First things first. Because several people asked, I have a Sunbeam bread machine, which I bought last summer, when my Breadman bit the dust. I ordered it from Amazon (Jeff Bezos, if you're reading, send me stuff - I'll review it for you!) and Thor's friend in brown brought it in. I had purchased one for my oldest daughter, now in law school, 2 years ago, when she moved into a house with her best friend's brother and boyfriend for roommates. She uses hers a couple of times a week, and her best friend uses it a couple of times a week, and it's evidently holding up well for her. I mostly use mine as a fancy mixer for the bread dough, although at least once a week I make English Muffin Bread using the delayed timer cycle. Believe me, the house smells wonderful when I do that - I almost want to get up in the morning. Almost.
Ahem. Back to real food.
Saturday night I was not in the mood to cook. No surprise there. But I had seen a recipe in the paper a while back for linguine in alfredo sauce with shrimp and other assorted stuff that I didn't have or don't eat. Well, I'm never one to let that stand in the way of a good idea, am I? So, creating from my freezer, cupboards, refrigerator and imagination, I turned out this:
ANGEL HAIR ALFREDO WITH SEAFOOD
2 pounds angel hair
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1 pound imitation crabmeat
1/2 pound asparagus, cut in 1" long pieces
2 cups heavy cream3 cups milk
1 cup parmesan
Ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a large pan. Saute the imitation crabmeat gently in it until it's heated throughout. Stir in the cream, pepper and 2 cups of the milk and heat it. Cook the angel hair, adding the asparagus to the angel hair water 2 minutes before the pasta is done. By the time it's finished, the sauce should be hot. Drain the pasta, add the parmesan and last cup of milk to the sauce, then stir the pasta/asparagus mix into the sauce. Serve immediately.
Note that I found the sauce too thick; I'd probably go with a little less parmesan next time. It was quite tasty, although my smallest fussbudget demanded that I make him plain pasta next time I cook this. Also note that despite the fact that this is only 2 pounds of pasta, I'd be surprised if it didn't feed at least 6 to 8 people (it's hard to estimate, because my guys are all huge eaters, and all skinny, and I'd hate them for that if I weren't so fond of them).
This is, of course, the French title for Shrimp Newburg. Pierre Franey provided a perfect Valentine's Day dinner; since I only had a bit over a pound of shrimp, I also broiled a steak (preferred by the kids anyway). With a side of rice and salad, this was great stuff!
CREVETTES NEWBURG
2 tbsp. butter
1-1/2 lbs. shrimp
salt & pepper to taste1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sherry
2 egg yolks
Melt the butter in a skillet, and add the shrimp. Add spices and shallots (I only had chives, so I used them). Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove to a serving dish. Boil off half the pan juices, and add the cream. Heat through, then add sherry and bring almost to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks with another 1/4 cup cream, then whisk into the sauce. Stir until it thickens. Return the shrimp to the pan to warm them, and serve over a bed of rice.
My poor, long suffering husband loves shellfish. A few years back, he began having allergic reactions to garlic. So I stopped making Shrimp Scampi, and found other ways to prepare shrimp. Well, guess what happened to the poor dear? Yes, I must have added too many chives, because he broke out in hives. Our daughter saw him beginning to itch, and smacked her Daddy's hands to the table, while I raced off for antihistimines and witch hazel (a fabulous topical anti-itch remedy). Since we often eat scallops, and occasionally shrimp, cooked with neither garlic nor chives, I have to conclude that it's a sensitivity to things in the onion family. (sigh) And I did so want him to have a great dinner. He kept eating cheerfully, itching notwithstanding, saying that great food like this could not be let go to waste.
Of course, he got his reward an hour or so later with this pretty heart shaped cake. Because there are often so many of us, I always have 5 pound boxes of General Mills yellow cake mix on hand to whip up a cake, cupcakes or whatever is needed. Anyway, last night I decided to use my springform pan to make a heart shaped yellow cake. Being out of oil, I used 1-1/2 cups of cake mix with 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 egg and 1/2 cup water. It took a good 40 minutes to bake, but it was really rich. I topped it with freshly sliced strawberries, a liberal helping of whipped cream and more sliced strawberries. Everyone loved it, and my dearly beloved "helped me out" this morning by finishing the cake between breakfast and lunch.
Tomorrow, perhaps a picture of my new valentine's day dress, and an example of why it matters not at all that I'm the only person in this house to put forth effort for Valentine's Day (which my father-in-law called a "Hallmark Holiday", most appropriately!).
My little guys look forward to making a gingerbread creation this year. Sometimes it's a train, sometimes a house. I got Pampered Chef gingerbread molds from our attorney's paralegal's sister, whose children had outgrown the gingerbread phase. We use a gingerbread recipe which we first found in Calvert School's Kindergarten course. At this point, the roof, chimney and various creatures around the house are missing, but that is half the fun of gingerbread, isn't it? Anyway, these are the three gingerbread artists with their creation:
Of course, many others had to get in on the fun of taking the picture
And then there was Christmas eve dinner. This is possibly one of my favorites of the entire year. I love shrimp, but won't pay the price for it most of the time. Until 3 years ago, I made Shrimp Scampi every single year since I was married, but that year my husband developed a walloping case of the hives within an hour; Benadryl reversed the swelling, but it was sorta ugly for a while there. The following year, I found the basis for this recipe. Originally, it called for arugula, but I can't say as I've ever seen it, so, as usual, Marjie changes the recipe. Anyway, here is......
SHRIMP WITH SPINACH AND PENNE
5 lbs. shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound spinach, blanched
4 tomatoes
1 bunch scallions
1 tbsp oregano1 tsp red pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 lbs. mini penne pasta
olive oil to coat
Cook shrimp under broiler for 4 minutes; turn and cook another 4 minutes. Turn again, add tomatoes, scallions, oregano and red pepper, and broil another 4 minutes. Stir around to make sure all shrimp are cooked, add the spinach, and return to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss with the lemon juice, and (at least in theory) mix with the penne and serve. The reality is that I cannot toss the shrimp and penne together, because I'd need a serving dish with a 5 gallon capacity, which I don't have.
Originally, this recipe called for sun dried tomatoes, which I tried the first time I made this. However, I found that it was far too salty; the fresh tomatoes give a nice result. And, as I said, the recipe called for arugula, which I've not seen in my local supermarket.
And, to Paula, you were the lucky duck with snow in Oregon! Our foot plus of snow got rained on the day before Christmas Eve, and every bit of it melted in the 45 degree weather. After being overcast all day Christmas Eve, the sun peeked out at sunset, giving me this vista out my kitchen window as I baked until the balls of my feet hurt from standing:
A glorious minute in a hectic day, indeed.
