Budget Travel: February 2018

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

SERVES 4-6 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 15 Min

1 pound medium uncooked peeled shrimp, deveined
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning spice mix, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine pasta
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 ½ bell peppers (any color combo), thinly sliced, then halved
1/2 large red onion, sliced, then halved
2 tablespoon butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt +salt for water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Optional Garnishes
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsley
lemon juice

Add shrimp to a medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 4 minced garlic cloves. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and pasta. Cook until al dente, about 8-12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until peppers reach desired crisp-tenderness, approximately 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.

To the same skillet (don’t wipe it out), melt 1 tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp mixture and cook 3-4 minutes, just until shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Scrape shrimp and garlic/juices into a bowl. Set aside. After shrimp is cool enough to handle, you can chop tails off if you desire.

To the same skillet (don’t wipe out), melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle in flour and 1-3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (3 teaspoons for more heat), and optional cayenne pepper (if you want it spicy) and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes, then turn heat to low. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in diced tomatoes.

Turn heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and stir in lime juice followed by Parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in the cooked shrimp, vegetables and pasta until well coated in sauce, adding additional reserved pasta water or heavy cream if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or cayenne pepper to taste.

Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, fresh parsley and lime juice (optional).

COOK'S NOTES: I find 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to be on the spicy side as you would expect from a Cajun pasta.

If you are sensitive to heat or want to make the dish very kid friendly then use 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning with the shrimp and only 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning with the roux and omit the cayenne pepper.

At the end of cooking if you want more heat you can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

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Creamy Swedish Meatballs

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 35 Min

8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter

Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl combine ground pork, ground beef, onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, allspice, and parsley. Mix the ingredients thoroughly then roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place butter in a large skillet and, working in batches, begin frying the meatballs, cooking them on all sides until they are perfectly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Once meatballs are cooked set them to the side and begin making your sauce. Add butter to the skillet and once it is melted add the flour whisking quickly and forming a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until it begins to turn a golden color.

Slowly add beef broth whisking the whole time to keep it from getting lumpy. Once all of the broth has been added cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Add Worcestershire and heavy cream and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook them together for about 5 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

COOK'S NOTES: If your skillet has too many burned bits after you finish cooking the meatballs you can wash it out before starting your sauce.

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Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

SERVES 20 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 30 Min

20 Brussels sprouts fresh or thawed, trim & cut
10 slices maple bacon, each slice cut in half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch black pepper to taste
dipping sauce of your choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set aside.

On a flat work surface, lay out halved bacon slices. Using a pastry brush, generously brush each slice with maple syrup.

Place a Brussels spout in the center a slice of bacon, then lift up the sides of the bacon to wrap it around the sprout. Use a toothpick to secure the two ends to the sprout. Transfer prepared bacon wrapped Brussels sprout to prepared baking sheet. Repeat this step until all sprouts have been wrapped.

Bake bacon wrapped Brussels sprouts for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and the sprouts are tender.

Let bacon wrapped Brussels sprouts rest for 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.

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Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cupcakes

SERVES 12-14 | PREP TIME 60 Min | COOK TIME 20 Min

1 (4 ounce) stick unsalted butter
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melts or chopped chocolate
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Strawberry Frosting:
1 1/2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
1 (4 ounce) stick salted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
7 ounces chocolate melts or chopped chocolate
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Line a regular muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Add butter and chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and melt in 30-second increments. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, either using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk together eggs and sugar. Add vanilla extract and sour cream, whisk on medium speed until smooth, for about 1 minute.

Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth, for about 30 seconds.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture, about ¼ cup at a time, as soon as the flour has been mixed in, turn off the mixer, to avoid over-mixing the batter.

The batter will be thick and shiny.

Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full with batter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes some ovens may take 20 minutes. At the 15 minute mark check the cupcake for doneness. The center of the cupcake should spring back up if gently pressed.

Add strawberries to a food processor and pulse until made into powder.

Add butter and shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer, starting on low speed, then increasing the speed gradually to medium-high, cream together until fluffy and a pale yellow color.

Turn the mixer off and add in strawberry powder, beat on medium speed until combined, for about 30 seconds.

Turn mixer on to the lowest setting and add in confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once incorporated, turn mixer on high for 1-2 minutes.

If the mixture is too thick add 1 tablespoon of whole milk at a time. If the mixture is too runny, add more confectioners sugar, ½ cup at a time. The frosting should be soft and creamy and hold its shape.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

For the Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Place chocolate in a bowl and microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring after each round until fully melted.

Stir in light corn syrup.

Dip each strawberry into the cooled chocolate and place on each cupcake.

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Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Creamy Swedish Meatballs

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cupcakes