This year I turned the big 25. I am still in denial and want to be about 22 again. I just feel SO old being 25. I know I am not “old” but man that sounds like a big number, and to be 25 married with a child. WOW!

I guess my taste have changed in 25 years. I am not a seafood person and don’t like chinese. This year I requested Adam make me a seafood dish and that we go to PF Changs. Both were amazing!! Adam made this dish with no questions asked, he did use dried herbs and used the amount called for so it was a little over herby but otherwise EXCELLENT dish.

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce (From: Food Network)

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup clam juice (I hate clams so he used a little chicken broth instead)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

I am not a seafood person by any means, Adam is and always is asking me to make some but I just can’t stand it. My mom also loves fish, so this weekend she came up and made pecan crusted salmon for them, and chicken for my brother and I.

The chicken was good, and Adam said the salmon was great!

Pecan Crusted Salmon (From: My Mom)

• 2 lbs of salmon cut into pieces
• 2 Tb. mustard
• 1.4 c. honey
• 2 c. crushed pecans
• 4 Tb. flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400, spray baking sheet with Pam

Mix dry ingredients, and mix mustard and honey.

Dredge the salmon in the honey mustard, coat with breading and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until flaky

Adam and I love pasta, but have been in a lul lately, it seems like we always have a red sauce with our pasta, and it’s getting to be the same old same old. I found a recipe last week for a pasta toss. I followed that recipe as a lay out, but kind of made my own as we went. The original recipe is from Allrecipes.

Broccoli Shrimp and Mushroom Toss (From: My Recipe)

• 2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 c. sliced mushroom
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 c. of half and half
• 2 T. Olive Oil

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Mix, Parmesan, half and half, lemon, and 2 T oil.

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter and oil until tender.

Add broccoli and salt; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until close to tender. Add mushrooms and cook until tender then add shrimp.

Add shrimp; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink and broccoli is tender.

Drain pasta; transfer to a serving bowl.

Add the lemon sauce to the shrimp mixture, then toss in pasta.

Tomorrow is Adam’s birthday, I have badly wanted to take him out for Sushi, because the last time he got to go out for a good Sushi dinner was when we were in California in Jan. of 2006. So I planned to take him out for his birthday, most of the Sushi places around here are closed on Monday, and some Sunday so we ended up going last night.

My first experience of Sushi was said trip to California, I am not a big seafood person, and have always turned my nose as Sushi, but I am always willing to try something one time. In California we went out for Sushi, I tried 2 or 3 different things all being horrible to me. So needless to say I don’t like Sushi but to Adam it is Heaven!

I called a few all you can eat type places all saying you couldn’t order off the menu. So I opted for menu only. We went to a place in Minneapolis called Fuji-Ya. It was good, and satisfied Adam’s craving of Sushi! This restaurant actually had private Zashiki rooms. Although I was not fully sure what these where I reserved one. It was one of the best things I have done. It is a private room where you sit on the ground, Japanese style, they actually knee but here they had you sit on the ground. So we had a nice private room, with excellent food and wonderful company!

I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken, which came with Miso soup, a salad, and white rice. This was wonderful chicken! I would actually go back to this restaurant just for the chicken! I didn’t get a picture but it was two huge pieces of chicken and a large bowl of rice. I was unable to finish it all.

I don’t know all Adam ordered but the below picture was a Winter Roll he ordered it had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, masago, & avocado rolled with spicy mayo, covered by crunchy tempura flakes. He said it was very good.Even though we had extremely fully belly’s the server sold us on some cheesecake. It was the best cheesecake I have had, it even topped Cheesecake Factory. It was a piece of cheesecake wrapped in a pie crust, flash fried, and then topped with a raspberry sauce. I unfortunately didn’t get a picture of that either, but I highly suggest if you are downtown, even if you don’t like sushi go to Fuji-Ya for some desserts.

It was a great dinner, for a sushi, and a non sushi lover. I leave you with a picture of Adam eating his Sushi. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

On Thursday night, we tried the fettuccine recipe again, this time using shredded cheese, and adding some meat. It was better then the previous time, but still not the creamy texture that I expect with Alfredo, so we are going to try a new recipe next time. But this recipe is good and well worth the try as everyones tastes are different. We made chicken for me, and shrimp for Adam.

Fettuccine Alfredo (From: Kare11)

• 8 oz. Fettuccine
• 1 ½ teaspoons butter
• ½ cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups skim milk
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ cup already grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Place fettuccine in 2 ½ quarts of already boiling water (unsalted) and cook until tender 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a larger saucepan.

Add cream cheese and milk stirring constantly with a wire whisk until well-blended and smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add pepper and nutmeg, gradually add shredded cheese, whisking vigorously until cheese is melted and incorporated.(sauce will be thin)

Remove sauce from heat and let stand.

Drain the fettuccine and place in large bowl.

Give the sauce another stir, and pour it over pasta.

Toss well to mix.

Serve immediately, or let stand for sauce to thicken.

Add additional shredded cheese as desired.