Marinated Shrimp with Olives

Many posts today will be filled with lots of eye candy & sugary delights for Valentine's Day. I guess I'll be the rebel. That's exciting. Or I can tell the truth which is my sweet offerings were a big flop last night. I tried making these mascarpone mini cupcakes with strawberry glaze from Giada's cookbook.

While the taste was right on, the tops separated from the bottom of the cupcake, even after I cooled them a bit. Apparently, from all the reviews, it happened to quite a few people. Maybe they were too top heavy??? As for the glaze, it had potential. I'll have to modify & try again sometime.

Anyway, I bring you some eye candy in the way of a gorgeous appetizer that is so easy to prepare,  delicious & looks beautiful on the table! I made it for my Dad's birthday dinner along with the Spinach Ricotta Rounds & he was pleased!

MARINATED SHRIMP WITH OLIVES from Taste of Home

{ Printable Recipe Here }

2 lbs cooked medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 medium red onion, sliced & separated into rings
2 medium lemons, cut into slices
1 cup pitted ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup Olive Oil or Canola Oil
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tblsp lemon juice
3 tblsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tblsp minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp pepper

In a 3-qt. glass serving bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, lemons & olives. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over shrimp mixture & stir gently to coat. Cover & refrigerate for up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf before serving. Yield: 14 servings.

{ Food for Thought }

The original recipe stated to marinate up to 24 hours. I was very surprised by this since seafood marinated in any kind of acidity from citrus or vinegar will destroy its texture. I have done it before & ruined food because the texture is awful. Be on the safe side & only marinate for 4-6 hours. Also, I usually leave the tail on for  shrimp appetizers but since this is mixed with onions & olives I should have taken the tail off for easier eating. 

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Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I had to share some sweetness with you. Meet my little guy Tristan's friend Emily. They have been friends since they were crawling together. If you think this is cute....

{ birthday party at Disney Fort Wilderness }

Check out their front side...

{ Christmas parade in town }


Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Roast

My Dad requested pork for his 69th birthday dinner. I researched quite a few recipes thinking of combining bits & pieces of each, until I saw this one by Giada. It had 200 reviews & a 5 star rating. I get why!!!!!

This was so easy to prepare as I got it ready the day before & just popped it in the oven the day of. And talk about delicious! The pancetta, an Italian bacon,  gives such a nice flavor & the pan juices are perfect for serving with mashed potatoes. You don't have to worry about making a thick sauce after the roast is done.

This is perfect for a special dinner or even just a weekend night at home with the family. I loved it & can't wait to make it again. Leftovers can easily be used for some cuban sandwiches. Just see my notes as usual for modifications!

PANCETTA WRAPPED PORK ROAST

{ Printable Recipe Here }

6-8 large garlic cloves
1 tblspn finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tblspn finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tblspn olive oil
1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb) tied boneless pork loin roast *
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4-6 ounces sliced pancetta *
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme & oil in a small food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced. Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt & pepper. Spread the garlic mixture all over the pork, including the bottom. 

Overlap slices of the pancetta all over the top & part of the sides of the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover & refrigerate at least 1 hour & up to 1 day.

Take your pork out 1 hour before you plan to place in oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour 1/2 cup of broth & 1/2 cup of wine into the roasting pan. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.

Add more broth & wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 140 degrees, about 45 min - 1 hour.* Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil & let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup & spoon off any fat that rises to the top.

Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices & serve with the pan juices.

{ Food for Thought }

Buy center cut pork loin. It is one thick uniform piece with no need for tying. Fresh Rosemary & Thyme are best for this. Pancetta can be found fresh at your deli. Just ask for it to be sliced thin.

Please invest in a meat thermometer. The last thing you want is overdone pork. The one shown is a leave in thermometer for less than $10. You need to take the pork out when it reaches 140 because the temp will rise & it will continue to cook. 

One last thought ~ don't slice all of your pork when serving. If you have leftovers, it is best to keep it whole when storing it in the fridge to keep it from drying out!!!!!!!!

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And if you're looking for the perfect appetizer to go with this meal, these Spinach Ricotta Rounds are outrageous. I've made them before but when I made them again for my Dad's birthday, I made the process even easier so I went back to modify the recipe. My Mom & Dad loved these. They are definitely a favorite now!

Spinach Ricotta Rounds


I am linking deliciously to Lisa at Blessed with Grace
for
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays!!!!!

Apple Dumplings

My Dad's birthday dinner was a success & I think he felt very special!!!! I am looking forward to sharing the incredible main course with you on Friday. 

For dessert, I made these apple dumplings along with some key lime pie. I'll take these delicious dumplings over apple pie any time! I made a variation of these a long time ago but without the intriguing addition of soda so when I saw this version from a fellow blogger I knew I had to make it. I'm not a soda drinker but couldn't wait to see the effects of adding it. The soda thickens & adds a sweet gooeyness you gotta love.

I will be making these often, especially since they are incredibly easy.

You gotta try 'em!!!!

 { Pictures show a halved recipe }

APPLE DUMPLINGS

{ Printable Recipe Here }

2 pkgs Crescent Rolls
2 large Granny Smith apples
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tblsp cinnamon
1 12oz can Mountain Dew or Sprite

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Peel & slice each apples into 8 slices. Roll each apple slice in one section of crescent roll. Place rolled slices into greased dish.

Melt butter. Add cinnamon & sugar & lightly mix. Pour mixture over apples. Pour can of Mountain Dew over all.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

{ Food for Thought }

You can probably get away with 1 cup of sugar but use your judgement. The mixture is also very thick so you actually don't pour it as much as you place some over each apple.

The 2nd time I made these I decided to put them under the broiler for just 1 minute to get browner. It also made a nice crunchy texture on top. Hubs didn't like it that way but I did. Up to you!

Soup's On: Asian Seafood Soup

For previous bowls of soup in my series of Soup's On, click:

Soup's On: Mamma Leone's Chicken Soup

Soup's On: Tuscan Spinach, Bean & Sausage Soup

“Soup is to the meal, what the hostess' smile of welcome is to the party. A prelude to the goodness to come.” ~ Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949)

I am excited for the weekend!!!! It's my Dad's birthday so I'm cooking my parents a big special dinner with some of his favorite foods. I can't wait to show you the menu next week & if all goes well, there will be 4 new recipes to share!!!!!!

Until then...I made this soup Monday evening for dinner & continued to have it the next 3 days for lunch! Since I've made a life change by going on the treadmill on my lunch hour, leaving my evenings free for family time, this healthy but filling soup was exactly what I wanted & needed. Not only was my frequent seafood urge met but so was my desire for pasta, but without the guilt, since I used whole grain spaghetti. I really enjoyed this!

 

ASIAN SEAFOOD SOUP from EatingWell.com

{ Click Here to Print Recipe }

1 tsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups thinly sliced Napa (Chinese) cabbage
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
6 oz small shrimp, peeled & deveined
6 oz bay or sea scallops
3 tblsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tblsp rice-wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
8 oz Chinese wheat noodles, or linguine
2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
*See notes for additional ingredients

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic & stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add cabbage & 1/4 cup of the broth.

Bring to a simmer & cook until the cabbage is wilted, about 1 minute. Add the remaining broth, shrimp, scallops, soy sauce & vinegar. Return to a simmer & cook until the shrimp & scallops are opaque in the center, about 1 minute. This is where I added the chili garlic sauce & some red pepper flakes.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water just until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. If using linguine, cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander & divide among 4 large soup bowls.

Ladle the soup over the noodles & sprinkle with scallions.

 

{ Food for Thought }

While this was simmering I took a taste & thought it needed something. I added a couple of swirls of Asian garlic chili sauce, as well as some red pepper flakes. The chili sauce added the flavor it needed along with a hint of sweetness to bring it all together. It was like night & day so I highly recommend this. I also used whole grain spaghetti to keep this healthy. Have all your ingredients ready so that the shrimp & scallops do not overcook. Take this off the heat as soon as it's done.

This will give you about 6 good bowls of soup. At first I was concerned about my noodles soaking up too much liquid if I added them to the leftover soup. I took a chance anyway & it was more than fine. I had this as lunch for 3 days straight & it tasted as good as the day before. I only recommend adding the scallions right before serving.

{ Have a Great Weekend Everyone }

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I've made this dip a couple of times since December & thought it would be a perfect time to post for the big football weekend coming up. I have tried other versions that are baked & found them to be on the dry side. I love that this one gets all saucy & cooks in a crockpot while I get to do other things!

The pictures don't do it justice but it smells & tastes delicious!!! This dip is a must have at any party or gathering where no one's counting calories!!!!

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

{ Click Here to Print Recipe }

3 large or 5 small chicken breasts
1 8oz package of room temp. cream cheese
24 oz ranch dressing
8 oz hot sauce (Texas Pete)

Boil the chicken until cooked. In a crackpot melt cream cheese with ranch dressing & hot sauce. When chicken is done, shred & put into the crockpot with the melted cheese mixture. Cook on low & stir occasionally for about an hour. Serve with Fritos, Scoops or fresh bread.

{ Food for Thought }

I recommend starting with 18oz ranch & then tasting to see if you'd like more. And just a reminder because I had to learn the hard way - try to get a bottle of hot sauce that has an opening which allows you to pour rather than just dash the sauce out. Otherwise, you'll be there forever.


If you like this then you may just like one of my favorite dips of all time & the reason I will never buy store bought onion dip again:

Caramelized Onion Dip

Soup's On: Tuscan Spinach, Bean & Sausage

For the 1st bowl of 12 in the series of Soup's On, click:

Soup's On: Mama Leone's Chicken Soup

“Good manners: The noise you don't make when you're eating soup.” ~ Bennett Cerf, humorist, publisher

This soup was easy to make for a weeknight meal after a long day of work. And it was not only hearty but fairly healthy! I looked at a few sausage packages to compare calories & fat & the one below was what I went with. Next time I will try the freshly prepared chicken sausage but they didn't have any available.

TUSCAN SPINACH, BEAN & SAUSAGE SOUP

{ Click Here to Print Recipe }

1 link hot Italian-style turkey sausage
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 14 oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz frozen cut-leaf spinach or fresh
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tblsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring sausage & 1/4 inch water to a simmer in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until water evaporates, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to cook until the sausage is browned on all sides, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board; when cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Combine the sausage, beans, broth, garlic, spinach & marjoram in a medium saucepan.

Cover & cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in cheese just before serving.

{ Food for Thought }

I used the fresh spinach I had on hand instead of frozen & just added it in along with the broth & garlic. You can substitute any kind of sausage you prefer from the many variations on the market. Just be sure to look at the calories if you want to keep this soup healthy. I opted for a chicken sausage because it was half the fat of the turkey sausage freshly prepared at my grocer.

Although better than the traditional, the turkey sausage was still very high in cals & fat. 

And if you can't make soup to keep warm, blanket yourself with one tired little boy & one sweet large bulldog.

 {  Linking Deliciously to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  }

Breakfast Potato Skins

My best friend Jennifer & her family visited from NY this weekend. We had a blast eating lunch at a tiki bar on the lake, watching the kids play & visiting Animal Kingdom. I would share with you some pics but I don't even think I got one picture of her & I together. It's sad actually. I guess I'm a better foodie than a friend since I got pictures of breakfast I made one morning. I really enjoyed having a full house & spending a couple of hours in the kitchen each morning being the short order cook.

Oh, here's a great one of The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom. We stood there trying to capture as many of the over 300 animals carved into this tree. It's beautiful. You need to double click to really appreciate!

{ Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom }

Back to the breakfast. I cannot wait to make these breakfast potato skins again & again & again. I have been wanting to ever since I had them at a restaurant once & thought maybe I could do better at home. I am a stickler for every bite having a bit of goodness & I think some restaurants just forget that.

These were easy, fun to make & just downright delicious. What's better than eggs, potatoes, cheese & bacon together ????? Aside from the bacon, these are healthy if you cook your eggs in cooking spray & have a gentle hand with the cheese. And you can always use turkey bacon.

BREAKFAST POTATO SKINS

{ Printable Recipe Here }

4 baked potatoes such as Idaho
6-7 eggs (you may have a little leftover)
Salt & Pepper
Shredded cheese, such as Colby Jack (about 1 cup)
Bacon, cooked & crumbled
Sour cream, reduced fat
Fresh chives, chopped

Pierce potatoes with a fork in several spots. Bake them in microwave in 5 minute intervals until fork tender. 4 potatoes roughly take 12-15 minutes. I like to rotate mine as well & turn them over halfway through cooking time to ensure even doneness.

Set potatoes aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 375.

Cut potatoes in half length-wise. Leaving ¼” wall, scoop out pulp & reserve for another use. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes just until the shells crisp up a bit. While they are cooking, scramble eggs just until set. They will cook further in oven. Season with a little salt & pepper.

Sprinkle a little cheese in the bottom of the potatoes.

Divide scrambled eggs between all. Then add more cheese on top as well as crumbled bacon.

Heat in oven just cheese is melted & bacon is warmed through. Serve with sour cream & chives.

No food for thought today. These are too easy. Just use whatever cheese makes you happy & enjoy!!!!!!

And if you want something just as easy but even healthier, what about a ham burrito without the burrito?

{ I created these by cooking up some Virginia baked ham fresh from the deli & rolling it around some sauteed onions with a scrambled egg & a little cheese }

Can't wait to be by to see what everyone has been up to. I have been MIA for a few days & starting to have blogger withdrawal.

Oh, see this car? It's also a boat. No joke. As we sat eating lunch by the lake, this was in the water. We thought it was just a boat that looked like a car on the top but then it rolled onto land & drove up to park.