Recipe: Pad Thai (NY Times)

Pad Thai

4 oz. fettuccine-width rice stick noodles
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded (*about 4 cups)
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 lb. peeled shrimp, pressed tofu or a combination
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, quartered.

Put noodles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until noodles are just tender; check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they do not get too soft. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon peanut oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside. Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add scallions and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp or tofu (or both). When shrimp begin to turn pink and tofu begins to brown, add drained noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.

*Johnna's tip: This recipe is courtesy one of our New York readers who came across this in the NY Times. Yum. Pad Thai is one of those easy and extremely flavorful dishes that takes no time to make. It is a great dish to entertain with or to take with you to a Spring get-together. With graduation celebrations, Mother's Day and summer gatherings on the rise, we can make use of a simple classic like this one...

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Recipe: Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole

1 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 green bell pepper (cubed)
1 sweet onion (cubed)
4 ribs of celery (cut into bit size peices)
2 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp. garlic (chopped)
4 cup white rice (cooked)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Saute onions, peppers, bay leaves and celery for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, Old Bay, salt, pepper, hot sauce and tomatoes. Boil for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. Serve over the rice.

*Johnna's tip: For Christmas, the boyfriend brought the fab gift of (*drum roll, please)....a cooking class! Trust that I was not excited about the gift upon first glance (*I was like: "Are you trying to say we can't cook?!"...he assured me this wasn't the case.) I went and to my surprise...it was pretty cool. So the low down on cooking classes are: they basically cook the food in front of you, you get to ask as many questions about the cooking as you want and you get to taste all of the food that they prepare. We learned a few tricks and got to pick Chef Zan Dial's brain about some of his secrets in the kitchen.

Here is a clip from the Chef Zan Dial's cooking class "Cheap & Easy in the Kitchen" which features today's shrimp creole recipe. I tried this recipe at home and it came out pretty darn tasty for the cheap. One of the questions I asked Zan Dial was where he suggested we go for these cheap and easy ingredients and he mentioned a grocery store named Wegman's. Not the first time I heard about this store, sounds like it might be the foodie haven for the cheap...shall we take a trip up Route 1??

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Top Five Wednesday: Five Soups You Should Make

After the last Food Blogger Happy Hour/Potluck, we have been infatuated with soup. All kinds. Thrifty DC Cook is responsible for this. She made probably one of the top five best soups we've ever tasted (*It was a seafood soup in a spicy, lemongrass broth). The recipe for that is coming soon and we will fill you in when we get the details. If you haven't figured it out by now, we are cold and trying to stay warm under these conditions hence we're making soup. Today's "Top Five" are the top five soups you should be making this January. Soup is sooo easy to make and sooo delicious. Typically, soups are not that fatty either because the base of the soup is usually a light broth or another light ingredient. Now, there are those soups that bring out the naughty side of eating but we hope these soups will help you stay warm and stay within your new years resolution. Check it:

1. Tomato soup- The Arugula Files recipe is simple and matches perfect with a grilled cheese...gotta love the classics.

2. Crab and Corn Chowder- This is our show stopper recipe. Serve this one when you're have a few guests over and you want something comforting.

3. Middle Eastern Lamb Stew- Super easy because the slow cooker does all the work. Just drop in the ingredients and 3 hours later you have a feast.

4. Maryland Crab- This is an art. Well in these parts anyway. Around this area, Maryland crab is the staple soup and must be done right. This is a great time to practice.

5. Miso Soup- Love this one pot soup. Our favorite additions to the typical seaweed and tofu are carrots, broccoli and mushrooms. Delish.

Click the links above to retrieve the recipes and Enjoy!

Recipe: Easy Spinach Alfredo

Easy Spinach Alfredo

1 package (16 oz.) linguine
2 (16 oz.) jars Alfredo sauce (*Suggestion: Classico or Bertolli)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen whole leaf spinach or 2 (10 oz.) bags fresh spinach (cooked and drained)
1 (8 oz.) package of fresh baby Bella mushrooms
1 medium onion (finely diced)
1 garlic clove (finely diced)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (*Cleaned and cut into about 1" pieces)
2 tbsp. butter or extra virgin olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain (*Add a little olive oil to the pasta so it won't stick together). Cook the spinach according to package directions, drain and set side. In a skillet, add the butter (or olive oil) over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and cook until just about softened; remove and set aside. Add a little more butter or olive oil to the pan and add the chicken to the skillet; cook until done. Add in the mushrooms and cook about 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic/onion mixture back to the pan and the Alfredo sauce and heat until just bubbly; add in the drained spinach and combine well. Add the linguine to a plate and top with spinach Alfredo mixture. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: This was the easiest go-to meal that we used in college. It works so well with tortellini (*During college we were pretty broke so linguine was the better, cheaper option...) and shrimp if you don't want chicken. Serve alongside some really good garlic bread and you have a mini pasta feast on your hands. Also, feel free to create your own Alfredo sauce, we just used the jarred stuff because it is easy for the busy cook. Let us know how it turns out!

*Johnna's tip, tip: We plan on making this tonight, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will have pics up in the morning...

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Recipe: Baked Stuffy Shrimp

Baked Stuffy Shrimp

1 lb. large shrimp (peeled)
8 oz. lump crab meat
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped onion
2 medium garlic cloves (crushed)
4 tbsp. bread crumbs
1 tsp. fresh parsley
1 lemon
1 egg
1 tbsp. capers
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butterfly shrimp and place in a baking dish with the tails up. Saute the garlic and onion in butter. Combine with the remaining ingredients, except 1/2 cup melted butter. Stuff the shrimp with the mixture. Pour the melted butter over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until tails start to curl. Transfer to the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the top is brown. Serve with sliced lemon. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: Entertaining season is here. From now until the end of the year, it will seem like you're constantly having some sort of get together or attending someones holiday something. Be prepared! This is a quick, easy dish to wow your guest with...for some reason some people really get excited when food is stuffed with crab meat (*We are one of those people...). Try serving as an appetizer for a fall gathering and pair with your favorite Chardonnay.

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Recipe: Old Bay Salmon Cakes

Old Bay Salmon Cakes

1 packet Old Bay Salmon Cake Mix
1 (14 3/4 oz.) can Salmon (drained and flaked, boneless) or 1 lb. fresh salmon (cooked)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chopped green onions/scallions

In a large bowl, combine the mix and mayonnaise. Add in the salmon and toss gently until well mixed. Shape into 6 patties. Add two tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a pan and fry five (5) minutes per side or until browned, turning once. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: We love salmon cakes. We didn't before, but now that we know the endless possibilities we are liking them more each day. They are good for both the single, busy individual or the large family that do not have much time after work to whip up a good, quick meal. Salmon cakes are the answers to your problems. Pair with a side of homemade whipped mashed potatoes or sauteed spinach or both. Once again, we cooked and did not provide pics:-( We know, we suck.

**Recipe found @ http://www.oldbay.com/

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Recipe: Remoulade Sauce

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Emeril's Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. Hot Sauce
1 tsp. paprika

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Aww we missed our tips of the day...we had stopped because we literally stopped cooking this summer. From one restaurant to the next, we roamed the city for the best and the worst cuisine neglecting our kitchen. So last night we took on the task of breaking in our new deep fryer (*which is awesome!) and we loaded it up with some finger-licking good catfish. We paired it up with this homemade remoulade sauce and were on Cloud 9, it was delicious! We actually found this recipe searching the web and had to substitute due to the constraints of our kitchen contents (*and budget...). We suggest a fun potato salad or chips as a side (*Try Cape Cod Parmesan and Roasted Garlic...we love the things they do with their chips!).

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Recipe: Shrimp Skewered

Shrimp Skewered

2 lb. shrimp (Peeled and deveined)
1 lb. bacon (half slices)
2 cans pineapple chunks

Marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat broiler or grill. Combine the sauce ingredients and marinate shrimp in mixture for 1 hour. On a skewer, alternate the shrimp, pineapple and bacon (*1/2 slice should be folded). Broil or grill until bacon is crisp. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: The last days of summer. August is really living up to its reputation of being the hottest month of the year. With so much heat rising in the city, it might be better to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible. Pulling out the grill is a great idea and you might want to throw some veggies on the skewers too alongside the shrimp. Pair with a simple salad and some nice cold coladas.

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Recipe: Herb Butter Scallops

Herb Butter Scallops

1 lb. bay scallops
1/4 cup sweet, unsalted butter
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 tbsp. fresh basil
1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley
Salt (to taste)
White Pepper (to taste)

Saute scallops in garlic and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the fresh herbs as they brown lightly. Add in only enough scallops to cook evenly (*Do Not Crowd or Overcook). Should take 5 minutes per batch to cook. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve scallops on top of your favorite pasta and with a good glass of wine. Please be careful to not overcook...nothings worse then dry, rubbery scallops from being overcooked.

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Recipe: Simple Shrimp Scampi

Simple Shrimp Scampi

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. large shrimp (peeled and deveined) (21 to 25 per pound)
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. dry vermouth
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves
1 pinch cayenne
Salt (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Heat a skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp. oil and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add 1 lb. shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just opaque, about 1 minute; transfer to a bowl. Return pan to heat and repeat process with remaining oil and shrimp.
Return empty skillet to medium-low heat; melt 1 tbsp. butter. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, add lemon juice and vermouth. Whisk in remaining 2 tbsp. butter; add parsley and cayenne, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return shrimp and accumulated juices to skillet. Toss to combine; serve immediately.

*Johnna's tip: We took a dip off the beaten path and topped brown rice with this shrimp scampi recipe. Not a great idea, but not a horrible idea. We decided we should just stick with a linguine or angel hair pasta next time we try scampi. Pair with a good glass of wine and enjoy!

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Recipe: Salmon Tartare

Salmon Tartare

1 lb. raw salmon fillet
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 shallots (finely chopped)
2 tbsp. capers (rinsed, drained and chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh chives (chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 lemon (cut into wedges)

Slice and then finely chop the salmon; place in a bowl. Keep salmon very cool and handle as little as possible. Gently stir in oil, vinegar, shallots, capers, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover the tartare lightly and refrigerate for up to an hour. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: While thumbing through the cookbook, Creative Cooking the Costco Way, we came across this quick and easy appetizer. Tuna tartare is most commonly served in many restaurants and is an acquired taste. Try with salmon if you're not feeling tuna and spruce things up with a few sprigs of parsley for garnish.

*Johnna's tip, tip: Ohh and we have to put the disclaimer out there...Consuming raw foods can be bad for you, blah, blah, blah...basically, eat at your own risk.

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Recipe: Old Bay Ultimate Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

Old Bay Ultimate Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

1 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 lb. salmon fillets
Oil

Mix the brown sugar and Old Bay together in a bowl. Brush the salmon lightly with oil (*We recommend using Olive Oil). Rub generously with seasoning mixture. Grill over medium-high heat 8 minutes per inch of the thickness or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: JKGF realizes we are actually fish people. For a long time we thought we didn't like the small creatures of the sea (*fish), but we ate fish a few time this weekend while at home in NY and we loved it! Fish needs to be dressed up and jazzed up to keep it interesting for our palate. Anything with Old Bay excites our senses so maybe we can give salmon another try, which we had sworn off our dining list. Try this alongside a mixed green salad and a nice glass of wine.

*Johnna's tip, tip: Don't forget we have an Old Bay Giveaway going on right now, send us your recipes. (*Bloody Mary's with Old Bay...be creative!)

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Recipe: Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Old Bay seasoning (to taste)
Ground pepper (to taste) (*preferably from a pepper mill) 1 tbsp. of finely minced garlic
1 avocado
Mixed Greens
1 tomato

Season shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, ground pepper and finely minced garlic. Put in fridge for about 2-3 hours. Broil shrimp in oven for 6-10 minutes or until reddish color. Cut up avocado and tomato into small pieces. Put mixed greens in a bowl and add avocado and tomato pieces. Add shrimp to mixed greens mixture and a dressing of your choice (*I like Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette) Enjoy it!

*Johnna's tips: Today's recipe comes from one of our readers out of New York, thanks for the great salad! This is definitely healthy eating on a budget and can be your lunch for the week. Side with a delicious summer fruit like sliced mango, peaches or oranges.

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Recipe: Shrimp de Jonghe

Shrimp de Jonghe


2 lb. shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1/2 cup butter
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 tbsp. fresh parseley (minced)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 cup grated Parmesean cheese
1 lb. linguine (cooked according to package directions)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shrimp in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain shrimp in a colander, then immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Place the shrimp in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Melt butter in a pan over low heat; add in the crushed garlic and saute until the garlic turns fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, wine, bread crumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Pour butter mixture over the shrimp and sprinkle with grated Parmesean. Cover and bake for 10-12 minutes. Uncover dish and broil on high for 2-4 minutes until the top is crispy and crunchy. Serve over the linguine.


*Johnna's tip: Pasta dishes seem endless, don't they? You can twist it into just about anything you want adding in all your favorite ingredients. Shrimp de Jonghe is a speciality of the windy city, Chicago and was originated at DeJonghe's Hotel and Restaurant located in Chicago. Any food/recipes/deep dish pizzas that come out of Chicago, we want first dibs!

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Recipe: Summer Crab Cakes

Summer Crab Cakes

2 lb. Jumbo Blue Claw Crab Meat
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. ground mustard
3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. breadcrumbs

Preheat broiler to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients except for the crab meat and breadcrumbs. Gently fold in crab meat taking care not to break lumps apart. Add breadcrumbs, maintaining moisture but not making it doughy. Form mixture into 2-3 inch rounds. Place on greased baking sheet. Sit in refrigerator for one hour. Place under broiler and allow to cook until golden.

*Johnna's tip: It's the dead of summer and we know how you feel about the kitchen and heat (*Well, hell, we know how we feel about it...it's not a good look). So you need some recipes to keep you out of the kitchen slaving over the stove all day and night, but you don't want to settle for tuna sandwiches. Crab cakes are great especially alongside a light pasta salad or field greens salad with all your favorite dressings. Or if you really want to keep it summer, try grilling them;-)

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_cake

Recipe: Quick Maryland Crab Soup

Quick Maryland Crab Soup

1 can tomato soup
1 can beef boullion
1 can green pea soup
1 lb. crab meat
1 cup sour cream


Mix together the three cans of soup over low heat. Fold in the crab meat and add in the sour cream at the LAST minute. Serve.


*Johnna's tip: We are experimenting with this one, trying to constantly make it better than the first. Send us your insight into how we can make this better (johnnaknowsgoodfood@gmail.com). Remember this is the quick and easy version of the soup that has made Maryland known for its crab, we have a more comprehensive recipe circa December 17, 2008.

Picture source: http://crabpie.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5

Food.Fun.Stuff: Another Summer Cooking

And yet another cooking class. Fun times. "Cooking with Clams" is a celebration of summer with clams that are on half shell, stuffed razor clams, steamer clams with drawn butter, etc. It will teach the best cooking methods for any clam dish. For 70 bucks a pop, you learn the best of the clam world;-)

The Where: Zola Wine & Kitchen
The When: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
The Money: $70 per person

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sandiego_11_bg_010706.jpg

Recipe: Creole Shrimp

Creole Shrimp

1 1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 drops Peppadew Splash On Sauce
1 lb. shrimp (deveined & shelled)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
*Slow Cooker (optional)

Combine all ingredients except shrimp. Add ingredients to Slow Cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Add in the shrimp the last hour of cooking. And if you don't have a Slow Cooker saute celery, onion and bell peppers in 1 tbsp. butter until tender. (Better if left a bit crunchy.) Add remaining ingredients except shrimp. Simmer at least 30 minutes to an hour. Add shrimp simmer 30 minutes more.

*Johnna's tip: Creole is a style of cooking that originated out of Louisiana. It combines the flavors of French, Mediterranean, Spanish, African and American influences. The best of everything basically is all balled up into one dish in creole cooking. Try this dish over rice or with a side of French bread.

Picture source: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--3672/shrimp-creole.asp

Recipe: Swazi-Fire Cocktail Sauce

Swazi-Fire Cocktail Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Swazi Fire Sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Be very careful with this sauce! Swazi Fire Sauce is pretty spicy and almost burned someones eyes out after handling this sauce and touching the eyes (*Trust us, we witnessed the pain firsthand...) Serve as the sauce for your shrimp cocktail or with oysters.

Picture source: http://swazigourmet.gourmetfoodmall.com/ProductDetail.php?product=28343

Teriyaki Shrimp Kebabs

Teriyaki Shrimp Kebabs

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 red onion (cut into 8-10 wedges)
Cooking spray

Prepare grill for cooking. Thread the shrimp and onion wedges (alternating) onto about 8 skewers. Brush the kabobs with the teriyaki sauce and place them on the grilling rack that is coated with cooking spray. Grill for 8-10 minutes turning once. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: It's that time of the year! We love a good grill party...steaks, burgers, teriyaki shrimp...the list is endless with the things that you can do if you have a grill. It's nothing like the flavor you get from grilled foods and this recipe is a quick and simple way to get the ball rolling. Feel free to add on red, orange or green pepper wedges alongside the onion wedges. Serve alone or on a bed of rice or lettuce.

Picture source: http://www.mychoyce.com/food/2477