Shrimp Milanese with Lemon Cream Sauce

After looking at my credit and debit card history, and the amount of food in my kitchen/fridge I have determined that I spend way too much money on groceries for 1 person! So the idea is I will buy only fresh items like veggies or milk that complete recipes that can be made from ingredients that I already have. Sounds good, right? Of course, the first recipes will definitely be the easiest..let's see how this works 3 weeks from now! My first idea: shrimp that has been in my freezer for...um...a while, Parmesan , frozen spinach and zucchini I got at Trader Joe' last week. The recipe: Parmesan-crusted shrimp over pasta with a creamy lemon sauce, and some vegetables thrown in for good measure (and better nutrition).

For Lemon Cream Pasta:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced finely
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and drained in colander over sink
2 small zucchini, sliced horizonally into thin slices
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 box cooked pasta-linguine, angel hair, tagliatelle, fettuccine...

For Parmesan-Crusted Shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp, deveined & shells removed

1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sprinkle of dried basil and dried parsley
2 tablespoons butter

To Make Lemon Cream Pasta:
Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes, turning heat down to medium after adding, and stirring often to ensure they do not stick to pan and burn.

Add zucchini and saute for a minute on each side. Add in lemon juice, lemon zest and chicken stock. Whisk together and allow it to come to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer about 15 minutes; it should thicken up a bit at this point.

Add the spinach (squeeze beforehand to ensure excess liquid does not enter pasta sauce) and cook in the sauce for a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and pour sauce over cooked pasta.

To Make Parmesan-Crusted Shrimp:
Mix together cheese, bread crumbs, and spices over large plate. Coat shrimp with mixture.

Melt 1/2 butter in large saute pan over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side, they should be golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Melt remaining butter and cook remaining shrimp.

Serve shrimp over lemon cream past~voila! And I didn't have to buy any ingredients to make it either...free dinner always tastes better!

What ingredients have been hanging around your kitchen for too long? Maybe with a little freezer burn, stale nature or been on the shelf and will expire if you don't use it in the next month of two...let me know your ideas! (I just may use them with my bajillion items chilling in my kitchen-pun intended)

Crema Mexicana

After having a mystery white sauce at Tacos Lupita in Somerville, MA, and being told about crema mexicana by DuoDishes, I decided the two were the same and that I need to make it for a shrimp enchilada dish I am preparing for lunch tomorrow. It seems absurdly easy to make, and I really hope that it turns out.

My great fear is that is that although seems easy, it may actually turn into a fatal compound if the slightest error occurs. (Hi, my name is Caitlin, and I am a hypochondriac. "Hi Caitlin...")

But anyways, I did the deed and will update y'all tomorrow with a photo and description of the finished product. (As of the morning after...much thicker, added some cumin, paprika and chili powder). If you see no updates in the next week, don't make the recipe ; )

Anyways..here goes.

Ingredients:

2 cups cream, try to find one that is pasteurized but not ultra, super or overly pasteurized.
1/4 cup buttermilk
Dash salt

Bring cream to room temperature, or heat in small saucepan. DO NOT heat over 100 degrees Farenheit. This apparently is very bad. So don't do it!

Stir in buttermilk and a dash of salt.

Keep covered in warm (80-90) location. For example, southern California or Florida. If that is not possible, an oven's pilot light is supposed to be a good place. I have mine above my cable box (it always is warm to the touch). Leave overnight (6-8 hours). It should appear thickened after this time.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. It stays good about 7 days in the fridge.

You can spice it up by adding (after the overnight period) cilantro, cumin, paprika, chili, chipotles in adobo sauce...you name it!

Raspberry-Almond Cream Tart with Chocolate Ganache

For Cashew Crust (crust recipe from Epicurious):
1/2 cup salted roasted cashews
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk

To Make Crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cashews and brown sugar in processor. Add flour and spices; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk; using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Press dough over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Pierce crust all over with fork. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool crust. Maintain oven temperature.

For Almond Cream:
1 7-ounce package almond paste
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup raspberries

To make Almond Cream:
Blend almond paste, cream cheese and whipping cream in processor until almost smooth. Sprinkle 1 cup raspberries over crust. Spoon almond cream into center of tart and spread evenly. Bake 7 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

For Chocolate Ganache Topping:
1/2 cup whipping cream
6 ounces chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raspberries

To make Chocolate Ganache Topping:
In medium sauce pan, heat cream over medium heat. Add chocolate and stir as it melts. When mixture is smooth and shiny, add vanilla and remove from heat. Cool 10-15 minutes, so that it is not hot but is still very pliable. Spoon chocolate ganache over almond cream and spread smoothly so that it covers entire top and touches the sides of the crust. Arrange raspberries atop chocolate.

Let stand until until chocolate reached room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Aphrodisiacs: Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Cream

The scent of vanilla is sexy and erotic yet sweet and innocent. And tests conducted at the Institute for Smell and Taste in Chicago (really?) found that the aroma was a powerful stimulant to men.

The peach is a food that is seen to symbolize female curves. The taste, smell, touch and feel of the peach has been compared to many female attributes. Peaches also supply healthy vitamin C-which may boost fertility in men. (Note to ladies: vanilla stimulates and vitamin C increases fertility in men. Be aware. Be smart).

For Peaches:
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium-size ripe but firm peaches, halved, pitted

For Vanilla Cream:
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a knife into a bowl. Add cream and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until cream just holds soft peaks. Keep in freezer while preparing peaches.

Heat butter, sugar and lemon juice in small saucepan until syrupy; mix in vanilla and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare grill to medium-high heat, or turn oven to broil. Arrange peach halves, cut side up, on baking sheet; sprinkle peaches with syrup. Place peaches on grill, sugared side down. Grill until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer peach halves to plates. Serve peaches pit-side up and top with vanilla cream.

I am entering this in Mele Cotte's Kitchen of Love Aphrodisiac Contest