Shrimp Scampi

You know when you're all out of ideas but want to put together a dinner that looks a little fancy, tastes great and goes together in less than an hour? Here's an option that I offer knowing that my friends and family have been under the impression that I spend a long time in the kitchen when I make this. So much for that ruse.

Scampi is easy and fast, especially if you buy the shrimp already peeled and deveined. This recipe starts with frozen shrimp (26-30 per pound). Shrimp is frozen right on the boat, and even those I buy at the fish market are still frozen when I get them home so I based the cooking time on using the shrimp frozen - not thawed. At first I was happy to skip a step just to save time, then I realized that I never over cook the shrimp now. If you've ever made shrimp you know how quickly they overcook. I've lowered the oven temperature and increased the cooking time. This gives me time to make a simple salad and get the pasta water boiling.
 

This dinner was with a friend from out of town whose well-deserved  vacation was starting the next day. It was a celebration and celebrations start with pre-dinner cocktails, right? This time they were ginger martinis; a tasty prelude to a seafood dinner.

Time: 30 mins

Yield: Serves 2-3

Level: Easy

Easy Tartlet Crust

Does it seem like everyone has a favorite pie crust and method? As tempting as it is to make a familiar pie crust, I recommend that you try this one, specifically for tarts and tartlets. I used it on the Caramelized Onion and Chèvre Tartlets.
If you know about pie crusts (I'm a novice, myself) you'll probably notice the addition of an egg yolk. That adds structure to the crust. Since tartlets are served out of the pan, they need a bit more strength. This is one place where an extra crumbly crust won't be appreciated by the person trying to eat it - perhaps sans silverware.

Time: Total time 1 hour 20 minutes (Prep 20 mins)

Yield: One 9" crust
Level: Easy

Ginger Martini

If you like the strong taste of fresh ginger, this cocktail will give you all of the ginger flavor without a strong alcohol taste. I received a bottle of Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur) as a gift and hadn't hit on a nice drink-- until now. We were all over the internet looking for recipes, and I don't remember the source, but I respect anyone whose recipe can be so easily committed to memory.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz ginger liqueur
splash of fresh lemon juice
garnish with lemon
Directions:  Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in vodka, ginger liqueur and lemon juice. Shake well. Pour into a martini glass and garnish.

Curried Chicken & Vegetables over Quinoa

On these cold winter days I look for reasons to keep moving just to stay warm. I also gravitate toward comfort food. I've been enjoying my foray into the world of winter salads but at 27 degrees I want a hot meal.

This is one of those dishes that's versatile enough to handle most left-overs, so feel free to change up the veggies, take out the meat or change the spices. I took stock of what I had and decided that curry seasoning was the way to go. If you have to cook meat or veggies, start there, otherwise make your quinoa first because the rest goes together quickly.
A word about Quinoa: My friends know that I don't make rice. That is to say that I don't make edible rice. It's taken me 20 years to walk away from the prospect of perfecting it and find other options. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is my favorite. It looks like a grain but it's actually the seeds that we eat. It's full of fiber and protein but the texture is the best part of it to me. When you bite it there's a gentle pop. If you're trying it for the first time, I encourage you to visit the bulk food aisle and buy just what you need. Try the white and the red varieties. I got this at Market of Choice and was glad to see that it comes from Eugene's own Hummingbird Wholesale.

I served this with Honey-Ginger Glazed Acorn Squash and apple slices.

Time: 1 hour (if the chicken is cooked, otherwise adjust for additional cooking time)
Yield: Serves 4
Level: Average

Honey-Ginger Glazed Acorn Squash

I don't remember where I learned about this glaze but it was simple enough that I haven't written it down until now.
There's always honey, vinegar and a spice. In this case, I made it to compliment the Curried Chicken and Vegetables over Quinoa.

I chose rice vinegar and ginger but the combinations are limited to your imagination. I've used apple cider vinegar and cinnamon to serve with pork. Maybe you'd like balsamic vinegar and nutmeg. If you have another combination, please share.




Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4
Level: Average