Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

I love veggies and this is a great dish to incorporate lots of fresh vegetables!  I never really made stir fry's until I met my husband.  Now, we make a different stir fry 2-3 times a month.  Last night, I made a ginger, honey marinade for the shrimp and vegetables.  I LOVE fresh ginger.  It has such a fresh delicious taste and a little bit, goes a long way!  One thing I have to tell you,  I did not measure any quantities for the sauce....sorry!  With most sauces I actually NEVER measure, I just add the flavors I want to include in the dish and hope for the best!

Shrimp:  Peeled and deveined

Sauce:  Marinate half with shrimp for about 1/2 hour and 1/2 for veggies

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire Sauce 

fresh grated ginger  

minced garlic

hot pepper flakes

honey

olive oil

Vegetables:

sliced baby carrots

1 head of broccoli

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

scallions

Heat wok with sauce, add all vegetables except scallions.  Heat through, add scallions.  When vegetables are almost cooked through, push to the side and add shrimp and marinade to wok.  Cook on both sides until pink.  Mix with veggies.  Serve over rice!  ENJOY :)

Butternut Squash Risotto

You know its fall because Wegmans has lots of fresh squash all over the produce department!! YUM!  I could not resist buying some butternut squash this week.  Leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping and October is just around the corner so what's better on a fall dinner menu than squash!

I have been making risotto for a couple years now, and feel that I have finally mastered the dish, and boy do I just love it!  I have made a number of different risotto's, but last night I combined risotto with roasted butternut squash to make a tasty, colorful meal.

Squash:

2-3 cups butternut squash (3/4 inch cubes)

fresh sage

olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix ingredients, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

When done, I left in oven   to keep warm until risotto was done.

Risotto:

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

thyme

salt and pepper

1 Tb butter

1 - 2 Tb olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup provolone cheese

In pot heat butter, oil, onions, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.

Add rice,  heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir often.  

Add  next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.

Keep stirring!

Add 1 cup white wine.

Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheeses.

Add butternut squash, mix well, ENJOY :)

Balsamic Vinegar

I believe that a quality balsamic vinegar can take foods to new heights!  After my mom and pop came back from Italy for the first time, our house was filled with delicious olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  After I graduated high school, our entire family took a trip to Italy where we stayed with a family in Tuscany, and traveled to Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast.  I think this trip really made love Italian food even more.  Everything was divine!  It didn't matter if we were in the Trattoria or the Ristorante, it was all the most amazing cuisine I have ever tasted.  Any who...back to the vinegar.....I would like to try some more oil oils and vinegars from around the world.  I found a great import store in Fairport, Lombardi's, they have a LARGE quantity of quality Italian imports and she even makes homemade soups and entrees daily, besides fresh sauces, meats, pastas, ect.  There is one section of olive oil and balsamic vinegar from around the world.  Has anyone tried any of the specialities at this store?  Whats good?

balsamic vinegar hand carried back
 from Italy!

Balsamic Vinegar is delicious over any type of grilled vegetable or salad.  



Grilled Eggplant: Slice, brush with oil, grill!  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.



Romaine salad with red pear, blue cheese, red onion, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Chicken Marsala

Tonight, not only did I get myself caught up with blogging about my adventures in the kitchen, but I also made one of my favorite chicken dishes, Chicken Marsala!  I found this perfectly easy take on chicken Marsala from a friend that told me she found a great recipe on food network.  This recipe is adapted from Emrill Lagasse.  I also think this may be one of his only recipes that does not call for over 15+ ingredients that you never have around the house!  I love his dishes, but for an everyday cook...most just are not realistic.  Here is recipe that you probably will have all the ingredients in the cupboard...

chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour

olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Marsala wine or 1/2 cup Wegmans Marsala Wine Sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup/package mini portabella mushrooms
paprika
garlic powder
dried thyme
salt and pepper
Mix dry ingredients together.  Coat chicken breasts in flour mixture.  Heat frying pan with olive oil.  Brown chicken.  Take out chicken.  Add butter and mushrooms to pan.  Cook mushrooms.  Add chicken stock and Marsala wine to pan.  When sauce starts to boil, add chicken back into the pan.  Let chicken cook through and sauce thicken.  Plate and ENJOY :)

Assorted Panini

Panini's are such a great way to spice up a plain old sandwich.  What is it about that magical panini press that makes sandwiches taste so much better?  Each sandwich comes out perfect...yummo!


Ham
Salami
Turkey
Roasted Red Peppers
Provolone Cheese
Wegmans Basting Oil
Thinly Sliced Italian Bread


Layer the meats on one slice of bread, roasted red peppers, and provolone cheese.  Brush both sides of the bread that will lay on the panini press with Wegmans basting oil.  The panini press will take care of the rest! ENJOY :)

P.S. I think I am going to try to make my own basting oil?  Has anyone ever tried it?

Santa Fe Pork and Sweet Potato Fries with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This is a great meal I whipped up last minute and turned out so good!  My great trick to last minute meals is having lots of Wegmans marinades at hand in the fridge!  Love Wegmans!

Pork Loin Chops
Santa Fe Marinade
Let pork loin chops marinate for 1-3 hours.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  

2 Sweet Potatoes
fresh cilantro
1 lime
olive oil
salt and pepper
In a hurry or not, the trick is to poke the potatoes with a knife, then microwave them for 2-4 minutes.  This will soften them up so they are easier to cut into wedges.  Cut into wedges, place onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper onto the wedges.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.
Cilantro  Vinaigrette: Cut up a good handful of fresh cilantro, mix with the juice of 1 lime, and 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.  Drizzle on sweet potato wedges when they come out of oven.  ENJOY :)