Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite shrimp dishes.  I love the simple flavors of the dish and the quickness with which I can have it on the table.  It is also a very simple dish to prepare, yet elegant enough to serve for company.  The key to this dish, though, is to make sure all the prep work is done prior to turning on the stove.

Since the entire dish cooks in less than 10 minutes, I like to make sure I have everything ready to throw in the pan before I even start heating up the pan.  I chop the parsley, mince the garlic, thaw the shrimp, and measure out the other ingredients while bringing the water for the pasta to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, I heat the skillet for the shrimp.  As soon as I drop the noodles into the water, I place the butter in the skillet and start melting it.  By the time the noodles are done, the shrimp and everything else have been added to the pan, cooked through, and are ready to serve over the pasta.

The end result is a vibrantly flavored shrimp dish that is light enough for a summer dinner, or can be served as a first course at a dinner party.


Shrimp Scampi

6 oz angel hair pasta, cooked
1 lb raw colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Place large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil and butter and heat until butter melts and stops foaming.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Cook for 30 seconds, or until garlic is softened.

Add white wine, then shrimp.  Spread shrimp into single layer and cook for 3 minutes, or until shrimp are nearly opaque.

Turn shrimp over and cook 1 minute longer.  Add lemon juice and parsley to pan.  Serve immediately over angel hair.  Spoon sauce over shrimp.  Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Growing up in Indianapolis, I used to frequent a small sandwich shop simply called The Sandwich Machine.  It was a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant that made sandwiches fresh to order.  They had an incredible list of both cold and hot subs, but my favorite sandwich has always been, and will always be, their giant breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.  I have no idea how many of these I have eaten in my life, but the process has always been the same.  Unwrap the sandwich, remove the tenderloin, fold it in fourths, and replace on bun, then eat.

These are not nearly as big as the original (although they could be by cutting the tenderloin into 8 oz pieces instead of 4 oz pieces), but the flavor is the same.  Crispy breaded pork on a hamburger bun, garnished with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and mayo.  So good.


Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

24 oz pork tenderloin, cut into 4 oz portions
2 eggs
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup dry bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
6 hamburger buns
Lettuce
Tomato slices
Thinly sliced onion
Dill pickle slices
Mayonnaise

Using meat tenderizing mallet, pound pork tenderloin pieces between sheets of plastic wrap until flattened to 1/4 inch thickness.  In large flat bowl or plate, whisk together eggs, water, onion powder, seasoned salt, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic powder.  Place bread crumbs on separate plate.

Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in large skillet over medium high heat to 360 degrees F.  Working two at a time, dip flattened pork pieces in egg, then bread crumbs.  Shake off excess bread crumbs and fry in oil until golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes per side).  Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Repeat with remaining pork pieces.  To assemble, place cooked pork fillets on buns and top with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and mayonnaise.

Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

I received the Taste of Home cookbook for Christmas and let me tell you one thing...I love this cookbook.  There are so many great recipes in the cookbook, it will take me all year to make the ones that look appetizing.

These muffins are based on the first recipe from this cookbook I tried.  The original version  of these muffins had a streusel topping and a sugar glaze over them.  I simplified them a bit by sprinkling them with just a pinch of coarse sugar on top of each one before baking.  Also, I doubled the original recipe since I had double the blueberries that the recipe called for.  I baked them as jumbo muffins, but you could also do them as standard size (2-1/2 inch) muffins.  Using the recipe below, I was able to make a dozen jumbo size muffins, so the yield for standard size muffin tins would be about two dozen.  If you make the standard size muffins, make sure you check them at 15 minutes, as they will cook a lot quicker than the jumbo size versions.


Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
16 oz sour cream
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups blueberries
Coarse turbinado sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together for two minutes.  Add eggs and sour cream.  Beat 1 minute or until fully incorporated.

In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add flour mixture to sour cream mixture and mix until just blended.  Gently fold in blueberries.

Prepare muffins tins by lining with paper cups or greasing.  Divide batter evenly between cups.  Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top of muffins.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 23-28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack until completely cool.

Eggnog Latte

One of my favorite things about holidays is there is usually a flavor you can associate with it.  Thanksgiving has turkey and pumpkin pie. Valentine's Day has chocolate (duh).  Summer holidays have barbecue.  Christmas to me is eggnog.  So when the calendar changes to December, I start looking for eggnog to hit the store shelves.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy eggnog is in a latte.  The mix of flavors just screams Christmastime.  The espresso helps get me through those long days of running around from store to store.  You could stop at Starbuck's for one of these, but that would cost you somewhere between an arm and a leg.  This is much cheaper and just as good.


Eggnog Latte

2 oz espresso
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup eggnog
Fresh ground nutmeg (optional)

Brew espresso according to manufacturer's instructions.  Pour into mug.

In steamer pot or measuring cup, combine eggnog and milk.  Steam eggnog mixture until hot and frothy (time will depend on your espresso maker).  Pour eggnog mixture into espresso, using spoon to hold back froth until very end.  Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg, if desired.  Serve immediately.