Shrimp, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Pasta

This is a perfect combination of Pasta, Shrimp, and Broccoli, all in a light cream sauce.
The sauce is made with light cream cheese and chicken broth instead of using heaving whipping cream.
That is what makes this meal guiltfree and So Good.
I found this tasty recipe in the Jillian Michaels book, 'Making the Cut'.
This meal was a hit at our house and I will make this recipe again for sure!
I served it with Breadsticks, and purple grapes.
Enjoy.



Shrimp, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Pasta
Serves 4

What You Need:
-1/2 cup Sun-Dried tomatoes, packed in oil
-4 cups uncooked farfalle (Bow tie pasta)
-2 cups of chopped fresh broccoli
-cooking spray
-1 garlic cloves, minced
-1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
-1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
-1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat cream cheese
-1/2 teaspoon dried basil
-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
-1/2 lemon, juiced

How to Make:
1. Rinse really well the Sun-Dried tomatoes so all the oil is off, dice the tomatoes and then set aside.
2. Cook Pasta according to Package, do not add any salt or fat. When pasta is done, drain and then set aside.
3. Steam broccoli, covered for about 3 minutes or until tender crisp. Set aside.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and shrimp to the pan. Cook 4 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and done.
5. Add broth and cream cheese, stirring until combined, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes, broccoli, and basil; stir well. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Stir Frequently.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, Parmesan, and lemon juice.
Serve Immediately!

Source: Jillian Michaels, Making the cut

East Hampton Clam Chowder

It has been cold and rainy the last few days here, a nice warm chowder is a great meal to warm up my family.
This Clam chowder is more like a clam stew with vegetables.
Instead of the usual heavy cream texture, this is a bit lighter and more flavorful. But yet it will definitely take care of your clam chowder craving.
Serve with fresh bread and a green salad and you have a filling simply delicious meal.


East Hampton Clam Chowder
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
-12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
-2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
-2 cups medium -diced celery, (4 stalks)
-2 cups medium-diced carrots, (6 carrots)

-4 cups peeled medium-diced boiling potatoes (8 medium sized potatoes)

-1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
-1 teaspoon kosher salt

-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-3 cups clam juice

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-2 cups milk
-3 cups chopped clams (3 cans)

How To Make:
1. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stock-pot. Add the onions and cook over medium -low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute' for 10 more minutes. Add the clam juice, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2. In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.

3. Add the milk and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Source: 'Barefoot Contessa Family Style' cookbook

Shrimp, Feta and Fresh Herb Mac and Cheese

My oldest son Loves Shrimp and pasta, and is always asking for it.
When I can across this recipe, I knew that it would be a hit at our house. It sure was! Everyone had seconds and my oldest son had thirds.
The original recipe calls for Gruyere cheese, I ended up using shredded Provolone cheese instead. You can also substitute Gruyere cheese for Swiss cheese.
This dish was very flavorful and a perfect Spring or Summer meal. I served it with a green salad, sliced strawberries, fresh french bread, and Lemonade.



Shrimp, Feta and Fresh Herb Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta shapes
1 lb. raw shrimp (31-40 ct.), peeled and deveined, cut in half (if desired)
7 oz. feta cheese, crumbled and divided
Zest of 1 lemon, divided
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, divided
5 tbsp. butter, divided
4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
8 oz. Gruyere or Provolone, or Swiss cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well; set aside. Add the raw shrimp to the warm pasta and toss together. The heat from the pasta will partially cook the shrimp.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.

3. For the Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, combine a handful of the feta, a pinch of the lemon zest, the panko, 2 teaspoons of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the butter, melted. Toss with a fork to combine; set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to form a paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until light golden brown. Whisk in the milk. Continue to heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. As soon as the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining feta, 2 cups of shredded cheese, remaining parsley, remaining lemon zest, dill, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pasta and shrimp; toss well to coat.

5. Transfer the mixture to a 2½-3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumb-feta mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Annie"s Eats

Shrimp Fried Rice

I always love eating out at Japanese Steak house's where they cook the food in front of you on a huge grill. The fried rice is always so yummy.
To make this home made fried rice I use my biggest skillet pan and it works just fine.
The recipe calls for Shrimp, however, I have used chicken, beef and pork before. Just make sure you cut the meat very thin before cooking.
This is a fun meal to make, and eat!
Enjoy!


Shrimp Fried Rice

What you need:
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks green onions, minced
4 cups steamed white or brown rice
¾ cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Few drops sesame oil

How To Make:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, salt, pepper and cornstarch, and toss well to coat the shrimp. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. When a drop of water immediately sizzles and evaporates, the pan is hot enough to add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Swirl to coat the pan well.

2. Add the shrimp to the hot pan and quickly spread them out so that they are in a single layer, and all touching the pan surface. (You may need to do this in two batches to ensure even cooking.) Let them cook untouched for 30 seconds, then flip over (tongs work well for this) and let cook for 30 more seconds, so that the shrimp are about 80% cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.

3. Lower the heat on the pan to medium. Add the eggs to the pan and stir quickly, to break up and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked through but still slightly runny in the middle, remove from the pan to the same plate as the shrimp.

3. Use paper towels to wipe the pan clean and return the pan to high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat. Once the oil is very hot, add the green onions to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the rice to the pan and mix well to combine with the green onions. Spread the rice out evenly over the pan and let cook without stirring, until you hear the rice grains sizzle, about 1 to 2 minutes. Toss the rice a bit with your spatula, and again spread it out over the cooking surface.

4. Drizzle the soy sauce all over the rice, and toss again. Add the peas and carrots, the cooked shrimp and eggs, and the sesame oil to the pan. Toss to combine all the ingredients well with the rice. Let everything heat back up again until the rice grains are sizzling again. Add additional soy sauce to taste, if needed. Serve.

Source: adapted from Simply Recipes

Baja Tilapia Tacos

Summer is just around the corner and I am starting to think of warm summer evenings and healthy and refreshing meals.
This is a very easy and very good fish taco recipe.
You can always adjust the toppings to your liking.
I really like the Tilapia in this recipe, it is very healthy and I can almost always find it on sale at our local grocery store.

The sauce gives the tacos the Baja flavor, very good.

Baja Tilapia Tacos

Sauce:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 package Taco Seasoning Mix
COMBINE sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro and 2 tablespoons seasoning mix in small bowl.

Fish:
1 pound Tilapia -- cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 package taco seasoning
2 tablespoons lemon juice
COMBINE Tilapia, olive oil, lemon juice and remaining seasoning mix in medium bowl; pour into large skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Toppings:
1 pkg taco size four tortillas
shredded cabbage
chopped tomato
lime juice
Taco Sauce

Fill taco shells with fish mixture. Top with cabbage, tomato and sour cream mixture, lime juice and taco sauce.

Enjoy!

Linguine With Shrimp Scampi

This is a very Light and Fresh tasting Meal.
I ripped this out of a Martha Stewart Magazines a few years ago, and have been making it ever since.
Serve with a green salad and fresh fruit.
We all love this meal at our house, it is very yummy!



Linguine With Shrimp Scampi
Adapted from a Martha Stewart Magazine

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 pounds linguine
-6 Tablespoons, unsalted butter
-5 Tablespoons, good olive oil
-3 Tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
-2 pounds large shrimp (about 32 shrimp), peeled and deveined
-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
-3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
-grated zest of 1 lemon
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
-1/4 teaspoon, hot red pepper flakes
-grated Parmesan Cheese

How To Make:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine noodles for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

2. Meanwhile in another large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, 1 Tablespoon of salt, and the pepper. Saute shrimp until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

3. When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Garnish with Grated Parmesan Cheese.
Enjoy!

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-fry

Light, Healthy, Zesty, and Delicous!
This stir-fry is a favorite at our house.
I have been making this recipe for years, I don't remember where I got the recipe from but it has never failed me.
If you are not a shrimp fan, you can also substitute the shrimp for chicken.




Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-fry

-1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
-2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
-2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
-2 teaspoons cornstarch
-1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil (optional, if you have it use it!)
-1/4 teaspoon of crushed pepper
-2 Tablespoon of olive oil
-1 Tablespoon of peeled and minced fresh ginger OR 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 pound of peeled and deveined large shrimp
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-4 cups of cut-up broccoli
-1 cup of sliced onion

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, mix together with a wisk.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan, stir-fry for 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt, add shrimp to pan and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from pan.

3. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan, stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan. Cook for 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Serve over steamed brown or white rice.

Enjoy!

Perfect Pork (meat) Marinade

Who says you can't grill in the cold winter time?
Time to pull out the grill pan, or electric grill.
(for those of you lucky ones who live in year round warm states you can just get out the outdoor grill)
This marinade is very good!
You can also use it on Chicken and Salmon.
enjoy!



Perfect Pork (meat) Marinade

1/2 C. Worcestershire Sauce
2 T. Olive Oil
1/4 C. Fresh Parsley (or 1/8 C. dried)
1 tsp. Dried Minced Garlic
1/4 C. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 C. Soy Sauce
4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops, 1" thick OR pork loin


In a large, re-resealable plastic bag or container, combine the first 8 ingredients. Using a fork, poke holes in both sides of pork; add to marinade. Seal bag or container and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours (the longer the better), turning every 2-3 hours. When ready to grill, drain and discard marinade. Grill pork chops in a preheated grill, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes on each side or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

Salmon with Ginger Glaze

This is my go-to Salmon recipe,
with only 4 main ingredients it is also very quick and easy to throw together.
You can serve this in so many ways:
on top of mixed greens, or to give it a Asian flair you can put it on steamed rice or rice noodles. No matter how you serve it this Salmon is Delicious,
plus gives you a dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids :-)
Enjoy!

Salmon with Ginger Glaze

-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
-1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger OR 1 tsp ground ginger
-4 6 oz Salmon Fillets, about 1" thick, skinned
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Line a baking pan with foil (for easy clean-up) or spray pan with cooking spray. Adjust rack to the middle position. Preheat broiler to medium high or if you do not have a broiler option preheat oven at 450 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, whisk brown sugar, mustard, and ginger. Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper. Place Salmon on baking pan, and brush glaze on top. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or until fish is lightly browned and done in the middle.

B-B-Q Asian Salmon

I am always looking for new ways to cook fish.
I found a winner with this recipe. This Salmon turned out really good!
And with it being a BBQ recipe it is perfect for this time of year.
I also cooked vegie-kabobs to go with it, I poured some of the sauce for the Salmon on top of the vegies. I used zuchinni, mushrooms, yellow pepper, and cherry tomatoes for the kabobs.
The colors of this dish has 'Summer time' smothered all over it!

B-B-Q Asian Salmon
from Best Bites

Ingredients:

-2 lbs salmon fillets (cleaned)
-¼ cup soy sauce
-1 tablespoon chili sauce
-1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced) I did not have fresh ginger on hand, so I used 1 teaspoon of ground ginger instead
-2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
-1 lime (juiced)
-1 lime (zested)
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-3 green onions (chopped)



How to make:

Step 1: Heat an outdoor grill to high heat. Place salmon on 3 slightly over lapping large sheets of aluminum foil.

Step 2: In a bowl mix together soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and brown sugar. Pour the sauce over the salmon. Place salmon in aluminum foil on the grill.

Step 3: Grill salmon for 4-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. Remove and place on a platter. If there is any sauce left over on the aluminum foil, pour it over the fillets. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli

This is a very nice light pasta dish!
Great for summer, or if you are craving a lighter meal.

I always love Shrimp and broccoli together, they are a yummy combo.

I lovedit, but I knew that I would. It had 'chick food' smothered all over it.
But did it pass the husband and kid test?
Yes it did, they all loved it!
I WILL make this again.

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli
slightly adapted from Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 2-3 servings

1 cup orzo
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup white wine or Shirley J chicken bouillon
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound of medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-9 minutes. During last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to the pasta water. Drain orzo and broccoli, set aside.

2. In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Add lemon juice, zest, and wine/broth to saute pan. Bring to boil and then reduce heat; simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter and stir until melted.

4. Add shrimp to saute pan, cook until pink and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add orzo and broccoli, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to shrimp mixture; toss gently to combine.
Serve immediately.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

I just discovered Tilapia last year, and now I crave it!
I do not like fish that tastes fishy.
Tilapia has a very mild and good taste to it.
I mainly grill Tilapia with a Lemon Pepper seasoning (I put it in foil with the seasoning on top, then place it on the outside grill).
I found this recipe over on 'The Sisters' cafe" and was very pleased with how it turned out. It was so GOOD, I will be making this recipe again and again!

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

adapted from 'The Sisters' Cafe"

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 T mayonnaise

2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp celery salt

2 lbs tilapia fillets

Preheat broiler. Grease pan or line with foil (I like to line mine with foil it makes for a very quick cleanup). In a small bowl, mix together Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Season the cheese mixture with basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt. Mix well and set aside. Arrange fillets in a single layer on prepared pan. Broil a few inches form the heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove from oven and cover with Parmesan cheese mixture. Broil for 2 more minutes or until topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Do not overcook the fish. Serve immediately.

Lemon-Butter Salmon & Broccoli Penne
Adapted slightly from Fitness Magazine

2-3 Salmon Fillets (salt and peppered)
3 cups of dry whole-wheat pasta or multi-grain
2-3 cups of cup up Broccoli
1 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup low-sodium Vegie broth
1 lemon juiced and zested
2 tbsp of corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup of the Vegie Broth
2 garlic cloves, minced

Make it: broil or Grill Salmon for about 8 minutes or until done.
Cook Pasta according to package directions. When pasta is almost done add broccoli and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Whisk together melted butter, broth, lemon zest and juice, and garlic in a saucepan. When slightly boiling add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thick. Toss the sauce with the drained pasta and broccoli. Serve pasta and add Salmon to the side or on top. I also like to add some Parmesan Cheese on top of all.