Grilled Shrimp with Creamy Ginger Dressing

Grilling season is still going strong, but right about now people might be starting to get bored with the same old, same old.  As much as I love variety, I could enjoy a good burger off the grill just about every day :)  but options are a great thing.

At my sister-in-law's bachelorette party, we took a cooking class that was Japanese themed, and one item we made was an amazing ginger dressing, typically served on salad.  I thought it would be perfect to use as a marinade for some great looking shrimp that my dad bought.  We didn't have skewers, which I think would have made them even more delicious, but this cooking method was just fine.

I didn't have my camera with me either (we were at our shore house) so please excuse the lame photo...

These were so good!  Perfect to go with steak, or thrown in a salad for a lighter meal.

Grilled Shrimp with Creamy Ginger Dressing
dressing recipe from Viking Cooking School

2 pounds (approximately) extra large fresh shrimp, cleaned and peeled, tails off
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced celery
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise (the original recipe calls for Japanese mayonnaise, so if you feel like buying it, go for it!)
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup canola oil

Place shrimp in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine garlic, ginger, celery, vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce in a blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Add ketchup, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper, and blend to combine.  Stream in oil while motor is running until creamy and well combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Pour into bowl with shrimp and mix until evenly distributed.  Place on grilling pan (or on skewers) and put on hot grill.  Turn once while cooking.  Grilling time varies, depending on size of shrimp.  Be sure not to overcook.

33rd & Galena Pork and Shrimp

So, the first day of summer REALLY hit us.  Like, close to 100 degrees hit us.  It's too soon for this!  I'm not a fan of extreme heat.  AT ALL.  Our air conditioning is already getting a major workout.

Oh well.  At least I'm not the one manning the grill in this crazy weather.  I'll leave that to the man in the house :)

I knew pretty much nothing about Penzey's until about 6 months ago, when I ordered a special gift pack from them which consisted of about 8 spices....for $5.00!  Saying it was a score was an understatement.  

I've yet to be in one of their stores (there are only one or two in my area...it's not very popular around here) but you can tell from their website that there's a lot to choose from.  Everything I've tried so far has been great, including this:

I used 33rd & Galena Chicken and Pork Rub on a pork tenderloin as well as some shrimp.  The pork was grilled and the shrimp was quickly sauteed.  It doesn't get much easier than this, and it was really good!  Salt free, too.

Take my advice and browse their site.  Pick a few blends and go to town...they're great!

Baked Orzo with Shrimp, Tomato Sauce & Feta

LOVE this dish.  Another Greek classic...

This dish wasn't a common one during my childhood - why, I'm not sure - but it's always been a favorite.  The combination of flavors is just awesome.  Get some nice fresh crusty bread and you're all set!

YUM.

Baked Orzo with Shrimp, Tomato Sauce & Feta
slightly adapted from Gourmet

1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound orzo
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a dutch oven, cook onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper in 1 tablespoon oil.  Stir until onion is soft.  Add wine and boil until reduced by half.  Stir in tomatoes and salt, reduce to simmer and and stir frequently until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.  Stir shrimp in and simmer for about 3 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, boil orzo in a dutch oven (follow package directions, but shorten time a few minutes to cook al dente).  Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain orzo.  Return orzo to pot and add remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add orzo to sauce, followed by reserved cooking water, then olives, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add feta to pot and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes.

Serves 6.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Boiling over

Now that we're heading into mid-August (wow, already?!?!), I've begun to reflect back on what dishes I've made so far this summer and taking note of what I still need to do.  There are so many options...it's sometimes hard to decide what to make each night.

Frank is a huge clam lover and one day, while we were down the shore, he was seriously craving them.  My mother-in-law had been talking about doing a boil for a while.  So, we combined the two wishes and crossed off one of those dishes I thought of from my to-do list.

Although there are several steps to making a boil, there's no reason to be intimidated.  All of them are easy, and the end result is well worth it.  It's also easy to add, substitute or omit items...just make sure you keep the timing just right so you aren't overcooking any ingredients.

Also, we cooked this in 2 separate pots (two 8 quart ones) because we didn't have a larger one.  Worked just fine.  So don't let that scare you off, either.

Don't forget the ice cold beer.  It's a must.  Oh, and some crusty bread as well.

It's a fun one to get down and dirty with!


New England Shrimp Boil
adapted from Old Bay


3 tablespoons olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 quarts chicken broth or stock 
1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, crushed
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
12 ounces pearl onions, peeled, left whole
1 pound mild Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 dozen small littleneck clams, scrubbed and drained
2 1/2 pounds unpeeled extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 count)
2 lemons, cut into wedges


Heat oil in 12-quart stockpot on medium heat. Add garlic; cook gently 2 minutes without browning. Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Old Bay and pepper. Bring to boil.

Stir in potatoes. Return to boil. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add onions and sausage. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add corn and clams. (If ingredients are not covered by broth, add up to 2 cups water to cover.) Cook, covered, 10 minutes or until clams open and corn is tender, stirring occasionally. 


Add shrimp. Return to boil, stirring gently. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 to 8 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Old Bay. Serve with lemon wedges.

Linked to: What's On Your Plate?

Laughing all the way to the scale

I usually try to find ways to lighten up dishes...especially rich, creamy ones laden with fat from cream, butter or any of those other heavy ingredients we all know and love.  If you want to eat dishes like this more than once in a blue moon, you need to come up with a healthy alternative.

Enter the Laughing Cow cheese wedge.

Have you ever made sauce from it?  It's like magic.  It replaces so much of the "bad stuff", as you'll see in the recipe below.  You can use any of the flavors they have...this time around I used their light blue cheese wedge.  Yum.

I created this sauce for a pasta dish I made with shrimp, broccoli and grape tomatoes...but any protein or veggies would do.  It was delicious, and guilt free!  So keep your eyes wide open when you hit the scale :)

Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce (guilt-free!)
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
3 wedges Laughing Cow blue cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until it just reaches a boil.  Add to your favorite pasta/veggie/protein combination.

My Thai dinner

Jill from JBeanCuisine (great blog!) submitted this recipe in our latest swap, and I was the lucky recipient. The theme was Asian - it could have been any type of Asian dish from any course and country.

I was happy to see this recipe since Thai food is not something I get to enjoy often.  Frank's not a fan, so we never go out to have it, and I never make Thai dishes at home.  So, I planned this for a night (last night!) when I'd be home for dinner alone.  I scaled back the recipe a lot since I was the only one eating, and omitted a few ingredients as well.  I added one ingredient though - coconut milk.  I used just a tiny bit to give the soup an added flavor that I knew I'd enjoy.

Thanks for the inspiration, Jill...I never would have made this dish otherwise!  I had it with some dumplings.  It was delicious...so delicious that I forgot to take a picture before I started eating, so this is a midway-through-dinner shot :)

Tom Yum Soup
adapted from JBeanCuisine

2 cups chicken stock
1 inch piece of ginger
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemon grass stalk, bottom 3 inches only
1 red chili, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup coconut milk
4 shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
3 button mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup fresh spinach

Bring chicken stock to a boil.  Add in ginger, kaffir, lemon grass and red chilies.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Once broth is ready, remove ginger pieces, kaffir leaves, lemon grass stalks and large pieces of red chilies.

Continuing over medium heat, add in the lemon juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and coconut milk.  Stir and allow flavors to combine for a few minutes.   Adjust fish sauce/soy sauce to taste.

Add in shrimp, mushrooms and spinach.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until shrimp are cooked and mushrooms/tomatoes are soft.  Serve immediately.

Spicy but sweet (and how to cut a mango)

I'm a huge fan of spicy (as you may have already guessed!), but there's something even better about sweet and spicy.  The combination is so refreshing and challenging at the same time.  I love discovering different meals that incorporate both tastes, although I usually have to tone the spicy part down just a bit for Mr. Wimpy the other adult in the house ;)


This dish was delicious, and very easy to make.  I served it with brown rice and sauteed spinach which I thought went really well with it.  The spinach kind of "cools off" the shrimp (although I added lots of garlic to it, naturally).  My mother-in-law joined us for this meal and gave it a big thumbs up!

For all you mango virgins who are deathly afraid of cutting one open, I've included this link for you showing 3 different ways to go about it.  My preference is #2.  Enjoy!


Spicy Mango Shrimp
adapted from My Recipes

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
2 cups mango, cubed (preferably unripe)
1/4 cup toasted shredded unsweetened coconut (I omitted...and not on purpose.  I forgot!)

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. 

Add garlic, chile flakes, basil, soy sauce, lime juice, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink.  Add mango and cook until warm. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve.

Serves 4

WW Points+ = 8 (including coconut, not including rice)


Linked to: Mangia Monday
                  Mango Blog Hop

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

In other words..."Congratulations!  Get rich!"  Hey, if that's what the Year of the Rabbit is supposed to be all about, bring it on!

I thought a Chinese meal would be appropriate for tonight, and since I've been baking my butt off, a traditional Chinese New Year's dessert was called for as well :)  I had a 5PM hair appointment, so whatever I planned for dinner had to be quick and easy (I did my baking this morning).

If you've read my Just Can't Get Enough tab, you're fully aware that I'm a big Trader Joe's fan.  Their products are tasty, healthy (well, most of them are) and inexpensive...plus, it's VERY easy to shop there with Bella...no big crowds, no lines, always good parking.  And they're super generous with stickers, which she LOVES!  Win win.

TJ's products especially come in handy when you want/need to throw something quick and tasty on the table...like tonight's meal, which I've made dozens of times.  My measurements aren't completely accurate, because I don't measure when I cook this dish (along with many others), so proceed with caution :)  And of course, use whatever substitutions you like, what you need to use up, etc.  Here's tonight's version -

Shrimp & Chicken Stir Fry
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 bag Trader Joe's frozen Stir Fry Veggies (thawed)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
leftover chicken
1 cup frozen shrimp (thawed)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
garlic powder
soy sauce (reduced sodium)

Heat oil in a large skillet, then add onion, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and stir fry veggies.  Cook for about 5 minutes, then add rice and half of the sesame oil.  Stir together and cook for about a minute.

Add chicken and shrimp, along with a few shakes of soy sauce, garlic powder and the rest of the sesame oil.  Cook for about a minute or two.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together, and add to the pan.  Stir together and heat through for about a minute.  Serve immediately.
Serves 3.

While searching for a dessert to represent today's holiday, I found this recipe on about 5 different sites.  I liked it because it was very straight-forward and easy, and they sounded delicious (which they are!).  I threw these together super fast, right before Bella and I headed to Gymboree this morning...came home and had a nice little snack.  She loved them!

Chinese Almond Cookies
from Taste Of Home
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon water


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets (I used parchment paper). Flatten with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds.

In a small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush over cookies. Bake at 325° for 14-16 minutes or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. 


Makes about 5 dozen.

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Now I'm REALLY starting to spoil Frank.

I know, I know, many of the wives out there are thinking, "you're SUPPOSED to make your husband's favorite foods!"  That's what we do...we tie our aprons on, put a smile on our faces and sing happy songs while making the meals that our men love the most.  Right?

Ummm, sure.

Don't get me wrong - I love making Frank's favorites - but through the years I've had to branch out a bit, mainly so that we weren't eating pasta every night.  He's what you'd call a pain in the ass creature of habit, and that's regarding many things...not just food.  I'm just the opposite - I'm all about variety.  So, the term "opposites attract" holds true for us in that respect.

I'm finally at the point where I can pretty much predict what Frank will order when we're out, depending on what type of cuisine it is.  9 times out of 10, when we're out for Spanish/Portuguese food, Frank orders paella.  No question about it.

So, while scanning my (very full!) fridge last night, I saw what needed to be used - 4 chicken thighs and some leftover shrimp.  I pulled the TJs smoked chicken andouille sausage out of the freezer...and...perfecta!  Paella!

Now, I know there are more "authentic" recipes out there, but I found a recipe to base mine off of what I had already in the house.  Next time I'll probably use chorizo (although the TJs sausage was excellent, and a healthy substitute) and a few different types of olives.  And, as for peppers, you-know-who isn't a fan...but he'll just have to pick them out :)

In keeping with the Spanish theme, I also made Natilla...it's very easy, and really, REALLY good.

I'm not sure I've had it before, even though it tasted familiar.  It's probably used as a custard inside other desserts...hmmm...am I going to have to start making Spanish pastries now?

I better be getting a kick-ass birthday gift next week.  Just sayin'.

Paella Mixta
adapted from adamsvetcooking on food52.com
4 chicken thighs, bone-in with skin
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4 links Trader Joe's Smoked Chicken Andouille Sausage
2 medium onions, sliced
5 garlic cloves, halved
1 1/2 cups green olives with pimento, halved
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon saffron sprigs
2 bay leaves
12 shrimp, peeled and deveined, with skin


Preheat oven to 425ºF.  In a 12" saute pan (or 18" paella pan, or dutch oven) add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Put pan over medium to high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.


Place sausage in pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.  


Add onion to pan and cook until soft.  Add garlic, peppers and olives. Continue to saute for 5 - 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


Add rice and saute for 3 - 5 minutes (until rice begins to toast), then pour in chicken stock.  Add cumin, saffron, bay leaves and thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.


Add chicken and sausage to pan. Arrange in decorative fashion. Cover with lid or foil.  Place pan in preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes.


Season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add it to the pan.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with lemon.

Serves 4.

Who else is an Ina fan?

I'm hoping to befriend her one day so I have a nice place to stay in the Hamptons :)

Ina's terrific - so down to earth, smart and creative.  She also has a simple side to her (and her recipes) which is a breath of fresh air.  Like this one.  Although I only made it for Frank and myself, this is impressive enough for company, and it takes 10 minutes from start to finish.  

Best of all, it's delicious.  

Next time, I'll toss the shrimp in the oil, lemon and seasonings before placing it on the pan...it'll be much easier that way.

Roasted Shrimp With Thousand Island Dressing

from Ina Garten
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice


Dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. minced capers (I omitted)
1 tsp. chopped gherkins (I increased to probably 3 or 4...didn't measure)
1 tablespoon sweet pickles (I omitted)
1 tsp. lemon juice
pinch kosher salt (I used sea salt)
pinch freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the shrimp on a sheet pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil and juice over the shrimp, and roast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes.

For the dressing, place the mayonnaise, ketchup, capers, gherkins, sweet pickles, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, and stir until blended. Serve with the roasted shrimp.

Summer in Winter

Something light was the way to go tonight after all the holiday eating that's been going on.  Frank loves this dish and requested it (and went out to get the lemons), so that was that.  Another easy and delicious meal.  We tend to eat this more often when the weather's warm...it's that kind of dish.

I (very) quickly sauteed the shrimp in a teeny bit of EVOO and lots of garlic before adding it to the pasta...you can do the same with chicken, crab, clams, really whatever you like...or leave it protein-less and serve it as a side dish.

Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp
1/2 pound spaghetti
juice of 2 lemons
1 garlic clove, diced finely
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
grated cheese (I use pecorino romano)
black pepper
fresh parsley, chopped (as much as you like, I use about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup frozen shrimp, thawed
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.  Mix together lemon juice, garlic and EVOO in a bowl.  Drain pasta and toss into bowl with mixture.

Put oil and garlic in hot skillet and saute until garlic is just cooked, then add shrimp.  Cook until shrimp turns pink, about one minute, and combine in bowl with pasta.  Toss together, then add cheese, pepper and parsley to taste.

Serves 2 very generously :)

Merry Christmas to all!

It's been a VERY tiring 2 days but we had a lot of fun...hope you all had a wonderful holiday too.  I will update more tomorrow - until then, here's a glimpse of what our Christmas Eve looked like.  Those of you familiar with the Feast of Seven Fishes will recognize a few of these :)  Buon Natale!

Mmmm...pizza :)

Honestly, who doesn't LOVE pizza?  I do.  Bella does.  My whole family does.  We frequently thank my sister for marrying into a family of pizzeria owners :)

As my husband will tell you, I love variety.  With my pizza toppings.  Sometimes, the toppings you want aren't available at your local pizzeria...which is why making it at home is a good way to satisfy those cravings.

I found a great flatbread pizza crust (stop your snickering - I'm not always up for rolling out pizza dough, and I know you aren't either!) made by Mama Mary's - I like the 12 inch thin and crispy crust.  I always find it at ShopRite.

Pizza made this way is a great option for when you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen.  Tonight's variation was delicious!  I think feta cheese would work well with this combo too.

Shrimp, Pancetta and Artichoke Pizza with Pesto


1 flatbread pizza crust (see my recommendation above), or 1 bag of pizza dough, rolled out and prepared
1/2 cup pesto
1 cup frozen shrimp, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup diced pancetta (more if you like)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts (6 oz), drained
1/2 can pitted black olives, sliced
fresh mozzarella cheese, broken into pieces (or store bought shredded mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place crust on cookie sheet and spread pesto evenly over it.  Arrange the remaining toppings over the pesto.  Top with mozzarella.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and crust is brown and crispy.

This supposedly serves 6...I say it serves 3 or 4.