Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon recipe

This dish is creamy, it is rich, and it is decadent. So rich that you can actually serve this as a side dish alongside some meat rather than as the main entree. But that's not how we roll in our house. If you're going to serve this dish as the main course (like I did), I would recommend something with a little bit of acid for a side to cut through some of the richness, like a side salad with vinaigrette or steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon juice and kosher salt to taste. But if you're like my husband, you'll ignore the side and even eat the leftovers off my plate!

Printable Recipe

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

For the Pasta

ingredients:
• ½ lb fettuccine pasta
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• water

instructions:
1)  Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt and pasta, give it a stir. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Before draining pasta, save ¼ cup of pasta water; set aside.

For the Bacon and Sauce
ingredients:
• 4 bacon strips, preferably thick cut
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated + more for serving
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• chopped parsley or parsley leaves for garnish

instructions:
1)  While pasta is cooking, fry bacon in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat for 4 minutes each side. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle, chop bacon and set aside.
2)  Add butter, heavy cream, and sour cream in the same saute pan with the bacon drippings over medium heat. Whisk around until everything is melted, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat off.
3)  Temper the egg yolk by gradually adding a little bit of the alfredo sauce to the yolk while whisking constantly.
4)  Add the tempered egg yolk to the alfredo sauce. Turn the heat on to low and whisk around. Add half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir around until cheese is melted. Add pasta, salt, pepper, and half of the chopped bacon to the sauce; toss to coat.
5)  Add the rest of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the reserved pasta water, toss to coat. Turn off the heat.
6)  Top with the rest of the chopped bacon. Garnish with parsley and more cheese, if desired.
    

Rice Pilaf recipe

As promised, here is my recipe for Rice Pilaf. Serve this rice with my Roasted Shrimp with Gochujang Aioli to complete the meal.

Printable Recipe

Rice Pilaf

ingredients:

• 1 cup white Jasmine rice
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery
• quarter of an onion
• 1 dried bay leaf
• ¼ cup white wine (chardonnay: medium-dry to dry)
• 1½ cups unsalted chicken stock (Kitchen Basics)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided use

instructions:
1)  Preheat oven to 350° F. Give carrot, celery, and onion a rough chop. Place veggies in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped.
2)  Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped veggies, bay leaf, and ¼ tsp salt; cook for 2 minutes.
3)  Add rice into the pan and stir around to coat rice with veggies and butter; cook for 2 minutes.
4)  Pour in white wine, let bubble up for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken stock and ½ tsp salt, give it a stir. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
5)  Transfer everything into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread it out, then cover tightly with foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
6)  Remove baking dish from the oven but do not take the foil off. Let stand for another 15 minutes with the foil still on.
7)  Take the foil off and remove bay leaf. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.     

Roasted Shrimp with Gochujang Aioli recipe

I know what you're thinking: Aioli = egg yolks.

And halt! If you're scared of using raw egg yolks then this recipe is perfect for you because we will use mayo instead. If you want to try to be adventurous, use pasteurized eggs whenever you fancy making an aioli. And if you're a stickler, well, please move along because it'll probably drive you crazy that this recipe isn't a traditional aioli.

You're going to see some unusual ingredients here, and by 'unusual' I just mean you may not have it in the pantry unless you're Asian (Korean to be exact). When shopping for the Korean items listed below, look for "Product of Korea" stamp for better quality ingredients, and make it a habit to check the expiration dates on everything you buy. Avoid P.R.O.C or Product of People's Republic of China. The gochugaru I have is actually P.R.O.C. because that's the only one the store had at the time.
- Japanese mayonnaise: Kewpie brand
- Rice Vinegar: choose sodium free and sugar free
- Gochujang: Korean hot pepper paste, choose "Product of Korea"
- Gochugaru: Korean red chili pepper, choose "Product of Korea"

The servings vary because you can either serve this as an appetizer or as a main entree. I personally serve this as a main entree with my Rice Pilaf (recipe coming soon) because my husband who is an Italian eats more rice than pasta and likes to smother his rice with sauce. Sometimes I think he was Asian in his past life, haha! Shrimp is usually 30-40 count per pound, and that is enough for my husband, Little Buddy, and me.

Printable Recipe

Roasted Shrimp with Gochujang Aioli

ingredients:
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
• ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)
• 1/8 cup gochujang
• 1½ tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1½ tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru/kochukaru)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt + more for sprinkling
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper + more for sprinkling
• 1 scallion, chopped (some for garnish)
• ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• non-stick spray

instructions:
1)  Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean up, then spray with non-stick spray.
2)  Arrange shrimp on the sheet pan in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3)  Mix the following ingredients in a bowl: mayonnaise, gochujang, lime juice, rice vinegar, Korean chili flakes, garlic, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, scallions, and melted butter.
4)  Using a brush, slather the aioli on the shrimp. Flip shrimp, sprinkle salt and pepper, then slather aioli on that side as well.
◘ tip: Be generous with the aioli. It makes such a flavorful sauce for dipping or mixing with rice after roasting in the oven.
5)  Once oven comes up to proper temperature, roast shrimp for 10 minutes.
6)  Serve shrimp as an appetizer or as a main entree with rice. Garnish with chopped scallions.
   

Smothered Pork Chops recipe

My husband loves this dish! The pork is so tender and the sauce is finger-lickin' good! Seriously.

May I suggest serving this dish with rice? My husband likes to smother his rice with the sauce, maybe you will too.

Printable Recipe

Smothered Pork Chops

ingredients:
• 4 boneless New York pork chops
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp + ½ tsp kosher salt, divided use
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
• ¾ cup unsalted chicken stock (Kitchen Basics)
• 1/8 cup heavy cream
• 1 sprig of rosemary

instructions:
1)  Mix the following ingredients on a plate: flour, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, 1 tsp salt, cayenne, and ground black pepper. Reserve 2 tbsp of the flour mixture; set aside.
2)  Rinse pork and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge pork in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
3)  Heat butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Add pork and fry for 4 minutes each side. Transfer pork to a plate.
4)  Reduce heat to medium-low. Add shallots, cook for 3 minutes, adding garlic for the last minute (if using). Sprinkle in the 2 tbsp of reserved flour mixture; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
5)  Add rosemary in the pan and pour in the chicken stock. Stir around until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and ½ tsp salt, stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low, add the pork back in the pan and simmer for 3 minutes. Flip the pork and simmer for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.     

Easy Teriyaki Chicken and Mushrooms recipe

Oooh, teriyaki! Did I get you excited? Hate to burst your bubble, but this recipe is "easy" for a reason. This isn't a traditional teriyaki where the meat is either grilled or broiled then glazed with teriyaki sauce. I created this recipe with busy moms (and dads) in mind. Maybe you even have this bottled sauce in your fridge and don't know what the heck to do with it. Well, I'm here to save you!

Printable Recipe
Easy Teriyaki Chicken and Mushrooms

ingredients:

• 6 chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any neutral, high smoke point oil such as canola)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp kosher salt + more for sprinkling
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper + more for sprinkling
• 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
• ½ cup unsalted chicken stock (Kitchen Basics)
• ¼ cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
• 1 serrano, brunoise/finely diced
• 2 scallions, sliced & divided use (some for garnish)

instructions:
1)  On a plate, season flour with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
2)  Sprinkle one side of chicken with salt and pepper. Put chicken, seasoned side down, in the flour dredge then sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour and shake off any excess.
3)  Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken for 4 minutes each side, then transfer to a plate.
◘ tip: Fry in batches if your pan isn't large enough to fit all the chicken at once. I used a 12-inch nonstick saute pan.
4)  In the same pan still over medium-high heat, add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add serrano, continue to cook for 1 minute.
5)  Pour in both chicken stock and teriyaki sauce, stir it around and bring to a gentle boil.
6)  Put the chicken back into the pan along with any juices accumulated on the plate. Reduce heat, put the lid on and simmer for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, add half of the scallions, put the lid back on and simmer for another 5 minutes.
7)  Take the lid off, flip the chicken again, and add the rest of scallions. Cook, uncovered, for 5 more minutes to let the sauce thicken up a bit.
8)  Serve with rice on the side or over a bed of rice. Garnish with sliced scallions.