Tag Archives: butter

Escargot Bourgignonne

Cruises are a wonderful thing. In the last 19 years I’ve been on 14, so far. Most of them on Carnival Cruise Lines. John and I take cruise vacations over all others for the most part. Sure we go up to my family’s summer place in Maine but that’s different. Cruises are wonderful. You get treated like royalty. No making your beds or cleaning your room! It’s wonderful. Someone cooks for you 24/7 and cleans up! Gotta love that! But one of the best things about cruising is that you get to try all kinds of food that you would normally not have. Escargot for instance. I had them on my very first cruise and I’ve been hooked ever since! I don’t care that they are really fancy slugs. It’s my way of payback for all damage slugs have done to my gardens over the years!

Anyway, I’ve had them in many different styles. This version is pretty popular. On the cruise ships you get them this way or even covered in cheese! Cheese, garlic, wine, oil…All very tasty! Every cruise we take we always look forward to the night we get to eat snails! I would eat them more if they served them more. This recipe is actually from Carnival Cruise Lines. I bought their cookbook on my 2nd cruise, which was actually my first Carnival Cruise. I’ve been on Carnival eight times now. Two more and I become a VIP! Woo hoo! The last cruise was in December 2009 and we went to the Panama Canal. Incredible! But I digress…Escargot! This recipe isn’t very hard and you can get cans of the little buggers in pretty much every supermarket. They are in the tuna aisle.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup butter

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons white wine

1 tsp Pernod or anise-flavored liqueur (omit if you don’t like anise)

Pinch grated nutmeg

1 can escargot, well-drained

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cheesy Escargot on the Carnival Miracle Dec. 2009

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large frying pan, melt butter over high heat; stir in garlic and onion. Cook until tender but not brown.

2. Stir in wine, liqueur, nutmeg and escargot; season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10-15 minutes or until flavors are blended. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 6

Microwave Shrimp Scampi

No matter how many Italian restaurants you go to,  if you order Shrimp Scampi you will rarely get the same thing twice. I think every restaurant has their own version of this simple and delicious meal. Some bread the shrimp, some have a creamy sauce, some grill the shrimp, some have lots of garlic, others don’t. The list can go on and on. Years ago I came across a recipe for the microwave that is so simple and fast that I use it quite a bit. I also adapted it of course to my cooking style. I used to serve it over linguini. Those days are over! Now I use the Tofu Shirataki Noodles for the most part. You can also use any small pasta like orzo or even rice. Linguini or spaghetti shaped pasta, wheat or regular is always a good choice though. It’s up to you. My recipe also calls for a little more garlic than most people like, so if you are one of those who aren’t crazy about lots of garlic, just put less in. This recipe is a great “go to” recipe if you need something fast, and happen to have shrimp in the freezer. I always have shrimp on hand. I stock up. (Yes, for when our friend Andre is visiting!) No really, I actually buy my shrimp at Walmart. No joke. We have a Super Walmart where I do most of my grocery shopping. They sell a 14 ounce bag of frozen cooked and cleaned or raw, large shrimp for $5! Sometimes they have the extra-large, same 14 ounces, for $6. Everytime I go I try and get another bag. This way I always have shrimp on hand. It’s great for any unexpected guests who pop in too. Shrimp cocktail is always a winner! A quick way to defrost that bag of frozen shrimp? Just put the shrimp in a large bowl (yes take it out of the bag first) and cover with cool water. Not hot or warm water. Cool water. Check after about 10-15 minutes, if shrimp is still a little frozen, dump the water and add fresh. It shouldn’t take more than another 5 minutes. Easy! Oh and I don’t know if you are like me when it comes to “shrimp tails” but I think it is such a pain in my butt to have to stop and remove the tail while eating! Every single restaurant leaves them on. Sure they look nice but really. Do we need to make a mess trying to get that tail off and not ending up with it in our lap? I think we can forgo the tail! So in this recipe, remove the tails before cooking along with the rest of the shell! Whew, thanks for letting me vent! And now for the recipe!

Photo is for illustrative purposes only!


INGREDIENTS:

½ cup butter (or butter substitute)

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound raw large shrimp, cleaned and DE-TAILED (you will thank me!)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup white wine (any kind you have is fine)

Paprika (optional)

Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the butter in a 2 quart microwave safe bowl or casserole dish. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, wine and salt.

2. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper or other type of cover.

3. Microwave on HIGH until shrimp is pink/opaque and tender, about 3-6 minutes, stirring twice.

4. Serve over linguine, spaghetti, orzo, rice, quinoa, or whatever you want! Sprinkle some paprika on top if desired. Serve with parmesan cheese for the top and maybe some nice crostini or Italian bread to soak up the garlic butter!

Serves 2




Sandwich Spreads

When we make sandwiches we usually put either mayonnaise or mustard or both on them. I’m the last person to put down mayonnaise but why not try something different. I actually use guacamole sometimes if I have leftovers in the fridge. Have to use it before it turns brown so I use it on sandwiches, hamburgers and even hot dogs! So good! I have a few other substitutes that we can all use on our sandwiches that will definitely give them more pizzazz! Don’t be scared, try it, you may like it. And I of course will use the light versions of most of these items if they are available. These spreads will last up to a week in the fridge!

BLUE CHEESE & WALNUT BUTTER

This is great on roast chicken, beef or apple sandwiches.

Beat ½ cup soft butter and ½ cup crumbled blue cheese in a bowl. Stir in ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts. Makes 1 cup

CREAMY PEPPERY GREENS

This is great on roast beef or corned beef sandwiches.

Stir 1/3 cup minced arugula, 1/3 cup minced radicchio, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper  into 1 cup mayonnaise. Makes 1 2/3 cup.

FIG JAM

This is great for turkey or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Plump 1 cup chopped dried figs in 3 cups hot water for 25 minutes. Drain the figs, reserving some liquid. Puree in a food processor. Add the saved liquid until the mixture is spreadable. Like jam! Stir in ¼ teaspoon orange zest. Makes 2/3 cup.

ZESTY WHITE BEAN

This spread is delicious on ham, veggie or tuna steak sandwiches.

Blend one 15-ounce can rinsed cannellini beans in a food processor with 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Makes 1 cup.

Crab Dip w/Garlic Saltines and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Ok, I can’t take the credit for this recipe but I will thank Tyler Florence for it! I saw this on his show on the Food Network one weekend and made it last week. It was delicious! Easy too! And the saltines are incredible! I am going to make another batch this weekend! Even John who doesn’t eat many carbs in the form of crackers loved them! He was adding peanut butter to the crackers! But the dip is awesome on it. It is also better to let it sit over night in the refrigerator. The flavors will meld better. I also used the lighter versions of cream cheese and mayonnaise in my version. A suggestion from John is to heat it up also and serve it as a hot dip. I haven’t tried that yet but when we do I will post the results on here! We had this as our appetizer to our Thanksgiving dinner last Sunday. Washed it down with a bottle or two of Prosecco.

INGREDIENTS:

For the crab dip:

1 (8oz.) cup cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (DO NOT USE REGULAR MUSTARD)

½ tablespoon lemon juice

About 1 tablespoon EVOO (Extra-virgin olive oil), optional

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1½ cups (about 12 ounces) fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked over (I used claw meat and it was fine)

For the crackers:


2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ stick butter, melted (I used a butter substitute)

30 saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve)

For the tomatoes:

1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

EVOO, optional

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

For the crab dip:

1. In a food processor add the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, blend until smooth. Then add the lemon juice and olive oil, if desired and season with salt and pepper. Process until well combined, scraping down the sides as you go.

2. Scoop the mixture into a large mixing bowl and fold in the chopped chives and crabmeat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper then cover and set aside in refrigerator.

For the crackers:

1. Meanwhile, prepare the saltines. Make a garlic butter by combining the minced garlic with parsley and melted butter.

2. Lay out a flat layer of saltines on a baking tray (I just sprayed it with cooking spray) and use a pastry brush to baste the saltines with garlic butter. Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until golden.

For the tomatoes:

1. Split each tomato lengthwise and toss in a mixing bowl with balsamic vinegar. Toss the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil, if desired, over the top. Season with salt and pepper and bake in oven for 7-8 minutes.

To Serve:

Arrange the three components so they can be assembled by easily. Take a saltine, spoon a little crab dip on top and garnish with a piece of tomato.

Makes 4-6 servings

Mock Apple Pie

I am sure many of you may remember years ago the recipe on the side of the Ritz Cracker box. It was for Mock Apple Pie. No apples needed! I remember making it a few times and still couldn’t figure out how it tasted like apple pie without any apples in it! I believe it has something to do with the crackers but I do not know how it’s done! I just came across the recipe and thought I’d share it with everyone. It’s very easy and again, no apples needed!

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry for two crust 9-inch pie

36 RITZ crackers

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Grated rind of one lemon

Butter or margarine

Cinnamon


DIRECTIONS:

1. Roll out bottom crust of pastry and fit into a 9″ pie plate.

2. Break the RITZ crackers coarsely into the pastry-lined plate.

3. In a large saucepan combine the water, sugar and cream of tartar. Boil gently for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and rind. Cool.

4. Pour syrup over crackers and dot generously with butter or margarine and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with top crust. Trim and flute edges together. Cut slits in top crust to let steam escape.

5. Bake in 425º oven for 30-35 minutes, until crust is crisp and golden. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream if you want! (I know in my house we will!)

Makes 6-8 slices

Italian Sauces (Part 1)

When most people think of Italian sauces they usually think of the tomato sauce, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce and probably white clam sauce. But there are so many more sauces out there  that are all wonderful in their own way. Growing up in my house my mother used to serve us a quick spaghetti meal we called Aiole. It was a basic olive oil and garlic sauce. Simple and fast and it was delicious. I am going to go through most of the basic sauces out there and hopefully put in some pictures so you know what they look like. I will have the second half of them next week so keep an eye open for them!

ALFREDO: Alfredo sauce is rich with heavy cream, butter, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is best known when used with fettuccine. Love the sauce, hate the fat and calories! A luxury I must have every so often. You don’t have to limit it to fettuccine either, use it on any kind of pasta you want. Usually the heavier pastas do best. Throw some chicken or shrimp in there as well and it gets even better!

Fettuccine Alfredo

AGLIO E OLIO: This is a traditional Italian sauce (it’s what we called Aiole) that can be made on a budget. This is probably why we had it so often. It is said to have originated in the isolated region of Abruzzo but it is popular everywhere in Italy. It is usually served with spaghetti (that’s how we had it) and the sauce is made by lightly sautéing minced or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes adding dried red pepper flakes. You can also add finely chopped fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

Aglio e Olio

ARRABBIATA: Arrabbiata is Italian for “angry”. This is a zesty tomato based sauce that gets its heat from chili peppers. It is basically a Roman sauce of garlic, tomatoes, and red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. Basil is used sometimes though most chefs in Italy don’t use it. This dish is usually served with pasta and chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top.

Spaghetti Arrabbiata

BOLOGNESE: Bolognese sauce is a robust meat sauce also known as ragù (no not the jar sauce!). It is a hearty sauce with ground beef or pork, pancetta, tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and celery. The sauce is sometimes enhanced by adding a little bit of wine, cream and seasoning. This sauce originated in Bologna, Italy where the natives traditionally serve it with freshly made tagliatelle and their traditionally green lasagna. Spaghetti alla Bolognese is a form that is popular outside of Italy which consists of a meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti with a good sprinkling of grated Parmigiano cheese. What is really funny about this version is that it never really existed in Bologna, where the sauce is always served with tagliatelle or lasagna (egg pastas). Spaghetti is a durum wheat pasta from Naples.

Spaghetti Bolognese

CARBONARA: Carbonara is another popular sauce that is usually made with eggs, cream, Parmesan cheese and bits of bacon. Many times this sauce also has green peas in it as well. Usually served with spaghetti it is also used on fettuccine, rigatoni or bucatini. Recipes vary but all agree that cheese, eggs, cured fatty pork (pancetta) and black pepper are basic. Origins of this dish are obscure and it has many legends about it. It was created in the middle of the 20th century so it’s not that old as far as sauces go.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

CLAM SAUCE: The most popular clam sauce is the white version. Usually served with linguine this popular sauce has minced clams, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and parsley. There is also a thin tomato sauce with minced clams. You don’t usually see this recipe on menus much. Some versions use whole clams and hot pepper flakes.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

GENOVESE/PESTO: I don’t think I’ve ever really heard of a Genovese sauce before. Most of us know this sauce as Pesto. The name means it originates from Genoa (imagine that!), which is a coastal city in NW Italy. Genovese/Pesto sauce is an uncooked sauce traditionally made of fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. It didn’t really become popular in North America until the 1980s and 1990s.

Fettuccine with Pesto Sauce

GREMOLATA: Ok here is another sauce I never heard of anywhere. It is more of a chopped herb condiment. It’s typically made of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. Traditionally it’s used as an accompaniment to the Italian classic Osso Buco (braised veal shank). The citrus element in this actually makes it a great addition to seafood dishes as well!

Gremolata Sauce

MARINARA: This is the classic Italian tomato sauce. It’s seasoned with onions, garlic and oregano, and basil. It’s a favorite on pasta, pizza and meats. This is another sauce that has many variations. Some of them even call for adding capers, olives and spices. Italians refer to marinara only in association with other recipes. Spaghetti alla marinara literally translates to mariner’s spaghetti. However, tomato sauce is called salsa al pomodoro which includes marinara sauce as well as other tomato-based sauce. Marinara sauce was invented by cooks aboard Neapolitan ships in the mid-1500s after the Spaniards introduced the tomato (a New World vegetable) to Europe! This is a very easy sauce to make and it resists spoiling due to the high acid content of the tomatoes. This is why it was ideal for lengthy sea voyages hundreds of years before we had refrigeration! This sauce is great on so many pastas as well as chicken, pork, veal, fish, you name it!

Ravioli Marinara

MORE SAUCES NEXT SUNDAY!!

Easy as Pie

I came across this recipe in a holiday book. (Christmas is just 168 days away you know!) It claims to be the easiest pie in the world to bake. While reading it over I would have to agree. I think even the “baking challenged” as I tend to be sometimes can bake this pie. I don’t have a picture but it is a custard pie and has coconut in it. So sort of like a coconut custard pie. One of my favorites. So practice for the holidays and get baking everyone! I think I will make it myself next time I have an ‘event’ that needs a dessert! By the way it is NOT a low-calorie dessert. But that’s ok now and then! Moderation! Heck I may even make it this weekend to see if it actually works! Then I will have an actual picture to show. If anyone makes it before I do, please send me a picture and I’ll include it! I will put in a “temporary” photo until then.

Photo is for illustrative purposes only

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups milk

4 eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients into a blender. (Yes a blender!) Turn the blender on medium speed and count to ten. (Not 9, not 11, but 10!)

Pour into a 9″ deep dish pie pan.

During the baking process the flour drops to form the crust and the remaining ingredients form the filling. (I admit I am a bit skeptical on this!)

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

Zucchini Pancakes Lite

This is an easy, healthy and light side dish or meatless entrée for the hot summer. I really like zucchini pancakes but they are usually full of fillers and other things that boost the calories and fat. This recipe uses my newest favorite food item, House Tofu Shirataki Noodles and egg substitute. The Tofu Shirataki Noodles are great. I will not lie and say they taste just like regular pasta, they don’t. But they are very good in their own right. Their benefits are:

  • LOW CARB – only 3g of carbs per serving
  • LOW CALORIE – 20 calories per 4 oz serving
  • NO CHOLESTEROL
  • NO SUGAR
  • GLUTEN-FREE
  • DAIRY-FREE
  • CONTAINS 10% CALCIUM
  • VEGAN
  • GUILT-FREE

They can be found in the organic section of the produce department in most supermarkets and come in a pouch with water. They must be kept refrigerated and not frozen. They come in Fettuccine, Angel Hair and Spaghetti shapes. I always have at least 2 bags on hand in my refrigerator.  Even my husband likes them! I adapted this recipe to make it lower in calories and fat but if you do not like egg substitutes please use 2 eggs in its place.

INGREDIENTS:


1 -8 ounce package House Tofu Shirataki Noodles (Spaghetti Shape)

½ cup egg substitute (or 2 large eggs)

½ cup biscuit mix (your choice)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup scallions, chopped

2 cups zucchini, shredded

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions. Cut into 2-3″ lengths.

2. Combine eggs, biscuit mix and seasoning in a bowl. Stir in the noodles, scallions and zucchini.

3. Heat a flat skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When it’s hot, scoop 1/3 cup of the mixture at a time onto the skillet, like making pancakes.

4. Cook until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

5. When finished place on a platter and keep warm. Make remaining pancakes until finished.

Makes about six 4″ pancakes.

Each pancake has about 95 calories and 5 grams of fat. With the regular eggs it will be about 110 calories and 7 grams of fat.

You can also add a little soy sauce to the finished pancakes for some added flavor.

Marshmallow Crispy Bars

I think just about everyone out there has had Rice Krispie treats at one point in their life. Well today’s recipe is done completely in the microwave oven! No pots involved! The only pan used is the one we’re going to be cooking in! How cool is that! I am also going to give a few variations on the traditional kind. So get your microwave all cleaned up and let’s go! Oh and don’t forget to throw some flour on you and on your face to make it look like you slaved all day on these!

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup butter or margarine (I would actually use a butter substitute, in stick form for this to save some calories)

5 cups miniature or 40 large marshmallows

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups crispy rice cereal


DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the butter in an 8 x 8 inch glass/ceramic dish on HIGH power for 45-60 seconds. Stir in marshmallows and salt.

2. Microwave 1½-2 minutes on HIGH power until soft and melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir every 30 seconds until completely smooth.

3. Add the cereal, 1/3 at a time, stirring with a fork until well coated. Press into dish with the fork. Cool, then cut into 1¼ inch squares.

Makes 36 squares


VARIATIONS:

Marshmallow-Peanut Bars: Completely stir in 1 cup salted peanuts after the cereal.

Peanut Butter-Marshamallow Bars: Add ¼ cup peanut butter with the marshmallows.

Chocolate-Peanut Bars: Add ¼ cup peanut butter and ½ cup chocolate chips with the marshmallows.

Shirataki Noodles & Cheese

I just tried a new recipe last night and found a new repeat dish! This dish can be a side dish or main entrée. Next time I make it I may try it with marinara sauce and make it a type of baked ziti. The noodles are the Shirataki Tofu Noodles we’ve started using quite a bit. I loved it and John loved it. So open your mind and accept the possibility of a new healthier dish. Macaroni and cheese is one of my all time faves and this dish is now my new go-to-dish! And after a week of company and going completely off my diet I need dishes like this to get me back on track.

Shirataki Noodles & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages (80z) Shirataki Tofu Noodles (House Brand, found in produce section with the tofu products)

1 large egg

½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

¼ cup light sour cream

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I used panko)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Prepare Shirataki Tofu Noodles according to package directions. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Lightly beat egg in a bowl.

4. Add remaining ingredients and the noodles (not topping ingredients). Stir well.

5. Pour into a 1½ quart baking dish that is well sprayed or buttered.

6. In a small bowl mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over noodle mixture.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set and top is crisp.

Makes 4 servings

1 2 3 4
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