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.

December 12, 2019January 6, 2020

Buffalo Mozzarella Sticks

With holiday parties coming up, more than likely you are looking for easy appetizer ideas. We recently went to an appetizer party where that’s all we ate, and these were a huge hit!

These mozzarella sticks have a zesty twist everyone will love! They are great paired with some homemade ranch or marinara sauce, or all on their own. They get even better as they cool down!

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Buffalo Mozzarella Sticks

Appetizer, Cheese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Freezer, Fried, Non-Traditional, Sides

Ingredients

3 lbs Mozzarella cheese
15oz plain Breadcrumbs
3 tbs parmesan
2 tbs onion powder, divided
2 tbs garlic powder, divided
2 tbs Italian seasoning
4 cups flour
1 tbs black pepper
3 1.6 oz packets buffalo wings seasoning, divided
10 eggs
¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup milk

Instructions

Cut cheese into 1 oz strips. Set aside.
Mix breadcrumbs, parmesan, 1 tbs onion powder, 1 tbs garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
In a separate bow mix together flour, black pepper, 2 packs of buffalo seasoning, 1 tbs onion powder, and 1 tbs garlic powder.
In a third bowl, beat together eggs, milk, buttermilk, and 1 packet buffalo wings seasoning.
Dredge Mozzarella strips in egg mixture first, then flour, eggs again, and finally breadcrumbs. Place breaded cheese onto a pan lined with parchment paper. After breading all cheese, place pan in freezer for at least one hour. *
Preheat deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry frozen Mozzarella sticks for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on cooling rack over a pan lined with paper towels.

Notes

* To store in freezer long term, place mozzarella sticks into an air tight container after original hour of freezing. Can be stored for up to 3 months. Fry as usual when ready to prepare.

What is your favorite appetizer to share (or not)? Let us know in the comments!

November 7, 2019October 21, 2019

Cheese Pizza

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.

We’ve been bombarding you with pizza, but its time to get simple. I have never met someone, child or adult, who didn’t love an extra cheesy pizza.

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And sure, you can go down the street and grab a $5 version, but you won’t get to choose your own cheeses. Not to mention this crust is so good! Soft, yet crisp at the same time!

Cheese Pizza

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

Cheese 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
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded

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 the cheeses, sprinkling evenly over sauce.
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.

Throwing a pizza party? Check out these other flavors to mix it up!

March 3, 2019September 16, 2019

Pepper Jack Jalapeno Bread

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.

If you are like me, sometimes Cheddar Jalapeno bread is just not spicy enough. So I did a little experiment and added pepper jack instead of cheddar to my bread recipe.

And voila!

A spicy jalapeno bread with plenty of extra bite.

Pepper Jack Jalapeno Bread

Bread, Cheese, Jalapeno, Non-Traditional

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
3 jalapeno peppers, diced

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast into 1/4 cup of the warm water, taking only up to 10 minutes to do so. Add 2 cups of the flour, then gradually mix in 3/4 cups more water until sticky dough is formed.
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, pushing forward against the dough, folding in half, and rotating a quarter turn**. Dough should be elastic but not sticky. When you push your finger into it the surface should rebound a bit. **If you do not want to knead, you can put the dough in stand mixer with a dough hook until it looks like described above.
Lightly flour a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 2-3 hours.
Place two cups of flour onto a work surface. Place dough in the flour and begin kneading again, gradually adding 3/4 cups of water. Then add olive oil, salt, cheese, and peppers. Knead until ingredients are combined.
Add back to floured bowl and cover with damp towel, allowing to rise for another 2-3 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat 2 loaf pans with olive oil.
Take dough out of bowl and slap it on your work surface several times. Divide dough in two and shape into loaf shapes. Place in pans.
Place pans in preheated oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Continue baking for an additional 45.
When baking is finished, remove from pans and place on cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

March 3, 2019September 16, 2019

Cheddar Jalapeno Bread

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.

Need a spicy twist to your homemade bread routine?

This loaf with its large chunks of jalapeno and cooling cheese is perfect toasted with some cream cheese or to spice up a sandwich.

Cheddar Jalapeno Bread

Bread, Cheese, Jalapeno, Non-Traditional

Cheddar Jalapeno Bread

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 jalapeno peppers, diced

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast into 1/4 cup of the warm water, taking only up to 10 minutes to do so. Add 2 cups of the flour, then gradually mix in 3/4 cups more water until sticky dough is formed.
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, pushing forward against the dough, folding in half, and rotating a quarter turn**. Dough should be elastic but not sticky. When you push your finger into it the surface should rebound a bit. **If you do not want to knead, you can put the dough in stand mixer with a dough hook until it looks like described above.
Lightly flour a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 2-3 hours.
Place two cups of flour onto a work surface. Place dough in the flour and begin kneading again, gradually adding 3/4 cups of water. Then add olive oil, salt, cheese, and peppers. Knead until ingredients are combined.
Add back to floured bowl and cover with damp towel, allowing to rise for another 2-3 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat 2 loaf pans with olive oil.
Take dough out of bowl and slap it on your work surface several times. Divide dough in two and shape into loaf shapes. Place in pans.
Place pans in preheated oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Continue baking for an additional 45.
When baking is finished, remove from pans and place on cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

March 3, 2019September 16, 2019

Extreme Cheese Lasagna

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Now, I don’t throw the word “extreme” around lightly. So when I tell you this lasagna is extremely cheesy, you can take that to the bank! You may need to go to the bank, actually, and get a loan to afford all this cheese!

We don’t indulge in this lasagna very often. We look all year long for major deals and then we buy in major bulk. A local restaurant supply liquidation store we frequent recently had huge 6lb blocks of mozzarella on sale for $8 a piece! So we grabbed a couple. The next week we came back and they still had a ton, and because the sell by dates were getting close they had them for…

…wait for it…

2 for $8! We grabbed as many as we could, cut them into 1 lb blocks, and bagged them up for the freezer. We’ve been slowly working through the cheese. This lasagna made a dent in our stash, but it was sooooo worth it!

Its got 4 pounds of cheese. Four pounds! It was almost hard to take out of the pan.

This traditional Italian dish is perfect for your next family get together. Big enough to feed a crowd and please them all!

Extreme Cheese Lasagna

Cheese, Dinner, Italian, Meals for a Crowd, Splurge

Extreme Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients

For the Pasta

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of flour
If you are not making your own pasta 1 box of lasagna noodles

For the Sauce

64 oz tomato sauce
2/3 cups of Italian seasoning
1/8 cup of garlic powder
1/8 cup of onion powder

Layering ingredients

2 lbs of ricotta cheese
2 lbs of mozzarella cheese
1 lb Italian sausage links
1 lb ground Italian sausage

Instructions

Homemade Noodles –

Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour.
Crack eggs into the flour, pop yolks and mix flour into the eggs in the well using a fork. Then thoroughly combine mixture until you have formed a dough. If it sticky, add small amounts of flour until the desired consistency. If dry and cracking, add small amounts of water until the desired consistency.
Use an adjustable pasta roller to finish the dough. Place the dough through the roller at the largest size setting. Adjust the roller down a size and roll pasta sheet through again. If holes form in the sheet fold in half and place back into roller at the same thickness you just used. Continue rolling pasta, adjusting to next lowest setting until desired thickness. Cut noodles to desired width and about 1” longer than the pan you are going to use to make the lasagna.
Dry flat – pasta will shrink slightly as it dries. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Do not pre-cook noodles before adding to the lasagna.

Make the Lasagna

In two separate pans, fry ground sausage and sliced link sausage. Once fully cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
If cooking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s time to layer! Begin with a light layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place first layer of noodles, covering bottom. Do not worry if there is space between noodles as long as it is less than half an inch between each one. Add half of the remaining sauce. Layer on 1lb of ricotta cheese in 1TBS sized dollops, then spread evenly. Layer on 1lb of mozzarella cheese. Layer on half of the ground sausage and half of the sausage links, spread out evenly.
Repeat layers with remaining ingredients except for mozzarella. Place remaining mozzarella on top, making sure to cover completely.
Place loose layer of aluminum foil over pan.
If freezing – tightly wrap entire pan in plastic wrap. Freeze flat. Before cooking, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Once thawed bake as normal.
When ready to bake, place lasagna pan on cookie sheet to prevent dripping messes in the bottom of your oven.
Bake covered for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes.