Creamy Shrimp & Fettucine

My wife has become incredibly leery of shrimp after being served undercooked shrimp in two different restaurants in the span of a week about year ago, so I was unsure whether I should make this. However, it sounded so yummy that I decided to throw caution to the wind, put it on the menu, and make damn sure the shrimp was cooked properly. It is, I admit, a thing which requires attention. Too little cooking time and you revolt your diners. Too much and you might as well serve a little log of Silly Putty. But it's really not that difficult. This turned out wonderfully and I served it with a salad of mixed greens (which I topped with pine nuts and a tarragon vinaigrette), a loaf of our favorite Pugliese bread from the grocery, and fruit salad left over from our book group gathering on Saturday. 

Creamy Shrimp & Fettuccine

10 oz. uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined (frozen is fine, just thaw prior)

8 oz. fettuccine, cooked & hot

2 tbsp. butter or olive oil

1 small bell pepper, in thin half-strips (I like red & orange)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat-free)

A splash of milk (skim is fine)

A splash of sherry

1/2 c. frozen peas (no need to thaw)

3 heaping tbsp. grated parmesan

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp & peppers. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, 3-5 minutes. Toss with drained pasta and serve piping hot! Serves 4. 

Mardi Gras Jambalaya

I love Mardi Gras! I am not a pancake person and paczki, while delicious, are not part of my tradition. Of course, I'll eat them, but I don't ever think of them unless I see them in the store. No, what I love for Mardi Gras is King Cake! The first I ever had was from a mix, Mam Papaul's, and when I make it, that's still what I use. I am perfectly okay with buying my King Cake, too, and if you're near Dayton, Ohio, you should get over to Dorothy Lane Market & pick one up this evening! One of these years, I'll do it from scratch & tell y'all about it. Here's the one I made this year:

The other food I love on Mardi Gras is jambalaya. Here's the recipe, from Emeril Lagasse, I use most often. Sometimes I sub shrimp for the chicken, or add it to the chicken, so feel free to do the same. 

Andouille & Chicken Jambalaya

1/2 c. oil

3 c. chopped onions

1 c. chopped bell peppers (I'm using red & orange this year)

3 tsp. salt

1 & 1/4 tsp. cayenne (I have reduced the  amount when cooking for mild-palated people & have also subbed Cajun seasoning)

1 lb. andouille, cut into 1/4" slices (you can sub chorizo or other smoked sausage)

1 & 1/2 lb. boneless chicken, cut into 1" cubes

3 bay leaves

3 c. white rice (I usually use jasmine rice)

6 c. water (I sub chicken broth)

1 c. chopped scallions

Heat oil in cast iron Dutch oven (you can sub another heavy pot of similar size). Add onions, peppers, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cayenne. Brown the veggies, stirring often, about 20 minutes, until caramelized. Scrape pot to loosen browned particles. Add andouille & cook 10-15 min, stirring often & scraping sides & bottom of pot. Season chicken with 1 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. cayenne. Add chicken & bay leaves to pot. Brown 8-10 min, scraping as you go. Add rice & stir a couple minutes to coat it evenly. Add water, stir to combine, & cover. Cook 30-35 minutes without stirring or peeking, until rice is tender & liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat & let stand a few minutes. Remove bay leaves, add scallions, & stir well. Serves 10-12.

One of these years, I'll get ambitious & do crawfish pie. Yum!

March 2014 Dinners

In case you need ideas for dinners to make in March, here is what I have planned:

-Jambalaya, kale salad, king cake

-Hot dogs, baked beans, baby potato salad, cinnamon peaches

-Cheese ravioli with herbed walnut sauce, green salad, French bread, fruit

-White wine & lemon pork roast, vegetable salad, baked potatoes

-Roast turkey breast, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green salad

-Creamy shrimp & noodles, mixed greens with tarragon dressing, baguette

-Kushary, fattoush, orange quarters

-Spaghetti pie, Caesar salad, garlic bread

-French toast, bacon, fruit

-Rice pilaf with Greek yogurt, zucchini fritters, green salad, fruit

-Mexi-turkey wraps, tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, green salad, fruit

-Guinness stew, Irish soda bread, fruited green jello

-Crustless pizza, salad, fruit

-Salmon patties, dilled new potatoes, asparagus

-Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn

-Asparagus tart, broccoli, fruit

-Love potion chicken, green salad, fruit

-Home on the range burgers, crinkle fries, lima beans

-Ribeyes with southwest butter, squash & corn casserole, green beans with pepitas

-Spicy chicken soup, crusty bread, fruit

-Orange roughy dijon, gremolata rice, roasted asparagus

Looking at Snow, Cooking for Spring

After spending 2 weeks in New Jersey, first in Cape May for our wedding and then in Parsippany for her work, it's been rather unpleasant to return to the single digits (and sometimes those in the negative) & huge heaps of snow showing no sign of melting. There was no snow at all in Cape May, so we got spoilt. So, last night, in the hopes of piquing Spring's interest, I made a very light and spring-like supper. I started us with a mixed greens salad with lardons and poached eggs in a tarragon shallot vinaigrette. Then, we went on to chicken salad with smoked almonds on thin white bread. We'd had green eggs (scrambled with lots of chives) & ham Sunday for Dr. Seuss Day and dessert was honeydew melon, so we finished that, as well.

I've been intimidated by poaching eggs and have never tried it without my egg poaching set, which just didn't do a proper job. So, I decided to plunge in and try it. It was astonishingly simple and the eggs turned out perfectly! I'm pretty silly about some of my cooking intimidations.

Mixed Greens with Lardons & Poached Eggs

4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4" wide strips

2 tbsp. vinegar (I used cider vinegar because I couldn't find my white)

2 eggs

2 tbsp. finely-chopped shallots (can sub white onions)

1 tbsp. tarragon vinegar

A pinch each salt & pepper

Mixed greens, enough for 2

Cook bacon golden brown. Set aside, in pan. Fill small skillet with about an inch of warm (not hot) water. Fill a large pan halfway with water. Add a pinch of salt and the vinegar. Bring just barely to a simmer. Break each egg into its own very small bowl or cup. Slide eggs into simmering water and poach at a very gentle simmer until whites are firm, but yolks are runny, about 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, place eggs gently in skillet of warm water. Reheat bacon and add shallots to bacon & fat. Cook, stirring, a minute or so. Add vinegar and boil for about 5 seconds. Pour over the mixed greens and toss well. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Divide between 2 plates. Top each with a poached egg, making sure to drain egg well in slotted spoon before placing on salad. Serves 2. This salad was inspired by one in the Gourmet Cookbook.

Chicken Salad with Smoked Almonds

32 oz. chicken broth

2 lb. chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. minced shallots

1 tsp. minced tarragon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 c. chopped smoked almonds

Bring stock to a boil in a 12" skillet. Add chicken and poach at a very gentle simmer, turning once, 7-10 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to cool 15-20 minutes. Chop & mix with the rest of the ingredients. Good by itself or on sandwiches. I like this on the very thin Pepperidge Farm white bread. It makes perfect tea sandwiches, as well, which is what the original recipe (also from the Gourmet Cookbook) intends. Serves 2 for supper, with plenty left for lunch the next day, or 4 for one meal. Jeannene has declared this the best chicken salad she's ever had in her life. 

Bean Soup As Good As Travis Griffith's

When I was a young woman, I loved my grandmom's cooking. One of the things she made well was ham & bean soup. When Jeannene was small, her dad did almost all the cooking in their family. It was how he showed love and he was a magnificent cook. He loved to make things like prime rib and shrimp cocktail and other classic dishes. However, he was from Harlan, Kentucky, and his southern roots shone in his cooking, too. He was famous for his biscuits & gravy. He was also well-known for his delicious ham & bean soup. The other night, I made a pot of my own. Upon tasting it, Jeannene said, "Daria. This is as good as my dad's. I wish he were alive again just so he could eat this." She proclaimed it, "Fabulous" and I was very honored to be placed in the ranks with Travis. I think my grandmom would have liked it, too. I served it with corn muffins and slices of Opal apple, a new variety to me, and Jeannene's new favorite apple.

Ham & Bean Soup
16 oz. dried navy beans
2 quarts water
1 center cut ham sliced (1 1/2-2 lb), cubed
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cubes Knorr ham-flavor bouillon (or 4 smaller-sized cubes, such as Wyler)
1/2 c. tomato juice
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Rinse beans and sort through to ascertain that any stray bits of rock or what-have-you have been removed. Place in large soup pot with water to cover and soak overnight. When ready to cook, drain beans and add 2 quarts water. Add all but flour and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3-4 hours. Mix flour with some of the soup broth and the brown sugar. Add to pot of soup, cover, and cook another hour.

Scrumptious Kidney Bean Burgers

I try to have at least one or two meatless meals every week. My mama & stepdad are vegetarian & I learned growing up that there is a wide world of deliciousness available to vegetarians. Our meal last week of kidney bean burgers, cheesy chile rice, salad with green olive orange dressing, and scalloped pineapple was a perfect example. My friend Kira gave me the burger recipe. It comes together easily and is cheap, to boot!

Kidney Bean Burgers

1/2 c. sour cream (I used light)

2 scallions, chopped

A pinch of oregano

15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

3 tbsp. dry breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

A good grinding of pepper

1 egg, beaten 

Oil

Mix the sour cream with scallions & oregano. Mash the beans and mix in bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper, & egg. Shape into 4 patties. Fry about 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Serve with dollops of sour cream. To be honest, I completely forgot the egg when I made them last week & they held together fine, so if you're vegan, you can omit the egg & sub vegan sour cream. I also had some avocado and cotija cheese on hand, so I added those with the sour cream topping. Serves 2.

Cheesy Chile Rice

1 c. rice

2 c. sour cream 

2 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend (or Monterey Jack or pepper Jack)

8 oz. chopped green chiles

Several drops hot sauce

Cook rice as you usually do. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything but 1/2 c. cheese together & put in greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Top with reserved cheese and bake 15-20 minutes. Serves 4-6. The leftovers are stellar in scrambled eggs or an omelet.

Green Olive Orange Dressing

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. good olive oil

A healthy splash red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. ground fennel seeds

Salt & pepper

A handful of chopped green olives (Castelvetrano is my preferred variety, but kalamatas are good, too. I got lazy & just used the pimiento-stuffed green olives from a jar & they worked.) 

Mix everything together, whisking to combine well. This is good on any sort of salad, but does better with sturdier lettuces and bitter greens, as it is fairly chunky and fairly assertive. Jeannene's favorite is romaine hearts.

Our pineapple dessert was a deliciously cozy, spicy end to the meal. It's much like pineapple upside-down cake, without the cake. Me, I don't miss the cake. You can do this with any kind of canned fruit you like, but I think pineapple is the best. If you're feeling a little daring and your dining companions don't mind, you might toss in just a smidge of chile powder or cayenne.

Scalloped Pineapple

2 cans pineapple slices

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 1/2 tbsp. room temp butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put fruit in lightly greased (I do recommend butter for greasing in this case) casserole or cake pan. Mix the other ingredients together & put over fruit. Bake 1/2 hour. This times out well if you pop it in the oven while you eat supper.

Derby Pie

One of my go-to Thanksgiving pies is derby pie, that great concoction of pecan pie with added bourbon and chocolate. I started making this when I lived in Nashville and, thus, used Jack Daniels. I would be remiss, however, to fail to point out that it is not true derby pie unless Kentucky bourbon is used. 

Recently, someone on Instagram asked about it, after seeing a picture from this past Thanksgiving. Failing to find the recipe here easily, I am posting it now so that I can share it with her and all of you.

Crust for 9" pie

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

1 c. Karo syrup

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. bourbon

A pinch of salt

1 c. whole pecans

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar, then Karo. Mix in the next 4. Fit the pie crust into a 9" pie plate and flute the edges. Scatter nuts & chocolate in crust. Pour egg mixture into crust. Bake 40-50 minutes.