Scampi Supper with Friends!

Scampi Supper With Friends!

Totally forgot about taking these photos...this dinner party with friends was the night before my sweet husband's heart attack.   Since then he is recovered, but Covid 19 has kept us from entertaining people in our home.  That is one of the things I miss during this quarantine time...but hopefully those days will come again.

This scampi dish is so simple ( find the entire recipe at the end of the post) and perfect for company because you can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you are ready.

I make this in a 13x9 pan...and I love my Temptations cookware that I purchased at the QVC outlet.  I like this pan because it comes with a lid and a trivet to place it on when you take the pan out of the oven.  Just place the shrimp ( peeled and deveined) in the bottom of a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

The original recipe I found on All Recipes did not call for cherry tomatoes, but I love it in this dish.  Just put any amount you would like - I put them in whole, but you could slice them if you wish.

In a saucepan mix together butter ( I use Smart Balance for cooking), mustard, lemon juice, garlic ( I use the jarred garlic), and parsley.

Heat in pan until melted and pour over shrimp and tomatoes...

Another ingredient that was not in the original recipe but I love is to sprinkle panko breadcrumbs over the entire mixture.

Pop in a 450 degree oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque.  So...I forgot to take a photo of the finished dish...and I also serve this over whole wheat spaghetti or linguine...with a salad and whole wheat bread.  

I did remember to take photos of the table setting - 

While I usually use cloth napkins, I found these napkins years ago in a kitchen store and thought they would be perfect for this meal.

My centerpiece was a cute, early Spring arrangement I found while shopping with my friends in nearby Lititz, PA.

It was a simple setting with my plain white dishes, monogrammed water glasses that were a wedding gift, and wine glasses I found at a thrift sale.

It was a great dinner and a lovely evening !  Here is the complete recipe:

Shrimp Scamp Bake

2/3 cup of butter ( I use Smart Balance )

1 heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons of chopped garlic

2 teaspoons of chopped parsley...fresh if you have it

1 1/4 pounds of medium raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined.

Tomatoes and Panko bread crumbs, optional

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2.  In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine butter, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley.  When butter has melted, remove from heat.

3.  Arrange shrimp in a shallow baking dish.  Top with tomatoes if desired.  Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp. Top with Panko crumbs if desired.

4.  Bake in pre-heated oven for 15-18 minutes until shrimp are pink and opaque.   

Serve over pasta and enjoy !

Thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista!  Please leave a comment below and let me know if you have any easy but special recipes for company.  Stay safe, be healthy - and thanks for checking in!

Spring Souper Suppers

Spring Souper Suppers!

This Spring has been crazy  - in more ways than one.  Everyone is dealing with the Covid-19 quarantine and the weather has been cold and rainy.  Perfect weather for cozy soups as we all stay home to be safe.   I found both of these recipes while browsing the internet and looking at other blogs.  So read on to see how to make a White Bean and a Lentil Crock Pot Soup.  Thanks to Julie's Creative Lifestyle and  Eating on a Dime for sharing these great recipes.   I am especially enjoying these soups as beans/lentils are part of a "heart healthy" diet.  Thanks to all of you expressed prayers and good thoughts for my husband John after his recent heart attack.  He is doing great...on the road to recovery - and enjoying eating these healthy meals.

So...here we go - 

Crockpot White Bean Soup

Spray the crockpot with cooking spray then add beans,

carrots, and all the other ingredients -

Mix all ingredients together and then add the spinach on top -

Set crockpot to HIGH setting for about 6 hours.

That's it - and it is delicious!   Before serving I drizzle some olive oil on top and serve with some crusty whole wheat bread.

Here is the recipe - 

Crockpot White Bean Soup

4 cups spinach

1 pack dried beans...navy, white, etc. - rinse with water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 cups chicken stock...I use vegetable

4 cups water

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( I use less)

salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash to taste

Spray crock pot with cooking spray, Add everything, cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

You can can add sausage if you like, but we never do...it is plenty hearty without the sausage.

Next up is another favorite...Lentil Soup

Chop carrots and onions

Add carrots, onions, and lentils to a crockpot sprayed with non-stick spray

Add one can of diced, fire roasted tomatoes

garlic...and the broth.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or 7-8 hours on low.

I always forget to add the parsley before serving...but again, I drizzle olive oil over the top before I serve it.

Here is the entire recipe:

Crock Pot Lentil Soup

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 16oz bag of brown lentils

1 15. 5 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes

8 cups of vegetable broth or water

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of salt ( I use less...)

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley

Add all ingredients to crockpot, except for parsley.

Cover and cook on High for 5 hours or Low on 7-8 hours

15 to 30 minutes before serving to stir in parsley.

Both of these soups freeze wonderfully...and it is so nice to have them ready to heat up on a cold, chilly Spring day.

The weather forecast is for beautiful, warm weather this weekend...so we will moving to fish and chicken and other good things on the grill while we enjoy the outdoors.  But it's nice to know that if a cool, rainy day pops up my freezer is stocked with some great soups.

Thanks again to Julie's Creative Lifestyle and Eating on a Dime  for sharing these wonderful recipes.  And thank you for stopping by Our New Vista today - please leave a comment below and let me know if you enjoy soup, or if you have any great recipes to share.  Until then, stay safe and healthy and enjoy!