Table for Three

Remember when I used to cook?  And write about it?  It's been a month of major adjustments in the Holt household.  First we got Noah off to school. Then Corey off to school. Then I took two quick work trips - to NY and DC - with a weekend in Phelps wedged in.  And now, as we settle in to fall, we are, suddenly,  a family of three.  It's so tiny and cute!

I do not know how to shop for three.  Milk has spoiled.  Fruit has overripened.  Leftovers are copious.  But I am adjusting.  And, much as I miss my big people, it's been lovely to just focus on Dylan for once in his life.  Not sure if he'd agree.....

So I'm slooowwwwly getting back to kitchen duty.  Doug did a very good job of getting dinner on the table while I was gone.  I had made and frozen a few entrees, he was responsible for sides.  I asked Dylan how Doug had done in my absence.  His answer, "Pretty good.  There was a LOT of rice."

Last week's menus:

Grilled chicken breasts seasoned with The Spice House's Central Street rub,  fruit salad

Meatball subs with green salad

 mix 1lb ground beef, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp parmesan, salt & pepper & a couple Tbsp chopped parsley.  Mix well and form about a dozen meatballs. Bake at 350 for half hour.  Simmer some tomato sauce, add the meatballs and simmer a bit, serve on crusty bread wedges.  YUM.

Sausage and peppers subs

Cut 4-5 hot links (can be turkey or beef or hot italians (my fave)) into 1-2 inch chunks.  Cook on med high heat in a skillet until cooked through, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes to start.  Add a chopped up onion and 2-3 peppers sliced in strips (I like multi color) after 10 minutes and cook together with sausage the last 10 minutes.  Drain the nasty fat from the pan.  Put all the yumminess back with a large can of diced tomatoes, a tsp dried oregano and basil, lots of pepper and a tsp kosher salt and some crushed red pepper for grins.  Simmer the whole situation for at least another 20 minutes, longer if you can.  Serve up on crusty rolls or french bread wedge and a green salad. 

 Ina's Linguine with Shrimp Scampi 

I served it with a watermelon/arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette.

Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

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