Easy Parmesan Risotto

About a month ago, our neighbors invited Matt and me over for a nice dinner, and boy were we impressed! On the menu was osso bucco (don’t even ask me how to pronounce it), Ina Garten’s Easy Parmesan Risotto, a caesar salad, and an amazing 3-ingredient icebox chocolate cheesecake from Food & Wine!

Everything was delicious, but I was most impressed by the risotto since it is super simple to make, and yields a 5-star presentation at any dinner table.

Combine Arborio rice and chicken stock in dutch oven and cook for 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

A few weeks after dinner at my neighbors, I took my turn at whipping up a batch of Parmesan risotto. Matt was actually out of town at the time, but I wanted a home-cooked meal. I was on the phone with my mom while cooking and she couldn’t believe how I was making such a fancy meal just for myself! I told her, “You won’t believe how simple this recipe is…honestly it probably takes a total of 15 minutes hands-on time; the rest of the action takes place in the oven!”

Like I said, risotto is super easy to make. Simply pour your chicken stock and Arborio rice into a Dutch oven and then let it cook in the oven for 45 minutes. During that time, I got a full in-home weights workout while catching up on my favorite soap opera, The Bold and The Beautiful.

Add remaining chicken stock, Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.

After 45 minutes, simply add the rest of the chicken stock, Parmesan, frozen peas, wine, salt, pepper and butter. That’s it… all done! However, since I didn’t want to eat just rice for dinner, I grilled up some shrimp seasoned with salt, pepper and a little Parmesan for my source of protein.

Excellent meal. Quick. Easy. It would impress just about any guest at a dinner party. Enjoy!

In a grill pan, heat shrimp over medium-high heat.

Cook shrimp until opaque and slightly firm.

Easy Parmesan Risotto topped with Grilled Shrimp

Easy Parmesan “Risotto”
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.
3. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from: Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? by Ina Garten

Grilled Shrimp and Green Bean Salad

My sister spent the night about a week ago, and as I told you before, all we did was cook. If anyone knows my sister, you know that she will eat nothing but healthy food. I feel the same, except you might catch me eating more “sweets” than she does. So after flipping through one of our Southern Living cookbooks, we found this healthy recipe called Grilled Shrimp and Green Bean Salad.

I must admit, this is one of my favorite dinner recipes yet. I kept raving about it to my husband (who liked this), and my mom. The unique combination of bacon, almonds, green beans, and shrimp is absolutely delicious and makes for a wonderful meal to serve to a crowd on a nice summer evening. It is light, flavorful, and succulent. I don’t have a grill (and am scared of them), so I grilled my shrimp on the stovetop in a Le Creuset grill pan. They turned out wonderfully.

I highly recommend making this salad for the spring and summer time as the weather gets warmer. It is not one to disappoint. Enjoy!

To make the basil vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Place crumbled, cooked bacon and salted almonds in a bowl.

After marinating shrimp in half of the basil vinaigrette for 15 minutes, grill shrimp on stove or grill for about 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink.

Meanwhile, cook green beans in boiling water for 4 minutes. Plunge in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain. Add shrimp and green beans to the large bowl with almonds and bacon. Pour remaining basil vinaigrette on top.

Serve with warm and toasted corn bread.

Grilled Shrimp and Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
8 (12-inch) wooden skewers (optional)
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
2 pounds peeled, medium-size raw shrimp
*Basil Vinaigrette, divided
6 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (we omitted)
3/4 cup chopped roasted, salted almonds
Cornbread (optional: we used Perfect Corn Bread)

Basil Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 large shallots, minced (we used red onions)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. seasoned pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup olive oil

Whisk together balsamic vinegar and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl until blended; gradually add olive oil, whisking constantly until blended.

Directions
1. Soak wooden skewers in water to cover 30 minutes.
2. Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain, pat dry, and place in a large bowl.
3. Combine shrimp and 3/4 cup Basil Vinaigrette in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and chill 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade. Thread shrimp onto skewers.
4. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees F) 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from skewers; toss with green beans, bacon, Parmesan cheese, almonds, and remaining 3/4 cup Basil Vinaigrette. Serve over hot cornbread, if desired.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Southern Living

Baked Shrimp in a Tomato Feta Sauce

Well, I absolutely loved this Baked Shrimp in a Tomato Feta Sauce recipe from Simply Recipes! Honestly, I felt like I was eating at a 5-star Italian food restaurant. The feta cheese, tomatoes, and herbs were a perfect combination of Italian flavors that made this dish wonderfully delicious. The sauce is light and makes for a healthy weeknight meal.

Unfortunately, my husband Matt hated it. I should have known, though, because for one, he does not like seafood. He is crazy and only likes the raw fish, like sushi and shrimp cocktail. Secondly, Matt told me for the first time ever (while he was eating this), that he does not like feta cheese. How was I supposed to know until now!!!! haha 🙂 Finally, he said he did not like the thin sauce.

I’m sorry I can’t please him every time with “man meals” like fried chicken and red meat every night! Since I am a girl, my husband, to his displeasure, is going to be served some chicken salad, popovers, dutch babies, scones, and shrimp in a tomato feta sauce once in a while (“girly dishes” as he refers to them as)!

So, if you are a big fan of shrimp, are looking for a healthy, light, yet delicious meal, please try this and let me know what you think! Also, serve it with crusty French or Italian bread to soak up the wonderful sauce. Pasta is also good with this, however, it does not soak up the sauce as well as the bread will. Enjoy!!

Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds longer.

Add tomatoes, then simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until juices start to thicken.

Stir in shrimp, feta, herbs, salt and pepper.

Place skillet in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through. Serve over pasta, rice, or my favorite…. crusty bread.

Baked Shrimp in a Tomato Feta Sauce
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (I added because I like spicy foods)
1 to 1 1/4 pounds medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, thaw if frozen
Pinch of salt, more to taste
Pinch of pepper, more to taste
3 ounces feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
2. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the juices thicken a bit.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in the herbs, red pepper flakes shrimp, feta cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Place pan in oven and bake, uncovered, until shrimp are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Serve immediately. Serve with crusty French or Italian loaf bread, pasta, or rice. (I recommend crusty bread.)

Serves: 4
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

Penne alla Betsy

This is a super fast and super easy pasta dish. I got the recipe from the Ree Drummond’s newest cookbook, “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl”. She named this dish after her sister, Betsy. Essentially, “Penne alla Betsy” is just another name for Penne alla Vodka, which is an Italian dish made with penne pasta, vodka, heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, and diced onions. I love shrimp, and the sauce and herbs with the pasta are outstanding. Enjoy!

Saute shrimp over medium-high heat in 1 tbsp butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes, or until opaque.

Remove shrimp and saute onion and garlic in remaining 1 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

Add tomato sauce and heavy cream and stir until combined.

Add shrimp to sauce.

Add herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Penne alla Betsy
Ingredients
1 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. large shrimp
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (I omitted)
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
Milk for thinning
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente (firm yet tender). Drain and set aside.
2. Begin by peeling and deveining shrimp and rising them under cold water.
3. In a small skillet over medium-heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp. Stir and cook on both sides until it is just starting to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
5. If using wine, pour into pan and allow to evaporate, about 45 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low.
6. Pour in the cream. Stir well to combine; reduce heat to simmer.
7. Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Next add the herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Stir gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk to get it to the right consistency. Add salt and pepper. Serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Panko Shrimp

Well, this is one of my favorite recipes in the world! You can make Panko Shrimp or use this same recipe and make Panko Chicken. It is very uncharacteristic of me not to measure when I cook, but this is one recipe that is hard to measure. I usually just scoop a few spoonfuls of flour into a pan and a few spoonfuls of Panko crumbs in a pan. If I need more, I just pour more. My aunt Jolene and I made these in Houston. Enjoy!!

Peel and devein shrimp. Butterfly the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Prepare separate bowls of flour, egg, and Panko crumbs. Dip shrimp into flour.

Then beaten eggs.

Finally dip shrimp into Panko crumbs.

Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.

Serve shrimp warm with cocktail or tarter sauce.

Panko Shrimp
Ingredients
2 lbs large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled, deveined, and butterflied
Flour
3 Eggs, beaten
Panko crumbs
Salt
Pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed
2 tbsp butter, plus more if needed

Directions
1. Peel and devein shrimp. Butterfly the shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Dip shrimp in flour, then egg, then Panko crumbs.
3. Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook on each side for about 2 minutes each, until lightly browned.
4. Remove from pan and serve with cocktail or tarter sauce.

Serves: 6-8

Shrimp Cocktail

I’ve never made shrimp in shrimp cocktail before, and it was excellent! The shrimp was well seasoned and had a slight kick to them. I used Heinz Original Cocktail sauce instead of making my own since I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. This is a super fast, super easy recipe for shrimp cocktail and I strongly recommend it. My husband is on a protein diet right now so shrimp was perfect for him. Shrimp are very high in protein, low in calories, and low in fat. A very healthy, and very tasty meal. I got this recipe from “Simply Recipes.com”. Enjoy!

Mix together shrimp seasonings in a small bowl.

Add seasonings to water and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until water reaches a boil again.

Put shrimp into an ice bath for 2 minutes.

Drain shrimp and serve with cocktail sauce.

Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
SHRIMP
2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning (I used Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning)
1 lemon, halved (I omitted since I didn’t have a lemon)
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
24 extra large tail-on raw shrimp

COCKTAIL SAUCE
1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp horseradish
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Directions
1. To prepare cocktail sauce, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Have a large bowl of ice water next to sink.
3. To an 8-quart pot of water, add Old Bay, lemon, granulated garlic, garlic, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil.
4. Add shrimp to pot and when water returns to a boil, the shrimp should be done. It will be bright pink.
5. Immediately drain and place shrimp into ice bath to cool for 2 minutes. Drain and serve with cocktail sauce.

Serves: 4 people for appetizers and 2 people for a meal.

Shrimp Scampi au Gratin

The first time I tried shrimp scampi was when my high school/college friend had me and a few other girls over for dinner one night. This was the group of friends that I would cook my “dinner parties” for during college. Well, the shrimp scampi was amazing, so I requested the recipe and have been making it ever since. My mom and sister love making this dish as well. It is extremely easy, fancy looking, and good. Enjoy!

Place shrimp in baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Melt butter. Combine with bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, oregano, and black pepper.

Spoon mixture over shrimp.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Serve over angel hair pasta.

Shrimp Scampi au Gratin
Ingredients
1 pound medium-sized fresh shrimp
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp crushed oregano
Cracked black pepper
Optional: lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Clean and devein shrimp. Place in 13 by 9 inch baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.
3. Combine butter, crumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, oregano, and black pepper; spoon mixture over shrimp.
4. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley, if desired.

Serves 4

Emeril Lagasse’s Shrimp and Linguine Fra Diavolo

This was the first dinner I ever made my husband (when we were dating) and he absolutely loved it! Actually the first words out of his mouth were, “This is a lot better than I thought it would be!” For those of you who don’t know, my husband is not big on seafood, so he didn’t want to tell me that when I was about to cook our first dinner. What is crazy is that he loves sushi, and he likes cold shrimp cocktail. He will only eat salmon from Houston’s (a restaurant in Dallas), and he only likes crab legs from some exclusive restaurant in Atanta. My husband says he hates seafood, but it sounds to me like he kind of likes it!

For this recipe, I sometimes use the curly, corkscrew pasta from Williams-Sonoma instead of linguine because it holds the sauce really well and it is fun to eat. I love this dish; its spicy, simple, and fast to make. Plus I would consider it quite healthy!

Cook the onions in olive oil for 3-4 minutes.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.

Now add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.

Finally add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir all ingredients together and cook another 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese (unfortunately we were out…) and serve immediately.

Shrimp and Linguine Fra Diavolo
Ingredients
1 pound linguine
1 cup diced onion
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
2-3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp
1 cup cooking water (from drained pasta)
1 tsp salt; divided in pasta water and in the sauce (I omitted because I do not like a lot of salt)
fresh parsley
parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Cook pasta in salted water for 5 minutes and drain. SAVE 1 cup of cooking water!
2. On medium high heat, cook 1 cup diced onion with 6 tablespoons olive oil for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add 3 tablespoons minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add 2-3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
5. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add drained pasta and 1 cup of cooking water and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Serves 4-6