Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguini

• 1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.

Mix shrimp, butter, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked linguine, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

This was a Friday Lenten meal, thanks to Aldi and their ridiculously cheap seafood sales. True to its name, it's got a real pepper 'kick' to it, but if you're into that sort of thing (which I am) it's quite delicious.

Asian Chicken with Peanuts

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups Chicken Stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
  
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 small red peppers, cut into 2-inch-long strips
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts
• 4 cups Hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Stir the cornstarch, stock, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, if desired, in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it is well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the broccoli, peppers and garlic and stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir the cornstarch mixture in the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in the peanuts and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve over the rice.

This is the best stir fry I have ever made, and some of the best I've tasted, period. But then, I have a strong like of all things nutty. Regardless, this was quick and easy and great as leftovers.

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, salt, 1/3 cup butter and vanilla. Mix together and pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.

To prepare the topping, combine in a separate bowl the brown sugar, flour, 1/3 cup melted butter and pecans. Mix together and crumble over sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes.

Banana Muffins

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• dash or two of nutmeg
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3/4 cup milk
  
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup mashed bananas
  

Preheat oven to 400*
Using a whisk, combine all your dry ingredients in one bowl: whole wheat and AP flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, salt, nuts, spices).
Beat the egg lightly in a separate bowl. Whisk in milk, applesauce, vanilla to the eggs.
Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold bananas in.
Divide the batter among a greased or paper-lined muffin tin.
Bake for about 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Black Bean Burritos

• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 t minced jalepeno peppers
  
• 1 T olive oil
  
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Cream of Chicken Soup
  
• 1 cup Thick & Chunky Salsa
  
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 2 cups shredded chicken, seasoned with 1 t cumin and 1/2 t chili powder
  
• 4 flour tortillas (10-inch)

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, garlic and jalapeños in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Add soup and salsa and heat to a boil. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring. Add corn, rice and chicken and heat through.
Spoon about 1 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Fold tortilla around filling. Cover with cheese and bake (or microwave) until cheese is melted.

Chipotle Pepper and Black Bean Chili

• 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 14-oz. cans beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 16-oz. jar chunky salsa
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz. can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes
• 1 to 2 canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped*
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• Dairy sour cream, chopped avocado and/or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Tortilla chips or corn bread (optional)

In a large skillet, cook ground beef until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Transfer meat to a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Stir broth, salsa, beans, hominy, potatoes, chipotle peppers, chili powder, oregano and cumin into meat in cooker.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
Top individual servings with sour cream, avocado and cheddar cheese and serve with tortilla chips, if you like. Makes 6 servings (9-1/2 cups total)

Kansas City Steak Soup

• 1 1/2 pounds cubed steak
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 14-ounce cans beef broth or 3-1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 tablespoons steak sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a pot, cook beef, onion and celery over medium heat until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain well; return to pot.
Stir in 1 can of the beef broth, undrained tomatoes, mixed vegetables, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together remaining can of beef broth and the flour. Stir into mixture in pot Cook until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (to taste)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (to taste)
  
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves (to taste)
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease three 12 cup muffin pans, or line with paper muffin liners. Soak raisins in hot water for ten minutes to plump, then drain.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, and applesauce, until smooth. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Stir the raisins and walnuts into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

• 2 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1tart apple - peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

Chicken Scarpariello

• 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper

Cut chicken breasts into 1 x 3 inch strips, and dredge in flour.
In 10 inch skillet, heat oil and butter. Add chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides (3 to 4 minutes). Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet. Set aside and keep warm.
To same skillet, add shallots and garlic. Saute until softened (1 minute). Add water, wine, broth mix, and seasonings. Mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by 1/2 (3 to 4 minutes). Return chicken to skillet, and cook until sauce is thick and chicken is heated through (2 to 3 minutes). Serve over angel hair pasta.

This was a thank-you dinner for Craig, in my appreciate for his picking me up from the airport. I served it with green beans and pasta; beer for him. Like a white sauce, this isn't nearly as rich and you don't feel like taking a nap immediately after. Very tasty.