Tuscan Butter Shrimp Pasta

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Sunday was our Seventh Anniversary! Traditionally on special occasions I like to make my sweet wife something special. Lately I’ve been trying new dishes (a gamble, to say the least!) but the last few have worked out perfectly!

This year’s installment was a creamy pasta dish filled with shrimp and delicious veggies!

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She absolutely loved it! This one has definitely been added to my list of recipes to make whenever I want to spoil her.

What is your favorite pasta dish to splurge on? Let us know in the comments!

Tuscan Butter Shrimp Pasta

Cheese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Seafood, Shrimp, Vegetable

Tuscan Butter Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and tails removed
Salt and Pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups halved cherry tomatoes
6 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup basil, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. As oil is heating, season shrimp with salt and pepper. Once oil is shimmering, not smoking, add shrimp. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes or until golden on underside. Flip and cook again until opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once butter is melted, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, only about one minute. Add in the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook tomatoes until they are bursting. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is beginning to wilt.
Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce has reduced to desired thickness, about 5 minutes.
Add shrimp back into the skllet, stirring to combine. Cook until the shrimp have warmed through. Taste and add lemon juice as desired.*
Serve over pasta with more Parmesan cheese to garnish.

Notes

*We used half the lemon’s juice to the skillet. You can also serve lemon wedges on the side so people can add their own lemon.

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

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The holidays are over. We apologize for our brief hiatus… between spending lots of time with family, catching up with sleep, and some technical difficulties, we haven’t managed to post for a bit. But you can bet now that the new year has officially started, you can expect two posts a week again!

During the holidays, I’m sure you’ve had your fill of ham. If you need something to use up the last of those leftovers, we have got the soup for you!

With plenty of hearty veggies and salty ham, this soup is a crowd pleaser for sure! And you can stretch your leftovers for another week while still mixing it up!

What is your favorite way to use holiday leftovers? Let us know in the comments!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Holiday, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pork, Potatoes, Soup, Vegetable

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bunch celery, sliced
8 potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
8 cups ham, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup flour
6-7 cups water
3 TBS chicken base
6 cups milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large stock pot, combine carrots, celery, onion and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and onions become mostly translucent.
Add in potatoes and ham. Cook stirring often, until potatoes are just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Gradually stir in flour until veggies and ham are coated.
In a small bowl, combine 6 cups of water and chicken base. Pour mixture into pot. Bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and add milk, stirring to combine. Add additional cup of water if you would like to thin down the soup.
Taste soup and season to taste.

November 11, 2019October 21, 2019

White Spinach & Chicken Pizza

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Though we’ve already explored this arena a bit, white sauce pizza is my wife’s favorite. So I mixed it up a little and made it slightly healthier.

That’s what adding veggies does, right? Make something indulgent and delicious good for you? That’s what we’re telling ourselves here anyway…

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The white sauce is what makes this pizza! Paired with the perfect crust and chicken and spinach, you can’t go wrong!

White Spinach & Chicken Pizza

Cheese, Chicken, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pizza, Vegetable

White Spinach & Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups flour
1 TBS + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 TBS salt

White Pizza Sauce

2 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 large clove of garlic, minced
3 TBS flour
1 cup milk, plus 1/4 cup as needed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Toppings

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp ground Dean Jacobs Spicy Garlic & Himalayan Pink Salt Seasoning
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 bunch spinach, rinsed, stems removed

Instructions

Make the Dough

Dissolve the yeast completely in a large bowl by stirring it into 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Dissolve in 10 minutes or less. Once fully dissolved, add in 1 cup of the flour and mix thoroughly.
Continuing to stir, gradually add 1 TBS of olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 1 additional cup of flour. As you add the last of the lukewarm water (up to 1/2 cup) and flour (up to 1 1/4 cups), add them in small amounts, working them in gradually to get the right consistency – soft, but not sticky. *
Take the dough out of the bowl and place onto a clean work surface. Pick up and slap down on the counter several times until it has stretched out to be about 10 inches long. Fold the dough over itself towards you, and then push away using the heel of your palm. Fold again and push again. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, slapping it down on the work surface and kneading. Repeat this procedure for up to 10 minutes or until the dough feels soft and silky. Pat the dough into a rounded shape.
Coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen about 3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Lightly coat pizza pan with olive oil. Divide the dough by 2. Wrap extra dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator if not using immediately. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 14″ circle. Place dough onto pizza pan and pinch any holes in dough closed.

Making the Sauce

Heat butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, cooking until tender and fragrant – about 1 minute. Add in flour and stir until flour is lightly browned and onion is translucent – about 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup milk, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper into onion mixture, stirring continuously until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened slightly.
Remove from heat. Add additional milk as needed if sauce becomes too thick.

Making the Pizza

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the olive oil into a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken and Dean Jacobs spice into pan, stirring to coat chicken. Cook chicken through. Set aside to cool to handling temperature.
Spread warm white sauce over prepared pizza crust. Sprinkle over mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Add prepared chicken and spinach, sprinkling over entire crust.
Place pizza into preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan. Check again after 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be melted and the dough should be crisp and all lift up with lifted by the edge.
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Need pizza, but looking for something simpler? Check out our other flavors here!

October 31, 2019October 21, 2019

Veggie Lovers Pizza

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Last week we posted our favorite Meat Lovers Pizza, but we know that isn’t everyone’s jam. If you have someone coming to the pizza party that doesn’t like meat, you’ll need this pizza on hand!

One of the best parts of veggie pizza is it isn’t heavy, but still hearty, and you can use your favorite combination of vegetables! You can also make this pizza last with the leftover veggies from the other pizzas you’ve made.

Veggie Lovers Pizza

Cheese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Pizza, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Veggie Lovers Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups flour
1 TBS + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 TBS salt

Toppings

14 oz can of pizza sauce
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
8 brown mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can olives, drained and sliced

Instructions

Make the Dough

Dissolve the yeast completely in a large bowl by stirring it into 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Dissolve in 10 minutes or less. Once fully dissolved, add in 1 cup of the flour and mix thoroughly.
Continuing to stir, gradually add 1 TBS of olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 1 additional cup of flour. As you add the last of the lukewarm water (up to 1/2 cup) and flour (up to 1 1/4 cups), add them in small amounts, working them in gradually to get the right consistency – soft, but not sticky. *
Take the dough out of the bowl and place onto a clean work surface. Pick up and slap down on the counter several times until it has stretched out to be about 10 inches long. Fold the dough over itself towards you, and then push away using the heel of your palm. Fold again and push again. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, slapping it down on the work surface and kneading. Repeat this procedure for up to 10 minutes or until the dough feels soft and silky. Pat the dough into a rounded shape.
Coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen about 3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Lightly coat pizza pan with olive oil. Divide the dough by 2. Wrap extra dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator if not using immediately. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 14″ circle. Place dough onto pizza pan and pinch any holes in dough closed.

Make the Pizza

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread pizza sauce over prepped dough evenly to taste, leaving about 1 inch of dough exposed around edge. Top with mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese, sprinkling evenly over sauce. Top with the vegetables, spreading it all out as evenly as possible over the pizza.
Place pizza in preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan. Check again after another 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be melted and the dough should be crisp and all lift up with lifted by the edge.
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Need more pizza ideas? Check out these other flavors we’ve made!

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September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

Creamy Harvest Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Along with cooking, I also love gardening. The smell of damp soil, the tang of a sun-warmed tomato, making my own fresh salsa – I can’t resist the fresh veggies!

Its budget friendly as well. As long as you can re-use your supplies year after year, you can save lots of money growing your own produce and prepping it for long term storage.

One of our favorite ways to use our spoils is to make this super hearty soup! Though there isn’t any meaty protein in it, this soup is ultra filling and it gives you a full feeling without being too heavy.

The only thing more amazing than the flavor is how easy it all is! Throw the veggies on a pan to roast, then blend them with some broth and dairy to add a touch of creaminess.

The best part is you can mix and match whatever you’ve grown in your garden! Keep it simple, keep it hearty, and keep it delicious!

Creamy Harvest Soup

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Soup, Vegetable

Creamy Harvest Soup

Ingredients

4 lbs Roma tomatoes
1 lb On the Vine tomatoes
8 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
3 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups low sodium chicken broth OR 3 cups water, 3 TBS low sodium chicken base
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cut all tomatoes into quarters. Peel garlic cloves. Dice onions and bell pepper.
Place vegetables into a large bowl. Add in oil and toss to coat.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide vegetables onto two baking sheets, making sure to leave plenty of space around the vegetables.
Place sheets into oven. Bake for 25 minutes, mixing vegetables after about 15 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 500 and broil for about 3 minutes or until you see a slight char on the tomatoes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Once bubbling, add the vegetables. Using an immersion blender, blend until creamy and almost all vegetables have been broken down.
Add the seasonings, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Blend again until mostly smooth.
Serve hot, and refrigerate leftover soup.

As cooler weather rolls in and harvest time comes, what is your favorite fresh treat from the garden? Comment below!

Like the sound of this soup? Check out these others!

Slow Cooker Baked Potato | New England Clam Chowder | Slow Cooker Taco Soup