Tuna Casserole! Creamy (above) bake with lid, or bake without the lid for less creamy…
Don’t laugh! This is the ultimate in comfort food and sometimes its just what you need! I remember this from when I was a kid and I still love it to this day! One weekend Fred and I were brainstorming what to make for the week for dinner… I said TUNA CASSEROLE… Ick, pew, nasty and a bunch of other words popped out of his mouth… What? That’s when I realized the entire world did not love this as much as I did. How could that be? I looked up recipes for tuna casserole and the majority do not have cheese. Well… ick, pew, nasty comes to mind! NOW I know why people don’t like it… trust me on this… this will make you smile, it is delicious beyond belief… you can add the peas (or not)… I prefer them on the side… Fred likes them all mixed in… so we make it both ways. Its quick, easy and very good… even better heated up the next day… have this and a salad and you will be happy camper!
6 oz. (½ package) Egg Noodles (I use Manischewitz or Publix brand)
1- 10 ¾ oz can Cream of Celery Soup
1 soup can of Milk (I use 2%)
8 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp 2%)
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 – 7 oz can tuna, drained
Pepper
Baby Peas (optional) – a handful or two
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the egg noodles…
Boil the noodles…
While the water is getting hot…
In a large bowl, add the cream of celery soup, milk, chopped onion, tuna, pepper and peas (optional).
Stir or whisk ingredients together in large bowl…
Once the pasta finishes cooking, drain it in a colander, and then add the noodles to the large bowl with ingredients. Give it a stir.
Add hot noodles to soup/milk mixture…
Add the cheese and stir to mix, reserving a handful or two to sprinkle on top. Sprinkle with pepper and top with the remaining cheese.
Stir together, save a little cheese for the top!
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. I usually keep the lid on because I like mine creamy. If you like a crunchy texture on top, you can bake it without the lid.
This recipe is too good to be true! A perfect combination of healthy ingredients, chicken sweet Italian sausage, fresh spinach, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, fresh basil and white wheat pasta… these ingredients together with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar will make you so happy… W A R N I N G : You may crave this after you’ve made it once. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
Pasta with Italian Sausage, Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
1 – 12 oz pkg white wheat pasta (like Barilla)
1 pkg Chicken Sweet Italian Sausage (like Al Fresco), skins removed, cut into small pieces
1 container of FRESH Mozarella, cut into fairly small pieces
1 large container (or 2 small) Grape Tomatoes, cut in half
Fresh Basil (to taste)
⅓ – ½ cup Olive Oil
⅛ – ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
Pepper
Spinach
In a large nonstick frying pan add a small amount of olive oil. Cook cut up sausage until browned. Remove from pan and place on a plate that has a few paper towels on it.
Start a large pot of water to boil the pasta, while you’re waiting for it to boil,…
Cut the grape tomatoes in half, set aside.
Wash the basil and chop it up, set aside.
Cut the mozzarella into small bite sized pieces, set aside.
In a large bowl, add the balsamic vinegar. I never measure, I just eyeball it to see what I will need to coat the pasta well, it’s ok if it’s more on the heavy olive oil side, you’re going to put this salad on top of fresh spinach, so you will need it! Slowly whisk in ⅓ – ½ cup of olive oil. If you whisk it slowly it will emulsify (become one where it won’t separate). Add some pepper. Go ahead and toss in your cut up tomatoes into the olive oil/balsamic mixture so they can be absorbing those wonderful flavors!
Once your pasta has finished cooking to the al dente stage (firm to the bite), drain it well, and place it in the large bowl with the oil/vinegar. I give it a quick stir to coat the pasta well and then I cover the grape tomatoes with the hot pasta and let it sit for a few minutes.
After a few minutes add the fresh mozzarella, the cooked sausage and the fresh basil. Stir to coat.
You can eat it like it is, or wait until it’s chilled. I usually will take it out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes so that the olive oil will have a change to un-congeal… Place several large handfuls of fresh spinach and then a few large scoops of pasta salad… it melds together wonderfully! Enjoy!
WOOT! WOOT!Confetti falls from the sky, the music is blaring… this is my 1,000th post on this blog! A daily post for nearly three years… I can’t believe I’ve made it this far! A big thank you to all of you who read it!
This was a thrilling find on FINECOOKING.COM! I like a sure thing… a recipe where the cooking time is fairly consistent… this has worked for EVERY pork tenderloin that we have grilled this summer. I guess if you had a large one or a tiny one, the results might vary a bit, but use a meat thermometer if you have one, and you’ll be fine!
I didn’t brine our pork tenderloin, I took a ziplock and micro planed a few cloves of garlic (or mince), poured in some olive oil (enough to coat the pork) and some pepper… mush it around and add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag, move it around to get it nice and coated. [Note: something you might not know about me… I’m weird about meat… 1) it can only go on the bottom shelf in the fridge per dr. oz… so no meat drips (*GASP*) to prevent contamination of any other food 2) I put the sealed bag inside another bag (told ya… weird) 3) I put that bag inside a plastic container (see… weird! when that container comes out of the fridge it goes directly to the dishwasher… it does not pass GO, it does not collect $200… straight to the DW!)… I drive Fred crazy… enough said…]
Grill burners all on high… Fred puts the pork on at 400 degrees… temp continues to rise… or you can wait until it reaches a higher temp… either way yields great results!
Place the oiled pork tenderloin onto a hot grill and CLOSE THE LID. NO PEEKING!
Set timer for 7 MINUTES… yep, use a timer for each step, you don’t want to forget… because if you’re like me, you’ll have good intentions, you’ll keep your eye on the grill for 6 minutes and 50 seconds and then something will capture your attention and off you go… then you think to yourself… what’s burning?? Ugh, that would be dinner… that scenario hasn’t happened yet because I use a timer, but I guarantee you that it would… if I didn’t…
When timer goes off, FLIP the pork tenderloin… (note the action shot, thankyouverymuch!)… CLOSE THE LID! NO PEEKING.
Set the timer for 6 minutes! (Did I say no peeking?) – it’s really important that the grill is closed… so I wonder why I didn’t take a photo of that? Hmmm…
When the timer goes off… TURN THE GRILL OFF… DO NOT OPEN THE LID!!!
Set the timer for 5 minutes!
Then… just to be sure it’s done, insert an instant read thermometer (thickest part of the meat), it should read 145-150 degrees. If it doesn’t just close the lid and check on it in a few more minutes. Ours always has registered perfectly!
Then remove the pork from the grill, place a piece of foil over the top and let it rest for 5 minutes… it’s worked hard, it needs a break!
To recap this 7-6-5 method: Grill on high, place oiled pork tenderloin on grill, close lid – 7 minutes.
Flip to other side, close lid… 6 minutes
Turn grill off… (keep lid closed) 5 minutes
Take temp… let rest 5 minutes if it’s reached 145-150
From FineCooking.com (Use this link to see their entire recipe, I did not brine my, however, they show you how… I need to try it some time! This link also gives details for charcoal grills)
Season and grill
Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the glaze and then season with the pepper. Or, season to taste with another flavoring of your choice.
Heat a gas grill, turning all the burners to high until the grill is fully heated, 10 to 15 minutes.
Put the pork on the hot grill grate. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes.
Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes.
Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. At this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest end of the tenderloin should read 145° to 150°F. (If not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast in the residual grill heat.)
Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately, with the sauce of your choice.
It’s nice to have this recipe isn’t it? Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, although it is considered “red meat” for those of you who limit your red meat intake… it goes great with little red potatoes, a salad, or rice and blackbeans… yum!
I was thrilled to find this recipe on FineCooking.com… woohoo! Happy to share my good finds with you!
We try to plan a few meat free days throughout the week… this recipe for Black Beans and Saffron Rice is a perfect substitute for meat. High in protein and fiber it fills you up and keeps you full! With that being said… I also make this as a side dish to accompany a nice grilled pork tenderloin! It’s a great combination of flavors!
BLACK BEANS AND SAFFRON RICE
I N G R E D I E N T S
Mahatma Yellow Saffron Rice (or made from scratch… which is an upcoming post!)
1 container of Black Beans (my favorite brand is FIG, Food Is Good, they are so tasty! But any brand will do!)
1 onion, chopped
Little olive oil (1 Tablespoon or less)
Jalapeño’s (I buy the already diced in the jar, near the pickles at the grocery store) 1 Tablespoon, more or less to taste
D I R E C T I O N S
Cook rice according to package directions.
Drizzle a little olive oil in saucepan, sauté the chopped onion until soft.
Add a tablespoon (more or less depending upon how hot you like it) of chopped jalapeño , stir for a few seconds
Add container of Black Beans (I buy black beans that have water only or water and sea salt)
Bring to a simmer… add a little water if necessary, put a lid and leave it just cracked.
I cook about 15-20 minutes… test a few, are they wonderful? Or are they a little crunchy? If they aren’t done, let them cook a little longer…
Scoop some rice into a dish, top with the black beans.
Rhubarb. You either love it or you hate it. I happen to love it. Rhubarb makes the best pie ever. Some people mix it with strawberries… hmmmm, not me, I like it with just rhubarb. I’m funny that way…
Last month was my birthday, and my mother-in-law surprised me with a rhubarb pie, and it was delicious! I swore I was going to freeze some of it, but it was gone before I got around to doing it… Oops!
I was a weird kid… never wanted cake for my birthday, always wanted pie. So my mom would bake me a pie. I love a good pie! I showed you how to make an APPLE PIE on an earlier post… Easy as… you guessed it! Fruit pies are easy as pie to make. Sometimes they may be a bit juicy and make the bottom crust soggy, other times they won’t. Go with it, don’t worry about it, it’s good no matter how it ends up! My favorite are fruit pies (I refer to blueberry pie as ‘antioxidant pie’, hee… hmmm, sounding good right now!).
As I mentioned, I didn’t make the pie above… but I have made this pie before. I don’t usually put a lattice crust, just because it’s quicker to have a top crust and make a pretty design with a knife to let the steam escape. But if you have the time, the lattice really makes it pretty!
I use Pillsbury pie crust (red box in the refrigerator section of the grocery store). I never use any other. I’ve picked up a well known brand and it was horrible… that’s a lot of money down the drain if the crust is bad. So unless you know for a fact that the crust is good, either make one, or buy Pillsbury pie crust…
Here is the link to the RHUBARB PIE recipe on the AllRecipe.com website, from that location you can click to print!
Best Rhubarb Pie Ever!
FRESH RHUBARB PIE(recipe by Carol via AllRecipes.com)
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cut rhubarb
1 1/3 cups sugar (recipe says 1 1/3-2 cups sugar… I’ve never needed more than 1 1/3 cups, and it could probably be lowered to 1 cup)
6 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon butter
1 recipe pastry for 2 pie crusts (or Pillsbury pie crust in the red package located in the refrigerated section of your grocery store).
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Open the pie crust package, it contains two crusts (follow directions on box).
Place one crust in the pie dish (roll it out if you need to). A regular pie dish works great, you don’t have to use a deep dish pie dish (like for an apple pie), although you can… I don’t have a regular pie dish, so I use a deep dish for everything…
Then mix up the filling… this takes a lot of skill… kidding! I said it’s easy as pie, right? Here’s what you do…
Combine the sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over the pastry in the pie plate. Then add the rhubarb to the pie dish, even it out with your hands. Sprinkle the remaining sugar/flour mixture over the rhubarb. Dot the rhubarb with small pieces of butter. Cover with a top crust and seal. Cut a few small vents in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape.
Place pie dish on cookie sheet and put in the oven. Bake at 450 for 15 MINUTES. Then REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE to 350 degrees, and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes.
This pie is fabulous warm or cold. It’s best served with vanilla ice cream!
Let me know how you like it! I’ve had this recipe since 2008… my dad found it online… good going dad!
I found this recipe while searching for a couscous recipe that had cranberries and nuts in it, I had an idea what to use for dressing, but ran across this recipe on Epicurious – it used spices that I definitely would not have used, but am so glad that I did. This recipe is one that was apparently created at Whole Foods. I checked their site for the recipe, but it wasn’t there. I did find it on Epicurious. This is a great side dish/salad that goes well with pretty much everything! It can be served warm or cold. This is a quick and easy recipe that will put a smile on your face! I added fresh orange wedges to it, and that makes all the difference, it takes it from a really good recipe to a blow your mind recipe. Yep, just with a few oranges!
Note: This recipe calls for Israeli couscous. I always thought of couscous as the tiny grain like pasta, which I never cared for, but after reading about it on Cookthink.com I saw that it was entirely diffferent. It’s puffier, this is what it looks like (the other couscous looks a bit like sand)…
Like couscous, so-called Israeli couscous are small, round, pasta-like granules made from semolina and wheat flour.
While the Israeli company Osem claims to have “invented” Israeli couscous in the 1950s, it is simply a marketing term for what was known previously as North African berkukes or Palestinian matfoul and popular in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Unlike familiar small, yellow semolina-based North African couscous, Israeli couscous (which is sometimes called pearl couscous) is twice as big and is toasted rather than dried. This gives it a nutty flavor and a sturdy composition that gives it a chewy bite and makes it stand up to sauce.
Israeli couscous can be used in salads, soups or as a base for chicken or fish. It works well when prepared like a rice pilaf.
Here’s the recipe – Click to print this recipe from Epicurious
Salad:
2 cups Israeli couscous, uncooked
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup toasted pecans, quartered
2 scallions, minced
Dressing:
3 tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil)
1.5 tbsp champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1 orange, zest
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
NOTE: I added 2 1/2 oranges, cut into wedges (the other half is juiced in the above steps) – this made the recipe over the top good!
preparation
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the couscous. When it’s done (roughly 8-10 mins, or when it’s al dente), drain it but do not rinse. Set aside and let cool while you mince the scallions, toast and chop the pecans, and make the dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vinegar, orange zest and juice, spices and salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, pecans and scallions. Pour the well-whisked dressing over it and toss to combine.
Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors.
This is what I did:
Set out ingredients…
Toast nuts in a dry non stick pan just until they start to turn a light brown and you can begin to smell them; beware, this step can go from good to bad quickly, so get the pan off the stove once you start to smell them roasting.
Zest your orange (not the white part) – In a bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, fresh squeezed orange juice, zest and spices…
Cut oranges into wedges or smaller pieces, however you like it… this will add a nice sweet burst of flavor- I don’t think you can have too many!
After you cook the couscous in boiling water, as you would pasta (I did mine 6 minutes and it was perfect), drain it and put it into a bowl. Then, chop your green onions…
Pour the dressing over the cooked couscous – oooowie, smells good, doesn’t it?
Add the dried cranberries and orange segments…
Add the green onions that you chopped a few minutes ago…
Then add the toasted nuts…
T A D A ! !
Now you would think that I would put a serving in a pretty little dish and take a photo… but did I? Nope… I was hungry and I totally missed this step! It would have been pretty too! We had grilled chicken, couscous and sautéed spinach – close your eyes a picture it… on a pretty plate… smell the wonderful combination of orange, roasted nuts, mmmmm… you know you want it… now go get busy! ENJOY!
Who remembers the Orange Julius drink? Do you remember that wonderful orange flavored iced drink? I remember certain things about my childhood… like when my dad would go to Sears and look at tools… as a little girl… I can still remember the tiles on the floor at Sears in Macomb Mall (St. Clair Shores, MI). A beigy colored tile… HOW do I remember that?
TIS THE SEASON! It’s officially SMOOTHIE weather! When it turns hot and humid, relief is needed. This fabulous smoothie tastes great and cools you off quickly. After we walk, we usually come in and make a smoothie. This is my all time favorite, and when Fred is home he makes one each morning (in the summer). Here’s what he does… See updated (2025) version below…
The All Star Ingredients… (See end for updated notes!)
This isn’t as much of a “recipe” as it is an idea… This is my all time favorite when the cucumbers are local and oh so good… summer is when we like a lot of cold salads, boiled shrimp… keeps the house (and us!) cooler! I used to make this with low fat sour cream… then it hit me… USE GREEK YOGURT! We always have it, might as well use it! That way you feel GOOD about eating it! There are no feelings of guilt with this recipe…
Start off by chopping up a green onion (if you like them), or chive, minced onion, whatever makes you say WOOHOO! Then peel and cut the seeds out of a cucumber (this is for two people, for more, just double, triple, etc.).
Next… Put a spoonful of Greek yogurt into a serving dish… I scoop one big tablespoon (not measuring spoon)… and slice the cucumbers…
Then… add some cider vinegar (I use unfiltered, it’s supposed to be healthier). If you like vinegar add a big gulp, if you aren’t big on it, put a little gulp, if you can’t stand it then use lemon juice!
Now… stir together the green onion, greek yogurt and apple cider vinegar… lovely!
Toss in the slices of cucumber, and stir it gently, coating the cucumber pieces…
Then sprinkle with dill, and pepper if you like. One thing to mention… don’t make this too far ahead of time, it can get watery… I will make it and put it right back in the fridge while I finish dinner so that it stays cold. Take it out of the fridge, stir again and voila…
My basil plant is growing like a weed. It is absolutely gorgeous… I bought an heirloom tomato the other day and it smelled heavenly! My first thought… CAPRESE SALAD! I mean what could be any fresher tasting as well as quick and easy to throw together?
CAPRESE SALAD
Good tomato (or tomatoes)
Fresh mozzarella cheese (it’s in a ball, slice it into nice slices)
Fresh Basil (MUST. BE. FRESH!)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Find a good tomato (this one was rather large), and slice it (not too thin). You can lay a slice of tomato, then a slice of FRESH mozzarella cheese (if it’s not the softer fresh mozzarella the results will not be the same, I speak from experience!) and a basil leaf, or you can stack several basil leaves together, roll them up and snip them into small pieces (as I did, above). It tastes the same either way. Now drizzle the tomatoes and cheese with olive oil, and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Note: I made this recipe ahead one day… popped it in the fridge… took it out when dinner was ready and the olive oil had congealed (eek), so if you make it ahead, just take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving so the olive oil has a chance to come alive!
The other night we had boiled shrimp, corn on the cob, and this caprese salad… too good!
This is also fabulous on a good bakery baguette… nothing fresher, we used to get this at Dean & Deluca – oh, what memories!
I like asparagus. Actually I LOVE asparagus. Of all cooking methods, roasting is hands down the most flavorful cooking method. The taste is out of this world and it is so easy you won’t believe it!
Sometimes I sprinkle a little parmesan, sometimes I don’t. Same with the lemon. It works either way. It doesn’t need it, but it’s a nice twist. You can also just use however much asparagus you like (if you don’t need six servings), toss in olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pop in the oven!
1. Preheat oven to 475°. Hold the end of an asparagus stalk and bend until it snaps off. Repeat with remaining stalks and discard woody ends.
2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Arrange asparagus in an even layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot or warm.
Looks delicious, right? The Charleston Farmer’s Market (CFM) is off and running… and it couldn’t be better! Fabulous fruits, veggies, crafts, art, and all kinds of treats for both humans and our four legged friends. We try to get there early because it gets crazy busy which is fabulous! I remember back in 2008 the CFM was ranked 5th Best Farmer’s Market in the Country! CFM has also been named the Top Outdoor Event by the Charleston City Paper readers for the last four years in a row! This year will be no exception!
We headed there last Saturday and stocked up… gorgeous, juicy tomatoes, crisp radishes and these fabulous field peas… What a treat to eat something so fresh and wonderful! I simply browned 2 pieces of bacon (I bought 2 pieces of bacon from EarthFare – best ever!), cut up an onion and threw that in, once it was translucent, I added the rinsed and drained field peas, covered them with water, brought to a boil and left the cover partially on… Then I started a pot of rice, and by the time the rice was finished dinner was ready! OH! Everything was so delicious!
Here’s a blip about the Charleston Farmer’s Market from their website:
CHARLESTON FARMERS MARKET
Regular CFM Hours April 13 – December 21, 2013 Saturdays 8:00am – 2:00pm
Select Sundays: Piccolo Spoleto Festival Hours 9:00am-3:00pm May 26, June 2 & 9
Holiday Magic Hours 9:00am-3:00pm December 1, 8, & 15
Location: Marion Square King & Calhoun Streets Admission: FREE
Founded by Mayor Joe Riley in 1989, and the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, the Charleston Farmers Market is produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in cooperation with the City of Charleston Parks Department. Over the years, the Charleston Farmers Market has received numerous awards: in 2005, the Charleston Farmers Market newly revitalized and relocated back in the renovated Marion Square, received the Three Sisters Award from the Charleston Save the City Committee; in 2008, the Market was ranked by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the top 10 best Farmers Markets in the nation; and in the Charleston City Paper reader’s poll, “Best Of,” the Charleston Farmers Market was named Best Outdoor Event in 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012!
Now, permanently located in Marion Square, the heart of historic downtown Charleston, S.C., the CFM is open each Saturday, from April to December, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with select Sundays During the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and Holiday Magic. The CFM is dedicated to the support the advocacy of Lowcountry farmers and growers. We offer a variety of local produce, plants, herbs and cut flowers as well as breakfast and lunch Vendors, live entertainment and an assortment of juried arts and crafts from local artisans. Attracting citizens and visitors alike, the CFM is the community connection every Saturday morning from April through December, bringing together people from all parts of the Lowcountry and beyond.
Williams-Sonoma has a fabulous recipe. It’s quick, easy and comforting. The way the flavor of the coconut milk gives the rice just a faint taste and makes it nice and creamy is just so comforting! The shrimp cooked in a little butter with lime zest, juice and green onions is perfection. Click HERE for the link to the original Williams-Sonoma recipe that you can print.
Below is my version. I cooked the full amount of rice, and made half the shrimp portion, since there are only two of us. The first time I made it there wasn’t much of a lime taste. The second time I upped the zest and lime juice and it was perfect! If I was making this for four people I would double the lime zest and juice and serve with a big tossed salad, some nice hot bread and olive oil!
MY VERSION OF LIME SHRIMP WITH COCONUT RICE – Serves 2 (Click HERE to view/print my version of the recipe):
The ingredients… butter, white rice, water, coconut milk, lime, garlic, shrimp, green onions
(Note: I did not use cilantro… you either like it or it tastes like dish soap. I taste JOY dish soap. Pthewy!)
THE RICE
Start by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of rice and cook, stirring constantly, until well coated with butter (about 1 minute).
Then stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
THE SHRIMP
I get the ingredients ready to use. Grate or mince the garlic, chop the green onions, zest and juice the lime, rinse and dry the shrimp and then proceed as follows:
While the rice cooks, grate the zest of one small lime and squeeze the juice from that same lime. About 5 minutes before the rice is ready, in a large fry pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add the garlic and lime (zest and juice from 1 lime) and stir until the mixture is bubbly.
Add the 1/2 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (more or less to taste) and the 4 chopped green onions (white and green). Saute until the shrimp are just opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes (do not overcook). Stir in half of the cilantro if using.
FINISH THE RICE
Fluff the rice and gently stir in the remaining cilantro (if using). There are four servings of rice, which you can use to heat up for a quick side dish. Spoon some rice onto a pretty plate and top with shrimp mixture.
Serves 2.
Wait. Until. You. Taste. It! See how quick and easy it is? The main portion is cooked in 5 minutes, right before the rice is ready! Woohoo, love that!
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Weeknight, by Melanie Barnard (Oxmoor House, 2006).
EYES-ROLL-BACK-IN-YOUR-HEAD-GOOD! A fabulous recipe from Tyler Florence… just gotta love that guy! After you make these sweet potatoes the first time this will be in your stack of favorites forever. Healthy sweet potatoes, olive oil, honey, a wee bit of salt and that’s it! Who doesn’t love a recipe that’s quick, easy and tastes like you spent some time?! We used to have baked sweet potatoes, but they take a good hour to bake, and sometimes it’s too hard to wait that long. I wanted something that would be done by the time the chicken came off the grill… so it had to be a little snappier than an hour. Tyler cuts his sweet potatoes into 1″ chunks, and it takes about 30 minutes. If I put the oven on convection it’s even quicker. And if I need it even quicker than that I cut them up a little smaller. This recipe never disappoints. One thing I do, that Tyler doesn’t mention is to lightly toss (to coat) before putting in the oven, and flipping once about halfway through the roasting process. they get gooey and brown and just fabulous! I also didn’t drizzle with olive oil at the end, I didn’t think it needed it, and didn’t want to add the extra fat/calories… My photos… and Tyler’s recipe with a link to the Food Network (for easy printing) below…
Scrub and peel… (clearly these aren’t peeled)
Cut into 1″ pieces. I cut in half longways, then each half cut in half longways, then cut into 1″ chunks
Drizzle the honey…
Drizzle the olive oil… then sprinkle a little cinnamon and pop it into a hot oven! TADA! Look at the first photo again… Heaven, right?
Here’s the recipe from the Food Network (click to get the printable version):
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling potatoes after cooked
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.
Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.
Ina Garten’s recipe for baked chicken is the easiest and the tastiest that I’ve found. To smell that chicken in the oven, ahhhh… whip up some mashed potatoes, or some sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice or just some veggies and you have yourself a meal fit for a king! It gets deeply brown like fried chicken. The skin gets crispy… Ina says she bakes the chicken on the bone and WITH the skin, then peels the skin off before eating (which is mighty hard to do, let me tell you!).
This is all you do.
Buy however many chicken breasts you want (or other parts, but time may be different).
Put heavy duty foil on a cookie sheet (something with a rim to catch the grease).
Olive oil on the chicken, rub it around, coat both sides.
Salt and pepper.
Oven at 350 degrees. Bake 45 minutes to an hour OR until the temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees. If they’re small it could take about 30 minutes. Ours are usually close to a pound each (I KNOW!)… hefty for sure!
The. Best. Ever!
Shown above with sweet potatoes… recipe coming soon! Catch you back here tomorrow!
![Israeli CousCous [Cookthink.com]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/israelicouscous-cookthink-com.jpg)
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