Monthly Archives: December 2014

Clams and Spaghetti–White Sauce

Posted on December 29, 2014 | Leave a comment
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Riley skiing on Ajax Mountain . First time on Ajax!!!!! he’s only 7.

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Picture Riley took of me preparing salad.

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The three of us skiing on Aspen Mountain in Gondola.

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Turoff Family Skiing on Snowmass. Xmas Vacation.

IMG_6286IMG_6287 (2)IMG_6283 (2)This was the first time I ever made clams in the house. I have cooked them on the grill but never in a pot on the stove. I guess I was always a little nervous about it and for no apparent reason . I was looking through Jessica Seinfeld’s “The Can’t Cookbook” even though I totally can cook and saw this recipe and she made it look so simple I figured it was the right time to get over my “stage fright”. I made it for my Daughter and her family and two of our Best Friends in the world who really qualify as Family.  Our Son in Law Brian is a world-famous eater and a true pleasure to cook for so I decided to break my cardinal rule of never ever cooking something new for guests since these guests were really all family anyway. I wanted to hear their opinions but was still a little nervous. I served alongside a beautiful Tenderloin Roast which was my backup anyway. It all turned out so well and I was more than pleased and delighted that I went out of the box .  I still contend that it’s never a good idea to try out new recipes for dinner guests but everyone here was family and after all what is family for if not to try out your recipes? Of course it goes without saying that Joel won’t eat clams so once again it’s his loss and our gain. He did love the Tenderloin Roast and ate a little of the pasta. Give this one a try it is truly delicious . I bought my clams at Whole Foods and I did clean them but they really were super clean and yummy. I bought them a day ahead and kept them in the fridge. If possible I would probably purchase the day of but Joel told me there was nothing to worry over and so I didn’t. Enjoy!

http://www.doitdelicious.com this is Jessica Seinfeld’s site or you can just buy the book “The Can’t Cookbook”.

Ingredients:

2 dozen littleneck clams

3 cloves garlic

app. 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon blanc. I actually used what I had open which was a Pinot Grigio

1 box spaghetti, you can use any kind of spaghetti you like. I actually had bucatini style in the house so that’s what I used

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

*if you’d like a little heat and you should know your audience because mine didn’t so I put on table for those who wanted to add heat. If you are adding add app. 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher Salt , to taste. I have to say I added almost no extra salt at all.

You’ll need a large deep pot to cook clams in. I used my Le Creuset Pot.

Directions:

I placed my clams in a colander and I put the colander in a larger bowl in the sink and I filled the bowl with cold water. I let the clams soak for a few minutes, then rubbed with my fingers to dislodge any dirt; then drained the clams. Throw away any clams that remain open or were smashed. ( my clams were pretty clean) I purchased them clean from Whole Foods. Any Fish Store will clean them for you, but always run them through this process to remove any residual sand, etc.

Smash the garlic and chop it . Chop the Parsley. Measure the Wine. Place all your ingredients near to the stove.

Cook Pasta according to directions on box.

Place a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil until it heats up and shimmers ( a few minutes) Add chopped garlic to the pot, and cook , stirring , for at least a minute, until you can actually smell the garlic breaking down. Don’t Burn!!!! Now add the wine and the clams and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and you’ll want a fairly high flame, probably medium-high . Cook clams until they open, I probably cooked for about 10 – 12 minutes. Looked so beautiful! Add the parsley and the red pepper now if you’re using. Throw away any unopened clams, they are no good.

Once pasta is al dente and drained I transferred to a large serving bowl and added 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil to pasta, top with clams. Sprinkle if you’d like a tiny bit of coarse salt now if you feel it needs it. I did not need to add any additional salt or pepper. Adjust to your taste.

Amazing!!!! and did I mention Super Easy!!!!!

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Turkey Meatloaf

Posted on December 28, 2014 | 1 comment

Fully Cooked turkey loaf
ready for the oven turkey meatloaf with ketchup/brown sugar topping

 We haven’t had turkey meat loaf in a very long time and it is a perfect crowd pleaser for the family table. Perfect for a large family gathering or just the two of you with great left-overs.

The first time I made this was in Aspen with my friend Susan many moons ago. We found the recipe from Barefoot Contessa and it was back in the day I wasn’t living out here yet and before my blog was born. We collaborated on it, and Joel and Drew liked it so much they used to tell us to open a shop with turkey lasagna and turkey meat loaf (uh uh, not happening) In any event , it has long become a staple in both of our households and even Drew makes it now. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. I have made a few changes to the original, but the original is a perfect recipe as is. It can easily be cut in 1/2, and tonite I cut it even more using only 1 1/2 lbs. of ground turkey. This recipe as is will serve 8 – 10 servings easily. Great for a large crowd. I serve with roasted butternut squash , roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and/or a beautiful salad. Possibilities are endless with this meatloaf.

*you will need a meat thermometer to check for doneness

Ingredients:

5 lbs ground turkey— I prefer chopped dark meat as it has a little fat and a lot less dry than white meat turkey. You can find 85% lean which is fine . It’s sometimes hard to find dark meat ground turkey so when I find it I buy it. It just makes for a tastier meat loaf. You can mix dark meat and white meat.

3 cups chopped yellow onions ( app. 2 large onions)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup ketchup/1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a medium saute pan (frying pan) , over a medium low heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, add salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent app. 10 minutes or so. Don’t brown them. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow this mixture to cool in frying pan off the heat to room temperature.

In the meantime, combine the turkey, bread crumbs, and eggs in a large bowl and mix well. Then add in the onion mixture when it’s cooled down and incorporate well. Shape into a rectangular loaf on a lightly sprayed sheet pan. When you shape as a loaf , try to make the ends even with the middle or they will dry out. ( I kind of like the ends like that but just saying…) Spread the ketchup/brown sugar evenly on top. Bake for app. 1 1/2 hours  until the internal temperature of meatloaf is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through.

I place a large Pyrex with water underneath the meatloaf (rack below) it will help to keep meatloaf from cracking . (it works) I always let it stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serve hot, at room temperature and delicious cold the next day.

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Baked Ziti (my way) with Turkey Bolognese

Posted on December 24, 2014 | 1 comment

Chanukah 021Chanukah 022Chanukah 023Chanukah 041IMG_6272This post was originally posted after a trip to Rome with my daughters. It is a great “go to” staple especially when you have a lot of people coming over. I was having some family for Chanukah but Joel asked if we could make it Italian food instead of the usual Chanukah fare and I must still be in my Roman state of mind so  I agreed and this is how I did it. I started with my Turkey Bolognese sauce. ( Look up Turkey Bolognese on my blog ) . This is much easier than lasagna, and I made Bolognese sauce the day before assembling baked ziti. I also put the Bolognese sauce over some shredded zucchini in addition to baked ziti for those who wanted lighter fare.  Then I followed the rest of the directions for my baked ziti. You can make this meatless by using marinara sauce of your choice.  This is a perfect satisfying Sunday Dinner, and great for a crowd. A cheesy comforting meal if ever there was one.  So here’s to an Italian Chanukah! Happy Chanukah everyone!

Ingredients: for baked ziti

(turkey bolognese is a separate recipe)

1 lb . Ziti or ziti type pasta I actually used tortiglioni noodles

1 15 oz. tub of Whole Milk Ricotta or Part Skim ( not fat free)

1 1/2 lb. Mozzarella Cheese, Grated

1/2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 whole egg

Turkey Bolognese Sauce or any other sauce you prefer ( I used my recipe and it yielded enough sauce for Baked Ziti and Zucchini)

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated Mozzarella, Parmesan, egg and salt and pepper. Stir ingredients together until just combined.

Cook the pasta and cool it off slightly. I make it al dente because you will be cooking again, don’t overcook the pasta . Pour the pasta into the bowl with cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine. Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine.

Spray your casserole dish with Pam and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of your pan first.   Add half the coated pasta to your casserole dish.  Spoon some remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese, Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce and the remaining mozzarella. I baked it for about 1/2 hour or until bubbling and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes before serving.

* I do it in 2 layers but you can do it in one big layer and just top with cheese, I just give it more cheese this way. Your call. No wrong or right way with this recipe.

*this recipe will nicely serve 8 – 10 people. I didn’t double it but you can easily.  I served alongside my Italian Salad and shredded zucchini with Bolognese. Perfect!

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Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans

Posted on December 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 071Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 073Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 074This is what I made with my friend Susan for New Years Eve dinner back in 2013.  It is a wonderful and very simple meal and perfect for Christmas and New Years or any time of the year. By very simple, I mean the ingredients are simple as is the preparation. We had gone to the movies and came home and literally cooked this shrimp up and it was prep to table in about 1/2 hour! So great. The original recipe comes from Michael Chiarello and I highly recommend it.
The beans are a perfectly healthy alternative to pasta.

Ingredients:

*this is for 4 servings

3 cups canned Cannellini white beans

1/4 cup plus tablespoons olive oil

app. 16 large shrimp ( this would be 4 per person, so adjust depending on size of shrimp)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper depending on how spicy you want it

1 cup diced tomato from a can is fine. in the summer I would use fresh tomatoes

1 cup whole basil leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

*you can use some extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

* sprinkle of fresh chopped italian parsley if you like as well

Directions:

Drain the beans over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Put the white beans in a large skillet with just enough of their liquid to moisten them. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and bring the beans to a low simmer. Keep them warm while you prepare the shrimp. Lay out the shrimp on some paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook , tossing frequently for a few minutes till shrimp turns pink , curls up and is cooked. ( don’t overcook) Remove the shrimp to a bowl with tongs. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic browns a little bit. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and basil and stir briefly, the add the lemon juice. Season with a little more Salt and Pepper. Cook for another minute or so, and then stir in the shrimp. Toss well and cook briefly to reheat the shrimp and make sure it’s fully cooked.

We placed beans on a large platter with shrimp over them. Drizzle with a little of the best olive oil you have on hand. Sprinkle with parsley if you’d like. Serve warm. You can also just serve shrimp with beans on the side. We thought it made a lovely presentation on the platter.

* leftovers were amazing

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Shrimp, Spinach, Tomatoes and Pasta

Posted on December 21, 2014 | 2 comments

I love the recipe with Chicken, Spinach , Tomatoes and Pasta so much that I decided to make it with Shrimp. It turned out as delicious as I imagined it would. My daughter and grandsons are out here visiting, and I wanted to make a special dinner for her first night. I didn’t feel like making chicken again, so I made the basic recipe but changed it around a little bit for the shrimp. How can this be bad??  With cooking you can mix and match and screw around with the recipes, more or less seasonings, etc. With baking you really can’t, when you start substituting it gets very dicey and I don’t recommend doing it unless you’re just screwing around in the kitchen. There is nothing worse than going to the effort and expense of baking and having to scrap the whole cake because you tried to change an ingredient.  Usually with baking , I follow the directions carefully and try new ingredients before I will make them for any one else.   With cooking you can be more flexible and be a bit more daring. There is definitley room for error with cooking but not with baking. Baking is much more precise a science. Heed the advice and have fun with this recipe. This is what I did.

Ingredients:

2 boxes Cherry Tomatoes or little grape type tomatoes. During the summer you may want to use some of those beautiful fresh tomatoes either from your garden or from the farm stand. In the winter months stick with the small cherry types. I was able to obtain some fresh cherry tomatoes grown locally and they were sweet and delicious.

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper –to taste

2 Tablespoons Butter ( unsalted)

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

3/4 cup Chicken Broth

3/4 cup white wine ( I use whatever I have open) if no white wine in house double up on chicken broth

Shrimp , we used Ocean Garden brand or any Mexican White Shrimp shell on whites under 10 – 15 size.  Use whatever you like but I highly recommend this brand. I used enough for the three of us about 5 pieces each ( they are nice size) and cooked up the rest for shrimp cocktail for the next day. Joel recommends using Mexican White Ocean caught shrimp. The under 10 size means there are under 10 to a pound. These are the perfect size for shrimp cocktail and many dishes. They are rather costly though. Ask your seafood person for help , you’d be surprised how a little knowledge goes a long way in this area. We buy it by the box (5 lb.) and it comes frozen in a block. It gets defrosted, cleaned and deveined. You can also go into your local fish store and buy 1 lb. of shrimp about 10 – 15 to a lb. and have them clean it and devein it. We prefer the shrimp from Mexico or Equador, ask for white shrimp from Central or South America.

1 bag baby spinach

*crushed red pepper if you like a little heat ( totally optional)

1 lb. of spaghetti , I used perciatelli type of pasta. Use whatever type you like.

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside. I like to keep a cup of the pasta water in case I need a bit more liquid for finishing the sauce. I always do this.

Clean and devein shrimp.  Thank goodness Joel does this for me, but you can ask them in your seafood dept. or fish store to do this they usually will,  it takes a lot of the work out of it.

Cut small tomatoes in 1/2, if you are using larger tomatoes just chop up.  Heat olive oil over medium high heat, turn heat down to low and add garlic for about a minute. Pour in wine and broth , raise the heat and allow the liquid to come to a boil. Allow the liquid to boil for a few minutes and it will reduce , cooking liquid should reduce by at least 1/2. Lower to a simmer and add tomatoes, I let them cook for a while, probably 1/2 hour or so for this sauce. The tomatoes will release their liquid a bit, and soften up .  Sprinkle some kosher salt and pepper now on tomatoes.  ( about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt) and a few grinds of the black pepper ( to taste) Let tomatoes simmer, while you cook shrimp. You can always turn heat off, and just turn back on when you’ll add the shrimp.

I pat shrimp dry on some paper towels, and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.

In another smaller frying pan, I add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over low – medium heat. When oil is hot , I add shrimp , I just quickly sear the shrimp about 3 minutes each side. Then I add shrimp to my tomatoes and simmer for a few more minutes. I add the pasta right in to my large skillet, and mix in pasta with the shrimp and tomatoes. Right before serving , I add in the bag of baby spinach and let it wilt, and that’s it! Plate it up! Delicious! Vegetable, Protein and Starch all in one bowl! Yum

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Homemade Applesauce– Sweet and Tart–Not Diet and Diet

Posted on December 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

It’s Latke Time so here is an applesauce that you can make along with them. After all what’s a latke without applesauce? 2 ways to make this delicious applesauce. Happy Chanukah!!

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

photo (42)photo (40)photo (39)photo (38)I love apple season and what better use for all those apples but applesauce? It’s great by itself, with meat, poultry,  over ice cream , yogurt or pancakes , in muffins, any time you feel like applesauce. A staple on Thanksgiving Table and this year it will double duty with Latkes for Thanksgivukah!   I made 3 lbs. but you can easily make this with 6 lbs. of apples.  Easy shopping list, most ingredients you probably have in the house. If you’d like you can add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice. A little butter or maple syrup is also a good thought. I used a little bit of maple syrup ( maybe 1/4 cup) . Play around with flavors. Quick prep time , very easy to make, 3 lbs. will probably serve around 6 – 8 people. Cook Time is about 1/2 hour.

This is the obvious more fattening way to…

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Potato – Zucchini Latkes for Chanukah

Posted on December 16, 2014 | Leave a comment

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Jenn’s Potato Latkes

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Jenn’s Potato Latkes

Chanukah is here if you can believe it!  These tasty little pancakes are perfect for the holiday and really any day.   Most perfect of all is that you can cook them, freeze them and have them for whenever you want. They make a great appetizer or side dish. My experience with latkes is that they never really taste as good as when you first fry them, but that’s such an impossible task with people waiting to eat and having fifty million other things to do. Latkes are the ultimate comfort food. This is just a little twist on the traditional potato latke .  Usually about 2 – 2 1/2 inches in diameter is the right size, but it’s up to you. Not sure where this recipe hails from. The original from my Grandmother, but the zucchini was added later. My grandmother didn’t own a food processor and it’s a game changer, just makes it so much simpler to do.  I loved my Grandmother’s latkes and not quite sure what she did to make them so delicious but I try my best.

Happy Chanukah!

If you’re not into the zucchini thing just add 2 more potatoes and omit the zucchini. My daughter Jennifer made these with no zucchini and said they were amazing. I posted her pictures of her potato latkes.

Delicious served with applesauce , that’s how we do it here.

Ingredients:

6 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (for food processor)

2 zucchini, cut into large chunks (for food processor)

1 spanish onion, peeled, and cut into quarters (for food processor)

4 eggs, beaten

1 – 2 teaspoons kosher salt ( more to taste) tasting is key here , potatoes can be very bland

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup matzoh meal or bread crumbs ( if you’re making for Passover it’s perfect with matzoh meal)

Vegetable oil for frying

*applesauce for dipping ( optional) this is what we use

* sour cream ( optional) if you like

Directions:

Using the grater blade for the food processor, grate the onions, potatoes, and zucchini. A little trick to these latkes is to drain out as much of the liquid as possible, so I literally squeeze out every drop of liquid with my hands. I let each vegetable sit in a colander to drain as I grate the next one.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, salt and pepper. Add it to the potato mixture and combine well. Next, add the matzoh meal or bread crumbs.  Taste for salt (start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed, this is very important for flavor.

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet or cast iron skillet, over a high flame. You want the oil very hot. I test the oil with a drop of water–when it sizzles, it is ready to fry. I put about 2 inches of oil in the pan, you may need to add more as you start frying. Form pancakes about 2 inches in diameter, place (very) carefully into the oil, and when the edges start to crisp up, turn them over and continue cooking until golden. If you like them flat and crispier, then flatten them out with a spatula while cooking and start with a little less.

*I like the oil to be clean as I fry a lot, so if it starts to run down I usually pour it out, wipe pan with paper towel and add fresh new oil. This is only in the event the oil starts to get very dark from the potatoes. It may not be necessary but sometimes it is. They will just fry up better.

Let the pancakes cool off, and serve plain or with sour cream or applesauce on the side. If you are freezing them, let cool completely first, then I usually use a Hefty Ziploc freezer bag. Mark them with the date, and take them out the night before you need them. They should stay for at least a month in freezer, and probably longer.

*to re-heat I like to use the oven at 350 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 15 mins. depending on how thick they are. Spray the cookie sheet with Pam Spray and you may want to flip them over 1/2 way through. Make sure they are heated throughout. Serve with some of that homemade applesauce on my blog. Enjoy!

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Meatless Mondays–Tortellini and Butternut Squash

Posted on December 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

IMG_5927The night I made this it was a very ugly day here on the East Coast and there was no way I was going out again after I had arrived home. I had some tortellini and had already picked up a butternut squash earlier in the day.  This is what I did. I am just saying that this is very fattening and very delicious and sometimes it just has to happen like this. I mean butter and pasta but what could be more comforting on a cold ugly wet Monday in New York?

* I got my inspiration for this from The Pollan Family Table Cookbook– Cheese Tortellini with Butternut Hash and Toasted Hazelnuts Recipe.

Ingredients:

I used 2 8 oz. packages of Portobello Mushroom Tortellini but you can use cheese if you’d like , I used what I had. I like the homemade kind if you can get a hold of some you’ll need approximately  1 lb. and you can spread this to 1 1/2 lbs. just increase a little butter.

I used about 1/2 lb. of butternut squash. I cut it into small diced 1/2″ pieces.

4 Tablespoons unsalted Butter

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/3 cup blanched raw hazelnuts

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 small cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

I used shredded Parmesan Cheese , you can certainly use grated.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set oven rack to the middle.

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with Cooking Spray or Parchment Paper

I cut the butternut squash into 1/2″ cubes. I had bought the squash pre-cut and just cut those chunks into smaller cubes , cut into similar sizes for more even cooking.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the squash, oil, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and a couple of grinds of the pepper mill. Spread the squash on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until golden brown, about 30 – 45 minutes. I like it browned. You will want to flip it 1/2 way through the cooking time. Remove from oven and set aside.

Place the hazelnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan a few times to stir the nuts so that they don’t burn. Cook until they begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Chop the nuts roughly. Set aside.

Prepare Tortellini according to package directions. Cook al dente. Drain in a colander.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter turns brown without burning it, app. 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the butter bubbles and the garlic begins to soften up and brown not burn. Turn off the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill or about 1/8 teaspoon.

Add the drained tortellini and butternut squash to the butter sauce and gently toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts and Parmesan Cheese.

Serve Hot.

 

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Simply Spiced Shrimp

Posted on December 14, 2014 | 2 comments

This shrimp dish was delicious , easy and cooked up in about 15 minutes. First thing you’ll want to do is buy the shrimp. I go to a local fish store and ask for Mexican White Shrimp and then I ask what size they have . I usually buy the largest ones they have which this time were under 16, which is sort of perfect, anywhere from 15 – 20 per pound is what you want.  I bought 1 lb. and had them cleaned and de-veined. Very easy so far right? I had 16 beautiful cleaned shrimp. This is beautiful served over any rice, orzo, or any pasta. This time we ate them alone as a sort of side dish . Served over rice or pasta this makes a wonderful entrée. The whole thing cooked up so fast and the prep was nothing, really. Beautiful sautéed shrimp with spices.IMG_6182IMG_6178

*inspiration for this recipe came from my new favorite cookbook “The Pollan Family Table” which I highly recommend.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, sliced into thin slivers

1 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika ( just not hot paprika) now you can use 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and I didn’t have it so I just used plain paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle-chile pepper, or to taste if you’re not a fan. I love this flavor and it gave it a little kick. Next time I am using 1/2 teaspoon of this

1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon of Kosher Salt , and I think next time I will use 3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper–a few grinds of the mill

1 – 1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp ( anywhere from 15 to 20 per pound) peeled and deveined

* 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley–I didn’t have in the house but if I did I would have used it ( makes it look prettier and adds a nice little flavor)

1/2 lime

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and cook until it is soft, about 4 minutes. Don’t Burn the Garlic!!! lower the heat if you have to .

I also lay my shrimp out on paper towels so my shrimp isn’t wet. I like it to be dry when I start.

In a small little bowl combine the paprika, cumin, ground chipotle, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp in one-layer. Cook until the shrimp just turn pink and start to curl up, about 3 – 4 minutes, then flip the shrimp and cook until just opaque, at least 2 minutes more, you’ll have to be careful not to overcook but you don’t want to undercook either. You can give a little cut into one if you’re not sure. I pretty much can feel the shrimp and know when they are done but it doesn’t always work and sometimes you just need to cut into it.

Remove the pan from the heat. I transferred the shrimp to a plate and added some of the flavored oil to the shrimp, sprinkle with parsley and squeeze a little lime!! That’s it.

Now if you are adding rice you’ll probably want a little more of the flavored oil on it.

Obviously you can play with spices, using smoked paprika will give it a smokier flavor . More chipotle will give it more kick. You can even add a little cayenne pepper. However you do it, it is delicious and very quick to prepare.

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What I made for Dinner – Turkey Bolognese

Posted on December 11, 2014 | 4 comments
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Beautiful Zucchini Linguine in Turkey Bolognese Sauce

The weather has finally gotten cold enough to make me want to cook some heartwarming meals and this has to be one of our all time favorites. I will be making enough to eat some tonite and freeze the sauce for another meal when I don’t have the time to make the sauce. Perfect Sunday night food. I must say Pasta is probably my most favorite food to eat. Bolognese sauce is one of my most favorites. Today I decided not to go to my usual Bolognese which is delicious but very heavy and rich. I went with a lighter approach today using Turkey and Chicken Sausage because I couldn’t find italian turkey sausage and didn’t feel like hunting it down, and the chicken sausage worked just fine. I did use dark meat turkey because it is much more flavorful, it is ideal but if you really don’t want to use the dark meat use 1/2 white and 1/2 dark or all white meat . The only negative to this sauce is that it really needs 3- 4 hours for the sauce to cook down. The longer the sauce cooks the more flavorful it will be.  This sauce would probably serve 4 nicely with 1 lb. of pasta. You can easily double it and freeze the leftover sauce. So nice to have it in the freezer and just have to make the pasta and you have a wonderful homemade meal. I have now started serving the sauce over shredded zucchini (zucchini linguine) and spaghetti squash.  It is so delicious and you may feel a little bit better eating it over zucchini or spaghetti squash than noodles.  Pasta or Vegetable it’s pretty awesome. Look on my blog for Zucchini Bolognese Recipe for how to recipe, posted 12/20/2012.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil, plus more if necessary

1 lb. Italian style Turkey or Chicken Sausage, removed from casings. You can also mix in hot or sweet Italian pork sausage if you don’t mind using the pork.

1 pound ground Turkey ( I used dark meat )

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and finely diced ( app. 2 cups)

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes with their juice

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 box. Rigatoni ( or any other macaroni you like ) or spaghetti or if you like use *shredded zucchini or *spaghetti squash ( see notes)

Grated Parmesan Cheese for serving

Directions:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pan over medium high heat. ( I use my Le Creuset ) Add the sausage meat and break it up as it cooks, turning now and then, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside, add the ground turkey to the pan along with a good pinch of salt and a few fresh grind of pepper. Cook the meat stirring here and there, for 10 minutes as well, till meat is nicely browned. I remove and put in bowl with the sausage which was set aside. Add another 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook until onion breaks down and gets soft, another good 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice along with 1/2 cup of water. ( You may need more water as you go) Add the sausage and ground turkey, stir the sauce well. Bring the sauce to a boil, season to taste with salt and pepper and turn the heat to low. Cover almost completely with a lid (allowing a little steam to escape) and gently simmer for 4 hours. You may want to add splashes of water if sauce is drying out. After 2 hours I added the 1/3 cup of Tomato Paste, and replace lid and continue simmering for 2 more hours. I added water as it cooked, you’ll have to judge for yourself how much water you add. I added 1/4 cup at a time.

When the sauce is ready for serving, bring a large pot of water and prepare pasta according to package directions.

serve with sauce over the rigatoni ( or any pasta you like) with a nice grating of Parmesan.

Yum!

*so many stores now sell zucchini already shredded and it’s dry and ready to go. The only problem with doing it yourself is that you must get the extra moisture out.

*Spaghetti Squash – just have the store cut it in half because it’s a tough one to cut at home. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and scoop out the seeds. Spray a rimmed baking sheet and turn squash open side down on baking sheet and cook till soft, probably 45 minutes or so. Remove from oven and with a fork remove the inside of the squash into a bowl, it comes out like very thin spaghetti.

For full recipe on Zucchini/Squash go to my Zucchini Bolognese Recipe.

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