Crispy Potato Roast

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 lbs russet potatoes
4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp coarse sea salt
8 sprigs thyme

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a mandoline or food processor, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.
Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more. Yield: 8 servings.

Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet

First, heat a large skillet with 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat, then start cooking 8oz angel hair pasta in lightly salted boiling water in a pot next door.

While the pasta’s cookin’, place 1-1/2lbs raw, peeled & de-veined shrimp into the oil then season with salt & pepper and cook through, flipping once. Add 3 cloves minced garlic to the skillet then cook for 1 more minute. (That is not 1-1/2lbs in the picture, FYI.)

Remove the shrimp and garlic to a plate then check on your pasta. Drain and set it aside if it’s ready.

Next, in the same skillet, add 1 cup chicken broth, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
   
Whisk together 1/2 cup additional chicken broth with 2 teaspoons cornstarch, then drizzle into the skillet.

Let the mixture bubble until it’s slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Add in 4 cups chopped spinach, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, and the cooked shrimp and garlic to the sauce next. then cook for another 30 seconds or so to let the spinach wilt and the tomatoes burst.

Finally, add the cooked and drained angel hair pasta then toss everything to combine.

Plate with TONS of feta cheese, fresh basil, and a twist of freshly cracked pepper (my secret to making any dish appear more fancy than it really is!) on top. Seriously, that took like what – 15 minutes? Tops!

Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet

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Serves 4
Ingredients:
8oz dry angel hair pasta
1-1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2lbs raw medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (could use Italian seasoning)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. At the same time, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then stir together 1/2 cup chicken broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Drop the pasta into the water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, add shrimp to the hot oil, season with salt & pepper, then cook through flipping once. Add garlic and stir continuously for 30 more seconds. Remove shrimp and garlic to a plate and set aside.
3. To the same skillet add 1 cup chicken broth, lemon juice, and dried basil. Pour in cornstarch and chicken broth mixture then bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add spinach, cherry tomatoes, and  cooked shrimp and garlic,then stir until spinach is wilted. Turn off heat, add in cooked pasta, and toss to combine.
4. Divide amongst plates then serve topped with feta cheese, fresh basil, and freshly cracked pepper, if desired.

Winner, winner shrimp skillet dinner! This tasted SO fresh, and the feta cheese and fresh basil at the end was totally clutch. What a great summer supper.

If you don’t like shrimp, you could easily swap in a couple chopped up chicken breasts, btw. This would be just a good!

Well, since clean up for this dish was so easy, I’m off to enjoy the rest of the night outdoors! Some early gloomy skies have given way to the loveliest evening. Enjoy!

blueberry pancakes

My blueberry nights

More often than not I like my breakfast sweet and these yoghurt blueberry pancakes always tick the box. Not too sweet, the pancakes work well with maple syrup making a killer lazy breakfast.
Ingredients (10-12 pancakes)

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of yoghurt
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 75g butter
• zest from 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 1tbsp baking powder
• salt

How to make it

1. Mix eggs, sugar and yoghurt together using a mixer. Add lemon zest, vanilla essence and melted butter (wait for it to cool down). Mix well
2. In other bowl sieve flour and add pinch of salt and baking powder
3. Mix the contents of both bowls gently using a spoon
4. Leave to rise for 10 minutes
5. Add blueberries and mix very gently
6. On a heated pan fry form small round pancakes and fry on both sides until golden. Dust with icing sugar

Tuna Noodle Casserole with Spinach & Olives

 

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.32
1 small	onion	$0.36
8 oz.	button mushrooms	$1.99
4 cloves	garlic	$0.32
2 Tbsp	butter	$0.17
1/4 cup	all-purpose flour	$0.03
3 cups	milk	$1.11
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
1/2 tsp	thyme	$0.03
to taste	freshly cracked pepper	$0.05
12 oz.	wide egg noodles	$1.20
2 (5 oz.) cans	chunk light tuna	$1.00
1/2 lb.	frozen chopped spinach	$0.75
1/2 cup	pitted kalamata olives	$1.99
1/2 cup	sour cream	$0.44
1/2 cup	parmesan cheese	$0.84
1/4 cup	parmesan (for topping, optional)	$0.42
TOTAL		$11.07

STEP 1: Add the olive oil to a large pot. Dice the onion and saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-low heat. While the onion is cooking, thinly slice the mushrooms. Add them to the pot and continue to saute. Mince the garlic, add it to the pot, and continue to saute until the mushrooms and onions have released all of their water and become limp. There should be no water pooled on the bottom of the pot.

STEP 2: Add the butter to the pot and allow it to melt. When it is completely melted, add the flour. Stir the flour and butter together with the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. The mixture will form a thick paste. Continue to stir and cook this mixture for 3-4 minutes, or until it begins to coat the bottom of the pot and turn slightly golden brown.

STEP 3: Warm the milk slightly in the microwave (or in a separate pot if needed). Slowly whisk the milk into the pot with the flour mixture, making sure to dissolve all of the flour stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat up to medium-high and allow the sauce to come up to a simmer, at which point it will begin to thicken. Make sure to whisk the mixture occasionally as it heats. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and thyme. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, turn the heat off and set it aside.

STEP 4: Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and continue to let it boil for 7-10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot with the heat turned off.

STEP 5: Begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thaw the spinach and squeeze as much moisture out of it as possible. Roughly chop the olives. Add the spinach, olives, drained tuna, sour cream, and a 1/2 cup of grated parmesan to the pot with the drained pasta. Pour the prepared mushroom sauce over top and stir everything together until evenly combined.

STEP 6: Lightly coat an 8x8 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour the pasta mixture into the dish. If desired, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese over top. Bake the casserole in the fully preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until it is hot, bubbly, and the parmesan begins to turn golden brown. Divide into 9 portions and then serve.

Step By Step Photos

Begin by cooking these in olive oil. Dice the onion and add it first, since it will take the longest to cook down. Slice the mushrooms while the onion is cooking, then add them and continue to cook. Finally, mince the garlic, add it to the pot, and continue to cook until most of the moisture has cooked out of the mixture.


Cook them all in a large pot over medium/medium-low heat. You'll know when most of the moisture has cooked off because there will no longer be pools of liquid on the bottom of the pot, the amount of steam coming off of the vegetables will have reduced, and the sound of the saute will get higher in pitch.


Once most of the water has cooked off of the vegetables, add the butter and let it melt in. Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour. Let it form a paste with the other ingredients and then continue to stir and cook it for 3-4 minutes, or until it coats the bottom of the pot and turns a slightly golden brown color.


Warm the milk slightly (microwave is easiest) and then slowly whisk it into the pot. Make sure to dissolve all of the floury paste off of the bottom of the pot. Increase the heat slightly and allow the sauce to come up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken.


Once the sauce has thickened, season it with salt, pepper, and thyme. Turn the heat off and set the sauce aside.


In a separate pot, cook the pasta according to the package directions. If you're good at multi-tasking, you can do this while you're making the sauce.


Thaw the spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. I like to buy the chopped spinach that comes frozen in a bag rather than in a block. It retains its texture much better. This clump was half of a one pound bag, but once squeeze dried it only fills one fist!


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. After draining the pasta return it to the pot with the heat turned off. Add the squeeze dried spinach, chopped kalamata olives, drained tuna, sour cream, and a half cup of grated parmesan. Pour the mushroom sauce over top of all of that and stir everything together until combined.


Pour the pasta mixture into an 8x8 inch casserole dish (coated with non-stick spray). Sprinkle more parmesan on top, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until it's hot, bubbly, and the parmesan is golden brown.


Yep, I ate this for lunch AND dinner today because it is YUMS.