A Little Slice of Heaven

5.10.2011

Baked Stuffed Shrimp Scampi

Baked Stuffed Shrimp Scampi

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied, leaving the tails on
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup shallots, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined. In a 14-inch baking dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails facing up. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute.

Steamers on the Grill

Steamers on the Grill

36 steamers, cleaned
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup clam juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Prepare your grill on medium heat. If using charcoal, allow them to burn down to embers. Place a cast iron skillet on the grill and allow it to heat up to almost smoking. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except steamers and mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour this mixture into the heated cast iron skillet and let it reduce by half. Add steamers and cook until all steamers are open, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any steamers that do not open. Serve immediately with crusty Italian bread.

5.09.2011

Michele's Birthday Dinner at Sal Anthony's - 4.9.2011

We went out to dinner to Sal Anthony's in Bogota for our friend Michele's birthday. The food was AWESOME...wine was flowing (pretty heavily..lol!) and we laughed until the tears were rolling down our cheeks! GOOD TIMES!!!!! XOXO

Love & Marriage

Billy's Surprise NJDOC Graduation Party - 6/2007

Grilled Honey-Garlic Pork Chops

Grilled Honey-Garlic Pork Chops

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 - 5 oz. boneless, center-cut pork chops

Combine all ingredients except pork chops in small bowl. Place pork in shallow baking dish; pour marinade over pork. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove pork from marinade. Heat remaining marinade in small saucepan over medium heat to a simmer. Grill pork over medium-hot coals 12 to 15 minutes, turning once during cooking and basting frequently with marinade, until meat thermometer reads 155 to 160F.

Grilled Lemon-Rosemary Halibut

Grilled Lemon-Rosemary Halibut

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 - 6 oz. halibut steaks
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Whisk together the white wine, lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary in a small shallow baking dish. Add the halibut and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning once. Preheat grill on medium. Remove fish from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or to desired doneness.

Footnotes - I reserve a little of the marinade to drizzle on the halibut before serving. I also grill some lemon slices as a garnish...it looks pretty when you serve the halibut.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Olive-Rosemary Butter

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Olive-Rosemary Butter

1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1/4 teaspoon
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 - 8 oz. tuna steaks, about 1-inch thick
Fresh rosemary sprigs

Blend butter, chopped olives, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon rosemary and mustard in small bowl. Whisk olive oil with remaining 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary and pepper in shallow dish. Arrange tuna steaks in dish, turning to coat both sides. Let stand 15 minutes. Prepare grill on high heat. Grill tuna until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Place 1 tablespoon rosemary butter on each steak. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

My 300th Blog Post!!!!!

Okay, Okay...so I cheated a little bit....but yes, this is my 300th blog post. A HUGE thank you to everyone who reads my blog. I hope you enjoy the recipes I post and keep laughing along with me at my crazy life. I love you all!!

Love, Arge

The way a Mother's Day Parade should be damn it!!!

Joey and Danny got a case of shyness when it came time to put on their big Mother's Day Parade. My 3 aunts took over for them. Every time I watch..I laugh...hard.
LOL...we may not always get along..there may be weeks or months between visits...but I absolutely LOVE my family and wouldn't trade them for the world! XOXO

Mother's Day at Gracie's.....

I forgot to bring my camera....but the 4 pictures I took with my phone kinda sum up our day together....

Jason learns the proper way to slice a skirt steak!!!

Why does Joey have The Little Black Book of Poker in his bed?

Arge tries to disguise the bottle of olive oil to sneak out of Gracie's house...

Joey and Danny give Billy a note from "George"..whoever he is....

XOXOXO

5.06.2011

Happy Mother's Day...Love Ginger!

So I am sitting at work and the bell rings. The guy says "Flower Delivery". I am thinking - Who is getting flowers here? Sure enough...they were for me...from Ginger for Mother's Day! I love you too Gingy-girl!! XOXO

DIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My dips from Gourmet Creations came today!! And I ordered them Wedneday..fast!

Told you Cheddar & Ale was my favorite!! LMAO!!!

5.05.2011

Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese

1 pound corkscrew macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Frank's red hot sauce
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half & half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko breadcrumb
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half & half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.
Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Quick Stove-Top Pomodoro Sauce with Spaghetti

Quick Stove-Top Pomodoro Sauce with Spaghetti

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 28oz. can peeled tomatoes, pureed
5 large, fresh basil leaves
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 lb. spaghetti
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly grated, good-quality Romano cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, continuing to stir for about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for another minute. Increase heat to medium and add the pureed tomatoes. Season lightly with Kosher salt. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the flavors have a chance to meld. Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil leaves; set aside. Meanwhile, season a large pot of boiling water with Kosher salt. Add the spaghetti and cook until just before tender, about 2 minutes less than cook time indicated on the box. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water. Remove the basil from the pan and heat skillet over high heat. Slowly stir in the reserved pasta water and bring sauce to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring the sauce until it fully coats the pasta and the pasta becomes tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the unsalted butter and about 1/4 cup of grated Romano. Toss until the cheese and butter melts. Serve in individual pasta bowls with more Romano cheese.

Notre Dame vs. Army 11.20.10

Notre Dame vs. Army game - Yankees Stadium 11.20.10

My dad surprised us with tickets to the Notre Dame vs. Army game at the new Yankees Stadium!!

LOL..hamming it up for the camera!

Billy and I...

Our seats were right behind home plate...

SEATS!! You can see my parents and brother sitting...

Dino and mom...

The Scoreboard...

Dino, my mom and me...

Billy and my mom!!

Hehehehehehehe.....

Billy after shaking Joe Girardi's hand.....

Dino and Billy....

The Three Stooges!!!

My family!! Thank you daddy for an INCREDIBLE night that we will never forget!!! XOXO

5.04.2011

Heaven on a cracker, pretzle stick, broccoli floret......

My friend Joan and I went to a craft fair back in October. There was a company there called Gourmet Creations selling dip mixes. Well...one taste and I was hooked! They have an awesome assortment of vegetable dips, oil dips and dessert dips. Some of my favorites are - Cheddar & Ale (my ABSOLUTE favorite), Creamy Cucumber, Garlic Galore and Heavenly Horseradish which tastes fantastic on grilled steak! Check them out!!

http://gourmetcreations.net/

The Food Foo Foo at Trillos in Secaucus

So Urban Spoon on my Blackberry FINALLY surprised me. It picked out an awesome Italian restaurant last night. I was so in the mood for pasta but lately every Italian restaurant has been falling short. So we have Urban Spoon a whirl....and Trillos in Secaucus pops up. It's a BYOB (AWESOME) with a liquor store like 20 feet way (even better). We stopped at the liquor store to grab a bottle of wine (well we ended up buying 10 bottles, but that is for another blog post..haha!) and off to the restaurant we went. The place itself it very relaxing with a comfortable atmosphere. We were seated at a quiet table in the front. The extremely nice waiter came over, opened our wine and told us the specials. We ordered the Zuppa di Mussels in White Wine and the House-made Fresh Mozzarella with Roasted Peppers and Tomato to start. Then Billy ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese and I ordered Veal Francaise over Capellini. Our mussels came out with the fresh mozzarella and I was VERY happy to see that the portion sizes were not ridiculously huge. It was just enough for the 2 of us. The mozzarella was topped with balsamic vinegar to which I added a bit of olive oil. The mussels were EXCELLENT! The dish came out with 2 slices of toasted bread. We added the bread to the dish to allow it to soak up the broth. Billy was literally drinking it with a spoon it was that good. Out main course came out and I managed to steal some of Billy's while he was in the restroom. The Bolognese is made with crumbled sweet Italian sausage and big chunks of roasted tomatoes. It actually reminded me of my dad's Greek Meat sauce. It was out of this world and what I will most likely order when we go back. My veal was excellent as well. I usually order veal at a new restaurant because veal is kinda tricky. Over-cook it, and you get a tough, inedible piece of meat. The sauce was very light and went really well with the capellini. After stealing a few more bites of Billy's fettuccine (haha!), we were both full but ordered a piece of New York Style Cheesecake topped with Caramel Sauce for dessert. We had read that "the cheesecake usually sells out because it is THAT good"...which is was! It was very creamy with a hint of cinnamon. The overall experience was really great. The atmosphere isn't stuffy or uncomfortable. It is like you are sitting in your neighborhood restaurant, being treated like family. I can honestly say...Trillos will definitely be our next FD Family Dinner spot!

Trillos Italian Restaurant
10 Meadowlands Pkwy
Secaucus, NJ 07094
201-348-1443

5.03.2011

Watermelon and Feta Cheese Salad with Red Onion

Okay...so before you write this recipe off completely...let me explain. Yes, watermelon and feta cheese and onions usually don't mix but for some reason..when brought together in this salad, the end result is actually quite good. The salty feta really brings out the sweetness of the watermelon. I served this on Sunday to my husband and my friend Michele....both of them loved it. Michele even took the leftovers home.

Watermelon and Feta Cheese Salad with Red Onion

8 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
1 cup good-quality feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin and quartered (half moon shapes)
6 fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Kosher salt and ground white pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, red onion and crumbled feta. In a smaller bowl, combine the oil, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place bowl in refrigerator to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will also allow the flavors to blend. Gently crush or break apart the basil leaves to release the oils. Add to the dressing and allow to sit while the salad is chilling, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.