Crab Bisque with a Kick

There was a while when I was mildly obsessed with crab bisque. After having a particularly good variety at a restaurant in OC maryland, I tried desperately to find some in a can or jar at the grocery store that would even come close. Sadly, it wasn't really in the cards. However, on a whim I decided to try my hand at whipping some up today. The result was GOOD.

Please pardon the incredibly loose directions. As this was completely an experiment with some soon to expire canned crab meat, and because I threw together ingredients as I went, I wasn't really preparing to blog about it. This could be difficult to replicate.

Ingredients:

• Some canned crab meat
• About 1/4 C light cream
• About 1/2 C skim milk
• 2 canned whole/peeled plum tomatoes and about 1/2 C of their juice
• 1/2 small white onion
• 3 T margarine
• Dashes of sea salt, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, paprika, dried parsley, and cayenne pepper (careful w/ the cayenne...if you don't like heat, leave it out)
• About 2 T old bay seasoning
• 1/2 T garlic paste
  

Directions:

1. Melt the butter with the onions and tomatoes (hand crush the tomatoes as you add them in)
2. Add and simmer the garlic for about 1 minute
3. Add the cream, milk, and tomato juice (from can) and allow to simmer for about 1-2 minutes
4. Test, then add in the spices
5. Add in crab meat, stir and allow to simmer for about 3-4 minutes....or until desired consistency is reached
6. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve

Chicken Pot Pie Tarts

Since I had leftover filling chilling in the fridge, I decided to try out an idea. What's better than chicken pot pie? Mini chicken pot pies, of course! Only problem is I didn't have any mini phyllo cups. So, instead, a little improv. Here's what I did.

Ingredients:

• 1 defrosted pie crust
• Chicken pot pie filling (see previous recipes)
• Baking spray
• A few pinches of parsley
  

Materials:

• A medium/small rimmed cup
• Mini-muffin baking tray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Spray the baking pan
3. Spread out the pie crust onto a flat surface (like a cutting board)
4. Press the cup rim side down into the dough and twist to cut a small circle
5. Repeat this step until you have enough circles for each muffin spot on your tray
6. Carefully put the dough circles into the muffin spots
7. Spoon out a little bit of filling into each
8. Sprinkle some parsley on top
   
9. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

They will be very cute. Eat them anyway.

Shrimp Cappellini in a White Wine Tomato Sauce

I was recently inspired by a friend who made a similar dish during a snowstorm. Now that another storm is brewing, I decided to try it out. Without a recipe, I just kind of experimented, but again...if you use classic ingredients, it was to be good.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of dry cappellini (angel hair pasta)
• About 8-10 thawed jumbo shrimp
• 1 can whole peeled plum tomatoes (you will only use a few, save the rest for some marinara later!)
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• A few handfuls of chopped green onion
• 1/4 C or so of olive oil
• 2 T margarine
• 1-2 T garlic paste
• About 1/4 C dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
• A few pinches of dried basil and parsley
• 1/3-1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
• Sea salt, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, and rosemary to taste (i.e. however much you want)

Directions:

Pasta:

1. Cook the pasta about 6-7 minutes, then set aside; toss w/ about 2 T olive oil to prevent sticking

Sauce:

1. In a medium sized pot, melt the butter, add the olive oil and onions, and simmer for about 2 minutes
2. Add in the garlic and simmer for about 1 minute
3. Add in the wine and allow to simmer/reduce for about 2 minutes
4. Add in 2-3 plum tomatoes and about 1/2 C of the tomato juice from the can and simmer/stir for about 3 minutes
5. Add in shrimp and simmer for about 2 minutes
6. Add in basil, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper
7. Test sauce and decide if you want more olive oil, tomato juice, seasonings, etc.
8. Toss with pasta and serve!

Linguine con Vongole

This is a VERY loose interpretation of the steps I took to create this, but just test the sauce as you go and you'll be fine!
Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry linguine (I only used half, next time I'd make 3/4ths)
• 1 15 oz can of minced "fancy" clams in own juices
• 1/4 C dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
• 4 T olive oil
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 T garlic paste
• 2-3 anchovies (I did not use this since I didn't have any, but apparently it's better if you do)
• Parsley, thyme, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, sea salt, crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

Linguine:

1. Boil about 3/4ths of the package of linguine for about 6-7 minutes (it will be slightly undercooked because it will be cooked a bit more when added to the sauce)
2. Set aside until sauce is ready for it

Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil and garlic in a large sauce pan for about 1 minute
2. Add the anchovies, onions and some salt/pepper/parsley/crushed red peppers and stir until anchovies have dissolved into the oil
3. Add the white wine and allow to reduce for about 1 minute
4. Add the juice from the clams and let simmer for about 5 minutes
5. Add clams and any additional amounts of spices to taste, cook about 1 minute
6. Add the al dente linguine, cook another 1-2 minutes or until linguine is desired consistency
7. Consume.

Chicken to the Pot to the Pie Part 2

Basically the same recipe, only this time a bit bigger, lighter and with a few veggie additions.


Changes:
1.) Used less condensed cream of chicken soup
2.) Used more milk, no light cream
3.) Used more broth
4.) Used about 1/2 C or so of flour to help thicken
5.) Used about half as much butter and added no salt
6.) Added in some corn
7.) Added in some sweet potatoes (which really created an interesting twist of flavor)
8.) Used egg beaters on the crusts instead of regular egg

The result?


Yum.