Skinny Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

           Over the weekend, I purchased a fun new kitchen gadget: A spiral cutter by Microplane. I bought it so I could substitute veggies for pasta. This specific tool has two razor barrels, which accommodate both slim and wide vegetables. With a simple twist, the spiral cutter creates colorful ribbon vegetable strands. It is perfect for summer squash, cucumber, and carrots.

            For its first use, I decided to make a skinny shrimp scampi and replaced traditional angel hair pasta for yellow and green zucchini noodles. I also elected to omit the butter calories. Cooking the zucchini noodles and shrimp with white wine, lemon juice, and minced garlic gave the dish a light, citrusy flavor. Surprisingly, I really didn’t leave the meal craving crabs.

            I am going to use my spiral cutter to make cucumber sunomono next (one of my favorite sushi side dishes), which is just a combination of Japanese cucumbers, salt, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Seems easy enough! Now if I could only work up the courage to make homemade sushi roles to pair it with...

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO

12 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

¼ cup white wine

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 medium zucchini, cut into noodles

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

-In large sauté pan over medium-low heat add EVOO and heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.

-Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to pan and cook until pink. Transfer using a slotted spoon to a bowl leaving any liquid and excess garlic and red pepper flakes in pan.

-Increase heat to medium, scrape any brown bits from bottom of pan, and add the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for about 2 minutes then add zucchini noodles and cook for another 2 minutes stirring occasionally. 

-Return shrimp to pan to toss, season with more salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and serve immediately. 

Creamy Parmesan and Sundried Tomato Chicken

Who doesn’t love a quick and easy chicken recipe? I made this creamy parmesan and sundried tomato chicken for dinner a few months back and I was recently browsing my Pinterest food board and remembered I forgot to post the recipe to my blog! It made me sad because this dish was so delicious and took less than 15 minutes to cook! When I made it I actually was looking for something to cook without going to the store and realized I had all the ingredients. I think I just paired it with some brown rice but you could definitely chop up the chicken and mix with penne or fettuccini pasta for a great pasta dish. If I recall correctly, there was a pretty good amount of extra sauce and trust me you will not want to waste it!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon EVOO

4 (6 oz.) skinless and boneless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup dry white wine

¾ cup chicken broth

½ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup oil packed sundried

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh basil

Salt & pepper

Directions:

-Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium heat, pound and add chicken and cook until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, before setting aside

-In the same skillet add the garlic, red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute

-Add wine first, then add broth, cream, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes

-Mix the chicken back in, season with salt and pepper, remove from heat then mix in the basil

Blue Apron Continued

As I mentioned in my last post, I picked a few upcoming Blue Apron meals I wanted to try (see below) and bought the ingredients at a typical grocery store so I could get an idea of the cost difference between buying the groceries myself verses paying $10 per meal per person to get the ingredients delivered to my doorstep.

After doing this with two meals, I am now convinced that Blue Apron provides their service at a fair price. When totaling my itemized receipts from these two meals, the total was about $24 for each meal. Of course some of the ingredients can be used in future recipes but I still think the convenience of Blue Apron is worth $10 per meal per person. Anyone out there convinced yet?

Regardless, I think the Tomato & Goat Cheese Pie and Southern-Style Shrimp and Grit recipes are worth a try and worth having access to by having a Blue Apron membership! Both meals I would definitely make again. The only alteration I would make is to add more cheese to the cheese pie. A Wisconsinite wanting to add more cheese to an already cheesy cheese pie. Imagine that!

The Tomato & Goat Cheese Pie would be the perfect addition to your next at home dine in brunch menu. I made it for dinner one night and also had a piece as leftovers and I honestly think it tasted better the second time around. I think it gave the crust some time to absorb the juice and spices found layered in the pie.

I believe my craving for this Southern-Style Shrimp and Grits dish was a bit influenced by my anxiousness for my trip to Nashville with my good friend at the end of next month. I have been blessed with being able to experience quite a bit of Southern cuisine and can’t wait to spoil my taste buds again in the county music heart of Tennessee! Singing and dancing the night away out in legendary honky-tonks won’t be a bad time either! If anyone has any restaurant or bar suggestions out there please comment below. Meanwhile, I will be shining up my cowboy boots. I hope Nashville is ready for us, Whit! :)

Southern-Style Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients:

10 Ounces Shrimp ($10.59)

¾ Cup Yellow Grits ($1.99)

3 Scallions ($1.25)

1 Clove Garlic ($0.42)

1 Ear of Corn ($0.49)

1 Lemon ($0.75)

1 Zucchini ($0.87)

2 Ounces Cherry Tomatoes ($1.99)

3 Tablespoons Butter ($3.49)

2 Ounces Cheddar Cheese ($2.58)

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

EVOO, Salt, & Pepper

TOTAL: $24.42

Directions:

-Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms from green tops. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Before you quarter and deseed the lemon, get 2 teaspoons of zest from the skin. Medium dice the zucchini. Halve the tomatoes. Grate the cheese. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towel and toss with the smoked paprika.

-In medium pot, bring 3 cups of water and a big pinch of salt to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the grits, lemon zest, and corn. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 to 12 minutes, or until water has been absorbed and the grits have thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese and half the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

-While grits are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons until hot then add spiced shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 4 minutes per side. When cooked, transfer to plate. Wipe out the pan.

-In the same pan used to cook shrimp, heat 2 teaspoons of EVOO on medium until hot. Add garlic and white bottoms of scallions, season with salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the cooked shrimp, tomatoes, remaining butter, the juice of all 4 lemon wedges, and all but a pinch of the green tops of the scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook another minute.

-Plate the dish by dividing up the cooked grits. Top with finished vegetables and shrimp. Garnish with the remaining green tops of the scallions.

Tomato & Goat Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

1 Pie Crust ($2.16)

2 Tomatoes ($2.48)

3 Cloves Garlic ($0.42)

4 Ounces Sweet Pepper ($0.77)

1 Red Onion ($1.69)

1 Bunch Basil ($2.49)

½ Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese ($4.49)

1 Tablespoon Sherry Vinegar ($3.79)

½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese ($3.29)

¼ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs ($2.48)

1 ½ Tablespoons Tomato Spice Blend (All-Purpose flour, Mustard Power, & Dried Thyme)

EVOO, Salt, & Pepper


TOTAL: $24.06

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and mince the garlic. Thinly slice sweet pepper into rings. Peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion. Cut the tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices. Pick basil leaves off stems.

-In medium pan, heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO on medium heat until hot. Add garlic, onion, sweet pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 4 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Stir in vinegar and cook another minute. Remove from heat and again season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Combine Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Also combine equal parts of the flour, mustard power, and dried thyme in another small bowl.

-Start assembling the pie in this order: half the tomatoes at bottom of pie crust (season with salt and pepper), top with sweet pepper mix, half the spice blend, half the goat cheese, then basil. Repeat with remaining half of tomatoes, spice blend, and goat cheese. Top the pie with the Parmesan-breadcrumb topping and season with salt and pepper.

-Place the pie on a sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the topping and crust are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Blue Apron

A few weeks ago I tried Blue Apron which is a service that delivers a box of recipes and fresh food ingredients for you to cook straight to your doorstep. Inside my refrigerated box I found ingredients wrapped in bags with description labels of not only what the food was, but what meal the items belonged to. The packing is designed to keep the ingredients fresh for several hours after delivery (so you don’t have to worry about it sitting on your doorstep while you are at work) and up to a week after the delivery date.

Your membership comes with access to their super user-friendly website where you can actually choose the meals you want to receive each week. There are 6 options. I found that there are restrictions on what meals you can select to be delivered (probably for cost reasons) together but all of them usually look amazing so for me that wasn’t that big of a deal.

Another cool feature of Blue Apron is you can set your dietary profile which offers vegetarian meals and you can uncheck the foods you don’t like/eat/want delivered (i.e. beef, poultry, fish, lamb, pork, and shellfish). The best feature of all is that you can skip deliveries at any time and the company only needs a weeks’ notice.

Delivery day options are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays. I choose my delivery day to be Wednesday and delivery schedule changes have to be made that prior Thursday by 11 am. Also, the system allows you to skip up to 6 weeks’ worth of deliveries in advance and you can cancel your membership at any time.

At this point you are probably thinking, “Okay this sounds great but what is the cost?” Blue Apron offers a two-person or four-person subscription and a flat rate for three meals per week. The two-person plan is about $60 per week or $10.00 per person per meal. The family plan is about $140 a week or $8.75 per person per meal. Shipping and packaging is included in the cost.

So here is my review. First, I obviously found getting food delivered to my doorstep (avoiding the drive and hassle at the grocery store) very convenient. Next, I thought all three recipes I made were super easy to make and delicious. They even tell you what you can prep ahead of time. None of the meals I received in my first package required over 20 minutes of cook time. I also like that the serving size was controlled. In terms of cost, I know many would argue it is pretty expensive but personally I feel like it is very easy for me to spend over $60 for three meals per week.

Overall, I would say Blue Apron is a great service. I probably will not utilize it on a weekly basis just because I do enjoy picking out my own recipes to try and I sometimes do enjoy grocery shopping (when it is a quiet Sunday morning). I will say, I do predict I will order Blue Apron those weeks I know I am going to be super busy or when I am just plain exhausted from being on the road for work too long.

To my readers out there, give it a try and send me your review! The upcoming recipes look amazing. I am thinking about trying to buy all the ingredients myself and seeing the price difference. I will keep you updated on my findings.

Steak with roasted tomatoes long beans and tomatoes

Mexican chicken avocado Tortas with a cucumber salad mix

Crispy catfish with a Sicilian eggplant caponata

The recipe cards!

My favorite packages are the "knick knacks" which include all the recipe "add-ons"

Summer Cantaloupe Recipes

Cantaloupe at their best is by far one of my favorite summertime treats! But how does one choose a good cantaloupe? After reading the July article from Real Simple magazine (where I found the recipes below) I learned that the peel under the bumpy webbing should be golden and the melon should feel noticeable heavy for its size. These tips along with a floral smell are two additional indications that should help you pick cantaloupe that no one will push aside in a fruit salad. A perfectly picked cantaloupe pairs well with salty meats and cheeses. Last summer in Italy, a pairing of cantaloupe and prosciutto ham was my favorite dessert. In my book, nothing quite beats a salty sweet contrast. These recipes are a great example. Hope you enjoy!

 

Pasta Salad with Cantaloupe, Feta, and Dill

Combine 4 cups cubed cantaloupe, ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, cook ½ pound orecchiette pasta according to directions. Rinse under cold water until cool and drain well. Toss with the cantaloupe. Top with 1/3 cup of crumbled Feta cheese just before serving.

 

Vietnamese Pork Chops with Cantaloupe and Basil Salad

Combine 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and soy sauce with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce and brown sugar. Add 4 bone-in pork chips. Let marinade for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Toss 4 cups chopped cantaloupe, ½ cucumber, 1 cup basil, 2 tablespoons or fresh lime juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Serve with the chops.

15-Step Paella

This weekend I cooked my friend Trevor some Spanish Paella for his birthday celebration. Trevor and I have both spent some time in Spain and share an equal love for this dish. Although it took four painful visits to four different grocery stores to get all of the ingredients for this dish it was well worth it. When I took my first bite, I was transported back to Madrid where I had my first taste of this salty-savory-seafood-citrus goodness. I would eat paella every day if I could. This recipe will definitely resurface the next day I am feeling nostalgic about my adventures across Spain. Enjoy my wanderlust friends! 

3 medium tomatoes

16 uncooked jumbo shrimp

16 uncooked mussels

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon paprika

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

8 oz of Spanish chorizo

1 medium yellow onion

3 medium garlic gloves

1 large pinch of saffron

2 cups paella rice

4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

2 medium lemons

Salt and pepper

EVOO

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Core and peel tomatoes and grate until you have about ½ cup of tomato juice.
3. Peel, devein, and wash shrimp. Combine with a ¼ teaspoon of paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Scrub mussels and set aside in a strainer with ice.
5. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Combine with a generous amount of salt and pepper in another small bowl and set aside.
6. Cut Spanish chorizo into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place 15-inch paella pan on stove, add EVOO, and cook chorizo until it starts to brown and fat has rendered (about 3 minutes per side) then transfer sausage to large bowl.
7. While chorizo is cooking go ahead and dice your onion and chop your garlic.
8. When chorizo is done add 1 or 2 tablespoons of EVOO to pan and now cook chicken until golden brown (about 4 minutes per side) then transfer to the same bowl as your chorizo.
9. Reduce burner heat and cook your diced onion, salt, and pepper until softened (about 5 minutes). Next add garlic, remaining ¾ teaspoon paprika, and saffron until fragrant (less than a minute).
10. Stir in tomato juice and cook 3 minutes while stirring. Add rice and more salt into tomato mixture and stir. Add chicken broth and arrange the rice mixture in an even layer.
11. Evenly distribute chorizo and chicken over the rice.
12. VERY IMPORTANT STEP: Do not stir the rice from this point on. I know it’s tempting but don’t.
13. Bring to a lively simmer and cook rice while rotating the pan 90 degrees every few minutes until rice swells and much of the liquid has been absorbed (about 10-15 minutes). The mixture will bubble unevenly which is why you will want to keep a close eye and rotate the pan.
14. Arrange remaining seafood (shrimp and mussels) in pan, place in oven, and bake until the mussels have opened and the shrimp is cooked through (another 10 minutes of so). Remove from oven and top with fresh parsley and squeezed lemon juice. You can cut lemons into wedges in case your guest would like even more citrus added.
15. Close your eyes for the first bite, pretend you’re in Spain, and follow by a large swig of red wine.

Washington Berry Lingcod

So, I haven’t blogged in a while...

I am going to go ahead and blame the fact that I am constantly traveling for work and my social life is packed on weekends I am home. But just because I’m not home doesn’t mean I don’t eat well and don’t think about blogging.

This week I am back working in the beautiful Seattle area. Can I just say after being here at least twice a month since April that I don’t believe the rumor that it always rains? I have experienced nothing but beauty.

Okay, I guess beauty isn’t all I have experienced. I have also experienced some pretty incredible seafood. On Tuesday, I went to a restaurant right on the Puget Sound and ate local lingcod topped with fresh berries that are currently in season in Washington.

I have to admit, it was one of the first times I have ever saw fish topped with berries on a menu but it definitely intrigued me. I was glad I tried it because it was pretty scrumptious! I decided to add this post to my blog so I don’t forget to try it myself. I also have been wanting to share one of my favorite kitchen contraptions: The OXO 3 piece bowl and colander set and this seemed like the perfect fit.

This device is great for washing, serving, and storing fresh berries without the hassle of transferring and dirtying multiple bowls. You can find it at Bed Bath and beyond or at www.oxo.com. So go ahead, go splurge on this super handy kitchen item, try topping your next piece of fish with berries, and save the rest to top your yogurt for breakfast! I promise it will become your most used kitchen item this summer.

Happy shopping, July, and farmers market season!

Fiona Meng Xiao

It’s crazy to think one of my closest friends grew up on the opposite side of the world as me in Chengdu, China and even though we are from completely different cultures we share a deeper friendship than the many of my American friends.

Fiona and I met my junior year right before I took off for my summer study abroad in Hangzhou, China. She was asked to join the trip as a group leader and translator to those like myself who knew only a few words in Mandarin. I remember talking to her during our study abroad welcome party and just having unending interest in her culture, customs, and thoughts.

When Fiona graduated from UNL she went on to get her master’s degree from Boston College and now works as a public accountant in the Bay Area in California. Not only am I extremely proud of how hard she worked to get sponsored to work in the US, but I am really glad she went to school in Boston and now lives in San Jose because I love visiting new cities.

I am also happy the table turned this week, and she came to visit me in KC! I had the best two days off of work; going shopping on the Plaza, having a picnic at the beautiful Nelson Art Museum lawn, listening to local KC jazz over lemon drop martinis, and learning how to make authentic Chinese dishes.

Fiona’s hometown is located in a Southern Sichuan region of China and is famous for the birth of hot pot and super spicy food. Hot pot is just what it sounds like – a hot pot of water, oil and spices that the table congregates around to cook raw meat, veggies, and noodles. It is a ton of fun! Of course, we had hot pot during her visit but she also taught me how to make two very popular Chinese dishes – Coke chicken wings and a Chinese pan fried egg and tomato dish. The recipes are listed below!

Coke Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

12 chicken wings

Fresh ginger

3-5 tablespoons Shoa Xing cooking wine

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons peppercorn

5-6 tablespoons soy sauce

2-3 teaspoons chicken broth powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ½ cups Coca-Cola

Directions:

Wash and cut slits into both sides of chicken. Cut about 10 pieces of fresh ginger. Add cooking wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth powder, sugar, and ginger to a bowl with chicken. Mix and let marinate for 20--30 minutes. To cook, heat canola oil on high in wok and add 2 tablespoons of peppercorns. Add 1 ½ cups of Coca-Cola. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is brown and most of the coke is evaporated.

Chinese Pan Fried Tomato Egg Dish

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes

5 eggs

4 tablespoons canola oil

Fresh ginger

Garlic

Green onion

½ teaspoon chicken broth powder

Salt

 

Directions:

Cut tomatoes into small pieces and set aside. Whisk eggs and add a pinch of salt. When ready to cook, heat wok with 4 tablespoons canola oil on high. Add egg. Cook and move to separate dish. In same wok, heat another 4 tablespoons of canola oil on high and add garlic, tomatoes, ginger, chicken broth powder. Add eggs back in add a pinch of salt and green onion and stir until fully cooked. It should only take you about 5 minutes from start to finish to cook. A super quick and easy side dish!