main course

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

August 17, 2021 by Becky Spoon

This is a classic shrimp scampi pasta dish. It is a simple garlic, white wine and butter sauce. So, so delicious and satisfying.

Scampi are tiny, lobster-like crustaceans with pale pink shells (also called langoustines). Italian cooks in the United States swapped shrimp for scampi, but kept both names. Thus the dish was born, along with inevitable variations. Scampi makes a wonderful appetizer or a fabulous hearty meal if you add the pasta and delicious garlic bread.

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

I love shrimp cooked anyway or cooked in lime juice like ceviche! I made shrimp and grits the other day and I had this shrimp leftover. I’d been wanting scampi, so it worked out well. I usually buy head on-shell on shrimp because I like to use the heads and shells for basic shrimp stock, which is a must in Louisiana style cooking. These were Argentinian shrimp that I found at my local HEB and they were raw, but peeled and deveined. Filling a little lazy I guess, I purchased them, upon the recommendation of the fish monger and they were delicious. Such pretty colors.

You have to make the Shrimp and Grits too. Here’s the recipe for it: these amazing shrimp and grits.

I love to eat in large bowls. Not sure why, but something my late husband and I did for years. We both loved eating in a big bowl. Here’s some of my favorites: https://amzn.to/2UtVzE0. M other favorites are like the ones above in gray. I think I got them at Pier I.

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

If you aren’t serving this with pasta, you could half the sauce. Because I wanted to toss my pasta in the sauce I made more sauce. Who wants bland pasta with this delicious shrimp! Of course, serve with more lemons and delicious bread.

Here’s the recipe! Hope you try this and enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 tsp tsp salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh ground pepper
1 lb large or extra large shrimp shelled
1/3 cup chopped parsley
fresh squeezed lemon juice
8 oz pasta of your choice
crusty bread or garlic bread

Method

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until desired doneness.
In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes and plenty of black pepper and bring to a simmer. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and sauté until they just turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice .
Remove the shrimp from the pan. Remove the pasta from the pan with tongs or similar and add to the sauce. If you get some pasta water, that's good because it will help you thicken the sauce for it to stick to your pasta.
Cook the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes. Add the pasta and sauce to individual serving dishes and top with the shrimp. Serve with crusty bread or like I did, garlic bread.
Bon Appetite!

the best 3 ingredient fried chicken.

June 23, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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I have tried so many recipes for fried chicken and I always come back to this basic 3 ingredient recipe! Flour, salt and pepper. That is it. Oh, you do need a paper sack to toss it all in. Well, that’s what I use, but if you don’t have one…toss in a big plastic bag or place the flour in a dish and just toss it around to evenly coat.

This is the fried chicken I grew up eating. Mom and Granny made it just like this. I brine because they brined. They knew that brining would just make the juiciest, most tender chicken ever. It would usually be a Saturday night that Mom and Granny would cut up a whole chicken or two and soak overnight in salted water to fry on Sunday. They would use Crisco in a cast iron dutch oven to fry the chicken. Never greasy, just the best chicken ever. I think the cast iron dutch oven is the best thing to fry chicken in. Mine is very, very old, but if you don’t have one, this is a great place to start. https://amzn.to/3fPoffO.

the best 3 ingredient fried chicken.

One of my favorite memories was actually going to see Granny. We lived in Grand Prairie, Texas and Granny lived about an hour and a half away. There were 7 of us. There were no McDonalds or other fast food restaurants and even if there were, they probably couldn’t have afforded to take all of us out to eat anyway. Mom would fry this beautiful chicken, make some potato salad, pack up a loaf of bread and we would stop at a road side park on the way and have lunch. Beautiful memories.

Mom is incredible. She is now 91. Just a side note, we grew up in the 50’s and 60’s. Mom fed a family of 7 on $25.00 a week and had a balanced meal on the table every night, plus breakfast and lunch everyday.

I too made potato salad with this fried chicken. Here’s the recipe: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-2-step-potato-salad/. There is nothing better than fried chicken and potato salad.

Here you go with this so simple recipe! My recipe is for 4 pieces of chicken, two thighs and two legs because that’s what we like, but just adjust for the amount you use. Bon Appetite!

3 ingredient fried chicken

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 chicken legs, skin on, bone in
2 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Method

Place your chicken pieces in a bowl after lightly salting each piece. Add enough water to just cover. Seal with a lid or clear wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours.
Place the flour in a paper sack. Add your salt and pepper. I always taste a little to see if there's enough salt, but remember you brined your chicken in salt water so you don't want to over do it.
Add enough oil to come up about 1/3 to the sides of your pan. Heat on medium high until a pinch of flour begins to sizzle or the end of a wooden spoon placed in the hot oil sizzles, about 335 to 350 degrees. You do not want to cook your chicken in oil that is too hot because it will brown too quick and be raw in the middle.
While your oil is heating, remove the chicken from the water one piece at a time, allowing access water to fall off and add to the flour. Shake, shake, shake and turn until completely coated. Place on a sheet pan until all is coated.
When your oil is ready, add the chicken to the oil skin side down. Cook until the chicken is brown and crispy on that side, then turn. If your heat is too high, lower to medium high and add a lid and let it sit ajar. Cook, checking after about 10 minutes to see if the bottom has browned. When the bottom is brown, turn again, remove the lid and cook turning until the internal temperature reaches 165-170, raising the heat if needed. At this time you want to be close by, watching and turning as the chicken continues to brown on each side.
When done, drain on a wire rack and allow to rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. If I am frying a large amount I will keep warm in my oven on the warm setting. Enjoy!!

Delicious Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

January 18, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Our friend Marvin Quillen made us this Santa Fe Railroad French Toast a couple of weeks ago and it is delicious. Unlike the usual French toast we make, this French toast is finished in the oven which allows it to puff up! Yes it gets puffy and the inside becomes custardy, just like bread pudding. Yum, it really is delicious. Thank you Marvin for sharing and now here’s a recipe for you to refer to if you like in the future! Oh, don’t forget to make the easy blueberry sauce.

Just look at the lusciousness! After I plated the French toast, I sprinkled with powdered sugar, topped with some blueberry sauce, then finished with maple syrup and homemade whipped cream. Weekend breakfast or holiday breakfast just go better! You have to try this.

Delicious Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

You do want to use Maple Syrup if you can. It is a little more expensive, but well worth the money spent. Here’s a link for 365 Whole Foods Organic Grade A Maple Syrup that you can buy from Amazon or Whole Foods https://amzn.to/377qeYH. All of our local grocery stores will have a good Maple Syrup.

Any of my Buttermilk Pancake recipes need this Maple Syrup so be sure and try those too! https://the2spoons.com/best-ever-buttermilk-pancakes-with-blueberry-compote-and-whipped-cream/.

Delicious Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

Here’s the yummy recipe!

Santa Fe Railraod French Toasst

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Blueberry Sauce

1 1/2 pints fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the French Toasst

6 slices French bread, or challah bread, or other sturdy bread that has been sliced into 3/4 to 1 inch thickness
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs beaten
splash of vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
butter for frying

Method

Blueberry Sauce

Combine the blueberries and vanilla sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Add 1 cup water and the lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
Serve hot or allow to come to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position rack in middle of the oven. Arrange bread in a single layer in a baking dish. Whisk together cream, eggs, vanilla, salt. Pour over the bread and soak, turning occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed but the bread is not falling apart. I think I ended up soaking about 30 minutes, but it may not take that long depending on the bread you may be using.
Heat an iron skillet to high heat, but not smoking hot. Add 2 tablespoons butter at a time and add about 2 pieces of the soaked bread at a time until golden brown and crisp. Add more butter, and fry the remaining bread. If all the bread will not fit into the skillet, place on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake until puffed.
Remove from the heat and dust with confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, blueberry sauce if you are using, and whipped cream if you are using! Enjoy!

Easy Lemony Baked Steelhead Trout

January 13, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This baked Steelhead Trout takes minutes to bake! Loaded with garlic and lemon, this dish was absolutely delicious. I purchased this trout fresh, immediately froze it, then allowed it to thaw in my refrigerator overnight. The trout was still as fresh as it had been the day I bought it!

Steelhead and Rainbow Trout are the same species of fish. The difference between the two are that the rainbow trout remain in fresh water, while the steelhead are anadromous – living in both fresh water and the ocean for parts of their lives.

Steelhead trout is a member of the salmon family that is commonly fished for sport in the United States. It is related to (and similar in many ways to) the rainbow trout, but steelhead trout are slightly larger, are less colorful.

Steelhead trout taste much like salmon. It is a little stronger in flavor, but you can easily substitute salmon in this recipe. It is a beautiful fish that makes a wonderful presentation.

I actually had this for breakfast. It was wonderful with some hashbrowns, fried eggs and toast.

This would be wonderful with just some buttered red potatoes, a nice salad or a vegetable like asparagus or sautéed spinach. Here is an asparagus recipe on the blog that would be delicious with this: https://the2spoons.com/sesame-roasted-asparagus-with-whipped-boursin/.

Easy Lemony Baked Steelhead Trout

When I bought this it was whole. Before cooking I removed the head and cut the fish down the middle. There is a line of bones that I removed, but all of this was easily done.

Melted butter with garlic and lemon juice, along with slices of lemon makes for such a delicious meal. I cooked I in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 10. You want to cook it until the fish is a little flaky, but you sure don’t want to overcook it.

Easy Baked Steelhead Trout

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Whole steelhead trout cut down the middle and bones removed (about 3-5 bounds)
1/2-1 stick butter depending on the size of your trout
1-2 tsp minced garlic
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 lemon sliced
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the fish by removing the head and slicing through but leaving it whole, so you can lay flat. Thoroughly wash the fish. Dry the fish and lay flat so you can remove the bones. There is a strip of bones I just easily removed with a sharp knife pulling them out, you can feel them and it's not hard to do. You may be able to buy your fish already prepped, but mine was whole, but still very easy.
Line a sheet pan or baking dish with foil. Place your fish in the dish. Melt your butter, then add the minced garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Brush on both sides of your fish, pouring the remainder on and around the fish. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Lay the lemons on top of your fish on both sides.
Bake for about 10 minutes, then check for doneness. You want the fish to be a little firm but flaky. If not done, place back into the oven and cook an additional 10 minutes or until flaky. you could even cook under the broiler, watching closely so that it doesn't burn.
Use any leftover to make croquettes. Use just like flaked salmon. Enjoy

Super Easy Mississippi Pot Roast

December 30, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I always forget about Mississippi Pot Roast! I saw a relative posting it the other day and he gave me his recipe! Yum! Perfect as a pot roast but our favorite way to serve is on a toasted bun with melted mozzarella or provolone cheese. Delicious!

Super Easy Mississippi Pot Roast

The recipe blends together five distinct and rather unexpected ingredients: one packet of ranch seasoning, one packet of au jus gravy mix, Several jarred pepperoncini (I used quiet a few) a full stick of butter, and a 3- to 5-pound chuck roast. If you aren’t familiar with the pepperoncini, here’s a link: https://www.walmart.com/tp/pepperoncini. Not only are these great for this recipe, I use them with a blend of olives, pickles, tomatoes and onions for an Italian salad mix.

This recipe originally was created using the slow cooker but I used the Instant Pot. I wanted my roast really tender, so I set the time for an hour. I used a chuck roast but you can use any roast similar that’s perfect for a braise. If you don’t already have an Instant Pot, you will not regret the purchase! Here’s a link: https://amzn.to/2Z9dcbx

Mississippi Pot Roast

Want another roast recipe for your Instant Pot? Try my Sunday Pot Roast: https://the2spoons.com/?s=Pot+roast. It’s a must!

Let me know after you make this Mississippi Pot Roast what you think! My husband loved it! He asked for it a couple of times with the leftovers. When I make it as a sandwich, I strain some of the au jus and serve it for dipping. Yum!

Mississippi Pot Roast

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Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 3-4 lb boneless beef roast, your choice of cut (I used chuck)
1 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
1 Pkg au jus gravy mix
1 Pkg
dry ranch dressing mix, such as Hidden Valley
Pepperoncini peppers, number to your liking, and a little juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired

Method

Slow Cooker Method:
Put the roast in a slow cooker. Add the butter, au jus gravy mix, ranch dressing mix and pepperoncini peppers and juice. Add salt and pepper if you like and cook on low until tender, about 8 hours.
Instant Pot Method:
Put the roast in an Instant pot: Add the butter, au jus gravy mix, ranch dressing mix and pepperoncini peppers and juice. Add salt and pepper . Set the pressure cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

November 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur recipe was in the October, 2019 issue of Food and Wine and I just had to make it. As with all recipes, mine isn’t exactly the same. I feel a recipe is a guide and you make your version as close to the recipe with what you have on hand or what you have available locally, like the Airline Chicken Breast the recipe calls for. What’s an Airline Chicken Breast?

Airline chicken is a food dish comprising a boneless chicken breast with the drumette attached. Skin on breast with 1st wing joint and tenderloin attached, otherwise boneless. The cut is also known as a frenched breast. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_chicken. If you don’t have a butcher that can cut an airline chicken breast, if you don’t want to cut it yourself, or you can find from a specialty store like Central Market, a bone-in, skin on chicken breast works just as well. That is what I used. You don’t quite have the dramatic presentation, but the taste is the same!

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

Another Roast chicken recipe I think you will love is my Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken. Here’s the link! https://the2spoons.com/lemon-and-garlic-roast-chicken/. This recipe is on my blog and it is a delicious recipe also!

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

Here you go with the Roasst Chick with Sauce Chasseur recipe. Hope you Enjoy! I served it with a Basmati Rice that I steamed and just added a little salt, pepper and butter. The rice was the perfect accompaniment.

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

5 from 1 vote

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Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 tbsp neutral oil
4 skin-on airline chicken breasts or skin-on, bone in chicken breast
11/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 large shallots, halved lengthwise, root ends trimmed
8 thyme sprigs
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large plum tomato, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon (I used dried because I wasn't able to find fresh)

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch stainless steel ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken in skillet, skin side down, until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken; add shallots, cut sides down, and press into skillet. Cook chicken and shallots until shallots are browned, about 4 minutes. Add thyme and wine to skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; add broth, and return to a simmer. Carefully transfer skillet (so skin of chicken stays dry) to preheated oven, and roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 155°F, about 20 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven. Using tongs, place chicken breasts and shallots on a plate; tent with aluminum foil to keep warm while making sauce. Pour broth mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean, and return to high heat.
Melt butter in skillet, and add mushrooms in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to loosen mushrooms; cook, without stirring, until mushrooms just begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Add strained broth mixture and cream to skillet, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in tomato, chives, and tarragon; season with salt to taste.
Slice chicken breasts crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces. Divide chicken among plates, and serve with sauce chasseur.