Decadently Rich and Fudgy Chocolate Brownies are guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate-lovers fantasy. WOW! These are the best brownies I’ve ever made.
The best part is that they’re made in one bowl, just as easy as any boxed brownie mix. You can bake the batter in a 9×9 inch or 9×13 inch baking dish. I chose the 9×9 route because I wanted thick chewy brownies. The secret ingredient is the addition of instant coffee. Yep – instant coffee granules are known to intensify chocolaty flavor. And these fudgy brownies are very chocolaty. The recipe calls for chocolate chips and cocoa powder in the batter and more bittersweet chocolate chips mixed into the batter before baking.I have to make a confession . . . As soon as the baking was done and the brownies properly cooled, I wacked off a healthy chunk and kept it on my kitchen counter while I cooked dinner. Every once in a while, I’d have to sample a small bite to make sure the finished product was a good as I remembered. I whittled off little pieces until the whole chunk was gone! And then there were more brownies for dessert! Heavenly!Frosting would be overkill, in my opinion. But if that’s the way you roll, I won’t judge you. Serve with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.(Thanks, Sam! See original recipe at sugarspunrun.com “Brownies from Scratch”)
Let’s whip up a batch, shall we? Be sure to have plenty of cold milk or hot coffee at the ready.
Yield: 12-18
Decadently Rich and Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
Would you describe yourself as a "chocoholic?" If the smell and taste of chocolate makes your heart skip a beat, these fudgy brownies are for you!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Ingredients
12 Tablespoons unsalted butte or 1 12/ sticks cut into Tablespoon-size pieces
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa powder. I used Penzey's Dutch-processed cocoa
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large to extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, I used 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9x9" or 9x13" baking pan. Spray with cooking spray and/or line with a piece of parchment paper large enough to come up over the sides of the pan. You can remove the brownies out of the pan by lifting up on the paper.
In a microwave-proof bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well and microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir well.
Add cocoa powder and instant coffee and stir.
Add granulated and brown sugars and stir until completely combined.
Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. (You'll notice the batter will lighten and thicken the more the eggs and batter are mixed together.)
Add vanilla. Stir
Sprinkle salt over batter. Add flour. Stir again.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Remove and bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fudgy, but not wet.
Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
Using a 9x9" baking pan? Bake 35-40 minutes. Using a 9x13" pan? Bake 16-18 minutes. My 9x9" batch took a little longer to bake - 45 minutes or so. Keep an eye on yours close to the end of baking time. If you have to bake a little longer, no problem. But there's nothing worse than a burnt batch of lovely brownies! Yield depends on the size you cut your brownies.
Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is one of my favorite types of dishes. Crushed red pepper, orange zest, and garlic lend the simple sauce a bright delicious bite. And it’s so quick and easy! Orange Shrimp any time of the year but is a fabulous dish when your schedule is tight and fast food is not an option. You know, like during the holidays!
I always have a pound or two of raw shrimp (21-25 count) in the freezer. It’s handy for lots of quick meals like Shrimp Tacosor Shrimp Scampior Shrimp and Grits. Frozen shrimp don’t take long to defrost, either. Measure out what you need for your recipe. I use a scale for an accurate amount. Then I put them in a colander in the sink and run cool water over them until the shrimp are ready. I also use raw shrimp rather than cooked frozen ones, because raw shrimp will absorb all the lovely flavors either as they’re marinated or as you cook them. Garlic and lemon are two of my favorites, but you could use coriander, red pepper flakes, cumin or curry. Seriously delicious!
Here are a couple of things to remember when cooking raw shrimp:
Rinse shrimp after the shells and tails are removed. Remove the black vein at the top. Most frozen packed shrimp come deveined, but it’s a good idea to check anyway.
Once rinsed, place shrimp on a baking sheet lined with paper toweling. Use another layer to pat dry the top. Shrimp should be dried off to get a proper sear.
Don’t overcook your shrimp! It’s easy to do. Place shrimp in a hot pan with a little olive oil. As soon as they become translucent, turn them over to cook the other side. Really, 2-3 minutes per side is more than enough. You want a nice crunchy bite, not a rubbery one. It’s a texture thing.
Yield: 4
Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic
Quick and light, Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is perfect for an easy and informal dinner with a little citrus and spice. Yummy!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound shrimp (21-25 count) peeled, deveined, and rinsed under cool water
3-4 cups fresh broccoli, separated into florets
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how much spice you want, or leave it out
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sliced green onion for garnish
Sesame seeds for garnish
3 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
Instructions
Line a sheet pan with a couple of layers of paper toweling. Place shrimp on the toweling in a single layer. Take another sheet of paper toweling and pat the shrimp dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil into the skillet. Add broccoli florets for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove broccoli from the skillet into a bowl or plate and set aside.
Use the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Add minced garlic and let sizzle for 30 seconds or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add red pepper flakes, if using. Place shrimp in the skillet in a single layer. (You may have to cook in 2 batches.)
As soon as the shrimp becomes translucent, flip over the cook the other side. Total cooking time is 2-3 minutes per side, at most. Remove cooked shrimp and garlic, pepper flakes to bowl/plate with the broccoli.
Return the skillet to the stove. Add orange juice, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened.
Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water. Add to skillet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce becomes shiny. Add orange zest.
Pour finished sauce over shrimp and broccoli. Garnish with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over cooked hot rice.
Do you love apple pie? Do you love cheesecake?
Planning holiday dessert menus and want a little of both? Looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie? Problem solved! Combine your two favorites into one Apple Pie Cheesecake!
I found this brilliant recipe for Apple Pie Cheesecake at Tasty in Kathryn Aubin’s feature 4 Pies to Bake With Your BFF. Just like any cheesecake, this takes some time to bake, but that’s it. The remainder of the process is easy, easy, easy. Seriously – a no-brainer easy. Apple Pie Cheesecake can be made the day before serving and kept cold in the refrigerator. In fact, it should be made the day before to allow the cheesecake to cool and set.
I strayed from Kathryn’s recipe only by omitting the nutmeg in the apple topping and using puff pastry for the top lattice rather than pie crust. I mean, who doesn’t love the puffy, buttery, lightness of puff pastry? I did sprinkle demerara sugar on top of the puff pastry after the egg wash. Demerara has big crystals and gives the crust a nice little crunch. I get lots of compliments every time I use demerara on pies, cookies or bars, If you play your cards right and your family insists on tradition, make the cheesecake with puff pastry topping and use the other pie crust for a pumpkin pie or any other single crust pie.
Oh, did I mention the crust is made from one refrigerated pie crust you will find in any grocery store’s refrigerator section? One of my college roommates bakes professionally. She makes lots of pies and uses refrigerated store-bought pie crust because it’s made with lard, not shortening or butter. Anyone who’s baked pies for a while understands the value of lard in pie crust dough. Lard makes the pastry tender, lighter and flakier. My mother and grandmother could whip up a lard pie crust in the blink of an eye. I’ve done that, too, not as fast as my predecessors I might add, but I prefer using 1/2 lard and 1/2 vegetable shortening. I find the dough to be more manageable that way.
Forgive me, I did not take pictures of the springform pan or of mixing the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, etc. But here’s a pic of the apples simmering in water, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Can it get any better than that? Wait – read the recipe.
Shall we bake an Apple Pie Cheesecake? YES!
Yield: 8 servings
Easy Apple Pie Cheesecake
I found this brilliant recipe for Apple Pie Cheesecake at Tasty in Kathryn Aubin's feature 4 Pies to Bake With Your BFF. Just like any cheesecake, this takes some time to bake, but that's it. The remainder of the process is easy, easy, easy. Seriously - a no-brainer easy. Apple Pie Cheesecake can be made the day before serving and kept cold in the refrigerator. In fact, it should be made the day before to allow the cheesecake to cool and set.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours45 minutes
Total Time3 hours5 minutes
Ingredients
1 pie crust, premade refrigerated or homemade for a 9" pan
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
3-8oz bars cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated (It's so much better! Get whole nutmegs and a Microplane)
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, large to jumbo, room temperature
3-4 medium sized apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon butter
1 egg for eggs wash plus 1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon demerara sugar, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300F degrees.
Line a 10" springform pan with one pie crust. Press along the bottom and sides. Halfway up the sides of the pan is fine.
In the large bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix all the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Add sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest if using, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well blended.
Add eggs one at a time until well blended.
Pour cheese mixture into springform pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Afterward, turn oven off but let cheesecake sit in oven in the oven for another hour.
Apple Topping
While the cheesecake is baking, prepare the apple topping.
Peel and dice 3-4 medium size apples.into a medium only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="125" data-gr-id="125">bowl I used gala apples. Dribble lemon juice from half a lemon over apples. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and water over medium-low heat. Stir to incorporate.
Once simmering, add apples. Stir until apples are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1 Tablespoon butter and let cool.
Once the cheesecake has baked, remove to a cooling rack. Increase oven temperature to 425F degrees.
Pour apple mixture over the cheesecake.
Cut thawed puff pastry into strips and weave over the top of the apple mixture.
Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water)
Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons demerara sugar, if using.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown
Chill and serve
Notes
This is a great holiday cheesecake! Bake the day before serving and chill well in your refrigerator. Top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or how about cinnamon ice cream.
Variations: Add 1/2 cup minced pecans to the cheesecake batter before baking. Or top with salted caramel sauce. YUM!
It’s that time of year! Cold, rainy, and windy here in Indiana. We’re expecting snow in a few days – Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella is the perfect yummy bite. You’ll be all warm and cozy in no time, guaranteed. And it’s a very quick dish – 35-40 minutes.
Serve with a green salad and a warm loaf of crusty Italian bread. Heavenly!
I just love to eat gnocchi. The first time I ate them was in eastern Pennsylvania just outside Philadelphia in the 1980’s. The Philly area is populated with lots of Italian Americans, and you can find very good Italian restaurants everywhere. The corporation I worked for at the time had their eastern headquarters there. Every time I attended a meeting or training session, I had to have gnocchi. Pillowy soft warm little dumplings served in a divine tomato sauce – just wonderful. I don’t know if the gnocchi were homemade or not, but they sure tasted like they were. So light, and delicious with the satisfying mouth feel of a lovely petite dumpling. Who could resist? Not me.
Gnocchi was not available in Indianapolis in restaurants or groceries when I returned home. But over the next few years, packaged ones began to pop up at places like World Market, where they sell a nice variety of international foods. Now, you can find premade gnocchi anywhere. The potato gnocchi I used here I found at Trader Joe’s. And they were perfect for my casserole. Probably not as light as homemade, but not gummy either like other brands I’ve tried.
Homemade gnocchi is on my Foodie Bucket List. Anne Burrell has a nice recipe on Food Network from her series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Here’s a link to her instructional video about how and why of basic potato gnocchi. Obviously, this dish is a quick dish with premade gnocchi. But I wouldn’t discourage anyone from making their own. It will take a little longer though. Anne Burrell suggests making a double batch, cooking half and freezing the rest for another use. Brilliant!
What do I love about this recipe? I found Baked Gnocchi at Simply Delicious Food through Pinterest. When I decided to bring my little dumplings to life, it was late in the evening. But I had all the ingredients in my larder – potato gnocchi from TJ’s, canned tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes, bacon, and everything else including crusty bread and salad. Lucky me! I like the addition of halved fresh cherry tomatoes in the sauce. They lend fresh texture and just look pretty in the finished dish. And a little fresh or dried basil in the sauce as it’s cooking wouldn’t be a bad idea – I adore basil in any tomato dish, but it’s not essential. Bacon, how interesting? It adds a hint of deep smoky flavor. I would not have thought of that.
Let’s whip up a warm and tasty casserole, shall we? You will be well loved.
First on the list is to heat your oven to 400F degrees. Fill a 4-5 quart pot 2/3 full of water. Bring to a full boil. This will take a while as you know. Don’t watch it – make the delicious tomato-based sauce for the casserole in the meantime. It can sit at the ready after cooking is finished to receive your lovely gnocchi when they’re done.
Heat a 12″ nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and the chopped bacon and cook until the bacon browns and releases most of its fat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Pour off most of the remaining liquefied bacon fat, and return the skillet to the stovetop. Add the minced garlic, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes – cook for 30 seconds – don’t let the garlic brown or burn – this all goes very quickly. Add the canned and fresh tomatoes and the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Throw in the crispy bacon and dried basil (if using). Stir and remove from heat.
Add heavy cream or yogurt. Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Check seasoning. Set aside off the heat while you boil your gnocchi.
As they’re cooking, the gnocchi will float to the top. That’s when they’re finished. Using a slotted spoon, gently lift your gnocchi out of the boiling water and directly into the skillet with your sauce.
Gently mix everything and pour into a 3-quart ovenproof baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Pop the casserole into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown like this:
Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Let your casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
And there you have it! Sprinkle with extra grated Parm and/or fresh chopped parsley and serve! Theoretically, you’ll end up with 2-3 plentiful servings. Richard and I ate half the first night for dinner and reheated the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Mamma Mia! This is sooooo delicious!
Yield: 2-3 servings
Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomato & Mozzarella
It's that time of year! Cold, rainy, and windy here in Indiana. We're expecting snow in a few days - Baked Gnocchi with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella is the perfect yummy bite. You'll be all warm and cozy in no time, guaranteed. And it's a very quick dish - 35 minutes. Serve with a green salad and a warm loaf of crusty Italian bread. Heavenly!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound potato gnocchi
4-6 strips bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 - 150z can petite diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
12-16 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or yogurt
Salt & Pepper
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
While you're waiting for the water to boil for the gnocchi, make the sauce. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Pour off the bacon grease. Return the skillet to the heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Be sure not to let the garlic burn.
Add all tomatoes and sugar. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat. Add heavy cream or yogurt, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions.
When they're done, use a slotted spoon to lift dumplings from the water and directly into the skillet with your sauce. Mix it all together. transfer to an ovenproof casserole lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely browned.
Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve with a warm crusty loaf of bread and a green salad. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley &/or grated Parmesan cheese. You could use fresh, sliced mozzarella in place of shredded, if desired.
If you’re like me, we scour the internet looking for delicious recipes that take us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut of making the same dishes over and over again. It’s not like the meals aren’t delicious. But sometimes we just need to rock the boat a bit. I just love Pinterest and visit every day looking for inspiration. Pinterest is a great resource for me where I find great food bloggers and recipes of all sorts like this one:
I was looking around one afternoon and my eyes lit up when I landed onA Pinch of Yum and this wonderful recipe for Spicy Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato & Kale. Why don’t I ever think about combinations like this? I’m in the Midwest. I don’t think this way. Sweet potato simmered with sweet curry and turmeric in coconut milk and broth finished with kale – seriously flavorful. There are even chopped peanuts in the recipe that gives this soup a little crunch – awesome!
And healthy! Look at all the good stuff it’s made from. Lindsay’s soup is thickened with creamy peanut butter instead of the usual roux of butter, flour, and milk. I didn’t miss it a bit. Many of us serve soup as a first course to a holiday meal and Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Peanuts and Kale would be a stellar beginning.
And quick! Forty minutes from cutting board to table. I always have sweet potatoes on hand during fall and winter, so that was a cinch. I bought a package of frozen, chopped kale at the grocery to make prep even easier.
I didn’t have jalapeno, so I substituted crushed red pepper flakes. Lindsay calls for two cups of water. I used chicken stock instead. She likes to leave her sweet potatoes in bite-sized chunks, and I mashed mine up a bit to make the soup thicker. Try it. You’ll love it!
This dish is a warm and comforting, healthy, gluten-free, bowl of happiness. Lindsay at a Pinch of Yum says she was inspired to make this soup based on a West African recipe for groundnut soup. It would be fabulous as a first course for a holiday meal.
Author: A Pinch of Yum, Lindsay
Recipe type: Soups & Stews
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small to medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-14 oz can fire roasted or petite diced tomatoes
1-14oz can light coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet curry powder (I use Penzey's)
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1-10oz bag frozen chopped kale
Instructions
Put olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned.
Add sweet potato cubes and stir until they become lightly browned - 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic, stir and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant - 1 minute.
Add the curry powder and turmeric to the sweet potatoes. Stir and cook until the spices are fragrant, a minute or so.
Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, chicken stock, salt, and chopped peanuts. Stir everything together.
Bring the soup to a simmer and continue to cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Add peanut butter and kale. Stir and continue to simmer until the soup is thick and creamy.
Starting with this recipe for Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon, I decided to create a new category I call Bucketlist. Mimi’s Bucketlist is a place for all the wonderful recipes I’ve collected over the years but never had the time or courage to try. This Mimi is retired so little time is no excuse. Now, I have to muster up the courage.
“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!” Julia Child, “My Life in France”
Boeuf Bourguignon If you’ve ever watched the Nora Ephron film “Julie & Julia” you’ll remember the classic French stew that inspired Julie Powell to author her successful blog “The Julie/Julia Project: Nobody here but us servantless American cooks…”
I remember attempting this recipe once when I was in high school. I was a member of the French Club and our sponsors took us to the Chez Paul restaurant in Chicago. Tres chic. I ordered Duck L’Orange. Turtle soup sounded disgusting. I don’t remember what prompted me to try Beef Bourguignon in my mother’s humble kitchen or who’s recipe I used, but I do remember desperately wanting to try a dish that would reflect my newly acquired sophisticated side. And to cook with wine! It’s beef stew, right? How hard could it be? Well, my father liked it. He loved me. My early dish was an early failure, but I grew to learn to appreciate technique and to follow a recipe. There’s so much to learn from really good cooks. I know and have known several.
I carefully reviewed several recipes over time comparing them with Julia Child’s recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I settled on Ina Garten’s because it was easier. OMG, it was delicious! According to Julia, the stew only gets better a day later as the flavors mellow. Yep!
Ina flames her cooked vegetables with cognac before adding the meat. I’m sure it lends a great rich flavor. But when a pint of cognac was $35 at the grocery, I decided to skip that part.
I’ve thought about doing this in a crockpot but am voting against it. I don’t think the liquid will cook down and thicken as well. And I’m not sure about an Instsapot because I’m not an Instapot fan. But, if any of you try it and decide otherwise, I’d love to hear from you with your results.
Get out your Dutch oven and let’s make some!
“Carefully done and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man.” Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Couldn’t agree more.
I bought a 2.5 lb chuck roast and cut it into cubes. I imagine you could use stew meat, but the chuck roast has more fat and renders down to tasty tender chunks while cooking in the oven. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a heavy 5-6 quart dutch oven over medium heat, brown the bacon until the fat renders and the bits are nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Set aside. I used three slices of bacon and added 2 Tablespoons olive oil to make sure there was enough fat to brown the beef. (Ina calls for 1/2 pound of bacon. Julia used a 6-ounce chunk of bacon that she cut into lardons and boiled. Hmmm) Add the beef cubes in a single layer to the pot. Once the cubes are browned on all sides, remove them to the plate with the bacon. Repeat with another batch of meat until it’s all browned.
See all the beautiful brown bits in the bottom of the pot? Wow – that’s serious flavor!
Add onions to the pot. Toss so they’re covered with fat.
Add the carrots, 2 teaspoons salt and 1-2 teaspoons black pepper. Toss to distribute.
Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the onions are just browned.
Add garlic, stir, and cook for one minute longer or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the meat, bacon and all the juices into the pot.
Add one bottle of red wine. I used pinot noir.
Add enough beef stock to just cover the meat.
Add thyme and/or a bay leaf.
Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste.
Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.
Put on a tight-fitting lid. Place covered Dutch oven in a 250°F oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Enjoy the smells coming from the oven!
In the meantime . . . make a Beurre manié
Beurre manié is a fancy French name for butter kneaded with flour to be used as a soup or stew thickener. I’ve used this for years in soups, stews, even sauerkraut, and it works pretty well. Mash room temperature butter with flour, one Tablespoon at a time, until you have this lovely paste. When the beef bourguignon comes out of the oven, add the beurre manié and stir to incorporate.
Also – brown mushrooms in butter. Set aside.
To Finish: Remove the pot from the oven to the stovetop. Take off the lid.
Add beurre manié. Stir to incorporate.
Add pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot. Stir.
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Serve!
I served mine alongside mashed potatoes, but you could substitute egg noodles or rice. Julia suggests boiled potatoes, buttered peas, or a green salad.
Ina serves hers on larges slices of toasted country or sourdough bread smeared with a fresh garlic clove. Kind of like a bruschetta.
I served warm thick slices of French bread for dunking. The sauce invites it.
"Carefully done and perfectly flavored, it is one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking I agree!
Author: Ina Garten
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: French
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
¼ lb sliced bacon cut into strips
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2½ - 3 pounds chuck roast, but into 2" cubes
1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 750ml bottle full-bodied red wine, pinot noir or burgundy
2 cups beef broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf (optional)
4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
3 Tablespoons flour
12 oz package frozen onions
1 pound mushrooms thickly sliced or quartered
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250F degrees
Cut chuck roast into 2" chunks. Place on baking sheet, pat dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a heavy 5-6 quart Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove crisp bacon to a plate.
Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the pot. In a single layer, add the beef cubes. Brown the meat on all sides. Cook in 2-3 batches until all the beef is cooked. Remove meat to the plate with bacon.
Add carrots and onions, one Tablespoon salt, and two teaspoons of black pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for 10-15 minutes until the onions are lightly browned.
Add garlic. Cook for one minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant
Put the beef, bacon and juices into the pot.
Add the bottle of red wine and beef stock.
Add the tomato paste and thyme and/or bay leaf.
Stir. Bring to a simmer. Place in oven for 1½ hours or until the meat and carrots are tender.
While the stew is cooking, mash 2 Tablespoons of butter together with 3 Tablespoons of flour - one Tablespoon at a time - to form a paste. Saute mushrooms in two Tablespoons butter until browned.
Remove stew from oven. Add butter/flour paste and mushrooms. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, on the stovetop for 15 minutes.
Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, boiled potatoes, buttered peas or a green salad. Warm crusty Frech bread is also great to soak up all the stew juices. Ina Garten toasts country or sourdough bread, rubs a garlic clove over the warm toasts, and serves the stew ladled over the bread.
This scrumptious cheesy and melty Quick & Easy Burrito Pie is guaranteed to become one of your family’s favorites. It’s everything I love in quick Mexican casserole dishes. Perfectly seasoned and loaded with ground beef, beans, and cheese. You can’t go wrong.
I used 10″ burrito-sized flour tortillas and a 10″ springform pan to build the pie. And you can make it vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and adding black and pinto beans. Or use ground turkey for a healthier meat option.
Serve in pie slices topped with guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion, sliced jalapenos and/or salsa. Maybe some sliced black olives and sliced green onions? How about some crumbled queso fresco? You know, all the yummy things you’d put on top of a burrito or taco.
Let’s make a burrito pie! Your people will love you. Guaranteed!?
Heat a 10-12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add one Tablespoon olive oil and the ground meat. Brown the meat and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet. Add chopped onion and saute until just wilted. Add one thinly sliced (slivered) or diced jalapeno pepper. You can substitute diced green or red bell pepper to make the dish less spicy. Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic. Continue to saute just until the garlic becomes fragrant – 1 minute or so.
Add one can of petite diced tomatoes liquid and all and one package taco seasoning. Stir and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened – 2-3 minutes. (I added one corn tortilla sliced into slivers to help thicken things up, but you don’t have to.)
Add one can of drained and rinsed beans – any beans you like – pinto, black, light red kidney beans. (If you’re going vegetarian, I’d use two cans of beans and skip the meat.) Stir and continue to heat through. Remove the meat mixture from the heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together one can cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of sour cream. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix together the cheeses. I like using half shredded Mexican quesadilla cheese or Monterey Jack and half shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Let’s put our burrito pie together! Shall we?
I used a 10″ springform pan and 10″ burrito-sized flour tortillas. The springform pan makes for easy assembly and serving once the pie is baked.
If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a high-sided souffle dish or a 10″ pie pan.
Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with vegetable spray. Place a tortilla on the bottom. Top with 1/4 of the mushroom soup/sour cream mixture. Top that with 1/4 of the meat/bean mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the shredded cheese.
Repeat the layers three more times finishing with soup, meat, and cheese.
Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. I line my baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Bake your burrito pie in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until the pie is hot and heated through. Remove pie from the oven onto a cooling rack.
Let it sit for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
And there you have it!
Cut into pie-shaped wedges and serve with the toppings you choose.
Once cooled to room temperature, your pie can be frozen then thawed and reheated.
I can’t wait to dig in!
Hot, melty, cheesy, and scrumptious Quick & Easy Burrito Pie. Serve with toppings like guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced onion, sliced jalapenos and/or salsa.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Main Dish, Quick Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
4 - 10" burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1lb ground beef or turkey
½ - 1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, slivered or diced (May substitute diced green or red bell pepper.)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 15½ oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 - 15½ oz can pinto, black or light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
3 cups total Mexican quesadilla cheese and sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a 10-12" skillet over medium-high heat add olive oil and ground meat. Brown and drain. Return meat to skillet.
Over medium heat, add onion, Cook until just wilted. Add peppers and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant - 1-2 minutes.
Add undrained canned tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir and simmer until slightly thickened.
Add drained and rinsed beans. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until mixture is thickened and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine shredded cheeses. Set aside.
Spray a 10" springform pan with cooking spray.
Line the bottom with one tortilla. Top the tortilla with ¼ soup/sour cream mixture. Top that with ¼ meat/bean mixture. Top that with ¼ shredded cheese.
Repeat layers three times ending with shredded cheese.
Place springform pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is bubbling and heated through.
Remove from oven onto a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes.
Remove the outer collar of the pan and cut into pie-shaped wedges.
Serve with any variety of toppings: guacamole, sour cream, extra shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapenos or salsa, sliced black olives or green onions.
Notes
Feel free to make your burrito pie vegetarian by omitting the meat and adding another can of drained and rinsed beans. The springform pan makes this easy to assemble and to serve, but you could use a straight-sided souffle dish or a 10" pie pan.
Ultimate comfort food. Perfect fall/winter dish. Kitchen Sink Chili Mac is chocked full of healthy comfort food ingredients. This is a phenomenal recipe for the end of the season vegetables like corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Many of the ingredients are most likely already in your pantry/refrigerator/garden. Don’t be afraid to include different ingredients you have on hand. This would be equally delicious with fresh mushrooms, hot or sweet peppers, or carrots and celery. Prefer ground turkey? Have at it. Ground bison? Why not. Feel free to improvise. There are no hard and fast rules for this stove-top casserole. And it’s quick – 30 to 40 minutes tops.
I add canned pinto beans, well rinsed and drained to remove sodium. Welcome is the added protein and fiber.
Essentially, you could stop at this step without adding macaroni. Ladle into bowls. You might want to include cornbread as a side. Or you could add cooked pasta AND serve cornbread – I mean, this is cold weather comfort food. Or serve in deep bowls over quinoa or cooked brown rice.
Like your chili mac spicy? Add diced jalapenos and serve with hot sauce. Like a milder version? Substitute diced sweet red bell peppers. And what is it about a dish with corn and tomatoes in a one-pot meal? I love the fresh vegetable flavors. Corn adds a nice crunch, too.
I under-cook the pasta for 60-90 seconds. I find that pasta quickly absorbs liquid in the skillet and changes the consistency of my chili mac. Instead of being soupy, it’s more like a stove-top casserole. That’s okay. If you’d like a more mushy pasta, cook it according to the directions for the full cooking time. This is large elbow macaroni from Trader Joe’s. I absolutely love it. Look at the groves in the noodles. Just right to capture flavorful liquid, meat and veggies.
I can’t wait for another steamy, delicious bowlful. Can you?
Let’s make a potful.
Ultimate comfort food. Perfect fall/winter dish. Kitchen Sink Chili Mac is chocked full of healthy comfort food ingredients. This is a phenomenal recipe for the end of the season vegetables like corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Many of the ingredients are most likely already in your pantry/refrigerator/garden. Don't be afraid to include different ingredients you have on hand.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Main Dishes, Casseroles
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (85/15), or turkey, or bison
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, diced or put through a garlic press ( Hint: get a garlic press)
1-2 jalapenos, diced, membrane, and seeds removed for a less spicy dish OR 1 large red bell pepper diced for a milder dish
15 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound fresh Roma tomatoes or other fresh tomatoes, diced OR 1-15oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh corn cut from the cob or 1 cup frozen corn
½ - 1 cup beef or chicken stock, or water
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Pinch ground cayenne pepper, if desired
1 cup macaroni, cooked according to manufacturers' directions
Instructions
In a 3-4 quart pan, boil water. Add 1 cup of macaroni or the pasta you prefer. Cook according to package directions. For a firmer pasta, under-cook 60-90 seconds.
Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.
Add one pound of ground meat: beef, turkey, or bison, and browned until all the pinkness is gone. Remove the meat to drain on a plate covered with a paper toweling or in a fine meshed colander in the sink.
Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 Tablsepoons olive oil, onion and cook until just wilted, 2-3 minutes.
Add peppers to the onions. Either finely diced jalapenos or one diced red bell pepper. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add chili powder and cumin.
Add garlic. Stir and cook until just fragrant.
Add the cooked meat.
Add tomatoes, beans, stock and corn.
Add 1 teaspoonful salt and ½ teaspoonful black pepper.
Simmer until bubbly.
Add macaroni. Stir and continue to cook until the ingredients are heated through.
Check for seasoning.
Divide into deep individual serving bowls. Top with grated Monterrey Jack cheese and serve.
Notes
Kitchen Sink Chili Mac is easy and comes together quickly. You may add diced carrot and/or celery to the vegetables as they saute. Feel free to substitute diced portobello mushrooms for the meat. Instead of pasta, you can serve chili mac over cooked quinoa or brown rice.
Pollo Contadino is an outstanding casserole of Italian comfort food. I’ve made this dish several times over many years. Each time I lift a forkful to my mouth, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. Such an arousing smell of tender, juicy chicken thighs roasted with onions, carrots, sweet red bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, capers, and rosemary served with its juices over a fluffy bed of hot rice.
Yep, Pollo Contadino is a perfect meal for cozy cold weather days. You know those rainy cold days that make you want to curl up under a blanket to get all snuggly and warm? And if you want to smell the casserole cooking all day, put the ingredients in a crockpot and let it simmer until you can’t stand it anymore.
This recipe was published in “The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian” in 1993. I bought Jeff Smith’s cookbook a few weeks ago just for this recipe. ($6 used from Amazon). Money well spent. I can’t wait to sift through the pages for other Italian treats.
Here’s how it works
Pollo Contadino takes a little time to put together but is well worth the effort. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because we like dark meat and skin helps to keep the meat moist. Drumsticks would be a good substitute. But it can also be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts if that’s what you prefer. There’s no hard and fast rule.
Don’t leave out any of the vegetables. They all play well together. And be sure to add the capers that add a nice vinegary taste and smell to the finished dish. I can’t imagine the casserole without capers!
The last time I made Pollo Contadino, I didn’t have rosemary in my spice pantry. So, I used a few shakes of pasta sprinkle which is a combination of rosemary, basil, parsley. It worked just fine!
Let’s make some, shall we?
Pollo Contadino, Italian Roasted Chicken Farmer Style
Tender and juicy chicken roasted with onions, carrots, tomatoes, and capers served over a bed of hot fluffy rice. Cibo di comodità - true Italian comfort food.
Author: The Frugal Gourmet, Jeff Smith
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 large chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in 1-1/2 pounds OR 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned OR use 1 cup of julienned carrots from the store
1 - 2 large sweet red bell peppers, julienned
1 large yellow onion, peeled and julienned
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 large baby portobello mushrooms, cut into thick slices OR 1-8oz package of sliced mushrooms from the store
1-2 teaspoons capers
6 ripe plum tomatoes, diced, OR 1-15oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ cup dry white wine
Instructions
Heat oven to 400F degrees.
Remove chicken pieces to paper towels and pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Put flour in a medium-sized bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces one-at-a-time, shake off any excess flour and place in the oil in the skillet.
Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove to a 2-3 quart roasting pan, like Pyrex, a cast iron skillet, or an enameled cast iron pan or pot
Drain off the oil in the frying pan. Return to the stove. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots and sautee for 3 minutes.
Add the red pepper and onion. Sautee until the onions are barely translucent.
Add the garlic, stir. Sautee just until you can smell garlic. Be sure not to let it burn.
Place the vegetables over the chicken in the roasting pan.
Return the frying pan to the stove. Over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms, capers and tomatoes, rosemary and wine. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken and vegetables in the roasting pan.
Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and return to oven for 15 minutes.
Serve over fluffy hot cooked rice or spaghetti.
Notes
Pollo Contadino is a comfort food best served on colder days. You can also put ingredients, in order on the recipe, in a crockpot on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or drumsticks or any combination of chicken pieces.
Jeff Smith included 12 medium black Italian or Greek olives, and one green pepper and one red pepper to compliment the colors of the Italian flag. I changed it up just a wee bit.
3.5.3251
Here’s an image to PIN!
Copyright, At Mimi’s Table 2013-2018, All Rights Reserved
Brats & Onions are quintessential football comfort food. No grill? Cook them up in a cast iron skillet along with caramelized onions. Crunchy, juicy, and peppery sausage goodness!
A Little Trip Through Southeastern Indiana in search of grits
A few weeks ago Richard and I rambled around southeastern Indiana through Batesville, Oldenburg, Metamora, and Rushville.
Oldenburg, also known as the “Village of Spires,” was settled in 1817 and is one of the oldest communities in the state. It’s a charming little town with a strong German immigrant history. All the streets signs are written in English and German. The city-center is beautifully groomed. Residents keep their yards immaculate; a clear demonstration of community pride. There are some truly spectacular churches in this tiny town of fewer than 600 people.
Then we traveled on State Road 229 to another historic landmark, Metamora, settled in 1838. Metamora is home to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site. The Duck Creek Aqueduct is believed to be the only wooden covered bridge aqueduct still in operation in the United States. Metamora hosts a working grist mill, where is I bought the grits for Mimi’s Shrimp and Cheesy Grits. It is a nice little part of rural Indiana. The drive along SR 229 was awesome. I wanted to share our little adventure with you. A very cool trip.
All of this has little to do with the recipe that follows. Sometimes you just have to know where your food comes from. Anyway, the Metamora miller told us he’d ground the grits earlier that morning. Wow! I was sold. They sell white and yellow cornmeal, and white corn grits, too. I prefer yellow, so that’s what I bought. Below is a short video about the Metamora Grist Mill from the Indiana State Museum in case you’re interested. What impressed me was all the machinery needed to mill dried corn. A complex series of belts that power the millstones, and a waterwheel to supply power. It’s not a speedy process which made me appreciate my little bag of yellow grits all the more.
Let’s talk about food!
I’ve blogged about my new found food love, grits. Growing up in Northern Indiana and around few southern cooks, the sound of them simply did not appeal to me. Once or twice while traveling south of the Mason-Dixon Line, I tried some at breakfast. Ugh – no thanks – pasty white looking with no flavor.
I broadened my pallet a year or so ago when I walked on the wildside and paired a recipe for cheesy grits with a leftover pot roast for dinner one night.
Grits are not polenta. Grits are not cornmeal mush. Grits are in a beloved class of their own. Creamy, buttery, cheesy, sweet or savory; whatever you wish. And grits are gluten-free! But it’s the butter, cream, and cheese that will kill you. Well, you only live once. Right?
Once the grits are done, this recipe goes pretty quick. And I would recommend cooking the grits and keep them warm before cooking the shrimp. I used very simple ingredients to prepare the shrimp. Butter, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, lemon, and fresh chopped parsley.
I lined a half baking sheet pan with paper toweling. Shelled and deveined one pound of raw shrimp (21-25 count). Rinsed the shrimp in a collander and placed them on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Top with another sheet of paper toweling and gently pat the shrimp dry. You want the shrimp at room temperature and as dry as possible so they saute quickly and become lightly browned in a hot skillet. If the shrimp is not patted dry, it will steam, and that’s not what you want for a perfect shrimpy bite.
Heat a 12″ skillet to medium-high heat. (I use a cast iron skillet.) Spray the shrimp with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. If you like a little heat, you can sprinkle some crushed red dried pepper over the shrimp. Once in the skillet, cook shrimp 1-2 minutes per side. Just enough heat so they’re pink and beginning to slightly curl. Remove shrimp to a plate and loosley cover with foil. Lower the temperature to medium. I usually take my skillet completely off the heat and let it cool a bit before putting back on the burner, so the olive oil and butter don’t brown because the skillet is too hot.
Put the skillet on burner over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter. Add minced garlic and saute 30 seconds to a minute until you can smell the garlic. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and juice of one lemon. Allow the sauce to simmer until slightly reduced. Add one more tablsepoon of butter and remove the skillet from the heat.
Ladle the grits into four individual serving bowls. Top with shrimp. Spoon sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle with lightly chopped fresh Italian parsley. Have some freshly grated Parmesan cheese ready, too, in case you like a little extra cheesy flavor. And maybe some hot sauce – tobasco? I know. Do Parm and tobasco go together? Why not??
Oh, my mouth is watering! Shall we cook up a batch?
Full bodied, creamy, cheesy with the just the perfect garlicky, shrimpy bite.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Grits:
¾ cup grits You can substitute instant grits, but the texture will be different. Regular grits have a better tooth, I think. And regular grits don't take that much longer to prepare, based on my experience for this recipe.
1 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-n-half or whole milk
1 cup water
¼ - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Shrimp:
1 pound raw shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled and deveined, rinsed and patted dry
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
½-1 lemon, juiced
2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
For the Grits:
In a heavy saucepan, add chicken broth, half-n-half, and water. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. As the liquid begins to boil, slowly whisk in grits, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir occasionally until grits are thickened. Remove grits from heat and add Parmesan cheese and 1 Tablespoon butter. Stir to incorporate. Put a lid on the pan to keep warm while preparing shrimp.
For the Shrimp:
Peel and devein shrimp. Using a colander, rinse under cool running water. Remove shrimp to a baking sheet lined with paper toweling. Cover with a second sheet of paper toweling. Pat dry.
Set shrimp aside while preparing grits.
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan, bring chicken stock, half-n-half, and water to a gentle boil. Stir in the grits. Or follow cooking directions for the grits if you use instant grits.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook stirring occasionally until thickened.
Remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese and 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter.
Check for seasoning adding salt and/or pepper to taste.
Put a lid on the saucepan and keep grits warm off heat while preparing shrimp.
Spray shrimp with cooking spray. Season with salt & pepper. May sprinkle with dried crushed red pepper for additional heat, if desired.
Heat a 12" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Put 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter into the skillet. When the oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer. Don't overcrowd the shrimp - you may have to cook shrimp in 2 batches.
Cook shrimp 1-2 minutes per side until they're slightly pink and beginning to curl and lightly brown. Remove shrimp to a plate.
In the skillet, add 1 Tablespoon butter. Add minced garlic and saute for approximately one minute until you can smell it.
Add white wine and lemon juice. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened.
To Serve:
Divide grits between 4 large individual bowls.
Top with cooked shrimp. Spoon garlic/lemon sauce over shrimp. Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley.
Notes
Serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese and/or a few dollops of Tobasco. Yum!
We’ve been grilling since Memorial Day. Time for a switch. It doesn’t get any easier than this. Lemon Pasta is inexpensive to make, easy and quick to prepare, and is a delicious lemony, cheesy pasta delight. Lemon Pasta is a perfect main dish or as a side dish served alongside any lightly grilled protein.
Then we traveled on State Road 229 to another historic landmark, Metamora, settled in 1838. Metamora is home to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site. The Duck Creek Aqueduct is believed to be the only wooden covered bridge aqueduct still in operation in the United States. Metamora hosts a working grist mill, where is I bought the grits for Mimi’s Shrimp and Cheesy Grits. It is a nice little part of rural Indiana. The drive along SR 229 was awesome. I wanted to share our little adventure with you. A very cool trip.
I’ve blogged about my new found food love, grits. Growing up in Northern Indiana and around few southern cooks, the sound of them simply did not appeal to me. Once or twice while traveling south of the Mason-Dixon Line, I tried some at breakfast. Ugh – no thanks – pasty white looking with no flavor.
