~Gamberi Piccanti Con Pomodori Secchi e Peperoni Diana~

(Spicy Shrimp with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Peppers by Diana)

This is really fiery shrimp! I saw a couple of recipes with stewed tomatoes which I don’t like so I substituted sun dried tomatoes and combined the best of a couple of other Diablo Shrimp recipes into one, adding the green bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper from some other recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb. of cooked medium shrimp
• 2 diced Shallot 
• 1 medium diced red or yellow pepper 
• ½ cup diced green bell pepper (Or for a spicier dish use jalapeno peppers)
• A few dried spicy hot Chili peppers (Warning: these are HOT*)
• ¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes or 1 8 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes (Drained)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, more to your liking
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Note: When handling the jalapeno to dice them or get the seeds out wear gloves or wash your hands in soapy water to get the capsaicin. Do not wipe your eyes when handling the peppers.
• In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium then add the garlic, jalapeno, red & yellow peppers, and shallots. Cook over medium heat, tossing regularly, until the shallots have softened and turned a light golden brown (manage your heat to make sure the garlic does not burn). 
• Add the cream and stir until thickens.
• Stir in the tomato paste. Season with kosher salt. 
• Bring to boil, then lower the heat to medium low and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes or so until thickened.
• Add the, the the red pepper flakes, sun dried tomatoes and the shrimp to the skillet stirring them in to the sauce. Cook until the shrimp is just warmed through and pink. Finish with fresh parsley.

You can serve over your favorite crusty bread, pasta, or rice, I like it over spaghetti.

Options:

• You can add corn or zucchini
• You can substitute chicken or pork for the shrimp

Serving suggestions:

• Spanish Rice, Long-Grain Rice, and Brown Rice
• Fettuccine

* I used Calabrian Diavoletti Rossi, Small Dried Spicy Hot Chili Peppers, 50g, All Natural, Non-GMO, Product of Italy, TuttoCalabria from Amazon and these are very, very hot.

~~ Chicken Margarita Fajitas ~~

 Ingredients:

• 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or your favorite steak), cut into 2 x 1/2 inch strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 fresh lime + lime zest from the lime
• 1/4 cup tequila (1/4 cup water optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 8 low-carb flour tortillas
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1  green bell (or 2 Cubanelle pepper) pepper, cut into thin strips
• flour or corn starch
• refried beans (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• green chili salsa (optional)

Directions:

• Place chicken, 1/4 cup of the oil, lime juice, tequila, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, garlic, cumin and lime peel in a plastic bag and marinate, refrigerated, 4 hours or overnight.
• Drain chicken, save the marinade
• Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion 3 minutes, until softened.
• Add pepper strips and cook 2 minutes, until crisp-tender.
• Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Warm the tortillas
• Add chicken to skillet and cook about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through (add more oil if necessary).
• Stir in vegetables and add the marinade and discard the rest of it
• Cook, stirring, 2 minutes more (you can deglaze the pan with a little bit more tequila).
• Stir in remaining cilantro.
• Remove the chicken, onions and peppers, thicken the marinade with the flour or corm starch
• To serve, spoon chicken mixture and thicken marinade onto the warm tortillas and top with refried beans, sour cream and salsa, if desired.

Total Carbohydrate = it is that of the tortillas

~~ Quesadillas ~~

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
• 12 Flour tortillas (8-10 inches across)
• 2 Tomato, seeded and chopped
• 2 Medium green onions, chopped
• 2 Medium green peppers, chopped
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Olive Oil (Optional)

Directions:

Prepare pan for frying by coating the bottom with a thin layer of oil. 

Make tortillas sandwiches by placing the chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers and scallions in between two tortillas with a moderate amount of cheese both underneath and on top of the mixture. 

Fry the sandwiches over medium heat until tortillas are brown and cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

~~~~~~

Optional: For a meal try dicing chicken, steak, crabmeat or just about any other filling. For chicken or steak try marinating with your favorite marinate. After marinating them for 1 hour stir-fry them in a pan with the marinate until cooked. Add the meat to above.