Chipotle Panko Shrimp Casserole

  We made it through hurricane Sandy and day's of no power here on the east coast and I was missing cooking really bad. Saved my food in my mom's fridge, so I retrieved it today and couldn't wait to cook dinner, this is what I came up with. The heat from the chipotle warmed our insides, and it turned out totally yummy!!!

1 lb shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined 

1 stick butter

1-2 cloves garlic

1 cup chipotle panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parm/romano cheese

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

tsp lemon zest

salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice

Melt the butter and garlic on low heat, do not brown remove garlic and set aside, next mix the panko, grated cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper and set aside. Now layer in a casserole dish shrimp, panko mixture, drizzle with butter and top with lemon juice. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour or until bubbly and brown on top. 

* serve with rice, grits, or pasta

** if you can't find chipotle panko bread crumbs add some cayenne pepper or any other dried chili you like

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pork Chops with Hot Cherry Vinegar Peppers and Pot...

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pork Chops with Hot Cherry Vinegar Peppers and Pot...: I love pork chops, hubbs hates them, so he was out tonight and I took advantage of the situation. I also like spicy and he doesn't so this...

Pork Chops with Hot Cherry Vinegar Peppers and Potatoes

I love pork chops, hubbs hates them, so he was out tonight and I took advantage of the situation. I also like spicy and he doesn't so this was the outcome. I have always wanted to try this recipe and I don't know why I waited so long, it's quick and easy and full of flavor!!

I used:

2 thick pork chops bone in

1 potato thinly sliced

1/2 white onion thinly slice

8 hot cherry pepper in vinegar

1/4 cup vinegar juice from the pepper jar

1 clove of garlic thinly sliced

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons flour

rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet, season the chops with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Brown on both sides and remove from the skillet, next add the potatoes and onions until you get some nice color and the potatoes are cooked through. Now add the cherry peppers and garlic, cook for a few minute and add the pepper vinegar and reduce. Now at this point you can add water to make a sauce if you like, the put the chops back in and add the parsley and rosemary and keep warm for 15 minutes so the flavors marry. Enjoy!!!

*serve with a nice glass of wine and crusty Italian bread to soak up the sauce

**add less or more cherry peppers depending on how spicy you like it

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Shrimp Fra Diavolo: I was feeling a little devilish tonight because its our 18th wedding anniversary this weekend so I decided to make something spicy. This i...

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

I was feeling a little devilish tonight because its our 18th wedding anniversary this weekend so I decided to make something spicy. This is so easy to make at home with very few ingredients. If you ordered this in a restaurant you would probably pay around $16-$18 a dish, but you can make it at home for about $7.50 a dish feeding 4 people.
1 lb shrimp
1 24oz can of whole tomatoes 
5-6 cloves of garlic smashed and peeled
1/4 red wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
hot pepper flakes to taste
cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
1 lb linguine
some pasta water

First season the shrimp with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet and get a good sear on the shrimp, remove from the pan and set aside. Now add the garlic just a minute or two (don't let it get brown or it will turn bitter), add the wine and deglaze the pan. Next add the tomatoes, I just squeezed them up a bit with my hands, and re season with salt, pepper and add the hot pepper flakes. Now its time to turn the pasta water on to boil and cook the sauce for about 1/2 hour. When the pasta is almost done add the shrimp back to the sauce with 1/2 the parsley. When the pasta is done toss all together and add some pasta water if needed. 
*garlic bread and a salad would be an easy and budget friendly dinner for friend
**and of course a good bottle of wine or 2,3,4....
***happy endings ;)

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Meatballs Marsala

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Meatballs Marsala: Who doesn't like meatballs and teamed up with a brown gravy marsala wine sauce, nothing but yummy!! Believe it or not it's so simple to ma...

Meatballs Marsala

Who doesn't like meatballs and teamed up with a brown gravy marsala wine sauce, nothing but yummy!! Believe it or not it's so simple to make. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry, and pour it over your favorite pasta or rice, you need nothing else except a nice crusty loaf of bread and a glass of wine. Start with your go to meatball mix, mine includes:
ground beef, pork and veal
bread soaked and squeezed
egg
grated onion/garlic
grated romano/parmesane
chopped parsely
salt and pepper
(notice how I won't reveal my meatball recipe) ;)
roll into mini balls and toss in flour, fry in 3 tablespoons of olive oil on all sides and removed from the pan. Next the marsala sauce:
1/2 cup marsala wine
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 14oz cans beef broth
and a tiny drop of gravy master
taste first and season with salt and pepper

after removing the meatballs deglaze the hot!! pan with the marsala, add the butter and flour, cook for about 3-4 minutes then whisk in the beef broth. Bring the sauce back up to a boil and when it thicken's to your liking add the meatballs and a tablespoon of fresh thyme, re season if needed and keep warm. 
Now set a pot of salted water to boil for a pasta or rice of your choice, when cooked to your liking toss together and enjoy!!
*the longer the meatballs dance in the gravy the better.
**if the marsala sauce seems to thick add some of the starchy pasta water.