SHEET PAN LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS

photo from Eat Yourself Skinny

Sheet pan dinners were all the rage about a year or so ago, but I am late to the party as usual. This recipe requires a little bit of prep work — mainly the zesting and juicing of two lemons. I do like allowing the shrimp to marinate for a while before adding them to the pan. However, I recommend that the shrimp be rinsed and patted dry before they are added to the mix. If I prepare this again, I would create a “dam” in the foil liner that I used to keep the buttery marinade pooled around the shrimp until done. This is a quick meal that could be prepped ahead and tossed in the oven for a delicious, healthy combo.

Serves 4

Ingredients for Shrimp:

• 1 lb medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (leave this out if you don’t like a little heat)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, garnish after cooking

Ingredients for Asparagus:

• 1 lb thin to medium asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, melted butter, lemon juice, zest, garlic and seasonings.  Add shrimp and toss everything together until completely coated.  Set aside and let shrimp marinate while asparagus cooks.
3. On a large sheet pan sprayed with nonstick spray, arrange asparagus on one side of the pan, drizzle with olive and add garlic and lemon zest.  Toss until completely coated then season with salt and pepper.  Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
4. Once asparagus has cooked, remove from the oven and add the marinated shrimp to the other side of the pan, arranging them so that they are all in a single layer.  Place everything back in the oven and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until shrimp are opaque and pink in color.
5. Remove from the oven and squeeze with additional lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Enjoy!

~ EatYourselfSkinny.com ~ 

SLOW-COOKER TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

The beauty of this slow-cooker recipe is that you do not have to soak the beans overnight. It all happens within the crock pot itself. This soup is so rich in flavor — you can really taste all of the ingredients — the garlic, rosemary, pancetta. Oh, and don’t forget the parmesan rind. (I keep rinds in the freezer for just such an occasion.) They all blend into this wonderfully hearty and healthy soup. Served here with house-made croutons.

Note: Try to use a bouquet garni or a spice bag. I spent a lot of time fishing out rosemary and I know better!!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 6 ounces pancetta, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 pound (2 1/2 cups) dried great Northern or cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional), plus grated Parmesan for serving
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Microwave onions, pancetta, garlic, oil, and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, water, beans, Parmesan rind (if using), and bay leaves. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours on high.2
2. Nestle rosemary sprig into soup, cover, and cook on high until rosemary is fragrant, about 15 minutes.3
3. Discard rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind, if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing grated Parmesan and extra oil separately.

~ America’sTestKitchen.com ~ 

AIR-FRYER ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPER SUB

I was given an air fryer/toaster oven for Christmas and I’m just getting used to using the “little oven”. I thought that this was a good beginner’s recipe to try in order to get used to the differences in heat and timing. I perused a bunch of sausage and pepper options, but I was intrigued with the mustard sauce and the concept of using honey to brown up the sausages. The peppers and onions seemed to shrivel rather than cook down in the air fryer. My choice would be to cut them in larger slices (1/2?) and to saute them on the stove top. The sausages; however, came out beautifully. It all came together in the bun and paired very nicely with the mustard sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 red or green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
• 1 onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• Pepper
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage (6 sausages)
• 2 teaspoons honey, warmed
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 4 (6-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise

Directions:

1. Toss bell peppers and onion with oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl; transfer to air-fryer basket. Place basket in air fryer, set temperature to 350 degrees, and cook for 8 minutes.
2. Brush sausages with honey. Stir peppers and onion, then arrange sausages on top, spaced evenly apart. Return basket to air fryer and cook until vegetables are tender and sausages are lightly browned and register 160 degrees, 16 to 18 minutes, flipping and rotating sausages and stirring vegetables once after 5 minutes.
3. Transfer sausages to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Whisk mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Halve sausages crosswise on bias. Divide sausages, peppers, and onion evenly among rolls and drizzle with mustard sauce. Serve.

~ America’sTestKitchen.com ~ 

SAVORY SAUSAGE AND CHEDDAR BREAD PUDDING

We had a half pound of Italian Sausage, some cream and a bag full of Italian loaf croutons leftover from the delicious Egg Baguette Bake the other night. How about we make a savory bread pudding?! I cut this recipe in half and was able to put it together with things from the pantry. I have to say that it turned out really well. I put it together at lunchtime and by dinner it was ready to pop in the oven. It was an All Leftover meal — Served with an appetizer of fried mushrooms with horseradish sauce (Char-Bar), and sides from Mac’s Speed Shop (collard greens) and Ruth’s Chris (potatoes au gratin). Pretty darn good meal and the personal satisfaction that I was able to create something from nothing.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 pound sweet or spicy pork sausage (casings removed)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 loaf (18 slices) white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2-1/2 cups (a little over 1/2 pound) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• Scant teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
2. In a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break the meat into small clumps, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving the fat in the pan.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the onions to the pan along with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the mixing bowl with the sausage, along with the bread cubes, grated cheese and parsley. Toss well, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture. Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about one hour, uncovered, until puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.
7. Note: The cook time is based on cooking the bread pudding directly out of the refrigerator. If it’s left to sit out at room temperature before baking, check for doneness after 45 minutes.

~ OnceUponAChef.com ~ 

EASY MOZZARELLA CHICKEN WITH MARINARA SAUCE AND MUSHROOMS

I had to grab the last piece before it disappeared.

What a lovely recipe!! I was in search of a chicken recipe for beginners and this one checked all the boxes. Very straightforward, easily understood directions with a simple list of ingredients makes for a wonderful cooking experience. It makes a well-balanced and delicious meal when served over a bed of pasta with a salad or vegetable. Oh, and I have to say, the chicken was perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful. A great success!!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Add chicken breasts to the casserole dish.
3. Season chicken breasts with Italian seasoning and salt.
4. Top each chicken breast with sliced mushrooms.
5. Pour marinara sauce evenly over the chicken.
6. Top with shredded Mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Broil for the last 4 minutes if desired.

~ Julia’sAlbum.com ~ 

EGG BAGUETTE BAKE

I found a great collection of egg casserole recipes from Better Homes and Gardens. It reminded me that every year there is some kind of kerfuffle about the menu for Christmas brunch. Everyone seems to have a special request while I am looking for some shortcuts in order to get everything done, and my hubby wants me to take it easy and enjoy (sweet, but impossible – HA!). I decided to try out some of these recipes to find a great egg dish that everyone can enjoy and that I can put together easily. So far, this recipe looks promising, and I can make use of the baking time to do other things. I also like the fact that you can customize the second baguette for by adding mushrooms, making it vegetarian, etc. The finished product was a big success and leftovers were sliced up and reheated with great success.

Hint: Save the extra bread to use for easy to make croutons. I plan to use mine in a savory bread pudding sometime this week.

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 2 1 pounds Italian or French baguettes (unsliced) (14×4-inch)
• 8 ounces sweet or mild Italian sausage
• 1 medium red or yellow sweet pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
• ½ cup sliced green onions (4)
• 10 eggs, lightly beaten
• ⅔ cup whipping cream, half-and-half, or light cream
• ¼ cup snipped fresh basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups shredded fontina, mozzarella, or provolone cheese (6 ounces)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, cut a wedge into the top of each loaf cutting to about 1 inch from each long side. Use a spoon or your fingers to carefully remove the inside of each loaf, leaving about 3/4-inch shell. Arrange bread shells on the prepared baking pan.
• Remove casings from sausage, if present. In a large skillet crumble and cook sausage with sweet peppers about 8 minutes or until sausage is cooked and peppers are just tender, stirring in the green onions the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat; drain off fat.
• In a large bowl combine eggs, whipping cream, basil, and salt. Stir in sausage mixture and 1 cup of the cheese.
• Carefully pour egg mixture into bread shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until eggs are set (160°F).
• Let stand for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut loaves into slices.

~ BHG.com ~ 

KIELBASA HASH WITH POTATOES AND FRIED EGGS

LEFTOVERS!! I love them. I think that leftovers are an invitation to create something new and different from absolutely nothing. For this recipe, I am recycling our leftover pork loin. The author of this recipe indicates that any pre-cooked sausage can be used in place of the kielbasa. So why not our pork loin? The seasonings will lend themselves well to the potatoes, onions, and peppers and should be an “upgrade” of sorts. We also substituted parsley for the sage for a fresher flavor profile. Final product was a big success.

Hint from the author: Grated potatoes cooked in half the time of diced potatoes.

Kielbasa Pork Loin Hash with Potatoes and Fried Eggs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, grated, and patted dry
• 1 pound kielbasa sausage cut into ½-inch chunks
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 5 teaspoons minced fresh sage, divided
• 8 large eggs, divided

Directions:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes, kielbasa, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon sage and gently press mixture into even layer. Continue to cook until potatoes are well browned on bottom, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
2. Transfer hash to serving platter. Reduce heat to medium and melt ½ tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet. Add 4 eggs to skillet and cook, without flipping, until whites are set, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide eggs between 2 plates. Repeat with remaining ½ tablespoon butter and remaining 4 eggs. Serve eggs with hash, sprinkled with remaining 2 teaspoons sage.

~ CooksCountry.com ~ 

CROCK POT GARLIC BALSAMIC PORK LOIN

photo from Diethood

We tried this recipe over the weekend and were really pleased with the result. It is essential in this recipe to give the pork a good sear before you start. Searing needs to be quick and efficient. Keep it hot, monitor progress, move it around until it is entirely browned . . . but don’t leave it on too long or it will begin to cook before you even get it in the slow cooker. We let ours cook until it could be pulled apart . . . delicious, juicy and flavorful.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 pound pork loin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ⅓ cup chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Pat dry pork with paper towels.
2. Combine salt, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Take the rub and sprinkle it all over the pork.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and set over medium heat; add pork and sear for a couple minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. In a blender or food processor combine remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic; process until combined and thickened. Add Italian seasoning and whirl for just a couple seconds to combine.
5. Add chicken broth to the insert of your slow cooker. Place pork loin, fat side up, in slow cooker. Using a pastry brush, brush the prepared balsamic mixture all over the pork loin. Cover slow cooker with a lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 3 hours.
6. Check for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; pork is done when internal temperature reaches 145˚F.Remove pork from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board; cover pork with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve.

~ Diethood.com ~