Roasted Shrimp and Orzo

I tried this recipe (Barefoot Contessa at Home) for the first time several years ago, and it has become a favorite standby, especially in the spring and summer.  I’m sure it will make even more appearances at our table now that wild shrimp are easier to find (thanks, Trader Joe’s!).  I love that it’s easy, and that I can make it in advance.  It’s pictured here without the addition of the fresh herbs, feta and scallions, because we brought it to share at a party, and I didn’t know how our friends felt about the herbs in question.  The dill, especially, can get to be overwhelming if you’re not crazy about it.  So, they traveled separately, but I still made everything far enough in advance that the dressing had time to really combine with the orzo, shrimp, and cucumber.

Caesar Salad with Pancetta

Sadly, I forgot to take a photo of this decadent salad (Barefoot Contessa Parties!) on the night I made it, so this is a photo of the leftovers.  The dressing was just lemon-y and garlic-y enough, and I’d definitely make it again, but I only used about half of it on the salad.  The dressing recipe allowed for a substitution of mayo for egg yolks, which I used, being a little nervous about raw eggs.  I also only used about half of the recommended amount of pancetta, and that was plenty.  I roasted the tomatoes per the directions, but I could have easily skipped that step.  I’m already looking forward to making this when the romaine starts showing up in our CSA boxes this summer!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

This recipe (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics) is the type of recipe that made me want to start this project.  It’s simple, it’s healthy, and it contains ingredients that we like.  But before this project, I would have admired the picture, taken note of the ingredients, thought, “I should really make that sometime,” and then the time would never come.  It’s not that we don’t eat salad, it’s just that I get into the routine of making the same kind of salad every time, so we get into ruts.  The challenge I’ve had lately is to really focus on these great winter vegetables without over-doing any one thing until we get tired of it.  Butternut squash, for example, plays a large role on the pages of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.  We love it, but if we eat it more than once or twice a week, we’ll turn orange, and we’ll never want to see another squash again.  So, spacing things out has been key, while still putting a heavy emphasis on seasonal vegetables.  Because really, it would be kind of silly to be roasting a butternut squash in July.  I used apple juice instead of apple cider in the dressing (a substitution suggested in the recipe itself).  The parmesan was nice, but not necessary – there were enough other flavors going on without it.

Broccolini with Balsamic Vinegar

This recipe (Barefoot Contessa at Home) strikes a fine balance between those of us who like absolutely nothing adorning our green vegetables (me) and those of us who like whatever we can get our hands on to dress up our veggies (my husband).  The dressing makes up for the fact that the broccolini is still crisp, and it’s not so intrusive as to take away from the flavor, but it does give it a little something to make it more interesting.  Or whatever it is that dressing is supposed to do to vegetables.