Meat

Citrus-Glazed Shrimp

You are witnessing my first attempt at ever making shrimp. As you may know, I’m not the biggest seafood fan. I’ve grown to love crab cakes and like some mild fish but I’ve been trying to like shrimp for a very, very long time. So far, I like the kind in restaurants that is batter dipped and fried (of course). But I’ve also had jumbo shrimp cocktail that I enjoyed also. So why is it that I’m struggling liking these little crustaceans any other time? I’ve been gathering shrimp recipes for a while now but could never pull the trigger at making them. Finally, I decided it was time to give these Citrus-Glazed Shrimp a try.

Uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp are mixed with garlic, lime, chipotle chile powder, salt and pepper and sautéed until pink and cooked through. Fresh lime juice and butter are added creating a silky, citrusy glaze. The garlic and lime add a fresh tone to these shrimp and the chipotle gives them the slightest kick. These guys have tons of flavor and were a good start at me becoming more comfortable with shrimp. I have to admit that I didn’t eat all of these and still struggle with the texture of shrimp. But I think I’m getting there slowly but surely. If you like shrimp even a little, I bet you’ll love these.

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Combine shrimp, garlic, lime rind, 1/4 teaspoon salt, chile powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl, tossing to coat shrimp.

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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes.

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Stir in lime juice and butter; cook 1 minute, tossing to coat.

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Remove from pan.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Chicken Cacciatore

It’s hard to believe that it was so sunny this past weekend and not terribly cold and now it’s freezing and we are getting up to 10″ of snow.  Really?  Just when I think winter isn’t so bad, things go drastically south.  Tonight it’s supposed to be 8 degrees.  I don’t even know how to process that.  Some people hate being cooped up inside when it’s snowy and cold but I thinks it’s a perfect time to do some cooking.  This Chicken Cacciatore is a quick, tasty, and comforting dish to help satisfy that specific hunger that only comes with winter.

Diced chicken is tossed with dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes before being sautéed with fresh red pepper and earthly mushrooms.  The secret weapon of jarred tomato and basil marinara sauce helps to keep this dish simple and a little red wine adds an extra dose of bold flavor.  As the dish simmers, the flavors meld together to make a perfectly easy chicken cacciatore that can be served with your favorite pasta, quinoa, rice or simply vegetables.  Talk about a perfectly warm dinner for a cold and snowy night.

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The ingredients:

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Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with oregano, dried basil, and red pepper.

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Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.  Add mushrooms and bell pepper to pan; sauté 5 minutes.

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Stir in pasta sauce and wine; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in salt and black pepper.

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Sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:

  • Basil

Substitutions:

  • Baby portabella mushrooms

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Turkey Burgers with Cranberry-Apple Relish

Here we are…2013 is almost over and the holidays will all soon be behind us.  There are certain foods that I only like to eat around the holidays and cranberries are one of them.  I know they are mostly used at Thanksgiving but some people make a whole Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas too so I tend to think of them as a holiday food, not just a Thanksgiving food.  These Turkey Burgers with Cranberry-Apple Relish are slightly festive and a good meal for these days between holidays when we are waiting for the New Year to come.

Fresh cranberries, orange, and apple are whirled together to come up with a unique relish that tops a homemade juicy turkey burger flavored with onion, parsley and sage.  Maybe you wouldn’t normally think to top a burger with a fruity relish but this adds a tangy yet slightly sweet contrast to the herby burger and really works.  I used provolone cheese and baby spinach to complement this burger but any cheese (especially a spicy cheese like cheddar jack) will do.  If you want some holiday flavors at some point but don’t really feel like making a whole big meal, why not try this burger?  It’ll take you back to the holidays any day of the year.

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The ingredients:

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Place cranberries, orange zest, orange, sugar and apple in a mini food processor. Pulse 10 times or until coarsely chopped. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt; set aside.

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Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly.

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Combine onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, pepper, turkey, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring just until combined.  Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 4-inch patty.  Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; grill 5 minutes. Turn patties; grill 3 minutes. Top each with 1 cheese slice; grill 2 minutes or until cheese melts and turkey is done.

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Divide arugula evenly among bottom halves of buns. Top each serving with 1 patty. Divide relish evenly among servings; top with top halves of buns.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Baby spinach
  • Provolone cheese

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

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