Category: Dinner

Dec 18

Cajun Stir Fry Recipe – Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Cajun Stir Fry (9) (Large)This may be the easiest MasterChomp dish to date, but it’s also one of the tastiest. Kielbasa may seem out of place here, and I realize that Andouille sausage is the more authentic option, but in my experience the Kielbasa has just the right flavor and texture for this dish. Certainly feel free to substitute Andouille if you prefer. Basically, this is just a quick and delicious weeknight meal that usually yields enough for lunch the next day as well.

I also do a version of this dish with shrimp and sausage. If you’d like to add shrimp, basically just coat them in olive oil and Cajun seasoning and then toss them into the stir fry in the last two minutes of cooking.

Cajun Stir Fry – What You’ll Need:

  • 1 package Kielbasa sausage
  • 1 box Zatarain’s® Red Beans & Rice or Black Beans & Rice
  • 1 yellow or white onion
  • 2 green bell peppers or large poblano peppers
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Cajun Stir Fry – What You’ll Need to Do:

Prepare the box of Zatarain’s as directed. This will take about a half hour to cook, so be sure to start it before preparing the stir fry.

Cut the kielbasa sausage into bite-size pieces. Roughly dice the onion and peppers into similar sized pieces. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat and add two tablespoons olive oil. Then add the cut-up Kielbasa and stir until it starts to brown.

Then add the onion and peppers and stir fry until the onion is translucent and the peppers have softened and started to brown.

Spoon a generous amount of the Zatarain’s onto a plate or large bowl and then top with the stir fry. Serve with hot sauce to taste.

Cajun Stir Fry (8) (Large)

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Oct 02

Shrimp Scampi Florentine Recipe

Shrimp Scampi FlorentineThis Shrimp Scampi Florentine recipe is not only easy to make, but also incredibly delicious. It’s full of healthy and tasty vegetables, and none of the heavy cream that a lot of the shrimp pasta dishes out there rely on. You could easily expect to pay $25 for a dish of this caliber at a fine Italian restaurant, but why not make it at home and save some cash without compromising taste?

This recipe is also delicious minus the shrimp as an awesome vegetarian pasta dish!

This recipe SERVES 2.

Shrimp Scampi Florentine – What You’ll Need:

  • 8-12 large shrimp
  • One bag fresh spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 10 Cremini mushrooms
  • One jar marinated artichokes
  • One small can sliced black olives
  • 2-4 servings fettuccine
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp dried or fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
  • Fresh lemon
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • A few sprigs fresh parsley

Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi Florentine

Shrimp Scampi Florentine – What You’ll Need to Do:

Get the water boiling for the fettuccine (do not add pasta yet), cut the mushrooms into quarters, and peel and clean the shrimp. Coat the shrimp with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Then set the shrimp aside. Heat a large skillet over a medium flame and add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, thyme, and oregano. Then cook until mushrooms start to brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grate two cloves of garlic into the pan, and then add the drained marinated artichokes and black olives. Cook for a couple minutes over medium-high heat, then add the white wine (optional) and reduce to a tablespoon or so of liquid. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box.

At this point, add half a bag of spinach to the pan and cook just until it wilts. Then push all the items in the pan to the perimeter and add a tablespoon of butter to the center. After the butter foams up, add the shrimp to the center of the pan and cook on both sides until the shrimp turn pink. Douse with some fresh lemon juice.

When the shrimp are done, remove them from the pan and set aside so that they do not overcook. Drain the pasta and add it into the pan with the vegetables. Toss it all together and add the Parmesan cheese and give it another toss until the cheese is fully incorporated.

Separate the pasta and vegetables into two serving bowls then place the shrimp on top. Sprinkle on some more Parmesan, fresh cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Finally, top with some freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.

Mangia!

Shrimp Scampi Florentine - Serves 2

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Sep 18

Sauteed Squash Side Dish Recipe

Get Squashed!Sauteed Squash with Roasted Chicken Thighs

This sauteed squash side dish recipe is a great option for light summery meals or brisk Autumn nights. Pictured here with roasted organic chicken thighs (recipe coming soon), this side dish is an easy, healthy accompaniment to a variety of proteins including fish and pork. And although not technically a squash, eggplant works great in this dish as well.

Sauteed Squash – What you’ll need:

  • 3 (large) to 6 (small) assorted squashes including yellow squash, zucchini, or eggplant (pictured)
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or butter
  • 2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced fine

Herbs and Spices

Sauteed Squash – What you’ll need to do:

Slice the squashes on the bias (at an angle) into about 1/4-inch pieces, discarding the very top and bottom pieces. Place a large saute pan over medium heat and then add the olive oil and/or butter to the pan. Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, and thyme to the pan. Then add the sliced squash. Give it a quick toss in the oil, then add the salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.

Saute the squash

Cook with the lid on for about 10 minutes, giving it a toss occasionally. You want to brown the pieces that are at the bottom of the pile; the browning gives the squash a great flavor. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, again with the lid on the pan. When the squash is completely tender, turn off the heat. You can keep the dish covered and it should stay warm and steamy for a while if the rest of your dinner isn’t yet complete.

For additional kitchen tips, check out this article on how to organize and store herbs and spices.

Sauteed squash with roasted chicken thighs

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