Sunday, August 22, 2010

Shrimp Scampi

This is a recipe from Paula Deen's magazine, tried it tonight and we really enjoyed it.

1 1/2 Lbs. large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen easy peel from Harris Teeter)
1/2 tsp. salt divided
1 Tbls. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup vermouth (I used red sweet)
3 Tbls. lemon juice
2 Tbls. butter
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley (I used basil)
3 cups cooked angel hair pasta

Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 tsp. salt. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or until pink and firm. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp from pan. Add garlic to pan, cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Add vermouth, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, butter, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper, stir until butter is melted.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, parsley, pasta and vermouth mixture. Toss. Serve immediately. The recipe didn't call for Parmesan cheese, but I sprinkled some on top just before I served it. Enjoy!

Soft Pretzels

YUM!! My friend Rebecca posted this recipe on her blog and it looked like a great kid-friendly recipe. We made them yesterday and will definitely be repeating these again soon!!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3 3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pretzel salt or grill seasoning
1 heaping Tablespoon baking soda (add it to the boiling water just before throwing in the pretzel dough!)

Directions:
- Stir together sugar, yeast, and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water in a measuring cup, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk together 3 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon table salt in a large bowl.
- Add yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough.
- Dust work surface with 1 tablespoon flour, then turn out dough and knead, gradually dusting with just enough additional flour to make a smooth sticky dough, about 8 minutes.
- Return dough to bowl and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and cut into 8 equal pieces.
- Using your palms, roll 1 piece back and forth on a clean dry work surface into a rope about 24 inches long.
- Twist dough into a pretzel shape.
- Preheat oven to 425
- Transfer pretzel with your hands to an oiled baking sheet and form 7 more pretzels in same manner with remaining dough, spacing them 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Let pretzels stand, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
- Bring a wide 6-quart pot of water to a boil.
- Once boiling, add heaping tablespoon of baking soda. The baking soda will help the pretzels brown. It will also kind of foam up quickly, so just watch out for your arms and hands.
- Carefully add 2 (maybe 3) pretzels, 1 at a time, to boiling water and cook, turning over once with tongs, until pretzels are puffed and shape is set, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer parboiled pretzels to a rack to cool.
- Repeat with remaining pretzels.
- Arrange pretzels on greased baking sheet.
- Brush pretzels lightly with some of egg and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
- Bake until golden brown and lightly crusted, about 35 minutes.
- Serve warm.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- The baking time and temp in the recipe above were pretty accurate for my oven. But watch your pretzels carefully if you know your oven cooks hotter. (Rebecca noted this on her blog.)
- These go fast, so I would encourage doubling the recipe!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Portabello Mushroom Sandwiches

I love a good portabello mushroom. Some people hate them and others have acquired the taste for them. Whatever the case, try them... it's a nice healthy "burger" alternative.

Ingredients:
- 4 large whole portabello mushrooms
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- salt & pepper
- 1 jar roasted red peppers
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- fresh basil leaves
- mayo (I add pesto, garlic, chopped basil or whatever else sounds good into my mayo for a little extra flavor, but you don't have to.)
- Deli Flats or other bun-like bread

Directions:
- Lightly score the top and the bottom of the mushrooms with a knife.
- Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper-- brush both sides of the mushrooms well
- Place on foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, flip mushrooms and cook 15 more minutes.
- During the last 2 minutes of baking, place a piece of provolone cheese over each mushroom to melt.
Assemble Sandwich:
Deli Flat with mayo- topped with cheesy mushroom, roasted red pepper slices, and basil leaves.

Tips for a Kitchen of Reality:
- Portabello Mushrooms are sold by the pound at Harris Teeter, look for them loose, not in the plastic wrapped package. They are cheaper by the pound.
- Roasted red peppers are a new fairly new addition to the Mt. Olive line of pickles, look for them in the green jar-- these are much cheaper than the other fancy brands.
- Swiss cheese is good instead of Provolone.
- Mushrooms can be grilled on a grill in the same manner, but sometimes it takes a little longer.
- I tend to add more garlic, salt, and pepper for a stronger flavor-- but make them once and you can decide what you like best.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Blackberry Wine Cake

I have had this before at our neighbor's house, but finally decided to make it on my own. YUM!! It was just as good as I remembered, and it's super easy! I had a few different recipes for this cake, a few off the Internet and some from my mom's church cookbooks. I ended up combining recipes and this is the one I used.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 white or yellow cake mix
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 oz package blackberry jello (or grape)
1 Cup Blackberry wine (Manischewitz)
4 eggs

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup blackberry wine

Directions:
Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.
Let cake cool slightly and flip out onto cake plate.
While cake is cooling, mix up glaze.
Once cake is cool, pour glaze over the top.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I found all ingredients at Wal-Mart, including the blackberry wine.
- You can pour the glaze on before the cake is completely cool, but it will soak in and run off the cake some. BUT... it's still yummy!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Couscous

We had this recipe a few weeks ago at a cookout and have made it twice since. If you like a cool "salad" of sorts for summertime, this is your recipe. Thanks Paige!

Ingredients:
2 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
-In a large bowl combine the tomato, mozzarella, shallots, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic, toss well then refrigerate, covered, to marinate for 30 minutes.
-In a saucepan bring the water to a boil and gradually stir in the couscous; remove from the stove, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.
-With a fork, fluff the couscous then let cool.
-Add the cooled couscous and chopped basil to the tomato mixture in the bowl and toss.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality
- Couscous can be found by the rice and pastas in most stores. I got mine at Harris Teeter.
- Scallions... shallots... green onions. All pretty much the same thing, but green onions are easiest and cheapest to find.
- I used balsamic vinegar.
- I also used more mozzarella, tomatoes, and vinegar than it called for. It's a no fail recipe, so after you make it the first time, add more of what you like and less of what you don't! Less onions for me.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Chicken with White Cream Sauce

This was a FABULOUS dinner brought to us after we had Audrey. Thanks for the awesome and easy recipe, Emily, we loved it!

Ingredients:
- 6 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsps butter
- 16 oz sour cream
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup cooking wine
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic

Directions:
- In a large skillet, melt butter and brown chicken on both sides.
- Place chicken in 9 x 13 pan.
- Mix all ingredients and pour over the chicken.
- Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I had Chardonnay open in my kitchen, so that is what I used for the cooking wine. (And to fill the glass that was sitting on the counter next to me!)
- Mushrooms are optional, I have had the recipe with and without them... and it's good either way.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Bountiful Brunch Pizza

This was originally a Pampered Chef recipe, but I altered it to my liking and my pantry. Be sure to see the tips at the end for what I did, but the original recipe is below.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 pkg. (24 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown patties, thawed and broken apart
1 egg, beaten
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Egg Topping:
7 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup green onion slices
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For crust, combine potatoes, egg, salt and pepper; mix well. Spread potato mixture onto pan; pat down with back of spoon. Bake 10 minutes; remove from oven.

For egg topping, whisk eggs and milk in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Microwave on high 3 minutes; stir. Microwave an additional 3 minutes; stir. Spread cooked egg mixture evenly over potato crust; top with ham, mushrooms, green onion and bell pepper. Sprinkle with cheese.

Return to oven. Bake 10 minutes. To serve, cut into wedges with pizza cutter.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I used shredded hashbrowns in a bag and only used 16 ounces.
- I don't like eggs cooked in the microwave, so I cooked the egg/milk mixture on the stove top until it was the consistency of runny scrambled eggs. (Remember it gets baked in the oven too, so you don't want the eggs overdone.)
- Use whatever toppings you've got. I made a sausage, mushroom, and cheese instead of onion, peppers, and ham. It's a pizza, so use what you've got.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

French Potato Salad

My friend Shannon made this for us while we were at the beach back in June, and I just tried my hand at making it. I love that it is a non-mayo potato salad recipe and the fresh herbs give it an awesome flavor. (Not to mention if you have an herb garden it makes you feel "super-gardeny" that you are able to use so much of your own ingredients!)

Thanks for the recipe Shannon... every time I make it I will remember the first time having it with you guys on the screen porch by the beach! YUM!!

Ingredients:
1 pound small white boiling potatoes
1 pound small red boiling potatoes
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons chicken stock
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I used white wine vinegar instead of Champagne vinegar, that stuff is just too expensive.
- I couldn't find scallions at Harris Teeter, so I used green onions instead... and I didn't use as many because I don't especially care for a super onion flavor.
- I used all red potatoes instead of both kinds, because they come in 2 pound bags anyway.