Sesame Orange Shrimp

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 sesame seeds

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 c vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 c fresh orange juice

2 T soy sauce

1 T sugar

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper until frothy. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2-3 batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce and sugar; boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4-5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

Marinated Chicken Breasts with Mozzarella

This recipe is geared toward partially prepared foods but you can marinate your own chicken breast and use whatever rice you have on hand.

1 6 oz package long grain and wild rice pilaf mix

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup water

1 broccoli flowerets

4 Italian-style or butter garlic marinated boneless chicken breast halves

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium tomato, halved and thinly sliced

2 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese, halved (3 oz)

Prepare rice according to package directions, adding green onions for the last 5 mins of cooking. In a saucepan bring the water to boiling; add broccoli. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.

In a large broilerproof skillet cook chicken breast halves in hot olive oil over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once. Overlap halved tomato lices on top of chicken breasts. Spoon cooked broccoli over tomato slices; cover each with a half-slice of cheese. Broil chicken 3-4 inches from heat for 1 min or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve over hot rice.

Fettuccine with Clams and Tomato Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 small)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium tomato juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 48 littleneck clams in shells, scrubbed (about 2 3/4 pounds)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add juice and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until shells open. Remove clams from pan. Discard any unopened shells. Add parsley to pan; cook until liquid is reduced to 4 cups (about 15 minutes). Serve clams and sauce over pasta.

Chipoltle Chicken Taco Salad

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  SALAD:
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
• 1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Tip: Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad. Kidney or pinto beans also taste great in this dish.

Asparagus and Parmesan Pasta Toss

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 pound uncooked mostaccioli pasta (tube-shaped pasta)
• Cooking spray
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 3/4 cups (1-inch) pieces asparagus (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan, divided

Preheat broiler.

Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and cut into strips.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add bell pepper, crushed red pepper, and the next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes). Bring to a simmer; cook for 7 minutes. Stir in asparagus; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Combine mushroom mixture, pasta, and 1/4 cup cheese in a large bowl, tossing well to combine. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over pasta.

Baby Shrimp Scampi and Angel Hair Pasta

This was super tasty but I made a few changes to the recipe based on what I had on hand. I used yellow onion instead of shallot. My shrimp were not baby, just the regular sized frozen ones. I used chicken broth instead of white wine and I reduced it by about half because of the moisture that cooks out of frozen shrimp. The last thing is I used cilantro and lime zest instead of lemon zest and chives.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1/3 pound baby shrimp, 300 count
1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine, eyeball it
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1/3 pound angel hair pasta, cooked to al dente

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped or snipped fresh chives

Get your pasta water going. Start the scampi sauce when you drop your pasta into boiling water to cook. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and melt the butter into it. Add shallots and cook a minute or 2, stirring constantly. Add lemon zest and shrimp and heat shrimp through, another minute or two. Add vermouth or wine and tomatoes. Toss another minute to heat the tomatoes through. Add cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat evenly in sauce and to distribute the shrimp. Season liberally with salt and pepper and serve with chives to garnish.

Oatmeal Bread Machine Bread

When I make bread in the bread machine I like to use the dough setting and then bake it in the oven. You can't punch down the dough when you take it out of the bread machine or you'll have to let it rise again. I usually just shape it into an oblong loaf and put it on a sheet pan to bake.

1 cup water, boiling
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark molasses
1/2 cup oats, old-fashioned
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons yeast, sprinkled over flour

Put oats in a mixing bowl; pour boiling water over the oats. When oats have cooled but are still a bit warm, add remaining ingredients according to bread machine manufacturer's manual. Bake on light setting. Makes a 1 1/2-pound loaf.