SHRIMP SCAMPI

1 – 2 lbs. raw shrimp* - peeled and deveined and thawed, if frozen 

(approximately 1 lb. shrimp +/- for 4 -- more people = more ingredients)

sea salt & pepper

½ -- 1 cup olive oil

8 tablespoons butter, divided (more, as needed)

1 -- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 – 2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning (Litehouse Italian Herb Blend)

1 – 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 – 2 lemons – cut in half

1 – 2 cups white wine – or to taste

½  – 1 lb. (more or less, as needed) cooked spaghetti, keep warm 

Garnish – chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan, lemon wedges

1.   Prep all ingredients – this goes quickly! Cook spaghetti, drain and hold in covered pot with small amount of cooking water. Rinse shrimp and dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper.  

2.   Heat large skillet on medium; add olive oil and sauté shrimp, turning once until cooked through and color just turns to opaque white – Do Not Overcook! Remove cooked shrimp to a plate and leave oil in pan to make sauce.

3.   With same skillet on medium-low heat, add ½ of butter to olive oil left from shrimp; add garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes to skillet and heat for 1-2 minutes – Do Not Let Garlic Brown!

4.   Squeeze lemon juice into pan, add white wine and whisk to blend – be sure to taste and adjust seasoning.

5.   Add remaining butter; whisk to blend hot mixture.

6.   Place cooked spaghetti into skillet; toss with tongs to coat with sauce. Leaving sauce in skillet, lift spaghetti out of pan and place into a large flat bowl.

7.   Return shrimp to pan to reheat briefly in warm sauce; pour shrimp and remaining sauce on top of spaghetti.

8.   Serve immediately - garnish with parsley or additional Italian herb seasoning and red pepper flakes, freshly grated Parmesan, lemon wedges.

*I used extra jumbo Royal Red shrimp – any size large, extra large, jumbo, or extra jumbo shrimp works well -- based on availability and number of guests to be served.

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GREEK STUFFED TOMATOES

10 medium tomatoes

2 onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup uncooked short grain rice

sugar

olive oil

Slice top off tomatoes and reserve.  Scoop out tomatoes, reserve pulp and chop coarsely. Saute garlic and onions in 1/4 cup olive oil, add tomato pulp, parsley, dill, oregano, and salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and wine, along with rice.  Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Arrange tomato shells, sprinkled with salt & sugar, in baking dish, & stuff with rice mixture.  Put teaspoon or so of olive oil on top and put caps on tomatoes.  For heavy duty Greek flavor – pour 1 cup olive oil over top of tomatoes (something less works fine, but the Greek grandmother used the whole cup, and hey, she ran the restaurant!).  Put 1/2 cup water in baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, covered with foil.  Uncover and bake and additional 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

Debra Tully Shedrick

BAKED RISOTTO PRIMAVERA

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 cup brown rice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. dry white wine

2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth

1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-in. pieces

1 cup sugar snap peas or shelled green peas

1/2 c. diced red bell pepper

1 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 c. chopped fresh chives

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in rice and garlic; cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer until it has mostly evaporated. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake until the rice is just tender, 50-60 mins. Shortly before the risotto is done, steam asparagus, peas and bell pepper until tender crisp, about 4 mins. Fold the steamed vegetables, Parmesan, parsley, chives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. Serve immediately.

BAKED PUMPKIN AND PANCETTA RISOTTO

– from Off the Shelf by Donna Hay (also the author of Instant Entertaining)

2 c. arborio or carnaroli rice

5 c. chicken or vegetable stock

2 oz. butter

1 lb. butternut pumpkin (squash), peeled and finely diced

12 slices pancetta

3/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese

cracked black pepper and sea salt

1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the rice, stock, butter and pumpkin in an ovenproof dish and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the rice is soft – the risotto will be quite liquid.  While the risotto is cooking, place the pancetta under the broiler and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until crisp.  Set aside.  Add the parmesan, pepper, salt and parsley to the risotto and stir for 2 minutes to thicken it.  To serve, place in serving bowls and top with the pancetta.  Serves 2 as a main dish.

RICOTTA SALATA PASTA SALAD

8 ounces bow-tie pasta

1 can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 pound ricotta salata

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint

1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano

1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook and drain the pasta according to the package instructions. In a large bowl combine the pasta, beans, and tomatoes; set aside.

Crumble the ricotta salata in a small bowl. Add the basil, chives, mint, oregano and thyme and mix together until all of the herbs are coated on the crumbled cheese. Reserve.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and salt. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta, bean, and tomato mixture and toss to coat evenly. Add the herbed cheese to the pasta, beans, and tomatoes and toss again.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

ORZO SALAD

8 ounces of orzo pasta, cooked and drained according to directions

1 can black beans, drained

1 1/2 cups corn

1 red pepper, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

4 ounces wild rice, cooked according to directions

Note – if using fresh corn, remove from cob and blanch in boiling water and drain before adding to salad mixture.  To easily remove fresh corn from the cob, rest cob on the center of an angel food cake pan and cut down the cob, so it falls and collects in the pan.

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Add dressing and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Drain excess dressing before serving.

Dressing 

1 cup salad oil

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Mix all ingredients until thoroughly blended and sugar is dissolved.

NELLENA’S MACARONI SALAD

1 box elbow macaroni

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup bottled French salad dressing (the creamy orange kind!)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and pour into a large bowl.  Add green pepper and celery to macaroni and toss.  Mix together French dressing, sour cream and mayonnaise; pour over macaroni mixture and stir to blend evenly.  Refrigerate overnight.  Drain excess dressing, if necessary, before serving.

LOTSA PASTA SALAD

1 box rotini noodles prepared according to package directions

1 cup pitted sliced black olives

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 diced red pepper

2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced

2 cups broccoli flowerets, blanched and cooled

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup pepperoni slices, sliced in half

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

1 bottle Italian or vinaigrette  dressing

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and refrigerate overnight to marinate.  Drain dressing, if necessary, before serving.

SPAGHETTI FRITTATA

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/ cup sliced pitted black olives

1 teaspoon chopped capers

3 eggs

1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a large non-stick skillet and add the olive oil and garlic. Saute the garlic very briefly – don’t let it brown –  and then add the tomatoes, olives, and capers.  Simmer for two minutes.  Remove the pan ingredients to a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Heat the frying pan and add the egg mixture.  Cook over medium heat until lightly brown on the bottom.  Remove from heat; place the entire skillet in the oven and bake until just golden brown on the top.  Cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature sliced into wedges. Note: Try it with fresh basil in place of the capers.

MEDITERRANEAN SPICED APRICOT ALMOND RICE

Spice Blend - equal parts of the following, or to taste:
     Cumin
     Cinnamon
     Cardamom
     Ginger
     Granulated Garlic
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup slivered or chopped almond
1 tablespoon Seasoning Spice Blend
1/2 cup diced dried apricots - if too dry, soften with hot water and drain before chopping
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, refrigerated overnight, broken up with a fork

Stir together Spice Blend and set aside. Press precooked and refrigerated rice with fork to separate grains. Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add almonds and Spice Blend; stir until everything is blended with seasonings. Stir in apricots and add rice; continue to stir over heat until well blended and heated through. Cover with tight-fitting lid to keep warm until ready to serve. Serves 4-6 as a side dish. 
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SALLY'S RICE SALAD

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Salad

6 cups cooked rice (white, brown or a mix of both)

2 cups finely chopped red, yellow or orange pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup small capers
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill - do not use dried!
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1 cup fresh or frozen peas - do not cook

Mix all of the ingredients and toss with about 3/4 of the dressing -- add more dressing only if needed. Prepare several hours before serving. Serve at room temperature. Variation: add roasted chicken breast or grilled shrimp for a main dish.

Dressing
1 1/4 cups corn oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Whisk all ingredients together and toss with rice salad mixture. Reserve some of dressing to use only if needed*, so that salad is still fluffy and not soaked in dressing.

*Cora's Note - I like to use all of the dressing on the salad.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

1 quart chicken broth or stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/2 cup leeks, sliced and chopped
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bone and shredded
1 8-oz. bag of Amish-style egg noodles (such as Essenhaus Thin Homestyle Noodles or Mrs. Weiss' Kluski)

Add the broth, soup and chopped vegetables to the slow cooker and cook on Low for 3-4 hours. Add the shredded chicken and egg noodles and raise heat to High; continue to cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot. Makes 6-8 meal-size bowls of soup.

Add the broth, soup and chopped vegetables to the slow cooker and cook on Low for 3-4 hours. Add the shredded chicken and egg noodles and raise heat to High; continue to cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot.
Makes 6-8 meal-size bowls of soup.

DONNA’S CHICKEN & SHRIMP JAMBALAYA

1/4 c. butter
1 c. celery, sliced
1 c. green bell pepper, chopped
1 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
1 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lb. cooked smoked sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 lb. raw frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
Hot pepper sauce
Cooked rice

Melt butter in 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven until sizzling; add celery, green pepper, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (6 to 8 minutes). Add all remaining ingredients except shrimp and hot pepper sauce. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil (5 to 6 minutes).
Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook until rice is fork-tender (20 to 25 minutes). Add shrimp; continue cooking until shrimp turn pink (4 to 5 minutes). Serve in a bowl over rice with hot pepper sauce. Makes 12 servings.

TUNA TETRAZINI

8 oz. spaghetti, broken into 2” pieces (I use Dreamfields for lower carbs)

3 5-oz. cans tuna, drained (I use water packed canned or foil pouch tuna)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (I like sauteed fresh mushrooms)
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green olives (plain black ones work, or pitted kalamata are very nice!)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts (plain or marinated)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted (substitute low-fat or low-sodium mushroom soup)
1 1/4 cups chicken broth (substitute low sodium)
1/4 cup white wine or sherry (optional, but a splash of white wine is my choice for tuna)
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (use less cheese, or substitute low-fat cheese)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. In a large bowl, mix cooked spaghetti, tuna, mushrooms, pepper, olives, onion, artichoke hearts and ground pepper, plus 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Stir together mushroom soup, chicken broth and wine or sherry; pour over spaghetti mixture and stir to blend evenly. Pour mixture into lightly greased 13” x 9” baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and lightly browned - about 45 minutes.

CAMBODIAN LEMONGRASS CURRY CHICKEN, ARTICHOKE & WILD RICE SALAD

8 chicken breasts, baked, cooled and sliced

2 small boxes of long grain and wild rice mix; cook according to package directions

2 large jars marinated artichoke hearts, sliced - add marinade to salad

1 bunch (6 or 7) green onions, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup stuffed olives, chopped

2 tsp. (or more!) curry powder*

1/2 c. +/- mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Start with a small amount of mayonnaise; add more as desired, but be sure not to obscure the other ingredients and flavors with a thick coating if it.   

*Notes: Any curry powder you like will work, but I especially like the lighter flavor of Cambodian Lemongrass Curry, available from Savory Spice Shop online. Increase or decrease the amount used to suit your own taste.

SIMPLE SALSA SALMON WITH SPINACH AND RICE

1 ½ lbs. wild salmon fillet or 4 individual pieces

salt and pepper

1 can Rotel tomatoes with cilantro and lime

½ cup light or regular mayonnaise

2 tbsp. butter

1 bag baby spinach

2 pkgs. frozen brown rice

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the salmon fillet into 4 servings, or use individual pieces; salt and pepper both sides. Drain the Rotel tomatoes. In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes and mayonnaise. Spread the tomato-mayo mixture on both sides of the salmon pieces. Place the salmon in a non-stick skillet; pour any remaining tomato-mayo mixture over the fish. Place a lid to cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, or about 3-5 minutes per side. While fish cooks, place 2 tbsp. butter in a microwave-safe bowl and add the cleaned and trimmed spinach. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 2-3 minutes to wilt spinach. Remove bowl of spinach and use scissors or a knife to chop it up a little before adding the rice; continue to microwave for 7 minutes. Remove spinach-rice mixture from microwave and toss lightly with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Serve the salmon along side the spinach-rice mixture and spoon remaining tomato mixture over the top. Serves 4.

RODNEY’S BLACK-EYED PEA GUMBO

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
4 (15 oz.) cans black-eyed peas with liquid
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 (14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pkg. skinless smoked turkey sausage, sliced - optional
dry red pepper flakes – optional for extra spiciness
2 finely diced fresh jalapeno peppers - optional

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper and celery until tender. Pour in chicken stock and mix in rice, black-eyed peas with liquid, diced tomatoes and green chiles, diced tomatoes, garlic and sausage slices, if desired. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add water if soup is too thick. Serve with diced jalapeno peppers on the side, if desired.

CHICKEN, GNOCCHI AND SPINACH SOUP

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp. flour
3 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan
2 cup shredded fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
3 - 4 cups roasted chicken, torn into bite-size pieces
1 pkg. gnocchi, cooked as directed on package
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat large Dutch oven for 1 min. over medium heat. Add olive oil and diced onion; sauté until onion softens and is clear. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds – do not brown garlic! Add flour; stir to blend and cook for a couple of minutes, but do not brown flour. Add chicken broth and stir with wire whisk to blend until there are no lumps and mixture is thickened. Add white wine and stir to blend. Once mixture is heated through, add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Mixture should be a creamy liquid – if not, add more chicken broth to thin to desired consistency. While liquid mixture is still very hot, add spinach shreds and cook until all spinach is wilted. Stir in chopped chicken and cooked gnocchi and heat through; add salt and pepper to taste and more liquid to thin, if necessary. Serve immediately.

LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

(adapted from Cooking Light)
Nancy says she has been making this recipe for quite some time and often substitutes shrimp for clams.

6 oz. uncooked linguine
2 (6.5 oz.) cans minced clams, rinsed and drained
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package directions, drain, and set aside; keep warm. Rinse and drain clams. Sauté mushrooms and garlic in margarine in a large skillet until tender. Stir in clams, parsley, wine, salt, and pepper; simmer, uncovered, until thoroughly heated. Combine linguine, clam sauce, and Parmesan cheese; toss well. (Optional – substitute shrimp for clams.)

REAL MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook


For the meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 c. fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. Italian herb blend
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 c. Kraft shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tbsp. good olive oil
1 c. chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. good red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 lbs. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 c. warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-in. meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-in.) skillet to a depth of 1/4-in. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 mins. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more min. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 mins., until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan. Serves 6.