My journey of cooking, gardening, preserving and more
Today’s recipe is a super easy scallop dish that’s great on its own or as a side. When I’m feeling ambitious, these scallops and sauce are perfect over a bit of pasta. When I’m feeling extra ambitious, I also add capers to these because lemon …
I figured since I make this every few weeks that it was high time I posted the recipe. This is one of my easiest weeknight dinners and a delicious way to enjoy salmon. I love baking salmon because it’s easy and practically foolproof, and this marinade gives …
Hallelujah, spring is upon us! Even though it’s hardly been a brutal winter here in Northern Illinois, I’m still excited for longer and warmer days. This weekend was a much-needed stay at home treat for me, as there’ve been many personal issues that have had me more stressed than usual. lately. I’m a big believer in taking time for yourself. Physical and mental rejuvenation is vital, not only for your own sense of well-being but for also having the strength and peace-of-mind to take care of those you love. Today was that day for me. My feel-good dish of the day was fresh pasta with garlicky shrimp and fresh tomatoes and basil.
This recipe was mostly just inspired by 3 things:
Looking for a quick and easy weeknight (or even weekend, in my case) dinner with pasta and shrimp? This definitely fits the bill.
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water for the sauce.
In the meantime, in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat half (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil. Add half of your chopped garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and heat. Add remaining garlic and yellow peppers and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add scallions and cook, continuing to stir, about 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and their juices, and stir well. Cook for about 7 minutes, until tomatoes start to release all of their juices. Pour over reserved shrimp.
Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to saucepan and scrape well, loosening bits from the pan. Continue to cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.
Add drained pasta to pan and stir.
Add plate of shrimp and tomato sauce to pasta and toss well.
Add fresh basil, stir and remove from heat.
Serve immediately, with reserved basil.
Easy, right? This dish satisfied me today on many levels, with the fresh tomatoes and basil bringing in thoughts of spring when I needed it most.
Pasta is so versatile – you can toss it with a bit of olive oil and so many, many things. Carbs get a bad rap sometimes but when you pack your pasta dish full of veggies and protein, you really can’t lose. Toss in some fresh herbs and you really do have a beautiful, flavorful dish that everyone will love.
Happy spring everyone!
This is a ridiculously easy recipe that’s just as fun to serve as it is to eat. I love a good Bloody Mary and I love shrimp, so these Bloody Mary Shrimp are the best of both worlds. I keep my recipe pretty simple, with …
Sometimes the stress of the holidays or just daily life can be overwhelming and drag down your defenses. This often leads us to eat the wrong things, which can weaken our immune system even more. A great way to recharge your system is a bowl …
This is a marinade that has served me well time and time again. It’s great on beef, pork, salmon, tuna, and even lamb chops. It’s a great starter marinade recipe, which you can customize to your tastes or recipe if desired.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Marinating time depends on your cut of protein – salmon and tuna only need an hour at most, whereas lamb, pork and beef can be marinated for just a couple of hours or overnight. The longer the marinade, the stronger the flavor.
The beauty of this marinade is that you can make a ton of customizations to it. Want to go more Asian? Add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of minced ginger and a teaspoon of sesame oil. If you have sesame seeds, add a teaspoon of those, too. A teaspoon of miso paste works great in this, too (although you’ll want to omit the salt if you add miso)
You can also substitute Worcestershire sauce for the balsamic.
If you don’t have balsamic, sub in dry red wine vinegar, or rice or white balsamic vinegar, for a lighter flavor.
Want to kick the heat up a bit? Add a bit of sriracha, crushed red pepper flakes or hot chili paste to taste.
Got some fresh limes, lemons or oranges? Add a tablespoon of fresh citrus juice to really brighten this up.
Want fresh herbs? Add parsley, cilantro, rosemary….use your imagination.
I’ve used the basis of this marinade in a lot of recipes. It’s particularly good on flank and skirt steak, salmon, chicken breasts and thighs, and lamb chops. It even works great on veggies, especially on the grill.
If you’re looking for an easy marinade recipe that you can customize and call your own, this is it. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Remember what I always say: never, ever be afraid to play with your food.
Happy Sunday, everyone! Enjoy.
I am buried in a myriad of projects right now and am rushing to complete them as the days grow shorter. I know it’s not technically autumn yet, but once Labor Day has passed us by and NFL games are officially part of my Sunday …