Category Archives: Main Dish

Garlic Shrimp Over Pasta

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This is simple, weeknight fare at its best. My family loves shrimp, so I knew this would have to be a winner. I’m not usually a fan of less saucy pasta recipes, but this resulted in a light and flavorful pasta dish suitable for company. I served these with leftover breadsticks that I rewarmed in the oven, and Pecorino Romano cheese for grating over top all. The addition of lemon zest and juice was my adaptation of this recipe, plus the swap for white wine instead of using beer. I like the brightness of the lemon that cuts some of  the richness of the butter and the light flavor of the wine over beer. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Garlicky Shrimp over Pasta – adapted from Steamy Kitchen via Thermador

  • 1 pound dried spaghetti (or other pasta)
  • 1 pound shrimp
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • ¼ pound butter
  • ½ bottle beer of your choice (*I used white wine)
  • salt and pepper
  • lemon zest, lemon slices and lemon juice – to taste
  • 1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
  • handful fresh basil leaves

1.    Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions.

2.    While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and when beginning to bubble, add in the onion and the garlic. Saute for 4 minutes until very fragrant.

3.    Pour in the beer. Turn the heat to medium-high. When the beer begins to bubble, add the shrimp,  fresh basil, lemon zest and juice. Cover and let cook for 4 minutes.

4.    Season with salt, pepper and crushed pepper flakes. Stir and taste sauce – season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve over pasta.

Weeknight Italian Wedding Soup

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Quick Post: This recipe couldn’t be easier! For those cold nights it’s perfectly warming and comforting. We had another blast of cold weather the past few days which was surprising since it’s recently been in the high 70s regularly. I always love taking advantage of a cool night by making it a good excuse for some comfort food and carbs in the form of these lovely breadsticks. I didn’t change a thing about these recipes and we were all happy about how they turned out. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup – adapted from Bev Cooks

  •  3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 (12 oz) package Al Fresco tomato and basil chicken meatballs
  •  1 small onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pinch crushed red
  •  1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 10 oz baby spinach
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a small skillet and brown the chicken sausages on all sides, until heated through, 5 minutes total. Remove from heat.

In a deep pot, heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Add the crushed pepper along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies start to soften, 6 minutes.

Add the wine and stock. Bring to a light boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 6 minutes.

Add the chicken sausages and spinach. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Almost Famous Breadsticks – adapted from Food Network

  • 1 package yeast
  • 4 1/4 cups AP flour,plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt

For the Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter,melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of dried oregano
Directions –

Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.

Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch-long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano. Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.

Meaty Meat Sauce (aka Man Pasta)

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I tweaked The Pioneer Woman’s recipe just a little to use what we had here and to enhance the flavor. I tried this once a couple of years ago and I remember that M really enjoyed it because he’s not much of a tomato sauce fan. He is a big meat fan of course, so this one made it to repeat status. I like the addition of Italian sausage and I get mine from a local specialty food store. They make their own sausages and these are so much better than any brand I have tried. Pair this simple sauce with a hearty pasta shape, serve with garlic bread and if you’re feeling a little guilty – a green salad. You can’t go wrong with this dinner, and the men in your life will thank you 🙂

Pasta alla Marlboro Man – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (I used a combination of hot and mild)
  • Salt To Taste
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
  • 1 teaspoon (generous) Ground Thyme
  • 1 28 ounce can San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 1 8 ounce can no salt tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 – 1 1/2 pounds Rigatoni

Directions –

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook a couple of minutes, until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat. Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Stir to combine. Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice, and tomato sauce. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and pour over top the meat sauce. Cook and combine over low heat.  Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings.

Penne and Shrimp with Vodka Cream Sauce

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Quick Post: This is quick, easy and it makes a lot of food, so it’s perfect for company.  I used this recipe, but I didn’t have white wine but I did have vodka. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Penne and Shrimp with Vodka Cream Sauce – adapted from The Pioneer Woman
  • 3/4 pounds Penne Pasta (I used a pound)
  • 1 pound Shrimp (I used 1.5 pounds, we love shrimp)
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Onion (small)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 cup vodka (or white wine)
  • 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • Salt To Taste
  • Pepper To Taste
  • lots of Parmesan cheese
  • fresh basil, if you have it

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your vodka or white wine. Let the vodka or wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use alcohol, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup

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Sometimes I base my dinner choices on what the weather will be like at night. We finally got our first cold snap here, and I was more than willing to take advantage of it. I love hearty soups and comforting main dishes like roasted chicken, pot pies and pot roasts on nights like these. What better way to warm your tummy than with something spicy, but not too heavy. I paired the soup with Parker House rolls for dipping, but a nice green salad would be a great accompaniment, too – but I was going for comfort here 😉 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup –
  • 1 pound lentils, picked through and rinsed well
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage (I used 2 links hot, 2 links mild)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 stalks diced celery
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • a few sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups vegetable stock (because I had some left over, you can use all stock or broth, if you’d prefer)
  • hot water if needed
  • 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • grated Parmesan

Directions –

In a 6 quart dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage until it is cooked through. Drain and set aside. In the same pot, add in the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, herbs and spices, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, vegetable stock, water (if needed), canned tomatoes, sausage, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup. Check the seasonings – add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Sandwiches

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Quick Post:  This was amazing! Panera Bread has nothing on homemade! This is so much cheaper than eating there, too 🙂 I will make this again and again. The baked ham and cheese sandwiches are a must for dipping. I used multi grain ciabatta bread, honey ham and baby swiss. Wrap each sandwich in foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. My picky daughter loved the simple sandwiches, but turned down the soup – more for me 😉 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup – adapted from Simply Scratch
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted Butter, divided
  • 1 small Yellow Onion, diced
  • 1 medium Carrot, julienned
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups Half-and-Half
  • 2 cups Vegetable Stock, plus more if needed
  • 1 bunch {12 ounces} Fresh Broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1/8 teaspoon Fresh Nutmeg, or more to taste
  • 8 ounces Good Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
  • Kosher Salt and Fresh Black Pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop the broccoli florets into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the broccoli and place it into a large bowl of ice water. Once cooled, drain the broccoli and set aside.

Sauté the onions and carrots in two tablespoons of butter until soft but still firm. Remove and set aside.

Add the 1/4 cup of melted butter to the same pan. Add in the flour, stir constantly for 2-3 minutes. 

Slowly pour half-and-half and then the vegetable stock while still whisking. Add in nutmeg and stir. Cover and simmer {over medium-low} for 20 minutes.

Next, reduce heat to low and add in the onions, carrots and broccoli. Add more vegetable stock if you feel the soup is too thick. Stir and cover to simmer for another 20-25 minutes.

Lastly, use a potato masher to break up the broccoli florets to desired size. Add in half of the cheddar cheese. Season generously {to taste} with kosher salt and black pepper. 

Serve immediately with additional cheddar cheese.

Lemony Yellowfin Tuna Over Pasta

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Quick Post: This was pretty good, but I will definitely modify the recipe for next time. I had slightly more than one pound of yellow fin tuna  and I seasoned it according to the recipe, which I should have changed. I will make sure to add more lemon, chili flakes and white wine and probably even some lemon zest to the foil packet. Also, I’ll make sure to use a sharper cheese, like the Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It has great potential to be really flavorful, but it was my fault that I didn’t compensate for the amount of food I made. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Lemony Ahi Tuna & Olive Oil Pasta – adapted from Simply Scratch

  • 10-12 ounces fresh or frozen Wild Caught Ahi Tuna Steaks{thawed if frozen}
  • 3/4 of a pound of Fettuccine or Linguine
  • 1 Lemon, sliced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, pressed through a garlic press or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1/4 cup Parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup Reserved Pasta Water
  • Salt and Fresh Black Pepper, to taste
  • Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and bring a large pot of water to boil. Season the water with lots of kosher salt.

On a piece of parchment or foil, lay a few of the lemon slices. Place the tuna on top and season with salt, pepper and top with more lemon slices.

In a small bowl; combine pressed garlic, red pepper flakes, wine and oil. Whisk it together and pour over lemons and tuna. Seal up the parchment or foil to eliminate any steam from escaping and place the foil pack on a rimmed sheet pan. Place pan on the middle rack in your oven and cook for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your tuna. {The tuna is done when a toothpick glides easily through the thickest part without meeting any resistance.}

After 10 minutes have elapsed since the fish has been in the oven, drop the pasta into the seasoned water and cook as directed on the package. Pastas have different cooking times so adjust your times accordingly. When the pasta is al dente, reserve a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water then drain the pasta and transfer pasta to a large bowl

When the fish has finished cooking, carefully open the foil pack from the top and remove the fish, being careful to keep the juices from spilling. Break apart the tuna into bite size pieces. And combine the cooking liquids with the pasta water. To the pasta; add the parsley, tuna and sauce liquids. Season with more salt, pepper and shaved cheese.

Toss and serve immediately!

New England Clam Chowder

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Quick Post: Yesterday I had a brilliant idea – clam chowder in a bread bowl. I have never eaten clam chowder this way, but I knew that it would be worth making. This was rich, flavorful and a definite keeper! We enjoyed eating the bread bowl after because it soaked up so much of the broth, which also made the bread easier to eat (it’s pretty chewy – but perfect for this kind of soup). December is the best excuse for making this kind of meal 😉 So are all the other cookies and carb heavy recipes I have shamelessly eaten lately! Thanks for reading, enjoy!
New England Clam Chowder – adapted from Food Network
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks (reserve tender leaves) trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons AP flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 bay leaves
  • sprigs of thyme
  • 1 pound Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/2 – inch cubes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions –

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes.

Citrus Chicken

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I had a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the fridge that were meant to be grilled. That is usually my go to method and they’re always marinated, but then I remembered that we’re out of propane – bummer! I came across this recipe at Tastespotting and was happy that I already had most of the ingredients required. I was worried about dry chicken, but this looked like a good recipe that would be full great Asian inspired flavor.

Verdict: Yum! This had great flavor, but next time I will make sure to reduce the citrus sauce down much more. The chicken was tender and juicy and I’m glad I made one and a half portions of the sauce to spoon over rice. Next time I will serve this with sugar snap peas or some other vegetable to round out the meal. I’m always happy when a new recipe turns out well and I’m not the only one who thinks so. I will make this again! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Kay’s Citrus Chicken – adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • thumb size piece of ginger
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • pinch dried chili flakes
  • 2 orange slices
  • 1 medium red onion
  • pepper
  • salt

Directions –

Squeeze out the oranges, sieve the juice and pour it into a sauce pan. Add the grated garlic, grated orange zest and grated fresh ginger. Pour in the honey and chicken broth. Add a few drops of tabasco, a good pinch of salt, pepper, and I squeezed in some lemon juice, about 2 tbsp. Add a pinch of chili flakes.

Mix the corn starch with a little water and whisk until it’s a lump-free liquid and pour it into the orange sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil and butter and cook the chicken over medium heat until nice and brown on all sides.

Transfer them to a casserole. Top the chicken breasts with the onion slices and place half an orange slice on top of each breast. Place the casserole in the oven and bake at 350Fº for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken is.

Navy Bean and Ham Soup

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Oh, TG leftovers, how I appreciate you! It’s so nice having leftovers that are easily turned into a whole new dish. Take the ham bone for instance – it doesn’t seem like much, but it lends rich flavor to this soup. I chopped up some leftover ham and added it to the pot towards the end of cooking right after using my stick blender to puree some of the soup. The flavor is warm and comforting and this may become a new Thanksgiving leftover tradition for my family 🙂 It’s so cheap to make too, and all I needed to buy was the navy beans because I had all the stock, veggies and herbs I needed for this. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Navy Bean and Ham Soup –

  • 1 pound navy beans, soaked for 6 to 8 hours
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • thyme, rosemary, bay leaf – tied with kitchen string
  • 1 meaty ham bone
  • 2-3 cups diced ham
  • 8 cups chicken stock or water

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven combine the beans, herb bundle, ham bone, onions, and garlic with the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and adjust the heat so the soup cooks at a gentle simmer, about 1-1/2 hours.

Add the chopped vegetables and beans. Cook for another hour, until the vegetables are soft, the beans are completely tender, and the ham meat easily pulls away from the bone. Pull the meat off the bone and discard the bones.

Turn off the heat and remove the ham bone. Cool slightly. Remove the meat from the ham bone, discarding the bones, fat, and skin. Cut the meat into small cubes. Remove the herb bundle and discard.

Puree about 3 cups of the beans with a some of the liquid in a blender or use your stick blender. (For a smoother soup puree all the beans.) Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup along with the chopped ham. Heat the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.