Lemon Linguini

Inspiration:
A wonderful dish at this Roman restaurant has had me looking for a lemon spaghetti recipe for almost a year. I finally found one from Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

• 9 oz. refrigerated whole-wheat linguini
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes (for refrigerated pasta; otherwise check directions on package).
   
   
2. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
   

4. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper.
   

5. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Notes: This is a great "fresh"-tasting meal for the middle of winter.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Inspiration:
A need for a quick dinner after a long weekend of travel

Ingredients:

• 2-2.5 pound chuck roast
• Olive oil
  
• Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 2 carrots
• 2 russet potatoes
• 3 stalks celery

Instructions:

1. Heat a skillet on high. Coat with olive oil.
2. Liberally coat the roast with seasoning.
3. Sear the meat, browning on all sides.
4. Cut potatoes, carrots, and celery into large chunks.
5. Layer potatoes, carrots, roast, and celery into slow cooker.
6. Cook 10 hours on low.
7. Serve with a green salad.
   

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Spicy Lemon Shrimp, New Orleans Style

Inspiration:
Cold-Weather Cooking, my mom Jeanne, and "Auntie" Sharon

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsalted margarine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, or 1 Tbsp dried, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 to 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 3 1/2 Tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 lbs large shrimp, in shells (preferably deveined)
• 2 whole lemons, thinly sliced and seeds removed
• 2 loaves French bread, sliced
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter and margarine together in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire, and enough Tabasco to impart the desired spiciness. Add the pepper and salt.
4. Place the shrimp in a large, shallow baking dish and pour the butter mixture over them. Tuck the lemon slices in and around the shrimp.
5. Back the shrimp, turning them once, halfway through, until tender and just cooked through (pink), 20-25 minutes.
6. Place the shrimp on a trivet in the center of the dining table.
7. Let the guests serve themselves on plates and offer plenty of bread for dunking into the delicious sauce. Be sure to have an empty dish on hand for the discarded shells.
   

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Chicken Hotdish

Inspiration: Tim's love for the "hotdish" made me choose this recipe from allrecipes.com, and Tim loved it.

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch paprika
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
  
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (optional)
  

Instructions:

1. Brown chicken in oil over medium heat and place in a 9 x 13 inch greased baking dish.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
3. Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill weed and pour over chicken.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, or until chicken is tender and sauce is brown.

Notes: I omitted the lemon juice and dill as I didn't have any on hand. Next time I will add them.

Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 6/10