Shrimp and Linguine

I made this recipe for the first time last night and all I can say is, WOW! Definitely a new favorite and definitely one that I will be making again soon! I found it in my Pampered Chef "It's Good For You" recipe book, it's the first recipe I have tried out of this new book. You would seriously never know that this is a low-fat recipe, the sauce is very thick and creamy just like a regular Alfredo sauce would be. I didn't have fresh Parmesan cheese so I used the grated kind from a jar, next time I will buy some fresh to see if it makes that much of a difference. I also used whole wheat linguine which is healthier for you and I think more filling. It seems like a lot of ingredients when you first look at it, but it's very easy to make, especially if you do all of the prep work before you start to cook. This would be a great recipe to make when you have company, I think they would be impressed, especially when they find out that it's a light entree! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3/4 pound uncooked shell-on medium shrimp (about 20-30), peeled, deveined and tails removed
3/4 cup coarsely chopped carrots (2 medium)
2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup sliced green onions with tops
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Peel and devein shrimp; remove tails. Coarsely chop carrots. Dice tomatoes and slice green onions. Grate Parmesan cheese.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to pot, cover and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add shrimp, carrots and pressed garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink; remove from skillet and keep warm.
4. Gently heat sour cream and evaporated milk in same skillet over low heat while whisking it (do not boil). Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add shrimp mixture, tomatoes, green onions, basil, salt and pepper; mix gently. Pour shrimp and vegetable mixture over pasta; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 4 servings, 6 WW points per serving, 300 calories, 8g fat, 2g fiber.

Lobster Stew

We had the pleasure of heading down to Higgins Beach this past weekend for a night of fun and laughter with some close friends of ours. Earlier in the week, Matt said to me, "let's make something really good to bring to Higgins this weekend." We brainstormed for a minute and then Matt came up with the idea that we should try to make a lobster stew. I instantly agreed because I love lobster stew and it's the perfect thing to bring to an oceanfront getaway. Deciding what the make was the easy part, finding a recipe that didn't look too complicated yet sounded like it was going to taste like the "real thing" was the hard part. I must have looked at least 50 recipes online until I found one that I was happy with (found it on http://www.recipezaar.com/). In the end, I think it came out great. Everyone that tried it really seemed to like it although Matt claims that there was something missing from it although he isn't sure what. I'm going to ask his grandmother what she puts in hers when we see her this weekend because she hands down makes the best soups and chowders I have ever had. Now this is in no way low calorie or low fat, but as long as you're not eating it every weekend, I think you'll be OK. Everything is fine in moderation, right?

Ingredients:

2-3 cups cooked lobster meat, chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4-1/3 cup onion, diced finely

1 teaspon Mrs. Dash seasoning mix (original blend)
1 (14 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup light cream

3 cups milk (I used whole milk)

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium high heat.

2. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add lobster meat and Mrs. Dash and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4. Add the evaporated milk slowly. Next add the milk and cream slowly, stirring at the same time.

5. Heat the stew until almost boiling, but do not let it boil!

6. Take off heat and let cool.

7. Refrigerate over night.

8. Heat slowly the next day until hot but not boiling.

9. Serve with oyster crackers or fresh bread.

I noticed that a lot of the other recipes said to save the tomalley and the roe while you pick the lobsters, so we did that and I cooked both in a little bit of the butter before I added the rest of the butter and the onions. Matt also had a great idea to pick up some lobsters that were already cooked on his way home from work, so that certainly saved some time as well. The only other suggestion I will make is to make sure you heat it very slowly and do not let it boil, you don't want it to curdle!

I am also including a picture of an appetizer that my friend Kendall made that is so easy yet so delicious. I will certainly be making this myself in the future!

Take some roasted red peppers, some fresh basil and some pine nuts and mix them together with a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve on mini slices of french bread that have been topped with spreadable goat cheese. Yummy!

Lastly, here are a couple of pictures from Higgins Beach, such a gorgeous spot!