Month: December 2016

Jumbo Shrimp and Asparagus
Ingredients

2 cups water
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
24 large fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dry sherry
salt to taste
Directions

In a saucepan, bring two cups of water to a boil. Cook asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, save about 2 tablespoons of liquid.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp until the color changes, ( a nice pink hue). Add asparagus and the water you saved and season with ginger, soy sauce, sugar, sherry and salt to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
5 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups quartered fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon basil
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup crumbled mozzarella cheese

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned; drain.

Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the cheese. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Add the cheese and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Meatless Pasta Meal
Ingredients
2 cups of shell pasta, regular or whole wheat
1 jar of Alfredo sauce
½ can of artichoke hearts
3 cups of fresh spinach (or ½ of a can of spinach)
½ cup of onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
½ cup of pepper jack cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook pasta as instructed on the package.

Meanwhile, chop the artichoke hearts into bite size pieces and put into a large bowl. Add the chopped onion, spinach, garlic salt, pepper jack cheese and Alfredo sauce. Mix well. Add the cooked pasta and mix again.

Pour into a medium sized casserole dish, slide into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Orange Blush Beverage

Ingredients

1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice, thawed
1 C. cranberry juice
4 T sugar
2 C. club soda
fresh mint or lemon balm (optional)

Directions

In a small pitcher, combine orange juice, cranberry juice and sugar. Mix well and chill. Just before serving, stir in club soda.

Pour over crushed ice. Add sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm and serve.

This simple recipe is wonderful when trying to ward off winter colds by adding additional vitamin C to your diet.

Zucchini & Goat Cheese Pasta

Serves: 4 Time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

12 ounces of linguine pasta

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 pound of zucchini

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1 clove chopped garlic

5 ounces of fresh goat cheese

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

 

Instructions:

Wash and slice the zucchini in half. Slice each half into small half-moon slices, fairly thin. Crumble the goat cheese into a small bowl and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the water. Return the pasta to the cooking pot and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the zucchini and some salt and pepper. I would add just a little for now because you’ll be adding more later. Cook the zucchini over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until any liquid evaporates. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for another minute or so to blend the flavors.

Keeping back 2 Tablespoons, add the goat cheese to the pasta and stir in the cup of reserved water. Add a little more salt and pepper and stir until creamy. Taste to see if you would like more salt or pepper.

Serve the pasta topped with the zucchini, lemon zest and the remaining 2 Tablespoons of goat cheese along with some fresh bread and a light dessert for a healthy and filling meal!

 

Pickled Eggs

Ingredients:

16 ounce jar of beets
1 ¾ cups of white vinegar
1 cup of sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon of whole allspice
1 stick of cinnamon, halved
8 eggs, hard boiled and peeled

Directions:
Using a saucepan large enough to lay the eggs in a single layer, cover them with an inch of cold water. Place a lid on the pot and bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and let eggs stand in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs. Cool completely with cold water and peel immediately. Gently crack the shell all over, rub egg between palms and, starting at the large end, remove the shell. Put the eggs into a quart jar with a tight fitting lid.

Keeping the juice, drain the beets and store them for another use. In a saucepan, combine the beet juice with the spices, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a slow boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the eggs and tightly screw on the lid. Let the jar sit on the counter until it cools and then refrigerate. Flavors will blend within several hours and eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Pork Chop Casserole

Ingredients:
6 thick cut pork chops
6 potatoes
1 can of French Onion soup
1 can of Cheddar Cheese soup
3 large carrots

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, peel and cut potatoes into thick slices. Wash and trim the carrots and cut in half diagonally. Wash the pork chops and layer them into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Layer the potato slices over the chops and the carrot halves over the potatoes. Pour both cans of soup over the carrots. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Surprise Meatloaf
Cooking on a budget often means serving the same thing repeatedly. But the next time you hear “meatloaf again?” just smile to yourself and wait for them to take that first bite. The apples in this delicious loaf add a surprising and welcome change. It serves 8 to 10 so there may be leftovers for sandwiches
Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 and ½ cups of oatmeal (or breadcrumbs)

2 cups of finely chopped apple (peeled & cored)

3 eggs, beaten

1 Tablespoon of dried parsley

½ teaspoon of black pepper

1 and ½ teaspoons of salt

¼ teaspoon of allspice

¼ teaspoon of dried mustard (or 1 Tablespoon of prepared mustard)

¼ cup of ketchup
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except onion. Sauté the onion in butter until soft and add to the other ingredients. Mix well and form into a loaf. If it’s a little soft, add more oatmeal or breadcrumbs. Place your loaf into a large, greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

 

Rice and Fruit Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings

This is a great recipe for when it’s just too hot to cook. If you are taking this dish to a potluck dinner, wait until you arrive to add the fresh fruit. It will not have to be heated or refrigerated.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked long grain rice

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 Tablespoons of orange juice

1 Tablespoon of vinegar

2 teaspoons of chopped shallots

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

1 cup of chopped fresh peach

¾ cup of fresh blueberries

¾ cup of fresh strawberries

3 Tablespoons of toasted almonds

Preparation:

Heat a small, dry skillet, add almonds and stir until toasted.  Whisk together the oil, juice, vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper. Add the almonds, cooked rice, peach and berries and toss gently.

Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked linguini pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and defined
1 pound sugar snap pea pods
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.

Heat olive oil and chili oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, pea pods, and garlic. Cook and stir until shrimp are almost opaque. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Add the wine and bring to a boil, reduce by 1/3. Add shrimp, peas, and garlic to the wok, and add the reserved water. Continue to cook and stir until shrimp are opaque. Remove from heat, and mix in the butter, lemon juice, and basil. Toss with the cooked pasta.

Turkey Spinach Burgers
Ingredients:

12 oz ground turkey

1 small box frozen spinach

½ cup diced onion, optional

½ cup diced celery

½ tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp garlic salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ cup sunflower seeds

Breadcrumbs

Directions:

Thaw and drain the spinach squeezing out the excess moisture. Mix the turkey, spinach, sunflower seeds and seasonings together.

Add enough breadcrumbs to make the mixture hold together. Divide into patties & fry, bake or grill until desired doneness is reached. Serve on a bun or perhaps over rice with brown gravy.