Pasta with Shrimp Scampi

I saw this recipe while watching the food network the other day and my mouth was watering just watching it. It tasted as good as it looked and it is one of our family favorites now. It is from the show Barefoot Contessa.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large raw shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes


Directions


Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.


Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.



*Just a couple of tips I picked up from watching her cook this. Everyone probably already knows these things, but maybe there is someone out there like me who had no idea these things made a difference.

When defrosting raw or cooked shrimp, never defrost under running water. It toughens the shrimp. Defrost in the refrigerator or watching closely at room temperature.

When she cooked the shrimp she placed them in the skillet and let them sit for about 2 minutes then flipped them over and let them sit for about two more minutes. That way they cooked evenly and they don't overcook and become tough.

Once the shrimp was pink she immediately removed them from the heat.


**I doubled this recipe because my whole family is huge shrimp fans. We had the perfect amount with just enough for a couple of plates of leftovers for tomorrow. I also forgot to pick up fresh lemons and so I used lemon juice from the bottle and I didn't do the zest. I can't imagine it tasting any yummier, but I will try fresh lemons next time. :)

Garlic and Herb Oven Fried Halibut

I found this recipe on http://www.myrecipes.com/ when I searched "kid friendly halibut recipe." It was so YUMMY!!! My kids thought it was chicken and could not get enough of it. We loved it too and it was just a bonus that it was such an easy fix and so healthy and good for you.

(Sorry for the picture, it smelled so good that we forgot to take a "pretty picture" once we had it dished up.)

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (I used Italian flavored breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish. Place egg whites and egg in a shallow dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 fish fillets; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining fish. Bake at 450° for 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

**I didn't plan in advance and so I used dried spices in stead of fresh. Also, I cut my fillets pretty thick, I will cut them a lot thinner next time. The 6 minutes at 450 was plenty of time even for the thick fillets that we had. Just be careful to not overcook. My kids loved how tender it was.

Pulled Pork on Buns

Put in your crock pot:

2lbs of pork (chops, spare ribs, loin, etc)
16-24 oz of BBQ sauce, (Sweet Baby Ray's is our fave)
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, break it up with a wooden spoon and stir occasionally.

Put in your bread maker, on dough setting:

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup oil
2 TBS brown sugar
2 tsp salt
4 cups flour (We like 3 white and 1 wheat best, but any combo will work)
2 tsp dry yeast

When the dough is done, divide in to 16-20 rolls. I kind of pat them into a flattish circle. Bake at 400*, I usually check mine between 12-14 minutes. I think my oven runs hot because the original recipe said 20 minutes.

Let them cool, then slice like a hamburger bun. Fill with pork, and enjoy! I like to serve these with fresh fruit and veggies.

I usually load the crock pot late morning, and start the dough. Then I bake the buns after I get my son down for his nap. I love not having to rush at dinner time!