Risotto with Shrimp and Peas

I have never made risotto before, but I had always wanted to try. I also can't remember a time I tried it before this recipe. I have to tell you-although it can be a bit time consuming, it was absolutely DELICIOUS! I can't wait to try a new recipe and perfect my skills! This recipe from Rachael Ray was absolutely WONDERFUL! I wouldn't change a thing (although I did add mushrooms-mushrooms make everything better)!

Risotto with Shrimp and Peas

Risotto with Shrimp and Peas-Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 can  (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 ounces chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup arborio rice
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces peeled, cooked small shrimp
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon, zested

 In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth and 1 3/4 cups water over high heat until steaming; cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. 

Stir in 1 cup of the broth mixture, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Maintaining a low simmer, continue to add the broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. butter, the shrimp, peas, and 1/2 cup cheese and cook, stirring, until the cheese has melted. Stir in the lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Simple Tuna One Dish

This is a new twist to the same old tuna casserole. Using the bread instead of pasta cuts some of the "fishy" taste that you get alot of the time with tuna casserole. Very easy too!

Simple Tuna One Dish-Adapted from Cheap & Easy Recipes
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves 7

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 6-ounce cans tuna, drained
• 15-ounce can peas, drained
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 8 ounce tube refrigerated biscuits

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add flour and milk; stir well over low heat until smooth and thickened. Add tuna, peas, salt and pepper; mix well. Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with cheddar cheese and biscuits; bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

White Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

This was such an interesting sauce. I'm not quite sure I liked it, but I still might try it again some day.

White Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches-adapted from Betty Crocker
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Serves 6

• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 hamburger buns
• 2 cups angel hair coleslaw
• 3 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
• 12 hamburger dill pickles

In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper and red pepper with wire whisk.

On each bottom, place 1/3 cup coleslaw, 1/2 cup chicken, 2 tablespoons white barbecue sauce and 2 pickle slices; cover with bun tops. Refrigerate remaining white barbecue sauce in covered container up to 1 week. 

Blackberry-Sauced Pork Chops

Scott really doesn't like pork. Or so he says. But I swear the more I make it the more he's liking it. I was very nervous about this sauce when I started it. But it was a very different flavor that we really liked in the end!

Blackberry-Sauced Pork Chops-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1/2 cup seedless blackberry spreadable fruit
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Dash ground cinnamon
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons steak seasoning
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup fresh blackberries

In a small saucepan, combine the spreadable fruit, lemon juice, soy sauce and cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until spreadable fruit is melted. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with steak seasoning. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chops in oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Serve with sauce and blackberries.

Chicken Asparagus Casserole

Not a bad recipe but nothing super special. I do like asparagus for a change though!

Chicken-Asparagus Casserole-adapted from Casserole Recipes
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 12

• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 cup seeded and chopped green and/or red peppers
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can condensed cream of asparagus soup
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped asparagus, thawed and drained
• 8 ounces egg noodles, cooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 inch casserole; set aside.

Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add peppers, onion and garlic; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Mix soup, ricotta cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Add onion mixture, chicken, asparagus and noodles; mix well. Season with black pepper if desired.

Spread mixture evenly in prepared casserole. Top with remaining 1 cup cheddar.

Bake 30 minutes or until center is set and cheese is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Apple-Potato Pancakes

I tend to like potato pancakes, but only if they're really good! By really good, I mean that they are cripsy and thin-not mushy on the inside. Knowing this, I knew how I wanted these pancakes to taste. And-they were great! I loved the taste of the apple added to it! I would hands down make these again!

Apple-Potato Pancakes

Apple-Potato Pancakes-adapted from Cooking with Kare
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 4

• 1 pound red potatoes, peeled
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 1/3 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Place potatoes in a medium bowl; cover with cold water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain potatoes; grate. Drain again, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Grate apple and add to potatoes. Stir in onion, egg substitute and flour. If flour doesn't take up all the liquid, add more flour; mixture should not be runny. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Heat oil in medium pan until hot over medium heat. Use about 1/3 cup potato mixture to form 4 pancakes; flatten with spatula. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown and potato is cooked, turning once. Continue with the remainder of the batter.

Mac & Cheese

I'm a very big mac & cheese fan, which is probably why I'm always excited to try a new recipe. Scott doesn't seem to be a big fan unless there is something "different" about the recipe. I really liked this recipe. It's called "World's Best Mac and Cheese" on Martha Stewart's website, but I don't know if it is THAT good. But I would still make it again!!

 

 

 

Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Mac & Cheese-adapted from Martha Stewart
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• Butter or vegetable oil, for baking dish
• 6 ounces penne
• 1 ounce cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
• 1 ounce Gruyere cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

For the Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 3 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Jack cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil and 8-inch baking dish; set aside.
 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook penne, according to package direction, for 2 minutes less than recommended on the package. Rinse pasta in cold water; set aside.

 

While pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chile powder, and garlic powder. Stir until cheese has melted and all ingredients are well incorporated, about 3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together cooked pasta and sauce gently but thoroughly. Pour pasta into prepared baking dish; sprinkle with cheeses and chile powder. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.