Olive Garden shrimp caprese

Yes, we do eat vegetables with our meals (usually) but I was in a hurry to get the picture taken.  No, really.  Would I lie?  Ok, ok.  Do the tomatoes and basil count?

I was cooking dinner when my husband walked in and asked, “What’s for dinner?”  You may or may not be aware that this question inevitably sends me into an irrational rage, so I held my tongue.  He then said, “Is it really that hard?”  So I said, “Shrimp caprese.  Does that tell you anything?”  Nope.  He had no idea what shrimp caprese was, and probably still doesn’t, even though he liked it a lot.  (Meaning, if I ask him now if he’d like some shrimp caprese he would probably ask me what the heck is that.)  I managed to diffuse my frustration with a distracted snort of humor and got back to cooking.

Why shrimp caprese?  One, we love pasta at our house.  (Have you figured that out yet?)  Two, I was craving Red Lobster’s salmon New Orleans ~ which I discovered when we went there for my celebratory birthday meal, that they don’t make any more (yeah, happy birthday to me) ~ and while searching to see if there was a recipe for it online I stumbled upon found this awesome blog, CopyKat Recipes.  Needless to say I wasted spent a lot of time checking out all the awesome recipes there and decided that I would give this one a try.

Olive Garden Shrimp Caprese

serves 8

source: copykat.com

3 pounds roma tomatoes, cored and cut into 1” pieces

30 medium fresh basil leaves, stems removed, and cut into 1” pieces

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

salt to taste

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup white wine

3 cups heavy cream

2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

2 pounds capellini (angel-hair) pasta, cooked according to package directions

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 pounds (25-30) shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Preheat broiler.  (I would recommend waiting to preheat the broiler until you start cooking the shrimp.  You're supposed to let the bruschetta marinate for an hour!)  Combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt in a large bowl and blend thoroughly.  Cover, set aside and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and let melt.  Stir in white wine and bring to a boil.  Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer.  Let sauce reduce to desired consistency.

Add cooked, drained pasta and marinated tomatoes to skillet.  Stir to thoroughly coat pasta with sauce.  Transfer pasta and sauce to serving platter and top with mozzarella cheese.

Grill or sauté shrimp until internal temperature reaches 150° and set aside.  Place a serving platter in the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted. 

Top pasta with cooked shrimp and serve.

I tried, I really did, to stick to the recipe, and I think I managed brilliantly.  Especially for me.  I even chopped AND cored the tomatoes to make the bruschetta instead of dumping it all in my food processor as I am wont to do.  Aren’t you impressed?  You really should be.  And I used leaves from my sweet little basil plant. 

Here it is looking a little sparse after I picked all of the large leaves to make this recipe.  (The red plant behind it is my shamrock.  The yellow cap behind it is the lotion I use after washing dishes.)

(A great investment ~ I found it during a random visit to Macey’s grocery store for a little less than $5.  I actually bought two and transplanted them into a long planter.  Water every day or so from the bottom.  My husband was certain I was going to kill it within a week ~ oh he of little faith ~ but I have found that basil plants are a lot like philodendrons ~ they’re very difficult to kill.  You can even pull off a stalk and stick it in the dirt, and while it will wither and look very unhappy for about a week, after that it will straiten up and begin to grow leaves.  If you use basil much, I highly recommend getting one of these little sweeties!)

Anyway.  I made the bruschetta (if you don’t know what bruschetta is and are confused, it’s what the first 6 ingredients make ~ the “marinade”) and let it sit.  I even used real white wine that I bought from the liquor store for the cream sauce.  (Man that liquor store employee was grumpy and rude.  Didn’t lessen my discomfort at being in an unfamiliar environment a bit.  In fact, made me very nervous about going back.)  Real butter, heavy cream, only I used this instead of the parm.  (Hey, there’s parm in there!)  And I used pre-cooked shrimp, since it was quite a bit less expensive than raw and I didn't have to peel or devein.  (Kind of counter-intuitive, isn’t it?)

I have to say that it made A LOT.  And I do mean A LOT!!!  I didn’t even double the recipe, and I’m very glad for that.  In fact, I highly recommend halving the recipe, and that would probably feed 5 of you, even if you have voracious animals like mine, so you may want to halve it again.  And when they say to put it all in a large skillet ~ yeah, good luck with that.  I put it all in the largest pot I have (my spaghetti-cooking pot) and it still wasn’t big enough.  I ended up pulling out several handfulls of hot noodles (ouch!) and there was still too much food to fit in my pot.  I finally dumped it all in a huge bowl and mixed it together there.  Just sprinkled the mozzarella on top and let it melt from the heat of the rest of the food.

My husband went crazy for this meal.  In fact, I think he was the only one that really liked it.  He was starving, so I didn’t take much time to “reduce” the cream sauce.  In fact, it didn’t really reduce much at all.  I wonder if that would have made any difference.  In my opinion the wine taste was very strong, so maybe I needed to cook more of the alcohol out of it.  I suppose it’s possible I didn’t choose the best wine for this recipe; I don’t have a lot of wine experience and the lady at the liquor store ~ as I may have mentioned ~ was less than helpful...

Shrimp & Rice

Yesterday I finally got back to the gym for the first time in ... well, let’s just say a long time.  It was HARD but I managed to finish the hour long class.  (Aren’t you proud of me?  Can I just say how awesome those ladies are who work so hard to be good, fit teachers and who push inspire us to work harder than we think we can.  Are you feeling it?  Can I get a woot?  Woot!)  Needless to say I was exhausted for the rest of the day (when does that extra energy they promise you for exercising kick in?) and wanted something simple for dinner.  I had some frozen shrimp in my freezer that needed to be used up, and just happened to have a couple of cans of cream of celery soup on hand, so this was it.

Shrimp & Rice

serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)

1 cans cream of celery soup

2 cups water

1 pound frozen, shelled raw shrimp

In a 12” nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium 1 minute.  Add onion and red pepper; cook 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and rice; cook 1 minute.  Add soup and water; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in shrimp; cover and cook 12 minutes or until rice is done, stirring once.

Simple, and it all cooks in one pan.  I’m all for that!  Plus you don’t have to cook the rice separately.  I (of course) didn’t use the onion or the pepper so didn’t do the extra cooking and stirring, just dumped some onion powder and garlic in the olive oil with the rice (short grain, sorry; I really don’t like long grain) and stirred for 1 minute.  And the shrimp I had was precooked, so I cooked everything and then put the shrimp in at the end to warm up.

I have to admit this was not my family’s favorite meal, but it was quick and easy and tasted good and everyone ate it.  Since I left out the pepper I will probably add a few more seasonings next time I make it.  I steamed up some veggies in the microwave (I highly recommend getting some of these ~ LOVE them!) and it was a yummy meal.

 I am not going to get into why I’m still using my beautiful orange and yellow porcelain paper plates.  Let’s just say that my oldest is still grounded (until Thursday) and leave it at that.

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells

Is it strange that I’ve never made stuffed shells.  Ever.  I did make manicotti once and it was a pain, so I haven’t been very excited about doing anything similar.  I have to say shells are quite easy and not too much trouble.  I even stayed pretty close to the recipe this time.  See what you think. 

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells

serves 8

source: www.tasteofhome.com

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon chopped red onion

1 teaspoon plus ¼ cup butter, divided

2 cans (6 ounces each) lump crabmeat, drained

1 package (5 ounces) frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plus 4 cups milk, divided

1½ teaspoons seafood seasoning, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, sauté green pepper and onion in 1 teaspoon butter until tender; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the crab, shrimp, egg, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, pepper and green pepper mixture.

Drain and rinse pasta; stuff each shell with 1 rounded tablespoon of seafood mixture.  Place in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

In a small saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and coarsely ground pepper; gradually whisk in remaining milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Pour over stuffed shells.  Sprinkle with remaining seafood seasoning.  Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

So, of course, I didn’t add the onions.  Or the green peppers.  No one here – with the possible exception of my oldest – likes peppers, so I skipped the whole skillet thing altogether and just added a little onion powder to the seafood mixture.  I also tried some whipped cream cheese instead of the mayo.  Didn’t think it would make that much difference in the creaminess, plus it would add a little more cheesiness.  And I used refrigerated crab meat – the imitation kind that’s still made with real fish.  Looks like this, only this says it’s real crab.  Aquamar Crab Meat  It was WAY cheaper than the canned stuff.  And, although I bought frozen shrimp, I forgot to thaw it so I just popped open a can.  (I keep them around for a yummy snack – I’ll have to share that one of these days...)  Stuck to the recipe other than that.  hahahaha!

This was a big hit.  We’re pasta fans around here, and I adore seafood, so it went over very well.  The cheese sauce was particularly yum, made again with my parmesan blend from Sam’s.  Bella Collina 4 cheese blend  Here it is, hot and bubbly just out of the oven.  (Looks a lot like the poisson florentine.  And yes, my stovetop is clean, very clean, no unwiped toast crumbs there, it must be spots on your glasses, uh, contact lenses, uh, eyes.  Yeah that's it.)

And paired with a simple lettuce salad.

Mmm, cheesy pasta goodness!

I also want to give a shout out to Two Peas and Their Pod for dessert, Twix Caramel Brownies!  If you’re a fan of chocolate and caramel these brownies are to die for.  I crunched up the Twix bars using my handy mini-food processor (find one at Wal-mart here).  Reasonably inexpensive and I end up using it lots more than I do my big one.  It’s the perfect size for making bread or cracker crumbs, or crunching up Oreos, candy and all sorts of other things.  Lots easier to clean too.

I had no caramel ice cream sauce in my house either (thought I did, darn it!) but I did have a bag of these so I tossed in a handful with the Twix chunks.  Yum!  You HAVE to try these!

Poisson Florentine

Ok, I admit it, I have made this recipe before.  A lot.  It's one of my family's favorites and a great way to get kids to eat a little more healthy.  Strangely enough, even my vegetable hater will eat this, although he does push some of the spinach aside in favor of the cheese and the fish.  I debated whether to share this recipe or not since it doesn't really follow the point of the blog, but hey, some of you may try it and like it.  (Disclaimer: the author of this blog takes no responsibility for recipes tried and found unpalatable to any or all readers.)  And we all have those days where we fall back on the tried and familiar, right?

Ok, a couple of things before we get started.  First, this recipe feeds four.  Four, if none of the four eating are very hungry.  I always double it - just use a 9x13" dish - and I still have to augment with other food to satisfy everyone.  Also, before cooking this, or any, recipe make sure you have all the ingredients you need.  Ug.  I went to make the sauce and found myself on a quick trip to Target for milk.  Again.  Why is it we're always running out of milk?  And why is it that unnamed members of my family seem to think it's perfectly reasonable to put the last carton of milk back in the fridge with only 2 tablespoons of liquid left in it - without bothering to tell mom (who is responsible for purchasing said milk) that we need more?  Lovely shock on those mornings when I already have cereal in my bowl.


Another interesting tidbit: some of you might have noticed the name of this recipe is in French.  That does not mean this is a fancy French dish that's going to be difficult to make.  It is VERY easy.  It just means fish and spinach.  Anything "florentine" means it's cooked with spinach, but saying "florentine" instead makes it more palatable to some family members when they ask what that green stuff is.

Ok, enough digression.  On to the recipe!  (Which I've colored for those of you who just want the recipes and don't want to be bothered by my verbososity.  Hey, it's a word!  Ok, it's not, but it ought to be.  It's descriptive and fun to say.  Say it with me, verb-os-ity.  See?)

Poisson Florentine 

4 servings

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon
pepper (or lemon pepper) to taste (remember you're adding lemon juice too)
1 cup milk
2/3 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound fish fillets, cut into serving pieces
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Heat butter over low heat until melted; stir in flour, bouillon and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add cheese; cook, stirring constantly, just until cheese is melted.

Place spinach in ungreased oblong baking dish, 12x7½x2 inches, or square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches; sprinkle with lemon juice.  Arrange fish on spinach; sprinkle with salt.  Spread sauce over fish and spinach.  Cook uncovered in 350° oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 20 to 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  (This is optional, but tastes yum, especially if your parm is fresh.)

Ok, a few notes:
1- I am a firm believer in REAL food.  Real butter, real whipping cream, real sugar.  I think your body knows what to do with real food, as opposed to things like synthetic or physically altered fats (hydrogenated oils like those found in margarine, Crisco, Cool Whip, Oreos - YIKES!) - so I will always include ingredients that contain real food.  Ok, almost always.  I do like an Oreo now and then, especially in ice cream.  Anyway, when the recipe says butter, I use butter, and so my results may differ from yours if you use margarine.  But if you like margarine, hey, knock yourself out.

2- I think this recipe turns out better if you use lower fat-containing cheeses like Swiss.  I have made it with cheddar and it turns out just fine, just a little greasier.  (Which, face it, can taste pretty good.)  If using cheddar we think it tastes better to replace about 1/4 cup of the cheddar with fresh Parmesan.  I buy a blend (parm, asiago, and a couple of others) in the refrigerated section of Sam's Club in a big carton that lasts several months so it's always handy.  Here's a link for those who are interested.  Bella Collina 4 Cheese Blend

3- Last night I found that I only had Swiss slices.  Have you ever tried to grate a cheese slice?  Not worth it.  Don't ask me how I know this, I just know this.  I just broke the cheese slices up and added them to the rue.  (Sorry, that's a sauce made from butter and flour.)  Took a bit longer to melt, but it turned out just find.  Be careful not to add too much cheese though.  It tastes nice but makes for a sticky sauce instead of a nice smooth one.

3- Ah the convenience of frozen spinach.  Put the whole package in your fridge the night before in a baggie to prevent leaks.  I've never tried this with fresh spinach but I suppose you could if you blanch it before putting it in the dish.

4- I usually use tilapia, although every other fish I've tried works out just as well.  I found some nice tilapia at Sam's club.  Here's a link for this too, so you know what I'm talking about: Treasures from the Sea Tilapia  Put it in the fridge the night before so it's thawed.  Tastes much better that way than the "quick thaw" suggestion on the back of the bag, which I think leaves a strong "fishy", dirty taste.

5- For the salt, I usually use sea salt.  Hey, it's fish, right?  hehe


And I have pictures!  Ok, not step-by-step pictures, that would require you seeing too much of my kitchen, which may or may not meet your personal cleanliness standards.  Of course my kitchen is CLEAN!  I mean, would I cook for or feed my family in a dirty kitchen?  Never!  I'm offended that you could even think I might!  Anyway, my oldest kept asking me why I was taking pictures of food.  I told him I'd show him why today.  So here they are:

 

Yummy nummy from the side.  The fish kind of blends into the cheese sauce so it's hard to see.  And NO that is not all cheese sauce!  You do get a great image of the spinach... uh... florentine.  (Please ignore my uneven placement thereof.)

 

 Hot and bubbly from the top.  Mmm.  Cheesy, buttery, lemon peppery goodness!

For the hungry little (and big) monsters I added some hot, crusty rolls.  Aren't I the great little baker?  Ok, I was going to bake my own rolls, but I used up my time at Target buying milk, so a nod goes to Rhodes for their heat & serve crusty rolls.  Soft and squishy inside, crumbly crusty outside.  Paired with, of course, a pat of melty butter.

All nicely laid out on the plate and ready to eat!

 

I whipped up (literally!) some fresh whipped cream.  When using real cream when I know there will be left-overs I like to add a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar.  It keeps the cream from going runny in the fridge and helps keep the animals happy.  And a splash of Mexican vanilla.  Sadly, that's about all I have left.  I really need to get some more...

Dolloped onto a slice of warm razzleberry pie.  Thanks for joining us for dinner Marie Calendar!  Did you know you can get this stuff from the store?  It's in the freezer section.  No need to take a tin into the restaurant.  Lucky, lucky husband!

So there you are.  A yummy, well-rounded dinner that made for full tummies and happy mouths.  I'd love to hear your questions or comments, especially if you try this out.