Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

This is a great recipe for Lent.  It supposedly serves 4-6 people, but I cut way down on the pasta, use half the butter & oil & keep everything else the same & the two of us eat the whole thing!  The recipe is courtesy of Tyler Florence, on the Food Network  & slightly adapted by me.

1 pound linguini (I often use spaghetti)
4 T. butter
4 T. olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced (I often use scallions)
2 cloves garlic
pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined (I use frozen shrimp that has been thawed & I remove the tails)
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (I use dried & just a sprinkle)

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on to boil.  When it comes to a boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt & then the pasta.  Stir to make sure it separates.  Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done.  Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 T. butter in 2 T. olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute' the shallots, garlic & red pepper flakes until the shallots are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.  Season the shrimp with salt & pepper,  Add them to the pan & cook until they turn pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove the shrimp from the pan & set aside. 

Add wine & lemon juice & bring to a boil.  Add 2 T. butter & 2 T. olive oil.  When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley & cooked pasta.  Stir well & season with salt & pepper. 

* My addition is that I like to grate Parmesan cheese over the top before serving.  Enjoy!

The Best Rolls Ever

I received this treasured recipe from a good friend years ago.  I have to say that these rolls are fabulous! They are so light & airy in texture.   You can even roll out the dough, butter it up, sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon , roll up & slice for wonderful cinnamon rolls.  Here's the recipe:

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 T. yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 t. salt
1/3 cup oil
3-4 cups flour

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.  I use my Kitchen Aid, but you can easily do this by hand.  Add the flour, starting with 3 cups.  I usually use about 3 1/2 cups of flour.  Cover the bowl & refrigerate for 1 day or up to 1 week.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator 2 hours before you need it.  Shape the dough into balls.  I usually get around 18-20 rolls.  I roll the balls into a little flour before shaping them because the dough is rather sticky.   I put them into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover & let rise until doubled in size.

Uncover & bake the rolls in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Note:  You can skip the refrigerator rising & just let the dough rise until doubled, punch down & then shape & let rise again until doubled.

Triple Berry Jam

I had some frozen mixed berries in the freezer & decided to make some jam.  Jams makes such wonderful hostess gifts & they're so easy.  You can use fresh berries, but I just happened to want to use what I had in the freezer.  Here's what you do:

2 pints strawberries (2 cups crushed

1 pint raspberries (1 cup crushed)

1 pint blackberries or blueberries (1 cup crushed)

(I used 4 cups crushed triple berries, which are raspberries, blueberries & marionberries)

1/2 t. butter

7 cups sugar

1 pouch Certo (you get 2 pouches per box)

1.  Prepare jars & bands by washing in hot, soapy water. I usually sterilize them in the dishwasher.  Pour boiling water over the lids in a saucepan & let stand until ready to use.

2.  Prepare fruit by crushing with a potato masher.  I do this in a large dutch oven.

3.  Stir the sugar into the fruit & add the 1/2 t. butter to reduce foaming.

4.  Bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. 

5.  Stir in Certo quickly.  Return to a full rolling boil & boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

6.  Ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/2" from the top.  Wipe the top of the jar with a clean, wet paper towel.  You want to have a clean seal.  Cover with the lid, using tongs to get from the hot water.  Tightly screw on the band. 

7.  You can now process in a canner or do a trick that someone told me about over 30 years ago.  Take the hot, lidded, tightly banded jars & turn upside down on a kitchen towel.  Let sit for around 10-15 minutes. Do not allow the jars to stay upside down past the time or the jam will have a gap at the bottom!  Immediately turn right side up on the towel.  You should "hear" the jar seal within a few minutes.  Check to see if the middle is down.  If lid springs back, it is not sealed & will need refrigeration.  This method for sealing jam has always worked for me.  You can also just freeze the jam, if you prefer to skip the sealing method.


8.  Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.  Store in a cool, dark place.

Makes 8 cups of yummy, delicious jam