Penne Pasta Crab Louie Salad

It's salad season and I'm excited to share this new one with you. It's quick, inexpensive and looks oh-so pretty on a plate. I was going to make it with shrimp but came across some imitation crab on sale at my market. All I can say is, what a difference in price, and it's worth a try! I used to be a snob about the Pollack/King Crab mixture and wouldn't give it a second thought. Well, times have changed. I'm a big girl now and have to admit, it's really quite delicious. The brand I bought is Trans Ocean Crab Classic and I'll buy it again.

Penne Pasta Crab Louie Salad
Serves 4-6

The Salad
6 oz uncooked penne pasta
8 oz imitation crab
1/2 cup finely diced celery
4 scallions (white and light green parts) chopped

The Sauce
1-1/2 T cocktail sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used lite)
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
1/2-1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 T capers
salt and pepper to taste

The Garnish (use one or all)
hard boiled eggs
baby spinach
grape tomatoes halved
Olde Thompson Steak & Burger Seasoning

Prepare penne according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, prep your crab, celery and scallions. When penne is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. To make the Louie sauce, combine all ingredients, mix well and taste to see if you need additional salt, pepper or lemon. I like my Louie sauce on the lemony side. Mix your sauce with the cooled pasta, crab, celery and scallions and refrigerate until chilled.

Right before serving, I give the salad an additional squeeze of lemon to loosen it up a bit and regenerate it. Plate this baby up and enjoy, I sure did!

Lemon Explosion

I love when a new cookie idea works, and this one did...like a dream. I had a jar of lemon curd in my pantry and wasn't sure if I was going to use it in an experiment that involved French toast, something savory or maybe another version of my famous cream-filled cookies. Well you know me, I dove head first into the cookie project. Let's make some creamy, dreamy, lemony cookies.

Lemon Cream Filled Lemon Cookies
Makes 16 2 inch sandwich cookies
 
Filling:
8 oz Neufchatel cheese softened to room temp
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd

Dough:
3/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
3/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 large eggs room temp
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

To make the filling: In medium size bowl combine all ingredients. I mix the cream cheese and butter first (mix about 2 or 3 minutes to get some air in the mixture). Then add the lemon curd and sugar. I use a hand mixer. Very important step here- wash your hands and dry them well. Now with your impeccably clean pointer finger, scoop as much of this creamy confection onto it and take a taste. Yummy, right?

cream

Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge while you wash your hands again and make the cookies. By the way, you could also make the filling a day ahead, which due to time juggling, is what I did.

To make the cookies: Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In medium size bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt (I use a whisk). Set aside.

In large bowl, with hand mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix until smooth and airy (about 2-3 minutes). Add eggs, both extracts and lemon zest. When mixture is smooth, add half the dry ingredients into the wet and mix on low. Add the rest of the dry ingredients until incorporated. This is a sticky dough, so you'll want to cover it or wrap it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, form dough into 1-1/2 inch balls and place on baking sheets.

Looks like a matzo ball, right? Leave enough room between cookies, as these babies spread. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly on cooling  rack, then remove to paper or kitchen towels to cool completely. Don't these look light and tasty?

And ready to be filled? You bet! Remove filling from the fridge. Take a hefty teaspoon of the creamy filling and place it on the underside/flat side of a cookie. Take a second cookie and cover the filling to make a sandwich. Keep going until all cookies have found their match. Don't use all the cream, as you'll want a few tablespoons to garnish the tops of the cookies.

Dust with confectioner's sugar. I like to dust through a sieve to make the sugar even finer.

And for a final presentation, add a dollop of remaining lemon cream to the top, then add a sprinkling of lemon zest to the dollop and serve in cupcake wrappers.

 

 

If fresh herbs looked good in my market, a pretty leaf of mint or thyme would have been the perfect garnish- right on top or next to my creamy dollop. With or without the herbs, this cookie is sure to please all the lemon lovers in your life.   

Thai Inspired Red Curry Satay Chicken Soup

I can't get enough of the Thai flavors. The red chilis, lemongrass, peanuts and coconut milk to name a few. You name it- I'm hooked. Last night's dinner was simple to make and fabulous to slurp. And served with Jasmine rice, well it was over the top delish. Want to make this? I can't wait to re-live putting this simple dish together. And don't let the long ingredient list stop you from making this. It's mostly a "can opener" experience and very little prep. Let's get going.

Red Curry Satay Chicken Soup
Serves 4

1-1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in chicken breast or breasts with skin removed
Kosher salt
1 T canola oil
1 small onion diced
2 T Thai red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 can (14 oz) lite unsweetened coconut milk
1-1/2 cups water or chicken broth (I used water)
1-1/2 T fish sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/2 cup Thai Kitchen Peanut Satay Sauce (easy to find in international aisle of your market)
1-1/2 T chili garlic sauce
1 red pepper sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
Juice of one lemon or lime (I used a lemon, no lime in the fridge)
chopped dry roated peanuts for garnish
scallion slices for garnish
Fresno chilis sliced for garnish

Clean and wash your chicken breasts. I had a breast in my package that was soooo big, I ended up just using the one. It was about 1-3/4 pounds. Remove skin, sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside.

In large soup pot on stovetop, add canola oil and heat on medium to low heat. Add onions and sweat for about 3-4 minutes. Now add your chopped garlic and red curry paste.

Let aromatics cook for a few more minutes on low until you can smell the chili and lemongrass in the paste. It's now time to add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, brown sugar, peanut satay sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Stir together with a spatula to combine and add your chicken breast(s).

Well, I had a nice photo array of the chicken cooking, veggies being added and it seems that my photos are no longer compatible with my blog. So, trooper that I am, I'm finishing the post without anymore new pics. Grrrrrrrrr. That's directed at you Google.

Anyway, cook chicken on low, covered, until done. Don't over cook it. My whopper breast cooked for 36 minutes on low/simmer and rested for about 10-15 minutes until I could handle it and shred it.

While chicken is resting, slice your red pepper in strips, prepare your garnishes and make your Jasmine rice in a separate pan. I'm not a great rice cooker so I use the Success brand Jasmine rice. Ready in 9 minutes.

Add shredded chicken to soup, add sliced red pepper and let them cook together 10-15 minutes. Now add the peas and corn. Cook about another minute and add the juice of one lemon or lime. When plating, I put a dome of rice in the center of each bowl and added the soup around the edges. You see, sometimes I just enjoy a mouthful of rice with very little broth and sometimes I like it nicely mixed. This way you can do both. Garnish with scallions, Serano chilis and crushed roasted peanuts. Cilantro would be a natural, but there was none available in my market. I hope you enjoy this. I had a taste tonight before writing and it's just as good if not better than yesterday. And look at that fabulous color. A very happy meal I must say!

Sultry

If you like the sultry, exotic spices of North Africa and the Middle East, you'll like this chicken meatball sandwich. No, you'll love this chicken meatball sandwich. It's got flavor boosters in every component, and your kitchen will emit all the aromas of a Moroccan spice tent. 

And please don't let the large ingredient list inhibit you, because you know if I made it- it's not hard, but it sure is delish! And there's not an ingredient in this recipe that you can't easily pick up in your local supermarket. When I'm pressed for time, I make the meatballs on day one, then put the barley salad together the day I'm ready to serve these little darlings.

Saucy Chicken Meatball Pita Sammies with Pearl Barley Salad
Serves 5

5 pita rounds 6" diameter
1 small bag of baby spinach

Meatballs
1 large egg slightly beaten
2 T tomato paste (I use the paste in a tube)
3 T chopped cilantro
1 T fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of cinnamon
1-1/2 slices Italian bread ground in spice mill
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken

Sauce
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 T garlic minced
1 lemon zested
1/2 cup kalamata olives chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (I use Chardonnay)
1/4 cup water
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Barley Salad
2 cups cooked pearl barley
1/2 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts
1/2 cup diced feta cheese
1/3 cup raisins plumped in boiling water
1/3 cup Kalamata olives
1/3 cup sliced scallions 1/4"
2 T cilantro chopped

Dressing
2 lemons juiced
2 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Okay, lets do this with a few pictures.
To make the meatballs:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine all meatball ingredients except the chicken.

Now add the chicken and combine without working the mixture too much.

Form 15 to 16 1-1/2"meatballs and place on prepared baking pan and cook 30 minutes.

To make the sauce:
While meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. In large saucepan heat oil on low. Saute onion for 5 minutes to soften. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes more. Now add the lemon zest and olives. Cook a few minutes more. Increase heat a bit and add white wine. Cook until wine is almost evaporated and veggies/aromatics do not burn. Stir in water, tomato sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Return to low simmer, cover and wait for meatballs to be ready to take a bath in the sauce. After their 30 minutes in the oven, add the meatballs to the aromatic tomato broth. Lower heat, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Now doesn't that look yummy?

To make the salad:
Cook barley according to package directions and cool. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss.

To make the dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a small jar, shake to combine and pour about half the mixture on the barley salad (save the rest to drizzle on sandwiches).

I like to grill my pita rounds on both sides so they are soft, warm and toasty. Lay a handful of baby spinach leaves on the bottom of each pita round.

To each pita round, top with 3 meatballs and an extra helping of the exotic tomato sauce. Add the barley salad, a little more lemon dressing and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Roll up and enjoy your meal in the casbah.

I have also enjoyed this sandwich with a Roasted Garlic, Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Tzatziki Sauce. Here's a quick recipe for that:

2 cups Greek yogurt (I never have to drain this if it's Greek yogurt, but if you use regular, drain to let the liquid escape)
1 English cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped or grated
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon squeezed
1 T olive oil
1 clove roasted garlic
pinch of black pepper

Mix all ingredients together, chill, then top your meatball pitas with it. Very yummy.

Sizzling

I love scampi. I love the garlic, the decadent sauce and of course the shrimp. Tonight I added a twist to my regular scampi recipe and I'm so thrilled with it I had to postpone the kitchen clean up and get this quick little recipe down in writing. Over the last year I have been playing with (what I believe is a Portuguese spice blend) Sazon con Azafran. I buy it in the international aisle of my grocery store. Here's what it looks like.

It comes in a box with small envelopes inside. For this recipe, because of all the garlic I only used one envelope. Anyway, this is a quick prep, a quick saute and a meal you'll want to linger over.

Scampi con Azafran
This should serve 3- but I think since it's so good, plan on it for 2 (or double the recipe for 4)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined- I like the 16-20 shrimp/pound measure
3 T unsalted butter
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T minced garlic
1 packet Sazon Goya con Azafran
1 lemon zested
1 lemon squeezed of juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cups cooked brown rice- tonight I used 2 Uncle Ben's Boil n Bags
chopped scallion, cilantro or parsley for garnish

Finely chop your garlic. I used 2 humongous garlic cloves and that gave me the 2 T of what I needed. Zest your lemon and then squeeze it for the juice. Mix your salt, pepper and azafran together in a small bowl and we're ready to start cooking. In large saucepan heat your butter and oil over medium low heat. You'll be adding your garlic next and you want it to gently cook, so medium low is the temp. Trust me- once you've burned garlic, you'll never cook it on anything but medium low again. Add your garlic and cook about 1 minute. Now add your shrimp.

Time to give this dish another flavor boost, so add the salt, pepper an Azafran.

Mix in the spices and cook about 5 minutes, turning the shrimp over halfway through. Just before you're ready to plate, add your lemon zest, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Toss again.

Serve with brown rice and enjoy! And don't forget a pretty green garnish.

The shrimp is cooked to perfection, the sauce is succulent and the flavors work so well together you will most definately eat more that you planned. My advice: Wear stretch pants tomorrow!

Spicy Mozambique Shrimp

I took a culinary trip tonight to South East Africa with Tara Pacheco's simply devine shrimp recipe, cooked in beer with some exotic spices that I was lucky enough to find in my local market. This dish is a quick fix, and it is out of this world, a must try for adventurous shrimp lovers.  Here's a picture of the festive spice package, so when you go hunting for it, you'll know what to look for.

Spicy Mozambique Shrimp
Inspired by Tara Pacheco

1 pound shrimp, deveined and tails left on- I used 16-21 count per pound
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
3 T unsalted butter
1 T canola oil
2 T Sriracha sauce- although any hot sauce like Franks or Texas Pete would work
1 bottle of beer- I used Sam Adams
2 packets of Goya Sazon con Azafran
Juice of 1 lemon

In large pot add butter, oil, garlic and onions. Cook on medium to low until veg are translucent, but not brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add beer, hot sauce and sazon. Increase heat a bit and add the shrimp and lemon juice. Cover and cook on a low boil 5-6 minutes until shrimp become pink. Ready to eat? Hope so, 'cause your shrimp are done.

I served my portion with brown rice and loved every minute of it. But I have quite a bit of liquid left over and I am not wasting it. Next time I will serve this with big pieces of charred grilled Portuguese bread to sop up the seductive, spicy, delicious broth.  I think that's all you need.

This was just so easy and fast, I'm encouraging you to give it a try.

Super Fast and Fresh

Cooking Light has a series called Super Fast 20 Minute Cooking and I recently re-mixed their Spinach, Pasta and Pea Soup recipe from the October '11 issue. This soup is indeed quick. And I love the lemon, the small hint of oregano (a spice I rarely use), and the massive amounts of garlic and scallions I added. Plus the addition of a shredded rotisserie chicken breast made this the perfect, quick fix that got me through the first day of a miserable cold.

Spinach, Pasta, Bean and Chicken Soup
Inspired by Cooking Light

1 T extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves chopped
4 thinly sliced scallions
4 cups fat free, lower sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup broken pasta- I used linguini, Cooking Light used orzo
1 lemon zested- Cooking Light called for 1 T of zest and I just didn't have another lemon
Juice of 1 lemon -Cooking Light called for 1 T of juice, and that didn't seem enought for me so I used the whole lemon
1 15 oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained -Cooking Light used chick peas
1/2 tsp dried oregano -Cooking Light used 1 T fresh oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp lemon pepper- my contribution
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes- my contribution
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 6 oz package fresh baby spinach
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Breast meat from a rotisserie chicken shredded- my contribution

Heat a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add olive oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add garlic and scallions and cook for a minute or two. Lower heat or remove pan from heat if garlic begins to burn. Back on the heat, add chicken broth and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add pasta, lemon rind, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and cannelini beans. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Lower or turn off heat. Add chicken, lemon juice and spinach. Cover and serve when spinach is wilted. Top each serving with a few tablespoons of cheese. And if you're really ailing, I think a dash or two of hot sauce in your bowl might be a good thing.


Here's to a healthy winter season with lots of recipes and remedies that will get us through the sniffles and actual illnesses. And a very happy Thanksgiving to all. I'm looking forward to spending my time eating and enjoying life with Lori next week.

Back to Earth

After my last post I went into a food coma and decided some sensible eating was in order. So last night I made Roasted Shrimp with Lemon Sauce. Ina Garten has been roasting shrimp for ages and claims that roasting adds flavor to the shrimp that the boiling method takes away. I followed her recipe to the letter. But I wanted to add a little something, something to the mix so I zested a lemon, squeezed the juice, tossed the shrimp in the mixture and made a great little meal/appetizer.

Baked Shrimp Cocktail with Lemon Sauce
Inspired by Ina Garten

1 pound shrimp (16-20 count) peeled and de-veined, I left the tails on
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Roast 8 minutes. While shrimp are cooking, zest and squeeze the juice from your lemon. When shrimp are done, toss with lemon juice and zest. Let cool and refrigerate.


The best part of this dish (for me) are the dipping sauces. My favorite so far is Sambal Olek right out of the jar.

A close second is good ol' Russian dressing, with a dash or two of horseradish. It goes well with the bite of lemon and is so easy to make. Mix equal parts of ketchup and light mayo, add as much (or as little) horseradish as you like, and sweet relish is optional.

Alternative Sauces: Sweet Thai chili sauce is good too, right out of the bottle. And if you like Asian flavors, mix a little soy sauce with rice vinegar, scallions and sesame seeds.

I agree with Ina- there's no reason to boil shrimp ever again.