Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

This may not seem like a "Summer Lovin" dish  to some, but I love seafood pasta dishes in the summer. I especially love them when paired with a nice cool glass of white wine. But, since I am now carrying the next baby diva (coming to a kitchen near you this December) I will have to make due with no wine pairings this summer.  Luckily, this dish is great on it's own!

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients


12 ounces penne pasta

1/4 cup butter2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, diced

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley


Directions


1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2.Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more.

3.Stir in the shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

(I originally found this recipe on All Recipes...if you haven't checked out this site, you should!)

Spicy Buffalo Shrimp Wraps

The divas typically make meals to freeze. I thought I'd share a recipe in "Freezer Ready" format. This is the type of recipe we put at each of our stations each month so the divas know how to package their meals.



Bag 1:
1 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs

Bag 2:
1 “tub” of egg beaters and 1 tablespoon of milk

Bag 3:
½ cup flour

Bag 4:
Shrimp (frozen raw, uncooked shrimp)

Bag 5:
5 flour tortillas

Bag 6:
1/3 cup of either ranch or blue cheese (you may not want to freeze this one)

Bag 7:
½ Jar of wing sauce

To make at home:
1. Thaw in refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
2. Drain liquid from shrimp bag and remove shells and tails!
3. Batter shrimp in this order:
a. Toss shrimp in flour and coat well.
b. Dip shrimp into milk and egg mixture
c. Coat shrimp in panko crumbs
4. Once all your shrimp have been battered, heat ½ inch of cooking oil to med-high heat in a large stovetop skillet.
5. Carefully place shrimp into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, turn each shrimp over and continue to cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until done. then remove from pan.
6. Toss shrimp in buffalo wing sauce and wrap in tortillas with blue cheese or ranch. (I also like to add shredded cheddar cheese!)

Crock Pot Appetizers: Artichoke Cheese Dip

Did you know that your crock pot insert is oven safe up to 400 degrees? Just make sure you don't use the lid. If you are questioning my expertise you can confirm this information at Crock Pot's FAQ's!

This recipe I bake in the oven and then turn on low in the crock pot to keep it warm during a party. Enjoy!

Artichoke Cheese Dip

2 cups of mayonnaise
2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups of drained, canned artichoke hearts (I've also used frozen)
several drops of Tabasco
2 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons lemon juice

This recipe makes a lot so you may want to "half" it.

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender (if you have a small processor do this in two batches). Mix until smooth. Spray Crock Pot with vegetable spray and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Move to crock pot on low to keep warm.

Great with rye or pumpernickel bread.

Crock Pot Appetizers: Italian Biscuits and Marinara Sauce

So...technically this isn't a crock pot appetizer. But if you read Monday's post you know I have a triple crock pot and I like to mix it up a bit.

You will use your crock pot, but just to heat up marinara sauce to put next to these heavenly appetizers....Italian Biscuits and Marinara Sauce.

I bet the other Divas are reading this right now thinking...it's been awhile! I seem to recall the last time I served these there was an argument as to who got to eat the last one(which is the true sign of a great recipe).

This is a variation of a Pillsbury recipe I found years ago. The biggest difference is in how I wrap them. The original recipe called for a different way to cut the biscuits, but we have experimented over the years and found this works best.

Italian Biscuits and Marinara Sauce
-1 can of buttermilk biscuits (large/jumbo...the big ones!)

-10 precooked frozen meatballs, thawed and cut in half
(to thaw, I put in microwave for 60 seconds, or until slightly warm)

-2 pieces of string cheese (each cut into 10 small pieces)

-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

-1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

-1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Cut each biscuit into thirds (3 triangles)
2. In the middle of each triangle, place an upside down meatball half, flat side up
3. Place a piece of string cheese on top of the meatball
4. Wrap the points of triangle around meat/cheese and form a ball of dough around the ingredients
5. Place the balls seam side down into sprayed baking dish. If I'm making the recipe as written I use a 9 inch round pan. But if you double it (which I usually have to do to appease the guests!) use a 12 X 8 brownie pan.
6.Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese on top (do the cheese last!)
7.Cook at 375 for 25 minutes or until they are no longer "doughy" on the inside.
8. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping

Enjoy! (My husband said to add "Yum")

Crock Pot Appetizers: Spicy Nacho Dip

Here is the next crock pot appetizer recipe Check back later this week to see the rest of the recipes listed on Monday's post!

I can't take credit for this recipe, as this is actually my husband's specialty. There are tons of similar recipes out there, but I must admit this one is pretty tasty (and easy)!!

Spicy Nacho Dip

1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 16 oz block of velveeta cheese, cut up into small cubes
1 16 oz jar of Pace Picante (we like Medium)
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine in crock pot and cook on low for 1 to 1/2 hours or until melted.
Serve with Tortilla chips or veggies.

Great snack for football season....GO COLTS!

Crock Pot Appetizer Trifecta

At our monthly Dinnertime Diva gatherings the host diva always prepares some appetizers for the group. When possible, the appetizers reflect the theme of the month.

Since September is "Crock Pot Meals" I am once again in search of the Appetizer Trifecta for one of my favorite appliances....

Oh my triple crock pot...what a fun Christmas gift from my parents. Since getting it last year it has been a hit at many get togethers (including Dessert Diva's baby shower!). Since most of the diva gatherings involve appetizers I've been in search of 3 appetizer recipes that really compliment each other.

This is harder than it sounds because variety is key. For example, I never want 3 things that are all served with tortilla chips (too boring). On the other hand you don't want 3 things that are so different that the flavors don't go well together (too crazy). I want 3 recipes that make people go "mmm" (just right). Ah...the search for the appetizer trifecta.

Here are some of the Divas favorite crock pot appetizers:
(Be sure to check back this week as we post the recipes for all of the food listed below!)

-Buffalo Chicken Dip
-Spicy Nacho Dip
-Pizza Dip
-Mexican Dip
-Jalepeno Popper Dip
-Meatball Biscuits with Marinara Sauce
-Artichoke Spread
-Reuben Delight

We'd love to hear your ideas...what 3 recipes would you put as your crock pot "Appetizer Trifecta"?

Until next dinner...

Sneak Peek September

Have you been wondering what our September theme will be? Well wait no more...Crockpot Meals!

We've done this theme in the past and it's one of our favorites. However, we chose to do it this month as a shout out to a new website we ran across this month..."The Crockpot Girls". This is a group of friends that does something similar to us. Check out their awesome website crockpotgirls.com

Check back later this month to discover our latest recipes!

Until next dinner....

Pastie Pies (By Gourmet Diva)

You may be thinking, "I've seen this post before".....you are correct. This is a previously posted recipe, but it also happened to be my "Original Diva" recipe for this month. Enjoy!

Pastie (pronounced past - y) pies are a family tradition in my house. I will try to retell the "background story" my mom used to tell us as kids. According to Scandanavian tradition, wives would bake these early in the morning for their husbands to take with them for lunch at the coal mines. The husbands would put them in their pockets and they would stay warm until lunch. (I have no idea how much truth there is to this story...but it's what I grew up with, so I thought I'd share!)

Ingredients:
Crust:
3 cups flour
1 TBSP salt
1 cup crisco
1 cup cold water

Filling:
1 lb ground chuck (I reccomend 90% lean)
4 medium potatos (cut into small squares)
1 medium onion (chopped small)
butter (you will use several small pats for each pie)
salt and pepper

Directions:
Crust
Sift flour and salt. Add Crisco and work in with fork (this will take a few minutes, be patient!). Add water and stir to form soft dough. Refridgerate overnight, or at least a few hours to reduce stickiness. (the longer you refridgerate the easier it will be)






Divide into 5 or 6 balls, roll into circles a little bigger than a small plate. When rolling, add flour to reduce stickiness. Then drape each circle over a small plate with a little hanging over the end.



Filling:
In the center of your circle place a layer of meat (pull apart with your fingers), a layer of potato, a layer of onion, salt and pepper to taste, and a small pat of margarine. Repeat all layers again and end with a layer of meat.



Fold the edge of the dough over the top of the filling and crimp edges. Poke the top of the pies with a fork to release steam during cooking. Flop the pastie into your hand and transfer to a lightly greased pan (use a cookie sheet or pan with sides, as you will have some juices escape during cooking.




Cook in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Then turn oven down to 375degrees and bake 20 minutes or until golden.



Serve with ketchup to dip your bites in. It sounds strange, but the ketchup totally completes this delicious meal!

TO FREEZE:
Very important tips if you freeze these!
1. I reccomend wrapping each individual pie in wax paper before freezing. If you don't the dough tends to stick together and it's hard to get them apart!
2. YOU MUST COOK THIS STRAIGHT FROM THE FREEZER TO THE OVEN. Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT thaw first. (never ever thaw a frozen potato...just ask Saucy Diva...it's not pretty!)

Sidenote: This dough is awesome. Get creative with calzone recipes, etc. :)

Also, if you are in a pinch for time, you can make it as a true "pie".





-Gourmet Diva

Summer Grilling - Peaches and Pork

This is a recipe I found in a 2005 Cooking Light cookbook. I had not tried it before this month, but I will definitely be making it again! It was a nice light meal and something different than what we usually grill.

First, a round of applause for Mr. Gourmet.....a fine grilling job!



The finished product....



Peaches and Pork

Ingredients
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted
6 cups trimmed arugula (I couldn't find arugula so I used Escarole)
1 teaspoon turbinado or granulated sugar (I didn't use this when I made it)

Preparation
Place each piece of pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each piece to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine 2 tablespoons vinegar, juice, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon juice mixture. Pour the remaining juice mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Place peaches, cut sides up, on a plate; drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar.

Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until pork is done. Set aside.

Place peaches, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 4 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Turn and cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Cut each peach half into 4 slices. Slice pieces of pork into 1-inch-thick strips.

Drizzle trimmed arugula with reserved 1 tablespoon juice mixture, tossing to coat. Divide arugula evenly among 4 plates. Top with grilled pork strips and peach slices; sprinkle evenly with sugar.

We even had extra grilled peaches so we were able to come up with a duo of peach desserts! (actually it was a little husband/wife cook off....Mr. Gourmet won)



Enjoy! Until next dinner....

DTD - June 2011

Dinnertime Divas June 2011

Theme: Summer Grilling

Hosts: Cheesy Diva and Gourmet Diva

Appetizers:
Cheesy Diva Nacho Dip
Cheesy Diva Divine Potato Bake

Take Home Recipes:
Peaches and Pork (Gourmet Diva)
Sirloin Kabobs (Saucy Diva)
Italian Chicken and Veggie Kabobs (Cheesy Diva)
Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Lemon Mustard Sauce (Dessert Diva)

The divas were reminiscing about past DTD nights and realize that they are now just distant memories! We decided we really should do a monthly blog post about our Dinnertime Diva get togethers so anyone can reference back and find their favorite recipes. So, begining this month the Diva that hosts the gathering at her house will take a few pictures and spread the DTD love.

You may have noticed there were only four recipes this month instead of the normal six. This month we sadly said goodbye to Spicy Diva as she began a new adventure in life and has moved out of state. But once a diva, always a diva, so we hope she comes back and visits often!

Wine diva was out of town so that left four divas, two baby divas, and one diva in the oven (Cheesy Diva Jr. coming this November to a kitchen near you!)

So enjoy the fuzzy pictures of our day (sorry...didn't realize my lens was smudged until the end of the day!)

Getting some appetizers while we set up our stations.



Peaches and Pork Station



Sirloin Kabob Station



A glass of wine (and Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Lemon Mustard Sauce Station) :)



Italian Chicken Kabob station



Baby Diva and Baby Divo entertaining themselves while the mommies cook!



And....since we are all educators and are FINALLY on summer vacation we decided a trip to a local ice cream parlor was in order.




Do you love our new monthly post? Check back later this week and you will find all the recipes for "Summer Grilling" posted for your convenience (check below this post to see the recipes for this month). I bet you are also waiting in anxious anticipation to see what we are cooking next month?

July 2011 "Iron Chef Divas"
For next month we all thought of an ingredient we like to cook with. We wrote them down on paper and drew out of a bowl to see who was cooking with what next month.

Drumroll please...

Cheesy Diva: Asparagus
Saucy Diva: Cous Cous
Dessert Diva: Avacado
Gourmet Diva: Cream Cheese
Wine Diva: Snap/Sugar Peas

Until next dinner.....

March Supper Club (Spicy Diva)

One of my favorite parts of Supper Club is the beginning....where we come face to face with prepared deliciousness to devour before getting to work. We were greeted with a wide variety of food items when we arrived at Wine Diva's house.

I'm not sure of the name nor the recipe, but these are pure heaven to the tastebuds.


We also enjoyed Dessert Diva's delicious meatballs.


After we filled up, we got straight to work.

Saucy Diva and Gourmet Diva putting together the Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken.


Dessert Diva working on her Chicken Pot Pie.


Preparing the chicken for the Chicken Pot Pie.


We each left the Supper Club with Chicken Crepes, Chicken Pot Pie, Mom's Spaghetti Sauce, Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken, and Chicken 'n' Dumplings. Can we say YUM!?!?

Personally, I've already greedily devoured the Chicken Pot Pie and am longing to have another one already prepared in my freezer.

Check back in late April to get a glimpse of just a few of the bloggers we stalk for the pure pleasure of food. We are all choosing a recipe from fellow food bloggers like us :)

Diva Dream Day (By Gourmet Diva)

Fellow readers,

Today instead of a recipe I am going to tell you a story. A story of wonder. A story of fabulousness. A story of how 3 of the 6 divas get to fulfill a diva dream. That's right ladies and gentlemen, 3 of our own get to meet P Dub today. P Dub, Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond....Diva Superstar.

Alas, I am not one of the lucky 3 divas. But I am going to live vicariously through them. We wanted this to be a true diva day, but due to pesky things like pregnancy and shaping young minds (aka: teaching) three of us were unable to make the journey.

"Living the dream"
There are a few things the dinnertime divas have always hoped for....
1. Meeting Pioneer Woman
2. Having Ree check out our blog
3. Hanging out with P Dub on her ranch

Today, number one will happen. Maybe number two if we're lucky. I think the closest we will ever to get to number three is re-watching our DVR episode of her Thanksgiving throwdown with Bobby Flay...but if we're going to dream, we may as well dream big!

So throughout the day I have been texting the road trip divas. Getting messages such as:
"Do you think PW will be weirded out if Saucy Diva and I bring a cheese board and charcuterie and ask her to partake in a wine/cheese/meat feast with us?"

And reading Facebook messages such as:
"Waiting on her royal Highness to get this party started"

Sigh. So here I wait, anxious to hear all about the fabulous day, and drowning my jealousy in some Pioneer Woman Apple Dumplings.

Stay tuned. Saucy Diva, Wine Diva, and Spicy Diva will be blogging about their day later this evening.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches (by Gourmet Diva)

The divas have been meeting for 10 months now and August's theme is "Diva Favorites". We all got to vote on what the other divas would bring back for an encore meal.

This recipe is a great way to add a little "Gourmet" to a BBQ with friends. I will also add that the leftovers are great as a cold sandwich the next day. Happy BBQing!

-Gourmet Diva

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Ingredients
1/4 cup hot jalapeño jelly
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Cooking spray
1/4 cup light ranch dressing
1/4 cup sweet hickory smoke tomato-based barbecue sauce (such as Bull's-Eye)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
Preparation
Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Combine jelly and water; set aside.

Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through pepper); rub evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 15 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Brush pork with jelly mixture. Grill an additional 5 minutes or until thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink).

Place pork on a cutting surface. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork. Combine ranch dressing and barbecue sauce. Serve pork and ranch mixture with buns.

Nutritional Information
Calories:329 (22% from fat)
Fat:8g (sat 2g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.6g)
Protein:27.8g
Carbohydrate:34.6g
Fiber:1.8g
Cholesterol:76mg
Iron:3.1mg
Sodium:920mg
Calcium:73mg

This is a Cooking Light recipe from many years ago!

Watch Out World - Baby Diva is in the HOUSE!

The divas would love to introduce the newest addition to the Diva clan.
Baby Addison has already started loving food, P-dub and life.






Congrats Gourmet Diva!
We love you.

Mantraps (by Gourmet Diva)

I thought my first attempt EVER at a blog should include a much-loved, much-requested recipe. As the name implies, mantraps are also a big hit with men....because who wouldn't love baked cheesy goodness on bread? These are very easy to make and make a great appetizer for any get-together.

Mantraps

Ingredients
Cocktail rye rounds or Pepperidge Farm French Bread
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups Hellmann's Mayonnaise
2 scallions diced with green tips
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon garlic juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lawry's seasoned salt

Mix all ingredients and spread on bread. Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes. I often broil for a minute or two at the end so the cheese bubbles.

Optional: Sprinkle with oregano and paprika. Decorate with olives.