Curry Rice with Shrimp and Peas

I'm a big believer in meal planning. I started back in 2005 when we were saving for our first house. We had a weekly food budget of $50 (!!) and actually brought a calculator to the supermarket, wrote down prices as we shopped, added up the total before we went to the register and put items back if we went over our budget. We also stopped eating out altogether.

I quickly realized that the only way to make this method work was to decide ahead of time what we'd be eating for the week and use those recipes to make our shopping list. I can honestly say I have no clue what we did for dinner from 2002 (when we started living together) to 2005 (when I started meal planning). How did we decide what to eat? How did we grocery shop? It's a total mystery.

Even though some weeks I have zero inspiration and every recipe in my massive collection sounds meh, I will never give up meal planning. Not only does it save money, we waste less. At the end of the week our fridge is mostly empty. That's such a source of pride for me, being able to use everything we buy. And I also love knowing ahead of time what we'll be eating on any given day. It takes all the guesswork and stress out of dinnertime. Sure, there are times when a recipe flops and we order pizza, or life gets in the way and we have to switch days around, but I'd say 95% of the time it works.

So what does that have to do with this recipe. Since my friend Nicole posted this recipe for Spiced Chicken and Rice I've looked at it countless times as I'm sifting through my recipes for inspiration for the coming week. I actually had it as a tentative plan a number of times but it always got pushed back for some reason. This week we had a bunch of meals involving chicken in our plans, so Steve suggested I swap the chicken for shrimp. What can I say, the man is brilliant.



I had to modify the recipe a smidge to keep the shrimp from overcooking, but the flavor profile is the same. Steve and I had chopped cashews on top but I obviously left those off Katie's serving. We absolutely loved the subtle spiciness from the curry powder, the crunch of the cashews, the vibrant notes of lemon and cilantro and the perfectly-cooked shrimp. Next time I'll up the amount of rice since this didn't yield much in the way of leftovers.

Curry Rice with Shrimp and Peas
Modified from PreventionRD

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until just pink. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Add the ginger and curry powder to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and scrape all the ginger and curry from the bottom, incorporating well. Bring to a boil.

Add the rice, lemon juice and zest to the skillet. Return to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and mix in the peas and reserved shrimp. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Sprinkle with the cilantro and cashews and serve hot.

Pasta with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese

We had an almost-full container of ricotta cheese in the fridge, so I asked SP to search for a recipe to use it up. He found this one for Tagliatelle with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese that sounded both easy and delicious.

Like I do with most pasta recipes these days, I only used a half pound instead of the full pound. Cutting down on the pasta while keeping the filler ingredients the same is an easy way for us to get our pasta fix without going overboard. I also cut the peas down from a full pound to a half pound because, wow a pound is a lot of peas. SP wanted the sauce to be smoother. We couldn't taste the ricotta at all, which was disappointing, but we still enjoyed it.

Pasta with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese
Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle pasta (or other wide, long pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound frozen peas, thawed
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 bunch fresh basil leaves chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into bite-sized bits.

Once the sausage has browned, about 5 minutes, remove and set aside. Add the peas to the pan and, using the back of the wooden spoon, smash the peas.

Turn off the heat. Add the ricotta cheese along with the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding the pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup additions, if needed, to make the pasta moist. Return the sausage to the pan. Add the basil, Pecorino Romano cheese, and salt. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately

Linguine with Alfredo, Asparagus, Peas and Poached Egg

I love this time of year. Now that the weather is getting warmer I'm gearing up for the influx of fresh fruits and veggies, especially asparagus. I absolutely love asparagus and while we do buy them throughout the year they're always best (and cheapest) in season, of course.

Paula recently posted this gorgeous Spring Linguine with Alfredo, Poached Egg and Asparagus. Adding poached eggs to a pasta dish is pure genius, especially pasta that involves asparagus - because we all know eggs and asparagus are a match made in heaven.

I was worried my bunch of asparagus wouldn't stretch to a full pound of pasta so I added in another springtime favorite - peas. Asparagus and peas also go well together and they were a great addition to the dish.

I was skeptical of poaching the eggs in advance and reheating them, worried the yolk would overcook, but I was proved wrong. What a great idea, especially for brunch parties. Being able to make a bunch of poached eggs in advance and then reheat right before serving is brilliant. This is a delicious spring dish I can't wait to remake during asparagus season.

Linguine with Alfredo, Asparagus, Peas and Poached Egg
Slightly modified from The Saucy Southerner

1lb linguine or spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups half & half
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (this is about an ounce)
4 large eggs, poached to desired doneness

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. In the last two minutes add the asparagus to the pasta water to cook. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add pasta back to the pot and stir in the peas.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a pot, then add the cream, salt and pepper. Allow to thicken slightly, then turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Add the sauce to the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Thin with some of the pasta cooking water, if necessary.

Remove the pasta to plates, creating a nest in the center for the eggs. Reheat poached eggs for 15 seconds in hot (but not boiling) water and remove with a slotted spoon to the top of the pasta. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Linguine with Sausage, Onions and Peas

I go through phases where sometimes I enjoy eating sausage and sometimes I don't. When I do, one of my favorite ways to have it is in this rich but delicious pasta dish:


The last time I made it I called it Fettuccine Alfredo with Sausage, Onions and Peas because of the heavy cream. This time I used a mix of half and half and chicken stock so the sauce was a little lighter.

Rigatoni Woodsman-Style

SP vaguely remembered this recipe from when I made it last year, and after a quick look through my blog he asked that I make it. I did a quick inventory of the freezer and pantry and realized we had everything I needed to make Rigatoni Woodsman-Style:


It was just as delicious as we remembered, with just a slight kick from the sausage. I don't know why this is so tasty, but it definitely is.

Pesto Pasta with Peas

As you can see from my garden post, the basil plant is thriving. I wanted to use up some of the leaves so I made pesto. In order to make it more healthy I tossed in some frozen peas:


We had a loaf of ciabatta in the freezer. Garlic gives me serious heartburn these days so I try to avoid it if I can, so I just toasted and buttered the bread:


Simple and summery.

Flounder and Potatoes with Peas

This week we're trying to do a fridge and pantry clean-out. That means we won't be going grocery shopping, so I made the menu for the week using ingredients we have on hand. We had two flounder filets in the freezer, so I paired it with my usual potatoes and peas for dinner last night:


It was good, but I think we're done with frying for awhile. It was just too heavy. We're trying to eat lighter these days. And I'm not sure what was going on with the potatoes, but they didn't have much flavor.

Flounder, Potatoes and Peas

In our quest to eat more fish we bought frozen flounder filets at the wholesale club. I'm not sure I've eaten flounder before, but it was really good. A little meatier then tilapia, but with the same mild flavor.


I served it with an herb butter (rosemary, basil and thyme fresh from my garden) and boiled potatoes mixed with peas, butter, salt and pepper. Can I just say how awesome it is to go out in your backyard and pick fresh herbs? I need to take a new picture of what we've got back there. I can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen. So exciting!

Crispy Parmesan Chicken, Boiled Potatoes and Peas

I needed a quick dinner before heading to the store so I threw together an old favorite with a slight twist:


Instead of pork chops coated in egg and bread crumbs mixed with grated cheese, I used chicken breasts. They were so moist and flavorful, with a nice cheesy bite. I love boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley so I decided to toss in some peas instead of having them as a separate side dish. It was a great combination.

On a side note, I'm really loving these C&W frozen peas. Ever since Alosha turned me on to them I've been buying them instead of the supermarket brand. This might sound silly, but they actually taste like peas. I'll gladly spend the extra money if it means I get a good product.

Linguine with Sausage, Onions and Peas

Sunday night SP asked for fettuccine alfredo with sausage and I decided to add some onions and peas for color and a veggie component:


I kinda threw this together so I was surprised by how well it turned out. I started by browning the sausage in the pan, then adding sliced onion and cooking it until it was soft. I mixed 1 cup of heavy cream with 1 cup half-and-half and added it to the pan with salt and pepper. While that reduced the fettuccine cooked. Right before I added the pasta to the pan I threw in 1 cup of frozen peas and 1/2 cup grated cheese, then tossed the pasta with the sauce to coat. It was rich and creamy, but not too heavy because of the peas. And the hot sausage was perfect, with just a little kick and great sausage flavor.

Fresh Angel-Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas

Tonight's meal also came from the March 2008 issue of Everyday Food. I'm still in awe over how easy this one was to make. Fresh Angel-Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas has just 6 ingredients (one of which is salt and pepper, which I don't consider an ingredient) yet it made a fantastic, satisfying, simple meal.


The recipe says this is their take on spaghetti carbonara, but being the carbonara aficionado that I am, I don't see how this is anything like that dish. That doesn't mean it wasn't fantastic, though. I love meals I can make with ingredients I always have on hand (pasta, bacon, frozen peas, half-and-half) that takes less than 30 minutes to put together, including prep time. I subbed one pound of dry spaghetti for the fresh angel hair, but that's the only change I made.

Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Peas

I learned a valuable lesson last week - boneless pork chops are only good for certain preparations. Case in point - Smothered Pork Chops really should be made with bone-in chops. I only had boneless chops on hand, but that didn't stop me from making the smothered chops:


Don't get me wrong - there was nothing bad about the meal, it just wasn't as good as it could have been. I also didn't use enough cayenne pepper in the sauce so there wasn't that spicy undertone we love about this meal. I think I'll save this for when I have bone-in chops from now on. At least you can't go wrong with mashed potatoes and peas.

Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Peas

SP is still sick with a serious head cold and I was going a bit stir-crazy after sitting home with him all day yesterday, so I decided to run out to the wholesale club this morning. We've been out of shampoo for a week at least, not to mention our freezer was looking a little bare. I stocked up on pork chops, ground beef, chicken breasts and frozen tilapia. It's great to see the freezer full of meat and fish again - I'm really looking forward to all the meals I'm going to cook in the coming weeks.

After doing all the cleaning, shopping and taking care of a sick husband all weekend, I wanted some comfort food. A family favorite are pork chops pounded thin and coated in egg and then bread crumbs mixed with Pecorino cheese. I served them with mashed potatoes cooked with garlic and frozen peas:


It was a hearty, satisfying meal. Poor SP couldn't taste a thing, but he cleaned his plate nonetheless. A good start to what's shaping up to be a good week of cooking. I love when I've got a full freezer. One of these days we'll actually get the coffin freezer for the garage and then I'll really stock up at the wholesale club. I can only imagine how crazy that bill will be!