Creamy Mushroom Mezzi Rigatoni

Yes, yet another cream + mushroom recipe lol. This time, it was to help use up some bacon :) I used the recipe linked below as inspiration and modified quite a bit. Hubby raved about the dish all dinner long. Hope you will enjoy!

Link to my YouTube "making of the recipe" video: https://youtu.be/yse_8dpq67w

Ingredients:

8 oz. dried mezzi rigatoni (or other pasta of your choice)

6 thick slices bacon, cut crosswise in 1/2" chunks/strips

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

~1/4 c. dry white wine (I used Barefoot Chardonnay)

1 T. bottled minced garlic

2 T. flour

1 c. chicken broth

1 1/4 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan (do NOT sub shelf-stable type)

~1/4 c. reserved pasta cooking water

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. When draining the water, reserve some of the cooking water (I used around 1/4 cup, but you may want more, depending on texture/thickness preference for the sauce).

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, until just barely crisped. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

3. To the skillet drippings, add the mushrooms. Stir to coat, then deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits. After 2-3 min, add the minced garlic. Cook until liquid has mostly evaporated.

4. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat/combine.

5. Add the chicken broth and stir to coat/combine.

6. Add the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat/combine. Increase heat slightly and bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to keep at a low simmer for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (sauce should thicken).

7. Stir in the Parmesan. Adjust the thickness of the sauce to your liking by adding a small amount of pasta water at a time.

8. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve and enjoy! 

Beef Quesatacos

Drool-worthy tastiness alert! These are really tasty and worth the effort to make...even breaking a wooden spoon LOL (see the video)! Will be making these again and again, 10+/10.

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/Szz9g3BbgrI

Link to original recipe: https://www.salsas.com/herdez/recipe/?id=beef-quesataco

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

3 T. canola oil plus a little for griddle/pan

1 medium Russet potato, washed, diced (I did not peel, as it was not indicated)

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

2 large Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped if fresh (*I used frozen ones, thus did not chop)

1/4 c. yellow (or white) onion, roughly chopped

2 large cloves garlic

1/3 tsp. Mexican oregano

6 oz. (3/4 c.) Herdez Chipotle Salsa Cremosa

shredded queso Chihuahua

12 corn tortillas

optional: chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat canola oil, then add the diced potato. Cook for 10 minutes, or until cooked through and browned. Transfer cooked potatoes to a paper towel lined plate. Drain remaining oil off of pan and return it to burner.

2. Add beef to pan and break into crumbles. Stir in the kosher salt, granulated garlic, cumin, and pepper. Cook until meat is cooked through. Drain off excess grease (if any; mine was fairly lean meat, so I did not have to do so).

3. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and Salsa Cremosa to a blender. Blend on high until smooth, then pour into cooked beef in skillet. Stir to combine and bring to simmer.

4. Return reserved potatoes to skillet and continue simmering until sauce begins to thicken (around 5 min for me; original recipe says 15-20 min, so yours may take this long, though I doubt it)).

5. Heat griddle (or flat-bottomed skillet) to medium. Coat with a small amount of oil. Fry the corn tortillas lightly on each side (around 10-20 sec will do).

6. Top the tortilla with some of the creamy mixture (not too much). Fold it over like a taco. Brush each side with a bit of the Salsa Cremosa and cook 1-2 min (until crisped).

7. Transfer to a serving platter. If desired, garnish with diced onion and cilantro (I did not do this, was still awesome). Drizzle a bit of remaining Salsa Cremosa over, serve, and enjoy!

Stuffed Eggplant with Italian Sausage

Another delicious dinner made with mom, 10+/10! This is a bit involved...totally worth it, though, we assure you! We only had 6 oz. of feta cheese on hand; it still tasted awesome, but we really wished we'd had the full amount plus some for garnish. Also discovered that scoring the eggplant pulp and using a grapefruit spoon makes it easier to "scoop out" the pulp.

Original recipe credit: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/baked-stuffed-eggplant-italian-sausage

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

7 T. olive oil, divided

1 1/2 c. fresh breadcrumbs

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 3/4 tsp. salt, divided

2 or 3 small eggplants (~1 1/2 lbs.--for us, this was just 2 and it made plenty)

1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage (casing removed if in link form)

1 c. chopped yellow onion

1 lb. Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 T. bottled minced garlic (or 3 cloves fresh)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 T. plus 2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano, divided

2 T. plus 2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 c. jarred marinara sauce (we used Classico Sweet Basil)

Directions:

1. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the pulp (we made "chunk" sections), then scoop out the pulp, enough to leave a 1/4" shell. 

2. Roughly chop the pulp (original recipe says 1/2" cubes), reserve.

3. Sprinkle the inside of the eggplant shells with 1 tsp. of the salt. Invert the shells onto a clean, dry towel. Let stand for 30 min to drain.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 3 T. of the olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisped (~5-6 min). 

5. Remove from heat, then stir in the lemon zest and 1/4 tsp. of the salt. Set aside.

6. Once the eggplant shells have finished draining, heat broiler on "HI" with oven rack 5-6" from the element. Pat the shells dry, then brush with 1 T. of the olive oil. Place the shells cut side up on a baking sheet. Broil until just tender (~ 5 min). Remove from oven, then set oven to 375°F.

7. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 T. of the olive oil. Add sausage and cook, stirring often and breaking into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until sausage has browned (~7-8 min).

8. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate, reserving drippings in skillet (I did not end up with much drippings).

9. Heat remaining 2 T. of olive oil in the skillet (still over medium-high heat). Add the reserved chopped eggplant pulp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender (~2-3 min). 

10. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for additional 2-3 min.

11. Add the tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for additional 2-3 min.

12. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl, then add the cooked sausage, the feta, 1/2 c. of the breadcrumbs, egg, 2 T. of oregano, 2 T. parsley, and vinegar. Stir until combined evenly.

13. Place the eggplant shells cut side up, in a baking dish. Fill the shells with the mixture from the large bowl, dividing evenly among the shells. Use the remaining breadcrumbs to top the filled shells, again dividing evenly among them. Transfer to oven to bake for 30 min.

14. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the marinara sauce, remaining 2 tsp. oregano, and remaining 2 tsp. parsley. Heat over low until just warmed through (~4-5 min.).

15. Top the baked shells with the marinara sauce and sprinkle with additional feta. Serve and enjoy!

French Onion Chicken

Another delicious recipe made with my mom...10/10! Quite easy, too, could easily make on a weeknight. Serve with some bread to mop up the sauce at the end :)

Original recipe credit: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58148/french-onion-chicken-recipe/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

(note: you may need a subscription to access the original recipe, depending on how often you have accessed the site)

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

kosher salt

pepper

1 tsp. bottled minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh, minced)

1 3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1" pieces

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 c. shredded Gruyère

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat 2 T. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with kosher salt, pepper, and add the thyme. Stir to coat in the oil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Cook for around 25 min, until onions have caramelized/gotten a little 'jammy'.

2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat and transfer onion mixture to a bowl or plate. Wipe skillet clean.

3. In a large bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper. Add the oregano and flour, then toss to coat.

4. Heat remaining 1 T. of the olive oil in the same skillet, medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden all over (around 8 min). **note: I ended up adding a bit more oil after a couple of min, as it seemed a little on the dry side**

5. Add the beef broth and caramelized onions to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to keep at simmer. Cook for additional 10 min.

6. Top with Gruyère and cover skillet with lid. Let cook, covered, for 2 min. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, and enjoy!

Garlicky Stuffed Zucchini with Shrimp

Seriously so yummmmm. Made this with my mom during recent visit and we all adored it! 10+/10! We forgot the thyme, which didn't seem to detract from the taste at all (will update when making this again; there will be a next time for sure!)

Original recipe credit: https://www.delish.com/cooking/a22258670/garlicky-shrimp-zucchini-boats-recipe/

(note: you may need a subscription to access the original recipe, depending on how many Delish recipes you have clicked on previously/recently)

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

4 large zucchini (if you use smaller ones, you may end up with leftover filling)

1 T. olive oil

salt

pepper

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (see note above)

2 T. butter, divided

3/4 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined (I think we accidentally used a full pound)

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 T. bottled minced garlic (you can use 3 cloves fresh instead)

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan (ours was more like finely shredded, still worked fine), plus additional for topping, if desired (we did :))

juice of 1/2 of a medium lemon

~ 1 c. shredded mozzarella (we did not measure)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Halve the zucchinis lengthwise, then scoop out the insides with a small spoon, leaving a 1/4" thick cavity. Chop the zucchini pulp and reserve.

2. Place zucchini boats on a baking tray (or in a baking dish). Brush insides of boats with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the thyme over them. Transfer to oven and bake until tender (around 20 min.)

3. Meanwhile, melt 1 T. of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper. Cook until pink/cooked through (around 3-4 min). Remove from heat, let cool, then chop.

4. Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 T. of butter. Once melted, stir in the reserved zucchini pulp, tomatoes, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for around 2-3 min.

5. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, and lemon juice. Cook until slightly reduced (around 3 min). Remove from heat and fold in chopped shrimp.

6. Fill zucchini boats with shrimp mixture, then top with mozzarella. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and serve, garnished with additional Parmesan (if desired). Enjoy!

Blacken Salmon in Creamy Cajun Sauce

Still working on converting old drafts to entries. This one is from September of 2020. Pretty good--9/10, would make again. Prefer the blackened salmon my mom makes. 

Link to original recipe: https://carlsbadcravings.com/blackened-salmon/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

4 skinless salmon filets (6-8 oz. each)

olive oil or melted butter, for brushing, plus up to 2 T. for the cooking

for the blackened seasoning--

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used 1/4, but could have gone more)

cream sauce--

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 red bell peppers (can also use yellow or orange), chopped into 1" pieces

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained

1 T. lime juice

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Brush salmon lightly all over with the olive oil or melted butter.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the blackened seasoning. Use 2 T. of this mixture to rub evenly over salmon. Reserve the rest.

3. Heat a large, heavy bottom skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add 1 T. of olive oil. Once hot, add the salmon, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 min (should get crispy and blackened). Flip the salmon over, then cook additional 3-6 min (to your preferred doneness, depending on thickness). Reduce heat further if salmon is browning too quickly. Transfer salmon to a plate and tent with foil.

4. To the oil remaining in the skillet, add oil (if needed) to return to 1 T. total and raise heat to just above medium. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 3 min.

5. Add the bell peppers, garlic, and reserved spice mix. Stir to coat and cook for 2 additional minutes.

6. Add around half of the chicken broth to pan. Mix the cornstarch in with the other half of the broth, then add it to the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and diced tomatoes as well. Bring mixture to a simmer, then continue simmering until thickened, stirring occasionally.

7. Reduce heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese until completely combined, then stir in the lime juice.

8. Return the salmon to the skillet and cook for around 1 min. Season with additional salt, pepper, and/or cayenne pepper, if desired. Serve garnished with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Zucchini with Shallots

Very yum!! 10/10. Made at mom's sometime in 2020, forgot to get pix. Made with the amazing scallops pasta thing. Thinner zucchini would have been better, but we did fine with the fat ones, just made it a bit trickier to turn in the pan and cook evenly.

*note: you may need a subscription to view the recipe on the link

Link to original recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9529-zucchini-with-shallots

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. "thin" zucchini (width-wise)

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. fresh bread crumbs

1 T. butter

2 T. shallots, chopped

4 T. fresh parsley, chopped (not sure if we used curly or Italian style)

Directions:

1. Rinse zucchini and pat dry. Cut off the ends, then slice into 1/8" slices (do NOT peel the zucchini).

2. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once heated, add the zucchini and sauté, shaking the pan and tossing gently, cooking a total of around 5 min. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) while sautéing. 

3. Add the butter and bread crumbs to the pan. Once the crumbs start to brown, add the shallots and cook for another minute, until softened.

4. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy!