Shrimp Scampi Over Pasta

How could you not love a recipe that takes only 15 minutes to make…start to finish?  What’s not to like about an incredibly delicious dish with tender succulent shrimp that's been cooked in a rich butter garlic sauce and then tossed with beautiful buttery pasta?  What’s not to love about that?  I love the taste of garlic in my scampi.  So many times you taste a lot of lemon but not the rich garlic flavor that Shrimp scampi is known for.  So, I only use Star Fine Foods Roasted Garlic Oil when I make my shrimp scampi....and what a difference it makes! 

  

    Shrimp Scampi Over Pasta

8 ounces of pasta (angle hair, thin spaghetti, linguine)

1 lb medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Roasted Garlic Oil 

3 cloves garlic, minced 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest 
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
pinch of hot red pepper flakes, optional

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add about a tablespoon salt. Add your pasta and cook according to directions on the package. Remove from heat and drain very well.  Return to pot (off the heat) and set aside. 

In a large skillet, melt butter and Roasted Garlic Olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add garlic cloves and saute for about a minute.

Add shrimp and salt and pepper and saute until shrimp turn pink on both sides.  Be careful to not over cook your shrimp or they will become rubbery.  Make sure you watch them carefully turning them until they just start to turn pink. 

Turn off the heat and add your pasta to the skillet with the shrimp. Toss so that pasta is well coated.  Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more if you like.  If you are using red pepper flakes you can add it at this time. Serve warm with a salad and warm crusty bread. YUM! 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.



STAR Roasted Garlic Olive Oil is available at Savemart, select Walmart stores and online at:

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Roasted-Garlic-Oil-Made-with-Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil/p/STAR-06156&c=Star@OliveOils 

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Homemade Chicken And Dumpling Soup

Oh this soup is so good.  I  take some short cuts with this recipe by using a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking one.  And what I get is a creamy delicious comforting soup with tender bites of chicken and old fashioned drop dumplings just like Mom used to make.

Chicken And Dumpling Soup 

1-2 teaspoons olive oil 
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped 
10 small or baby carrots, chopped  
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
1 cup heavy cream 
4 cups water 
1 rotisserie chicken, breast chopped or shredded 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1 teaspoon dried thyme 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
1/2 cup water 
1/4 cup all purpose flour 
1/2 cup frozen peas 

Add oil to a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Heat over medium high heat and saute onions and garlic until just tender. Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 3 minutes constantly stirring. Next add the chicken broth and cream and set heat to medium. In a small bowl, whisk the water and flour until smooth. While continuing to whisk, add the mixture into the hot broth and then whisk until combined. Turn heat to low and bring to a simmer. simmer. Add the peas and your cut up chicken breast and cover while you prepare the dumplings. 

Dumplings: 

1 cup all purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
1/2 cup sour cream 
1/2 cup whole milk 
1 tablespoon olive oil 

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and dried thyme. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 

Use a teaspoon or small scoop to drop the dumpling dough into the boiling soup. Cover the pot and simmer the soup and dumplings for 12-15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook. When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve. 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

IT's HERE! The New March Issue Has Been Released!

It's here! The new March issue of the Welcome Home online blog magazine was released early this morning and is now ready for your viewing pleasure! I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I did making all these recipes and sharing them with you. March is the month for delicious recipes for St. Paddy's Day and Easter. I think you might find some great recipe choices for those holiday meals.

Wait! What's that? You're not a subscriber to the magazine yet?
Oh you have no idea what you're missing. Click on the link below to join the hundreds of other fans that love getting exclusive recipes not published anywhere else!

Subscribe today to the Welcome Home Online Blog Magazine to get over 600 of my private, all exclusive, mouthwatering recipes that are not published anywhere else. Each month you will have private access to my brand new recipes at a members only website that only subscribers can access. All for only $2 a month!

Click here to read more about subscribing to the magazine:

http://www.welcome-home-blog.net/p/my-store.html

THE NEW MARCH ISSUE!

I just finished the March issue of the Welcome Home Online Magazine and I'm way ahead of schedule!  Just wondering if anyone would like a bite of my carrot cake?

This recipe will be featured in the next issue coming out March 1st. It's called The Perfect Carrot Cake.....and I promise it lives up to its name!

When you click on the link below and subscribe to the Welcome Home Online Magazine, you will have almost instant access to over 500 of my private recipes that are exclusive to subscribers only. And there are 200 more recipes coming to the magazine this year! All for only $2 a month (paid annually).

Plus you will become an instant member of the Welcome Home Recipe Fan club where you will find even more recipes that you haven't seen before.  

Here's your link: http://www.welcome-home-blog.net/p/my-store.html   

Now guess where this bite is headed?

Cheesy Meatball Casserole

I just love pasta. I love how you can take a few ingredients and turn them into something so divine that you close your eyes as you savor every bite!  Like this one.  It starts off with your basic pasta....I like Rotini for this one...and ends up loaded with incredible meatballs, a rich chunky tomato meat sauce and tons of cheese. This is a keeper my friends!

Cheesy Meatball Casserole

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck
1/2 ground pork
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or more if  needed)
1  1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Shape into small meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.  Set aside.

Meat Sauce

1 pound ground beef
1 (26 oz) jar Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic, Onion

Brown ground beef in large heavy skillet until no longer pink. Drain and return skillet to burner and reduce heat to low. Add sauce and simmer for 15 minutes until heated through.

Casserole

1 box (16 oz) Rotini
4 cups Mozzarella cheese

Boil Rotini as directed on package and drain well.  Return to pot and turn off heat.  Mix in meat sauce and stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13 casserole and arrange meatballs on top of casserole.  Top entire casserole with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheese has melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.

• Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home 

Four Cheese Manicotti

This was dinner on Saturday night. Simple and delicious and so good. I served it with a nice tossed salad and some warm and crusty Italian bread fresh out of the oven. Those Italians sure know what they're doing when it comes to cooking! Who doesn't love pasta like this?

 NOTE: I held up on the sauce for the photo because it is hard to capture the right color when the red sauce is too prominent. However, I the manicotti was sitting on top of just the right amount of marinara sauce when I served it.

Four Cheese Manicotti

1 box (about 12) manicotti, uncooked
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, un-drained
1 jar (6 oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups (16 oz.) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain well. In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Filling: Combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg; mix well. Carefully stuff your cooked pasta with cheese mixture.

Spread half the sauce on bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti over sauce. Spoon remaining sauce on top; cover tightly with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Note: You may want to add ground beef or Italian Sausage to your sauce.

Photograph is copyrighted and the property of Welcome Home.

My Insanely Delicious Garlic Bread

If you put a loaf of warm garlic bread just out of the oven in front of me and a big slice of the most decadent chocolate cake with rich creamy frosting, I would take the bread. Hands down. Every single time.  I am one of those people that loves hot bread just out of the oven with lots of butter. I have been known to eat too much bread and not have enough room for dinner when it finally comes to the table.  I'm about to share with you my insanely delicious Garlic Bread and you'll know why.

Insanely Delicious Garlic Bread

1 loaf Vienna or Italian bread
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup room temperature butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the powdered kind)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make your garlic herb butter first.  In a small bowl combine the garlic and fresh parsley. Next add the butter, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper and mix until smooth.  Take the time to grate your own Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Prepare your loaf of bread.  You can use whatever bread you like. But I like a loaf of Italian bread for this recipe.

With a serrated knife, slice your loaf of bread into thick slices without cutting all the way to the bottom. Leave about ½- inch at the bottom uncut.  Don't cut all the way through.  

Next, using a rubber spatula, add the butter mixture between each slice using all the filling you have made. I smear it in between the slices and all over the front.  Then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the bread and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp up the outside of the bread.  

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

Roasted Sweet Chili Rubbed Haddock with Olives

I am always looking for new ways to prepare fish so I was excited when I saw this dish on the menu at my favorite seafood restaurant. Sometimes I will ask the server if the chef is willing to share the ingredients of a dish. Other times I have to figure it out myself and that's always fun. This time I put the flavors together in my head and made it at home. I started with a dry rub using seasonings I already had in my pantry. Then instead of using hot peppers, I decided to top it off with StarFine Foods Tomato and Pepper Marinated Olives to give it a spicy twist! The blend of spices turned out so flavorful that now I use it on my fish recipes. 

Roasted Sweet Chili Rubbed Haddock with Olives

2 Haddock Fillets

1 tablespoon Star Find Foods Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup Star Fine Foods Tomato and Pepper Marinated Olives, sliced

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon of scallions, just the green part

Pat dry your fillets with a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides and set aside while you make your rub.

Sweet Chili Rub

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
½ teaspoon Oregano
½ teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

In a small bowl combine all of the spices and mix well. Brush the fillets with olive oil on both sides and then rub the spice mix generously all of the fish. You will use the entire rub – so make sure to coat them very well. Refrigerate the haddock for about an hour.

Place the fish on a foil-lined baking sheet and top with sliced olives and scallions and capers. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes – the fish will flake easily when it’s cooked through.  Serve immediately.

Photographs are the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

StarFine Food's new Flavor Destinations: (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives are available at Raley’s, Albertsons (Arizona), Safeway (Arizona) and Walmart stores and online at:  http://bit.ly/TomatoPeppersOlives

So far I've tried Star's new  Hot Pepper Stuffed Olives, the new Lemon Stuffed Olives. the new Flavor Destinations Spanish (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives, and the new Flavor Destinations Italian Garlic and Basil Marinated Olives.

And I love them all! 

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!