Shrimp with Capers, Lemon and Feta on Orzo

Welcome to February, everyone! I don't know about you, but things are finally starting to settle back into a familar pattern around here. The holidays are over, my decorations are down and we are all looking forward to the next school bread with spring.

As always, I love fitting new, shiny recipes into our weekly meal plan. Today's recipe combines all my favorite flavors, from the lemony orzo, to the salt capers and feta... and of course, the shrimp! I don't fix shrimp at home often, it is not my husband's favorite, but I really should use them more. I love how fast and easy they are to work with.

I had a really hard time keeping quiet about this recipe. My Secret Recipe Club assignment for February with Thyme for Cooking Blog arrived in December and I was tickled that she had several drool-worthy shrimp recipes listed. We took a short break from posting with the group for the holidays, but it is back and I hope you will be as excited about this recipe as I was.

Katie's blog is full of amazing looking dishes with great instructions and fun personal stories. I was immediately drawn to her seafood section and would love to try her Shrimp in Green Garlic Sauce and Shrimp and Spinach Pie soon. But ultimately I decided to go with her Shrimp with Capers, Lemon and Feta on Orzo recipe.

It just happened to contain all my favorites. How could I not make it?

Katie is also a world traveler, and I really enjoyed reading her stories about navigating life in France. It reminded me of my own experiences abroad with cultural differences and hospital stays.

One small change was made (unintentionally) to Katie's original recipe. Though I would have made her recipe as written, I had to make a last-minute substitute. Her recipe called for red bell peppers and when I went to grab mine from the crisper drawer, they had all gone bad.

I am always irked when that happens this time of year.

Lately my youngest, who is almost 3, has been a real terror on shopping days. The worst experience was when he decided it was funny to scream the entire time we were in the grocery store! Oh, the horror! He wasn't upset or mad, he is just really interested in getting reactions out of strangers these days. So he screamed and screamed.

It worked perfectly for him, too. Every. Single. Stranger. Looked. So he continued to scream and smile and laugh from aisle to aisle.

I was mortified!

So, I have been trying to keep my shopping trips to a minimum. My husband has been traveling most weekends, so it is just me and the kids. Last minute trips to the store are not really an option. I try to grab everything I need for the week and if something goes bad, I find an alternative.

To preserve the need for color in this dish, and keep the Mediterranean flavor, I went with grape tomatoes. It did add a nice burst of flavor with the lemon and salty ingredients. I tossed them in last so they were warm but still firm.

If you decide to give this dish a try, which I sincerely hope you do, I would suggest using either the red bell peppers or grape tomatoes as fit your own tastes ... or crisper drawer.

Shrimp with Capers, Lemon and Feta on Orzo

Adapted from Thyme for Cooking Blog

You Will Need:

• 12 oz. large shrimp, thawed and cleaned
• 1 medium leek, sliced and cleaned
• 1/2 c. grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 lemon juiced (4 Tbsp. divided)
• 2 Tbsp. capers, drained
• 15 Kalamata olives, sliced in half
• 3 oz. feta, cubed
• 3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 c. orza

Cook the orzo as directed on the package. Toss drained orzo with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add the paprika and leek. Saute till tender. 

Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is evenly pink.

Toss with the remaining lemon juice, capers, olives and tomatoes. Warm through. 

Remove from the heat and top with feta and parsley.

Serve the shrimp mixture over the orzo and enjoy!

See? Isn't that easy? And look at that gorgeous dish.

Note - In case you are also living with someone who is not a huge shrimp fan, grab a bag of frozen, cleaned shrimp at the grocery store and make a half recipe for a quick dinner for one. This may be my new favorite weekend treat when I am sans hubby.

Ready for some more delicious meal ideas? Check out The Secret Recipe Club recipe linky below:

An InLinkz Link-up

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Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells #SeafoodHop

Did you know that June is National Seafood Month? These creamy seafood stuffed shells are definitely an excuse to celebrate. Filled with shrimp, scallops and crab, these are a great way to indulge in just a little taste of the sea... or more.

I am excited to share this little gem with you. It has all of my favorites. It is creamy and rich, but it is easy to enjoy just one shell paired with a big robust salad, or just go for a bigger plate of this dish.

I chose some of my favorite seafood to include, shrimp was probably the first seafood I ever enjoyed, crab is one of my favorite locally caught seafood and scallops are the seafood I didn't discover till I became an adult. And discover, also called falling in love with every bite.... I did.

So grab yourself some seafood, a big casserole dish and check out my recipe below. I promise, you will love every creamy bite!

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells

You Will Need:

• 12 large pasta shells, cooked, drained and cooled
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped thin, whites and greens divided
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 4 oz. clam juice
• 1/2 lb. baby bay scallops
• 2 c. bay shrimp
• 1 can white crab meat
• 1/4 c. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
• 4 strips bacon, chopped

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the whites of the onions till tender. Then add in the clam juice and chicken stock. Bring it up to a simmer. Then add the scallops till cooked. Add in the shrimp and crab meat, then take off the heat and stir. Drain the seafood and reserve the cooking liquid.

In a skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon butter and whisk in the flour and salt till fragrant. Then add in the heavy cream. Gradually add in the reserved liquid so the sauce doesn't get too thick. Stir in the Parmesan cheese to melt.

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Then add the seafood back into the remaining sauce. Spoon the mixture into a shell and place it into the casserole dish. Top the filled dish with chopped bacon and a little more Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the shells are nice and bubbly. Top with remaining green onions before serving.

Enjoy!

For more seafood recipes, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

• Italian Scallop Tortellini Bake by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
• Easy Baked Salmon by Day by Day in Our World
• Shrimp, Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs by Mom Does it All
• Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells by Adventures in All Things Food
• Brown Butter and Lemon Mahi Mahi with Roasted Asparagus by Jennifer Sikora
• Shrimp and Jicama Salad by Upstate Ramblings

To Lose Myself in a Bowl of Soup

There is something quite comforting about a bowl of soup.

Soups are simple and yet filling.

For this small town girl, soups are also my passport to the world beyond my humble kitchen. The fabulous options for online ordering allow me to purchase flavors not usually found in rural Oregon. With one click I can have an overnight box packed with dry ice and the flavors of Thailand, Japan or Korea dropped on my doorstep.

All from places that I visited while younger, but now are just a sweet daydream away when I am in need of a break from the insanity that is Motherhood. The sticky-fingers, runny noses and sharp cries for, "Mommy!" leave me needing a simple release.

I find release in the bottom of my soup bowl.

Now, to be perfectly honest it isn't always a soup bowl, but a plate, a mug or crock. Here on this blog I share my adventures and more than not they center around our food. Even while my feet are deeply rooted here on the farm, my mind and taste buds wander to more exotic locales.

I love eating seasonally, locally and consciously... but some days I want to throw all that out the window and invest my soul into a perfect bowl of Coconut Curry Soup with Shrimp.

Yes, it is an investment. With every scallion I chop and shrimp I clean, I am invested in the dish I am making. That is what putting heart and soul into your food is all about. I only hope that my family tastes that with every bite.

Am I over dramatic? Possibly. I think everyone has their own passions in life and food, flavors and exotic ingredients are mine. With 3 small children the opportunities to travel abroad on a whim have passed. Maybe someday I can take that back up. But for now I will explore my world through the unique flavor profiles of far off countries.

I will lose myself in a bowl of soup filled with lemon grass, shrimp and red pepper flakes. I will remember the humid afternoons and the beaches of Thailand. I will hear the roar of the Tuk Tuks and the buzz of people waiting, packed onto the Skytrain platform in Bangkok.

My memories, these feelings and sensations are all simmered into my bowl of soup. Though I can't share with you my experiences, I can offer you a humble and tasty bowl of soup.

Coconut Curry Soup with Shrimp

You Will Need:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 tsp. fresh ginger root, grated
• 4 tsp. lemongrass paste
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if desired)
• 2 c. vegetable stock
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined 
• 4 c. coconut milk
• 2 c. Napa cabbage, finely sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• green onion, sliced thin for serving

In a large soup pot, saute the garlic, ginger and lemon grass with a little olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the curry powder and red pepper flakes and warm till fragrant. Then add the vegetable stock and bring up to a simmer. Last, add the shrimp, coconut milk and cabbage, bring back up to a simmer and and then remove from the heat. The cabbage should be softened slightly, but you don't want to overcook the shrimp.

Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top and a pinch of fresh green onions and more red pepper flakes as desired.

Enjoy! 

What foods hold the strongest memories for you? What dish transports you to a different place or time in your life?

Homemade Shrimp Scampi

I love seafood, but rarely make it at home. Seafood is a treat I have reserved for date night out or for celebrations.

Yet, fancy dinners don't happen often with a baby.

No, I couldn't take it any more. After spying a package of shrimp at the grocery store, I decided that I would find some way to use it. Once home I drug out all my favorite cookbooks searching for ideas for my shrimp. You know, I have ordered Shrimp Scampi in a restaurant before, but didn't realize just how easy it is to make. Most recipes were pretty simple and had a few underlying ingredients - shrimp, butter, garlic, lemons and pasta.

So, Shrimp Scampi it was.

Actually I was a little dissappointed with how easy it is to make and how few ingredients are needed, so I decided to step it up with fresh made pasta. Really, the pasta is the most complicated part of this dish. (but, it isn't tough, either!) You can check out my 3 ingredient pasta in this old post - "Pasta... It's So Easy!"

Pasta is not rocket science...

You need flour (or a durum semolina blend), eggs and a little water. I usually go for the rule of 2 - 2 cups flour, 2 eggs and a tablespoon or 2 of cold water. Pulse up the eggs and flour, then drizzle in a little water till the pasta dough forms.

It will come off the sides and start to form a ball like this.

 Collect it all together and form it into a ball. Cover and let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes. Plenty of time to get the shrimp going and water boiling.

The shrimp gets to lounge around in this great little marinade of crushed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. The lemon starts to cook the shrimp, so don't be alarmed if it starts to turn pink.

Meanwhile I got my water boiling and started to roll out pasta. I love my little pasta press. I first got it back before my son was born and my husband and I fell in love with the flavor and texture of freshly made noodles. Yeah, we had way too much free time back them.

Now, I don't have as many chances to break out the Imperia roller, but wish I did. Our current kitchen doesn't have counter edges for clamping down the pasta roller. I improvise by putting it on a heavy duty wood cutting board. Time like this though, I wish I had a more permanent place to set-up the pasta roller/cutter.

The noodles take less than 2 minutes to cook, then they come out and the shrimp just takes a little time to heat through. All that marinade goes right in the pan plus a little pasta water and butter. Then the noodles go back into the pot and it is all tossed together to coat.

Fresh flat leaf parsely is a welcome addition to this dish

Shrimp Scampi

You Will Need:

• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 lemons, zested and juice reserved
• 5 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper 
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 3/4 lb. linguini noodles
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• a handful of Italian flat leaf parsley, stems discarded and chopped.

In a shallow dish, combine the garlic, lemon zest and half the juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, a liberal dash of salt and pepper and the prepped shrimp. Set this aside and turn after a few mintues, now onto the pasta.

Bring your pasta pot up to boil and salt the water. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than directed on the package. If using fresh pasta, cook for about 2 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the water.

Add a splash of olive oil to a saute pan and add just the shrimp. Once they have been turned and start to turn pink, add in the marinade. Let it heat through and add in 1 cup of reserved pasta water. Add the remaining lemon juice, butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Add your pasta to the saute pan and toss in the sauce to coat. Add more pasta water if needed to create the desired consistency of sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Gorton's Wicked Good Seafood in a Snap! + Giveaway

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Gorton's Crew of bloggers and received free products in order to facilitate my honest review. All opinions and experiences are my own. 

I struggle with lunch on a daily basis.

I wake, I get my son ready for the bus, I feed everyone and then I dive head first into my exciting list of daily chores. I vacuum, I start on the laundry, I feed the chickens. But then the middle of the day meal sneaks up on me.

I know. Everyone is hungry. My daughter has been asking, "What's for lunch?" since 9 AM. But, seems like every day I'm like a deer caught in the headlights not sure what in the world to make. By the time I have everything else done it is crunch time. I usually have 30 minutes or less to have lunch on the table. My husband comes home everyday... he works in the neighborhood, farming, so we do lunch together. It only adds to the pressure though. I really need easy lunches to throw together and this girl can only eat PB&J so often.

So today I turned to Gorton's Lemon Herb Fish Fillets.

In about 20 minutes I had lunch on the table. It looked much more impressive than our usual lunch fare.

I made a harvest grain blend from Trader Joe's and baked the fish according to package instructions. I dusted my fish and plate with a little additional parsley, then topped with some fresh salsa filled with big chunks of tomato. Mmm... this was my kinda lunch.

To be honest, the fish came seasoned really well, so it didn't need to be dressed up too much. The salsa added a little color and a contrasting acid. Both my husband and I gobbled it up.

Later this week I plan to save some time on dinner prep by making Gorton's Beer Battered Fish Fillets to dress up for our fish taco night. I am looking forward to that quick meal, too.

Have you tried Gorton's recently? You might be surprised by the vast selection of Wicked Good Seafood.
In celebration they are running a "Wicked Good Seafood" Sweepstakes for the chance to win a family trip to Boston!

Visit gortons.com to download a coupon, explore posted recipes and check out all the products in their impressive line up.

You can connect with Gorton's on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for info on products, recipes and promotions.

What is your favorite fish dish?

Giveaway Time!!!

One lucky Adventures in All Things Food & Family reader in the U.S. will win a prize package -  three $2 off product coupons, 1 Gorton’s-branded ship wheel keychain, an assortment of Gorton’s recipe cards and beautiful seaside/Gorton’s postcards. Giveaway ends 10/19/2013. Good luck!
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