Shrimp on Fettuccine topped with Asaparagus Cream Sauce

 

 I

ngredients

• 1 pound asparagus tips
• 1 pound dry fettuccine
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons plus some for drizzling
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced  
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 ounces) 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, (eyeball it)
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 lemon, zested
• Handful parsley, finely chopped
• 1 pound shrimp

Serves 4

Preparation

Bring 1-inch of water to a boil in a large skillet as well as a large pot of water, for pasta. When the water in the skillet comes up to a boil, add salt and asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes, drain and reserve. When the pasta water comes up to a boil, salt it and cook fettuccine to al dente.

While the pasta water comes up to a boil, in the pan which you blanched the asparagus in, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, over medium heat then add garlic and shallot and saute 4-5 minutes. Deglaze with wine, reduce 30 seconds then add stock, tomatoes and a pinch of saffron or an envelope of saffron powder. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cream then season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
While sauce cooks, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add butter, melt then add the bread crumbs and toast them. Add salt and pepper, lemon zest and parsley, remove and reserve. Wipe pan clean and return the skillet to medium-high heat and pre-heat until very hot. Drizzle shrimp with olive oil and cook until pink.

Chop asparagus into 1-inch pieces on an angle and add to sauce. Drain pasta and toss with asparagus and sauce. Serve pasta with shrimp and top each plate with the breadcrumbs.

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Menu Plan Monday 4/30

Looks like May is upon us..It is another dreary Iowa day today.  I put a great menu together this week.

Monday: Orange Chicken

Tuesday: Turkey cutlets with peppers and basil

Wednesday: tex Mex crunchy fry; chicken, o-rings, and pepper rings

Thursday: Pork chops with pasta

Friday: Lemon Spaghetti/ fish

Saturday:  Sliced steak and salad with lemony parsley potatoes

As always I am linking with orgjunkie.com  

Chocolate Mint Cookie Truffles

Another great bake sale recipe....This is to die for...I want to thank Six Sisters Stuff for posting this recipe way back in January.  I finally got the nerve to try it and wallah

This recipe couldn't be easier

Chocolate Mint Cookie Truffles

1 package grasshopper cookies from Keebler or Girl Scout Thin mint cookies

4 oz. Cream Cheese

Candy Coating in Green (I also added mint candy flavoring to this)

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the Thin Mints a few times, and then blend them down until they are crumbs.

Next, mix the cream cheese and cookie crumbs together in a bowl until well-mixed. Roll the mixture into 1 inch size balls, and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for about 30 minutes, so the balls are easier to dip in the chocolate and do not fall apart.
Once the truffles have been in the fridge for a while, melt the green candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Heat the discs for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each heat burst. Repeat until the discs are all melted.

Roll each ball in the melted coating until it is fully covered. I usually use two forks to push the truffle around until it is all covered. Then, using the two forks, carefully pick up the truffle and allow the excess mint chocolate to run off before placing back on the wax paper. Repeat with all the truffles.

Stick the truffles back in the fridge for a couple of minutes or until the mint chocolate is hardened.

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Best Ever Cocoa Brownies

I found it!!  I have been searching for the best ever brownie recipe.  I have tried many recipes and trust me this is it.  I made a batch of these for a bake sale I am organizing and whoever buys these will be in heaven.

Best Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Alice Mendrich’s Bittersweet via smitten kitchen
Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave for 1:30 minutes. Remove and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smoothes out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
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Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

My favorite cookie is snickerdoodles by far!  I love them and make them about once every couple months.  So, when I found this recipe from Martha Stewart, I just had to try them out.  I made these for a bake sale I am holding to raise money for my daughter's dance team.  These cupcakes are wonderfully light and airy.  Perfect for a birthday celebration or special dessert.  I can't wait for you to make these great cupcakes. 


Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• Seven-Minute Frosting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco No. 809 or Wilton No. 1A), pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.