Creamy Pesto Shrimp With Pasta
Since I haven't kept up my end of the bargain, I'm playing "catch up" now with the recipes! Like I said, "Winter is Coming" and this is the time of year where I like to have something warm and hearty for dinner when I come home from a long day at work. I also want it to be easy, quick and delicious! Honestly, is that too much to ask? Anyway, this is a hit!!! Try it, you'll like it. If you have the time, or the inclination, you can make your own Pesto, it's super easy! Here we go!
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Linguine or Thick Spaghetti Pasta
1/4 Cup of Butter
2 Cups of Heavy Cream ( You can use Half & Half instead to "lighten" it up )
1 Cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
1/3 Cup Pesto (Store bought or home made works fine)
1 Lb. Shrimp, peeled, deveined and cleaned (You can use any size shrimp you prefer)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions (8-10 minutes typically) or until al dente, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, and slowly stir in cream. Season with black pepper to your taste and cooke for about 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly.
Mix cheese into the cream sauce, stirring continually until thoroughly mixed, then blend in pesto and cook on medium-low for another 3-5 minutes.
Add shrimp to skillet, mix well with cream sauce and cook until shrimp turns pink, approximately 5 minutes. Serve over hot linguine and top with a little more cheese.
Enjoy with warm bread or a salad!
Bon Apetit! Buon Apetito! Buen Provecho! Douzo Meshiagare!
Creamy Mac Cheese with Bacon
Welcome Back! Or if this is your first time visiting, Welcome!! I don't know about you, but once it starts to get a little cold outside, I always crave a little something warm on the inside! This recipe is a triple-threat....Easy To Make, Inexpensive To Make, & Will Feed the Masses! (And have them coming back for seconds!) It might not be the healthiest thing to make, but it's delicious and should be consumed in moderation.....IF you have the will power not to eat it all yourself! ;) Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Elbow Pasta (Or any other pasta that will hold up under the cheesy, ooey-gooey sauce! Penne or Mostacciolli both work great!
3/4 Lb. Bacon, Cooked and Diced (About 1 Cup)
3 Cups Heavy Cream
2-3 Cups of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Green Onions, finely chopped
*Sour Cream can be used for garnish on top
Fill a pot large enough to boil the entire box of Pasta, with water and bring to a rolling boil. Drop in pasta and cook to package instructions.
Meanwhile, place a large Saute' pan or Skillet over high heat for several minutes. Once hot, add the bacon and cook until crunchy but not burnt. Once cooked, remove bacon and place on paper towel to drain excess grease. Pour used oil out, but leave any bacon bits in pan/skillet. Once bacon has cooled, dice and set aside.
Add the heavy cream to the pan/skillet, over medium heat and bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan and mixing with cream. Once cream boils, reduce heat and simmer until cream is reduced slightly about 3-5 minutes.
Slowly add cheese, green onions and bacon, stirring well and cook over medium-high heat until cheese has melted, about 3-5 minutes. Season with balk pepper and salt to your taste. Add the pasta to the sauce, once cooked and drained well, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately after and again, you can garnish with sour cream if you like!
Enjoy with a cup of soup, or a salad and you're all set!
Bon Apetit!Buon Apetito! Buen Provecho!Douzo Meshiagare!
Winter is coming, at least it's supposed to be! Since I'm in California, we haven't seen much rain, but the temperatures are dropping....in my book that means it's time for some warm homemade soup! Today it's Cream of Mushroom Soup!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 lbs. Cremini Mushrooms, sliced thinly
3 Garlic Gloves, minced
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Cup Red Wine
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Tsp. Rosemary ( Dried is fine, but I prefer fresh Rosemary)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbs. Corn Starch
Directions:
Melt butter in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent. About 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and browned, string occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes. Slowly stir in wine, (if you're not a big wine person, add slowly and taste until you think it's enough) and simmer until liquid is reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cream and chicken broth until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: I prefer to put my soup through the blender to make it creamier. Then I put back in stockpot/dutch oven and add cornstarch to thicken. When adding corn starch, make sure soup is still hot, reheat on medium heat if needed. Add the 2 Tbs. Cornstarch to about 1/4 cup of COLD water and dissolve completely, stirring to break up chunks. Then slowly add to soup mixture and stirring constantly, bring to a low boil. You will notice that the soup has become thicker. If it's still not thick enough for your taste, add corn starch mixture again until you achieve the consistency you desire.
Serve with warm french bread, or a salad and enjoy!!!
Welcome to my blog! I will be sharing recipes/menu planning tips/helpful hints, etc. into the wonderful world of cooking. I will take some of my favorite recipes, and share them with you, pictures and all. I'll take you on adventures in cooking from all around the world, from Central America, Asia, European to good ol' fashioned recipes handed down from generation to generation. There will be main course recipes along with desserts and cocktails....and mocktails!
I've raised two kids who are now in college, and I know how hard it is to make ends meet sometimes, but here I will provide you with hints on how to stretch your dollar to put more than enough food on your table! I've worked full-time my whole life, so I know how hard it is to come home after a long day and have to come home and still cook dinner when you're exhausted. Here I will give you tips on planning meals that are quick, healthy and taste yummy as well. (We all know how picky kids can be!)
I hope you join me, as my hubby and I venture into the world of cooking and share recipes I'm sure you'll enjoy!
Bon Appetit! Buon Appetito! Buen Provecho! Douzo Meshiagare!
Disclaimer: I'm new to blogging so please excuse any further faux pas on my part, and please be patient while I work out all of the bugs! :)
