Recipe: Springtime Shrimp Pasta

For some reason leeks and lemon are spring flavors to me.  Add in shrimp (which always brings back memories of family trips to the beach) and a dish feels instantly warm-weather appropriate.  Spinach isn't very springy I know, but it does help balance out the heavy cream. :)  This a delicious, simple weeknight meal that I hope you enjoy.

Springtime Shrimp Pasta - serves 2
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1 1/3 cups uncooked pasta (that's about 1/3 of a 13.25 oz box)
1 tablespoon butter
1 leek, cleaned, dark green parts removed, and sliced into half moons
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Zest of half of a lemon
~1/3 of a cup of heavy cream (go ahead a make it a little bit more than a 1/3 but less than a 1/2)
5 oz baby spinach
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Cook the pasta according to the package directions in boiling, salted water.  Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook, until softened 3-5 minutes.  Add the shrimp, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just barely opaque, about 4 minutes. 

Add the cream to the pasta in the pot and heat over medium heat.  Add spinach and stir until it's beginning to wilt.  Toss in the leek-shrimp mixture and stir until the cream coats everything and the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.  Toss in the cheese and test for seasonings (I needed more salt).  Serve, topping with extra cheese and the fresh basil.

Adapted from Real Simple

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, and Tuesday Night Supper Club

Recipe: Gnocchi with Mushroom-Cream Sauce

Gnocchi.  Mushrooms.  Cream.  These are a few of my favorite things. :)

When I saw this recipe I knew it was for me.  I'm not one for making fresh gnocchi (I don't have that much time to spend baking and then ricing potatoes), but everything else about the recipe jumped out as a perfect week night meal.  The sauce comes together in about 10 minutes and gnocchi cook in no time.

Gnocchi with Mushroom Cream Sauce
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1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 package gnocchi, cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup parmesan cheese


Melt butter with olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add seasonings.  Stir in stock and bring to a slow boil.  Reduce heat to low and add cream.  Simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Add in cooked gnocchi and cheese and stir until evenly coated.  Serve with additional fresh chives or fresh thyme, if desired.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, and Delicious Dishes

Tasty Tuesday…On a Wednesday

Because yesterday was Library Day in the Life, I didn't get a chance to share a recipe. So I'm sharing this recipe today! It actually works out nicely because it's what I had for dinner last night. My friend Ashley asked me to post this recipe as she is always looking for new ways to fix gnocchi.

Y'all know what gnocchi are, right? If you don't, gnocchi are Italian dumplings, usually made from potatoes. And they are delicious.

This recipe came from a Weight Watchers meeting (or maybe the magazine, I don't remember which) and can be very low-fat if it's made with minimal oil, low fat (or fat free) tomato sauce, and extra lean ground beef.

But I don't particularly like the way things taste when they are made that way. I really like my olive oil. :)

The point is, you can make this as healthy as you want. Just use less oil, whole wheat gnocchi, and extra lean ground beef.

Gnocchi Florentine – makes 4 servings

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ pound lean ground beef

1¾ cups marinara sauce (homemade or your favorite jarred)

1 10-oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 17-oz package gnocchi

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and then add the meat. Cook the beef until nicely browned and no longer pink anywhere. (At this point, you could also deglaze the pan with about ¼ cup red wine if you feel like it's the right thing to do.)

Pour in your sauce, cover, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the squeezed dry (this is very important!) spinach and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and then adjust seasonings as desired.

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions; drain. Add gnocchi to the sauce, stir to coat. Serve with parmesan cheese. 

This recipe is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Delicious Dishes.

Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe comes from my mom, who I consider the authority on all things casserole. She has been making this dish for a very long time, but yesterday we decided to adapt it just a little. And I think it turned out even better than before. I hope you like it as well!

Chicken Spaghetti – makes 8-10 servings

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and chopped (you can either boil it, roast it, or sauté it – your choice)

1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta, cooked 1 minute less than packaged directions, drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

⅓ cup dry white wine

1½ cup frozen peas or a small package of chopped frozen broccoli, thawed

2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 1 can cream of chicken and 1 can cream of mushroom)

½ sour cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

½ cup grated parmesan, divided

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven (you want to be able to mix all the ingredients in it at the end) and sauté the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until some of the juices have been evaporated. Add in the onions and cook until soft and translucent, another 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Deglaze the pan with the wine, making sure to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the peas (or the broccoli) and cook for a few minutes to warm through. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chicken, cooked pasta, soups, sour cream and half the cheeses. If the mixture looks too dry add a little chicken broth or water. You want it creamy, but not runny. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Bake in a preheated 350° for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and return to oven to melt the cheese and to make sure the casserole is heated through.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.

PS: I'm sorry about the lack of a picture. My camera batteries stopped working and I can't find new ones amidst all the boxes.