Month: February 2020

Creamy Fettuccine with Shrimp and Bacon

Creamy Fettuccine with Shrimp and Bacon

  • 1 lb uncooked fettuccine
  • 2 bacon slices (uncooked)
  • 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas (thawed)
  • 1 cup shredded carrot
  • 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ((4 ounces))
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (divided)
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; keep warm.
  2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside.
  3. Add shrimp and garlic to pan; sauté over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Add peas and carrot; cook 2 minutes or just until shrimp are done. Transfer shrimp mixture to a large bowl; keep warm.
  4. Combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove pan from heat; add cheese, stirring until blended. Add milk mixture to shrimp mixture; stir until combined. Add pasta and 1/4 cup parsley, tossing gently to coat. Transfer pasta mixture to a platter, or divide evenly among each of 8 plates; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup parsley and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach

  • 2 bags fresh spinach ((10-ounce))
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 Tbs minced shallots
  • 2 tsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup fat-free milk
  • 1/2 cup tub-style light cream cheese (softened)
  1. Remove large stems from spinach, and rinse with cold water; drain. Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and add spinach. (Spinach will need to be tightly packed into the pan to cook all of it in one batch). Cover and cook 5 minutes or until spinach wilts; stir spinach well after 2 minutes. Place spinach in a colander, and drain well, pressing spinach with the back of a spoon to remove as much moisture as possible.
  2. Place pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Combine flour, salt, and nutmeg; add to pan, stirring well. Cook 30 seconds. Add milk and cheese, stirring with a whisk; cook 1 minute or until thick. Add spinach; cook 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated

Flank Steak with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Flank Steak with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

  • 1 pound flank steak — trimmed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  • 4 ounces gourmet mushroom mix
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Sprinkle steak evenly with salt and pepper. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness; let stand 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms to pan. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/3 cup water, mustard, Worcestershire, and thyme. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.
  4. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with mushroom sauce.

Orange Mandarin Chicken

Orange Mandarin Chicken

  • 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
  • 16 ounces skinless (boneless chicken breast halves)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 11 ounces mandarin oranges in light syrup — undrained
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
  • 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup fat-free (less-sodium chicken broth)
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.
  2. While chicken cooks, drain oranges in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Add oranges, 2 tablespoons liquid, onions, jalapeño, and garlic to pan. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Combine broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch; add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.