Jamie Oliver's Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies {A Perfect Treat For Back To School}!

I've been bit by the baking bug pretty hard lately. I wanna make all the baked goods right now, but I'm especially craving anything with peanut butter. When I saw Jamie's Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies I fell in love at first sight. Not only does it look like the dessert of my dreams, but I also love the peanut butter and jelly theme because....IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!

We are going back to school the middle of next week and I can hardly believe it. The summer has  flown by. Seeing as how this is the tail end of summer, I thought a decadent treat like this was perfect!

Can I just tell you right now...these fudgy ooey-gooey brownies have a decadent peanut butter custard swirled into them? Yes, you heard me right. A creamy, dreamy, obsession-worthy peanut butter custard. Then you tuck pockets of raspberry jam into the peanut butter custard before garnishing with some beautiful fresh raspberries. It is a thing of beauty. It is dessert perfection. 

And it is a sad, sad story when you can only have one, because you're gonna want another, and another. In fact, I ate one. My husband ate two. We each saved one. Then I packed the rest up and delivered them to a friend to get them out of my sight because I knew I'd be tempted! 

YOU NEED THESE IN YOUR LIFE!!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies

Adapted from Comfort Food

by Jamie Oliver

Serves 15

Custard

1 cup milk

1 vanilla bean OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

1-1/2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)

2 heaping tablespoons smooth peanut butter

Brownies

1 cup butter, plus extra for greasing

8 ounces quality dark chocolate (I used semisweet)*

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

2-1/2 ounces fresh raspberries

Notes: I used semisweet chocolate because we like it better than dark chocolate, but the recipe calls for 70% dark chocolate. I also used two kinds of jam, strawberry and grape because we wanted to try some of each and because it's what I had on hand. My brownies had to bake for about 30 minutes, 5 minutes over the suggested time.

 To make the custard, put the milk into a saucepan, halve the vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds, then add both bean and seeds to the pan and lightly simmer on the stove (or use vanilla extract), stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a bowl, use a balloon whisk to combine the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and soft butter. Whisking constantly, gradually pour the hot milk into the bowl, until combined. Return the custard mixture to the pan, place over a low heat, and stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the peanut butter, then leave the custard to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 350F. For the brownies, grease and line (use parchment) a deep baking pan (8x12 inches). Melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan on a very low heat, the snap up and add the chocolate. Stir regularly with a spatula until melted and combined, then remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Leave to cool slightly, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until silky. Sift in the flour and mix well.

Pour the brownie mix into the prepared baking pan, then swirl through the chilled nutty custard (discarding the vanilla bean, if using). Erratically distribute little spoonfuls of jam over the surface, then poke in the fresh raspberries (or any other fresh seasonal berries that correspond with the jam you're using). Bake for around 25 minutes, or until cooked on the outside but still a bit gooey in the middle. Leave to cool for 1 hour if you can bear it, then cut into portions and serve.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Week @ IHCC

Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls {Summer Slim Down Series #10}

This is my last recipe in the Summer Slim Down Series. When I started this series I thought I would have the entire summer to myself. I wanted to put a lot of effort into these meals. Then I got a call that the school needed help and I worked most of my summer away, and wow...what an incredibly busy summer it was. I think I ran harder than I do throughout the school year. Now summer is drawing to a close and I want to go out with a bang, so I chose Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls. 

This dish speaks to me on so many levels. Fish and seafood were always something I loved, but now they have become a huge part of my new lifestyle, shrimp and salmon especially. I have built many meals around these two proteins with wonderful success. Mostly I pair them with vegetables for a really beautiful and colorful meal that is hugely satisfying. Every once in awhile I throw in a healthy gluten-free grain, such as rice or potatoes. This meal is a representation of all those winning go-to ingredients. I love the spicy mayo-Sriracha drizzle to give things a little extra flavor. A little bit of sauce and/or drizzle goes a long way in building flavor and making things extra-special!

I absolutely loved this recipe! In fact, it is probably my favorite Summer Slim Down recipe and I highly recommend it. There is flavor from the spicy sriracha mayo and loads of crunch and texture from all the veggies. I love spicy food, but I found the chunks of avocado were essential in cooling everything down and adding some creaminess. The whole dish is served room temperature or cold and it eats like a really fancy but more substantial salad. I can definitely foresee myself making this many times in the future and even packing it in my lunch as it would keep very well!

I'm so happy I finally got around to making this delicious recipe and I'm also really happy to end the Summer Slim Down Series with something that is so tasty!  

Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls

Adapted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep

by Gina Homolka

Serves 4

Spicy Mayo

1/4 cup light mayo

1-1/2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce

Salmon

Previous cooked salmon

4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Bowls

2 cups cooked rice 

4 Persian cucumbers, diced into 1/2" cubes

1 medium Hass avocado, sliced

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

Jarred pickled ginger (optional)

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced for garnish

1 tablespoon furikake or black sesame seeds

soy sauce or tamari, for serving

Sriracha sauce, for serving

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Sriracha and thin with 1 tablespoon water to drizzle.

Flake or cut the cold salmon into large chunks. Drizzle with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha and gently toss to combine. Set aside while you prepare the bowls.

Place 1/2 cup rice in each of 4 shallow bowl. In each bowl, arrange 6 ounces of salmon, one-fourth of the diced cucumber and avocado, 2 tablespoons of the red cabbage, some pickled ginger (if using), and one-fourth of the scallion greens.

Drizzle with the spicy mayo, then top with the furikake and serve with extra soy sauce and Sriracha on the side (if using). 

Ina Garten's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel {One Of My Favorite Recipes Of All-Time!!}

 

I'm taking a break from the healthy recipe posts to celebrate and bring you an absolutely amazing pasta dish, Ina Garten's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel! 

You see, ever since January, I have completely overhauled my lifestyle. I completely changed my diet, cutting out almost all starchy foods in favor of lean meats, eggs, and vegetables. I do allow some fruits (no more than 2 per day) and some dairy (I could never give up cheese). I also try to move my body as much as possible (walks in the mornings, parking as far away as I can, always taking the stairs, making it a point to get up and move every hour, stretching, cleaning, etc). I never drank anything else besides water before, but I also seriously upped my water intake. I did this faithfully for seven months. It was hard. So very hard. There were weeks I stepped on the scale and didn't lose a pound. Sometimes I would go two weeks without losing any weight at all. Those weeks were devastating. I told myself it didn't matter how fast I lost the weight. It wasn't a race. The important thing was that I felt SO MUCH better. I stuck with it.

Folks, IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS TO LOSE 25 POUNDS! It was not easy! I still have about 25 additional pounds I would like to lose, but I am allowing myself to take a break for a week or two to celebrate, maintain the weight loss, and recharge.

Ina's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel was a recipe I kept seeing pop up on a Barefoot Contessa Facebook group. Folks were making it almost daily and so in love with it! I watched for a month or so while people hailed this dish as one of the VERY BEST PASTA DISHES THEY'VE EVER EATEN! I simply could not wait to try it! I knew it was going to be worth the splurge, so I decided that this was going to be my celebration meal.

I was skeptical because guess what? I have NEVER liked fennel. However, I decided I was going to give it a go and I am so glad I did! I can vouch for this dish y'all! It has what every other pasta dish is missing. Maybe it's the fennel? Maybe it's the crushed fennel seeds? Maybe it's the cream? Nevertheless, this is THE PASTA DISH to make right now. I have literally told everyone I know about it, and I am telling you now, this is hands down one of the top 5 recipes I've ever made on my blog... and I've logged over 1000 recipes on this blog!

Do not skimp on the fennel. Do not leave anything out! If you have a hard time finding fresh fennel, then keep searching. If you have a hard time finding fennel seeds as I did, keep searching. You have to follow this recipe to a T. Do not leave out the wine or try to be healthy and skimp on the cream. However, if you are vegetarian, then know that you should still try this. Use any sausage or meat substitute. Trust me on this one! This pasta dish begs to be made!   

Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 4-6

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)*

1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1-1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)*

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pound rigatoni

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided

*Notes: Sometimes fennel can be hard to find. Keep searching. Do not leave out any ingredient in this dish as it is perfect the way it's written. Go ahead and buy a little extra fennel to make sure you have enough. I had to buy 3 bulbs of fennel to equal 3 cups chopped! Two cloves of garlic could be a small amount. Best to make sure they're big cloves and/or add a little extra to be sure you have enough garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

Cajun-Style Broiled Shrimp {Summer Slim Down Series #9}

 

One of my very first memories is looking down and watching my little toddler feet walk up porch steps with my mom hovering over me telling me to "hurry up before the alligators get you."

I went to Houma, LA when I was 2 years old. My mom's dad lived there and we went for a visit. My mom used to call me Turtle because I was real slow and she was deathly worried I would get eaten up by alligators just walking up the porch steps. She must've talked about those gators until she was blue in the face because it's all I remember about my first, and only, trip to Louisiana. 

New Orleans has been at the very top of my list for travel destinations for as long as I can remember. I mean the culture, the swamps, the architecture, the history, and the food...it is truly a one-of-a-kind destination. You just know it's going to be a wonderful time! 

Our family hasn't had a chance to take our usual summer vacation this year, but we are really hoping we can get to New Orleans this fall during our fall break from school! If we do, I am going to want to eat ALL the things. Isn't that what you do in New Orleans? Beignets, Muffalettas, Etouffee, Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Po'Boys, Bananas Foster, Pralines, and all the shrimp.

One does not go to New Orleans to be healthy for the week. It is all about the decadence! Until then, however, I am still practicing my healthier lifestyle (and by the way, I have lost 25 pounds - woohoo!) One of the things that has really helped me lose weight has been eating shrimp at least once a week. Shrimp is something that you can really indulge in as it is really low in calories. If you chose the right preparation as I did here with Mark Bittman's Cajun-Style Broiled Shrimp, you can really eat like a king!

All you need to do is get some shrimp and make a flavorful paste of: garlic (lots of garlic), salt, cayenne, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil, and lots of black pepper. Then you just slather that flavorful paste all over the shrimp and broil it. It might not look like there is much seasoning on the shrimp, but wow! The shrimp are full of garlicky cayenne flavor! This really does make for a wonderfully light and flavorful summertime meal. 

Let the good times roll!

 

Cajun-Style Broiled Shrimp

Adapted from Mark Bittman

NY Times Cooking

Serves 3-4

1 garlic clove* (more like 5)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

lots of black pepper

1-1/2 pounds peeled shrimp

lemon wedges and hot sauce, for serving

Notes: I have no idea why Bittman only wants you to use 1 little clove of garlic in this recipe. I used at least 5, maybe eve 6 or 7 cloves. Also, feel free to add more cayenne, or less, and don't be afraid to make it your own!

 Turn on the broiler, and put the rack close to the heat. Mash 1 garlic clove (or 5 cloves) with 1 teaspoon salt until it forms a paste. Add it to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil and lots of black pepper. Rub paste all over 1-1/2 pounds peeled shrimp. Broiler, 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Serve with rice and veggies and/or serve alone with bread. Enjoy!

Vacation Eats @ IHCC

Peking-Style Roast Chicken {Summer Slim Down Series #8}

 

Dear Mr. Jacques Pepin,

I wanted to cook a healthy meal that the whole family loves, roast chicken. We all love roast chicken and we also love using the leftover in dishes throughout the week, so I turned to you and your French ways for a good roast chicken recipe. Now, maybe some of this is my fault. I suppose I was walking on the wild side yesterday because I chose your Peking-Syle Chicken.

I chose this particular recipe because we were featuring condiments, sauces, dressings, and all manner of sauces over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. When I saw your recipe for Peking-Style Chicken using soy sauce, honey, Tabasco, and balsamic vinegar I thought, "great, I can kill two birds with one stone."

I started with a really good organic chicken. We can roast any chicken, but a quality organic chicken always tastes a whole lot better.

Then I unpacked my chicken from the wrapping and decided that I wasn't going to take out the wishbone in order to make it easier to carve. I do not like handling raw chicken, Jacques. I always short change this part. I also didn't truss the chicken like you wanted me to because again, I dislike handling raw chicken. I trussed the bird real quick while grimacing and cringing on the inside. I was a vegetarian for 7 years for this reason. I do not dealing like with raw meat.

After washing my hands one hundred millions times and wiping down every hard surface in my kitchen because I loathe raw chicken, I then proceeded to boil the chicken for 3 minutes and then simmer it for 2 minutes. I understand this will help crisp up the chicken skin, which is a desired goal for Peking Chicken.

Then I slathered my chicken with the Peking mixture of soy sauce, honey, Tabasco, and balsamic vinegar. This is going to be excellent I thought. Everything is looking good. Jacques will not let me down.

I slid that chicken in the oven and at the half hour mark it looked beautiful, with gorgeous color. I basted it with the Peking sauce again and slid it in for another half hour. When I pulled it out I panicked. Why was my chicken looking so burnt, Jacques? Do you know the horror I felt? Nevertheless, I persisted. I guess this chicken is meant to look burnt, so I slather it with the remaining Peking sauce and stick it back in the oven. Now I am fretting and freaking out because I'm counting on you for a wonderful roast chicken. Except, the air smells somewhat acrid in my house - a burning smell like hot burning soy sauce and vinegar. I start totally questioning my choices and I run to the kitchen to cover my chicken with tinfoil so the skin won't get any darker. I know this may prevent the skin from being crisp. I start freaking out about ruining the chicken.

After being in full-blown panic mode for at least 30 minutes, I pull the chicken out and the chicken is dark and burnt looking. It's as dark as my cast iron pan. The bright sunlight is reflecting off the chicken and I cannot get a good picture of my burnt-looking chicken. My husband is laughing at me because I'm taking a picture of a burnt looking chicken and I'm doing it over and over again with a craze. Then I start laughing like a maniac because Jacques, you have me taking pictures of a burnt ass chicken! Why am I taking pics of a burnt looking chicken? My husband watches me move the chicken all over the kitchen trying to get a decent picture and he bellows, "it will look burnt no matter what you do."

Finally, in an effort to defy my husband, I decide to cut the chicken and take a picture of the thigh and leg alongside my baby red potatoes and creamed peas. There I think, it doesn't look so bad now.

The crisis is averted. The skin is definitely crisp and the chicken is just fine, but we definitely prefer a more classic roast chicken and decide that we are not fans of the Peking-Style. 

That said, I will not be walking on the wild side for awhile, Jacques. I thought the chicken would have a dark red lacquered look, but oh no that just wasn't the case, was it Jacques? You've never really stressed me out before, or done me wrong, and the chicken really was ok, so I won't totally quit you, Jacques. However, I will take a break. A warning about the color, Jacques. That's all I ask for.

I still love you though,

Kim of Stirring the Pot

P.S. Here are some links to great roast chicken recipes that I've shared on my blog. Roast chicken is a great way to have a healthy meal and also enjoy some quick healthy leftovers.

The Very Best (and also the fussiest): Julia Child's Roast Chicken

The Second Best (but also my go-to recipe because Julia's is so fussy):  Ina Garten's Engagement Roast Chicken 

The Roast Chicken Smeared With 2 Sticks of Butter (and from the archives): Tyler Florence's Ultimate Roast Chicken 

 

Peking-Style Chicken

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

1 chicken (about 4 pounds)

1-1/2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

12 ounces small button mushrooms, cleaned

1/2 cup water

Notes: I didn't have mushrooms so I added 2 heads of unpeeled garlic cloves to the bottom of my roasting dish prior to roasting the chicken. In my mind you can't go wrong with roasted garlic as a side.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Bring 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot.

Meanwhile, remove the wishbone from the chicken (I did not do this but will include directions below). Fold the wings of the chicken under the back and truss it with kitchen twine to help maintain the birds compact shape (I did not do this either).

Lower the chicken breast side down into the boiling water. Return the water to a boil over high heat (this will take about 3 minutes). As soon as the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken gently for 2 minutes. Drain and place the chicken breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.

Mix the honey, soy sauce, Tabasco, and vinegar together in a small bow Brush the chicken on all sides with some of the mixture. Roast breast side up for about 30 minutes.

Brush the breast side of the chicken again with the honey mixture, then roast for another 30 minutes. 

Arrange the mushrooms in one layer under the rack in the pan and add the water. Brush the chicken with the remaining honey mixture and roast for 15 minutes longer.

Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour the accumulated juices and the mushrooms into a saucepan. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes, then spoon off as much fast from the surface as possible, and reheat if necessary. 

Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with the juices and mushrooms.

How To Remove The Wishbone From The Chicken: The wishbone is often removed from chicken, duck, and other birds to make carving easier. To remove the wishbone, place the bird on its back and lift the skin at the neck to expose the flesh. Slide the point of a paring knife along either side of the wishbone, cutting into the flesh (about 1/2 inch deep for a chicken). Then insert your thumb and index finger on either side of the wishbone and pry it out.

How To Truss A Chicken: Trussing a stuffed bird helps keep the stuffing in. Trussing also helps a bird hold its shape, whether it is stuffed or not, so it cooks evenly and looks better on the serving platter. Nevertheless, trussing is usually optional!

To truss a chicken, use fairly thick cotton kitchen twine, so it doesn't cut your fingers. Slide a length of twine under the tail and around the tips of the drumsticks, then cross the twine above the chicken and slide both ends of the twine under the tips of the drumsticks to create a figure 8. Hold the ends of the twine together, which will close the tail opening. Pull the ends of twine around the sides of the bird until they join at the neck end, next to the wings, and tighten the twine, securing it behind the wings or behind the stump of the neck; tie a double knot so the twine doesn't slide off. Remove the twine before serving. 

Greek Nachos with Feta Drizzle {Summer Slim Down Series #7}

 

It's fair season and everyone loves to cruise the midway at their local fair for some good eats!

Now we all know that fair food gets a bad rap because of dishes like deep-fried Oreos, but I'm about to give the fair some major props. Did you know that the World's Fair in 1904 inspired lots of our favorite dishes?  They needed to make food more portable for the fair-goers so they invented ice cream cones, hamburger buns, and hot dogs buns! Who knew the World's Fair was such an inventive place?

We have to give credit where credit is due and I will tell you, I was inspired by the need for portability at the 1904 World's Fair. I chose a dish called Greek Nachos with Feta Drizzle from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook. Bittman says this is a portable way to eat salad, which ticks two boxes for me since it is both a healthy dish and a dish that fits this week's IHCC theme.  

Plus, who doesn't love nachos, of any kind? Bittman's version of Greek Nachos calls for a Feta Drizzle made with: feta, yogurt, lemon juice/zest, olive oil, and mint, blended until smooth. I loved the feta drizzle (I love anything feta), but I also think a tahini sauce would be great! I wanted to keep my version light and healthy so I topped my homemade pita nachos with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, sliced black olives, and sauteed chickpeas. I also love the idea of adding some seasoned ground lamb to the dish.

I really love dishes like this because they please everyone! Chop up tons of veggies, make a couple sauces, have a vegetarian option with chickpeas and some seasoned ground lamb for the meat eaters. Everyone gets to customize their own meal and everyone walks away happy! Nachos for world peace! Nachos for the World's Fair! Nachos for everyone!

Greek Nachos with Feta Drizzle

Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

by Mark Bittman

Serves 4-8

4 pitas, split and cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

salt

4 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup yogurt, preferably Greek or whole milk

1/2 cup chopped mint

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

black pepper

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and or sliced

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

Notes: Adapt this recipe to your tastes. I added canned and drained chickpeas that I sauteed with some spices in a little bit of oil. You could add any other veggie, herb, spice, or meat to the dish! Skies the limit.

Heat the oven to 350F. Arrange the pita wedges in one layer on baking sheets and brush or drizzle with oil if you like. Bake, turning as needed, until they begin to color, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, turn off the oven, and put the chips back in the oven to keep warm.

Combine the feta, yogurt, 1/4 cup oil, mint, and lemon zest and juice in a food processor; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Process until smooth (or use a for to combine the ingredients in a bowl).

Put the chips on a serving plate (or use the baking sheets). Top with the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion and drizzle with the feta-yogurt sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

World's Fair Food @ IHCC

 

 

Sheet Pan Parmesan Shrimp and Veggies {Summer Slim Down Series #6}

Inspired by the fireworks on the 4th of July, I wanted to make something really colorful that would pop with flavor. When I stumbled across Giada's Sheet Pan Parmesan Shrimp and Veggies... I knew it was perfect. It starts with a colorful arrangement of vegetables: broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, purple onion, and then, of course, the shrimp. Not to mention, roasting veggies and shrimp really helps to bring out the flavor and get everything popping in your mouth, just like the fireworks.

This was one our favorite slim down meals so far this summer! The shrimp are coated with Parmigiano Reggiano, as well as garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. They are oh so delicious served over the flavorful roasted vegetables and make for such a satisfying but somewhat light meal. Plus, it is so easy and comes together so quickly. You can't go wrong. This is totally worth turning your oven on for!

YIt's worth noting that I read the directions wrong and completely removed the veggies from the ssheet pan after they roasted for 15 minutes. I was supposed to leave the veggies on the sheet pan aand continue to roast them when I added the shrimp, but it all worked out ok. Of course, this is also why I have no pictures of the meal on the sheet pan, but nevertheless, it still tasted delicious!

Sheet Pan Parmesan Shrimp and Veggies

Adapted from Eat Better, Feel Better

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4

 1 small broccoli crown, cut into 1-inch florets

1 red onion, cut into 1-inch dice

1/2 medium cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

4 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano*

2 tablespoons panko*

1 lemon

Note: I omitted the oregano and used Italian seasoning, garlic powder and red pepper flakes instead. All to taste, no specific amounts.

 Preheat the oven to 450F. 

In a large bowl, mix the broccoli, onion, cauliflower, tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, until cooked through and just beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, Parmigiano, oregano, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the same bowl that was used for the vegetables. Toss well to coat evenly in the cheese and oregano. Remove the vegetables from the oven and scatter the shrimp on top. Stir gently to combine andsprinkle with the panko, if using. 

Return to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Grate the zest from the lemon over the mixture and toss to combine. Cut the zested lemon into wedges and serve with the shrimp and veggies.