Herbed Shrimp with Asparagus

I know I've been a little M.I.A. lately and there's good reason for it.  Promise.  I can't let the cat out of the bag yet but something BIG is going on in our life right now and there are BIG changes ahead for us in the very near future!  If you're friends with me on the nest, then you probably already know what I'm referring to.  For those of you who aren't and don't, it looks like you'll just have to wait a teensy bit longer.  Haha...sorry guys!

Anyhoo....this BIG thing has been taking up a lot of time for me lately and I honestly haven't had much time to spend in the kitchen and I really haven't even felt like cooking.  Shocking, I know!  It's been so hot here and unbearable at times and the thought of heating the kitchen up with the stove or oven or even worse: going outside to work over a hot grill is just the furthest thing from my list of priorities and wants.  Yes, we have A/C but even on the hottest days, it sometimes doesn't feel like it's on.  But you get a reality check as soon as you walk inside from being outside and then you know...it's on!

With it being Father's Day this past weekend and us actually being home, I thought it would be nice to make a nice dinner after church on Sunday.  I wasn't sure I'd feel up to it as some you may know, I lost my Dad unexpectedly in February so it's definitely been taking it's toll on me over the past couple of weeks in anticipation of this now dreaded holiday.  I still have my Step Dad, Bruce, who is a wonderful father in my life and has been since I was 2, but nothing and no one will ever replace my Dad.  One thing that's for sure, though, is our shared love for cooking (and eating) and I know he would've wanted me to carry on with my day like any other and cook a fabulous dinner.  So in honor of him, I did!  And let me tell how fabulous this was.  I cannot wait for lunch today because that means leftovers and I don't remember being this excited for leftovers in a long time...I'm practically squealing like a little pig!

So this recipe comes from, yet again, my favorite cookbook: Grand Temptations.  I've been eyeing it for a while now and everytime I have shrimp to use up, I think I'm going to make it and then I find something else wonderful to cook (ahem...these Creamy Shrimp & Grits and Creamy Shrimp & Pasta are definitely culprits)!  I almost did it again this weekend, but I stopped myself and said, "Self, you've been wanting to make this recipe for a long time, so stop with the nonsense and get on with it!"  And I am SO glad I did!  Despite the butter and creaminess of the shrimp, it's actually a very light and flavorful dish and the asparagus...I don't think I've cooked asparagus that perfect in, well, never!  I steamed it and then schocked it in ice water to retain a nice and tender crunch and that beautiful green color.  The combination of the light asparagus with the creamy shrimp was ahhh-mazing!  So, so good! 

Herbed Shrimp with Asparagus

Ingredients
1- Lg. bunch Asparagus
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/4 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1lb. Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt
Pepper
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Directions
Place the asparagus in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove and place in a bowl of ice water - This process is called "shocking" and it actually helps to stop the cooking process and leaves vegetables nice and tender and gives them a nice, vibrant color.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.  Add in the onion and garlic; saute' until tender (about 2 minutes). 

In a medium bowl, dust the shrimp with flour until evenly coated.  Add the shrimp into the skillet and saute' until it turns pink (about 3 minutes).  Add in the stock, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.  Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup butter.  Cook just until the tomatoes begin to soften and the butter melts, stirring frequently.

Arrange the asparagus on plates and brush with the warm, melted butter.  Spoon the shrimp mixture over the asparagus and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

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Creamy Shrimp & Grits

Let me preface this post by saying this: After I ate this dish, I'm pretty certain I had died and gone to heaven!  I know you probably think I'm being a little dramatic and normally I am, but this time, I promise I'm not.  Promise.  I'll be the first to admit that Southern cooking has won my heart over, for sure, but this recipe pretty much takes the cake as far as favorite meals go!

First off, if you've never had grits, you should definitely try them.  Although I caution you on where you have them because I've been to some places where they're not very good, especially if you're a grits virgin - they could scare you away!  Essentially, grits are ground corn and they come in 2 different kinds: white and yellow.  Like oats, you can get them stone ground (which is the best option), quick cooking or instant (which I don't recommend).  They resemble the taste and texture of polenta...slightly sweet, but thick and creamy.  And traditionally, they're served for breakfast but are eaten at any time of the day (especially in our house)!

Shrimp and grits is a very popular dish among the South (primarily on the East and Gulf coasts) and there are a variety of ways to prepare it; however this dish really hits the target in combining a base of creamy and cheesy grits with a slight hint of hot sauce topped with perfectly cooked shrimp in a gravy made of bacon, onions and peppers.  Honestly people, it doesn't get any better than this!  And if you're still a grits virgin, this is definitely a great recipe to break you in!

Creamy Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Lemon
Hot Sauce (I use Frank's) to taste
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cups Stone-Ground Grits (white)
6 slices Bacon, chopped
1 Sm. Onion, chopped
1 Sm. Green Pepper, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 cups Cheddar Cheese

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp with the juice of the lemon and several generous splashes of hot pepper sauce; set aside.

To make the grits, bring 6 cups of water and 1 Tsp. of salt to a boil in a large saucepan.  Gradually whisk in the grits and reduce heat to low.  Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned.  Add in the onions and green peppers; continue cooking until onions become translucent and peppers are tender.  Stir in the garlic and scallions and let cook up for 1 minute.  Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in the chicken broth and remaining salt and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes). 

While the gravy is thickening, add the butter to the grits and stir until melted.  Stir in the cheese and season with hot pepper sauce and salt to taste.

Once the gravy has thickened, add in the shrimp and cook until pink (about 3-5 minutes).

Spoon the grits into a large shallow bowl and top with shrimp mixture; serve immediately.

Note: If using Quick-Cook Grits, follow the directions on the package to prepare them.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally adapted from "A Real American Breakfast"

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Hoisin Glazed Shrimp with Crispy Noodles

I'm a sucker for some good Chinese food, which is why I like to make it a lot here at home! Granted, it's not nearly as good (or bad for you) as you what you would get in the restaurant, but I'm not Chinese and I don't have all of the fancy cooking tools and ingredients they use, which is probably why mine is a little more figure-friendly! Let me just say that I will never try to compete with the regular Chinese fare....it's just too good! But making fake-out take-out from home is definitely a nice substitution in many ways (especially for your budget and health)!

I pulled this recipe from Every Day with Rachael Ray. Now I know that a lot of people don't care for her and while I used to profess my undying cooking love for her once before, that love has fizzled out a bit. I don't watch her show anymore and I've never really had any luck with her cookbooks. That being said, however, I do enjoy picking up her magazine every month.

Enough of that....back to the recipe! So, I don't think that Rachael actually came up with this recipe. I think that it came from someone else as it seems a lot of the recipes in there do. But, I found it tucked in with an article about trying to re-create flavors you taste in restaurants (hence the idea of fake-out take-out)! That is one thing I love doing and what a lot of people commend me on...going to a restaurant and figuring out the flavors in a particular dish, sauce, dressing, etc. and then going home to try it out and keep trying it out until I've finally mastered that same flavor (or close enough to it).

This dish was good. But, it's definitely not at the top of my list as one of my favorites! This Mongolian Beef, however, was. But it really was good. There was a lot of sweetness going on with the pineapple and hoisin and the shrimp was a nice combination to throw in, but I think it needed more garlic. I always think something could use more garlic! You can never have enough garlic! I did, however, have some problems with the noodles. Basically, they're Ramen noodles cooked and fried. Now this recipe says to cook the brick of noodles whole and apparently it's supposed to stay in it's form, but not for me it didn't! It completely fell apart. But, I made do and fried them anyway and they eventually adhered together and worked out the same way. Problem resolved. My next problem was the texture! They were crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and noodl-y on the inside, which was kind of weird when I first tried it. But the more I ate, the more I found I liked it and I ate it all! In fact, I'm planning to have leftovers today! So I guess it wasn't really a problem after all, but I bet it'd be really good over rice as well. This may be a recipe you like and it may not. I can tell you that I will probably make it again, I'm sure, and maybe with a few tweaks I'll like it even better, but it's certainly not worth 5 stars!

Hoisin Glazed Shrimp with Crispy Noodles

Ingredients
1 - 10oz. pkg. Ramen Noodles
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
1 - 20oz. can Pineapple Chunks
1/2 cup Pineapple Juice (reserved from chunks)
Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 - 10oz. bag Frozen Green Beans, thawed
1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves Garlic, minced

Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the brick of noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and let sit to dry off a bit.

In a medium bowl, stir together the hoisin, pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons of oil and red pepper flakes; set aside.  - Note: the amount of red pepper flakes in this recipe adds quite a bit of heat, so you may want to reduce the amount you use or omit altogether if you don't like it.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over med-high heat. Slide the noodles into the pan and begin to fry until golden brown (approximately 5 minutes per side). Also use a spatula sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to help press noodles down into pan and also for flipping.

Meanwhile, in another large skilled, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over med-high heat. Add the pineapple chunks and green beans, sauteing until slightly browned (approximately 5 minutes). Transfer to a plate and let sit.

Add in shrimp and garlic to the same pan and cook until shrimp become pink (stir frequently to prevent the burning of garlic). Stir in the hoisin mixture and add pineapple and green beans back in; tossing to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook until heated through (about 2-3 minutes).

Cut off a large chunk of the crispy noodles and place on a plate. Spoon shrimp mixture and sauce over the noodles and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray

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Creamy Shrimp & Pasta

One of my dreaded weekly chores includes planning our dinner menu for the week and making up a grocery list.  I dislike it.  A lot.  Almost as much as I dislike doing laundry.  But, it's a necessity in order for us to stay on budget and it helps with my sanity of not having to figure out what I'm going to make for dinner each night (instead, I'm just crazy for about 4 hours every Sunday figuring our menu for the week)! 

I found this week to be incredibly difficult, especially now that we're approaching a new year.  As with most normal Americans, we're faced with the challenge of resolutions and that infamous one of losing weight with the attachments of eating healthier meals and exercising.  With that in mind, I was trying to also plan our menu by utilizing and using up some of the items we already have (another budget saver).  I knew that I wanted to make a shrimp entree of some sort because we had quite a bit of it in our freezer and shrimp is health, right?  Right.  But, for some reason when I think of shrimp, I think of pasta.  I don't know why but I just love shrimp paired with pasta and trying to come up with a semi-healthy meal including pasta can be a challenge in itself because pasta is just SO much better when it's loaded up with cream and cheese!

I came across a recipe that I believe actually came from Kraft, which inspired me to make this meal.  While I'll admit, it does have cheese in it, we paired it with a nice green salad to balance it out and I guess for psychological purposes, make me feel better about it!  We have been eating very well during the day and one meal with a little cheese can't hurt, right?!  This dish was so yummy.  In fact, I was trying to take pictures of it to post on here and I couldn't help myself from going back and forth to the stove and grabbing a forkful of it.  It was that good.  Honest.

Creamy Shrimp & Pasta

Ingredients
1 lb. Shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 Tbsp. Kraft Parmesan Basil Vinaigrette with Olive Oil
1/4 cup Pasta, uncooked
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp Light Cream Cheese
1 Tsp. Basil
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, crumbled

Directions
In a small bowl, pour the dressing over the shrimp and let marinate, covered, in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package.

Heat a large skillet on med-high heat; add the shrimp mixture and cook 3-5 minutes or until pink.  Remove the shrimp from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the tomatoes, cream cheese and basil to the marinade in the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until blended well.  Add shrimp and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta and add to the skillet with the shrimp and cream mixture.  Toss gently to coat and sprinkle cheese on top.  Serve immediately. 

Source: Adapted from Kraft

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Shrimp & Vegetables

My love for Rachael Ray will most likely never end as long as she continues to entertain us with her cooking!  As I have mentioned previously, I have been watching her since she first started 30 Minute Meals - there is something so familiar and fun about her, which is what makes her a joy to watch!  Plus, she makes cooking desirable because she brings it down to you, unlike other chefs, she makes meals that are easy for the average person to prepare that don't take all day and require a slew of sous chefs to assist, nor ingredients that are unfamiliar or (not to mention) difficult to find in your everday grocery store!  Another trait that I enjoy of hers is that she puts a fun spin on traditional meals, so while you may have an entree that you love to make frequently, she shows you various ways to spice it up so you don't become tiresome of it.  She also makes budget-friendly meals as well since we all know cooking good dinners can cost a lot and going out to eat regularly doesn't help the wallet either!  One of my favorite things she has incorporated throughout the years is her take on take-out: fake-out take-out, that is!

Lord knows I love some good take-out, especially when it's Chinese!  But, it's not always the healthiest for you and while it may be kinder than most on your wallet and allows you to eat off it for days, it's not being so kind to your waistline!  One thing that Rachael points out is that when you cook at home, you have the ability to control what ingredients you're actually putting into your body.  Now I will admit that there are some things that you just can't make at home and are MUCH better as take-out; however there are many dishes from your favorite restaurants that you can make at home that taste just as good and you can feel good about eating it: financially and health-wise.

In my weekly menu planning, I would like to start incorporating more take-out style meals that are homemade.  What better night to have take-out than Friday?!  Hence, Fake-Out Take-Out Fridays!  I recently made fake-out Shrimp & Vegetables with rice and it was really good; we didn't feel the least bit guilty about eating it!  I used fresh vegetables with big pieces of shrimp and like traditional Chinese food, we ate off it for days!

Shrimp & Vegetables
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Ingredients
1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tsp. Ground Coriander
5 Scallions, cut into 2" pieces
6 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, cut into 3" chunks
1 Medium Orange Bell Pepper, cut into 3" chunks
1 Medium Yellow Bell Pepper, cut into 3" chunks
3 Tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Water

Directions
Preheat oil in a large skillet on Med-High heat.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper; add to skillet cooking until pink (about 4-5 minutes).  Remove shrimp onto a plate and set aside.

Add in ginger, garlic, coriander and vegetables; stir-fry 3-4 minutes then drain remaining oil.  In a small bowl, combine hoisin, soy sauce and water; pour over vegetables.  Add shrimp back into skillet and toss to combine.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Serve immediately over rice.

Source: With a Cherry on Top

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