Tag: garlic

Garlic Seafood Pasta

Date Night, Pasta, Seafood

Evening kids! 2nd post of the day! Since the last time we talked, the family, including the dog, went on a nice hike at our local park. We came home and I started cooking this amazing dinner.

Earlier today we all went grocery shopping. I noticed some peeled and deveined shrimp were on sale, so I decided to make shrimp pasta tonight. Then I saw some nice clams and mussels and decided to add them to the mix. The girls were in an especially good mood and promised to try a bite of everything. Verdict? They both LOVED the clams!!  Katie loved the shrimp. Becca tried a bite after I promised I would never make her eat another bite of shrimp in her life if she tried it; she just shrugged her shoulders at it. She is just not a fan. They both ate the mussels, but BEGGED for more clams. Next pasta seafood…linguine and clams. Be on the lookout for it =)

Garlic Seafood Pasta

Ingredients

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 cup white wine

Directions

Start a pot of salted boiling water.

Melt 1/2 a stick of butter and 1/4 cup of olive oil in a med/large sized dutch oven or heavy pot. Add in onions and cook down for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, add in pasta to the boiling water.

Add the wine to your garlic and onions. Add the rest of your butter and olive oil. Mix well.

Add the clams to the garlic butter sauce; they should cook about 10 minutes total. 2 minutes later add your mussels; they should cook about 8 minutes total. In 2 more minutes, add your shrimp. They just need about 6 minutes to cook.

Just when your shrimp are turning pink, add in the pasta and a cup or so of starchy cooking water. Mix well and cook for another couple of minutes. When your pasta is perfect, you are ready to eat!
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***do not eat any shellfish that has not opened***

***freeze the shells so you can make this…https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/01/19/seafood-stock-2/

Spaghetti and Meatball Bake and Cheesy Garlic and Herb Bread

Breads and Muffins, Pasta

Hey kids! This week has been SUPER long. Tomorrow is finally Friday! The hubby and I are going on a much needed date night and the girls are going to the gym. My awesome gym has Date night every Friday night. We take advantage of it every few weeks. Not sure what we will do, but I can guarantee there will be a cocktail or two involved for this mama :0

Tonight I made a riff on Spaghetti and Meatballs. I basically put all the cooked ingredients (pasta- whole wheat thin spaghetti, meatballs- frozen and thawed in a pan, and sauce- marinara that I added fresh basil and thyme to) in a casserole pan and topped with shredded mozzarella. I baked it for 15 minutes, right about when the cheese started to bubble and turn brown.

The V-shaped basil at the bottom has no meatballs. Perfect for some veggie pasta leftovers =)

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I also made some garlic herb butter (3 tablespoons butter, 3 minced garlic, and 1 handful of chopped basil and thyme) that I slathered on some bread. Then I topped it with mozzarella. You are welcome! =) Amy
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Baked Ziti and Garlic Butter Toast

Breads and Muffins, Pasta

I had a little bit of time today to make an extra special dinner. I have not cooked anything interesting for dinner in a while. A lot of  pretty amazing people have been making my family some dinners, or we have gotten take out, or I have thrown together something random that was not really blog worthy. It has been a crazy few weeks.

When people find out or know you have a sick kid, it can be a bit awkward. They feel helpless and don’t know what to do. The problem solvers and leaders are the ones who want to take over and figure out a way to help. They rally the troops. They bring you food, money, toys, offer to carpool, take your dog for a walk (good luck with that- I am the only one who can get him on a leash), and pretty much give up their left kidney for you.

I appreciate it all. I am thankful. All these offers actually are amazing and do provide relief and a weight off my shoulders. As much as I love to cook, I do have a cooking blog after all, what I really want to do is sit on my couch and snuggle my girls. I want to play with them as much as possible and just relax together as a family. But lately I have been itching to get back in the kitchen for a bit.

I thought…I meandered in the kitchen; I opened the pantry;I looked in the fridge; I looked in the freezer. I had an idea. I pulled out some ground beef from the freezer, found some canned tomatoes in the pantry, borrowed an onion from my awesome neighbor, poured a glass of wine, and I started to get my groove back in the kitchen. I gave Lizzie the choice of lasagna or baked ziti based in the noodle selection from my pantry. Well, she picked this. And I gladly obliged.

I may be a bit scarce on the blog in the next couple of months. I cannot stop cooking. I won’t. It is my hobby; it is therapeutic. I may post a Sunday roast, an epic Thanksgiving dinner, a glamorous grilled cheese sammie, or a regular Wednesday chicken dish. Whatever I post, it tastes yummy and is made by my love of cooking and making my family and friends happy.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 pound of ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes or 1 small can of diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons worchestershire
2 tablespoons butter
3 sprigs thyme
1 container mozzarella- whole or shredded
1 box ziti or rigatoni noodles

Directions

Brown your beef. If there is any grease, drain it. Add your onions. Cook down for 5 minutes. Add in your garlic and tomato paste. Cook down for 3-5 minutes. You can actually smell the tomatoes when they are mixed well with the garlic. The aroma is amazing. The beef and onions should be really camariling now. Add just a splash of red wine down in the pot to loosen up all those brown bits. Then add in all your canned tomatoes. Mix well. Add in your sugar, worcestershire sauce, butter, and thyme. Mix and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better.

Make your pasta. Undercook by 3 minutes according to the package. It should still have a bit of a bite to it.

Spray your dish with Pam. Add some sauce on the bottom. Put in your noodles. Cover with sauce. Top with Mozzarella cheese.

I made some quick garlic toast by melting butter with some 3 cloves sliced garlic. I dipped the bread in the garlic butter then put them in the oven on broil. Just check the oven to make sure they don’t burn. Delish!

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Seafood Steamed in Garlic, Butter, and Wine

One pot meal, Seafood

My lunch today was pretty special. I was at the grocery store and passed by the seafood department. There were these little clams and mussels that seemed to be calling my name. I decided to get some. Then I noticed the shrimp and lobster tails were on sale, so I bought a small serving of each.

I decided to cook them in this creamy rich sauce. Garlic and butter go hand and hand with seafood. I had juice running all down my arms and face. I loved sopping up all that juice with my crusty bread. In Italian, that is called “scarpetta.” You could serve this with pasta or on top a fresh bed of sauteed veggies. Me? I just loved enjoying all the flavors of the seafood and garlicky butter. So succulent!

Seafood Steamed in Garlic, Butter, and Wine

Ingredients

1 lobster tail
6-8 shrimp
6-8 mussels
6-8 clams
3 cloves garlic
3/4 stick of butter
splash of white wine

Directions

In a large pot (I used a circular dutch oven)
melt your butter
cook your garlic for about 3-4 minutes
add your wine- cook down for about 3-4 minutes
add all your seafood
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stir, put a lid on it
cook for about 6 minutes or until all the clams and mussels have opened (throw out the ones that do not open) Your shrimp should be pink and your lobster tail should be red

Serve with a side of crusty bread for sopping up all that delicious juice!

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Balsamic Tomato Bruschetta

Appetizers and snacks, Breads and Muffins, Sandwiches, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains, Vegetarian

Stuck in a lunchtime rut? This week I have had cheese and Triscuits almost everyday for lunch. So today I came up with this easy beauty. Bruschetta- pronounced bro͝oˈsketə/- or sometimes by Americans- bro͝oˈshetta is a toasted Italian bread drenched in olive oil and served typically with garlic or tomatoes. You can really top it with anything you like, but this garlic and tomatoes are the norm. We also make this sometimes with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. No matter how you say it or prepare it, these yummy toasts are quite satisfying for a snack, lunch, appetizer, or side dish for dinner. I served with mine with a side salad.

Balsamic Tomato Bruschetta

Turn oven on broil. Take some sliced baguettes, rub on some garlic. Drizzle on some olive oil. Top with sliced or chopped tomatoes that have been lightly dressed with some Balsamic Vinegar. Cook for just a few minutes. Keep your eye on these guys so they don’t burn. Add to a side of pasta, salad, or just enjoy as a snack!

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