A Make-Ahead Shrimp Scampi

I'm not always a fan of cooking right up until the time my guests arrive. This is one way of avoiding the last minute hassle, yet still making something really yummy with lots of time to breathe, and relax with people I love. An added benefit of making anything-pasta ahead of time - cooking, chilling then reheating - creates what's known as resistant starch. A very health technique. (this applies to all other starches as well, ie.: potatoes, rice, cooked cereal, starchy vegetables. . .)

Begin by cooking 8oz. of angel hair pasta, only until about half done. Drain, rinse then let stand in ice water a few minutes before draining again. In a small wok or frying pan, cook and stir together:

1/2 stick butter

2/3c each: chopped green and red bell pepper

10oz. sliced mushrooms

1 med. onion

Lowry's Garlic Salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper

When the vegetables are almost done, add the zest and juice of 1/2 big lemon and 14oz. jumbo Wild Caught shrimp, cut into smaller pieces. Increase heat and stir all of this only until the shrimp are about half way cooked.

Cool slightly then add the sauce -sorry no pics- I wasn't planning to blog this recipe. It turned out so well though, I wanted it here for future reference. For the sauce, whisk together:

12oz. sour cream
12oz. Sonoma lemon-herb-ricotta pasta sauce (Costco)
1/2c Sherry cooking wine

Check flavor, add more of the above seasonings, some dry dill -and- a pinch of sugar, if you'd like, to reduce the acidity a bit.

Layer the pasta, then vegetables and shrimp twice, adding half the sauce to each and folding everything together gently.

When ready to serve, reheat on 60-70% in the microwave, until everything is steamy. 

Serve with crusty garlic bread and a simple green salad. . .Lin

Chicken Potato Corn and Bean Chowder

Start by cooking 8 ears of fresh corn. When cool, cut the kernels off, then set aside, to add to the soup later. (or use 3-4 cans of corn)

Cut up everything shown in the 6 quart pot. Return it to the pot with 2T EVOO and sauté until it's all cooked about half way.

8oz. apple-gouda chicken sausage
3 med. carrots
6 big garlic cloves
3 sm. yellow onions
1/2 big Vidalia onion
1 long sweet red bell pepper
6 med. Yukon Gold potatoes - scrubbed

Season with black pepper, Lowry's Garlic Salt, 2-3T low sodium chicken Better Than Bouillon. Add 1 quart of chicken stock, and 4 bay leaves. Eventually, you'll add one more quart of stock. Let this all simmer about 20 minutes. You can stop now, cover and refrigerate everything in the pot and resume this tomorrow (which I did since it was late) or keep going.

Stir In:

8oz. frozen skinny green beans - cut up a bit

all the corn kernels.

Simmer this for 10 minutes or so, then add the chopped parsley and cubes of previously made, and frozen, browned butter and flour roux. Bring this to a low boil so the roux will thicken the broth. Cool this slightly so the next addition doesn't curdle. Combine 1 can of a cream-based soup with enough half and half to equal 2 cups, stir in a cup of chicken stock to loosen it up, and pour this into the pot.

Bring this to a low bubble-simmer, then turn off the heat. When this has cooled again, stir in about 8oz. of a good quality cheese spread and 1/2c Sherry cooking wine.

Bring everything back to a low bubble, ladle into big bowls and serve with crusty garlic bread. . .Lin 

Hungarian (Chicken-Vegetable) Mushroom Soup

I've been hearing so much about Hungarian Mushroom Soup. It sounded so good! I checked a couple recipes, then decided to create my own expanded variation. However, I swapped sour cream for the coconut milk shown in my photos.

In a 4-5 quart pot, sauté the sliced-chopped carrots, celery and onion until they sizzle. Reduce heat, cover, adding just a little of the bone broth if needed.

2T EVOO

2 big carrots

1 med. onion

2 big celery ribs

1/3 lg. green pepper

6c chicken bone broth - add as needed for now

Add these ingredients at this time:

3T Truffle, Parmesan and Black Garlic seasoning

3T Better Than Bouillon - chicken

1T smokey paprika 

4 bay leaves

1/4c sherry cooking wine

1 pound mushrooms - sliced

Sauté for a while, adding a bit of broth to prevent sticking. When the mushrooms start to shrink and brown, add the rest of the bone broth.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, about an hour.

8oz. bite size pieces of roasted chicken

1/4c golden or brown roux

Bring back to a simmer, and let it cook on low, for 10 minutes to thicken the soup and blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool for 45 minutes. Stir in 6oz. sour cream then reheat again just before serving. . .Lin