Cheesy Shrimp Tortellini

 

Tortellini is one of my family's favorite.  And of course, shrimp. 

Shrimp pairs well with Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Asparagus, and Zucchini.  Serve them on the side or toss them in with your pasta and sauce.

Ingredients

1 pound package Cheese tortellini pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp salted butter
1 Roma tomato, sliced
2 basil leaves, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat

Add Shrimp and let cook for 2-3 minutes, until no longer translucent,

Add in sliced tomatoes, basil and garlic and stir.

Saute 1-2 minutes and stir in flour.

Once flour in completely stirred in, add heavy whipping cream and parmesan cheese.

Stir and add in cheese tortellini.  Toss to coat.

Serve with more shredded parmesan and minced basil.

RECIPE from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Thai Spaghetti Pasta Salad

I LOVE Thai food.
This Thai Spaghetti Pasta Salad recipe starts with spaghetti noodles and is full of fresh veggies, then tossed with a creamy, peanut based Thai dressing.

Ingredients

8 ounces of spaghetti cooked to al dente
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup very thinly sliced red peppers
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup roasted peanuts plus more for garnish
1 handful cilantro leaves chopped, plus more for garnish

Dressing

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 clove garlic minced
salt to taste

Instructions

• Place cooked spaghetti, green onions, peanuts, shredded carrots, cabbage and bell peppers into a large mixing bowl.
• Mix dressing ingredients together until smooth.
• Toss salad ingredients together with dressing. Refrigerate Garnish with peanuts and cilantro

FROM:  Family Fresh Meals.com

Mandarin Shrimp Pasta

This recipe came from one of my business associates,

Jan O'Rear.  Jan brought it and served it cold at a social event.

This a one of my favorites!  ~Shelly

INGREDIENTS

1 pound raw shrimp, shells removed

1 cup Italian dressing, divided

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

6 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 8-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

8 ounce package almond silvers or sliced almonds, toasted (see instructions below)

3 cups angel hair pasta, cooked

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinate shrimp in refrigerator for 1 hour in 1/3 cup of Italian dressing; drain shrimp after 1 hour.
2. While the shrimp is marinating, in a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining Italian dressing, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger root and red pepper flakes. Set sauce aside. 
3. Toast almonds in a dry pan for 4 minutes, in a preheated 350 degree oven. Set aside.
4. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
5. Saute the grated carrots, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro in the canola oil with the sesame oil until browned.  
6. Add the shrimp and saute until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
7. Combine pasta, vegetables, shrimp and sauce in a large saute pan and heat thoroughly, stirring continually, until heated through.
8. Garnish with toasted almonds and mandarin oranges.
9. Serve hot or cold.

For a variation, substitute 1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces for the shrimp and add (1) 8 oz. can of sliced water chestnuts is desired.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

 

Do you ever think of recipes as a guideline?

I wanted Shrimp Scampi. 
I had the shrimp but was missing some other ingredients.
I used spaghetti instead of linguini.
I used chicken broth instead of white wine.  Imagine me not having wine.  But, I guess it happens.
I did not have shallots so I used diced onion.
I did not have garlic on hand. Another unbelievable occurrence. So I used garlic powder.
And I did not have a lemon, but I did have a squeeze lemon juice.
And I did not have parsley on hand.

All this to say that it was still wonderful.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Linguini or spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or broth
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS

Cook Pasta al dente, as directed on the package

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive over medium-high heat.  Saute shallots, garlic red pepper flakes, until the shallots are translucent, 3-4 minutes.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add them to the pan until they turn pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and keep warm.  Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil.  Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  When butter is melted, return the shrimp to the pan with the parsley and cooked pasta.  Stir well and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately. 

Pea and Orzo Salad

 This recipe popped up on one of my paid subscriptions (The Epoch Times).

It looked really good so I tried it and I was pleasantly surprised. 
It was something totally new and different than I usually cook.

Also I used a bag of Spinach and Arugula, because we did not have only arugula.  
It worked well.
I didn't think I liked arugula that much, but it has a nutty flavor that works well in this recipe.

Orzo is a pasta, which resembles rice, but made from semolina flour.  
This recipe can be a side or a light main dish.  I had it as a side with some grilled chicken.  Yummy!

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces orzo pasta
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 c. defrosted frozen peas
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tsp lemon zest
1/2 Tsp kosher salt
1/4 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 handful baby arugula. about 1 cup packed
1/4 c. fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 c. fresh dill sprigs
2 Tbsp chopped chives
Grated Parmesan or crumbles Feta cheese  (I used fresh grated Parmesan)

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the orzo and cook until al dente, following package instructions.  Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl.

Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice and then add the peas, garlic, lemon zest, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.  Stir to combine and gently warm the peas.  Add the arugula, mint, dill, and chives and stir to gently wilt the arugula.  If the pasta is too dry, add 1 more Tbsp of oil and taste for seasoning.

Serve garnished with the grated Parmesan or Feta and freshly ground black pepper.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Bacon and Egg Spaghetti

Sean and Jen are a couple from the US currently traveling the world full-time.
Their food blog has cultural classics from all over the globe.  I have saved their website in my favorites and hope to experience some new flavors.


This Bacon and Egg Pasta Recipe would be a great weekday dinner or a perfect addition to a Sunday Brunch menu.

This recipe uses familiar ingredients.  It's simple, and delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb dry spaghetti
6 strips of thick sliced bacon, 8 strips if using a thinner
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
handful of roughly chopped Italian parsley
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Add 4 - 5 quarts of salted water to a rapid boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente.
2. In the mean time, brown bacon in a pan until crispy. Remove bacon and blot on a paper towel. Crumble when cool.
3. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic to the pan and cook until the garlic just begins to brown (do not burn).
5. Crack eggs into the pan and cook until the egg whites are almost set (the yolks should still be runny in order to create the sauce. 
6. Add the drained pasta, bacon and crushed red pepper to the pan and stir, breaking up the egg whites. 
7.  Add additional olive oil (or you can use a little of the pasta water) if the pasta is not completely coated with sauce.
8. Toss with the cheese and the parsley along with a sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper. 

FROM
Venturists
Adventures in Food and Travel

Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce

Yield:  2 heaping cups, for about 6 servings and 1 1/2 pounds pasta

Time:  At least 4 hours

After the death in 2013 of Marcella Hazan, the cookbook author who changed the way Americans cook Italian food, The NY Times asked readers which of her recipes had become staples in their kitchens. Many people answered with one word: “Bolognese.” Ms. Hazan had a few recipes for the classic sauce, and they are all outstanding. This one appeared in her book “The Essentials of Classic Italian Cuisine,” and one reader called it “the gold standard.” Try it and see for yourself.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ⅔ cup chopped celery
• ⅔ cup chopped carrot
• ¾ pound ground beef chuck OR you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef 
  (Harter House Boston Burger is 60% beef and 40% Pork)                
• Salt
• Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
• 1 cup whole milk
• Whole nutmeg
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
• 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds pasta
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table 

Preparation

1. Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.
2. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.
3. Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating -- about 1/8 teaspoon -- of nutmeg, and stir.
4. Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add 1/2 cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.
5. Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

Notes:  Lisa added garlic and basil and used San Marzano tomatoes. (San Marzano canned tomatoes are available at Harter House in the World Flavors section.) Those always make a difference when it’s not tomato season. It was delicious. I simmered it for a very long tine. Probably closer to 4 hours than 3.

Recipe from the New York Times Cooking 
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015181-marcella-hazans-bolognese-sauce?q=bolognese




  

Pasta With Fresh Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.

4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Crushed red pepper (optional)

2 ½ cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm  (*see recipe)

6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature

Grated pecorino

Basil leaves, for garnish

* Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
2. Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
3. Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
4. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.

Recipe by David Tanis

Check out this website https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipe

for 39 Bright and Beautiful Summer Pastas.