Kicked Up Sorta Shrimp Scampi

TRY IT! I promise it's good! :)

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveind, tail removed
4 garlic cloves, minced
red pepper flakes (for as much heat as you’d like. I usually give 5 or 6 shakes)
½ cup chicken stock
1 lb. fettucini
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 jar kalamata olives
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced

Directions
1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta. Before you drain, you’ll need some pasta cooking water.
2.  While the pasta cooks, heat some olive oil (twice around the pan) in a deep skillet.
3. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add olives, mushrooms and chicken stock and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and a ladle of the starchy pasta cooking water to the sauce.
6.  Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (leave some to mix with the cheese - it makes an awesome cheesy like sauce!), then add drained pasta to the pan. Let the pasta absorb the juices for a minute.
7. Add the parmesan cheese and stir (with tongs)

For the Love of Peanut Butter

I don't know about you, but I absolutely LOVE peanut butter! Not only do I love it on and in things, I eat it spoonfulls at the time for a snack.  For some strange reason, one day last week, I was thinking about how great some peanut butter icing would be!  I know this is strange - last week was REALLY stressful at work, so I was not myself.  It's even more strange because since I don't bake, what in the heck am I going to put it on?  I searched my cookbooks looks for peanut butter cream cheese icing, but no luck.  So I searched the internet and still no luck.  Then, this week I was watching tv and lunch and there it was!! Gina Neely was making peanut butter and jelly cupcakes with the peanut butter cream cheese icing!  So, I thought I would share since maybe some of you also love peanut butter and maybe you bake and can use it! How good would it be on some choclatte cupcakes?  YUM!  Since my sister shares her gift shop with a bakery, I think I might see if she'll make me some cupcakes to put this icing on. :)

INGREDIENTS: 
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Beat until well combined, then add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until well mixed. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well incorporated.

Potato Chip and Bacon Topped Mac & Cheese

I watch the Food Network every night when I get home from work.  I don't dare miss my favorites - the Neely's, Paula and Rachael!! One night, I was watching Down Home with the Neelys and they made this recipe.  I thought it looked so good, but since I'm more of a 30-Minute Meals kind of girl, I didn't really think much of it.  Then I got the Neely's cookbook for Christmas and this recipe was in there.  Since we were having friends over on New Year's Eve, I thought I'd give it a shot and BOY am I glad I did.  This is SO good!!!  I've never made homemade macaroni and cheese before, much less any with bacon and potato chips, but this turned out great.  It's so easy!  Go ahead, give it a try. 

Potato Chip & Bacon Topped Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp butter
½ c. AP flour
4 c. milk, warm
1 tsp. dry mustard
⅓ tsp. grate nutmeg
¼ tsp. cayenne papper
dash of s&p
dash of hot sauce & worcestershire sauce
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. small pasta, cooked al dente
1 c. crushed potato chips
5 slices bacon, crumbled
½ c. parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Prheat over to 350°


Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. The mixture will thicken as the heat increases.

Continue to stir while adding dry mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, pepper, hot sauce, & worcestershire

Stir in cheddar cheese until it melts.

Places cooked pasta in the bottom of a casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over the pasta.

Sprinkle with chips, bacon & parmesan cheese.

Bake for 35 minutes.