Italian Cheese Puffs

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesean cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the water and butter in a medium-size
saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour, bread crumbs, salt, and
pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture
to a medium-size bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after
each addition. Beat in the mozzarella cheese.

Drop the mixture by teaspoons full on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle
with the parmesean cheese. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15
minutes.


This recipe comes from my personal recipe files I have collected through the years.

Shrimp Scampi ~ different variations

My mind is still on Shrimp Scampi . . . 

and I have run across two other variations to try

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
1/3 cup clarified butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions

Rinse shrimp and set aside. 

Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. 

Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. 

Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice.

Cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. 

Do not overcook the shrimp! 

Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving. 

Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.

Recipe Source

OLD BAY SHRIMP SCAMPI

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 teaspoons OLD BAY® Seasoning

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon McCormick Parsley Flakes

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds or until fragrant. (Do not brown.)

2. Add shrimp and Old Bay; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in lemon juice and parsley.

3. Serve over cooked pasta or rice, if desired.

Source:  McCormick's website

Pasta Bella!

Pasta meals are my favorite and I'm always searching for new variations to mix things up a bit.  I happened to catch one of the best episodes of Barefoot Contessa I've seen yet . . . Ina prepared five or six different pasta dishes . . . the episode was aptly named Pasta Bella.  This post features two of my favorite pasta dishes she prepared.

You would think with all the pasta I make that I would crave something different when I go out to eat.  I'm actually very picky about the pasta dishes I order when eating out, but when I want pasta and someone to wait on me, Carrabas Italian Restaurant is my favorite.  I always order Shrimp Scampi that seems to be very similar to the first recipe.  Believe it or not, I've never made this at home, but now that I have this recipe, we will be making this very soon!


Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• 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 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.

As I was watching Ina make this pasta dish, the thought occurred to me that this is like a very fancy macaroni and cheese.  Of course I would add a variation to it . . . grilled italian sausage cut in diagonal slices, but you could also add chicken for another variation.


Penne with Five Cheeses

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola (1 1/2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
• 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pound imported penne rigate pasta
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.

Combine all the ingredients except the penne and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.

Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity). Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

Click on the link for more recipes from this episode

Source:  The Food Network

Italian Cream Cake

You would think this is a made from scratch cake,  but it is one of those  semi-homemade recipes  to kick  up a plain cake mix  and  frosting in a can.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix with pudding
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¹/4 cups buttermilk
• ¹/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (3-1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
• 1 ²/3 cups chopped pecans, toasted and divided
• 3 tablespoons rum (optional)
• 2 (12-ounce) containers cream cheese frosting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans.
    
2. Beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, and oil with an electric beater on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in coconut and 2/3 cup pecans. Pour into prepared cake pans.
    
3. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
    
4. Sprinkle each cake layer with rum, if desired; let stand 10 minutes.
    
5. Stir together frosting and remaining 1 cup pecans. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake (see Tips). Chill 2 hours before slicing.

Frosting Tips


Always cool the cake layers completely and brush away excess crumbs before frosting. Stack the first 2 layers on a serving plate, bottom-side up, then place the top layer right-side up. This will make a straight and tall cake. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the sides to set any crumbs then spread frosting generously on the sides and tops.




Recipe source and photo:  Mr. Food's website