Shrimp Fra Diavolo

How can you go wrong with a shrimp meal from Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian?

The Kitchen is becoming one of my favorite shows on the Food Network and I try not to miss it on Saturday mornings.  It is repeated during the week . . . refer to the schedule from the website and check out this show!

I have directed the link to the show page this recipe was featured on instead of the recipe itself.  It was a great show with too many recipes to leave out, like homemade mayonnaise recipes, churros, various tacos . . . a hot and spicy Cinco de Mayo show!

While I am very adventurous in the kitchen, I am fearful of the flambe.  The last thing I want to do is put my kitchen on fire!  This recipe calls for a step that includes flambe . . . I'm just going to skip it!  Any thoughts on flambe? Please leave a comment!  I'm curious how many home cooks actually do this.

Another thing I would do different . . . of course I would serve this with angel hair pasta!  Yes!  Another shrimp pasta recipe :)

Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian
The Food Network
SHOW:  The Kitchen
EPISODE: Cinco de Mayo with Bobby Flay


Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound jumbo or U-12 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely minced
• 1/4 cup limoncello or sambuca
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 cups crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil leaves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Garlic Bread, recipe follows

Garlic Bread:

• 1 baguette, split lengthwise
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes, optional

Directions

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with a generous pinch each salt and pepper, and then sear on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. 

Add the chile flakes, garlic and serrano chile. 

Remove from the heat, add the limoncello, and then flambe. (I'm a bit leary of this step!)

Add the white wine and tomatoes and cook the sauce until it reduces by half, about 5 minutes.

Finish with the grated cheese, parsley, basil and oregano. Then swirl in the extra-virgin olive oil and butter, and season with the lemon zest and juice. 

Serve immediately with Garlic Bread.


Garlic Bread:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly toast the baguette cut-side up in the oven, 4 minutes.

Combine the butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots and some salt and pepper in a bowl, and stir to mix. 

Slather the mixture generously on the cut side of the toasted baguette. 

Sprinkle the cheese, parsley and chile flakes if using evenly over one side of the baguette. Top with the other side and wrap in foil. 

Warm in the oven until the cheese is melted. 

Cut into 3-inch slices and serve warm.

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Creamy Stovetop Bacon Mac and Cheese

As with chicken, you can never have enough recipes for mac and cheese!

I found these recipes watching The Cooking Channel last night.  Love the show Kelsey's Essentials!  OK . . . I'll admit it, I love most of the cooking shows.

This post is actually two recipes in one.  You can either have the mac and cheese alone, or stuffed in the tomato.  Kelsey also served it in a sandwich, like a grilled cheese sandwich . . . I never would have thought of that, but it really did look good.

I love her selection of cheeses and the addition of bacon.  Isn't everything better with bacon?

Recipe courtesy kelsey nixon, the cooking channel

Show: Kelsey's EssentialsEpisode: After Hour Eats

INGREDIENTS

CREAMY STOVETOP BACON MAC AND CHEESE:

• Kosher salt 
• 1 pound elbow macaroni 
• 6 strips thick-cut smoked bacon, cut in 1/4-inch pieces 
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 4 cups hot whole milk 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard, or more as needed 
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (2 cups) 
• 8 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded (2 cups) 
• 1 tbsp hot sauce

BAKED TOMATOES:

• 4 beefsteak tomatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Olive oil, for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

For the mac and cheese: 

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain.

Set an extra-large skillet, or a large heavy saucepan, over medium-low heat and cook the bacon until crispy and the fat renders out, 10 to 12 minutes.

Set the bacon aside, reserving the fat to build your sauce.

At this point you should have about 1/4 cup of reserved fat. If needed, add some olive oil or butter to make sure you have a 1/4 cup of fat in the pan.

Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the paste bubbles a bit, about 2 minutes (make sure it doesn't brown). Continuing to whisk, add 3 cups of the hot milk and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Stir in the dry mustard, and then gradually add the Cheddar and Muenster cheeses, stirring constantly until all of the cheese has melted into the sauce. Stir in the hot sauce and the remaining 1 cup milk.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Stir in the crispy bacon and season with salt and pepper.

You'll need 1 to 2 cups of mac and cheese for the tomatoes.

For the baked tomatoes: 

Set your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to broil.

Using a paring knife, remove the tops of your tomatoes (the stem end), and then carefully hollow each one out with a spoon. You want to create a bowl, while removing all the seeds and some of the flesh, leaving about 1/2-inch of flesh in each tomato.

Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then stuff each one with as much mac and cheese as you can, 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Mix the panko, Parmesan cheese and parsley together, and season with salt and pepper. Pile some of the breadcrumb topping onto each tomato. Each one will accommodate about 2 tablespoons of the topping. Now, drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil, so the panko browns up nicely.

Broil the tomatoes until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Spicy Polenta Cakes

Polenta has peaked my curiousity for a very long time, especially since I love grits.

Guy Fieri's recipe seems to be the perfect recipe to start exploring Polenta since I love that it can be used as an appetizer or side dish, it is spicy and cheesy and I love the crispy texture.

I have a feeling I'm going to like them a bit too much!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Guy Fieri

The Food Network
SHOW: Guy's Big Bite
EPISODE: Comfort with a Kick



Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking polenta, medium- or coarse-grain
• 1 cup crumbled queso blanco cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey, for serving
• 1 lime, halved

Directions

Combine the milk, salt and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the polenta. 

Cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta tightens and there are no lumps, about 4 minutes. 

Stir in the queso blanco, butter, cilantro, pepper and jalapeno. 

Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Generously butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Pour the polenta into the pan and set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat a griddle pan over medium heat. Invert the polenta onto a clean cutting board and slice it into nine 3-inch squares. 

Brush the squares on both sides with the olive oil, then griddle them until golden brown and warmed through, about 3 minutes per side. 

While warm, drizzle the polenta cakes with the honey and squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve.

Oven Baked Breakfast Tacos

There is no time limit in my kitchen for breakfast!  It is my favorite meal and we have it morning, noon or night.

Breakfast Tacos!  I love the concept!  Another great recipe from Pillsbury!

These tacos are great for on-the-go breakfast, microwave leftovers for lunch, dinner or snacks.

Variations I would try . . . sausage instead of bacon, cheddar cheese instead of Monterey Jack.  Will try the original recipe first!

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups cubed (about 1 inch) potatoes
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
• 8 soft corn tortillas (6 inch)
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz)

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Place bacon slices in ungreased cookie sheet with sides. When oven is preheated, bake bacon 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes. Coarsely chop bacon into small pieces.

While bacon is baking, heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. 

Add potatoes; stir to coat in hot oil. 

Sprinkle taco seasoning mix over potatoes; stir to mix. 

Cook potatoes 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until potatoes are soft when pierced with tip of knife. (My suggestion: microwave cubed potatoes in a steamer container for 3 minutes, return to skillet for crisping)

In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, place tortillas standing against each other to form taco shells.

In another skillet, cook and stir beaten eggs over medium heat until they begin to scramble. Remove from heat.

Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup potatoes. Divide scrambled eggs and bacon evenly into each. Top each with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Bake 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo source:

Notes from Pillsbury

Cube the potatoes a day ahead and store in cold water in the refrigerator overnight.

Adjust the amount of taco seasoning mix to suit your spice level.

Wrap leftovers in foil and reheat in the oven for 10 minutes.