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Hello, foodies…

It’s been an exciting week! Mary and I traveled to Clarksville, Tennessee to (finally!) have lunch with Abbey, the winner of David’s Road Trip Contest. For this year's Road Trip, we asked you to tell us about the local military base in your town and to share a recipe or dish that speaks to your community.

Abbey is an Army wife and her husband is stationed at Fort Campbell but is currently deployed in Afghanistan. Abbey is just a sweetheart…she loves to cook but her passion is baking. And, she watches In the Kitchen with David every Sunday and Wednesday with her two small children. Like so many military wives and husbands, her family is in Dallas, so Abbey is really on her own. But, she’s a tough woman and she spoke so highly of the community of Clarksville and the way the folks there support its soldiers and their families. We had lunch at The Blackhorse Pub—a terrific restaurant right in the heart of Clarksville.

Mary and I both had pizza—hers was gluten-free, of course, and I had a classic pepperoni which was AWESOME…it had garlic butter folded into the crust! GARLIC BUTTER! That did NOT make me mad.

But before our lunch even arrived, our waitress brought a plate of Fried Green Tomatoes to our table. She said, “complements from some folks at the bar.” We thanked the waitress…asked her to send our thanks, and when we went to the bar later to say thanks again, the patron had left without a word. So fried green tomato sender…wherever you are…thank you! Mary, Abbey, and I didn’t let a single slice go to waste.

Abbey’s husband will be home next month and we promise to follow up with them later. In the meantime, I just want to thank all of you—again—who submitted entries for our Road Trip contest and for supporting our military men and women each and every day.

One-Pot Meal month continues on In the Kitchen with David this Sunday and our next recipe has an Asian flair: Sweet and Sour Shrimp and Scallops!

Sweet and Sour Shrimp and Scallops
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sea scallops


• 12 oz fresh shrimp (31-35 count), peeled and deveined


• 1 tsp ground black pepper


• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil


• 2 packs shrimp-flavored Ramen noodles, partially broken


• 1 (20-oz) bag frozen Asian stir fry vegetable mix


• 1/4 tsp garlic powder


• 2 tsp chopped fresh ginger


• 2 cups water


• 1 cup sweet and sour sauce


• 1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions

Preparation:

1. Season the scallops and shrimp with black pepper. Pour the oil into a wok set over high heat. Add the scallops and cook for 3 minutes, constantly tossing. Add the shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the scallops and shrimp and place them into a small bowl. Set aside.


2. Add the broken noodles, noodle seasoning packages, frozen vegetables, garlic powder, ginger, and water to the wok. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5–6 minutes, or until the noodles and vegetables are tender.


3. Add the sweet and sour sauce and the shrimp and scallops back into the wok. Toss until everything is evenly coated with the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat. Top with scallions and serve immediately.

This recipe is prepared with the Green Pan 11" I Love Fish and Veggies Wok (K303653).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Foodies, John McLemore is here this Sunday with QVC’s Today’s Special Value(R), a Masterbuilt 30" 4-Rack Smoker that comes with a cover, recipes, and accessories. On top of that, he’s also bringing his brand-new healthier-eating cookbook, Dadgum That’s Healthy! & Good. I was honored to write the forward for John’s book and I also contributed a lighter version of my Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. I thought you might like to have the recipe, too.

Low-fat Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Filling:

• 4 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened


• 3/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter


• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 ( 12-oz) container fat-free whipped topping


• 1 (9”) ready-to-use chocolate cookie pie crust

Topping:

• 1 (4-oz) container fat-free whipped topping


• Store-bought chocolate sauce


• 6 chocolate peanut butter cups, chopped


• Chopped peanuts (optional garnish)

 Directions:

1. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat until evenly combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of bowl.


2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the whipped topping in three stages, mixing well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The mixture should be light and fluffy when it’s ready. Evenly spoon the peanut butter mixture into the chocolate cookie pie crust. Freeze for two hours.


3. Remove the pie from the freezer and spread the 4-oz container of whipped topping evenly on top of the peanut butter mixture. Place the pie back in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours, or overnight. Before cutting the pie, drizzle on some chocolate sauce. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate peanut butter cups and peanuts on top.

See you Sunday at Noon ET…if you’re in the Philadelphia area, swing down for the Chester County Restaurant Festival this Sunday. Mary will be there and checking in with us live throughout the show. More than 65 restaurants, caterers and food vendors are participating!

Keep it flavorful!
—David

P.S. Tell me what your favorite seafood is for the blog question today. Do you love scallops? Tilapia? Lobster? Let me know!