Author Archives: cookingwithcandi

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Mushrooms

Posted on March 9, 2017 | 6 comments

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IMG_0589I had chicken breasts in the refrigerator ready to go and had to figure out what I was doing with them using ingredients that I had in the house.  I had lemons, garlic, even had fresh rosemary in the house. I really threw this together and the next time out I would use thin chicken cutlets or pound the ones I had thinner.   I used 1 package of cutlets for the 2 of us, which is usually around the 1 lb. mark. This recipe would be perfect for 1 lb. of chicken cutlets. Double up for 2 lbs.

As I said this was a very thrown together recipe. I tried to keep track of what I was doing so I could duplicate recipe. It is one of those recipes that you sort of wing as you go. We really enjoyed this chicken and I hope you will too.

Ingredients:

1 package of thin chicken cutlets or app. 4 chicken cutlets

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil, if no Grapeseed Oil use canola or sunflower

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ( app. 1 average size lemon)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, if you’re gluten-free use gluten-free flour such as rice flour, or corn flour and it will be just fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tsp. Kosher Salt and more to taste

1/2 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper and more to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Whisk together in a large bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary and 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken cutlets into bowl and place in the refrigerator for a 1/2 hour.

Remove chicken cutlets from marinade and place on a plate, discard the marinade. I sprinkled a little more kosher salt and pepper on the top side of chicken (shiny side) . Then dredge lightly in the flour, you should have more than enough flour with 2 Tbsp. but if you need more you can add it. Tap Breasts after you dredge to remove excess flour.

Turn oven on low or a warming drawer works well here , just to keep chicken warm after you cook it on stovetop.  Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat and add grapeseed oil. When oil is very hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan–don’t crowd. Cook for a few minutes on each side, (try not to overcook or the chicken will be very dry) just until you see it browning up, this is why the thinner chicken works best here.  Transfer to a plate and blot the chicken with paper towel. Cook all the chicken. I placed chicken on a baking sheet and put in the oven/warming drawer while I cooked the mushrooms.

Turn burner down to medium high heat , add mushrooms to the pan and sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. Let them sear for about a minute without touching them, then stir , scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the mushrooms start to soften add the wine, chopped thyme, and you can taste for salt and pepper. Continue to stir the mushrooms until the wine has evaporated and mushrooms are tender and ready , app. 10 minutes. I removed chicken from oven , plated it up over basmati rice and added the mushrooms over the chicken. That’s it and it was delicious.

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Chicken and Rigatoni in One Pot–One Pot Pasta

Posted on February 28, 2017 | 1 comment

photo 2 photo 3 photo 4 (2) photo 5 (2) photo photo 2 (2) photo 1I must say that the first time I saw this recipe for one-pot pasta I was hesitant. I read up on it and found out that the actual recipe for this one-pot pasta hailed from Puglia. So for all of those “haters” out there I am just saying that I did do my homework here and found out that yes they do this in Italy and original recipe was from there. OK that’s enough of that. It doesn’t really matter where it’s from now does it? I have made 2 versions of this type of pasta and all I can say is yum. I will also add that you need to be a little bit more attentive during the cooking but the result was fabulous. We loved the creaminess and the pasta came out perfectly al dente.  You just don’t want to overcook it, taste for doneness and sit down and eat. It was delicious the next day cold out of fridge as well. Give this one a try you won’t be sorry. Joel was very happy with the clean-up detail as well because it was one pot! Whole thing took under an hour from start to finish. One pan, people!!! dry noodles, sauce ingredients, water, wine a few good things and you’ve got a delicious impressive dinner.

*I used my large Le Creuset pot. A large skillet would work fine here as well.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

app. 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken breast, cut into small chunks. Just buy a regular package of chicken breasts and cut them up as I did ( see photos)

2 large roasted red peppers, sliced into thin slices ( straight out of the jar) see photos

6 cherry peppers, chopped and de-seeded , you can use hot if you like it spicy or just mild cherry peppers which is what I used (straight out of the jar) see photos

1 cup water, you will probably add about 1/2 cup more but you should start out with a cup

1 lb. rigatoni, I like the way the rigatoni works of course penne or another type of macaroni will work just fine

1 cup white wine, use what you have open as long as it’s not a sweet wine

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, more for serving

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons fresh basil torn, you’ll want to add a little more at the end of cooking as well.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

Crushed red pepper flakes, optional. If you like the heat add a little bit during cooking and you can always add more at end. 1/4 teaspoon to start is good.

Directions:

In a large skillet type of pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add in the garlic and chicken . Saute the chicken until it is just browned on the outside but not cooked through.

Stir in the roasted red peppers and cherry peppers, and sauté for another minute or so. Add in the crushed tomatoes and wine. Add in the water and the raw pasta and bring to a low boil. If you need more water you’ll know at this point , add a bit more water (a little at a time) Continue to cook, stirring very often, until the pasta has cooked to al dente , it will take anywhere from 15- 20 minutes. Taste pasta and judge how much longer it needs.

When pasta is done to your liking, reduce heat to low and add in the butter, basil and salt. When the butter is completely melted into the past, add in the cream and the cheese. Let simmer on low for another ten minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Top with additional cheese, basil and red pepper flakes if you like.

Serve warm.

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Cauliflower Fried Rice

Posted on February 25, 2017 | 2 comments

My new obsession is cauliflower rice and I have to admit that since you can now find the cauliflower already chopped up and ready to use there is no excuse not to make this. I used to have to chop the cauliflower in my processor which was time consuming and I would have to dry it on towels as it was always slightly watery. Now it’s available in pre-prepared cauliflower rice packages and this is a “game changer”. Both Green Giant chopped cauliflower in a bag as well as at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. The pre-chopped bags come in 16 ounce size bags which is what I used for this recipe.  You can buy extra bags and keep them frozen!  It’s wildly popular so grab it while you can and get a few extra bags while you’re at it. Of course you can always chop your own if you don’t have access to any of these products.

This was so delicious I have added chicken and shrimp but you can certainly leave it vegetarian and add more vegetables or tofu.  There are so very many variations on this theme, feel free to go wild with it. It’s a low carb alternative to regular rice and a delicious healthy way to do so. I served it up in a large bowl and it was really a filling delicious dinner.

This is what I did and the next night I heated up left-over rice and topped with a fried egg!  Delicious!

Ingredients:

1 bag chopped cauliflower rice ( I found Green Giant brand and used it) I used a 16 oz. bag  you can use up to 24 oz. Or 1 medium head of cauliflower.

2 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce- you may want to add more at the end , you’ll wait and taste

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus a little bit for eggs as well. You can cut the oil down on eggs if you’d like. I felt like I needed the 2 tbsp. of oil for onions , etc. You can start 1 tbsp. and add as you need.

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger– you can use fresh if you prefer

2 large eggs-beaten

1 cup frozen peas and carrots –I had it in the house and how easy was this? you can use broccoli or corn or all.

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic -minced

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , about 6 grinds on the pepper mill will do

*pinch of crushed red pepper

*chicken, shrimp whatever protein you like . I used a thin chicken cutlet as it was just for me, if I were making for more people I would probably add about 1/2 lb. of cutlets diced up.

2 green onions (scallions) thinly sliced

*salt and pepper to taste — you may want to add a little but don’t add till the end and you’ve tasted it. I added a little sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Directions:

If you must make the cauliflower rice, take out the processor, pulse cauliflower in the large bowl of a food processor until it resembles rice, about 3 minutes, set aside. If you bought the bag–you’re ready.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and a little black pepper

Heat about 1/2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over low heat , add beaten eggs and cook until cooked through. I didn’t scramble , I made a large pancake. About 2-3 minutes per side, flipping once. Let cool completely before dicing into small pieces, set aside to cool.

Heat 1- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until onions become translucent, at least 5 minutes. I like my onions translucent for this recipe. Lower the heat and stir in peas and carrots (and any other veggies you’d like) and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. I ended up using the 2 Tablespoons of oil, do what works best for you.

Right before the next part I threw in some torn up Kale pieces. The kale cooks down rather quickly . Then I added the next part. If you’d like to add kale .

Stir in the cauliflower, diced up eggs, green onions and soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through and the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes . Taste for soy sauce and add if necessary. I didn’t add any salt because the soy sauce was salty enough. After the first five minutes of cooking I throw in the cooked protein that I am using and continue to heat it all up stirring as I go. If you ‘d like you can also add more soy sauce at this point. Just heat till hot and serve.

This is a very loose recipe so please feel free to experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

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Roasted Cauliflower–Thyme, Garlic, Onion and Parmesan

Posted on February 21, 2017 | 1 comment

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I am a big fan of cauliflower and will eat it almost any which way it is prepared but this way was pretty delicious. You can take out the parmesan out at the end if you so choose. I love the way the parmesan melts in and the flavor is wonderful, but if you want to exclude it you can do so. I roasted for almost an hour at 425 degrees, you can check on it after 40 minutes. The onion starts to caramelize nicely but it can get burnt so keep your eye on it. This makes for a pretty awesome side dish to go alongside almost anything.

P.S. I got Joel to taste it but he still doesn’t like it that much–just getting him to taste cauliflower was a milestone!

Ingredients:

1 whole head cauliflower

1/2 large yellow onion – I sliced in 1/2 and made 1/2 moon thin slices, you can slice it however you’d like

4-5 thyme sprigs –I left them whole

4 unpeeled garlic cloves — 4 nice size garlic cloves

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Kosher Salt –app. 1/2 Tsp. was enough especially if you’re using the Parmesan Cheese

Freshly Ground Black Pepper–app. 6 grinds on the mill was what I used –you can taste for Salt and Pepper

*optional but delicious addition 1/2 cup of Grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

You’ll need a large rimmed baking sheet

Wash and dry head of cauliflower, cut up into florets. Slice up onion ( I only used 1/2 of the onion because I didn’t want it to overwhelm the flavor) you can add more if you’d like

I then took out a large bowl and tossed the cauliflower florets, thyme sprigs, unpeeled garlic, and olive oil together in a large bowl. I added app. 1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper. I let it sit for a little bit while I prepped the rest of my meal.

I then spread out on large rimmed baking sheet and roasted for 1/2 hour, tossing occasionally. After 45 minutes I sprinkled with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, tossed to combine, and roasted for about another 12-15 minutes till cauliflower was slightly browned and tender. Perfection!

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Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onions

Posted on February 19, 2017 | Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (9)FullSizeRender (8) FullSizeRender (6)FullSizeRender (4)FullSizeRender (3)FullSizeRender (2)FullSizeRender (7)Wow!!! What an amazing delicious and easy dish is this to make. Prep is easy and pork loin is available in most butcher shops and Whole Foods type of supermarket. It will make you look like you really know what you’re doing in a few easy steps. It’s really just a dry rub on the pork but you’ll need an instant-read meat thermometer as this is very important in the cooking of this dish. Joel and I both enjoyed this very much. A winner! The roasted apples and onions were just an amazing addition to the pork.

* you’ll need a rimmed sheet pan and a cooking thermometer ( instant-read type) and make sure yours works, sometimes they stop working for no apparent reason.

thanks once again to Jessica Seinfeld http://www.doitdelicous.com and her wonderful cookbook The Can’t Cookbook which I love even though I can cook.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin * see pictures

2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into quarters ( see directions)

3 red apples

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil + 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 tsp. kosher salt ( divided 1/2 and 1/2 ) see directions

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper ( divided 1/4 and 1/4) see directions

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 Tablespoon dried thyme ( from the jar) this is not fresh thyme

2 tsp. fennel seeds ( available in most spice sections of your supermarket)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have pork out of refrigerator and at room temperature, about 1/2 hour prior to cooking.

Cutting the onions–First peel the onions, then cut off both ends of the onions. Then cut the onions in half from end to end. Place each half of the onions cut side down and cut again. You have now quartered the onions.

Cut the apples in 1/2 from stem to end.  Remove the core, the easiest method is to use a melon-baller or a small teaspoon to remove core and seeds.  Place each half cut side down and cut in half again. Place the apples and onions in a rimmed sheet pan ( I spray with Pam cooking spray first )

Drizzle the onions and apples with 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper ( app. 12 turns on a pepper mill) Toss together with clean hands and spread into a single layer.

Chop the garlic, and combine in a small bowl with the thyme, fennel, and the remaining 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Place the pork, fat side up in the middle of the pan, push the apples and onions aside. Rub the entire pork loin with the spice rub.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 145 degrees. Check the temperature after 50 minutes. I cooked for one hour and mine was perfect, but check temperature after 45- 50 . Your oven will determine how long it needs to cook and all ovens vary. A slight pink hue in the center of your cooked roast is perfectly desirable. Transfer the meat to a clean cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Plate it up with the apples and onions. I also served alongside roasted sweet potatoes.

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Happy Valentines Day Brownies – Chocolatey and Fudgey

Posted on February 14, 2017 | Leave a comment

 

This is a delicious easy to make Chocolate Fudgy Brownie. Perfect for Valentines Day , as it is such a Chocolatey Holiday. I have always had a  rather large sweet tooth and  Valentines Day always meant candy, chocolate, dessert of one kind or another and it was always up there with my other favorite , Halloween for pretty much the same reasons. How can you not like a holiday that has so much sweetness?  Make this brownie  anytime and  top with ice cream and chocolate sauce for an incredibly killer dessert. I personally cut them up into small pieces and don’t feel as guilty when I eat them. I came in today from being out all day and saw them on the cake stand and because I had cut them up so small, I indulged in two pieces and it just hit the spot!!! Make no mistake these are the real deal, and I never really understand why anyone would use a mix when this is so easy and all the ingredients are so readily available.  And you have bragging rights for Homemade. Just make sure you use an 8 x 8 baking dish, this really does make a difference. Enjoy and Happy V-Day!!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped ( when you buy the box, the chocolate comes in squares, each square is an ounce)

1/8 tsp. salt (regular table salt)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup Cake flour (make sure you use Cake Flour not regular Flour)

1 cup semi- sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts ( I used chopped pecans , but chopped walnuts are good as well)

*extra unsalted butter for greasing the pan, I admit to using butter but you can spray with baking spray. (Pam)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish with unsalted butter ( or spray with Baking Pam)  In a saucepan melt the stick of butter and then when it is melted add the chopped unsweetened chocolate on low heat. Stir often until all the chocolate has been melted. Add the sugar in and let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Once it has sufficiently cooled off , take out another bowl and add beaten eggs and vanilla, and mix well and stir in chocolate mixture. Blend in cake flour ,salt and mix, do not  over mix, just mix till blended. Then add in chocolate chips, and nuts if you’re using them.

Pour batter into greased baking dish and spread evenly. Tap the pan on countertop to get rid of any air bubbles, about 3 or 4 times ought to do it.

Bake the Brownies for 30 minutes ( it’s exactly how long I did)  insert a cake tester or toothpick and it should come out almost clean. Be careful not to over bake.

Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing into squares.

I actually took out of oven and let it sit out covered almost all day, so by the time I cut into them they were completely cool. I used a knife and wet it, so it would cut cleanly.

So yummy!:) Served with an ice cold glass of milk, perfection.

Also can sprinkle a little sifted confectioners sugar on top of cooled brownies before serving if you’d like.

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Sexy and Sassy Shrimp for Valentines Day – Fra Diavolo

Posted on February 13, 2017 | Leave a comment

photo (3) photo (5)photo (2)OK it’s Valentines Day and that’s the reason for the sexy, and the reason it’s sassy is because this shrimp packs some heat known as Fra Diavolo sauce. What a perfect meal for Valentines Day and it’s red!!! this was so delicious and light. I highly recommend it and it really was an easy dish to make. I would say it’s downright easy to make. This 1 lb. of shrimp should feed 4. I made it with Bucatini pasta, which is a thick ropey spaghetti, you can use whatever type of spaghetti you prefer or none at all. I would say that this whole dish start to finish took 1/2 hour. That’s so perfect. Buy your shrimp peeled and deveined which will save you time. Happy Valentines Day!

*don’t leave out the fresh herbs, they kick it up a notch

Ingredients:

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon of kosher salt , plus more as needed

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 (14 oz. can) diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

1 cup dry white wine

3 garlic cloves , chopped

1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, I didn’t think this was too spicy ,  you’ll have to adjust to your own taste buds. I actually thought 1 teaspoon was pretty mild, next time I will add more, but we like it spicy.

3 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

In a medium bowl toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for a few minutes, toss around a bit and continue cooking until shrimp is just cooked through. ( you’ll want it pink and slightly curled up)

Remove shrimp to a bowl, set aside.

In the same skillet add 1 – 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add onions and saute until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano.  Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken up, about 15 minutes. If sauce sits for a while it may loose some of its liquid , you can just add a little bit of water at a time to get sauce where you’d like it, but just a little at a time.  When you’re ready to serve, add the shrimp back into simmering sauce with any juices that they may have accumulated, toss to coat the shrimp, and cook for about 3 minutes . You can cut into a shrimp to make sure it’s cooked , it should be opaque not translucent. Stir in the parsley and basil. Taste for salt, and serve.

*prepare pasta according to directions and serve shrimp and sauce right on top.

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Bucatini al’Amatriciana

Posted on February 11, 2017 | Leave a comment

Amatrice is a small town in Italy outside of Rome and this dish is named for it.  What I love most about this sauce is that it’s a return to simple Italian food, nothing excessive here.  This dish is intended to be made with guanciale , which is a pig jowl and it tastes like a porkier version of bacon or pancetta. I use pancetta, which now comes pre-diced in packages making for a very easy time. I also keep packages of the diced pancetta in my freezer, they defrost very quickly which makes them a perfect dinner ingredient.  I also use bucatini pasta which is thick and ropey with a hole like a straw. I wouldn’t wear white while eating this it’s a messy one. Super easy and delicious. I made it tonite with my marinated flank steak. I also used 2 containers of grape tomatoes, but you can easily substitute with 1 large  can of San Marzano tomatoes ( crushed )The cherry/grape tomatoes give it a lighter sauce, and I prefer it especially in the summer months but for the winter months or for a heavier tasting sauce use 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with juices instead of fresh tomatoes.

45 minutes from start to finish and full of bright sophisticated flavors.

serves 4 as a main dish.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 – 6 oz. diced pancetta ( or 1/4 lb. glacial)

1/2 yellow onion chopped finely

2 garlic cloves , minced

2 containers of tomatoes halved ( I used grape tomatoes , I love them ) or 1 can 28 oz. crushed or whole tomatoes with their juices. If using whole tomatoes just crush them with the back of a wooden spoon.

*1 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( we like spicy) use your own discretion , can always add at the table

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, or any kind of Parmesan Cheese

1 lb. bucatini ( you can obviously use 1/2 pound and save any leftover sauce to freeze for another time) any thick spaghetti will do but I love this one in this recipe. Perciatelli is another good choice.

Directions:

In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring constantly. I like my pancetta crispy, but just get it golden brown, about 5 – 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove pancetta into a separate bowl. Add onions to olive oil till translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes , I do this off the heat. I then add all the tomatoes, some kosher salt ( to taste) and some black pepper and add back in the pancetta. I also add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the tomatoes till they start to break down and form a sauce. Taste for salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for at least 45 minutes , up to an hour for perfect sauce.

Cook Pasta according to package directions, tender but still firm to the bite. Before draining pasta take out about 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl, I add a little of the pasta water and then I add the sauce. Toss gently and serve. I served with Parmesan Cheese .

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Sheet Pan Shrimp

Posted on February 9, 2017 | 2 comments

 

Oh wow! I am so very into all my sheet pan meals. This one was particularly simple to prepare once you have the shrimp prepped. I really kind of just winged it. You can roast some broccoli separately as it would need a little more time to cook.  I served with some rice and a salad and that was it. No kidding around this meal took less than 1/2 hour from oven to table. Of course it is super easy if your fish store can prepare your shrimp. Joel does all the shrimp prep around here and boy am I happy he does. If you call your fish store ahead they will peel and de-vein the shrimp for you.

Enjoy this super easy light dinner.

This recipe will serve 4 people.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp. You can leave the tails on if you’d like but I didn’t. I used rather large shrimp. Under 10–Mexican White Shrimp.

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 nice sized garlic cloves, minced

app. 2 – 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper–if you like the heat. Totally optional

1/2 lemon

*some steamed spinach would also be perfect!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

I put shrimp, cherry tomatoes and garlic in a large bowl, drizzled 2-3 Tbsp. of Olive Oil over it added app. 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and some grinds on the pepper mill. You may want to use more or less salt depending on your particular taste. I also sprinkled some crushed red pepper in –app. 1/2 teaspoon. Mix it up with a large spoon and if it looks like a light glaze of oil and everything is covered with the oil –you’re good. I used between 2 and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You’ll have to eyeball it to be sure. One large sheetpan should do it. I sprayed sheet pan with cooking spray or you can use parchment paper for even quicker clean up . Spread out on sheet pan and that’s it.

Roast until the shrimp are opaque , start to curl up and turn pink,  and tomatoes start to burst. I cooked for 15 minutes, but I had very large shrimp. You’ll have to adjust time for the size of your shrimp. Smaller shrimp could take 10-12 minutes. You can always cut into the middle of a shrimp to be sure it’s done.

Shrimp on Sheet Pan

Finish with a squeeze of some fresh lemon, app. 1/2 lemon.

Serve with rice , pasta or just alone. Add a nice green veggie alongside and you’re good to go.

Say Thank You for this delicious and easy recipe!

 

 

 

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Cream Cheese and Lox/Salmon Appetizer

Posted on February 5, 2017 | 1 comment

Winter '13 colorado 023Winter '13 colorado 020Winter '13 colorado 021Winter '13 colorado 022This is an appetizer that I used to make all the time and then for some reason stopped making and am now starting to make again! It’s funny how that happens.  It couldn’t be easier and it looks so good. It’s good if you’re looking for something new to make, very few ingredients and all you’ll really need is a good sharp knife for cutting rolls. Out here in Colorado I was able to get very soft extra large tortillas, they work really well. If you can’t find very soft ones, just use regular tortillas or wraps. If you can’t get large just use small ones.  Look at photos, just lay salmon on top of cream cheese in a row starting at the top and go to just before the bottom of tortilla. One 4 oz. package will probably go for 3 large tortillas and 4 small. Good for 4 – 6 people.

Ingredients:

1 4 oz. package of salmon ( or 4 ounces lox)

whipped cream cheese (just easier to spread than bar cream cheese)

1 package of large soft tortillas, or just any size tortilla will do just fine (or you can just use any kind of wrap bread) these are usually available in the deli department of your supermarket.

Directions:

* see photos (for best description)

Take out tortilla , spread whipped cream cheese all over the tortilla, place  slices of salmon starting at the top and go to almost bottom, and then roll up tortilla ( like a wrap) I cut off the ends, and then slice tortilla into app. 1 to 1 1/2″ pieces. App . 5  pieces per tortilla.  Refrigerate till ready to eat and you’re good to go. Put on a pretty plate with some lemon wedges and you’re good to go.

*you can add diced up red onions, or capers. Your call. I just did cream cheese and lox and they were perfect.

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