Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Shrimp

A couple weeks ago for my dad's birthday, I decided to make him dinner since first of all he is very hard to shop for and second it's what he loves best. I made steamed lobster, roasted sweet potatoes, scallops, and my personal favorite, stuffed shrimp piquillo peppers. This has probably become one of our new favorite appetizers. Dustin doesn't love shrimp but he likes these. The shrimp and the sauce mixture together is amaaaaazing! Piquillo peppers are not spicy either which I love because I don't do spicy or peppers very well.

Piquillo Peppers Stuffed With Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 plum tomato
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry, such as amontillado
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 6 jarred or canned piquillo peppers, drained

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to pan, and saute until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Finely chop shrimp, and transfer to a bowl.
2. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add tomato, and cook until skin loosens, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath until cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. Peel tomato, cut into quarters, and remove and discard seeds. Finely chop tomato.
3. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 minutes.
4. Stir tomato into onion mixture, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; pour in sherry. Return to medium-high heat for 1 minute. Stir tomato mixture into shrimp, and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
5. Stir in mayonnaise. Stuff each pepper with shrimp salad.

Unfortunately lobster is very expensive and so I could only afford 2 live lobsters that day. He had one to him self and we shared the second one. The lobster recipe wasn't anything special. Just steam em and butter em!

And wa-la! Dinner is served!

These Crab Cakes don't make me crabby at all!

Dustin and my good friend Sierra said these were the best crab cakes they have ever had. I was so proud of these cakes and they definitely were mouth watering. The next week I actually ordered some crab cakes from place in the city and I still liked these waaay more. My favorite of the month for sure.

Ingredients:

LEMON AIOLI

Mayonnaise 1 cup

Finely grated lemon zest (1 lemon)

Fresh lemon juice -2 tablespoons

Garlic 1 clove

Fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Fresh lump crab meat -1 pound

Panko or dried bread crumbs, 3/4 cup

1 Large egg

Dijon mustard -1 tablespoon

Worcestershire sauce -2 teaspoons

Hot Pepper sauce -1/4 teaspoon

Fresh parsley -1 tablespoon chopped

Canola oil -1/2 cup

Lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

To make the aioli, in a small bowl, mix together the mayo, lemon zest and juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside 1/4 cup of the aioli. Cover and refrigerate the remaining aioli until serving.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of the panko/bread crumbs, the reserved 1/4 cup aioli, the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and parsley. Add the crab meat and mix gently until combined. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a thick cake. Spread the remaining 1.2 cup panko/bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Coat the cakes evenly with the panko, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the cakes and cook until the undersides are golden brown, which is fast. Flip the cakes and cook until the other sides are golden brown. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly.

Serve the crab cakes at once with lemon wedges if you want and pass the remaining lemon aioli on the side. Don't put too much of the sauce on the crab cake before tasting it. You don't need very much of the sauce.

Tuna Melts just melt in your mouth!

These are absolutely delish!!! They are perfect for lunch and just melt in your mouth.

Tuna Melts

Ingredients:

1. 3 cans (each 6 oz.) white albacore tuna packed in oil or water
2. 1/2 cup mayonnaise, homemade (see related recipe at left) or purchased
3. 1/2 cup minced celery
4. 1/4 cup minced yellow or red onion
5. 2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
6. Freshly ground pepper, to taste
7. 4 large slices firm white sandwich bread
8. 8 tomato slices
9. 6 oz. mild cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat a broiler.

Drain the tuna well and put in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion and parsley and stir well. Season with pepper.

Arrange the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and broil, turning once, until very lightly browned on both sides, about 1 minute total. Spread equal amounts of the tuna mixture onto each toasted bread slice. Divide the tomato slices evenly among the sandwiches, then divide the cheese evenly on top. Return the pan to the broiler and broil until the cheese melts, about 1 minute more. Serve immediately. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Variation: You can use rye bread or split English muffins for your tuna melts, and substitute sharp cheddar, Gruyère or Swiss cheese for the mild cheddar. To impart a little tang to the tuna mixture, stir in 2 Tbs. chopped bread-and-butter pickles. If your idea of a tuna melt is not open faced, using untoasted bread, prepare the sandwiches as directed, topping them with a second slice of bread. Spread softened butter on the outside of each sandwich and cook them in a fry pan over medium heat until the cheese melts and the bread is golden brown on both sides.

Chicken Potpies N' taters

This was my first time making homemade chicken pot pies. Everyone loved them! Next time I will probably buy some actual ramekins that are more appropriate than cereal bowls because that is all I had. Haha. But it still worked out great. You have to have this recipe with mashed potatoes. This picture doesn't have some because I was missing some ingredients... but it is definitely a must.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter-6 tablespoons

Button mushrooms-1/2 pound, quartered

Leeks,white/green parts-1 cup chopped

Carrots-1/2 cup finely diced

Fresh or frozen peas-1/3 cup

All-purpose flour-1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon

Chicken broth/stock-4 1/2 cups

Dry sherry-1/3 cup

Fresh tarragon-2 teaspoons minced

Cooked, shredded chicken-4 cups

Kosher salt & ground pepper

Double-crust flaky pastry dough

1 Large egg

Directions:

To make the sauce and vegetable, in a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the leeks and carrots, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peas.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining5 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and let bubble gently for 1 minutes. Gradually whisk in the stock and sherry and then the tarragon. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Stir in the shredded chicken and the mushroom-leek mixture and season with salt and pepper. Let cool until lukewarm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spoon the chicken mixture into six 1 1/2 cup ovenproof soup crocks or ramekins.

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

No fake cheddar or nacho cheese flavor in this delicious casserole! I don't like the fake mac n' cheese in a box at all. When I found this recipe I was relieved. I can feed my hubby something better than the cheesy plastic. Ew.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter -7 tablespoons

Garlic -1 clove, minced

Fresh bread crumbs -1 1/2 cups

Kosher salt & ground pepper

Elbow macaroni -1 pound

All-purpose flour -1/4 cup

Whole milk-3 cups, warmed

Sharp Cheddar cheese-2 cups shredded

Fontina cheese -2 cups shredded

Dry mustard -1/2 teaspoon

Directions:

In a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over med-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and stir until coated with butter. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and stir occasionally until the water returns to a boil. Cook according to the package directions until not quite al dente. (The macaroni will cook again in the oven, so do not over cook it now.) Drain well and set aside.

Add the remaining4 tablespoons butter to the pot used for the pasta and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let bubble for 1 minute without browning. Gradually whisk in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring to boil, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses along with the mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta. Spread in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the buttered crumbs.

Bake until the crumbs are browned and the sauce is bubbling about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.

Chicken Poblano Casserole

I loved this. Dustin didn't like the tortillas on the top as much but I thought it was kind of fun. The corn in this recipe totally made it amazing for me. I love corn in casseroles. I found this recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

Ingredients

• 3 poblano chiles (about 12 ounces)
• 1 large red bell pepper (about 8 ounces)
• 3 ears shucked corn
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 3 cups (12 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
• Cooking spray
• 18 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
• 3 3/4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Cut poblanos and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place poblanos and bell pepper, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Place corn on baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes or until poblanos and bell pepper are blackened and corn is lightly browned. Place poblanos and bell pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop; set poblanos and bell pepper aside separately. Remove corn kernels from cobs.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 12 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Combine 1 cup milk mixture and poblanos in a blender; process until smooth. Stir pureed poblano mixture into remaining milk mixture.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine bell pepper, corn, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup Mexican cheese, red onion, cilantro, eggs, and ricotta.

Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread half of ricotta mixture over tortillas; top with half of chicken. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup green onions and 2/3 cup Mexican cheese. Pour about 1 cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layers with 6 tortillas, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining chicken, 1/3 cup green onions, 2/3 cup Mexican cheese, 1 cup sauce, and 6 tortillas. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Coat 1 side of foil with cooking spray. Place foil, coated side down, over casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup Mexican cheese and 1/3 cup green onions. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 15 minutes.

Strawberry Mousse

This strawberry mousse was very tasty. I found it on a French Food blog. Random huh? It is a nice break from all the chocolate desserts I normally eat. I used all the strawberries in the recipe but I would have saved some for next time on the side or to dip them in.

• 1 pound strawberries, plus 6 small ones for decoration if you wish
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 4 egg whites
• pinch of salt

In a blender or food processor, puree strawberries with lemon juice and sugar.

In a mixing bowl beat cream until it is stiff. Gradually and gently mix the whipped cream with the berries.

In another mixing bowl beat egg whites with salt until stiff. Mix one cup of egg whites into berry and cream mixture, and then gently fold this back into egg whites.

Pour the mousse into individual serving dishes and decorate with a strawberry. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Enchiladas

Such a simple recipe but so good. The chicken in this is special because Dustin and his sister Taylor canned fresh chicken. It sounds weird but it tastes amazing and better than any shredded chicken I have ever had. This recipe is pretty basic. Nothing too fancy.

Ingredients:

1lb Shredded chicken

Small can of green chilies

Small can of sliced olives

Can Red enchilada sauce

1lb Cheddar cheese

1 Chopped white onion

Corn or white tortillas (depending on your preference)

Italian seasoning

Teansy bit of hot sauce

Sour cream (optional)

Alyssa's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (I use clear Mexican vanilla)

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips, at least 60 percent cacao content

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.