1. You can get steamed shrimp at Goatfeathers, add a salad and boiled corn - easy and cheap.
2. Buy fish at Goatfeathers, grill it on your Foreman, get a bagette and a Dole salad in a box at Publix, make my daugher's tomato bruschetta topping, and you have a cheap meal. Or if you don't want to make the bruschetta, boil some corn or grill some veggies of your choice, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6-8 basil leaves, slivered, plus a few more for a garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
? teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
? teaspoon garlic salt (or to taste)
? teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 baguette, sliced thinly on the diagonal
Combine all ingredients except the last. Put olive oil on bread and broil until brown; repeat for other side. Serve tomato mixture over the bread, garnished with basil.
3. Another suggestion: get steaks at Modica, potatoes to bake, a Dole salad, and my daughter's green bean recipe. If you don't want to bother with making the her recipe, just add lemon juice and garlic salt to the nuked beans.
Lemon-Garlic Beans
1 head elephant garlic
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
? teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
4 lemons, sliced thickly
2 packages fresh French cut green beans
Sprinkle garlic with olive oil, pepper, and kosher salt, wrap in aluminum foil, and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Cook lemons at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
Microwave beans for 8 minutes.
Squeeze half of the lemons on the beans and reserve the rest. Smash the garlic, and toss the beans with the garlic, olive oil, and kosher salt. Garnish with remaining lemon slices.
4. Another night do the following with a salad:
1 pound pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced (you can buy it already minced)
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cups white wine (dependent on diameter of pan and liquid content of tomatoes)
1 bunch of basil (you can substitute the herb of your choice or fresh spinach or basil in a tube), torn by hand
2 pints grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
? teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (optional, if you add shrimp, call Goatfeathers early in the AM and they'll devein them for a small charge)
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saut? pan at a high temperature. Brown garlic and onion in the hot oil until browned. Add enough white wine to cover the garlic and onion mixture, and cook until deglazed (about 1 cup). Add basil and tomatoes. Reduce heat, continuing to add wine if mixture gets too dry or olive oil if it starts sticking. Add pepper, garlic salt, and garlic powder. Cook at least 10 minutes. If shrimp is used, increase temperature and cook until shrimp turn pink, about 2-7 minutes (dependent on size of shrimp).
Drain pasta and toss with the sauce. Sprinkle cheese on each serving.
5. My sister's old pasta recipe and a salad.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3.5 ounces julienned sun-dried tomatoes (from the Publix produce section)
1 ounce (about 3 tablespoons) of pignolia (pine) nuts (hard to find at Publix - at the end of one of the frozen food aisles)
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
Garlic salt, to taste (or minced garlic if you want to go to the trouble)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (pay Goatfeathers to do that); or 1 pound chicken tenders
1/2 yellow bell pepper (optional), cut into strips
1 9 ounce package of fresh angel hair pasta or linguine
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil, saut? tomatoes, pignolia nuts, basil, and garlic salt. Add chicken or shrimp, and saut? until chicken is done or shrimp is pink. Add bell pepper if desired.
In the meantime, cook pasta according to package directions. Toss cooked pasta in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice.
Serve chicken or shrimp mixture over the pasta. Serves 3.
6. The usual standby - get takeout pizza and do a bag salad.
