Monday, February 16, 2015

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta



Ingredients

1 lb uncooked linguine pasta
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pinch red pepper flakes
12 to 16 oz peeled, deveined shrimp
12 mushrooms, sliced
1 pinch each of salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter
1 to 2 Tbsp oil
4 tsp dried parsley


Directions

Cook noodles, until nearly tender. Drain.  Meanwhile, cook 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp oil, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes 3-4 minutes.  Add shrimp, mushrooms, pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper, and cook a few minutes, until shrimp is pink.  Remove shrimp and mushrooms.  Add broth, lemon juice, butter, oil and parsley.  Bring to a simmer.  Add linguine and shrimp and mushrooms to mixture.  Stir to evenly coat everything.  Season with more salt and pepper if desired.  Serve hot.


Honey Curried Roasted Chicken and Veggies




Ingredients


6-7 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 lb baby carrots
1 whole chicken
12 mushrooms, whole or quartered
1 generous cup honey
2/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
5 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2-3 apples, diced into thick pieces
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cook potatoes and carrots in a bowl in the microwave for 15 minutes, or boil until just starting to soften.

Place the chicken breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan.  Arrange potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms around chicken and roast 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

In a saucepan, mix the honey, mustard, butter, onion, curry powder, salt, cayenne pepper, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Arrange the apples around the chicken, with the veggies. Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with the honey mixture. Continue roasting 20 minutes, or until the glaze has browned. The chicken meat should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.  Once cooked, remove the dripping from the pan and heat on the stove.  Mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch with a little water, then add to the drippings.  Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.  Serve with the chicken and vegetables as a gravy sauce.

No Bake Cheesecake



Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker or cookie crumbs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 butter, melted
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
Your choice of fruit topping
Whipped cream (optional)



Directions

In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Add melted butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of a 10 inch spring-form pan. Chill until firm.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla until soft. Add whipping cream and beat with an electric mixer until batter starts to thicken. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff. Pour into chilled crust. Chill several hours. Just before serving, remove the sides of the spring-form pan.  Place fruit topping and whipped cream over each slice before serving.