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Shrimp Scampi Flatbread Pizza

Posted on March 25, 2011 by amydeline

As predicted, every pizza joint in my area is suddenly a fish fry too! After Easter, the Friday fish fry specials will gradually fade away, but for anyone who abstains from meat on Fridays during this time of the year, your local pizza shop is probably your one-stop-shop for Friday takeout!

If you’re feeling like something other than pizza, fried haddock or frozen fish sticks, I’ve got a few ideas for you. For starters, I’ve got a new recipe for a shrimp scampi flatbread pizza. We’ll start with a basic shrimp scampi, which will drizzle over individual flatbread crusts, and bake with a bit of asiago and mozzarella cheese. Garlic-flavored naan (Indian flatbread) makes an especially tasty crust for this pizza. Many supermarkets now carry prepared naan, either fresh in the bread or international section or frozen. If you can’t get your hands on flatbread or naan, a thin prepared pizza crust would do the trick.

For the purpose of this pizza, small salad shrimp (the kind you can typically find cooked and frozen) work perfectly. If you’d like to use this scampi recipe for serving over rice or pasta, substitute the salad shrimp for larger, fresh shrimp and allow them to cook in the buttery garlic sauce.

Shrimp Scampi Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients

  • 4 flatbreads, Indian naan, or a thin-crust pizza shell
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cups cooked salad-sized shrimp, defrosted
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Salt
  • 2-3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup asiago cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the garlic just begins to turn a golden brown. Lower the heat, if necessary, to prevent burning. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and gently simmer until heated through. Season with crushed red pepper and salt, as desired. Stir in the fresh parsley. Allow the scampi mixture to cool slightly.

To assemble the pizzas, place the flatbreads or naan onto baking sheets. Sprinkle approximately 1/4 cup asiago cheese over each flatbread or naan. Spoon some of the shrimp mixture, with a small amount of the buttery sauce, over the cheese. To prevent your pizza from becoming soggy, do not use too much of the sauce. A light drizzle around the pizza will be perfect. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the top of each pizza. Bake for about 12 minutes.

Makes 4 Individual Flatbread Pizzas

Looking for a few other meat-free dinner options? Check out these previously posted Gourmand Mom recipes:

Codfish Cakes


Pan-Fried Tilapia with Grapefruit and Shaved Leeks


Broiled Salmon Bruschetta


Coconut Crusted Tilapia with Tropical Fruit Salsa


Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese in a Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette


Cinnamon Apple and Brie Quesadillas


Broiled Halibut with Olives, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Capers


Tropical Fish Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice


Salmon Burgers with Horseradish Sauce


Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella


Chilled Avocado Soup and Crab Cakes with Chipotle Remoulade


Buttermilk Battered Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Chipotle Dipping Sauce


Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp


Shrimp and Asparagus in a Lemony Basic Alfredo Sauce


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Posted in Burgers, Cheese, Dressings and Condiments, Food, Main Course, Recipes, Rice, Salads, Sandwiches, Seafood, Side Dishes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leg of Lamb with Mint-Walnut Pesto

Posted on March 21, 2011 by amydeline

As a child, my favorite brown-bag lunch for school was a peanut butter and green jelly sandwich. I’m not sure which I enjoyed more; the minty flavor of that green jelly or the reactions of my little friends over my bizarre PB&J sandwich. While they ate plain old grape or strawberry jelly, in boring shades of purple and red, I feasted on a shocking shade of gooey green. I especially loved it when the jelly soaked through the bread as it sat in my classroom cubby, waiting to be eaten. The green-soaked exterior made the sandwich all the more of a gruesome shock at the school lunch table.

We almost always had green mint jelly in our house when I was a child. It wasn’t the result of my strange love for green jelly sandwiches. The mint-flavored jelly was usually leftover from one of my dad’s favorite meals; lamb chops. Lamb and mint are a classic flavor combination. There’s something about the fresh taste of mint which pairs perfectly with the slightly gamey flavor of lamb. A match made in culinary heaven. Those green jelly sandwiches were merely my personal bonus!

Recently, I picked up a butterflied leg of lamb with the intent of grinding it for my recent In Like a Lamb Shepherd’s Pie. But, on the day I planned to make the pie, my grocery store happened to have ground lamb available. So, I decided to skip the hassle of grinding the meat myself and use the pre-ground meat for the shepherd’s pie. This left me with a perfectly delicious leg of lamb sitting in the freezer, waiting to be used.

I decided to stick with the classic mint and lamb combination, jazzed up in the form of a fresh mint and walnut pesto. The goat cheese in my fridge begged to join the mix, so I happily complied. This is one of those meals which sounds a lot fancier than it really is. It only takes a few basic ingredients and a few simple steps to make this impressive dinner. It would work well for entertaining guests or a nice dinner any night of the week!

Leg of Lamb with Mint-Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless leg of lamb, butterflied (approx. 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (approximately)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To prepare the pesto, blend the mint, parsley, walnuts, and garlic together in a food processor. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. (A thick pesto works best for this recipe). Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Trim the lamb of any exterior fat and pound the lamb to about  1/2″ thickness, using a meat mallet or heavy, flat-bottomed pan. Spread a generous amount of the pesto over the lamb. Sprinkle with the goat cheese crumbles. Roll the lamb and secure with butcher’s twine (or a skewer, if you’re all out of twine, like me). Coat the exterior of the lamb with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and cook for about 35-45 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your lamb and actual oven temperature. An instant-read meat thermometer will give you the best indication of doneness. An internal temperature of about 155-160 degrees should result in a nice, pink medium done. *Adjust cooking time for larger roasts.

Allow the roast to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with any leftover pesto.

Serving tip: Serve with a side of roasted red potatoes. Simply halve or quarter baby red potatoes. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings, if desired. Garlic and rosemary work well. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes  – 1 hour, occasionally flipping to promote even browning. *If you place the potatoes in the oven right before you begin preparing the pesto and the lamb, the lamb and potatoes will finish at about the same time!

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The Kids Cook Monday – Chocolate Coconut King Cake

Posted on March 7, 2011 by amydeline

I’ve always felt a strong pull towards the city of New Orleans, as if in some long-forgotten past life, it were my home. The most likely explanation for this feeling comes from reading way too many Anne Rice novels during an impressionable period of my youth. I dreamed of the vampire Lestat in the way which girls today dream of  the infamous Edward. I so clearly imagined myself in Rice’s stories, that I began to believe I had a history with New Orleans. Whatever the case may be, the city calls to me. I’ve yet to visit New Orleans, but it’s high on my list.

In another time and place, I would have surely planned my New Orleans trip to correspond with the uproarious celebrations of Mardi Gras. But at this point in my life, as I sit here expecting my third child, I’d almost certainly plan my trip for any time of year except Mardi Gras. I’m just not sure there’s enough wild youth left in me to handle Mardi Gras. These days, I’d be much more inclined to find a dimly lit bar and sit back with a few drinks, listening to live jazz until the wee hours of the morn.

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is traditionally celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday; a sort of last hurrah before buckling down for Lenten preparations. Tomorrow, as I’m comfortably nestled on my couch, watching American Idol and eating Easter candy, the city of New Orleans will be buzzing with the grand excitement of Mardi Gras; parades, beads, music and wild partying.  It’s a time to celebrate, indulge, and let the good times roll!

If you were composing a list of foods associated with Mardi Gras, King Cake would surely top the list. King cakes have a long history as part of the Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans. They are typically made from a ring of lightly-sweetened bread, similar to a brioche, which is then drizzled with a sweet glaze and decorated in the customary Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. Part of the king cake tradition involves placing a small plastic baby, said to represent the baby Jesus, into the cake. Other items, such as dried beans or nuts are often used as a substitute for the baby. The party guest to find the ‘baby’ is deemed the king.

Holidays make fantastic opportunities for getting kids involved in the kitchen. As with all cooking activities, young children develop early-learning skills in multiple areas. But when the cooking activity relates to a special holiday, it also becomes an opportunity to create a memorable experience which helps kids to connect with their newly learned knowledge of customs and traditions. Experiences like these create memories and help to develop curious lifelong learners.

As part of our Kids Cook Mondays series, my little helpers joined me in making a traditional king cake with a twist. We started with a basic king cake recipe, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, the culinary king of New Orleans. Then, as Emeril would say, we kicked it up a notch, with a double filling of coconut cream cheese and chocolate. The kids helped to measure, mix, stir, and knead. As we worked, we talked about Mardi Gras and its relevance to Lent and our upcoming Easter preparations. We chatted about the history of king cakes and the tradition of the plastic baby in the cake. Then, once the cake was complete, we eagerly plunged our forks into the sweet slices of cake, curious to discover who would become our king for the day.

Chocolate Coconut King Cake
Adapted from Emeril’s King Cake


Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 packets dry active yeast
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon lemon peel
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

For the Fillings:

  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut

For the Icing:

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Water (a few spoonfuls)
  • Colored sugars (green, purple, and gold)

Directions

Combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir until dissolved. Set aside for about 10 minutes. It will begin to bubble up, indicating that the yeast has been activated.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and lemon peel. Gradually stir in the egg yolks, milk, and melted butter. Stir in the yeast mixture until well-blended. If the dough becomes too thick to stir, knead the ingredients together with your hands. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add additional flour until it becomes more manageable.

Coat a large bowl with a bit of vegetable oil or melted butter. Place the dough into the prepared bowl and turn once or twice so that the top of the dough is lightly coated with oil. Cover with a towel and let the dough sit for about 1 1/2 hours.

Prepare the coconut filling by stirring together the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and coconut. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once the dough has rested and risen for 1 1/2 hours, split the dough in half. Roll each half into a log, about 30 inches long. Flatten each log into a long rectangle. Sprinkle the chocolate chips along the center of one of the rectangles. Spread the coconut mixture along the center of the other rectangle. Fold the rectangles in half along the long sides and pinch closed. Form into rounded logs. Twist the two logs together. Then, arrange the twisted logs into a circle and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 45 minutes. Then, bake for 30 minutes.

To prepare the icing, combine the powdered sugar and vanilla with just enough water to form a pourable glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Sprinkle with colored sugars.

Prior to serving, insert a nut or dried bean into the bottom of the cake. The guest to find the nut in their piece of cake is deemed king!

King of the Mardi Gras!

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Chicken with Prosciutto, Brie, and Figs

Posted on March 5, 2011 by amydeline

Some things just go together, like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, wine and cheese, family and laughter, children and…messes, bodily fluids, and noise. And some ingredients seem to beckon for others; peas and carrots, chocolate and peanut butter, mashed potatoes and gravy, Buffalo wings and bleu cheese dressing.

I spend my time dreaming up new ways of combining my favorite flavor friends…turning chicken wings into a lasagna or steak dinners into pizzas or pizzas into salads.

Lately, one of my favorite combinations has been calling to me; prosciutto with brie and figs; a perfect blend of savory, sweet, and creamy.  I’ve married these flavors in warm cheese tartlettes and tasty thin-crust pizzas. I’ve earmarked the combination for a unique twist on a creamy macaroni and cheese. And for now, I’m going to roll them inside a chicken breast and call it dinner!

Chicken with Prosciutto, Brie, and Figs

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4-5 slices prosciutto
  • 8-ounce wedge brie, sliced
  • 1/2 cup dried figs, sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • Olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pound the chicken breasts down to between 1/4″ and 1/2″ thickness. Line the chicken breast with slices of prosciutto. Top the prosciutto with pieces of brie and the sliced figs. Tightly roll the chicken, tucking the ends in. Secure with toothpicks, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Dip the rolled chicken into the beaten eggs, then roll the chicken in the panko, until well coated. Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan, seam-side down and cook for a minute or two on each side, until golden brown. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until completely cooked through.

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In Like a Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on March 2, 2011 by amydeline

They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. This year, March came in like a lamb…a very chilly lamb, but a lamb all the same. The thermometer may have registered a cool 23 degrees and the ground is still covered in white, but the sun was shining and the air was calm; a rare occurrence ’round here during the winter. I sense that spring is just around the corner. But that might just be wishful thinking!

In honor of our lamb of a first day of March, it seemed appropriate to make a nice shepherd’s pie for dinner; a perfect comfort meal for a sunny, late winter day. Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made by layering ground lamb, in a seasoned sauce, with vegetables and a layer of mashed potatoes; a well-balanced meal in a baking dish! This Irish-inspired dish makes a perfect one-dish meal any night of the week or would make a fantastic substitute for corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day!

Many variations of shepherd’s pie call for ground beef as a substitute for lamb. Technically, that wouldn’t be a shepherd’s pie at all, but rather a cottage pie. Shepherd’s herd sheep; not cattle. And shepherd’s pie is made with lamb; not beef. If your grocery store does not regularly carry ground lamb, you have a few options. First, try asking at the butcher counter to see if they would grind a lamb shoulder for you. Many accommodating butchers would be happy to do this for you. If you’ve got a KitchenAid mixer with a food grinder attachment, another alternative is to grind your own lamb. Finally, I’ve read that you can grind meat by pulsing it in a standard food processor, though I’ve never actually tried this particular strategy. If all else fails, substitute ground beef and call it cottage pie instead! It will still be delicious!

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup onions, finely diced
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more, if desired)
  • Pepper
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas, warmed
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn, warmed
  • 2 cups creamy mashed potatoes*
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Additional cheddar cheese and parsley, for garnish

*Prepared using your favorite mashed potatoes recipe or boil 4-5 Russet potatoes until fork-tender. Blend with butter and milk until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add carrots and onions. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the ground lamb. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until fully cooked. Sprinkle the flour over the meat. Stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 2 minutes, until a sauce thickens around the meat. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the cheddar cheese.

To assemble the pie, spread the meat and sauce into a baking dish. Top with a layer of peas and corn. Spread a layer of mashed potatoes on the top. Garnish with a sprinkle of cheddar and fresh parsley. Bake for about 15 minutes, until it bubbles around the edges and the top is lightly browned.

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The Kids Cook Monday – White Garlic Shrimp Pizza

Posted on February 21, 2011 by amydeline
Don’t get me wrong…I love a traditional slice of saucy, cheesy pizza as much as the next person (preferably dipped in a bit of bleu cheese dressing). But there’s something about a slice of white garlic pizza which makes my taste buds do a little happy dance. And last week, my happy-dancing taste buds decided that a homemade white garlic pizza, with a generous topping of tiny shrimp, was exactly what we needed.
Truth be told, I made this pizza twice last week. I had initially planned to post the recipe on Friday, but my first take on the pizza was less than ideal. It was garlicky and delicious, but the proportions of sauce and cheese to the dough were off kilter. On top of being too heavily sauced, the ricotta layer cooked up into a bit of a mess. I figured that all it needed was a little reduction on the toppings and a touch of egg white to bind the ricotta. I was about to post the recipe with my theorized improvements, but made a last minute decision to run another test. There were no complaints in our household about having this pizza twice in the same week! The second run-through was a definite winner!
As part of our Kids Cook Monday series, I invited my little helpers into the kitchen. Pizza making is ripe with opportunities for young children to get involved. Stretching dough, spreading sauces, arranging toppings, and scattering cheese are ideal tasks for little hands. Kids benefit in a number of ways while cooking. They develop math skills while measuring, fine motor skills while spreading and arranging pizza toppings, health and safety skills while washing up before cooking, and language skills while following directions. But, in my opinion, there’s no bigger reward than the proud smiles on their little faces as our family sits down to enjoy the meal they had a hand in creating.
White Garlic Shrimp Pizza
Ingredients
  • 1 large pizza shell or pizza dough, prepared or homemade*
  • 2 cups salad shrimp, cooked
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For the Ricotta Layer

  • 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Garlic Sauce

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 Tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup Asiago or Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Ground black pepper

*Click here to see my post on making homemade pizza dough.

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If using pizza dough, stretch the dough into a large round and arrange on a pizza stone or large baking sheet, lightly greased with olive oil.

Prepare the ricotta by combining the ricotta, egg white, garlic, parsley, and salt.

Prepare the garlic sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic to the butter. Cook for about two minutes. Add the flour to the mixture and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, until the milk begins to thicken. Turn down the heat. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

To assemble the pizza, spread a thin, even layer of the ricotta mixture over the pizza dough. Then, spread a thin, even layer of the garlic sauce over the ricotta. Scatter the salad shrimp over the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and parsley. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

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‘Thunder Bowl’ Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

Posted on February 10, 2011 by amydeline

Just when you thought I’d covered every possible incarnation of Buffalo chicken themed food, I’ve got another one for you! We’ve already enjoyed luscious Chicken Wing Dip, a decadent Buffalo Chicken Pizza, a tasty Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, and mouthwatering Chicken Wing Lasagna. And today, we’ve got Mini Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins; the perfect bite-sized way to enjoy all the flavor of Buffalo chicken wings, without the bones!

This recipe is inspired by a recipe I ran across on another food blog, Sprinkles of Parsley. I’d originally intended to make them as part of our Super Bowl party menu. But at the last minute, our planned party turned into a quiet night on the couch.

News of the party cancellation was easily the most distressing to our three year old, who’d spent weeks telling everyone he encountered about our planned ‘Thunder Bowl’ party. We’re still not quite sure how he dreamed up this ‘Thunder Bowl’ idea or what exactly he expected to happen during this grand event…Two men enter, one man leaves. Perhaps he’d imagined that we’d harness his little brother to his shoulders in Master-Blaster style and engage in some sort of rough and tumble mischief.

Whatever he’d been thinking, he was devastated to learn of the cancellation. He couldn’t be consoled without the promise of special Thunder Bowl treats. Bust the deal, face the wheel, Mommy!! And so, Super (or Thunder) Bowl party aside, I still had to try my hand at these tempting little appetizers!

I wonder what other ways we can come up with to get our chicken wing fix…perhaps Buffalo chicken eggrolls, ravioli, or maybe even quesadillas?

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds Baby Red Potatoes
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or other hot sauce)
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter, melted
  • 2 cups Chicken, cooked and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 3-4 Green Onions, sliced
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until fork-tender, but firm. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half and scoop out most of the insides using a spoon or melon baller. (You can reserve the scooped potato insides for another purpose.) Brush both sides of the potato skins with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and bake for 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine the melted butter and hot sauce. Toss the chicken in the sauce until well coated. When the potato skins have finished baking, fill each skin with the sauced chicken. Top each potato skin with a sprinkle of gorgonzola, cheddar and green onions. Bake for 5 minutes, until hot and melty.

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Kids Cook Monday – Brought to you by the letter P!

Posted on February 7, 2011 by amydeline

Today’s recipe is brought to you by the letter P. This meal started out with a general plan for Pasta in a Parmesan cream sauce with Prosciutto. Inspired by the natural alliteration in this simple dinner idea, I figured we may as well make it Penne Pasta and throw in a few Portabella mushrooms and Peas for good measure. Dinner by the letter P.

This easy weeknight meal comes together in a Pinch! But, it’s not without opportunities for getting kids involved. Young children may not be ready to participate with the stovetop cooking involved in making this dish, but they make fantastic prep chefs, measuring level cups of cheese and peas, pouring the cream, and taste-testing the mushrooms and prosciutto.

And while the sauce simmered on the stove, the kids set to work artfully decorating large cutouts of the letter P, while giggling their ways through chanting Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers… Even when the meal preparation is simple, there are easy ways to get everyone involved and build authentic, memorable learning experiences into the process!

Penne Pasta in Parmesan Cream Sauce with Prosciutto, Portabellas, and Peas

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Penne Pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 1/2 cups Light Cream
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 cups Baby Portabella Mushrooms (Cremini mushrooms), sliced
  • 1/2 cup Prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas, defrosted
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine cream and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese in a saucepan. Add the mushrooms. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cream has thickened and the mushrooms are tender. Add the remaining cheese, prosciutto, and peas. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and serve immediately.

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Game Day Menu Ideas

Posted on February 3, 2011 by amydeline

Growing up, my family never watched football. We were more of a hockey and baseball kind of clan. But every year we had a big ole Super Bowl Sunday party. I was infinitely envious of my younger sister, whose birthday happens to fall right around the Super Bowl, for she had a guaranteed birthday party each year, long after the rest of us had been weaned off of annual birthday celebrations.

In college, I briefly and half-heartedly tried to get into the whole football thing. I watched games on TV with my new college friends and looked to them to explain the ins and outs of the activity I was so hopelessly clueless about. But, my interest in football was short-lived. Not long after that, I met my husband, who’s more of a guitar and drum kind of guy than a sports fan. So, football remains largely absent from my life.

But in true, inherited non-football-fan fashion, my husband and I are throwing a Super Bowl party this year. Our game day menu is still under construction, but will almost certainly include some adaptation of these Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins and a decadent German Chocolate Cake in honor of my sister’s birthday. (Those recipes to follow after the Superbowl!)

In the meantime, if you’re in search of a few new ideas for your game day celebrations, check out these previously posted Gourmand Mom recipes:

Spicy Beef Chili

White Chicken Chili

Sweet Honey Cornbread

Jalapeno Poppers

Spinach Dip and Fried Wonton Chips

Chicken Wing Dip

Homemade Pizza Dough

Blue Cows in a Blanket

Creole Deviled Eggs

Fresh Tomato or Corn and Chipotle Salsa

Steak Bordelaise Pizza

Buffalo Chicken Pizza


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Posted in Appetizers, Beef, Breads, Cheese, Dressings and Condiments, Food, Main Course, Pizza, Potato, Recipes, Side Dishes and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Posted on February 2, 2011 by amydeline

It’s been a week since my last post and life hasn’t slowed down for even a moment since. My family is still in recovery from a series of vicious little winter viruses, our dog is still sick with a mysterious ailment, my laptop made a sudden decision to take a permanent vacation and we currently have a houseful of visiting family, brought together by the loss of a loved one.

These are the days which scream for comfort food. And does it get any more comforting than a big dish of spaghetti and meatballs with a crusty piece of buttery garlic bread? I’d like to argue that it does…if you stuff your meatballs with a nice chunk of melty mozzarella cheese!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Ground Beef
  • 3 Eggs
  • 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
  • Crushed Red Pepper, as desired
  • 1 (8 ounce) ball Fresh Mozzarella, cut into 24 chunks
  • Olive Oil for baking dish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the mozzarella and olive oil. Knead together until well combined. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in two large baking dishes or baking sheets. Roll the meat into balls of about about 1 1/2 – 2 inches diameter. Create a pocket in the center of each ball, insert a chunk of the mozzarella cheese and wrap the meat closed around it. Place the meatballs in the baking dish and cook for about 30 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce. Click here for my recipe for a basic homemade tomato sauce.

Makes 24 Meatballs

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Beauty Awaits

The Gourmand Mom

Good food, seasoned with a dash of life