Food Friday

Down in Port Aransas, we headed to a restaurant called Big Kahuna. Becca and I split coconut shrimp and flounder with blue crab and shrimp stuffing. The picture isn't that great because we had already made the split and my whole family was making fun of me pulling out my camera at the restaurant. Becca has gotten used to waiting a minute for me to photograph some of my meals, so it was my parent's turn to experience it. Hey, it was kind of fun acting like a food critic.
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Before we left for the coast, I made some penne rustica so we could have a good meal for mother's day. The recipe is below. Again, the picture just isn't that great when you are trying to transport food that you've made, frozen, and packed in a cooler.
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Penne Rustica (Macaroni Grill)
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Gratinata Sauce
3 T. butter
2 T. minced garlic
3 T. marsala wine
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. corn starch
1 T. deli mustard
2 t. minced fresh rosemary
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. minced fresh thyme
1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper
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1 pound penned pasta, cooked
12 med. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
1/2 c. (~2 oz.) thick-sliced prosciutto, chopped
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Topping
3 T. grated Parmesean cheese
1 1/2 t. paprika
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1. Preheat grill to high. Pound thick side of chicken breast so the fillet is uniform in thickness. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill (5-6 min/side). Skewer shrimp and grill (2 min/side). Cut chicken into strips.
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2. Cook pasta following package directions. They should be al dente (not mushy). Strain, set aside.
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3. Prepare sauce by melting butter. Add garlic and sweat for about 5 minutes (med-low?). Be sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the marsala wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk well until smooth. Bring mixture to simmer and keep it there for 10 mintues or until it's thick. Remove from heat.
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4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Combine pasta, meats, and sauce. Place in large, shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and cook for 10-12 minutes (until the tops is brown).