Scallops in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

I was at Whole Foods the other day when I decided to buy some scallops, not really knowing what I wanted to do with them.  When I got home I looked and saw we had some mushrooms that were unopened, so I quickly googled an easy cream sauce, and came up with this recipe!  I served it with garlic mashed potatoes, but you can literally put it over anything. They tasted great, but visually... not so much.  Nonetheless, a great recipe for you....

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
1 lb scallops
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped scallions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Handful of chopped cherry tomatoes (remove seeds)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in large skillet.  When butter is hot, but before it browns, add the scallops.  Cook, shaking the skillet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove scallops from pan and keep warm.

Add scallions to the skillet and cook for a minute or so.  Add mushrooms and chopped tomatoes.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add wine, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream.  Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add scallops, and swirl in remaining butter.  Serve.

Not the prettiest dish, but tastes good!

Garlic Shrimp Scampi

I've always loved Shrimp Scampi.  I usually always have shrimp in the house as well, so this is an easy dish when I don't feel like spending a lot of time cooking.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb linguine
2 tbsp butter
6 tbsp white wine
5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

Cook pasta according to box. Drain.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium low heat.  Add wine, cheese, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper.  Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Increase heat to medium and add shrimp to skillet.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until shrimp starts to turn pink.  Make sure not to overcook them.

Plate pasta and pour sauce ontop.  Add more Parmesan cheese if you would like.

Bacon Fried Rice

Like most dudes, Chris is obsessed with Bacon.  Whenever I make a dish that has Bacon in it, I am instructed to make 4-5 pieces extras so that he can have it.  I didn't have any pork in the house, or chicken for that matter, so I decided to make some Bacon Fried Rice and see how it came out.......and it was awesome.  It was actually even better the next day.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked white rice
4 tbsp oil
1/2 can of baby corn, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
10 pieces of bacon
2 carrots, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
4 tbsp soy sauce (I always add more)

Directions:

Heat large skillet over high heat.  When pan is hot, add 2 tbsp of oil. Swirl to coat pan.

Add eggs to pan and cook til they are scrambled.  Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add bacon to pan and cook until crispy.  Set aside to cool, and then chop.

Wipe pan clean and return to high heat.  Add remaining oil and coat. When oil is very hot, add onion and cook for about 30 seconds. Add rice to the pan and stir well to mix onions.  Spread the rice out evenly over the pan and let rice cook without stirring until you hear the rice sizzle, about 2-3 minutes.  Toss rice again with spatula, then spread out evenly again.

Drizzle soy sauce over rice, and toss again.  Add the baby corn, bacon, carrots, and egg to the pan.  Toss to combine all ingredients.  Let everything heat again until you hear the rice sizzling. 

Add a top coat of soy sauce, toss, and serve.

so good.

Chinese Beef and Broccoli

I have a severe peanut allergy.  So for those who love nuts, you will be at a loss with these recipes!  I'm allergic to all nuts, and especially peanut oil, therefore I am very limited with Chinese Food.  Even when I let restaurants know about my allergy, somehow, I still manage to blow up.  I have found a few recipes for staple Chinese dishes that have allowed me to still somewhat eat this genre of food that I love so much.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
1 can of beef broth
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lb thinly sliced round steak, cut into bite size pieces (I had the meat man slice it thin for me)
1 can of baby corn
2 large carrots, sliced thinly
1/4 tsp copped fresh ginger
1 clove of minced garlic
4 cups of chopped broccoli

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine flour, broth, sugar, and soy sauce.  Stir until sugar and flour are dissolved.

In a large skilled over high heat, cook and stir beef about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, baby corn, carrots and broccoli.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

still cooking!

Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic, Red Pepper, and Parmesan Cheese

This is a quick easy side dish, one that I make frequently because it is fast and I love broccoli.  Make sure that you pay attention to hot your pan/the oil gets, because you can easily burn the broccoli.

Ingredients:

Fresh broccoli, chopped

3-4 tbsp oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat 3 tbsp oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add broccoli and stir to coat.  Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, or until broccoli begins to soften.

Add garlic, drizzle remaining oil, and add red pepper flakes, and stir to mix well.

Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes.  Plate and top with Parmesan cheese.

I love my ghetto iphone pics!

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes and Basil

I found this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, For the Love of Cooking, and it instantly became a favorite in my house.  I probably make this a few times a month, and it always comes out great.

Ingredients:

1 cup of ricotta cheese (I use part-skim)

Small handful of baby spinach, chopped (frozen spinach works just as well)

Large handful of grape tomatoes, diced, and all seeds and middle removed

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 clove of minced garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sprinkle of oregano

2 thick chicken breasts

Panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, parm cheese, basil, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Mix until blended well.

Rise the chicken breasts then cut a long horizontal slit almost til the other side.  Stuff the middle with the ricotta mixture.  Season each side of chicken breast with salt and pepper, then carefully dip the chicken breast in breadcrumbs until both sides are evenly coated.  


Close the slit together with toothpicks.


Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Place chicken in the skillet at cook for 3 minutes.


Flip the chicken over and place skillet into the oven.  Cook for about 20 min.  Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Martha Stewart's Mac and Cheese

I have to admit, there are a couple things that I just cant seem to master.  One is caramelizing onions.  I just cant do it right.  The other obstacle I've come across is finding the best mac and cheese recipe.  My Bacon, Mushroom, and Spinach Mac and Cheese is the great, but this recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, has done wonders for me.  I hope you like it.


Ingredients:


1 stick of unsalted butter
6 slices of white bread, without crusts, torn into little bits
5 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, I've done it both ways and seen no difference)
4 1/2 cups sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
1 lb elbow macaroni


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.


Cook pasta according to directions on box, but subtract about 3 minutes to time that it should be done, so it is still very al dente.  Rinse with cold water and set aside.


While pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Toss butter with torn bread in a medium bowl. Set aside.


Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat. 


Melt remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 min.


Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter and flour, whisking constantly, until it is mixed well together, about 6 minutes.


Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the salt, nutmeg, pepper, 3 out of the 4.5 cups of Cheddar cheese, and 1.5 cups out of the 3 of Gruyere.  Set aside.


Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.


Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.  Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Gruyere cheese on top.  Then add the breadcrumbs to top.


Bake about 30 min, or until the top is golden brown.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes on wire rack, then serve.




Cooling on wire rack (thank you Nancy Karassik)- Nom I love M&C.