Shrimp and Tomatoes with Black Olives

What do I make when I don’t want to go to the store or order in… I check my fridge and cabinet to see what I have on hand and create a delicious inspired meal. I surprised myself, it was delicious and it made enough for two or three meals!

INGREDIENTS

One package of frozen Jumbo Raw Shrimp, 16 - 20 count, peeled and deveined

Three cloves garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

One small can sliced black olives

Three anchovies filets in oil or generous squeeze of anchovy paste

1/2 pint of left over cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 can San Marzano Italian Plum Tomatoes,

Fresh Basil

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

A sprinkle of Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice garlic add anchovies and sauté in olive oil until just fragrant (do not brown)

Add black olives, cherry tomatoes and 1/2 can of San Marzano tomatoes

Add red pepper and Italian seasoning

Stir in fresh basil

Taste and add salt if necessary

Simmer on low/medium heat for 1/2 hour

Add peeled shrimp and cover simmer for 3-5 minutes until shrimp are just done.

Serve over 1/2 cup of white or brown rice. ENJOY! #shrimp #shrimpandrice #blackolives #sanmarzanoplumtomatoes

Pasta Inspired by Tuna and Arugula

I rarely eat pasta, however this day I had a taste for it… imported spinach fettuccini with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, arugula topped with parmigiana… very tasty! My dear friend Kathy commented she couldn't see the arugula under all that cheese. LOL I guess I need to make this again soon and update the photo!

While you are heating the pasta water, prep the ingredients.

This recipe requires Italian tuna canned in olive oil. Tuna canned in water just doesn't work well with this recipe. If water canned tuna is your only option, drain it, and soak it in half a cup of good quality olive oil for an hour first.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound (12 ounces) dried fettuccine, spaghetti or linguine

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (more to taste)

2 - 6-ounce cans Italian tuna packed in olive oil, drained

Salt

5 to 8 ounces fresh uncooked baby arugula

Grated parmesan cheese to taste

Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water (1 Tbsp. salt for every 2 quarts of water should taste like the sea) to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, return to a rolling boil, and boil uncovered until the pasta is al dente, cooked, but still a little firm to the bite.

Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil; add tuna, salt:

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-low heat. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook until garlic is fragrant. Add the tuna and shred it into fine flakes with a fork. Season with salt. Keep warm over low heat.

Just before the pasta is ready, set aside 1 cup of boiling pasta water. You'll need this to add back to the pasta dish to keep it from getting too dry.

Combine pasta with tuna mixture, arugula, and some pasta water:

Drain the pasta and depending on the size of your pan, either add it to the skillet with the tuna, or return the pasta to the pasta pot and add the tuna mixture to the pasta.

Add the fresh uncooked arugula and use tongs to toss together with the pasta and tuna. Add some of the hot reserved pasta water to help loosen the pasta.

The arugula will wilt as you toss the pasta and tuna with it. Add more pasta water as needed.

Plate and garnish with grated parmesan cheese as desired to your taste, as you can see from the photo I love cheese!!! Enjoy! #myinspiredrecipes #pasta #arugula #italiancannedtuna

My Busso Italian Flan Recipe

This amazing inspired dessert has a following of it's own and is a real crowd pleaser. It is rich and delicious. What make this my Inspired Italian Flan is the addition of mascarpone cheese for a delightful taste and smooth texture. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties or just because!

INGREDIENTS

8 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

2 cans sweet condensed milk

14 oz of whole milk (use can from condensed milk)

8 oz of mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sugar

1 ¾ cup of sugar for the caramel coating

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend all above ingredients with hand or immersion mixer.

Separately, in skillet/pan over medium heat, cook 1 ¾ cup of sugar, stirring constantly until melted and turns caramel colored. Be careful not to burn.

Once fully melted, pour this into two 10x7 un-greased baking pan or one 9x16… Tilt around as you pour to ensure to even coat the bottom. Let cool and harden.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour above blended ingredients into the hardened sugar-coated pan.

Place this pan in the center of a larger broiler pan and fill the the broiler pan with water 1/2 way up the flan pan (this water bath is called a bain-marie).

Place in oven and bake at 350 for approximately 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool off, then refrigerate. To serve, carefully invert on serving plate with a lip or edges when completely cool. #flan #dessert #caramel #Italiandessert

ENJOY!!!!!