Shrimp Scampi and Crunchy Herbed Breadsticks

 I made shrimp scampi for supper tonight using some techniques that I recently saw on a cooking show. Instead of using peeled shrimp, I bought large shrimp in their shells, with tails. After peeling the shrimp, I sautéed the shells, some chopped onion and celery in a little olive oil for a few minutes, until the shells were pink and fragrant and the veggies were wilted. Then I covered them with water, added a bay leaf and some peppercorns and salt, and brought it all to a boil. I simmered the broth for about 20-30 minutes, then strained it and set it aside to use for poaching my shrimp scampi. I've made shrimp scampi many times before, but this batch was the most flavorful I've ever made!

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

12 oz. large shrimp
2-3 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
about 2 cups shrimp stock
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked spaghetti

Melt butter in skillet and add garlic and basil. Cook 1 minute. Add broth, shrimp, parsley and season to taste. Cover and cook until shrimp is opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir cornstarch into lemon juice and add to skillet. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add drained spaghetti and stir until well coated.

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I also had some leftover sourdough bread, so I decided to make some crunchy breadsticks to go with the scampi. I sliced the bread about 1" thick, then sliced it into 1/2" strips. I melted a half stick of butter in a large skillet and sautéed about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, about 1 teaspoon of dried basil and salt (to taste). I added the bread to the skillet and turned each strip until all sides were coated in the herbed butter. I then placed the strips on a baking sheet and baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, turning the breadsticks every few minutes, until golden brown. They were SO tasty and crunchy...like fresh herbed croutons, only bigger. 

It's amazing what you can do with leftovers and scraps!

Easy Salad Idea

I love salad! However…I do not particularly like to make salad.

I recently had a jar of leftover Giardiniera veggies from a recipe that I had tried. I wanted a salad with my meal, but didn’t feel like chopping and dicing. So I pulled out a handful of baby spinach (my go-to for salads) and topped it with some of the pickled veggies. It was great! I have used them with my salad every since. I decided to look online to see if I could find a recipe to make my own and came across this one. Since I have a sweet tooth, I made the sweet variety. I’ll have to try to hot one another time. They also make a tasty and healthy snack or side dish.

Basic Giardiniera Vegetables (from Food.com)

·        1 pound Italian green olives, crushed (I didn’t add this to mine)

·        1 large yellow onion, sliced (or 1 cup tiny pearl onions, peeled)

·        1 garlic clove, sliced thin

·        2 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally

·        1 stalk celery, sliced diagonally

·        2 cups cauliflower, chopped into chunks

·        1 cup broccoli florets, (omit in hot version)

·        1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks

·        ¼ cup hot pepper (or to taste for hot version) – I diced 1 mild jalapeno and put it in mine

Sweet Variation

·        ½ cup white vinegar or dry white wine

·        ½ cup water

·        ¼ cup sugar

·        2 tsp. salt

·        6 peppercorns

·        1 Tbsp. dried dill weed

Hot Variation

·        1 cup water

·        1 cup white vinegar

·        1 Tbsp. salt

Directions for Sweet:

·        Combine all ingredients and refrigerate in a clean, tightly closed glass container for 2 days.

Directions for Hot:

·        Combine water, vinegar and salt and boil for about a minute.

·        Pour hot liquid over vegetables, leaving ¼” head space and cover.

·        Allow to pickle in a cool place for 2-3 weeks before using.