Spring linguine

Over the weekend I became enthralled with a woman I never even knew existed until a few days ago. Penny De Los Santos is amazing! Her food photography class on creativelive.com held me captive for three straight days.

Penny is a fabulous photographer and a beautiful person. I love her sense of humor, her style, the way she gets right in there for the perfect shot. And she’s so easy-going. I’d love to spend a day peppering her with questions about the places she has traveled, the people she has met and the photos she has made. Her talent and eye for beauty have inspired me in so many ways. What a fabulous way to live…doing what you love day after day. Penny’s passion shows through in every story she tells, every picture she makes. She’s the real deal, in my opinion.

Her best advice? “If you’re not doing what you love, why not? Whatever you want to do, you can do it.”

She is absolutely right. And it makes me think of another inspiring person I learned more about over the weekend. I watched the Justin Bieber documentary Never Say Neverwith my kids (don't laugh; it was really good!). If that story doesn’t make you want to dream big and follow your dreams, I don’t know what would. A Canadian kid with a great voice, was discovered on YouTube. A couple of years later he sold out Madison Square Garden in 22 minutes.  In his short career he has done things no other person has done. And he’s only 17.

Penny De Los Santos and Justin Bieber are an odd pair to talk about in the same breath, I’ll admit. But you know what I love about both of them? From the little I have seen, I get a strong feeling that they are both genuine people who have their priorities straight. In other words, their hearts are in the right places. And their stories make me smile.

All of my rambling has absolutely nothing to do with this recipe. Except that I shot these photos before I watched Penny’s class, and I hope that in the coming weeks and months I can start to show some improvement from the great tips I picked up over the weekend. If you didn't catch the class you can order a download at http://www.creativelive.com/courses/food-photography-penny-de-los-santos.

This pasta was, in fact, delicious. The stars of the show were the fresh asparagus and the basil that I snipped from my very own, newly acquired plant. Hooray for spring!

It’s an easy, quick dish you can whip up after a long workday. And I've found the time passes faster if you drink a glass (or two) of wine while cooking. 

Cook 4 ounces of linguine in boiling water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat. Mince two cloves of garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add 2 cups of shrimp and saute. Steam 3 cups chopped asparagus until crisp-tender, 1-2 minutes. Add to shrimp and garlic. Add one cup cooked peas, and the zest and juice of one lemon. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve vegetables and shrimp over linguine. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of fresh basil and a dash of red pepper flakes if you’d like a little heat. And Parmesan cheese would be good too. I didn’t think about it until after the fact, but it would have been delicious.   

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Click here for a printable recipe! 

Jamaican rice salad

This post written by the original Ebby.

It's pushing 90 today and I'm looooving the warmth and sun. If only I was near a body of water, sand between my toes, with a fruity drink in hand. But hey, at least there's months between now and the next snowstorm! I've got plenty of time to find that beach.

The heat makes me crave something light and refreshing, and this salad fits the bill perfectly. The flavors of lime, coconut and mango are irresistible! I've never been to Jamaica, but when I eventually get there I hope they have food like this.

Start by cooking 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of coconut milk. I used Basmati rice and think its nutty flavor is just right for this dish. While it's simmering away you can assemble the rest of the salad.

You'll need a cup of cooked shrimp, medium size. I took the lazy easy route and thawed out some of the frozen stuff. Unfortunately I live in a land-locked state and don't have access to any fresh seafood that is worth a darn. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Combine the shrimmp with 1 cup black beans, two chopped mangoes (mine yielded about 1 1/2 cups) and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Now, for the onions. I was not lazy with my onions! Instead, I got a little crazy and decided to do a quick-pickling. It's super fast and easy and adds a little sweetness and beautiful color to the onions while mellowing them out a bit. Just boil 2 cups water with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Slice one medium onion, add to the pot and simmer for about 3 minutes. After the slices cool, chop up 1/2 cup and add it to the rest of the salad ingredients.

Or just chop the onion and use it raw. It'll be good that way too.

Next add your cooked rice (after it has cooled down a bit) and give the whole mess a good stir.

Then add 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, the zest of one medium lime and 1/4 teaspoon allspice. Add salt to taste and give everything another good stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The flavors in this salad are phenomenal! It tastes even better the next day, after the lime juice has a chance to permeate the rice and shrimp.

By the way, permeate is not a word I use on a regular basis. But it alwaysmakes me thing of the William Steig book Dr. DeSoto. Dr. DeSoto is a dentist, and there's a part in the story that talks about a treatment he has applied to a patient's teeth. He tells the patient to keep his mouth closed so the solution can "permeate the dentine." Why this particular phrase is still rattling around my brain after all these years is a mystery to me. It's probably taking up the space that would otherwise be used to remember the correct date of my only son's birthday.

Anyway...make this salad! Let the flavors permeate! And then eat it with your dentine! If possible, eat while sitting on a beach near a body of water. Wash it down with a fruity drink sporting an umbrella. And if you're not in Jamaica, close your eyes and pretend!

Click here for a printable recipe!

Shrimp tomato and basil pasta and a GIVEAWAY

I received the call last week that I had been waiting for, but dreading. It was the call that determined a date for something that I never want to happen. On June 10th, 2011, my 4-year-old son will have his third open heart surgery. I'm still dealing with the trauma and emotions from his second open heart surgery that took place three years ago. Will we all still be in one piece after experiencing this again?

It is such a very strange thing to have something of this nature on your calendar. Amidst birthdays and dentist appointments sits, "Elijah OHS #3," like it's the most normal thing in the world. I stared at the words on my calendar and knew I had to get out of my office. Crying at work = not fun times. I started driving, with no destination in mind, shedding a few tears into my lap. Then I had the thought that I sometimes have when I'm feeling sad about something. Do something nice for someone. This often helps to lift my spirits. A few minutes later I found myself at Barnes & Noble, purchasing a favorite cookbook. Not for myself, but for YOU. Well, one of you!

So. If you would like to win a copy of Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, here's what you need to do!

Subscribe to this blog via RSS feed or friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Leave a comment stating which one you did. If you do all three, comment three separate times to be considered for three separate votes.

Check back on April 10th to see if a cookbook will be heading toward your mailbox! I will draw one winner randomly at 6:00 a.m. on the 10th, and I'll put the cookbook in the mail for that person on April 11th.

Good luck!

The recipes in this cookbook are great. They are simple and easy, and this suits my lifestyle so well. I got this particular linguine recipe out of the cookbook and oh my goodness, it is fantastic! It is a simple yet flavorful meal.

Start by seasoning 1 1/2 pounds of medium, peeled and deveined shrimp (tails removed) with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat 4 teaspoons of olive oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until opaque throughout, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

To the same skillet, add:

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add:

A 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes (plus juice)

2 cups water

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and are saucy, about 15 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in:

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, shrimp and basil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Serve immediately, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

I brought this deliciousness with me to work for the following two days after making it and beginning at 9:30 each morning, I could not wait to eat lunch.

Heart surgery, however, I can most definitely wait for.

Click here for a printable recipe!

Shrimp dip

This post written by the original Ebby.

One of my favorite appetizers is seven (or eight, or nine) layer dip. It's another one of those "the more, the merrier" kinds of dishes I love. You can keep adding and adding as much as you want, and it only gets better!

A few weeks ago I needed to make some appetizers, and the seven-layer dip was on my list. Until I found the shrimp dip recipe. Then I just had to try this great twist on my old standby. It was delicious!

There is a little bit of prep involved in chopping the vegetables and shrimp, but once that's done it comes together in a flash. Combine cream cheese, mayo and garlic salt, spread it on a platter, then start layering. I used cheese, shrimp, salsa, green onion, tomatoes, black olives, avocados and cilantro. Next time I'll add jalapenos because I always need more heat! All those veggies make this somewhat healthy...right?

This would be a great appetizer for a bridal shower, a weekend at the lake, a Superbowl party, a New Year's Eve party or anything in between. It's all all-purpose dip!

Click here for a printable recipe!