Orzo with Grilled Shrimp and Pesto Viniagrette

So, we haven't done a recipe post in a while because, well, to be honest, they're not our forte. I love to cook and to share good recipes when I come across them, but getting a good photo of a really great recipe is not always easy (and delays dinner time)...but this time everything came together and this recipe is too good to not share.

Orzo with Grilled Shrimp and Pesto Viniagrette

Makes 4 servings if served as an entree, 6-8 servings if served as a side dish

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups orzo

4 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for grilling/sauteing 

4 Tbsp red wine vinegar, divided

1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch slices

3 Tbsp purchased pesto

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled & deveined

4 links chicken sausage (or other preferred sausage), sliced into 1/2" thick rounds

2 good tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

About 2 cups baby spinach, torn roughly

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 8-oz ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preparation

Cook orzo according to package, until still slightly firm to bite.  Drain.  Rinse with cool water to stop cooking, drain again.  Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Heat grill (or skillet if you do not have a grill or good ventilation) on medium-high heat.  Whisk pesto, lime juice, 3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp vinegar in a small bowl to make viniagrette.  Toss sliced bell peppers and peeled shrimp in 2 Tbsp of viniagrette.  Set the rest of the viniagrette aside.

Grill (or saute) sausage in a splash of olive oil to brown and heat through (if sausage is not pre-cooked, be sure to cook it through according to instructions).  Remove sausage from heat and add to bowl with orzo.  Using the same grill or skillet, grill or saute shrimp and bell peppers (add more olive oil to pan if necessary) until shrimp is cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove from heat, add shrimp to bowl with orzo, set peppers aside to cool slightly.

Add chopped tomato, sliced basil, torn spinach, and cubed mozzarella to bowl with orzo.  Cut slightly cooled bell peppers into bite-sized pieces and add to bowl.  Add the remaining viniagrette and toss to combine.  

Can be served immediately or allowed to cool to room temperature.  Omit the sausage and it chills well to be a cold summer salad.  

Notes

I typically use this spicy chicken sausage (because I never met a jalapeno I didn't like), but a roasted red pepper or sun-dried tomato flavor would be great too.

The original recipe calls for zucchini or squash, but neither of those are my favorite texture, so I've added spinach for nutritional value.

Remaining pesto can be frozen in pre-measured quantities for future use (ice cube trays work well for this, or simply a freezer bag).

Enjoy!

Drink This, Sit Here

Lime Juice  |  Tito's Vodka  |  Simple Syrup

Sofa  |  Cocktail Table  |  Lamp

A vodka gimlet is my favorite cocktail these days.  When I make it at home (or, more frequently, Tim makes it for me) I usually increase the amount of simple syrup to 1 oz. and I always use the key lime juice shown in the link--not the pre-sweetened kind.  I like cocktails to be sweet and tart at the same time and the sweetened lime juice just doesn't have the same punch.  

And while nothing in my home is mid-century modern, there is something about a gimlet that always feels like it belongs in a gold rimmed glass, in Betty Draper's hand, in the most stylish lounge straight out of the early 1960's.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

I love smoothies and make them all the time...sometimes for breakfast, sometimes for lunch, sometimes a snack.  But on occassion I get a little bored with my fruit (usually peach) smoothies.  Peanut butter banana is a great way to add some variety.  By using PB2, a low fat peanut butter powder, you can reduce the fat and colories tremendously!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie (Low-fat!!!)

• 4 Tbsp. PB2 powdered peanut butter (mix with water according to package before adding to smoothie)
• 1 Frozen Banana (peel and slice before freezing)
• 1/2 cup Fat Free Vanilla Greek Yogurt 
• 1/4 cup milk (more or less to achieve your preferred thickness)

BLEND AND ENJOY!


Optional additions:

• Honey
• Chocolate Syrup (or substitute Chocolate PB2)
• A swirl of jelly stirred in with a spoon (for a PB&J smoothie)
• Chia seeds for added fiber, protein, and antioxidants (this works best stirred in with a spoon after blending)

Healthy and delicious!  Hope you enjoy!

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Sometimes I stumble upon a recipe that is the perfect combination of easy and delicious.  This is one of those recipes!  Oh, and it gets bonus points because there are no crazy ingredients and the cookies look nice! Icing always looks good, doesn't it?

Photo by Paula Jean

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  11 minutes
Yield:  3 dozen

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3-5 Tbsp milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour oats into a food processor and pulse until partially ground, about 15 seconds.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground oats, for 30 seconds.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition.
Stir in vanilla.

With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed).
Allow cookie dough to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Scoop dough out about 2 Tbsp at a time and drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Allow plenty of space between cookies, they will spread significantly.
Bake in preheated oven 11-15 minutes.  (More time for crispier cookies.)
Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp of milk. Slowly add more milk as necessary.  (Icing should be about the consistency of white Elmer's glue.)
Dip tops of completely cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to run off.
Return to wire rack and allow icing to set.  (If you dip instead of spreading, you get that pretty, shiny icing look.)
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  (These cookies freeze well.)

Recipe is slightly adapted from Cooking Classy.

I hope you enjoy these!  Let me know what you think.  I just might make another batch this weekend!

Spicy Pickled Green Beans

Spicy is good!  Pickled is good!  Green beans are good!  So, what could possible not be good about spicy pickled green beans?!

Photo via Paula Jean

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic (about 8 cloves)
8 fresh dill sprigs
4 small dried hot red chiles (or 2 large--I had a hard time finding small dried chiles locally)
1-2 tablespoons crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you prefer)
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil
Remove from heat
Add garlic, dill, peppers and crushed red peppers to pan
Let stand for 1 minute
Pour vinegar mixture over beans in a large glass bowl
Cover and refrigerate for 5-ish days, stirring occasionally

Recipe modified from Cooking Light, November 2009

Transfer beans and pickling juice (I remove the dill) to jars and enjoy with a charcuterie plate, in a Bloody Mary, or simply by themselves.  Or tie a ribbon on the jar and take it to your next summer BBQ as a hostess gift.

This recipe is SO easy and the beans are SO good!  Enjoy!

Quinoa de Mayo

I could eat Mexican food every meal of everyday and be VERY happy.  But, it's not always the healthiest option, nor the easiest to make from scratch.  So, I was excited when I found this healthy, fresh recipe with just enough Mexican flavor!  It's hearty enough to make a meal out of, but also makes a great side dish for a party...a Cinco de Mayo party maybe?

Photo via Paula Jean

Prep time:  20 Minutes
Cook time:  20 Minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped white onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons chili powder (more or less depending on how spicy you'd like dish to be)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime
Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese (optional)
1 avocado (optional)

Instructions

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat

Add onions and red pepper, saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes

Stir in next 4 ingredients

Add water, bring to boil

Cover, reduce head to medium-low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 12-15 minutes

Add beans and half of the cilantro (and tomatoes if you choose)

Cook uncovered until liquid is fully absorbed, about 2-4 minutes

Transfer to bowl, add lime juice and stir

Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top (and the cheese and avocado if you choose)

Can be served warm or refrigerated and served cold

Serve as a salad, on top of a grilled chicken breast, or as a "dip" with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

Have a happy Cinco de Mayo!

Classic Cocktail

It's Friday!  What are you doing this weekend?

Invite some friends over, make (or buy) some of your favorite appetizers, and treat yourself to a cocktail!  Here's one of my favorites...

Photos via Paula Jean

6-7 Fresh Mint Leaves

1 Lemon Half (cut in half again)

1 Tbsp. Simple Syrup

2 oz. Bourbon

Ice

In a mixing glass or cocktail shaker mash the mint, lemon, and simple syrup five or six times with a muddler--just enough to release the flavors.  Add the bourbon and transfer to an Old Fashioned glass.  Fill half way with ice and stir. Fill the rest of the glass with ice (the ice on top will keep the lemon and mint from surfacing and making it hard to drink).  Garnish with mint...enjoy!

I am not a big bourbon drinker, but this cocktail is refreshing and delicious! Other variations can be made with gin, vodka, or rum in place of the bourbon.

What will you be treating yourself to this weekend?