Recipe of the Week: Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

I am still thinking about the "linner" we had at the River's Edge along the Rogue River for Father's Day Weekend.  I enjoyed the restaurant not only for its views of the beautiful Rogue River, but also the wonderful food choices and well-thought out menu.  This place had a little something for everyone, but my dish was the star of the table.  I am not sure why I don't cook spaghetti squash more often and this dish just proved to me that it isn't just a winter item.  Paired beautifully with shrimp, this dish was a beautiful pasta alternative and perfect for a warm summer's day.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash (inspired by River's Edge)

Ingredients:

1 2-2.5 pound spaghetti squash

salt and pepper

2 tablespoon butter, divided

3 tablespoon olive oil, dividend

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 stalks of fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (discard woody ends)

1/4 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

3-4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonode

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.  

Cut squash in half and scoop out and discard seeds. Season with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and then flip to cut side up and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to each piece of squash.  Cook for an additional 20 minutes or until it is easily pierced with a fork. 

Remove squash from oven and cool until easily handled.  Scrap the insides of the squash into spaghetti strands with a fork.  Set aside. 

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook red pepper flakes and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper.  Saute shrimp until pink, tossing often to prevent burning, about 5 minutes.  Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat and cook asparagus pieces until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the cook squash and the shrimp into the pan with the asparagus and stir to combine and heat, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper and toss in sun-dried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of butter.

To serve, sprinkle with feta cheese and basil.

25/52: Welcoming Summer

Very quietly, Summer arrived last week.  It's always a sad day for me.  It's the beginning of the end...really.  I understand that is hard to believe, given that the solstice represents the beginning of our summer on the calendar.  In reality, it's a trick.  Our days are shortening and very soon, you will begin to see signs of the dog days arriving.

To celebrate (commiserate), we had a Thursday night "Date night" at Elliott Bay and drank a cheers with Huckleberry Cider followed by a seared Ahi Salsa Salad.  I worked from West Seattle on Friday which I am really enjoying.

On Saturday, we walked through Lincoln Park and then had hamburgers with good friends and met their new dog and hung out on their patio with a nice fire!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: Last full week of June 2018

Welcome back to Monday!

The summer solstice on June 21st means that our days are very very slowly getting shorter.  Don't let summer pass you by!  Get outside and enjoy the warm evenings.  Eat dinner outside.  Grill something simple.  Plan a few easy meals this week so that you can enjoy the long days before they are gone!

Laura hosts a link up every week with other organizing fools and menu planners!  Check out her website for more details.

Enjoy!
Stacy

MONDAY: Grilled Shrimp Salad
TUESDAY: Appointment so not sure I will be cooking dinner
WEDNESDAY: Kebabs over Herb Orzo
THURSDAY: Greek Cheeseburgers

Old Photo Friday: Beach Time

WHO: Brian's Mom Ann (Left) and Mrs. Kaanar (Neighbor and family friend)
WHAT: Fun in the sun
WHERE: Rehoboth Beach in Delaware or Wildwood Beach , NJ
WHEN: September 1971

Since people never developed film in a timely manner...I am going to go out on a limb here and say that this picture was taken in the middle of summer 1971.

On the radio...."Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones, "Tired of Being Lonely" by Al Green and "Beginnings" by Chicago.

Enjoy your summer!

Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Cooking for One

One of the hardest things about cooking is proportions.  It's perfectly fine to have leftovers, but most recipes are for 4 servings.  Unless you want to eat something for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and breakfast again) you are kind of stuck in your choices.  

Cutting a recipe in half works most of the time but sometimes we need to think a bit outside of the box to try and find some great meals for one that don't include take out or frozen pizza or anything processed...plus quick and easy to make.

Here you go....

Enjoy!

Stacy

Roasted Chicken with Lemony Indian Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (1 large or 2 small) Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes

1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 lemon

1 few springs of fresh cilantro

1/2 red pepper, sliced

small piece of ginger, diced (I buy the ginger paste)

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 free range chicken breast

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Peel and quarter the potatoes into 2 inch pieces.  Cook in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.

Add the spices to a bowl, then add zest of half the lemon. Add in the cilantro leaves.

Chop half the red pepper into 1 inch pieces along with the ginger and add to the spice bowl.

Cut two slices off the lemon and set aside.  Squeeze a bit of juice from the lemon into the spice bowl.  

Add the potatoes to the spice bowl and mix.  Rub a small amount or olive oil in the bottom of a small/medium casserole dish and add the potato mixture.

Rub the chicken with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Lay chicken on top of potato mixture. Top the chicken with lemon slices.

Cook potatoes and chicken in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 F.

Serve chicken and potatoes with a salad or a green veggie like green beans or fresh peas.

24/52: Father's Day Weekend

Our family is always up for an adventure Father's Day Weekend and this year Pop's choice was a visit to the Oregon Vortex just outside of Gold Hill.

This roadside attraction has been open to the public since 1930 and takes you on a strange glimpse into the strange world of gravity hill/optical illusions.  Local legend according to Native Americans refer to the site as "forbidden" land and travelers would often times have trouble with horses passing through the area.  Most in our party, believe that the effect is due to a distorted background that induces a forced perspective and not anything paranormal.  At any rate, it was a fun adventure and we all enjoyed the visit.

We then drove just down the road to Del Rio Vineyards, which was established in 1997 and was once home to the Rock Point Hotel built in 1864.

We had a 5 wine flight, which included a Pinot Gris, Viogner, Grenache Rose, Claret and a Cabernet Savignon.  Absolutely beautiful tasting room and grounds.  It would be a great place to pack a picnic lunch, play a round of cornhole and drink a bottle of wine in the sunshine!

Finally, we headed down old highway 99 past Rogue River and ate lunch at River's Edge outside in the beautiful sunshine along the river.  My shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash was amazing and I know Brian, Sandra and Steve enjoyed their Halibut Fish and Chips.

Our Father's Day adventures are always a fun time for our family.  Now on to planning next year!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: Middle of June

Welcome to the middle of June!

Our days are the longest they will be all year and this entire month is one of my favorites of the year! 

Get out and enjoy these long days by planning and organizing your life.  Head on over to Laura's site for some inspiration!

Enjoy!
Stacy

SUNDAY:  Brats on the grill with Potato Salad and Corn
MONDAY: Garden Burgers and Chips
TUESDAY: Shrimp Kebabs over Rice
WEDNESDAY: Salmon over Curry Zoodles

Old Photo Friday: Happy Father's Day

WHO: James Y. Brady (holding me)

WHERE: E Street in Springfield, OR

WHEN: May 1969; I am about a month old

WHO: Ken Hanselman (L)
WHAT: Gigging on a Saturday Night in the Pacific Northwest
WHEN: September 1988

WHO: Allen K. Lee (Ann Lee next to him)
WHEN: Early 1950's
WHERE: Delaware

Our lives have been so richly blessed due to these men.

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Stacy and Brian

Recipe of the Week: Texas Toast Tri-Tip Sandwich

It's Father's Day weekend so why don't you treat the old man to an amazing BBQ sammy!

Tri-tip is a tender, lean cut of beef and is sometimes sold as a small triangular cut off the bottom sirloin cut.  It's an affordable piece of meat that has a great flavor and is easily roasted in the oven or slow grilled.

The late Jack Ubaldi of Manhattan's Florence Prime Meat Market claims to be the first to cut the bottom sirloins in the late 1940's as he pulled out a muscle that he called the triangle.  He started cutting what he dubbed Newport steaks from this piece because he said the shape was like the logo of a Newport cigarette ad he had seen.  

The popularity moved to the west coast in the 1950's and became a local specialty in Santa Maria, California which is why the cut is sometimes labeled the Santa Maria steak.

This recipe takes some time which is perfect because your Dad loves you and wants to spend time with you.  So crack open a cold one and spend the day with pops!

Enjoy and Happy Father's Day!

Stacy

Texas Toast Tri-Tip Sandwich

Ingredients:

Beef (dry rub)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

Beef (wet marinade)

1 beef tri-tip, about 3-5 pounds

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 cup amber ale beer (Full sail Amber Ale or New Belgium Fat Tire); drink the rest

1 garlic clove, minced

Sandwich

8 slices of frozen Texas Toast (with cheesy garlic topping)

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 tablespoons prepared creamy cole slaw (yes, you could make your own)

BBQ Sauce, optional

Directions:

Combine the dry rub ingredients and set aside.

Place the trip tip in a large Ziploc bag with the Worcestershire, beer and garlic.  Marinate for at least 6-8 hours (I start my marinade in the morning, for grilling in the evening).

Remove tri-tip from wet marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.  Discard marinade.

Apply a coat of dry rub on the tri-tip and let rest 1 hour in the fridge.  Remove meat from fridge and let come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before placing on grill.

Grill using indirect heat at around 250-275 F until internal temperature reaches 110 F.  This should take around 45 minutes.  If you have some red oak chips or hickory and pecan, add them to the grill for a more smokey flavor.

Grill over direct heat to char (reverse sear) and remove the tri-tip from the grill once in internal temperature reaches 125 F.  This should take 10-15 minutes.  Rest the meat for 15 minutes under tented foil.

While the meat is resting, grill the frozen Texas toast until browned.  Move the toast over the hot coals/grill for about 20 seconds to get some nice grill marks on the bread

Cut the tri-tip into three pieces and then slice across the grain into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.

Pile the tri-tip onto the Texas toast and top with Swiss cheese and a tablespoon of cole slaw.  Add BBQ sauce, if desired.

23/52: Walla Walla

Friday Night after arriving in Walla Walla at Mill Creek Brew Pub

At Otis Kenyon

We had a great weekend in Walla Walla, WA to celebrate Brian's oldest niece, Heidi's 40th birthday.

With their husbands at home, Brian and I took Heidi and her younger sister, Ericka on a wine tasting day strolling along Main Street in downtown Walla Walla.

Our first stop was Canoe Ridge Winery where we sampled about 8 different wines including a Rose and several reds.  The tasting room was cute and paid homage to the Walla Walla Valley railroad.  I brought home a bottle of Rose as it was only $20 and one of my favorites of the day.

Stop # 2 was Otis Kenyon on Main Street where we tasted 4 nice, but young red wines.  The story of Otis Kenyon , was worth the visit and Brian in the bowler hat was hillarious!

Our third stop was next door to Otis Kenyon, Henry Earl Estates.  The tasting room reminded me of Tolly's in Oakland, OR and we sat on parlor style sofas by the front window and had a 5 wine "flight".  I bought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, a rare choice for me but a wonderful summer wine.

Our last stop was the family vineyard owned by the Bledsoe's.  You remember Drew Bledsoe? Bledsoe Family Winery began in 2007 shortly after Drew's retirement from football.  The Elizabeth Chardonnay was my favorite wine of the day and we sat in the tasting room a enjoyed an entire bottle!

We had so much fun packed into a very short visit to Walla Walla that I know Brian and I will be back soon.  With over 50 tasting rooms in Walla Walla, there are plenty more wines to drink...but I would have to say that spending time with family meant the world to both of us.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: June 10-14, 2018

Happy Monday one and all!

Welcome to the start of the middle of the month.  Father's day weekend is fast approaching.  Time to think about what you are going to do with and for the Old Man!

Enjoy this week's menu and don't forget to head on over to Laura's site for more planning ideas.

Enjoy!
Stacy

MONDAY:  Chicken with Warm Bean Salsa and Green Beans
TUESDAY: Halibut with Lemon Thyme Potatoes and Broccoli
WEDNESDAY: BLT and Chips
THURSDAY:  Off to Eugene

Old Photo Friday: Happy Birthday, Heidi!

WHO: Ericka and Heidi Lee with Brian's Dad and Mom, Al and Ann Lee
WHERE: Probably in Delaware or perhaps the Pacific Northwest
WHEN: Mid 1990's (I'll say 1994 or 1995)

Happy 40th Birthday, to Niece Heidi!  We are looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

Love,

Stacy and Uncle Brian

Recipe of the Week: Quiche Lorraine

So May 20th was National Quiche Lorraine Day...but who the the hell is Lorraine?  There are two stories, which are both somewhat believable and don't have anything to do with anyone named Lorraine.

The first states that although quiche is considered to be a classic French dish, quiche actually originated in Germany.  It started in the medieval Kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, which the French later named Lorraine.  The word quiche is from the German word kuchen, meaning cake.

The other theory is that quiche Lorraine is named after the Lorraine region of France.  Again, although considered to be French, using eggs and cream in pastry was practiced in English cuisine at least as early as the 14th century and in Italian cuisine as early as the 13th century.

This is a classic breakfast/brunch dish but pairs well with a salad for a light dinner.

Brian makes the absolute best quiche Lorraine; however, this is not his exact recipe.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 layer pastry dough

5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces

4 fresh free range jumbo eggs

1 cup half and half

salt and white pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Directions:

Lightly grease deep-dish pie pan then roll out pastry dough to line the pan.  Place the pan into the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes (resting will ensure that the pastry will not shrink when cooked).

Preheat oven to 375F.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator and sprinkle bacon in the bottom of the pan.

Beat together the eggs, half and half, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Place the pie dish in the center of the oven then pour the egg mixture over the bacon and sprinkle with cheese (this way you won't spill over the edge when trying to place to pan in the oven).

Bake the quiche for 45-50 minutes until eggs are set in the middle.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest and cool for at least 20 minutes (avoid serving hot as it will crumble).

* this recipe features bacon, but you could substitute with mushrooms for a vegetarian version

22/52: Anniversary Weekend

ANTIPASTA: Insalata di piselli - English peas. radishes and cauliflower with lemon

ANTIPASTA: Cariciofi - Marinated baby artichokes with mint, hazelnuts and honey-controne mascarpone

Primi: Pappardelle con ragu di coniglio - pappardelle with rabbit ragu bianca and marjoram

Primi: Tajarin al ragu - fine cut egg pasta with pork and beef ragu

Dolci: Torta al cioccolato - Chocolate cake layered with hazelbut delizia with cocoanib meringue baci di dama and luxardo cherry sauce.

We had a wonderful (long) weekend in Seattle as I drove up from Portland on Thursday, worked remotely on Friday and then drove back to Portland Monday morning.

We stopped by to see my mother's beautiful garden on Saturday, which was a nice sunny day and had a lovely glass of wine on their garden patio.

The wet and cooler weather arrived on Sunday, and Brian and I took the bus, light rail and street car to Capital Hill for our anniversary dinner at Spinasse.  With it's rustic northern Italy farmhouse feel, Brian and I felt like we were transported to a small village in the Piedmont region.  We sipped on a bottle of Barbaresco wine and perused the menu for the best dishes.

The menu was small and meant to be served family-style...but the choices were authentic and seasonal.  The star of the show is the handmade (in-house) pasta, which was the best pasta I have ever had (not to mention one of the best Italian dishes in the nation).  Both our antipasta plates were amazing and flavorful and I can't think of a better description than amazing for the chocolate cake.

It was a special evening with my amazing life partner and an excellent way to celebrate 14 years!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: First full week of June

Welcome to June and another beautiful Monday!

How are your summer plans shaping up?  You can get super organized for the summer by checking out Laura's site.

Enjoy and here is our menu for the week ahead!

Stacy

MONDAY: Veggie Zoodles with Pesto Shrimp
TUESDAY: Fish Tacos with Lime Crema
WEDNESDAY: Rosemary Grilled Pork Chops with Zuchini and Potatoes
THURSDAY: Flat Iron Steak with Salad and Artichokes

Old Photo Friday: Happy Anniversary, Baby!

WHO: Brian Keith Lee
WHERE: Napa, CA (I believe this was taken at brother, Kerry's wedding)
WHEN: 12-7-97

Happy Anniversary, my love!

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow. 

Khalil Gibran