Tag: Quick

Dinners

Recipe—Shrimp Scampi

Diva di Cucina

I am a girl that loves her seafood. How can you be from California and not love fresh fish? Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite ways to eat these delicious little crustaceans. Not only does it taste delicious, but it also has a very elegant appeal to it. If you are a garlic and butter lover then this is right up your alley. I have been making this for years and I was shocked when I made this last week and even my toddler kept asking for more, and more, and more. The little guy just couldn’t get enough. I think it is safe to say he likes shrimp scampi and thankfully doesn’t have a shellfish allergy. Phew! Shrimp scampi is wonderful served over pasta and is just as good when eaten with a green salad and some crusty bread to soak up all the garlicky buttery goodness. This recipe really is quick and easy. Most of your time will be spent cleaning and peeling your shrimp so to help expedite the process I recommend purchasing shrimp that are already cleaned and out of the shell. You might pay a little more, but in my mind it is so worth it.

Note: Cooking time may vary based on the size of the shrimp you use. If serving with pasta I recommend linguine.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 c white wine
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c butter
3 tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp parsley
grated parmesan cheese

STEPS

  • In a large skillet over medium heat combine wine, olive oil, butter, and garlic. Bring just to a boil.
  • Allow sauce to simmer for 3–4 minutes to reduce.
  • Add in paprika, salt, and shrimp.
  • Cook for 6–7 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Be sure not to overcook.
  • Mix in the chopped parsley and remove from heat.
  • If serving over pasta pour a good amount of the sauce into your pot of cooked, drained pasta and toss to coat.
  • Spoon the shrimp over pasta or onto a serving dish, top with more sauce, and finish off with a liberal amount of parmesan cheese.
Sweet Treats

Recipe—Divine Chocolate Cups

Diva di Cucina

I can give you four reasons why this is the perfect dessert recipe, it is ridiculously easy to make, it looks fabulous, each person gets their own little serving, and you can make it in advance. What more do you need?!? Oh yeah, and it is absolutely delicious! Okay, so there are five reasons why you must try this recipe.

This has got to be one of the best dessert recipes I know and it only takes about five minutes to make. Not only is it incredibly quick and easy, but you probably already have the majority of the ingredients in your kitchen as well. This is perfect if you are looking for something rich and chocolaty. I think of this as a cross between grown up pudding and chocolate mousse. This recipe makes two large servings or four small. If you don’t have any individual dessert serving dishes try putting it in champagne or wine glasses for a fun twist.

Note: Whip crème can be made at the same time as the chocolate cups and stored in the refrigerator covered until you are ready to enjoy or you can make it right before serving.

DIVINE CHOCOLATE INGREDIENTS
2/3 c milk (I prefer whole)
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp Frangelico (Disaronno, Grand Marnier, and Kahlua are also delicious!)
raspberries and chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

STEPS

  • Bring milk just to a boil. (You can either do this in a small saucepan over the stovetop or in the microwave.)
  • In a blender combine egg, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and liqueur.
  • Blend using a low setting.
  • Carefully pour in the hot milk in a slow stream. The hot milk melts the chocolate and cooks the egg.
  • Blend mixture until smooth and creamy making sure there are no chocolate chips remaining, about 1 minute.
  • Pour into your serving dishes.
  • Place serving dishes in the fridge and allow to cool for a couple of hours.
  • When ready to serve top with your whip crème and garnish with raspberries and chocolate shavings.

 

WHIP CRÈME INGREDIENTS
1 c heavy whipping crème
4 tbsp powdered sugar

STEPS

  • Using a hand mixer beat the whipping crème and sugar together on high for 2–3 minutes or until whip crème is desired consistency. (I like mine really thick.)
  • Store in refrigerator until ready to use, or serve immediately if chocolate has already set.
Appetizers, Brunch

Recipe—Puff Pastry Spirals

Diva di Cucina

Puff pastry has got to be one of my favorite ingredients to work with. It is so incredibly versatile and is a must have item in my freezer at all times. This recipe is a great one to keep in mind when you need an appetizer that can be made ahead of time. Serve them warm or at room temperature. You really can make these with almost any combination of ingredients but these are my favorite. Both combinations are classic flavors, spinach with feta and ham with swiss. These can be prepared a day ahead of time and kept wrapped up in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. I have made these not only as an appetizer but also as a side dish for brunch. I personally love to serve them with champagne. Yummy!

Note: Be sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry otherwise it may make the pastry soggy.

SPINACH AND FETA SPIRAL INGREDIENTS
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c feta
1/4 c yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry (1/2 package)
flour for work surface
1 egg
1 tbsp water

STEPS

  • Stir together the spinach, feta, yellow onion, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
  • Sprinkle flour on the work surface and unfold puff pastry.
  • Top puff pastry with the spinach mixture and evenly spread it out leaving one edge exposed about an inch back.
  • Starting at the edge opposite from the exposed edge roll up like a jelly roll.
  • Wrap your roll in saran wrap and chill in freezer for an hour or fridge for a couple of hours. (This will make it easier to slice through.)
  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.
  • Remove the saran wrap and cut roll into 1/4″–1/2” slices.
  • Place the slices cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Brush the top of each spiral with the egg wash.
  • Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove the spirals from the baking sheet and allow to cool.

HAM AND SWISS SPIRAL INGREDIENTS
1 lb of thin sliced ham
1 c shredded swiss
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry (1/2 package)
flour for work surface
1 egg
1 tbsp water

STEPS

  • Sprinkle flour on the work surface and unfold puff pastry.
  • Top puff pastry with an even layer of the ham and then sprinkle with cheese leaving one edge exposed about an inch back.
  • Starting at the edge opposite from the exposed edge roll up like a jelly roll.
  • Wrap your roll in saran wrap and chill in freezer for an hour or fridge for a couple of hours. (This will make it easier to slice through.)
  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.
  • Remove the saran wrap and cut roll into 1/4″–1/2” slices.
  • Place the slices cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Brush the top of each spiral with the egg wash.
  • Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove the spirals from the baking sheet and allow to cool.
Dinners

Recipe—Crock-Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Diva di Cucina

The crock-pot is a fabulous invention that I don’t utilize enough. What’s not to love about a simple appliance that has dinner ready for you when you get home from a long day at work? Being a working mom I am always looking for quick and delicious dinner recipes to feed my family. This recipe is so easy to put together and it fills your house with such a wonderful smell. Your mouth will be watering as soon as you walk through the door. I love the salty flavor of the ham with the creamy melted Swiss cheese. The slow cooked chicken breast is moist and just falls apart. This certainly has the same flavors as the real deal but is so much easier to make.

Note: If your croutons don’t maintain a crunchy texture, transfer the chicken to an oven safe dish when it is done in the crock-pot and finish the chicken breast off under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. For a low carb alternative just skip the crushed croutons. 

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
3/4 c milk
8 slices of ham
1 c Swiss cheese, shredded
1 c croutons, crushed
1/4 c butter, melted

STEPS

  • In a small bowl mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk.
  • Pour enough of the soup mixture into your crock-pot to cover the bottom.
  • Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock-pot and drizzle with additional sauce. (I had some leftover.)
  • Fold slices of ham in half and put two slices on top of each chicken breast.
  • Cover the ham with the shredded Swiss.
  • Sprinkle the crushed croutons over the top.
  • Drizzle with melted butter.
  • Cover, and cook on low heat for 4–6 hours, or on high heat for 2–3 hours. Be sure your thermometer reads 160º when stuck in the thickest part of the chicken breast.

Soups

Recipe—Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup

Diva di Cucina

The other day my poor hubby was down with a nasty cold and I wanted to whip him up some sort of soup with my left over rotisserie turkey breast to make him feel better. (This recipe would be just as wonderful with cooked chicken if that’s what you have on hand.) Normally I just make my turkey soup with a broth base, some vegetables, and noodles but since it was a rainy day I thought something rich and creamy would hit the spot. This was sort of an experiment but it really turned out great! I went a little heavy on the cayenne pepper but it gave it a nice kick. The cream balanced out the heat very nicely. One thing I love about this soup recipe is that it was done in under a half hour. It is not one of those soup recipes that has to simmer for hours. Next time I think I might try to substitute the pasta for some homemade dumplings just to mix it up. Mmmmm…

Note: For a delicious turkey alfredo pasta bake, use 5 cups of uncooked noodles instead of 2 and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. The pasta will soak up most of the liquid. When your pasta is cooked al dente, probably about 10 minutes, remove from heat and put in a large baking dish. (The pasta will finish cooking while baking in the oven.) Top pasta with breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes at 350º. Wellah! We have a two for one recipe. Also, feel free to substitute the veggies for whatever you have on hand. I’m sure corn or green beans would be fabulous additions.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c butter
2 large carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
5 c chicken or turkey broth, divided
2 c cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
dash cayenne pepper
3 c chopped cooked turkey
2 c uncooked rotini noodles
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley

STEPS

  • Sauté carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in butter until soft.
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Gradually add 2 cups of the broth and all of the cream.
  • Cook over medium high heat until it’s thick and bubbly, 12–14 minutes.
  • Stir in remaining 3 cups broth, and all remaining ingredients except parsley.
  • Simmer for 11–13 minutes stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.
  • Stir in chopped parsley and serve.
Sweet Treats

Recipe—Leprechaun Pie

Diva di Cucina

This is a pie my mom used to make on St Patty’s day. There is nothing Irish about it but it’s green and it is darn tasty! This no-bake pie literally takes minutes to make and just a couple of hours to chill. It is so easy I even recruited my own little leprechaun to help me out in the kitchen. Gather the kiddos and make preparing this leprechaun pie a family affair. Keep this recipe in mind during the hot summer months since it is so cool and refreshing.

It freezes great so feel free to make an extra one for later and you will have any easy desert next time you have company over. Wellah!

Note: While I normally advocate for making whip cream from scratch the cool whip really does work best with this pie. It does not separate and will hold up for several days. If you freeze your pie take it out about 45–60 minutes before serving. For a healthier alternative use sugar free Jello, fat free Cool Whip, and a premade graham cracker crust.

INGREDIENTS
2 c graham crackers
1/2 c butter, melted
2/3 c sugar
16 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed and divided
3.4 oz box Jello pistachio pudding
8 oz can crushed pineapple (undrained)

STEPS

  • Mix together graham crackers, butter, and sugar.
  • Press graham cracker mixture into bottom and up sides of a pie dish using the backside of a large spoon or rubber spatula.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine half of the Cool Whip, the box of dry pudding powder, and your can of crushed pineapple (juices included).
  • Pour pie mixture into crust.
  • Top with remaining Cool Whip.
  • Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
  • For added flare, garnish with extra graham crackers crumbs or chopped pistachios.

Happy St. Patty’s day!

Appetizers

Recipe—Western Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

Diva di Cucina

Recipe—Western Bacon Poppers

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I thought I would share one of my favorite finger food recipes. There are many variations of jalapeño poppers out there, but these are my favorite. They are absolutely evil and they are sure to start your Super Bowl party off with a bang. These are perfect balance of spicy, salty, and tangy. Make three times more than you think you will need, just trust me on that. Most people end up inhaling several. They really are that good.

Note: Poppers can be prepared a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge right before cooking if needed. These can also be finished off on the bbq instead of the oven to give them a nice smoky flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
5 jalapeños, seeded and deveined based on desired heat
5 slices (about 1/4” thick) of cheddar cheese cut in half lengthwise
5 slices of bacon cut in half
1/4 c of your favorite bbq sauce

STEPS:

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Place bacon in a large pyrex dish so that the slices do not overlap.
  • Pre-cook the bacon in the oven for 8 minutes flipping once halfway through. You do not want the pieces to be overcooked. They should still be partially raw and flexible so that you can easily wrap the slices around the poppers.
  • While the bacon is cooking, place a block of cheddar cheese in each jalapeño half. You may need to cut the cheddar block slightly shorter to fit within the pepper’s cavity. The pepper will fill in with the cheese once melted.
  • When all of the jalapeños are filled, and the bacon has cooled, wrap the half slice of bacon around each jalapeño. Secure the bacon with a toothpick if necessary.
  • Place wrapped poppers on a baking sheet and dab with bbq sauce.
  • Cook in the oven for 10–14 minutes or until bacon looks cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly. If you want to give the bacon a little extra crisp turn on the broiler for a minute before removing from the oven.
  • Dab with additional bbq sauce before serving.
Dinners

Recipe—Creamy Beef Stroganoff

Diva di Cucina

During the cold winter months I am a glutton for comfort foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is a big serving of rich and creamy beef stroganoff. Beef stroganoff is a traditional Russian dish typically made up of pieces of beef in a sour cream based sauce. I love that this recipe is not only delicious, but also really quick and easy. And what’s not appealing about a dinner that can be made in one pot? This makes after dinner dishes and cleanup a breeze. Beef stroganoff is filling and the leftovers are just as good as the night you made it.

Note: Be sure you use thinly sliced beef so that it doesn’t become tough.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can beef broth
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp paprika
12 oz bag egg noodles, uncooked
1 1/2 c water
3/4 c sour cream

STEPS

  • Heat oil in large deep skillet or Dutch oven.
  • Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
  • Add meat and cook until browned, stirring frequently.
  • Mix in flour.
  • Stir in peppers, beef broth, mustard, and paprika and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Add noodles and water and again bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in sour cream and cook for an additional minute heating through.
Side Dishes

Recipe—Oven Roasted Zucchini

Diva di Cucina

Zucchini is definitely one of my favorite vegetables. I find that it goes great with all types of protein and is even a nice way to top off a pasta dish. This is one of my favorite ways to serve zucchini. It is relatively quick and easy, and of course delicious. You just toss it in the oven while whipping up the rest of dinner. The thyme is a great compliment to the zucchini and adds a nice blast of flavor.

INGREDIENTS
4 zucchini, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • Toss together zucchini, onion, olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper on a baking sheet.
  • Roast 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Sweet Treats

Recipe—Peanut Butter Cookies

Diva di Cucina

With the holidays taking up so much of our time I love having a quick and easy cookie recipe that I can whip up in no time. Plus, these are inexpensive to make. You can probably even find all of the ingredients in your pantry at home. This is a classic peanut butter cookie that goes fantastic with a big cup of milk. These cookies turn out soft but still have a slight crumble. The fork marks add a nice decorative touch, but aren’t necessary. I hope you and your families enjoy these melt in your mouth cookies!

Note: For a little extra something try adding in peanut butter chips, M&Ms, or topping each cookie with a Hershey’s kiss. 

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c softened butter
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Sugar for sprinkling on top

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • Mix together the first six ingredients.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  • Roll into balls and place at least an inch and a half apart on a greased cookie sheet.
  • Press down with a fork leaving hatch marks on top.
  • Sprinkle cookies with sugar.
  • Bake for 8–10 minutes.