Shrimp Scampi

This is my husband's recipe for shrimp scampi and it is delicious! This recipe is also super easy and quick to make!

To make 2 servings of shrimp scampi you will need:

• 6 oz. PASTA (we used fettuccine)
• 12 oz. SHRIMP
• 3 Tbs UNSALTED BUTTER
• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1/2 medium ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/8 tsp RED PEPPER (feel free to add more if you like spicy food!)
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp PEPPER
• 1 LEMON or 3 Tbs LEMON JUICE
• 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• Optional: PARSLEY, to garnish

Start off by putting a pot of water on to boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box (about 10 minutes). 

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the butter is melted and the oil is hot, saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to get translucent. Add the red pepper, salt, and pepper.

Next, add the shrimp, wine, and lemon juice.

Stir everything together and bring the contents to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink.

Add the cooked pasta and toss the it in the sauce!

Serve and garnish with chopped parsley!

Yum!

---

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. PASTA (we used fettuccine)
• 12 oz. SHRIMP
• 3 Tbs UNSALTED BUTTER
• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1/2 medium ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/8 tsp RED PEPPER (feel free to add more if you like spicy food!)
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp PEPPER
• 1 LEMON or 3 Tbs LEMON JUICE
• 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• Optional: PARSLEY, to garnish

Directions:

1. Start off by putting a pot of water on to boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box (about 10 minutes). 
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the butter is melted and the oil is hot, saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to get translucent. 
3. Add the red pepper, salt, and pepper.
4. Next, add the shrimp, wine, and lemon juice. 
5. Stir everything together and bring the contents to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink.
6. Add the cooked pasta and toss the it in the sauce.
7. Serve and garnish with chopped parsley!

---

Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

Lately my husband and I have been trying to focus on eating healthier and cutting back on carbohydrates. One meal that we both loved was this spaghetti squash with meatballs. It is basically spaghetti and meatballs, but instead of using spaghetti we used spaghetti squash. Now, I'm not going to lie to you and say that it tastes just like regular spaghetti because it doesn't. It isn't pasta, it's a vegetable! Don't let that keep you from making this dish though, it turned out delicious! The flavors of the tomato sauce paired really well with the flavor of the spaghetti squash! We liked it so much we are making it again this week!

This recipe will make about 16 meatballs which I would consider 4 servings. To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 28 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES 
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 1/4 tsp SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced

You will also need:

• 2 medium SPAGHETTI SPAGHETTI SQUASHES (1/2 a squash per serving) 

Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl.

Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!

Once the mixture is well combined roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Doing this helps them stay together better while you brown them. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 

Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 

Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent.



Then add the crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.

Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.



While the meatballs are cooking prepare the spaghetti squash. This way all of the food will be ready at once!

Pierce the skin of the squash several times with a sharp knife in order to allow the steam to escape (Basically stab it a few times, but be careful! The skin is very tough!).

If you choose to bake it, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and then bake it on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. OR you could take the quicker route and put it on a plate and microwave it for 10-12 minutes making sure to rotate the squash half-way through. Your choice! The squash is done cooking when you can pierce the squash with your knife fairly easily.

After cooking your squash, cut it open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. 

Then take a fork and scrape the stringy, spaghetti-like squash out.

Transfer the squash to a bowl... 

and top with the sauce and meatballs! 

Then sit back and enjoy!

---

Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

Ingredients:

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 28 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES 
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 1/4 tsp SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced

You will also need:

• 2 medium SPAGHETTI SPAGHETTI SQUASHES (1/2 a squash per serving) 

Directions:

1. Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl. Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!
2. Once the mixture is well combined, roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 
4. Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 
5. Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent. Then add the crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. 
6. Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. (If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.) While the meatballs are cooking prepare the spaghetti squash.
7. Pierce the skin of the squash several times with a sharp knife in order to allow the steam to escape while cooking (Basically stab it a few times, but be careful! The skin is very tough!). The squash is done cooking when you can pierce the squash with your knife fairly easily.
• If you choose to bake it, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and then bake it on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. 
• If you choose to microwave it, put it on a plate and heat it for 10-12 minutes making sure to rotate the squash half-way through.
8. After cooking your squash, cut it open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. 
9. Then take a fork and scrape the stringy, spaghetti-like squash out.
10. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti squash and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil! Then sit back and enjoy!

---

Beer Brats

A few weeks ago we made these bratwursts and they were delicious! We boiled the brats in Guinness and then seared them in a pan to get as much flavor as possible out of them! Top that with some onions, sauerkraut, and mustard and dig in!

To make some beer brats for yourself you will need:

• 5 BEEF BRATWURSTS (we used Johnsonville)
• 1 small ONION, sliced
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 2 bottles of GUINNESS (or other stout beer, but I think Guinness tastes the best!)
• 1 (14.4 oz.) can SAUERKRAUT 
• YELLOW MUSTARD
• 5 BUNS

This recipe can be easily scaled up if you need to feed more people, but in most cases you can't buy fewer than 5 brats so that is what I have based this recipe on. 

Pour the Guinness into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Chop the onion into slices and throw them in the pot!

While you are waiting for the Guinness to boil, poke each brat several times with a fork to allow the flavors to seep into the meat.

Once the Guinness is boiling, throw the brats in! Boil the brats for 10-15 minutes.

After the brats have are fully cooked, transfer them to a skillet and cook on medium-high for a few minutes to get some color (and more flavor!) on the brats.

While the brats are cooking in the skillet, pour the sauerkraut into a small pot and heat it on medium for a few minutes to warm it up. Stir occasionally.

Once the sauerkraut is hot and the brats have some color on them, assemble your brat! I like to squirt mustard strait onto the bun and then place the brat and sauerkraut on top! You can also top them with the onions that were boiled in the Guinness and just skip the sauerkraut!

---

Beer Brats

Ingredients:
This recipe can be easily scaled up if you need to feed more people, but in most cases you can't buy fewer than 5 brats so that is what I have based this recipe on.

• 5 BEEF BRATWURSTS (we used Johnsonville)
• 1 small ONION, sliced
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 2 bottles of GUINNESS (or other stout beer, but I think Guinness tastes the best!)
• 1 (14.4 oz.) can SAUERKRAUT 
• YELLOW MUSTARD
• 5 BUNS

Directions:

1. Pour the Guinness into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Chop the onion into slices and throw them in the pot!
2. While you are waiting for the Guinness to boil, poke each brat several times with a fork to allow the flavors to seep into the meat.
3. Once the Guinness is boiling, throw the brats in! Boil the brats for 10-15 minutes.
4. After the brats have are fully cooked, transfer them to a skillet and cook on medium-high for a few minutes to get some color (and more flavor!) on the brats.
5. While the brats are cooking in the skillet, pour the sauerkraut into a small pot and heat it on medium for a few minutes to warm it up. Stir occasionally.
6. Once the sauerkraut is hot and the brats have some color on them, assemble your brat! I like to squirt mustard strait onto the bun and then place the brat and sauerkraut on top! You can also top them with the onions that were boiled in the Guinness and just skip the sauerkraut!

---

French Onion Soup

This soup is rich, savory, and is the perfect meal for a cold day! The bread gives it a little bit of a crunchy texture, while it also soaks up the broth of the soup, and the cheese gets gooey after melting under the broiler. Yum!

To make 2 to 3 servings of French onion soup you will need:

• 4 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 1 to 1 & 1/2 lbs. ONION, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp DRIED THYME
• 1 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 1/2 Tbs FLOUR
• Optional: 1/2 cup DRY WHITE WINE
• 2 cup BEEF STOCK (could substitute vegetable stock)
• 1 cup CHICKEN STOCK (could substitute vegetable stock)
• 1 cup CIABATTA BREAD, cubed
• 1 & 1/2 cup GRUYERE CHEESE, grated

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and the spices. Heat over medium to medium-high heat for 20 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft and golden-brown.

 Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporated the dried on bits into the soup (this might sound weird, but it will add flavor!). Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add the beef stock and chicken stock. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.

At this point you can either serve the soup as is, or ladle the soup in to oven save bowls...

...top with the cubed bread...

...and cheese...

...and then broil on high for 4-6 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Yum!

---

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 1 to 1 & 1/2 lbs. ONION, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp DRIED THYME
• 1 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 1/2 Tbs FLOUR
• Optional: 1/2 cup DRY WHITE WINE
• 2 cup BEEF STOCK
• 1 cup CHICKEN STOCK
• 1 cup CIABATTA BREAD, cubed
• 1 & 1/2 cup GRUYERE CHEESE, grated

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and the spices. Heat over medium to medium-high heat for 20 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft and golden-brown. 
2. Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
3. Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporated the dried on bits into the soup (this might sound weird, but it will add flavor!). Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Add the beef stock and chicken stock. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.
5. At this point you can either serve the soup as is, or ladle the soup in to oven save bowls, top with the cubed bread and cheese, and then broil on high for 4-6 minutes until the cheese is melted.

---

I adapted this recipe from this website: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/french-onion-soup.html

Tiramisu Cupcakes

If you like tiramisu and you like cupcakes then you will definitely LOVE these tiramisu cupcakes! The cakes are vanilla and are brushed with a coffee liquor syrup and topped with a delicious mascarpone frosting! This recipe will make about 18 cupcakes. 

Tip: Be sure to make these cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them. You could make the components ahead of time, but don't assemble them until the day of! Due to the coffee syrup being brushed onto the cupcakes, they they start to taste a little soggy after a day or two. 

Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 & 1/4 cups CAKE FLOUR
• 3/4 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 cup MILK
• 2 tsp VANILLA 
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 3 EGGS & 3 EGG YOLKS
• 1 cups SUGAR

Coffee Syrup:

• 1/4 cup STRONG COFFEE
• 1/4 cup KAHLUA
• 1/4 cup SUGAR

Mascarpone Frosting:

• 1 cups HEAVY CREAM
• 8 oz. MASCARPONE CHEESE
• 1/4 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• COCOA POWDER, for dusting 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl sift together the 1 & 1/4 cups cake flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, then set aside. 

Put the 2 Tbs of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the butter has melted. Then mix in the 1/4 cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla and set aside.

Add the 3 eggs, 3 egg yolk, and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until the contents have almost tripled in volume. The egg mixture should be thick enough that when drizzled over itself, it will stay on the surface for a few seconds.

Before whisking:

After whisking:

Once the egg mixture has tripled, switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and mix in the dry mixture and milk mixture. 

After all of the ingredients are well mixed, line a cupcake tray with paper liners and fill each liner 3/4 full. Then bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coffee Syrup:

While the cupcakes are baking, make the coffee syrup by whisking together the 1/4 cup coffee, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl, then set aside. 

Mascarpone Frosting:

To make the frosting, start by whisking 1 cup of heavy cream in an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

Then mix in 8 oz. of mascarpone and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. It should look something like the picture below!

Cupcake Assembly:

Once you have all of your components you can either assemble everything right away or else wait and store the components separately until you are ready to eat them! Remember, only prepare them the day that you plan to eat them!

Ok, once you are ready to assemble the cupcakes poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes either with a toothpick or a small knife. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the coffee syrup onto the top of the cupcakes (about 5-7 coats per cupcake). Make sure to use all of the syrup! It might seem like a lot, but won't be too much!

After brushing on all of the syrup, put the mascarpone frosting in a piping bag and pipe it onto the cupcake covering all of the holes in the top of the cupcake.

Then dust the top of the cupcakes with cocoa powder!

Vuala! Eat up!

Here you can see how the coffee syrup got down into the cupcake giving it the delicious Kahlua coffee flavor!

Yum!

---

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 & 1/4 cups CAKE FLOUR
• 3/4 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 cup MILK
• 2 tsp VANILLA 
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 3 EGGS & 3 EGG YOLKS
• 1 cups SUGAR

Coffee Syrup:

• 1/4 cup STRONG COFFEE
• 1/4 cup KAHLUA
• 1/4 cup SUGAR

Mascarpone Frosting:

• 1 cups HEAVY CREAM
• 8 oz. MASCARPONE CHEESE
• 1/4 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• COCOA POWDER, for dusting 

Directions:

Vanilla Cupcake:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl sift together the 1 & 1/4 cups cake flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, then set aside. 
3. Put the 2 Tbs of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the butter has melted. Then mix in the 1/4 cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla and set aside.
4. Add the 3 eggs, 3 egg yolk, and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until the contents have almost tripled in volume. The egg mixture should be thick enough that when drizzled over itself, it will stay on the surface for a few seconds.
5. Once the egg mixture has tripled, switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and mix in the dry mixture and milk mixture. 
6. After all of the ingredients are well mixed, line a cupcake tray with paper liners and fill each liner 3/4 full. Then bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coffee Syrup:

1. While the cupcakes are baking, make the coffee syrup by whisking together the 1/4 cup coffee, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl, then set aside. 

Mascarpone Frosting:

1. To make the frosting, start by whisking 1 cup of heavy cream in an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
2. Mix in 8 oz. of mascarpone and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. It should look something like the picture below!

Cupcake Assembly:

1. Once you have all of your components you can either assemble everything right away or else wait and store the components separately until you are ready to eat them! Remember, only prepare them the day that you plan to eat them!
2. Once you are ready to assemble the cupcakes poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes either with a toothpick or a small knife. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the coffee syrup onto the top of the cupcakes (about 5-7 coats per cupcake). Make sure to use all of the syrup! It might seem like a lot, but won't be too much!
3. Put the mascarpone frosting in a piping bag and pipe it onto the cupcake covering all of the holes in the top of the cupcake.
4. Dust the top of the cupcakes with cocoa powder.

---

I found this recipe on this blog: http://alimentageuse.com/2012/11/16/tiramisu-cupcakes/