Clams, Carbonara, and Crevettes

I love when kids eat food that you normally wouldn't expect them to eat.  This little cutie pie and her family are good friends of ours and she is one of my favorite munchkins to  have over for dinner.  Kayla is eating one of my favorite hors d'oeuvres - grilled clams!  It's a recipe from one of my idols, The Barefoot Contessa - Ina Garten.  I made it gluten free by making my own breadcrumbs.  I basically save the ends of my gluten free bread loafs and put them in the food processor until them are finely ground.  This is an excellent recipe to make gluten free.  I love it and the breadcrumb mixture can easily be used as a breading for chicken or fish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-clams-with-basil-breadcrumbs-recipe/index.html

This pasta carbonara recipe was fantastic and I loved the combination of these three courses for dinner.  I found this yummy dish in Food and Wine and it was so easy to make gluten free with my favorite BioNaturae pasta.  The arugula really adds the perfect touch. 

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spaghettini-with-arugula-pancetta-herbs-and-eggs?xid=DAILY041513SpaghettiniWithArugula

This soy sauce and lime marinated shrimp salad has so much flavor and I love to make it in the summer.  It's also great with a margarita!  My kids love the shrimp, cucumbers and Parmesan crackers - this is a perfect dinner for us.

La Recette:

6 cups roughly chopped romaine

1 English cucumber cut and half vertically, seeds scraped, cut in half vertically again, then cut horizontally into half inch pieces (it doesn't have to be precise- just sort of cube it)

2 avocados, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 pint grape tomatoes cut in half

1/2 lb. shrimp, 15-20 count, peeled and divined

1/4 cup gluten free reduced sodium soy sauce - I like San-J Organic Tamari (and it's non- GMO verified, extra bonus)

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced

8 Tablespoons freshly graded Parmesan

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons mango vinegar - I found this at Sur la Table, http://www.surlatable.com/search/searchContainer.jsp;jsessionid=C58A6E627D368D448939682BB5B5E1DC.slt-app-01-p-app3?q=mango%20vinegar&s=true

2 teaspoons minced shallot

1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large salad bowl for serving.  

-In a separate bowl combine the shrimp, gluten free soy sauce, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and honey.  Marinate for only 10-12 minutes tops.  The soy sauce and lime will kind of "cook" the shrimp.  If it marinates for too long will be really tough after it's roasted.    

-Line a baking sheet will aluminum foil.  Remove the shrimp from the marinade and spread the shrimp out in one layer.  Roast for 8 minutes.  Let them cool to room temperature and add them to the salad bowl.

-Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 375 degrees and line another baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.  Using a Tablespoon, make 8 mounds with the Parmesan cheese and flatten them with the back of the spoon.  Make sure they are spaced a least an inch apart.  Bake them until they are golden 6-7 minutes and let them cool to room temperature.  They should be crispy and easily come off the the parchment.  I like to make extras because they are so tasty and make a great snack.  

-For the dressing, combine all the ingredients and whisk vigorously for 10-15 seconds until well combined.  Drizzle the dressing on the salad, toss, and serve the chips on the side.  Enjoy!

Serves 6

*If you don't have the mango vinegar, put all of the dressing ingredients plus 1 Tablespoon of fresh mango and blend in a food processor or blender.  Also, add 3 Tablespoons of champagne vinegar instead of 1 teaspoon.

Roasted Salmon with Dill Tzatziki Sauce, Hericots Verts, and Basil Rice

The first time I made this dinner I was very skeptical.  I really wanted my kids to eat salmon but I wasn't sure that they would.  I had my back ups ready, but I didn't need them.  Mason and Gabby ate the salmon and rice really well.  The haricots verts were a different story but two out of three isn't bad, and I'll keep working on the green beans :)  This has become one of our favorite meals and a starter in our dinner line up.  Also, it's very easy to make this meal dairy and nut free - just leave out the dill sauce and pine nuts.  Another dairy free idea would be making the dill sauce with plain soy yogurt.  

La Recette:

4 - 6oz. salmon portions (I like fresh Atlantic Salmon)

1.5 cup rice (any kind will work- jasmine, basmati, etc...)

1/4 cup pine nuts toasted

1/3 cup fresh basil chopped

1 lb. hericots verts or green beans, blanched and shocked (I really like to buy the haricots verts from Trader Joes.  They are already cleaned and ready to cook)

2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar 

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Dill Tzatsiki Sauce:

1 cup of plain greek yogurt (I like Fage 2%)

1/2 english cucumber - seeds scraped and grated

2 Tablespoons fresh dill chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 teaspoons kosher 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

*I like to do the dill sauce the night before.  This way I have very little prep at dinner time.  

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

-Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle the salmon front and back with extra virgin olive oil.  Just a light drizzle will do.  Next, sprinkle the salmon with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Don't be afraid to use a generous amount of salt.  Let the salmon sit in room temperature for about 20 minutes.  

-Bake for 8 minutes at 400.  If you have an extra piece of fish add 1-2 minutes tops to the cooking time.

-Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil.

-Once the water is boiling drop in the hericots verts and cook for about 5 minutes.  Then transfer them to a large bowl of ice.  This is blanching and shocking.  It stops the cooking and retains the beans vibrant green color.  

-Pour out the cooking water from the hericots verts and in the same pan cook the shallots with 1 Tablespoon the extra virgin olive oil.  Cook until slightly browned.  Next, add the 2 Tablespoons of champagne vinegar and scrape up any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Pour the ice water and hericots verts into a colander and transfer the beans back to the pan.  Sauté the beans for about 2 minutes, just to heat them through.  Again, season with salt and pepper to taste.

-While the beans are cooking, pour the rice into another saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cook until soft and let it cool slightly.  Add the toasted pine nuts and basil.    

Dill Tzatziki Sauce-

-Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix will until combined.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Serves 4

*I really like this dish with a glass of La Crema 2010 Chardonnay.  Delicious!  

Roasted Garlic Shrimp with Lemon Butter Pasta

This pasta dish is a big winner.  My kids gobble up the shrimp and pasta.  My husband loves it and I am happy everyone enjoyed their dinner:)  It is SO simple.  I can easily have it ready in 20 minutes.  The flavor is amazing.  You can substitute chicken or just make it a plain pasta dish - throw in some veggies, basically tailor it anyway you like.  I prefer to make it with shrimp and usually a green vegetable on the side (asparagus/hericots verts), and I am thrilled if mes petites eat a few bites of the "green stuff".  Also, if you have a dairy allergy, you can substitute earth balance for the butter.

La Recette:
1 lb. shrimp (around a 30 count) - they will be medium sized and I peel and devein them myself because it's more cost efficient at my grocery store.  It doesn't take too long and it's a big money saver.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lb. gluten free pasta (I prefer penne or fusilli but any variety will work)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup pasta water
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley chopped - for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  
Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1T.)  to boil.  I also add about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil - I find it helps keep the gluten free pasta separated.  Cook until al dente.  Roughly 12 minutes.  *Put the shrimp in about the same time the pasta goes into the boiling water.  The shrimp will be done first, then the pasta.   
After the shrimp are deveined, I put them in a medium bowl with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and the minced garlic.  Toss.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spread the shrimp out in a single layer (you can prep the shrimp the night before and keep them in the fridge). Cook for about 8 minutes.  
While the shrimp and pasta are going, melt the butter in a medium sized sauce pan.  Add 2 tablespoons of evoo, lemon zest, lemon juice salt and pepper.  Give a quick whisk until combined.  Turn the burner down to low.  
Just before you are ready to drain the pasta, scoop out a 1/2 cup of pasta water and put into the lemon butter sauce.  
Once the pasta is drained, dump into the lemon butter sauce, add the shrimp and toss well.  Sprinkle parsley over the pasta.  Serve immediately and enjoy!


*Note to Moms: After a long day, I really enjoy this dinner with a glass of Kim Crawford 2012 Sauvignon Blanc.  Really good ;)