Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

Spring has definitely sprung in middle Tennessee. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the pollen has coated everything. That hasn't stopped us from eating outside though and enjoying the weather. And I absolutely love spring food. As fancy as this meal sounds, it was featured in the "Feed 4 for less than $10" section of Cooking Light. Halving the shrimp makes it go further, and the arugula bulks up the pasta. The contrast of textures in this meal is delightful. Make sure you use fresh-ground or other high-quality pepper.

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp
source: April 2010 Cooking Light
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic, divided
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 5 oz package fresh baby arugula
4 quarts water
8 oz uncooked linguine (or other long, thin pasta)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shaved fresh Romano cheese

Preparation

1. Combine 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and arugula in a large bowl; toss well.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta, cooking 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Add hot pasta to arugula mixture, and toss well until the arugula wilts.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute 1 minute. Add 1 tsp garlic and shallots. Saute 1 minute or until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp from pan. Add broth and juice to pan to deglaze, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Return shrimp to pan. Remove from heat, and stir in butter.
4. Arrange 1 1/2 cups pasta on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over each serving. Top with 2 tbsp cheese each.
   

Nutritional Information
Calories: 409
Fat: 12.5 g
Protein: 26.1 g
Carb: 46 g
Fiber: 2.1 g
Chol: 107 g
Sodium: 671 mg

Easy Paella

For our honeymoon, Joe and I went to the Excellence Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic. It was absolutely perfect, but one of the things that really struck us was the food. One night, at the Spanish/Mediterranean-themed restaurant, Joe ordered paella and subsequently fell in love. Whether it was the dish itself or the atmosphere, any other paella that he has ever had has not been able to measure up. This was no exception, but it was easy to throw together and tasty. There are no mussels to scrub or expensive scallops to buy, hence "easy" paella. Heck, it doesn't even have saffron in it. But it did help me use up some shrimp and peas that were in the freezer. And it was very good. I liked the flavor and color of the turmeric. I used brown rice, so the cooking time was slightly longer.

Easy Paella
source: Everyday Food via Joelen's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 package chicken sausage, (12 ounces), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can diced tomatoes, (14.5 ounces)
2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, (14.5 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Preparation
In a heavy 12-inch saute; pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over mediumhigh heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.

Shrimp Caesar Salad

Today is my first blogiversary - my one year anniversary of food blogging. I had initially planned for some celebration. Perhaps a giveaway or a round-up of some of my personal favorites that I have made and blogged over the last year. But that was not to be. This summer has sucked me dry, and I'm lucky if I can think straight enough to fix something for dinner. Don't get me wrong; I absolutely love what I'm doing. But it just so happens that the self-care that is necessary after dealing with death, dying, and sickness all day trumps catching up on my Google Reader or making new recipes.

So I come bearing this humble Caesar salad with shrimp. The way I made it (with pre-cooked frozen shrimp and with store-bought croutons), it's a no-cook meal. This was my first time making Caesar dressing from scratch, and I found this recipe a bit fishy but with a good strong flavor. Joe has also given his approval for salads as dinners, as long as it includes protein and bread. I served this with a small loaf of French bread and a crisp vinho verde.

Shrimp Caesar Salad
adapted source: Cooking Light, July 2009

Ingredients
6 cups torn Romaine hearts
1 lb shrimp, pre-cooked and thawed
1 (2 oz) can anchovy fillets, drained
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 large pasteurized egg yolks
1 garlic clove
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 cup croutons, as desired

Preparation
Pat anchovy fillets dry with a paper towel. Combine fillets, cheese, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) in a blender; process until smooth. With blender on, add remaining 1/4 cup oil, 1 tablespoon at a time; process until smooth. Combine croutons, shrimp, and lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle salad evenly with dressing to your liking; toss to coat. Sprinkle salad mixture evenly with salt; toss to combine. Serve immediately. You may have some leftover dressing, as I did.

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Fried Rice

My freezer is currently stuffed to the gills: shrimp, frozen fruit, spaghetti sauce, vegetables, and meat. I can hardly open it without something tumbling out, which means I need to start cooking from the freezer. These peeled, deveined, tail-less cooked shrimp made for an easy protein addition to an old clean-out-the-fridge standby. You can adjust amounts to your liking.

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients
2 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups brown rice, cooked and chilled
16 oz shrimp, cooked and peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1" segments
1 egg scrambled
a few shakes of soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp Sriracha

Preparation

Heat oil on high heat in a large skillet or wok.
Add garlic and ginger and stir until browned.Turn the heat down to medium-high and add rice and vegetables, stirring until vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes.
Make a well in the center of the rice mixture and pour the egg into the well. Let it sit for one minute and then mix into the rice until cooked.
Add shrimp, stirring to combine.
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Thai chili garlic sauce and stir until mixed thoroughly.
Serve immediately.

Spicy Shrimp with Garlic Basil Linguine

This was a quick and delicious meal that really hit the spot. I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's products, and their garlic basil linguine in this dish did not disappoint. I love meals that don't use a lot of ingredients but are still very flavorful. With the shrimp and a salad, this was just enough for the two of us.

Spicy Shrimp with Garlic Basil Linguine

Ingredients
8 oz garlic basil linguine
10 oz thawed, peeled, and deveined shrimp
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
juice of 1/4 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring 3-4 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook pasta for 4-6 minutes in boiling water.
Drain pasta and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to coat and keep warm.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet and cook minced garlic until fragrant. Add shrimp and crushed red pepper, cooking until shrimp are pink and opaque.

Add shrimp mixture, Parmesan cheese, and lemon to pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Chili Cheese Shrimp Etouffee

Nearly everyone I know is trying to save money and watch their spending, so it's not that unusual for our Friday night out to become a Friday night in. I try to make something a little out of the ordinary, and we splurge a little calorically. Before Lent started, I stocked up on frozen shrimp at Trader Joe's and then Kroger when it was on sale, so I'm trying to work through my stash. I wish I could find frozen crawfish tails somewhere, but so far I haven't had much luck.

When I was in Bloomington visiting my best friend Abby, her and her boyfriend took me to this great little Cajun/Creole place called Dat's. They both got the chili cheese etouffee, and I got something else that was also delicious. Even though they mocked me for requiring the use of the many hot sauces they had available to get the heat to my preferred level, I got to steal bites of their food as well. And this dish is a dead ringer for that.

Honestly, this might be one of the better dishes I've ever made. Many times, my dishes have one distinct flavor that's complemented by the other ingredients, but this is just an amalgamation of flavors without one sticking out from the others. For those of you afraid of spicy food, the cheese and cream will soothe your tongue, and you can also modify the amount of cayenne pepper and Tabasco. This also makes a large amount, so have a crowd over or be prepared for the leftovers!

Chili Cheese Shrimp Etouffee
adapted from: Is Life a Conundrum

Ingredients

1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped green onions, plus more to garnish
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced bell peppers
1 cup diced onions
2 tsp. minced onion
1 cup Rotel Original diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups shredded aged cheddar
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
1 tsp. chili powder
Pinch ground coriander
Pinch groun cumin
Pinch ground cloves
Dash Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco sauce
1 pound cooked shrimp (or crawfish, chicken, or some combination of the three)
Cooked white rice, to serve
Dry sherry, to garnish

Preparation

1. Make a roux by melting the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat and then blending in the flour, consistently stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the roux is a golden color.
2. Add the green onions, celery, bell peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes and cook until the onions have browned.
3. Add the thyme, tomato paste, basil and peppers (black, white, cayenne).
4. Add the stock, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until the mixture becomes thick.
5. Add the cheese, half-and-half, chili powder, coriander, cumin, cloves, Worcestershire, and Tabasco and stir until the cheese and half-and-half are blended in well.
6. Gently stir in the crawfish, shrimp, and/or chicken and serve over fluffy white rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and drizzle with dry sherry.

Cajun Shrimp and Lemon Pepper Pappardelle

This dinner was shamelessly stolen from Liz's Cooking Blog. Nashville got a Trader Joe's at the beginning of November, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I have been so impressed by the quality of their products and how "foodie" it is for our budget. After seeing this on Liz's Cooking Blog, I picked up some of this pasta the next time I was there.

This was just as good and quick as I expected it would be. When I opened the dried pasta, I could smell the lemon and pepper. The shrimp were a nice complement and added some protein. When I was in a bookstore yesterday, I saw a cookbook called Cooking with Trader Joe's. This would be a great addition to that cookbook!

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz package Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp flour
Cajun seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Prepare water to boil for pasta.

Toss shrimp with flour, Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet.

Put pasta in boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente.

Cook shrimp in skillet until opaque.

When pasta is cooked, drain in a colander and return to pot. Add shrimp, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp of olive oil and toss. Serve with freshly ground pepper to taste.

PW's Penne a la Betsy

Joe is on night float this week, which means he works from 6 pm to 6 am. So I had to come up with a menu that included dishes that could be easily reheated and schlepped to the hospital. I knew that an obvious choice was a pasta dish, but I wanted something a little more exciting than spaghetti and marinara or pasta with a bolognese sauce. A few weeks ago, Kroger had some frozen shrimp that were buy one, get one free, so I had some shrimp in the freezer.

I've had my eye on this recipe for a while, though the amount of olive oil and butter was slightly off-putting. Then you throw in the cream, and it gets really bad for you! That's my one problem with a lot of Pioneer Woman's recipes. Oh well, it's all about portion control, right?

My house smelled like a restaurant while cooking this, and I realized this is exactly the type of dish I would normally order at a restaurant when I'm feeling a little indulgent.

Penne a la Betsy
Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Butter
• 1 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 lb penne or other short pasta
  
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine (I used dry vermouth.)
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley
• Basil
  

Directions

1. Put water on to boil for the pasta.
2. Heat a large frying pan and melt 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in pan. (I halved all of the olive oil and butter measurements.) Sautee shrimp until opaque and then remove to a plate to cool.
3. Melt another 2 tbsp butter and olive oil in the same pan and cook garlic until slightly browning. Add onion and cook until translucent.
4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook per package directions.
5. Add 1/2 cup of wine and allow to cook down for approximately a minute. Then add tomato sauce, stirring to combine, and cream.
6. Chop parsley and basil and add to sauce to taste. (I only had a little fresh basil, so I used dried parsley and basil to supplement, but fresh would be preferable.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove shrimp tails and chop shrimp into tiny, bite-size pieces. Return to sauce and stir to combine.
8. When pasta is cooked, drain, and then add to sauce, tossing to cover. (Or, if you're like me, add the sauce to the pasta pot because you don't have a big enough fry pan.) Serve!