Sunday in the Kitchen with DigDug...

Sunday.  A day of rest yet, a day of constant commotion and enjoyment in the kitchen.  I love my Sundays!  

The day starts out with choir rehearsal  at 9:00am.  JoAnne, our choir director, asked me to sing Tenor today.  I'm a Bass, but I did it for her. Thank God it wasn't that high of a Tenor part for our Sunday selection.

After Church, I walked the boys Oscar and Felix...our dogs. (That's them in the profile picture with me.)  Then I scoured the newspaper ads and the internet ads for the ingredients  I would need for tonight's at home feast.  Then it's off to the grocery stores.

So...for tonight's meal I planed to make Shrimp Scampi with Broccoli and Pesto/Garlic Mashed Potatoes top with sauted onions, spinach, and diced tomatoes.  Yes.  I loved the potatoes so much last night that I had to give it a shot for myself at home.

First and foremost, before one starts creating this meal...

I mean...what fun is cooking without some creative "grape juice"?

The ingredients for the Pesto/garlic mashed potatoes...

• Five medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 1 Tbl butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 Tbl basil pesto with pine nuts
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• salt & pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a pot covered with generously salted water.  Bring to a boil, and cook until tender: about 10 minutes.  Drain, and mash with the remaining ingredients to desired consistency.

                                          The ingredients for the potatoes topping...

• Half an onion
• 2 cups Baby Spinach
• 2 Diced Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat, add onions and saute until they just start to caramelize.  Add spinach, salt & pepper and saute until wilted.  Just at the end add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.  this is then served over the Pesto/Garlic Potatoes.

Now for the Shrimp Scampi with Broccoli...

The ingredients...

• 6cups Broccoli Spears
• 2 Tbl Extra Virgin Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbl Cornstarch
• 6 Tbl lemon juice
• 1  1/2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Tbl Oregano

Preheat oven to 450*F.  Line baking sheet with foil.

Place Broccoli on baking sheet in a single layer.  Drizzle with 1/2 Tbl Olive Oil, and generously season with Salt & Pepper.  Roast the Broccoli for about 7 minutes or until it starts to become tender.

Season Shrimp with Salt & Pepper.

When the Broccoli is roasted,  remove it from the oven.  Turn on the broiler to high.  Place the seasoned Shrimp over the roasted Broccoli.  Broil until the Shrimp are just heated through and the broccoli is beginning to brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.

During the cooking of the Shrimp, heat the remaining Olive Oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Saute Garlic in the oil until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the Cornstarch, Chicken Broth, & Lemon Juice.

Add the Cornstarch mixture to the Garlic and bring to a simmer.  Add Oregano and continue to constantly whisk until the sauce has thickened, around 1 minute.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

On a serving platter...

arrange the Shrimp and Broccoli.  Spoon sauce generously over them, and serve.

 

There you have it!  Jean gave me 9 points out of 10 for this meal! 

Give this a try.  It's not too difficult to execute (no fooling) and the raves you'll get from friends and family will warm your heart.

Until next time 

when the Schmeckon Beckons...

Dig Dug Dun.