8/6/14 Cook’s Corner
Simple Summer Suppers
Betty Kaiser
It’s summer and it’s HOT! I don’t know about you but cooking
in hot weather is not my favorite thing to do. Some nights I’m tempted to just
throw together a grilled cheese sandwich and eat ice cream! Usually, cooler
heads prevail and I decide to see what’s edible in the freezer.
Last week I looked and sure enough, tucked away in a corner
there was a bag of frozen shrimp. Well, I exaggerate. It wasn’t a full bag.
Originally it held 2 pounds of shrimp and now it was down to about 1/2 pound. I
had obviously used it to make other desperate meals. Still, there was enough
left to put together a shrimp stir fry or marinara or linguine for two people.
I also found a few frozen chicken tenders, some ravioli and
a pound of ground Italian sausage. Suddenly, dinner was looking up. In fact,
after I rummaged around in the produce bin, several days worth of dinners were
possible: carrots, a zucchini, a
bell pepper, some mushrooms, green onions and snow peas gave me lots of
flexibility.
My husband is often saved from starvation thanks to home
canned marinara sauce and a well-stocked refrigerator. Putting together a
little bit of this and a little bit of that, we end up eating like royalty:
Shrimp Marinara, Chicken Stir Fry, Sausage Frittata, Beef Ravioli with tomato
sauce and of course, hamburgers!
Frozen Beef Ravioli was the least labor intensive of the
above dishes and the others mostly involved a lot of chopping. The frittata
recipe I found in my “Try This” recipe drawer. It’s an egg based dish stuffed with spicy Italian sausage and
sweet roasted red peppers that is topped with a tasty marinara sauce and melted
cheese.
Now, a
word of warning about Betty’s Marinara Sauce. It is not an exact science. You
have to play with it. If it doesn’t look like it’s going to be enough, add
extra tomatoes. If it looks too thin, scoop out a little sauce, add a teaspoon
of cornstarch, stir and add it to the remainder of the sauce. If you like a
sweet sauce, add some extra brown sugar; more herbs for deeper flavors, if you
like things hot, add red peppers, extra hot sauce, etc. You get the idea. Cook
like a cook. Enjoy!
BETTY’S
MARINARA SAUCE
1
pound cooked, shelled, deveined shrimp
2
teaspoons olive oil
1
clove garlic
1 cup
onion, chopped
1 cup
bell pepper, chopped
1
15-1/2 ounce can tomatoes, undrained (or fresh equivalent)
1
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1
teaspoon basil
2
tablespoons brown sugar
2
tablespoons red wine vinegar
Garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Dash
or two of Tabasco Sauce
Heat
olive oil in skillet and sauté garlic, onion and bell pepper until soft. Add
tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and brown sugar. Simmer 30-45 minutes to blend
flavors. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer and taste for seasonings. Add
Tabasco. Serves 4.
Note:
Add shrimp, chicken or whatever and serve over hot cooked rice or linguini.
LEMON CHICKEN or SHRIMP STIR FRY
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chicken
broth
3 tablespoons
reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons
cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola
oil
1 pound boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms,
halved or quartered
1 cup diagonally
sliced carrots, (1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup sliced red
bell pepper
1 cup sliced
zucchini
2 cups snow peas, (6
ounces), stems and strings removed
1 bunch green
onions, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped
garlic
Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside.
Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and
cornstarch in a small bowl.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high
heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4
to 5 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate.
Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook
until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, green
onions, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30
seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until
thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook,
stirring, until hot.
Note: Double sauce if you like a juicy
stir-fry. Serve over brown rice or noodles. Serves 4.
DINNER
FRITTATA
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1 large roasted red pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup marinara sauce (bottled or homemade)
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 handful parsley or cilantro, chopped
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Heat the oil in an oven proof pan over medium heat. Add the
sausage and cook until it is browned, breaking it apart as you stir. Add the
onion and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until
fragrant, about a minute.
Mix the eggs, Parmesan, roasted red pepper, sausage, onions,
garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and
cook until the eggs are almost set, about 10-15 minutes.
Transfer the pan into the oven and let the eggs finish cooking,
about 10 minutes. Pour the marinara sauce over the frittata, sprinkle on the
cheese and broil until the cheese has melted, about 2-4 minutes. Serve
immediately, garnished with chopped parsley. Serves 4.
Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s
Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes
that are delicious,
family oriented and easy to prepare.
