Orzo with Dill, Feta, and Tomato

Orzo with Dill, Feta, and Tomato

Ingredients:

3 tbs olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved longways)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Zest from 1 lemon
1 package of orzo (cooked to package instructions, drained, and rinsed)
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Toss together dill, lemon zest, tomatoes, salt and pepper
Add pasta and mix together
Add Feta and mix in

You can put in fridge to chill or serve still warm from the freshly cooked pasta.

Make it an Entree:

Whisk together the juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup olive oil. Add 2 tsp salt. coat chicken breast cutlets in mixture for a few hours if you can. Grill chicken on griddle.

Make same lemon mixture only with 1/2 lemon, 3 Tbs olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Coat a bag of arugula or other greens in mixture.

To plate, lay the coated greens on plate, cover with a scoop or two of orzo, top with a few slices of grilled chicken.

Shrimp & Feta Marinara over Saffron Rice with Caramelize​d Lemony Brussels Sprouts

This dish is a great quick dinner. I am all about using fresh ingredients to make delicious food but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to make everything from scratch. Any acclaimed chef would be embarrassed to admit to using canned veggies or frozen shrimp, but I am no acclaimed chef :) While I can certainly understand the shame in such acts, as a busy girl with a full time career in soemthing other than cooking, I have to come up with delicious healthy meals for not only the nights when I have 3 hours, but the ones where I am lucky to eat my first forkful at 9pm. That being said, when I need to use a "shortcut" ingredient, I always make sure it is delicious, healthy, and works well with the recipe.


So, this one is for you -  10 hour-dayers, soccer moms, gym-goers, and  the plain ol' lazy...

Shrimp & Feta Marinara over Saffron Rice with Caramelize​d Lemony Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
Shrimp & Rice
1 lb frozen or fresh uncooked Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and defrosted
1 jar of Mario Batalli or Rao's Marinara Sauce
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
2 packages of Saffron Risotto - I like the Bello brand at Wegmans in the rice aisle

Brussel Sprouts
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise, or quartered if large
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:
Shrimp & Feta
Place sautee pan over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Flip shrimp just as they turn pink.

Add about 1/2 - 3/4 of the jar of marinara sauce and let shrimp simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the feta.

Saffron Risotto
Make according to package. I like to finish it with a pad of butter and about 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan

Brussel Sprouts
In a skillet, combine sprouts and  1/2 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated and sprouts are crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes (add 1/4 cup more water if skillet becomes dry before sprouts are done).

Increase heat to medium-high; add oil to skillet. Continue to cook, uncovered, without stirring, until sprouts are golden brown on underside, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place the brussel sprouts on one side of the plate and the risotto on the other. Spoon the shrimp and sauce onto the rice.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea & Mint Puree

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea & Mint Puree

Serves 4

Ingredients

Lemon Brodetto:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, one zested and both juiced
2 cups chicken broth

Pea Puree:
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:
¼ cup olive oil
4 pieces salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Lemon Brodetto:
To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and keep warm over low heat.

Pea Puree:
To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

Salmon:
To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon on one side until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish. To assemble the dish, divide the Lemon Brodetto among 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree in the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree and serve immediately.

Jan/Feb Menu

Please leave comments requesting any recipes.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea & Mint Puree



Grilled Chicken over Orzo with Arugula

German Feast - Sauteed Greenbeans, Beef Stroganof over Spaetzle

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Dried Apples over Rice & Vermicelli Pilaf and Sweet Potato Tots

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad and Cacio e Pepe

Shrimp & Feta Marinara over Saffron Rice with Caramelize​d Lemony Brussels Sprouts