Super Bowl (Three-Ingredient) Appetizers

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Superbowl week is generally a pretty exciting week around here.

I love to dream up new foods for a party and 

gather around friends and family for the big game.

Except, when my team gives away their chance to play in the Superbowl,

then, it's a little lackluster to think about the game

and how close we were to being there. 

Even though the Packers are also going to be watching from home,

I am still dreaming up some good treats

and want to share with you 

a collection of 3-ingredient appetizers for your own party!

Starting with the easiest…

Ranch Mushrooms…

Just add 2 packages of mushrooms, 

1 stick of butter and 1 packet of Ranch Seasoning 

to a slow cooker for a few hours. 

This picture just does not do these tasty bites justice.

Serve 'em straight from the slow cooker

or on a platter with a tooth pick. 

Next up,

Queso Blanco

Just salsa verde, cream cheese and 1 tbsp garlic powder. 

Can be whipped up in the microwave,

stirring after every 30 seconds or so. 

Or, in a mini-slow cooker 

for easy serving during the game. 

Another big hit…

Ham-Wrapped Pickles. 

Baby Dill pickles, deli sliced ham and 

veggie or onion cream cheese. 

Spread cream cheese on the ham. 

Roll up a pickle inside. 

Secure with a toothpick. 

Last, but not least, 

these amazing

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Simply thawed shrimp, wrapped in partially-fried bacon, topped with pizza sauce

and baked for 10 minutes at 350 F. 

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

As the holidays are fast approaching, 

I've been wanting to share with you fabulous recipes for parties and gatherings. 

This one is so easy, indulgent and delicious!

Shrimp, wrapped in bacon and topped with pizza sauce.

These little bites of Italian, smokey, crispy shrimp

are signature of my brother Nick and have quickly become a traditional staple

at holidays and family trips.  

Seriously, you can whip these up in less than 30 minutes

with just THREE ingredients! 

Bacon, Shrimp and Pizza Sauce,

that's it!  

Start by lightly pre-frying 1# of bacon. 

If you have read any of my bacon wrapped entries in the past,

you will already know that 

I prefer to get the bacon started before wrapping to enhance the texture and appearance. 

One pound of raw, peeled large shrimp. 

Shrimp gets so rubbery if over cooked, so I always start with raw. 

Using 1/2 slice, wrap the bacon around the shrimp,

securing with a toothpick from the side,

to allow for topping with the sauce. 

Finally, top with about a tablespoon of pizza sauce and

pop into a 350 F oven for just about 10 minutes. 

You will know the shrimp are cooked because they are pink and opaque,

no longer gray and translucent.  

These could be made be prepped ahead of time and just popped into the oven as the guests are arriving for a tasty appetizer. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 10 minutes at 350 F

Makes nearly 30 individual bites. 

Ingredients:

1# Large Shrimp - raw, de-veined and peeled

1# Bacon

Pizza Jar - small

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Pre-fry bacon until lightly browned. 

Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around shrimp. 

Secure with toothpick from the side. 

Top with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce. 

Bake for 10 minutes, or until shrimp are thoroughly cooked. 

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Summer Harvest Shrimp Stir Fry

"One day at a time"

That is my mantra these days as I attempt to savor the last days of the best summer of my life, home with my kids, making a lifelong dream come true.

One day at a time, I remind myself, when I get caught up in everything that needs to be done for back to school.

One day at a time, when I look at my Summer 2014 list and see unchecked items.

Just trying to savor the fleeting moments with the kids, playing games, cleaning rooms and enjoying each others company.

While I'm so busy cherishing each moment, I also failed to plan a meal or grocery list.

Jerry asked me what was for dinner last night and I said that I had nothing planned.  He may have a bit surprised by that…I've always got a plan!

I simply stated that there was some shrimp in the freezer that could be thawed.

After the shrimp, I contemplated what else I had to go with it and the obvious zucchini and tomatoes came to mind.

And, that is how last night's Summer Harvest Shrimp Stir Fry dinner came about.

Stir fries are fast, fresh and easy…we should all make them more.  

As I was pulling this meal together, these are the ingredients I brought to the table.  

By all means, if this is too complicated, 

there are plenty of good sauces that take care of many of the details for you.  

Start with the fixing of any good meal…1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tbsp minced garlic.

Sautee over medium heat. 

Add 1# of shrimp. 

I always buy uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp so that they are ready to go, once thawed.

While the shrimp were cooking, 

my youngest helper was chopping up the zucchini and cherry tomatoes. 

I can't say enough about having the kids help me in the kitchen! 

Warms my heart to share my love of cooking and that they actually want to help. 

As the shrimp turn pink and opaque, they are approaching done status.  

Then, they were then set aside to give the veggies their turn!

About 2 zucchini were sliced up 

and added to the pan, with enough butter, garlic and olive oil left for cooking. 

Maybe next time I'd do chunks, or at least cut this big slices in half. 

One cup of halved cherry tomatoes and one cup of sweet corn were added.  

We are still waiting on our sweet corn from the garden, so this had to come from the freezer…

Toss it all together, season with some fresh ground black pepper and salt.

Add back the shrimp. 

Finished touches were the juice from half of a lemon, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp honey

for a heavenly flavor combination. 

All of this fresh, healthy deliciousness was cooked up in less than 30 minutes

and fed to my kids before heading out to practice.  

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1# of shrimp

2 zucchini - sliced

1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup of sweet corn

Fresh ground black pepper and salt - to taste

Juice from half of a lemon

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

Crushed Red Pepper - optional

Directions:

Sautee minced garlic in butter and olive oil over medium heat. 

Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque. Then, set aside. 

Add zucchini, tomatoes and sweet corn to pan for quick cooking. 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste. 

Return shrimp to pan, add lemon juice, soy sauce and honey. 

Stir it all up to combine flavors. 

Serve and top with crushed red pepper for additional heat.

Grilled Shrimp and Sausage Skewers

How's your grilling season going?

What has been your favorite meal from the grill so far this year?

We've had a variety of grilled deliciousness already this summer...corn, burgers, veggies, steaks, potatoes and fruit, but these Shrimp and Sausage Skewers may be my favorites so far.

I must admit that I was a shrimp-grilling novice..."How hard can they be?" was the approach I took.

And, in case you are wondering...they are super simple!  Practically foolproof.  Highly recommended!

Just started by threading the skewers with onion petals, hunks of smoked Polish sausage, green pepper and thawed, raw shrimp.  

Takes me back to the days of kindergarten, when patterns were all the rage!  

Kept up the pattern making until the fixings were all used up.  

Then, using three standard pantry staples minced garlic, cocktail sauce and honey, whipped up a fabulous glaze.

Admittedly, I was a little hesitant because I wasn't sure how I felt about grilling the sauce that is typically served with cold shrimp…but it was the perfect sauce for all of the components.  

Before grilling, the glaze was brushed on the skewers…one side at a time.  

And then, placed on the grill. 

For about 5-7 minutes per side, until the shrimp was cooked, the veggies had a slight char and the sauce was just right!  

Served the skewers up over a bed of quinoa and we all enjoyed!  

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, cut into petals

1# Smoked Polish sausage - sliced into bite sized hunks

2 Green Peppers, cut into large pieces

1# shrimp, raw and thawed

1/3 cup Cocktail Sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp minced garlic

Directions:

Thread the skewers with shrimp, sausage and vegetables. 

Mix up the glaze. 

Brush on one side of the skewers. 

Place on grill, brush on other side. 

Grill for 5-7 minutes on each side, until shrimp are pink and opaque…don't overcook.  

Fresh and Bright Shrimp Scampi with Gluten-free Pasta

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend with friends and family.  Thankfully, the weather finally warmed up and was able to celebrate with a friend and mimosas on the deck enjoying the long-awaited sunshine while the kids were continuing to enjoy the holiday by hiding the eggs in the yard.

Hubby finally made it home from work in time for a traditional Easter meal of ham, cheesy potatoes, grilled asparagus and the family favorite Rhodes rolls in the evening and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood.  Of course too much sugar was consumed, wouldn't be a holiday without it!

The recipe I want to share with you today is for a fresh, bright, light scampi sauce served with shrimp over pasta.  This was our first adventure with gluten-free pasta and I think it went over pretty well.  Our oldest was the only one who objected.  The rest of us enjoyed it just the same.

With a medley of flavors like this, the fact that anyone even noticed that the pasta was gluten free is beyond me!  I couldn't get over the party that was going on in my mouth!

On with the recipe…Since the sauce itself comes together very quickly, I got the pasta water started first to ensure enough time for the proper cooking.  The 12 oz box of gluten free pasta was Ronzoni and I have no complaints.  But, would always be willing to hear others' recommendations for gluten-free pasta.  

The shrimp scampi started with two tablespoons of butter over medium heat, tossed in one tablespoon of minced garlic and one pound of shrimp.  More shrimp would always be welcome by the gents in my house, so if you've got it, go for it!  Then, top the shrimp with a teaspoon of ground (or crushed) red pepper.

Also, some salt and fresh ground pepper, just a light layer is my definition of "to taste!"  Can always add more later!

I love the mild, underlying, lingering heat in this dish, thanks to the red pepper.

After the shrimp are mostly cooked, seriously, only takes about 5 minutes if they are properly thawed, we can get this scampi sauce under way.

Start with a quarter cup of white wine, I had a Chardonnay on hand that complimented this dish perfectly.

Then, add the juice of half of a lemon or less than a quarter cup of prepared lemon juice.  This adds the brightness to the dish.  Oooooh, I'm salivating at the thought!

While the sauce is simmering, I have to add in my signature vegetable.  This time it was a couple handfuls of fresh spinach, because it wilts perfectly, so quickly.  (Apparently we were in some hurry, but I can't remember for the life of me what could have been so important! Irony at it's finest!)

Other vegetable additions that would work include asparagus, as it is quite seasonal right now, or green beans, as they are always a  popular option.  Just to name a few, but really the options are endless.

Upon draining the cooked spaghetti and serving the shrimp, sauce and spinach over top, the plates were topped with some fresh Parmesan and dried basil (fresh would have been delightful as well...can't wait for the garden!)

I haven't stopped thinking about this dish since we enjoyed it last week.  The brightness of the fresh citrus, coupled with the nutty Parmesan and Chardonnay notes, finished with the lingering heat of the red pepper....I was in heaven!


RECIPE

Ingredients:

12 oz box of gluten free pasta
2 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of minced garlic
1 pound of shrimp
1 tsp of ground (or crushed) red pepper.
salt and fresh ground pepper - to taste
1/4 cup of white wine
Juice of half of a lemon (or less than 1/4 cup prepared juice)
Fresh spinach
Fresh Parmesan
Basil 

Directions

Cook pasta according to instructions.

Melt butter over medium heat in large saute pan.
Add garlic and shrimp, season with red pepper, salt and pepper.
After tossing once, after about 2-3 minutes, add wine and lemon juice.
Bring to a boil.
Add vegetables.

Serve sauce over cooked pasta, top with Parmesan and basil.

Super-simple, scrumptious Shrimp Tacos (and counting carbs)

Whew, that went fast!  We had a couple of jam-packed days with baseball, basketball, Girl Scouts, piano, Badgers, our favorite near 2 year old, Kennedy, visiting and to top it all off..warming temperatures and sunshine!

Welcome to a new week!

I have never been so elated to see 60's in the forecast, especially with the kids' spring break coming up and a garage in desperate need of purging.

Regardless of the weather, shrimp is always in season.   This time in a taco, quick, easy and so delicious!

Before I get to the meal, I'd like to share some other recent learnings.

Jerry and I met with a dietician to learn more about a diabetic diet, I have to admit, I was pretty clueless, which is embarrassing to admit as a food professional, but I didn't know how many grams of carbs were ok or the best way to spread them throughout the day.

We learned that rather than feast or famine, it is much better to consume the carbs evenly throughout the day (This isn't Weight Watchers, where you have a certain number of points to use however you want throughout the day).

Seems logical. But, how many carbs are optimal?  And, of course, what is a proper serving size?

This one gets me every time! It is generally much smaller than you think.  Like 8 tortilla chips…when is the last time anyone ate just 8 chips?!?!?

Regardless, it was great for Jerry and I to be there together so that we are on the same page and can keep each other in check.

For anyone with an inquiring mind, the goal is 3 servings of carbs per meal and 2 snacks of one serving each.  (One serving of carbs is about 15 grams. )

As I was making dinner, I was taking inventory of the grams of carbs in each component, so that I could prepare Jerry's plate accordingly.  Note to self...while cooking is a little late, but we are both learning as we go.

The taco shells are each about 20 grams of carbs, the rice was a whopping 51 grams of carbs/serving (probably not a great choice on my part, I realize as it is already boiling.)

And, most importantly, to Jerry's satisfaction, the shrimp have 0 grams of carbs...so he can eat those to his hearts content (well, except for the cholesterol content, his heart probably doesn't love that!).

So, Jerry's plate was two taco shells overflowing with shrimp and a slice of avocado, while the kids and I were left to fill up on shells, rice and about 3 shrimp each.  Haha!

These changes to the diet might take a little to get used to, but we all know we feel better when we eat better and that's the goal for my whole family!

Now that I've shared all that I know about a healthy, optimal diabetic diet, I'll get to the goods!

Start by sautéing the shrimp in a pan with olive oil and minced garlic.  Season with chili powder, salt and pepper.

When the shrimp are cooked, finish with the juice from half of a lime and some crushed rosemary.

Stuff the shrimp into a taco shell of choice and serve with a slice of avocado and a side of rice.

It's that easy and doesn't take much more than 10 - 15 minutes.

Jerry is now torn between the fish tacos and these as his favorite, as they are both delicious. I can't argue.

Although, next time, I'd probably whip up a chili-lime sauce to serve them with, as there is something so delightful about the contrast of cool, creaminess with the snap of the shrimp and the crunch of the shell. (Sorry folks, I don't have that for you now, I'll have to dream it up sometime soon.)


RECIPE

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 lb raw shrimp, thawed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lime
1 tsp crushed rosemary
1 avocado
taco shells of choice

Directions

Saute the shrimp and garlic in the olive oil over med heat.
Season with chili powder, salt and pepper.
Finish with the juice of half of a lime and rosemary.

Stuff into shells, top with a slice of avocado and serve with rice.