Grilled Shrimp and Bacon with Lemon and Crisp Red Potatoes wth Garlic-Herb Oil

Never underestimate the abilities of a man once you send him off to the kitchen with a Martha Stewart magazine. Over the weekend the Mister was hungry. It didn't look like I was going to let go of my work anytime soon, so as he usually does on the weekends the Mister cooked...and it was great.

Grilled Shrimp and Bacon with Lemons

16 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), shells split, but not removed, deveined
2 lemons
1 T. Old Bay seasoning
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 6 oz.)

Toss shrimp in a large nonreactive baking dish with zest and juice of one lemon, the Old Bay seasoning and oil. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat grill to medium-high. Slice remaining lemon into 1/4-inch slices. Grill lemon slices, shrimp and bacon directly on grates until lemon slices are caramelized (2 to 3 minutes per side), shrimp are cooked through (about 3 minutes per side), and bacon is lightly charred and crisp (4 to 5 minutes per side). Transfer lemons and shrimp to a bowl, and the bacon to a plate. Let cool slightly.

Tear bacon into 2-inch pieces, and add to bowl with lemons and shrimp.

Toss until well combined.

Serves 4

Crisp Red Potatoes with Garlic-Herb Oil

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
Large flake sea salt
3 T.  extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Heat grill to medium-high. Place potatoes in a large pot, and fill with cold water. Season with salt, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 12 to 13 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Halve potatoes, and toss with 1 T. oil.

Meanwhile, whisk together parsley, garlic, and remaining 2 T. oil in a large bowl.

Grill potatoes directly on grates, flipping until slightly charred and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Toss with garlic-herb oil.

Season with salt.

Serves 4

Marinated Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

This is a great way to use those garden items that tend to overtake your kitchen during the summer.

Grill up some chicken breasts....and you've got a great meal.

3 medium cucumbers, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

3 medium tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

I slice up the cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes and throw into a large mixing bowl. 

Then I mix up the remaining ingredients and pour over the veggies.  Toss well and pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours....at least.

I visit the fridge three or four times during the afternoon and toss the contents around to make sure everything is soaking well. 

Great the next day, too!!!

The Easiest Roast Ever!

I'm a bit busy these days trying to keep several projects spinning in the air. Cooking has basically taken a back burner position. I'm not exactly happy about it, but for now I'm looking for the easiest way to prepare decent food for us to eat without spending two hours to prepare and watch over the cooking.

This roast recipe is simple as far as ingredients go, and it cooks in the crock pot while you can be off doing other things.

Take a three pound chuck roast

 

Brown the roast on all sides.  I used a little olive oil in my pan.

  



Open three separate envelopes - 1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing mix, 1 envelope Ranch Dressing mix, and 1 envelope Brown Gravy mix

Mix the dry ingredients from each envelope with two cups water.

Add the roast to your crock pot and pour the water/dressing/gravy mixture over the roast.

Add the lid to crock pot and turn it on.

The roast will be done in four hours on HIGH or 8 hours if you use the LOW setting.

All you need to do is add some steamed carrots and mashed potatoes or other vegetables.

This recipe is most certainly a keeper!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 T. Olive Oil

2 stalks celery, diced small

2 medium carrots, diced small

1 medium onion, diced small

Salt and Pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 ¾ pounds  boneless chicken breast

6 ounces vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken into 1 ½ inch pieces

In a large pot heat oil over medium-high heat add celery, onion and carrots and cook till celery and carrots are crisp tender; about five minutes.

 

Add salt and pepper. Add broth and 4 cups water and bring to boil.

Add chicken, reduce heat to simmer and cover.

Cook until chicken is cooked through, about ten minutes. With tongs remove chicken and chop or shred into bite-size pieces.

Add pasta to pot and cook until tender, about four minutes. 

Stir in chicken pieces and serve.  

Squash Casserole

I got rid of the written version of this recipe years ago. It's one I just "know" how to cook......

Take a few squash.....six to seven medium to small squash.  Wash them and trim the ends. 

Slice the squash and add to boiling salted water.  Cook about five to ten minutes.

While the squash cooks. Chop one medium onion and two carrots.

Use a colander to drain squash. While it's draining....it should not be watery....open one can Cream of Mushroom soup and add to it one small container of sour cream. Mix together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add drained squash to the soup/sour cream mixture.

I used a whisk to mix in the squash. You don't want to puree it.....just break it up into manageable pieces. Stir well.

Melt one stick margarine or butter in a microwave safe container.  Add one-two cups Pepperidge Farm Seasoned Stuffing Mix to the butter. Stir well. Add more stuffing mix if you need to in order to get the butter mixed in. Spread some of the stuffing mix....just a little.... into your casserole dish. Reserve most of it.

Pour the squash mixture on top of the stuffing mix and spread evening in dish. Top with remaining stuffing mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

The recipe was my mother-in-law's....I made a few changes to it, and have made it for years and years. It's one way I managed to get a few vegetables down my the throats of my children when they were little.

This dish is always one we rely on for big family dinners......or like tonight....when I want a little "comfort" food.

Ham and Swiss Breakfast Pie

This "pie" is a simple recipe that I'll use again. It's real easy to substitute other ingredients depending if you are using the dish for brunch, breakfast or dinner. Change it up with sausage, bacon. Use Gouda cheese or Parmesan  Add in some chopped asparagus for a brunch type dish.  

No matter what.....it will be great!

I followed the recipe exactly last night and paired it with sliced tomatoes and fruit topped with a little mixture of sour cream and brown sugar.

1 1/3 cups water or chicken broth (I prefer the broth, but if you use it omit the salt)

1 cup whipping cream

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

2/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits

1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) shredded Swiss Cheese

8 large eggs, divided

1/2 lb. cooked ham, diced

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup milk

Garnish with fresh chopped chives

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking occasionally 5-7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cheese stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes.

Lightly beat 2 eggs, and stir into grits mixture; pour into a lightly greased 10-inch, deep dish pie plate.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes; remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.  

Saute ham and onions in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender. 

Layer ham mixture over grits crust. Whisk together milk and remaining 6 eggs; pour over ham mixture.  

Sprinkle remaining cheese over mixture. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and cut into wedges. Garnish, if desired.

Chicken Casserole

Everyone seems to have their own version for a Chicken Casserole and my mom and my mother-in-law were no different when I first married. Each wanted to know that I was using their recipe with some regularity. 

It was a little stressful considering I wanted to put my own mark on the whole thing. After all......it was MY kitchen, right?

So....I combined the two recipes.  Well, actually I combined the parts of both recipes that I liked, and this recipe has seen us through busy school days, nights at the ball field, and serves as a type of comfort food when we need it.

It's one of those things I make with NO recipe.  I just know what it should look like.   So.....I'll try......TRY to get it written down here.

First take one box (16 ounces) of linguine and cook it according to the package.   I salt the water and add a little olive oil.  I sample the noodles while they cook to make sure I don't get them too done......I generally take the pot off the stove once the noodles reaches the al dente stage.   

Drain the noodles.

In the meantime chop one medium size onion.   Throw it in a bowl with 2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup.  

Mix in one 8 ounce container Sour Cream, salt and pepper to taste, a small package of slivered almonds.

Add in 2-3 cups of diced, cooked chicken.   I generally buy 2 packages of the diced, cooked chicken at the grocery store to save myself a step.   I stick to breast meat.....

Mix everything well.  

Add the noodles and mix again very well to coat the noodles.   

Pour the noodle/chicken mixture into a glass 13 x 9 baking dish.  

Melt 1 stick butter in a 4-cup glass container.  Once melted mix in 2 cups Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix. Coat the dried breadcrumbs with the butter.

Spoon the breadcrumbs over the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.   

I generally serve this casserole with a nice green salad and rolls.