Shrimp and Grits Casserole

This dish shouldn't be confused with the Shrimp n Grits recipe that I already have in my blog. While it's a similar type dish, the flavors are quite different. But they are both delicious! I might like the flavors of the other one a tad better but this one is faster and easier to prepare. It's actually not my recipe but a friend of the family's who graciously shared it (the same one who shared this  fabulous recipe.) Of course, I act like this dish is so effortless (which is almost is) but I fumbled. Since it was just two of us eating, I modified the recipe to make less of it. But apparently going to Georgia Tech, doesn't = math wizard because I calculated the amount of chicken broth incorrectly and added an extra cup. Sooo...my grits took FOREVER to cook down. But you won't make that mistake, will you?

Also, I noticed that some of my blog posts had almost 1500 views. So, who are you? It's okay to introduce yourself or comment! If you have suggestions or requests for me, I'll take those as well. In fact, it's gets pretty lonely having shy readers!

Shrimp and Grits Casserole ( per Glen)

4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup uncooked grits
8 oz velveeta or cheddar cheese shredded and divided
2 tbsp butter
6 green onions: green parts only, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and chilis, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook grits in broth/stock until done.
Saute onion tops, pepper and garlic in butter until tender.
Divide cheese into two units: 1/3 cup and 2/3 cup.
Stir together onion mix, grits, 2/3 cup cheese, shrimp and Rotel.
Pour into greased 2-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle top with reserved cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Easy Spinach Tofu Lasagna

Stop scrunching up your nose, haven't you heard the phrase "Don't knock it til you try it?" Maybe it's because I am actually a tofu fan, but I thought it was pretty decent. I didn't miss the ricotta cheese or meat at all. (The tofu replaced the ricotta.) Tofu can take on almost any flavor or consistency depending on how you prepare it. It's awesome like that.

Spinach Tofu Lasagna

This picture was taken right out of the oven so it will look a tad different once you let it set. Also please excuse the messy stove. Deep cleaning day is tomorrow :) Do you like my William Sonoma Easter plates? My mom got them for me. She also got matching mugs to go with them. Isn't she cute?!

Ingredients: 

 1 lb. firm tofu, drained
1 jar sun-dried tomato pasta sauce
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
5 oz. fresh spinach leaves
6-7 slices of mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Using your hands, crumble the tofu into a bowl and set aside. Watch out, it is SO cold on your hands kind of like when you mix up ground beef to make meatballs/meatloaf.
3) Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce in a baking dish. Spread evenly.  Add a layer of the noodles. Then add 1/2 cup of tofu sprinkled with some of the seasoning and finish with the spinach on top.  Repeat this step until you have used up your noodles/filling. Try to end with the noodles and sauce on top. Press down the layers.
4) Pour any remaining sauce over the top. 
5) Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
6) Pull out the lasagna and remove foil. Top with cheese slices and bake for another 5 minutes.
7) Let sit for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving.

Spice Is Nice

After complaining about the price (to no one in particular), I finally left Whole Foods with two grass-fed ribeyes. In reality, I *almost* got a steal when you think about how much those two lovely pieces of meat would have cost had I ordered them in one of Atlanta's nice chop houses. I don't usually order ribeyes because I like my meat leaner. However, grass fed meat is going to be leaner naturally so by getting a cut that usually has some marbling, you end up with a damn tasty steak! Though, I can't take credit for that part of our meal, my husband is the grill master around here. I promise they tasted better than the picture!

With the steaks, I served an interesting pilaf which is the recipe that I'm sharing. Also, I opened one of my cheaper bottles of Cabernet. I think it was $6.99 at Total Wine.  This wine was pretty good for the price. But I've had bottles that were just under $20 that were better so whether I'd recommend it would really depend on your price point.

Orange Spiced Pilaf with Berries and Nuts

Ingredients:
 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 and a half medium onions: 1 onion large slices - half onion diced
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, zest finely grated (1 tsp.) and juiced (about 2-3 Tbs.)
3/8 cup dried tart cherries or cranberry mix
1 cups jasmine rice
3/8 cup pistachios, pecans, or slivered almonds toasted and roughly chopped 

Steps:
 

In a large skillet/saucepan, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally for 21 minutes. Add the three spices and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook another 5 min., stirring occasionally, to allow the onion to absorb the flavors of the spices and caramelize a bit more. Season with 1/4 tsp. of the salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.

Pour the orange juice over the berries in a small bowl. If the liquid is not enough to cover them, add water and set aside.

In another large saucepan melt the 1 Tbs. butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and remaining salt and stir well to coat each grain with butter. Toast for a full 5 minutes, stirring regularly to keep the grains separated and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of  the pan. Be careful not to burn the rice.

Add 1-1/2 cups of water, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the pilaf sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Once the pilaf has rested, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Strain the berries and discard the orange juice. Using the fork, gently fold in the berries, onions, nuts, and orange zest. Serve warm.

 

Veggie Fried Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is one of the new super foods. It is a type of seed I believe that is high in protein and magnesium and is especially good for people with diabetes, migraines, and atherosclerosis. It's also gluten free! It doesn't hurt that it also tastes good in my opinion. There are lots of different things that you can do with it too. I decided to go the Asian route for dinner.

We also opened up another bottle of wine from Harvest Moon , the Pinot Noir. It was delicious but we managed to save a bit for tonight.

Quinoa Vegetable, Fried ( Source: SparkPeople)

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 package mixed vegetables, any variety you like (asian stir-fry, broccoli medley is good)
1 cup frozen edamame, shelled
1 egg
2 tsp canola oil
3 tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic

 optional:
1 tsp corn starch dissolved in warm water
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar added to tamari
Chili pepper flakes

Sriracha hot sauce 
salt and pepper

Steps:

Briefly boil/blanch frozen veggies and edamame and heat up wok or stir-fry pan. Add canola oil to hot pan and then add drained veggies. Stir in garlic and cook briefly. Add in quinoa, then tamari/vinegar/corn starch sauce. Stir fry until incorporated and quinoa is hot.

Move mixture up sides of wok to make space in the middle of the pan for the egg. Break into pan and scramble, eventually incorporating into mixture.

Season with optional ingredients. 
 
 

Whole Wheat Gobbetti w/ Roasted Peppers and Coppa

I actually like this meal better the next day as lunch. Either way, it was pretty good but next time I will probably use less peppers and onions and a little more meat and a spicier one at that. I took a picture on my camera not knowing that the card wasn't in it at the time. Since I still can't find my camera cord, I will have to wait to upload it. Sorry!

Whole Wheat Gobbetti with Roasted Peppers and Coppa

Ingredients:
 
2-3 medium red bell peppers
Olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Half a 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
A large sprig of thyme, chopped
1/6 lb. thinly sliced coppa, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
8 oz..  gobbetti or cavatappi (whole wheat if you are being health conscious)
1/8 cup grated Grana Padano or Pecorino cheese
1/6 cup fresh breadcrumbs  

Steps:

Roast the peppers by broiling them in a pan until the skins are charred, turning until all sides are well blistered. Let cool. Peel off the skins, core and seed the peppers, and cut the flesh into thin strips.

In a large skillet, heat about 1-2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until almost tender. Add the peppers, salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the thyme and coppa.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, cream, nutmeg, and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a large, shallow baking dish with cooking spray or oil.

Cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the grated cheese with the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well.


Drain the pasta well and place in the baking dish. Add the pepper and onions and toss. Add the creamy mixture and toss again. Top evenly with the breadcrumb mixture and a drizzle of fresh olive oil. Bake uncovered until browned and bubbling, 20 minutes. 

 

Pork Stew Verde

My husband liked this meal better than I did though I did enjoy it. I just felt that it could have been a tad spicier. Maybe next time I will user hotter peppers.

 Pork Stew Verde

Ingredients:

1/8 cup flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground sage
3 tablespoons canola oil 
2 pounds pork loin roast or pork stew meat
2 tablespoons wine or vinegar
1 and 1 half large onions,  chopped
4 small potatoes, peeled
2 cups tomatillo/verde salsa
2 cans  chopped green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Steps:

Combine flour, cumin, pepper, salt, and sage in a shallow dish or pan; add pork and coat thoroughly.

Brown pork in hot oil; remove when browned and set aside.

With heat still on, add the wine or vinegar to the skillet, scraping up brown bits.

Place onions, potatoes, salsa, chicken broth, brown sugar, pork, and scraped bits from the skillet in the slow cooker.

Stir ,cover, and cook on high 5 hours or low for 8 hours.






BEER ME!

I picked up this nice summer brew at Total Wine on my last wine run. I had heard about it from friends that are from New Orleans and swear by it. This is the perfect summer beer! It's light and refreshing. The strawberry is so subtle while you are drinking it and then leaves you with the berry after taste and not in the nasty way that a lot of flavored beers do. However, my husband was not a fan. His verdict: "It tastes like cheap beer." He wasn't completely wrong. I think when it first hits your tongue, it tastes like a Miller or Budweiser beer but it leaves you with something so much better.

Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Loin Chops

Tonight's dinner felt fancier than normal. Perhaps it is because I used New Zealand lamb and served it with an awesome wine (more on that in a minute.)  But really, this is a meal that is easy to make and will impress. The meal: Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops, Tomato Mixture, Tomato-Balsamic Rice and Cannellini beans.

 Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Loin Chops (recipe from Better Homes and Gardens)

 

Ingredients

1  recipe  Tomato-Balsamic Rice, (recipe below)
4    lamb loin chops, cut 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick (1-3/4 to 2 lb. total)
1  tablespoon  snipped fresh rosemary
3  cloves  garlic, minced
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground black pepper
1  tablespoon  olive oil
2  cups  cherry tomatoes
1  teaspoon  balsamic vinegar
    Rosemary sprigs 

Directions

1. Prepare Tomato-Balsamic Rice. Meanwhile, arrange oven rack so that the top of the chop surface is 4 to 5 inches from the heat when placed on a broiler pan. Make sure to account for the height of broiler pan and chops. Preheat broiler.
2. Coat the top of broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Rub both sides of the chops with half of each of the the snipped rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Broil chops for 18 to 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in chops registers 145 degrees F (medium-rare doneness), turning occasionally to brown evenly.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes and remaining half of the snipped rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes just begin to soften. Stir in vinegar.

4. Serve chops with tomatoes, and Tomato-Balsamic Rice. Top with rosemary sprigs. Makes 4 servings.
Tomato-Balsamic Rice: In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups water, 1 cup uncooked jasmine or long grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 18 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained; 1/2 cup frozen peas; and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Cover; let stand 5 minutes to heat through. Makes about 4 cups.

The wine that I served it with was Frank Family Vineyard's 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Their wines are so delicious. I picked it up at Total Wine. I've wanted to buy one of their wines for a couple of years now. Back story on this: When I was in Napa in 2009, someone who wishes to remain anonymous needed to use a restroom while we were driving around on a dirt road with no stops in sight...until we came across this winery. They had nice, clean bathrooms and no objections to us using them. They were used and then we left promptly. The next day we found ourselves in the same predicament and stopped back at FFV. This time they gave us a free tasting. We loved the wines but we're in a hurry to make a reservation and said we'd be back to actually buy something. We never went back. So I've always felt that I "owed it them" to buy some of their wine.  While it is kind of pricey, it is SO worth it. I will definitely be buying more in the future. This bottle was purchased as a Valentine's gift for my hubs.