Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

I was looking for something to do with a spaghetti squash (other that just butter, salt & pepper) and came across this recipe. Other that the initial cooking of the squash, it was fairly quick and decidedly tasty. My picture is missing the parsley garnish. :)

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen pre-cooked because that's what I had)
3 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400'F. Stab a vent hole in the squash and microwave on high 4 minutes so that it's soft enough for you to cut in half, lengthwise, without severely harming yourself, untensils, or kitchen. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle or brush olive oil on the exposed inside, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Place, cut side up, on baking sheet and bake 45-60 minutes, until a fork goes into the "spaghetti" part easily. Let cool enough so you can handle it. Use a fork to scrape the insides to loosen the squash strands.

2. Melt butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper (to taste) and cook 5 minutes (if using raw shrimp) or until shrimp are heated through (if using precooked shrimp). Remove from heat. Add in cooked spaghetti squash and lemon juice, and gently toss. Top with parsley and serve.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Ok, let's clear something up right now. When I say "baked" I don't mean it in the general let's-bake-it-because-that-will-make-it-healthier way. I strictly mean that it is heated in the oven. With that said, I present...Baked Shrimp Scampi!

raw shrimp, thawed or fresh
lemons
1 stick butter or margarine
1 package Italian dressing mix

1. Preheat oven to 350'F. Melt butter in a (rimmed) baking sheet. Depending on the size of your cookie sheet, you may only need half a stick instead of a full stick.
2. Slice lemons and lay in the butter in the baking sheet. Lay the shrimp in a layer over the lemon layer. Sprinkle the dried Italian dressing mix over the shrimp. Again, depending on the quantity of shrimp you're using, you may only need half a package.
3. Bake at 350'F for 15 minutes.

Note: I lined my baking sheet with foil, but I probably won't do that next time. It gave the shrimp a slightly metallic taste. (I think from the foil reacting with the lemons.)

Summer Shrimp Crostini

24 cooked medium shrimp, thawed
1/2 c ketchup
4 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
dash of Tabasco, to taste
1/4 cup garlic & herb cheese spread (I used Alouette)
12 pieces thinly sliced baguette, toasted if desired

Combine ketchup, lime juice, cilantro, green onion and Tabasco in a medium bowl. (Remove tails from shrimp if not already off.) Add shrimp and stir gently to coat.

Spread cheese spread on each slice of baguette. Arrange 2 shrimp on each slice. Serve.

Fish Stew

I had some talapia fillets I was looking to use and on the hunt for a recipe that would be easy and flavorful. I was very pleased with this one!

Fish Stew

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 lb cod or other lean white fish fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add chopped onion, celery, and chili powder; sautee 3 minutes or until tender.

Stir in water and next 4 ingredients (water through tomatoes); cook 10 minutes.  Add fish; cook 3 minutes or until fish is done. Stir in parsley.

Cal: 143; Fat 3.1g, Iron 1mg; Chol 33mg; Calcium 51 mg; Carb 14.6g; Sodium 380mg; Protein 15.7g; Fiber 1.8g

Cooking Light, NOV 2000

Baked Fish with Vegetables

I found this recipe in an America's Test Kitchen "Cooking for Two" magazine. I had to do a little altering to match what I had on hand, but it turned out very well.

6 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 1 cup), quartered
1/2 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts (about 1 cup), thawed and patted dry--(EP-I didn't have these, so I used a cup of eggplant chopped to be roughly the same size as artichose hearts)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse (EP-I didn't have these)
2 Tblsp dry white wine (EP-I used water)
1 shallot, minced
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/8 tsp dried
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 (6-ounce) skinless fish fillets, 1 to 1.5 inches thick (cod, hallibut, haddock)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450'F. Toss the tomatoes, artichokes(eggplant), olives, water, shallot, 1 tsp of the oil, garlic, thyme, 1/8 tsp of the salt, and 1/8 tsp of the pepper together in a medium bowl, then spread in an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and nestle into the tomato mixture. Brush the top of the fillets with the remaining teaspoon of oil and season with the remaining 1/8 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp of pepper. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the fish flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the basil and serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 2

tuna (or crab) burgers

new recipe + simple to make = a keeper


2 cans (95g) tuna (or fancy lump meat crab)
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh white bread crumbs (I prefer the 1/2 cup)
1 egg
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 small onion finely grated (or, if you're me: onion powder)
dash of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Add some peanut oil to a frying pan and turn on medium heat. Form patties and grill on each side for 4 minutes until golden brown.

This recipe suggests putting these patties on a bun to eat. I prefer to eat them plain, with a bit of this:

1/4 cup mayo
2 T dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
2 squirts Tabasco sauce
1 tsp dill

Tomatoes & Shrimp over Rice

This recipe can be as simple or complicated as you like. It's a super fast and easy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

Shrimp (amount depends on the number of servings you need)

Canned diced tomatoes (one can 2-4 srvngs, 2 cans 5-6)

Herbs & Seasonings (to taste)

Cooked rice (cooked per package instructions)

1. Defrost shrimp in cool water, if needed.

2. Heat diced tomatoes and herbs in a saucepan; simmer.

3. Add shrimp, cook till heated. Probably about 3-5 minutes.

4. Serve over cooked rice.

Sorry this formatting is wacky. I don't know what I did or why it isn't saving my paragraph spacings.ep

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

This is a delightful treat for those of us with summer fever. Just whip these up, turn on the fan and pretend you're on the Mexican Riviera. Ahhh....

Ingredients:
1/2 lb medium shrimp (or any equivalent, about 2 cups)
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c chopped purple onion (rinsed with cold water)
1/2 c chopped peeled cucumber
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp Mexican hot sauce (such as Tamazula; I didn't have this, so I just used ketchup with Tobasco to taste)
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped avocado
limes for garnish, if desired

1. Rinse and peel (if needed) shrimp. Combine shrimp and lime juice, cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients, except avocado.
3. Stir in shrimp and fold in avocado.
4. Serve immediately (or chilled) with crackers, pita chips, etc.

Servings: 4- 3/4 c appetizer servings or 2- 1 1/2 c meal servings

Note: This is a great recipe for adjusting to fit your preference. Don't like cilantro? Add less. Want to try it with corn kernels? Go ahead. I'm sure you'll find the perfect mix!