Lemon-Garlic Chipotle Shrimp

This is a scrumptious meal, especially if you like a hot, spicy, & tomato-ey shrimp dish. I normally serve this over my Asiago-Corn Polenta, which is also a little spicy, but you can also serve over some cheesy grits, or omit the Serrano peppers from the polenta.

Lemon-Garlic Chipotle Shrimp

**served over Asiago-Corn Polenta-see recipe

For Shrimp:

1 & ½ pounds Shrimp-washed, deveined & tail removed

3 cloves of fresh chopped Garlic

2-3 sprigs of Green onions-sliced

1 cup fresh chopped flat leaf Parsley

1 cup Chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce

Juice of 2 Lemons

2-3 Shallots-minced

Nature’s Seasoning to taste

1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

½ teaspoon Chipotle powder

Serrano pepper (optional) with seeds removed

Directions:

Heat oil & butter on medium-high heat. Sauté garlic, green onions, & shallots together. Add shrimp, mixing well. Add parsley, lemon juice, and all seasonings. Cook for about 5minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through. Add Serrano peppers if you like it very spicy. Otherwise, omit. Serve over Asiago-Corn Polenta.

Ginger-Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice

In the mood for something a little different? Trying to find a way to "hide" the veggies? Okay, I'm not really trying to hide them as much as I am attempting to use every last one of them before my upcoming 6 week trip.

Here's a tasty fried rice recipe packed full of veggies, chicken & a yummy ginger-sesame flavor!

Ginger Chicken-Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients:

½ pound Chicken breasts-diced

4 cups cold Jasmine rice

4 cloves fresh Garlic-minced

¼ cup chopped fresh Ginger

¼ cup toasted Sesame seeds

2 small Carrots-peeled & cubed

2 cups fresh Broccoli-chopped in small pieces

1 cup frozen Peas-heated

1 yellow Onion-diced

3 tablespoons Nam Pla

4 tablespoons Soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili Sauce

2 teaspoons Sesame oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 Eggs-beaten with a teaspoon of Soy sauce

1 teaspoon white Pepper

Directions:

In a large wok, heat both of your oils, then sauté ginger, onions, and garlic, until golden brown. Add chicken, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, chili sauce, & 1 teaspoon nam pla. Cook until done. Add the broccoli & carrots. Mix & then cover. Allow to sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir periodically.

Move the chicken & veggies to the side, & add your whisked eggs. Allow the eggs to cook like an omelet-do not mix, except to move your pan to allow all the egg mixture to coat the side of the pan. Once almost cooked, add rice, remaining spices, peas & seasonings, & stir well. Once everything is well combined, cook until rice is heated, then remove & serve immediately.

Roasted Herbed Rack of Lamb

We had a rack of Lamb I've been saving for a special occasion, & Christmas dinner felt like a perfect time. This was my very first time, & I can say I would have opted to cook it a little longer (its a little too pink for me). Which I ended up doing for an extra 5 minutes. It ended up being done with a little pink spot in the middle. The crust was Ahh-maZING! Try it. You will LOVE it!

Roasted Herbed Rack of Lamb

Ingredient:

2-3 large Garlic cloves

½ cup chopped fresh Basil

½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese

1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons herbs de Provence*

1 & ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 & ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Salt

1 /2 teaspoon pepper

1 &1/2-pound rack of lamb, trimmed

Directions:

Mince garlic in processor. Add basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, Dijon, and Romano. Pulse in food processor until all ingredients are smooth & come together in a paste. The paste can be made ahead of time. Chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Arrange, bone side down, on small rimmed baking sheet. Press breadcrumb mixture onto lamb, coating completely. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 30 minutes. Let lamb rest 15 minutes. Transfer lamb to cutting board. Cut between bones into individual or double chops.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

When planning dinner last night I realized that I had eaten over the last week, enough sugar, carbs, and butter to kill a large horse. It was time for something a little healthier, AND totally different.....Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps...how different can that be from the many holiday foods we all eat around this time of year. After two of these, and a glass of water, I felt like I had "done my body good".....!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Leaves from Butter Lettuce-washed & patted dry

4 tablespoons Oil

1 teaspoon Sesame oil

3 boneless skinless Chicken breasts

1/2 cup Water Chestnut (from can)

½ cup Mushrooms-chopped

½ yellow Onion-minced

2-3 green Onions-chopped

1 cup fresh Carrots-julienned

3 cloves minced fresh Garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons Soy sauce

2 teaspoons Fish sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Siracha sauce

1 tablespoon hot Mustard

1 teaspoon red chili paste in oil

White pepper

¼ cup toasted Sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat oil over high heat in a large wok. Sauté onions, garlic, and green onions until golden brown & fragrant. Add chicken, soy sauce, white pepper, fish sauce, chili sauce, Siracha, and stir well. Cover & cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add carrots, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add mustard, rice wine vinegar, sugar, water chestnuts, and mushrooms & cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat & stir in sesame seeds. Serve immediately over washed & dried lettuce leaves.

Homemade Croutons

Let me tell you this. These taste 1000% better than store bought, pre-seasoned, and boxed croutons. Plus you can make them with your bread that's already a few days old, & isn't fresh enough to serve with dinner. Try it....Enjoy!

Homemade Croutons 

You’ll need:

1 Loaf Crusty, French or Italian style sourdough bread

¼ cup Olive oil

Red Pepper flakes

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

½ teaspoon Oregano

Garlic/Onion salt to taste

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet (with sides). Cut bread into large bite sized cubes.

In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil over bread, stirring frequently. Stir well, and then add remaining seasonings, and cheese, stirring as you add them.

Once thoroughly combined, add to pan, and bake for 10 minutes.

Mix. Continue to bake for 5 minutes at a time until you have the desired crispiness. Remove. Cool & store in a large zip lock bag at room temperature. 

Pumpkin-Potato Gnocchi with Walnut Cream Sauce

• 1 1/4 pounds russet (baking potatoes)
• 1 (3/4-pound) Pumpkin (I used canned Pumpkin)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt (about 2 pinches)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Equipment needed: a potato ricer, or a food mill or food processor fitted with fine disk

For Sauce:

2 teaspoons Butter

2 teaspoons Olive Oil

4-5 pieces fresh Sage or Basil (I used Basil this time, but Sage works well too)

½ cup Shredded Parmesan

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

¼ cup Walnuts-Toasted then pulsed in Food processor

2 cups Half & Half (this is lower in fat that whole cream, but as you reduce the sauce it will thicken.

1 cup hot Pasta water

To make gnocchi:
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.

Pierce russet potatoes and sliced pumpkin pieces in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

**If you do decide to use plain canned pumpkin, which works just as well, make sure than you take care to drain it for at least 4 hours before hand in a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer. Otherwise, it will add too much water to your recipe.

Cool potatoes & pumpkin slightly, then peel and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool completely.

Lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

Gather potatoes and pumpkin into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center. Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes-pumpkin mixture.

Knead in cheese and 1 1/2 cups flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

Cut dough into 6 pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour. Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.

Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

Cook gnocchi:
Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with sauce. Cook the remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked.

To make sauce:
Add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic, and green onions. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant and golden brown, add ½ and half. Season. Bring to a boil, and then add 1 cup pasta water. Mix well & turn off heat. You can begin adding your cooked gnocchi to the sauce pan as they are done, and continue to finish cooking your sauce. Remove from heat. Serve.