Now that we have the cake and the cookies and the other holiday indulgences past us, I thought it time for one of those ‘right-healthy-like’ meals. The kind that come together easy and don’t sit like a rock in your stomach for days. Something that feels good for you without seeming to be a sacrifice. As I wrote that sentence, I asked myself if shrimp, the featured protein in this dish, was actually healthy. Sometimes I think something is healthy, and then find out it is terrible for me. Quite a let down.
Thankfully, however, shrimps are as they appear – low in calories – and even have a little bit of hidden goodness – rich supplies of selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (all nutrients that are often deficient in the US diet). I think that’s why this tasted so good. Right!
Shrimp Fra Diavolo, from Everyday Italian
(Serves 4)
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tsp. salt, plus additional as needed
1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbs. olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 c. dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve over cooked pasta.
by Carole Clements
1 egg, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two or three (depending on how many layers you want in your cake) 8-inch cake pans with wax/parchment paper and grease. I learned a trick once for lining a round cake pan – fold a square of parchment (or wax) paper in half, then fourths. Now bring the open edges together to form a triangle. Then position the point of the triangle in the center of the pan, as shown in my lovely photo. Cut the parchment paper at the place where it reaches the edge of the pan. Open up your sheet and you should have a perfect circle the size of the bottom of your cake pan.
Since my last chicken post was kind of a bust (no offense, honey, it just wasn’t really a recipe. And besides no one can fry those Tyson tenders like you can – it can’t be taught!), I have a really really good one for you today. This recipe was given to me by a friend who is taking a Healthy Cooking class out in Brookline, MA. She shared with me some of the dishes she had already made, and I of course weeded through all the really healthy ones with such forbidden items as vegetables, tofu, and whole wheat flour, to find the only one my husband would eat. And, boy, did he ever! We are huge fans of this recipe, even more so when I have caramelized onions already on hand to make this even easier! In fact, may I recommend to all of you that you always have some caramelized onions on hand? They are great for 
In any case, this dish just really tastes good. I’ve made it with both grocery store President-brand brie and with the really good Brie de Nangis that my local cheese shop, 
1 Tbs. and 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
Spoon onion mixture into bowl and let cool. Once cooled, stir in Brie, sage and salt and pepper to taste.
At long last, there will be pictures! There is no question in my mind that a food blog simply cannot exist without the mouthwatering images that tempt and entice you to grab your nearest skillet and spatula and head for the kitchen. Hopefully today’s post will do just that! It is a special treat to have as a guest blogger my husband RJ. Though I am usually the one cooking dinner, he has never refused to fill in for me when I needed a break. He has a short repertoire, for sure, but his dishes never fail to satisfy, and they always involve the bare minimum of prep time.
My lovely husband has decided to share his secret chicken recipe today, as I break down a gooey and decadent macaroni and cheese side dish. I do not recommend serving these together, as we did this past weekend, for fear of breadcrumb-whiteflour-carb overload. But the weather outside was frightful and these dishes, under the circumstances, were delightful.
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add flour, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, and pepper to taste, stirring constantly. When it starts to thicken, gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture has the consistency of heavy cream, about 1 minute. Gradually add the cheddar, fontina or gruyere, and 1/2 c. of parmesan cheese, stirring all the time. Pour the cheese mixture into the pasta and stir to combine. Pour into a 8×8″ baking dish. The noodles will be drowning in sauce for now, but it will get soaked up in the baking process.
From My Table...to Yours 