Citrus Orzo and Shrimp Salad

Winter has been pretty non-existent here this year, with just a few dustings of snow and ridiculously mild temperatures.  I feel a little cheated out of snow days with lazy mornings and big pots of soup simmering all day.  But it's starting to get light out before I even leave for work, we're heading outside more often when we get home in the afternoons to run around and blow bubbles, and it's making me want lighter, more summery foods.

This salad was mostly me trying to use up some random stuff from the fridge and freezer, but the basic idea for it came from a couple of recipes on Ezra Pound Cake.  The bright citrus plays nicely off of the salty feta, and the spicy shrimp are perfect with the creamy avocado.  If I can't have winter, this is a nice way to welcome warmer weather!

Citrus Shrimp and Orzo Salad
serves 3-4

What's in it:

Zest and juice of one small orange
Zest and juice of one lime, divided
1 large or two small cloves of garlic, minced, divided
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp adobo sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 c sliced dry-packed sundried tomatoes
2-3 c baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 c orzo pasta
1 tomato, diced
1/2 c crumbled feta
1 avocado, diced

How to make it:

Start water boiling for the orzo.  Whisk the zests, orange juice, half of the lime juice and half of the garlic together in a large bowl.  Drizzle in three tablespoons of the olive oil, still whisking.  Salt to taste and set the dressing aside.  Add the orzo to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. 

While the orzo cooks, combine the remaining lime juice, garlic and olive oil with the adobo sauce and brown sugar, and a little salt.  Add the shrimp and stir to coat.

While the shrimp marinates, mix the sundried tomatoes and spinach into the dressing.  Drain the orzo when it's cooked, and immediately add the to the bowl with the spinach, letting the heat from the pasta cook the spinach slightly and stirring to let the orzo absorb some of the dressing.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat, and add the shrimp and marinade.  Cook the shrimp for a minute or two on each side, until pink, and add them and any sauce in the pan to the pasta.  Stir in the tomato, feta and avocado and serve warm or at room temperature.

Marinara Magnifica

It’s recipe swap time again, hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking. This week’s theme was Italian, and I really didn’t know what kind of recipe to expect. Italian cooking runs the gamut from simple with a few quality ingredients that come together quickly to complex, layered and long-cooking. I received a great recipe for marinara magnifica from Christine's Kitchen Chronicles, which in my mind combines the best of both ends of the spectrum. A few good ingredients are cooked slowly for a final sauce that is much richer than the short list would lead you to believe.

Since this recipe does have a long stove top simmering time, I adapted it just barely for the slow cooker since I wasn’t going to have a four-hour window at home. Lucky for me, slow-simmering soups, stews and sauces usually translate well to the slow cooker, and this was no exception. For the original cooking instructions, check out Christine’s original post. We enjoyed this with pasta and hot Italian sausage with roasted broccoli on the side. There was also plenty of leftover sauce to save in the freezer for future dinners- I’m thinking meatball subs with lots of gooey mozzarella!
Marinara Magnifica

What’s in it:

1 Tbsp olive oil
6 c chopped onion, about three medium
1 Tbsp sugar
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup dry red wine (I used a pinot grigio)
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

Note: I used 2 28-oz cans of whole San Marzano tomatoes, and 1 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes. I think that any combination of whole, half, diced or crushed tomatoes would work here, as long as you still have the full volume.

How to make it:

Heat the olive oil in a stove top-safe slow cooker insert or saucepan. Add onions and sugar, and season lightly with a little salt. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for about a half hour, until onions start to turn golden brown. Add the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, then stir in the wine and cook for another minute. (I prepped up to this point the night before and refrigerated the onion mixture overnight.)

In the slow cooker, combine the onion mixture and the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over pasta or use in your favorite lasagna, manicotti, and other Italian recipes.

Baked Sausage and Bean Ravioli with Spinach Gorgonzola Sauce

I’m terrible at following recipes.  I often start with every intention of following the recipe without changes in methods or making ingredient substitutions, but somehow end up veering off that well-defined path.  I really did plan to make this Orechiette with Sausage, Beans and Mascarpone. 

But by mid-week, I had accumulated some odds and ends in the fridge, and noticed that I hadn’t remembered to buy mascarpone.  And so wonton wrappers leftover from tuna tartare made ravioli seem like an easy alternative to homemade orechiette, and gorgonzola and spinach from Cobb salads and half and half from another pasta dish became a rich sauce to bake them in.  I’m sure the original recipe would have been delicious, but I think this was just as good!

Baked Sausage and Bean Ravioli with Spinach Gorgonzola Sauce

What’s in it:

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ lb turkey sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 c shredded parmesan, divided
36 3½” wonton wrappers
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¼ c white wine
1 c fat free half & half
3 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese

How to make it:

In a large, heavy skillet warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into small pieces as it browns. Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the beans and oregano cook for 2 more minutes, lightly mashing beans. Stir in ½ cup of the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350. Whisk the egg with a little water to make an egg wash. Lay half the wonton wrappers on a clean surface, and spoon a scant tablespoon of the sausage-bean mixture into the middle of each, slightly flattening the scoop. Brush all four edges of each pasta square with the egg wash, and lay another wrapper on top, pressing to remove air and seal edges.

Wipe out the pan used to make the ravioli filling. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, then add garlic and spinach, sautéing until the garlic is fragrant and the spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Pour wine into the pan, scraping up any brown bits. Add the half & half, whisking to combine. Let simmer until slightly thickened, stir in gorgonzola, and set aside to keep warm.

Lightly coat a 9x13” baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray. Layer the ravioli in it, overlapping the edges. Pour the spinach-gorgonzola sauce evenly over the ravioli, top with the remaining parmesan, and bake until browned and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Mascarpone

By Friday nights, I'm ready for a fairly simple dinner that doesn't take too long to put together, but is indulgent enough to relax with.  We had found some beautiful locally-grown golden tomatoes at the grocery store, and this recipe from Bon Appetit came to mind.  Thinking that these slightly out-of-season tomatoes might taste a little better after cooking a little to concentrate the flavor, I decided that this pasta would be a perfect side dish for the flank steak we planned to grill.  

I didn't have basil, so for color and some more veggies, I added half a bag of baby spinach that needed to be used.  I did have mascarpone cheese, and inspired by this pasta on Pink Parsley, I added it in, making this pasta just rich enough to kick off the weekend.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Mascarpone

What's in it:

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz tomatoes of your choice- any size and variety

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

6 oz baby spinach

6 oz pasta shapes

1/4 c mascarpone cheese

3/4 c finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan

How to make it:

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season with salt, and cook, covered slightly and swirling pan often, until tomatoes blister and burst, 10-12 minutes. Press down on tomatoes to release their juices. Add spinach and sautee until just wilted.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Transfer pasta to skillet with tomatoes; set over high heat. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until sauce thickens and pasta is just al dente.  Stir in the mascarpone and parmesan and toss until sauce coats pasta, adding more pasta water if sauce seems dry.   Serve immediately.

Ginger-Lime Shrimp and Noodles

To be honest, I can't remember how I found this Asian-inspired noodle recipe on How Sweet It Is.  Whatever combination of links I clicked through, though, was a happy accident.  Full of fresh veggies, nutty whole wheat pasta and and flavorful shrimp, this made the whole family happy.  If you happen to be observing Lent by giving up meat in some way, this would be a great option. 

While some Asian dishes can seem involved, full of specialty ingredients and a little intimidating, this pared down version was a very fast weeknight dinner.  I added a little bit of fish sauce since I had some in the fridge, and while it added some nice depth to the pasta, I don't think it's really necessary.  The next time I make this, I think I'll use a pinch of red pepper flakes, and maybe stir in a tablespoon or so of peanut butter*.

Ginger-Lime Shrimp and Noodles

What's in it:

1 pound raw or cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (frozen works well here)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta of your choice (I used linguine)
salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Combine first two tablespoons of olive oil through the soy sauce in a dish and whisk together. Add to a ziploc bag, along with the shrimp and marinate for 2-24 hours.

Once ready to cook, heat a skillet on medium heat and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Add peppers and mushrooms to the pan and saute until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Bring pasta water to a boil and cook according to directions, draining and setting aside until later. Add garlic to the peppers and mushrooms and stir for 30 seconds. Add shrimp (with marinade) to pan and cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes, then add fish sauce if using. Add snap peas and cook for about a minute, then add pasta, thoroughly stirring until everything is mixed. Season with salt and pepper if desired and serve.

*If adding red pepper flakes and/or peanut butter, I would add the pepper flakes to the shrimp marinade, and the peanut butter after the snap peas have cooked.

Bison Lasagna with Butternut Bechamel

I always feel pulled in two directions when planning meals this time of year.  On one hand, I'm still trying to stay on track with balanced, reasonably healthy meals after all of the indulgence of the holidays.  But on the other, it's winter, and I want something hearty, filling, and, if at all possible, cheesy.  So when I saw this beautiful vegetable lasagna with butternut bechamel that won The Kitchn's best healthy casserole contest, it looked like I could have it both ways!

As the original recipe suggested, I added ground bison for more protein.  It's a very lean red meat, and paired very well with the earthiness of the mushrooms and butternut squash.  I also used spinach instead of chard, as the chard at the grocery store was looking a little off that day. 

The squash made the sauce so rich and creamy that we didn't miss the usual quantity of cheese, and the veggies pack a great nutritional punch as well as adding a ton of flavor.

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Béchamel

What's in it:

1/2 pound (about 8) lasagna noodles
1 to 1 1/2 pound butternut squash (or 1 pounds chopped squash)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound ground bison
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large bag spinach
1/4 cup water or white wine
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup shredded Parmesan and mozzarella cheese mix

How to make it:

Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with olive oil. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the lasagna noodles and cook as directed on the package. When cooked, drain and lay out on clean kitchen towels to dry.

While the pasta is cooking, peel and seed the squash. Cut into 1-inch cubes and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until extremely soft.

Heat a thin drizzle of oil oil in a medium sauté pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and crumble bison into the pan.  Brown the meat, and remove to a plate.  Add more oil to the pan if necessary, and add the mushrooms. Cook without stirring until quite brown — about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip them over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant — about another minute. Add the spinach and 1/4 cup water or white wine and cook until the leaves are tender and wilted. Turn off the heat and season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper.

At this point the butternut squash should be very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Scrape all the squash into a bowl and add 1/2 cup milk, the nutmeg and thyme. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, adding the remaining milk as you go (this can also be done in a traditional blender). Add extra milk if necessary to make the sauce smooth and creamy, but not too thin. (Think thin fruit smoothie.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the lasagna, spoon about 1/4 of the butternut sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spread to thinly coat the bottom. Place 1/4 of the noodles on top and then spread 1/3 of remaining sauce on noodles. Top with 1/2 of the cooked vegetables, and 1/3 cup of cheese. Add another layer of noodles, then sauce, then the rest of the vegetables, and 1/3 cup of cheese. Place the final layer of noodles over the vegetables and spread the last 1/3 of the sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese and a pinch of thyme.

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese is gooey. Remove from the oven and let stand uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.