Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

I have had this recipe from Pioneer Woman pinned for years.  I finally got around to making it for Miss F and I, but I made a bunch of changes from the original.  We don't have air conditioning in Colorado, even though we are at nearly 9000 feet, it gets hot in the evening.  I prefer to spend as little time in front of the stove as possible, so I decided to cook everything at once instead of in phases.  The tomatoes melted into the butter providing the most delicious sauce which was really brightened up with the squeeze of lemon at the end.  You could easily toss a half pound of angel hair with this dish for an even more substantial meal.  But cooking angel hair means more heat in my kitchen, so that wasn't happening.

Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Juice of ½ lemon

Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Squeeze the lemon half all over the shrimp and vegetables, toss well to coat, serve.

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Shrimp with Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad

My mom broke her patella while she was in Maryland a few weeks back, so she hasn't had quite the summer that she imagined she would have.  Luckily, she didn't need surgery, but she did need help in the kitchen.  My dad isn't a cook.  He once boiled hot dogs and corn on the cob in the same pan.  His rationale was that the grease from the hot dogs would "butter the corn."  Gross.  My mom has lots of fresh herbs and she always has gulf shrimp from the Kemah seafood market.  I stopped at the store on the way to her house to make lunch, picked up some fresh vegetables and this salad was invented.  Miss F inhaled the shrimp, tolerated the avocado and refused the rest.  Her loss.

Shrimp with Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lemon
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 large avocado, chopped
10 leaves basil, minced
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, juice of ½ the lemon, ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gently toss the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and basil in the dressing. Set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with the remaining salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan, juice the remaining lemon half over the shrimp. Sauté until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the shrimp with the salad on the side.

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Chopped Salad with Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

Chopped Salad with Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cucumber, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
½ cup shredded mozzarella

Process the garlic, vinegar, egg yolk, sugar and mustard in a food processor. Stream in the oil with the processor running. Salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and mozzarella with the prepared dressing. Serve.

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Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Pasta

Whenever C is out for the evening, I usually default to some sort of shrimp dish since it is a quick meal that I know Miss F will gobble up. I had a ton of grape tomatoes (and wine!) left over after a dinner party and I knew I wanted to make a shrimp pasta with them. The tomatoes "pop" once they simmer in the sauce for a bit, which adds a nice flavor to the sauce. Add as much cayenne as you prefer, Miss F and I enjoy spice, so I added a heaping 1/2 teaspoon, the spice was tempered by the half and half.  Be sure not to over cook the shrimp, they can get chewy very quickly, which is why it is best to keep them warm on a plate while you make the sauce.

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Pasta

12 ounces linguine pasta
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup grape tomatoes
½ cup half and half

Prepare the pasta per package directions. Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt and cayenne pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer, flipping after 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and simmer for 1 minute. Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth, slowly add to the pan, stirring constantly, stir in the tomateos. Simmer for 5 minutes more, gently pressing a few of the tomatoes once they soften. Stir in the half and half, pasta and shrimp. Stir gently to combine and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve.

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BLT Wedge Salad

BLT Wedge Salad

6 slices of bacon, cut into ½ “ pieces
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 head of Iceberg lettuce
18 grape tomatoes, halved

In a small skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, pepper and garlic salt. Cut the lettuce into 6 wedges. Place the wedges on serving plates, top each with the bacon, tomatoes and dressing, serve.

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Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

This originally started out as a lemon and chicken pasta, but a steal on grape tomatoes (99 cents a package) and broccoli (49 cents a pound) totally changed the game plan.  I used my Fasta Pasta and in the 17 minutes it took the fettuccine to cook, dinner was done.  Dice up some chicken, pull apart some broccoli heads and that is really all the heavy lifting this meal takes.  Some of the tomatoes burst as the sauce cooks, adding a really light tomato flavor to it, complete perfection.  C and Miss F picked out their tomatoes, but they were happy with the sauce nonetheless.  Ah well, all the more for me.

Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

12 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 container grape tomatoes
1 clove garlic
¼ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup half and half
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

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

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, broccoli, tomatoes and garlic to the pan, sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Whisk together the chicken broth and corn starch. Pour the broth mixture and half & half into the pan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and fettuccine. Serve.

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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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Lobster Linguine

I bought crablegs at a Kroger on my way home from work instead of my usual two Krogers I alternate between. I noticed that they had whole steamed lobsters in the seafood case and since Miss F adores lobster so much, I knew I wanted to make a pasta with it next time C was out of town.   I decided to hit the grocer after school, so the lobster would be fresh and so that Miss F could help select which lobster she wanted.   Our regular Kroger only had the tails and I wasn't interested in smelling up the house steaming lobster.  So we went to another Kroger, no lobster, and then to the Kroger where I had initially seen the whole lobsters, no luck.  I tried to convince her to have shrimp pasta instead, but once I had tempted her with lobster, there was no going back.  I ended up steaming the lobster tails at home, then boiling a pot of water with 1/4 cup of white vinegar to kill the smell.  It was worth it.  Recipe inspired from Simple Seasonal.

Lobster Linguine

12 ounces linguine
1 large steamed lobster or 3 small steamed tails
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
¼ clam juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup half and half

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside. Break down the lobster and chop the meat into bite sized pieces, set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking for 1 minute until fully incorporated. Add the wine while still whisking, cook for 1 minute more. Add the clam juice and tomato paste while still whisking and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the drained pasta, lobster and half and half into the sauce; salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Meatball Pasta Bake

Miss F loves two cooking show: Master Chef Junior and Pioneer Woman. I have tried to get her to watch Barefoot Contessa with me, but she gets bored with it, but I guess I can see that with an eight year old attention's span. As soon as she saw the Pioneer Woman that included this Meatball Pasta Bake, she wanted to make it. I adapted the original recipe quite heavily to better suit it to my cooking style and taste.  This recipe was a huge hit with the family.  I served it with a big salad, it was a great and filling meal.

Meatball Pasta Bake

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt

1 pound ground beef
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg

1 pound rigatoni, prepared per package instructions and drained.
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
¼ cup grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the tomato paste, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, basil, parsley, oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer while you prepare the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir together the beef, parmesan, breadcrumbs and egg. Grease two 24 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Scoop the meatball mixture using a heaping teaspoon, roll into a ball and place into the muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Toss the prepared pasta with the tomato sauce. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half of the pasta into the dish. Add half of the mozzarella and half of the meatballs to the dish. Top with the remaining pasta. Nestle the remaining mozzarella and meatballs into the pasta. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Oven Baked Shrimp Po-Boys

Miss F could eat her weight in fried shrimp. I am tempted to take her to Red Lobster for their endless shrimp special just to see how many she could eat, but the problem would be that she would probably reject the shrimp they serve there. She always hates kids' menu shrimp because "there is more fried part than actual shrimp." I agree. The main issue with frying shrimp at home is that the fried shrimp smell lingers for quite a bit. I had never served a po-boy to Miss F before, but she was a huge fan! She didn't have a single topping, just shrimp and bread, but she loved it. I had all the toppings (and all the shrimp!) These po-boys are generous with the shrimp, a half pound on each sandwich. Feel free to convert the recipe to serve four half sandwiches if you are serving them alongside something else.

Oven Baked Shrimp Po-Boys

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon relish
hot sauce

¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 pound shrimp
2 sub rolls
1 tomato, sliced
½ cup chopped lettuce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish and hot sauce to taste. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. In a third shallow bowl, add the Panko. Grease a sheet pan with cooking spray. Peel and devein the shrimp. Dredge the shrimp in the flour, then dip in the egg-milk mixture and finally toss in the Panko. Place the shrimp on the prepared pan and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until shrimp is starting to brown.

Split each roll; top with half of the lettuce, then half of the tomato and half of the shrimp. Drizzle each with the sauce and serve.

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Grape Tomato and Spinach Angel Hair

This pasta couldn't be any easier and it tastes like it took hours to make. Well, the original recipe does take hours, from Ina Garten, but I adapted it to take about 20 minutes instead.  Miss F was a huge fan of the pasta, but wasn't as keen on the spinach.  I am not normally a fan of cooked spinach, but stirring it in at the last moment was perfect.  The pasta water, parmesan and burst tomatoes make a nice and light sauce.  The original recipe calls for fresh basil, which would work equally as well as the fresh baby spinach.

Grape Tomato and Spinach Angel Hair

½ pound angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 cup baby spinach
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup grated parmesan

Prepare the pasta per package directions, reserve the pasta water and drain the angel hair. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the angel hair and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the spinach, salt and parmesan. Serve.

ALTERNATE FASTA PASTA PREPARATION
Add two servings of Angel Hair to the Fasta Pasta and fill to level II. Microwave for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the pasta water from the Fasta Pasta into the pan, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the angel hair and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the spinach, salt and parmesan. Serve.

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ABCLT Chopped Salad

In the summertime, I could eat a salad every night for dinner. I do get picky about proteins in my salad, I always prefer them to be warm, cold meats just don't do it for me. I made this salad the first night back from our amazing vacation to Fiji and New Zealand. I didn't have high culinary expectations for either location, but I was pleasantly surprised by both...especially Fiji.   This salad is a take on one of my most favorite sandwiches, the ABCLT.  C was happy to trade his tomatoes for my croutons and Miss F was with my parents, so there was minimal whining about having a salad for dinner.

ABCLT Chopped Salad

4 slices bacon, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
¾ cup croutons
½ to ¾ cup ranch dressing (I like Confections of a Foodie Bride’s recipe)

Heat the bacon in skillet over medium low heat, cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the skillet. Add the chicken and pepper, sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and croutons. Pour ½ cup of the ranch dressing and toss well to coat. Add more dressing if necessary. Divide among for plates and serve.

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Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

This recipe started with me trying to use up fresh veggies from my parents' garden.   They gave me zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes...all fresh from the garden plot.  You could easily grill the pork tenderloin, but sadly, I don't have that option at our house.  I sure wish I did.  One day I will own a grill again.  What a happy day that will be!   Frozen corn can easily be substituted for the fresh corn, a small bag of frozen corn will work just perfectly in the hash.  C thought the hash was missing potatoes, but I thought it was incredibly delicious without!

Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

1 pork tenderloin
¼ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 ears corn, shucked and kernels stripped
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pork tenderloin in a greased shallow baking dish. Brush with the barbecue sauce. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the corn, zucchini, bell pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute more.

Slice the pork and serve over top of the vegetable hash.

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Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

Miss F spent five blissful days at "Camp Grammy and Grandad", which meant that we could have salad as an entrée without any whining. Or so I thought.  As soon as I plated the salad, C asked what we were having as an entrée...um, salad?  This salad is summer on a plate.   Fresh corn, avocado, tomatoes, bell pepper...all sweet and delicious.  I appeased C with the crushed tortilla chips and cheese, I could have lived without both.  The salad recipe is my own, but the chicken cooking technique comes from The Kitchn.  It is so incredibly easy and cooks chicken perfectly every time.

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

1 avocado
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon butter
2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut from the ear
Juice from ½ lime

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
½ cup shredded Colby jack cheese
½ cup crushed tortilla chips

Place the avocado, vinegar, water, sugar and salt into a food processor. Process until smooth. Stream in the oil and process until emulsified; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the chicken with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish. Cover the chicken with a sheet of parchment paper, tucking it around the chicken. Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes or so. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. When cool, cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and lime juice, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until corn is tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, corn, lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, avocado, cheese and tortilla chip pieces. Pour over half of the avocado dressing and toss well to coat, adding more dressing as necessary. Divide among 4 plates and serve.

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Skillet Salsa Chicken

I knew as soon as I saw this recipe on Taste of Home Cooking, it would be a huge hit with Miss F. And I wasn't wrong. She inhaled it, comparing it to one of her favorites, crockpot chicken enchilada soup.  I served it over plain white rice because I am not a huge cilantro fan and neither is anyone else.  I used Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream because I didn't have any on hand, no one was the wiser.  I loved how easy this was, in the time that it took the rice to cook with the magical Fasta Pasta, dinner was ready.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

Skillet Salsa Chicken

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup corn kernels
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 avocado, for serving
Steamed rice, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink. Add the onion and saute for another 2-3 minutes until onion is soft and chicken is cooked through. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the seasonings, salsa, broth, corn and black beans to the pan and stir to combine.

Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and lime juice. Serve topped with sliced avocado and over rice.

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Shredded Beef Torta

One of the first things I ever ordered at my favorite late night college hangout (aka La Tapatia) was a torta. Pechuga de Pollo torta with NO beans. Emphasis on the "NO." I am no fan of beans and even after 20 years of living in Texas, I still cannot stomach them.  I also learned that if I omitted the Pechuga part of the order, I would get a not as delicious shredded chicken instead of a chicken breast.  I love making bolillos and having tortas at home.  I usually have chicken or pulled pork, but I was in the mood for a shredded beef torta.  And Kroger had roasts on sale for under $2 a pound.  And the shredded beef torta was born.  And it is delicious.  Messy, but delicious.

Shredded Beef Tortas
Makes 6 tortas

1 recipe southwest shredded beef
6 Bolillos from this recipe or purchased
12 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 recipe best ever queso or queso of your choosing

Prepare the southwest shredded beef in the crockpot. Slice the bolillos lengthwise and then cross wise. Lay a lettuce leaf on the bottom of each bottom half of the bolillo. Top each with avocado and tomato slices, then add a generous helping of the shredded beef. Top the beef with a spoonful of queso. Serve.

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Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

So Tide and Thyme pretty much lives my dream life, her Instagram breeds jealousy with every post.  I knew this recipe of hers would be a huge hit with Miss F, as long as I omitted the spinach.  I am not a huge fan of cooked spinach anyhow, so it was also a win for me.  We got amazing shrimp from the Seabrook seafood market and they were perfection.  Miss F may have taken down a half pound of shrimp on her own.  I used the amazing Fasta Pasta and dinner was ready in under 15 minutes, it doesn't get any better than that.

Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

½ pound angel hair pasta
1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 tablespoons butter
¼ red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (a small handful reserved for garnish)

Prepare the angel hair pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and cook 1 minute more. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom and let reduce for 2 minutes. Add the cream, parmesan and tomatoes. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes more. Add the angel hair to the pan and toss well to combine. Serve topped with the reserved tomatoes.

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Spicy Shrimp Pasta

Miss F's first choice for dinner whenever C isn't home for dinner is always shrimp. She also adores pasta, so I knew this recipe from Budget Bytes would be a huge hit in our house.  I was completely correct!  I used fresh tomatoes because I love the flavor they provide with shrimp, but a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes would work just as easily.  I also used the magical Fasta Pasta to prepare the spaghetti.  The whole meal took less than 15 minutes to make, including peeling the shrimp (easy peel, of course!)  Feel free to double the crushed red pepper or sprinkle more on before serving if you prefer a little more heat.

Spicy Shrimp Pasta

8 ounces pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic
½ pound peeled & deveined shrimp
1 pound roma tomatoes, diced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, add the oil and butter to a large skillet and heat over medium. Add the garlic, shrimp, tomatoes, red pepper and salt to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes, until shrimp turn pink. Add the pasta and toss well to coat. Serve.

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Emeril’s Shrimp Creole

Miss F liked this meal so much, she requested it for the next trip C had out of town. The use of fresh tomatoes really amps up my usual Shrimp Creole recipe. I have been making Shrimp Creole for years, but always with tomatoes from a can. Making it with fresh tomatoes is about a million times better.  Miss F inhaled her shrimp.  She also doused hers in lots of Tabasco sauce, such a smart kid.  The sauce is so rich and tastes as if it has been cooking for hours.  In reality, this meal comes together incredibly quickly.  It is going to be in our standard daddy is out of town rotation.

Emeril’s Shrimp Creole

¼ cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 bay leaf
1 pound peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup water
1 pound of large shrimp, peeled, tail-off, and deveined
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan, season with salt and cayenne; sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the bay leaf, tomatoes and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, add water if needed. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce. Whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl, stir into the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes more. Season the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning and add to the pan, cook for 5 minutes more. Serve over rice.

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Crockpot Bolognese Sauce

I had planned to make my usual Bolognese, but our life had other plans.  There was just no way to make the cook time work with our schedule.  We had a house showing and not enough time to get the sauce made, not to mention we had a huge TexMex lunch.  So Bolognese was pushed off until the next day, which necessitated finding a recipe for the crockpot...and one that also aligned well with the ingredients I had purchased for my usual recipe.  I used a Skinnytaste recipe as my inspiration, but I made quite a few changes.  It was a huge hit and I loved that it simmered in the crockpot all day instead of simmering on the stove for a couple hours...much easier for me.

Crockpot Bolognese Sauce

3 slices bacon, cut into lardons
½ white onion, minced
2 carrots, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound lean ground beef
¼ cup white wine
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh cracked pepper
¼ cup half & half

In a skillet, cook the bacon on low heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onions and carrots, cook on medium low until soft, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomato paste, sauté for one minute more. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the ground beef and sauté until browned. Drain off the fat, then add the wine, cook for 3 minutes more. Add the meat mixture to the crockpot, along with the tomatoes and bay leaf. Stir to combine, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the half and half, taste and add any additional salt and pepper needed, then serve over pasta.

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