Gord's Lemon Shrimp Pasta

I complained on Facebook this afternoon that I had no idea what to make for dinner tonight.  My buddy Gord popped this message into my inbox:

Run to the grocery store and get a $8 bag of shrimp. With kids peeled is best. I do uncooked, but cooked works too. Grab a couple lemons while you're there, and some garlic, but I suspect you have that in the house.

Defrost the shrimp in the bag in a bowl of cold water. Won't take long at all -- less than an hour. You just want them not total blocks of ice.

Put water on for pasta. Once it boils and the pasta is in, do the following:

Take a pan. Add a couple or three tablespoons of oil. Any works -- canola, olive, even butter. Actually probably butter best of all, but it's sort of gilding the lily. Cook the shrimp until they're that pink colour that says they're cooked. Add a teaspoon or so of crushed garlic. If you have whole cloves, you can take four or five of them, smash them with a knife, then before you add the shrimp cook them really well in the oil, to infuse the flavour into it, then take them out -- they'll look burnt almost. Once the shrimp and garlic is cooked, turn it to low just enough to keep it hot.

Once the pasta is cooked and drained,

Now squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and use it to deglaze, then throw the pasta in and mix the whole lot up (or put the shrimp and stuff in the pasta pot, since there's usually more room). Serve with parm cheese.

I guess it is pretty tasty since this was the post script to the recipe:

I once had a lesbian girl offer to marry me, because she thought this was so good.
LOL

Choose who you make this for wisely!!

Pulled Pork Pot Pie

Today is Wednesday. It is going to be this year's Hell Day.  Why? I lead a playgroup in the morning, have kids come home for lunch, and then have to take a little girl to her violin lesson after school.  This means I am going to aim to do my lunch prep after breakfast and my dinner prep after lunch.  This will mean the crock pot gets called in to action on many Wednesdays.

Today I was chatting online with my friend Ashlee and between the two of us we came up with a way to use up some leftover pork roast  I had in my fridge.  This pie looks so good I am jotting some notes down here so I can remember what I did.

This is a "by the seat of your pants" casserole so the measurements here are very big guesses--eyeball it. It's casserole, not souffle!

Pulled Pork Pot Pie

Peel and cube 4-5 potatoes.  Simmer on the stove or microwave until tender. Mash with buttermilk, some grated cheddar cheese and some no-salt garlic herb mix.  Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, in a large skillet fry 1/2 of a large onion in a couple of tablespoons of butter.  When golden, sprinkle over a couple of big spoonfuls of flour.  Add in a couple of cups of chicken broth (or do what I did and add in a couple of spoonfuls of vegetable bouillon and pour water over from the kettle to cover the bottom of the skillet) Add in one grated carrot, the kernels of one ear of leftover corn, 1/4 red pepper diced and about 1 pound of leftover cooked roast pork.  Simmer, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens.  Add in a big squirt of your favourite barbecue sauce (I love President's Choice Beer and Chipotle flavour).  Pour filling into a large casserole dish.  Top with mashed potatoes. 

Heat in a 375 degree oven until filling is bubbly and topping is browned a bit.

Eat.

Easiest Soup Ever

Today is Friday.  It is a day that a lot of people save for ordering Takeout.  In my house, since at least two of the kids have dinner with Grandma, it is a day I usually use for consuming leftovers in the fridge (I like to call it Buffet)  Today I made a very easy soup from a couple of odds and ends lurking in my fridge.  In fact, I think I spent less time tossing ingredients in my Slow-Cooker than I did typing up this post.

It started earlier in the week when I made a double batch of the sausage filling I posted in the previous week's menu plan.  I put the leftover half batch of sausage and tomato sauce into my 2-quart slow cooker with a can of beef broth plus a can of water, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a few handfuls of bagged coleslaw mix that was going South in my crisper.  I simmered it on LOW for the afternoon, and while it was cooking I set up my bread machine to make a lovely Italian loaf to serve alongside.  Easiest dinner ever.

2011 Milk Calendar: Ginger-Lemon Beef and Broccoli

Confession time:  I decided to do this project after I made this dish so there is no picture, and I tweaked the recipe to fit my pantry (like all home cooks do).  My sister-in-law stayed for dinner last night so I had to cook the beef separately because she is a vegetarian. 

So, go check out the recipe here:  Ginger-Lemon Beef and Broccoli.  When you come back, I will let you know how I tweaked it and how it worked out.

Notes: OK, so I didn't have any fresh lemons on hand so I subbed the zest and juice out for orange zest and juice.  I also didn't have six cups of broccoli on hand so I used a bag of frozen California Mix vegetables instead.  I cooked the beef in a separate fry pan while I stir-fried the veggies and then gave the meat  a splash of the sauce instead of mixing everything back together.   This worked out really well and is a good way to serve carnivores and vegetarians together with very little fuss.  I cooked plain spaghetti noodles to serve with the stir-fry, but rice would be great too.  The grownups garnished their bowls with Sriracha sauce since I went light on the red pepper flakes for the kids.

The Verdict: Everyone gobbled it up and my husband commented that he really liked how the added milk added a creaminess to the stir fry sauce.  I think it helped it stick to all the ingredients and noodles.

Thank you Hungry Girl!

I am a big fan of Hungry Girl. Her cookbooks and ideas are a big help in my weight loss journey. This one just showed up in my email in-box. I needed to post it so I wouldn't lose it.
Doesn't it look good??? I love crock potting!

Slow-Cookin' Pulled Chicken

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 149 calories, 1g fat, 462mg sodium, 10g carbs, <0.5g>POINTS? value 3*

This shredded BBQ chicken is FANTASTIC over salads, piled onto light buns, stuffed inside high-fiber tortillas with (rinsed) cole slaw, or eaten all by itself. Yummmmmm!




Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients except the chicken in the crock pot. Stir until mixed. Add chicken and coat well with the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours OR on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove all the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot, and mix well with the sauce.

If you're serving a group, keep the crock pot on its lowest setting, so the chicken stays warm. If you like, season to taste with red pepper flakes. Eat up!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

Manhattan Clam Chowder

I need to get this recipe down so I don't lose it. The book is due back at the library today!!!
Tasty and lighter than creamy clam chowder. Find some crusty bread to dip in your bowl.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

1/4 lb bacon, diced and browned
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 tbs dried parsley flakes
1-lb 12 oz can low-sodium tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
3 8 oz cans clams with liquid
2 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 medium-sized potatoes, cubed

• Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
• Cover and Cook on low 8-10 hours, until the vegetables are tender.

Update: I just found a neat product at my local grocery store: Seaquest Seafood Medley. It is a bag of about 1/2 pound of frozen mixed seafood. I used this in place of the three cans of clams and added a bottle of clam juice to make up the missing liquid and had a delicious seafood chowder.

Slow Cook Pork Roast

My mom gave me a new slow cooker cook book for Christmas. This recipe is loosely based on a pork chop recipe from that book.

Ingredients:
1 3-4 pound pork roast
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 big tablespoons spicy mustard
1 pouch onion soup mix
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root.

Directions:

Place roast in slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over roast. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours. Slice roast and serve with the yummy gravy in the pot.

So simple, and so delicious!!

Slow Cook Sloppy Joes.

I freeze this for times when I need a meal and am too lazy to cook. It is great on toast, buns or poured into a pie crust with cheese on top. You could also pour it into a pie dish and top it with biscuits and bake.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes:
4lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1-28 oz can tomato sauce
2 cans condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cook beef in large skillet over med-high heat until no longer pink, stirring to break up meat. Drain fat. Add onion and green pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 5-10 minutes or until onion becomes translucent and mixture becomes fragrant. (I don't ususally add the pepper until the last minute so it won't totally turn to mush by the end of cooking)

Transfer meat mixture to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients, stir to combine.

Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

makes 20-25 servings. I divide it into four 4-cup containers for freezing.

Cheeseburger and Fries Pie

I was inspired by a recipe I found in a recent issue of Parent's magazine--I started to make their version and by the time it reached the oven it was totally different. If you try it, let me know how you like it!

Filling:
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
seasoning salt
1 can condensed cream of tomato soup
1 large handful sliced fresh mushrooms
1 carrot, grated (hey, sneak in the veggies where you can!!)
1 tomato, sliced thinly
3-4 dill pickles, sliced

Topping:
1 small package of oven-ready fries
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, or 1/2 package of processed cheese slices

Crust:
Pastry for a two-crust pie divided into two 9-inch pie dishes or one package of frozen pie crusts, thawed.

Cook enough fries to cover a cookie sheet in a single layer according to package directions. (That was around 3/4 of the package of fries I used) Turn oven down to 400 degrees F when fries are done.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook meat, onion, and mushrooms together until meat is browned. Drain off any extra fat and season to taste. Stir in soup and grated carrots and mix until combined.

Divide meat mixture between pie shells and garnish with pickle and tomato slices. Top with fries and cheese. Bake until pie crusts are golden brown and cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. You may have to cover the pies with foil part way through baking to prevent the cheese from getting too brown.

Slice and serve. Save one pie to freeze or give it to a neighbour and score some brownie points!!

Note: DO NOT do what I did and dump pies out onto oven door just before baking. It makes you burn your fingers during clean up and your pies won't look as pretty. You also run the risk of teaching any small children in the room words you may not want them to know!!

Shepherd's Pie Make Over

Shepherd's Pie Makeover

My favourite shepherd's pie by Rachel Ray is a whopping 17 points per serving by my estimation. When you only get 20 points a day to eat, that is too many for one meal. I have managed to whittle the points down to 7 per serving. Hubby could not tell much difference between the taste of the old and new versions, and he takes his shepherd's pie very seriously. Even if you aren't on Weight Watchers, this new version is much healthier and lower in fat and calories.

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons light spreadable cream cheese (herb and garlic flavour adds a nice touch) or light sour cream

½ cup broth or reserved potato cooking water

salt

1-1/4 pounds extra-lean ground beef

½ pound fresh mushrooms, any kind, finely diced

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon light butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon beef broth, divided

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ cup frozen peas

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving ½ cup water if needed. Pour into a bowl and mash with water or broth and cream cheese until almost smooth.

While potatoes are cooking, spray a large skillet with non-stick spray and preheat over medium high heat. Add beef and mushrooms to pan and season with salt and pepper. Brown mixture for 3-4 minutes. Drain off drippings , if necessary, and add carrots and onions. Cook veggies with meat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet or saucepan cook butter with flour and 1 tablespoon beef broth for 2 minutes. Whisk in remaining broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Estimated points per serving: 12 points in each of 4 very large servings, 7 points in each of 6 generous servings.

Tequila Shrimp

Anther old favourite from Cooking Light magazine. It is a light and summery treat that takes minutes and won't turn your kitchen into a sauna. Skip the rice and serve the shrimp over a salad. If you have the tequila out anyway, don't forget the margaritas!

Tequila Shrimp

1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice (just make 4 servings of rice)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic (two fat cloves, minced or use your microplane grater)
1/4 cup tequila
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Lime wedges (essential!)

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
While rice cooks, combine 1/4 teaspoon salt and next 4 ingredients (1/4 teaspoon salt through black pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag; add shrimp. Seal and shake to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes, turning once. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tequila and 1 tablespoon cilantro; cook 1 minute.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and lime juice; pour over rice, tossing to coat. Serve shrimp over rice mixture. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 4 ounces shrimp and 1/2 cup rice mixture)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 419(22% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 1.6g,mono 2.1g,poly 5.2g); PROTEIN 37.5g; CHOLESTEROL 259mg; CALCIUM 104mg; SODIUM 548mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 4.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.5g