Luscious Lemon, Basil and Crab Spaghetti

This yummy Luscious Lemon, Basil and Crab Spaghetti serves 2 so is great for a romantic meal with your sweetheart! In my case it fed my sweetheart, our 3 year old and I! The poor baby had to eat baby food because of the crab. She was NOT happy about that.

Luscious Lemon, Basil and Crab Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of crab meat (If you don't have access to fresh crab meat you can used a drained can of crab from the grocery store)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• large pinch of dried red pepper flakes (I threw this in at the end because of the 3 year old)
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• olive oil
• salt to taste
• handful of dried spaghetti (or other kind of pasta)
• a large handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Fresh Parmesan, grated

Directions:

 

Set a pot of water to boil and add the spaghetti to boil.

 

Heat a small pan over low heat and when hot, add a good glugful of olive oil.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if serving to kids omit red pepper), when fragrant, add the lemon zest and stir together.
Toss in the crab meat and give it all a good stir.
When all is hot, turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and stir through.
Add more olive oil if it’s looking a bit too dry.
When the spaghetti is done, drain it and add to the sauce.
Stir together, adding more oil or cooking water to loosen it as needed.
Add the basil, salt to taste, toss again and serve with a little fresh grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

I'm Eggstatic!

When I was pregnant with my second child I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and thus eggs became the only thing I could eat for breakfast. For awhile I loved all the creative ways I learned to cook eggs. Then after day 63 of eating eggs for breakfast I loathed eggs and vowed after I had this child I would never eat another egg. I did take a small hiatus from eggs but I still really do love them. One of my favorite ways is with feta cheese and fresh basil! Yummy in my tummy!

Simple Whole Wheat Bread

Last week was spring break so I decided to make bread, minus the bread maker. Although I did have a helper...

The bread turned out great and I am making it again today! It makes three loaves so you don't have to constantly be making bread. I took 1/2 of one loaf to make a pizza and the other 1/2 to make a calzone!

Here is the recipe! Simple Whole Wheat

Chicken Pot Pie

I LOVE chicken pot pie but I have never tried my hand at it. My friend Sarah always tells me how she makes pot pie about once a week. So I decided to give it a whirl since I had a fridge full of veggies.

I found a recipe but highly adapted it as I didn't like the ones I found. I have made this several times now with a variety of veggies and it always turns out yummy!


Ingredients:

2 pie crusts -I buy the Pillsbury Crust, in the red box.

1 pound (or whatever you have leftover) cooked chicken - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas or any kind of green veggie. I sometimes throw in broccoli other times green beans.
1/2 cup sliced celery
Sometimes I cube a potato and throw that in too.
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 yellow or red bell pepper or a combination of both
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I usually use garlic salt)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk (the more fat in the milk the creamier the sauce)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)

2. In a large skillet saute carrots, celery, peppers & other veggies (except broccoli) in olive oil. Cook them until they are tender. Some people boil the veggies but they lose all their vitamins that way so I prefer to saute.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions and garlic in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. Let simmer for about 1 minute. You want your flour/butter mixture to bubble a little or it will taste floury. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick, like gravy. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. While above sauce is thickening...Put bottom pie crust in pie plate. Cover with foil and bake for about 5 minutes. Until it just starts to golden. This will help it hold up to the liquid.

5. Mix veggies with chicken and place mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips:
It is a good idea to place the pie plate on a cookie sheet or to put foil on the bottom of your stove as pot pie often overflows!

Be creative with the veggies you throw in. I just throw in whatever veggies I have in my freezer and/or fridge. Canned veggies also work but contain salt so be sure to cut back on the salt you add to the sauce or you will get a salty dish. Also, do not saute canned veggies. The main problem with canned is they tend to turn out a little more mushy than fresh or frozen veggies.

My friend Sarah throws in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to her pot pie.
It adds a yummy Asian type of flavor.

If you make your own pie crust try throwing in some savory herbs for an additional boost in yumminess! (is that a word?)

Don't be afraid to experiment!
Happy Cooking!

I bet you envy my sweet orange countertops! Yeah go ahead, they are sweet & originals from the 70s!

Not your traditional Pumpkin Pie...It is better!

I normally do NOT like pumpkin pie. I remember as a kid I would get so disappointed during the holidays because people always made pumpkin pie and pecan pie. As I kid I detested both and would opt out of dessert, those of you who know me are saying "WOW" right now (I LOVE dessert).

As I have gotten older I have found I do like a good pecan pie and I do like this pumpkin pie.

Crust:

I use the Pillsbury refrigerated crust in the red box. It tastes as good or even better than most homemade crusts I have tasted. Put it in your own fancy pie plate, then poke a few holes in the bottom with a fork. Cover the edge of the pie with tin foil or a crust sheild. Put it on a rimmed baking sheet and throw it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Just until the crust is golden brown.

Filling:

1 c heavy cream

1 c whole milk

3 large eggs plus two large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup drained candied yams from a 15-ounce can or I used a yam I cooked the night earlier and threw in a little brown sugar.

3/4 c sugar

1/4 c maple syrup

2 tsp grated FRESH ginger (use the fresh stuff - trust me on this one)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp salt

While pie shell is baking whick ceam, milk, eggs, yolks and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring it to a sputterng simmer over medium heat, 5-7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10-15 mins.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl, using a ladle or spatula to press solids through the strainer. (This may sound tedious or laborous but it only takes a few seconds and is worth it trust me!)

Next rewhisk mixture and pour into prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to the oven and bake pie for 10 minutes.

Remove foil or crust sheild and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Continue baking for about 20-35 mins. You will know it is done with edges of the pie are set (or insert thermometer in center until it registers 175 degrees.)

Let pie cool at room temperature 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve!

Enjoy your new favorite pumpkin pie!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This was so quick and easy. Plus it was super yummy. I want to make it again and try throwing some shrimp & crab in.

This recipe serves 2 but they are pretty large portions. Throw in some extra pasta and it can feed four.

4 ounces linguine pasta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I used Tony's)
2 tablespoons butter (I used olive oil)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green onion, minced (I used regular onion cause that was all I had)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Then throw in chicken and sprinkle Cajun seasoning on top and toss to coat. Saute chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper and heat through. If you find your sauce too runny whip in some flour (like you would when making gravy.)

3. In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Other variations you can try is to add some snap peas or brocolli for a little additional nutrition. Good way to get those kids to eat veggies!

Best Ever Mac & Cheese

This is the adult version of my childhood favorite! I got this from a friend when I was living in Reno. It is great comfort food for cold Alaskan nights!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp butter
• 6 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3-3/4 cups hot milk
• 4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1lb macaroni noodles cooked
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt 6 tbsp of butter in medium sauce pan over low heat.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes. You may have to turn up the heat. The flour mixture must foam as it cooks or the sauce will have a raw flour taste.
4. Stir in cayenne and season to taste with salt & pepper.
5. Whisk in hot milk, ½ cup at a time and cook, stirring until sauce thickens.
6. Reduce heat to low and stir in 2 cups of cheese, stirring constantly until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
7. Combine cooked pasta and sauce in large bowl.
8. Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese over the bottom of a buttered 8x11 baking dish. Place a third of the pasta in the dish and top with ½ cup of cheese. Then repeat, layering pasta & cheese and ending with cheese. You should get about 3 layers.
9. Pour cream over assembled mac & cheese.
10. Melt remaining butter (2tbsp) in skillet, add bread crumbs. Stirring to coat.
11. Sprinkle bread crumbs over mac & cheese.
12. Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
13. Enjoy!