Garlic Shrimp with Pasta

The days are slightly warmer now. I could hear the birds chirping away in the morning. Many flowering plants are starting to bloom. But one thing I do not like about springtime is the unstable weather. Its that time of the year again, tornado season. :( 

Anyway yesterday, as I flipped through the latest issue of the Woman's Day magazine, I saw this recipe. It was quick, easy and tasted so good. I love the lemony taste. Next time, I'm gonna use the angel pasta. :)

Garlic Shrimp with Pasta (Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair)

Ingredients:

12 oz angel hair pasta (used spaghetti)

2 1/2 Tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb peeled, deveined large shrimp, thawed if frozen (cut into smaller pieces)

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add shrimp, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes; stir in the lemon juice

Toss the pasta with the parsley, remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (adding more if the pasta seems dry). Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Source: womansday.com

Fried Macaroni

The weather is quite upsetting these days. Cloudy days, rain with thunderstorm is no fun at all... I hope the weather gets better soon.. Anyway, it's been a while since I cooked fried macaroni. A friend on mine who is located in Korea shared this recipe with me. The caramel sauce or sweet sauce will add texture to the food but you can use sugar in replacement. Be sure to turn on your kitchen range hood/ventilation fan, open up your windows and put those candles or scented oil to work because while frying the paste, your place is gonna smell for a while.. hehe.. Although the smell is strong, but trust me the fried macaroni will turn out great!! :))

Ingredients:

500g macaroni - boiled until al-dente, drained
250g chicken meat - cut in small cubes

mixed vegetables (your choice of vegetables)

slices of mushrooms

oil to fry

To grind until become a paste:

4 cloves garlic

1 onion

3-4 tbsp blended dried chilli (I used 2 tsp of chilli powder)

2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked with water until soft, drained

Seasonings:

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp heavy salt-soy sauce

2-3 tbsp sweet sauce or caramel sauce

1-2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

ground white pepper

1 tsp sesame seed oil

salt to taste

Garnish:

slices of omelette

fried shallots

chopped green onions

chopped cilantro

Method:

Heat some oil in the wok. Fry the grinded paste until totally cooked. Add chicken meat, vegetables and mushrooms. Cook until the chicken is cooked and vegetables is soften. Then add the seasonings. Stir for about 1-2 minutes then add the macaroni. Add salt to taste (if required). Stir well and remove from heat. Serve hot with slices omelette, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro for garnishing.

Thank you Mrs. D.B. for the recipe. :))

Spinach Spaghetti with Shrimps

Here is a recipe that I would like to share.. I did not have some of the ingredients, I changed to my version. They turned out to be very good! Yum-yum!!

Hope y'all have a good Halloween weekend and be safe.. :))

You can get the original recipe here.

Below is my version....

Ingredients:

1/2 pound dry spaghetti

6 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

3/4 pound shrimps (medium to large)

4 cloves garlic, sliced, divided

1 small can sliced mushroom, drained

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1 cup chicken broth

salt and black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 8 to 10 minutes, drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute spinach until wilted and no longer watery, about 8-10 minutes. Remove spinach from skillet and toss with pasta; transfer and keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat 2 more tablespoon of olive oil and add 2 cloves of sliced garlic and shrimps. Season with salt and black pepper, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes or longer for larger shrimps, or until they appear opaque. Remove and keep warm.  

Using the same skillet again, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the remaining sliced garlic and saute until golden. Add mushroom, soup and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir occasionally until sauce is a smooth consistency. While the sauce is simmering, place the mixed spaghetti and spinach on to plated or bowls. Top with sauce and shrimps. Serve hot with home-made garlic bread.

Chicken Macaroni Soup

Simple, tasty and fills you up just by having one bowl of shredded chicken macaroni soup.. We often eat this soup during cold weather as it warms us up.  Although its getting warmer now here, I was in the mood of having some chicken macaroni soup. hehe... My version is suitable for hub as he doesn't really favor spicy food.. If you want it hot, add some chilli powder or soy sauce with fresh slices of the red/green chilli. yum*yum* :))

Ingredients:

200 gm macaroni - boiled until tender and drained

cooked shredded chicken

2 cloves garlic - peeled and mashed

4 cups water (or adequately)

1 potato - peeled and slice thinly-round

1 carrot - peeled and slice slant/round

1/2 cup peas

1 cube chicken essence

salt to taste

white and black pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil

chopped green onions and fried shallots for garnish

Heat oil in the pot. Saute garlic until golden. Add water, potatoes and chicken essence. Let boil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, added the carrot. Let it boil another 10 minutes. Add salt, white and black pepper to taste. Turn to very low heat. Add macaroni and shredded chicken. Stir well. Then turn off heat and serve while it is hot. Garnish with green onions.

Hope you had a Good Friday and Happy Easter Day in advance!!!!!!

Chicken Scrampi II

I thought today was the 13th and tomorrow is Valentine's Day. No special plans since it's just another day. From my  point of view, if we go out to eat at a restaurant, it could cost little more  (just like any other special occasion) and flowers could cost twice the price because so many people want to get flowers for their love ones.. I told my hubby no need to go out and no need buy flowers... I planned to cook something special..  hehe.. I planned to start with breakfast in bed,  skip lunch then dinner and last but not least the dessert.. So we went to the supermarket to get some of the items that I need..  When we got home, I overlooked one item from my list. So I asked my hubby, if he could go to the store tomorrow to get it for me so that I prepare for  special dinner tomorrow. He said "Why tomorrow??? Its 13th"  Then I insisted that tomorrow is the 14th... He showed me the calender... hahaha... I got confused with the dates again.. But I felt relief though because I still have another day to prepare my last minute DIY Valentine's card for him.. Lol!!

For us, this week is all about pasta. On Monday, we had Spaghetti Alfredo, Wednesday was Spaghetti in Tomato sauce (ground beef and mushroom) and today, its Vermicelli Chicken Scrampi II.  I saw the chicken scrampi recipe at Allrecipes and thought chicken scrampi would be nice with pasta. After carefully read through a great amount of reviews and I followed some good suggestions...

Chicken Scrampi II (Allrecipes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt to taste

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes

Green pepper, diced (optional) 

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Shredded cheese (optional)

In a skillet heat the butter and oil over medium high until the butter melts. Add the parsley, basil, oregano and garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Stir in lemon juice.

Then add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes or until white. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. More butter can be added if needed. 

Notes: 

I boiled 7 oz vermicelli pasta, drained. Then mixed with chicken scrampi and also the Parmesan cheese at the last minute before removing from the heat. 

  

Macaroni Goreng Taucu ( Fried macaroni with salted fermented soy beans)

I bought a bottle of taucu at the Asian store, wanting to cook Mee Siam the other time and I did. Initially, I do not know how much taucu I have to use for the mee siam so I just bought the big bottle (450g, 15.09oz). When I called my mom, asking her how to cook her mee siam, she told me that I do not have to use a lot of taucu. Ahhh!!! Well, the thing is, I don't use taucu except for cooking mee siam and now I have plenty of taucu left in the refrigerator..

What is Taucu?? Taucu is actually soy beans that have been salted and fermented. I know it is commonly used in Malay and Chinese food. I am not sure if Indians use taucu a lot in their cookings.. ( anyone knows, maybe you could tell me..). So I looked up in my Malay recipes book and found Macaroni Goreng Taucu and Ikan Masak Taucu. Yay!! I will whip up some Ikan Masak Taucu soon..

 

Macaroni Goreng Taucu (Fried macaroni with salted fermented soy beans)

* my fried macaroni dish is only consist of mushroom and carrot, but you can add raw shrimps in this dish

Ingredients

200 gm macaroni, cooked and drained

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1.5 cm ginger,  thinly sliced

4 mushroom, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1 tbsp taucu (salted fermented soy beans)

2 stalks scallions, chopped

1 tbsp sambal (chilli paste)

1/2 tsp dark soy sauce

Salt for taste - if required

Heat some oil in the wok. Fry garlic and ginger until the fragrant. (if you using raw shrimps, this is the time to add). Add mushroom, carrot, chilli paste, taucu, scallions and dark soy sauce. Sprinkle some water if its too dry. Stir for about 1-2 minutes then add the macaroni. Add salt to taste (if required). Stir well and remove from heat. Serve with chopped scallions for garnishing.

Homemade Pesto Sauce

When comes to sauces (basicly food in general), I always prefer to make homemade instead of getting from the grocery store. All-homemade is fresher than the ones in the stores. Although sometimes, it is cheaper to just get it from the store. (I always think if they sell it in the grocery store, i can cook/make it)..

In my previous blog, I used the basil leaves for my tomato sauce. Well this morning, I decided to use all of the leaves (now my plant is almost leafless). I have learned that fresh basil is very delicate. It will turn brown if it gets very hot or if it's exposed to air for long periods of time. So before the leaves are wasted, I should do something with it. Pesto sauce!

Pesto sauce originates in the city of Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy, where people have been making it for so many years with the green basil that grows wild on the hillsides. It is commonly used in pasta. You can also mix it with mayonnaise as a dip, on pizza in place of the tomato sauce or mix with cream cheese for your bagel. When you mix pesto with pasta, potatoes or even risotto, it is to be stirred in at the last minute just before serving. It is very important never to cook pesto because when basil is heated, it gets bitter.

Store pesto in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week, in the freezer for about six months. To keep it looking fresh and green, cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil or with a sheet of plastic wrap directly on its surface; this will keep it from oxidizing and turning brown. If your pesto darkens in color, it will still taste good. Discard it if it has been stored improperly. One way to freeze pesto, is in ice cube tray then transfer the cubes to a heavy duty plastic freezer bag (the ice cube tray may discolor and flavored, so reserve the ice cube tray just for this purpose). Thaw frozen pesto in the refrigerator or in the microwave on medium power just until room temperature.

Recipe: Pesto sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese(i tend to add a little more parmesan cheese in mine) in a food processer.

2. Pulse on/off 6 times to coarsely chop the ingredients. Trickle in olive oil with the blender running until the basil mixture is a puree

3. Remove pesto from blender container. Stir in pepper and salt to taste.

(recipe from Try-Foods International)

Italian Cooking

Thought of Italian cooking today... I was contemplating whether to have cream sauce or tomato sauce for my angel hair pasta. Finally I made some really saucy and delicious tomato sauce and add my favorites to it. I have some fresh basil leaves that we got from Publix and I tot of making a good use of it... I could have made some garlic bread but unfortunately we were out of bread. So we just had angel hair pasta with tomato sauce. hmmm.. delicious! The sauce may be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to 6 months. I'm already thinking of having ricotta cheese ravioli with the leftover sauce... hmmm a good idea! hehe.... :)

Recipe:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 onions, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 cup black olives, chopped coarsely
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried basil ( I used fresh basil about 1 tbsp, minced)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp white sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent, but not brown and stir in ground beef. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain into a large colander to drain grease.

To a large saucepot, add tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, green bell pepper, black olives, sugar, water and stir well. Pour the meat mixture into the pot. Lastly season with thyme, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to just bubbling, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately over cooked angel hair pasta or other Italian pasta and top with parmesan cheese. :)