Aggie's Kitchen » Shrimp

Shrimp Arrabbiata – Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

Aggies Kitchen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:26:36 +0000

I can’t believe it’s February already! January whizzed by…and with the not so mild weather all of us have been having (some more than others!), the closer we get to spring the better, as far as I’m concerned. I can’t wait to see some color in the grass and hit the beach again. This Florida girl needs some sun.

Since it’s February, it’s time for another Virtual Cooking Club get together. This month we cooked for the theme “Healthy Italian”…which is my kind of cooking. Italian is really so easy to healthy up…you don’t need a lot of heavy cheese and bread to make a great and healthy Italian meal. This Shrimp Arrabbiata is a perfect example of how simple Italian cooking can really be…and simple is good in my opinion. Especially if you are trying to put something delicious and healthy on the table…quick.

(served with some Roasted Broccoli…my favorite side)

I followed the recipe to a T (how exactly do you spell T anyway?) for the most part…the only major thing I did differently is add an extra can of diced tomatoes. I thought one can would not make it saucy enough for my liking. I used one can of regular diced tomatoes and one can of Italian diced tomatoes for the additional seasoning. I served it over whole wheat angel hair pasta. I was a little disappointed in the amount of heat (spice) in the sauce, but that may have been my fault, I should have added more red pepper to compensate for the extra can of tomatoes, and also, I like things spicy. My husband and nephew said they were good with the spice…but I could have used some more. You’ll have to decide on that one.

Here is what the rest of the Virtual Supper Club girls brought to the table:

Helene (La Cuisine d’Helene) – Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Salad

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) – Italian Stuffed Summer Vegetables

Jamie (Mom’s Cooking Club) – Spaghettini with Oil and Garlic

Aggie (Aggie’s Kitchen) – Shrimp Arrabbiata

Shelby (The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch) – could not join us this month

For a printable copy of Shrimp Arrabbiata or other Healthy Italian recipe visit CookingLight.com.

Join the club! If you’d like to become an honorary member of the Virtual Supper Club, blog a recipe that fits the theme, leave a comment on the Test Kitchen Secrets – Cooking Light blog and leave a comment with a link to your post!

Small Plates, Small Bites…

Aggies Kitchen — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:58:25 +0000

This month our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club came together with a collection of “tapas style” appetizers to share with you…the timing is actually perfect since most of us are gearing up for the holiday season, which means entertaining and getting together with lots of family, friends and loved ones.

The whole idea behind having a tapas style gathering is to be able to enjoy small bites of different foods while enjoying the company you are with. It’s such a great way to sample different flavors and foods, and if you and your guests enjoy food like I do, then this is definitely a fun way to eat at a party!

My Virtual Supper Club friends Jamie, Shelby, Val and Helene came together with a fantastic menu of goodies…it doesn’t fail that each month as I type out our menu I wish that this “supper club” was actually real! This month’s idea is really inspiring to have a Tapas party of my own soon!

Check out this feast Cooking Light style!

Helene of La cuisine d’Helene – Grilled Pepper Poppers

Val of More Than Burnt Toast – Windowpane Potato Chips & Sliders with Shallot-Dijon Relish

Shelby of Grumpy’s Honeybunch- Harvest Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Tarts

Jamie of Mom’s Cooking Club- Warm Cranberry-Walnut Brie & Mini Crab Cakes with Herbed Aioli

Aggie – West Indies Shrimp & Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese

My appetizers turned out to actually be meals for my husband and I. We enjoyed the shrimp one night for dinner and I made the mini frittatas on Sunday morning for something different to have with our coffee. Both turned out delicious.

The mini frittatas were a hit. They were so light and delicious, it was hard to stop popping them in your mouth. These would be great for a brunch or a shower! And seriously, they couldn’t be easier to make. All the ingredients are combined into one mixing bowl and then spooned into a mini muffin pan. I filled mine up completely and got a few less than what I was supposed to, I think filling them 3/4 of the way would be perfect because they do puff up slightly while baking. You could really get creative with these too.

The shrimp dish is very salad-like with a very lightly seasoned oil and vinegar dressing/marinade. I would recommend splurging and purchasing good shrimp for this dish…the flavors in the marinade are very simple so it was all about the shrimp. I had some extra large shrimp in the freezer (leftover from my Pensacola trip) and we loved eating them this way. You can serve it in a nice bowl or a large dish with crusty bread on the side. It’s a great starter dish and could easily be served chilled or at room temperature. And a lot of the prep work can be done ahead of time, making it really convenient to serve at a party (or bring for a potluck!).

Now for those of you who don’t already have a subscription…Amazon.com is offering a $5 subscription to Cooking Light magazine! Offer ends Saturday November 14 so don’t miss out!

Shrimp, Broccoli and Edamame Stir Fry

Aggies Kitchen — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:44:08 +0000

Why don’t I make stir fry more often? It’s such an easy meal to throw together, and you can change it up every time. I was scrambling to figure out dinner for Larry and I the other night at um…let’s say 5ish, the kids were having pasta and I just wasn’t in the mood for pasta. I had an oversupply of broccoli in the fridge (thanks to Publix’s $1 bags of florets this week!) so I knew broccoli had to be a main ingredient. Looking in the freezer for ideas I saw shrimp. Frozen shrimp are so great to have on hand because they are so quick to defrost and cook. So stir fry it was.

I like to cook up the shrimp in the wok first with some garlic, ginger and a couple teaspoons of oil. Once its cooked I set it aside and then add the veggies to the hot pan. For this stir fry I used sliced onion, broccoli florets, water chestnuts and edamame. The combination was perfect. I put together a basic Asian sauce out of some staples and dinner was served.

Oh and don’t forget the chopsticks…I love eating with chopsticks at home, makes me feel like I’m having “takeout”, and I tend to eat slower with them. Just one of those mental tricks I guess. Larry was a big fan of this stir fry, he said it was the best one I’ve made so far. I’m happy with that compliment!

Shrimp, Broccoli and Edamame Stir Fry
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen
(printable recipe)

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or from the jar)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup frozen edamame, defrosted
2-3 TB rice vinegar
2 TB soy sauce
2 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp chile garlic sauce
couple of splashes of fish sauce

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, chile garlic sauce and fish sauce.

Heat wok over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, ginger and shrimp and cook until shrimp are just pink, about 2-3 minutes. Set shrimp aside.

Add onion and broccoli to hot wok. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add edamame and water chestnuts. Continue to cook for about 2 more minutes. Add back in shrimp and sauce and toss to combine, cook for about 2-3 minutes longer. (I like my veggies crisp, but if you prefer, cook a little longer for softer veggies.)

Happy Friday to everyone! What are your plans this weekend? The Gators are playing a big game Saturday night so that’s what we’ll be doing…the rest of the weekend is up to the kids!

Have a great weekend!

Firecracker Shrimp Stirfry…and a peek inside Julia’s Kitchen

Aggies Kitchen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:05:00 +0000

I spotted a shrimp recipe on Pioneer Woman’s amazing site recently and couldn’t wait to make it. I love shrimp, and love anything spicy even more so this was exactly something I knew I had to make. Last night, I was ready to fire up the grill to cook up the shrimp when something like a monsoon came over us. Lightning, rain, thunder, wind…all of it, and very typical of summer in Florida…so needless to say, I wasn’t overly excited about standing in the porch watching delicate shrimp cook up on the grill. It was time to improvise…

I had a ton of veggies to use up in the fridge…and a brand new wok that I got for a steal at IKEA. So stir fry it will be.

In a bowl I mixed together some hot chili sauce, a little oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and a couple splashes of fish sauce. Oh and I pressed about 4 or 5 cloves of garlic in there too. I chopped a ton of veggies…squash, zucchini, onion, red pepper and more garlic. Forget the grill…this stir fry was awesome!

Firecracker Shrimp Stirfry
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

Serves 2-4 (depending on how hungry you are!)

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 TB hot chili sauce (I use Sriracha – adjust amount to your taste)
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB rice vinegar
1 TB oil
couple of splashes fish sauce
4-5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
small pinch of salt, big pinch of pepper

1-2 zucchinis, chopped in quarters
1-2 yellow squash, chopped in quarters
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, sliced in thin strips
2-3 garlic cloves, minced

Combine chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, fish sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl to make a sauce. Toss shrimp in sauce and coat completely.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add a couple tsp canola oil into wok and sear the shrimp. Once shrimp are just cooked, take out and set aside. Add chopped vegetables and garlic into wok. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes until veggies start to soften. Once veggies are slightly cooked, add back in shrimp and toss to combine, cook for 2-3 minutes more. Serve with cooked soba noodles. Season with more soy sauce, fish sauce or chili sauce to taste.

While I was in D.C. last weekend I visited the Julia Child exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Now, I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but I really don’t know much about Ms. Julia Child. I know of her…but have never watched her shows. With “Julie & Julia” out in the theaters today, the book and then finally after visiting this exhibit, I must say, I am intrigued. I may have to dig up some old shows of hers and settle in on the couch one afternoon and just watch…she seemed like such a lovely spirit. Enjoy a peek in her kitchen…apparently it’s all her stuff, donated by her and set up exactly how she wanted it.

PS…Want to join in on the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club fun? Check out Cooking Light’s Test Kitchen Blog featuring Aggie’s Kitchen and other great bloggers!