil, cumin, hot sauce, salt and juice of the lime until combined. Drizzle over chicken mixture and toss well to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Serve the chicken, peppers and onions in the warm tortilla topped with cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

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Baked Creamed Corn with Bell Peppers

Summer time corn is one of my most favorite foods. The Pioneer Woman's recipe looked amazing, but I wanted to omit the jalapenos from the dish since we were already having a week full of spicy meals. I originally planned to serve these with Sriracha Chicken Strips, but there was such an amazing sale on pork, Pork Things filled in instead. C went back for seconds and declared it, "super yummy!" Even Miss F ate every single one of her bell peppers. This was after eating about 30 green beans. But she doesn't eat the green bean like a normal person, she peels each bean open and only eats the little beans instead. Edamame style. It is really quite strange.

Baked Creamed Corn with Bell Peppers

4 ears corn, husked
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ cup cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Slice the corn kernels from the ear into a large bowl. This is done easily by inverting a small bowl inside the large bowl and resting the base of the cob on the bottom of the small bowl while cutting.

Add the bell peppers, cream, salt and pepper. Pour into a two quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, serve.

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