Crazy Cajun Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh (peeled and deveined w/o tail) or frozen shrimp (thawed)

1 box Penne or other small pasta (cooked)

2 cups whole milk

4 TBSP butter

2 TBSP flour

1TSPS olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic-minced

½ medium red or yellow onion-diced

1 cup shredded parmesan or jack cheese

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or more if desired)

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Sauce

1.  Melt 2 TBSP butter in a sauce pan on medium heat

2.  Add flour and stir to combine

3.  Heat 1-2 minutes to cook out the flour taste.  Do not let brown; you are making a ‘blonde roux’

4.  Slowly whisk in milk

5.  Stir in cheese

6.  Add Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper

7.  Simmer on low until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened; stirring occasionally

Shrimp

1.  Melt 2 TBSP butter and olive oil on medium high to high heat in a heavy skillet

2.  Add onions and garlic

3.  Sauté until softened (about 2 minutes)

4.  Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper

5.  Toss in with onions and garlic

6.  Cook until shrimp curls and turns a pinkish color-5 minutes

7.  Pour shrimp mixture into sauce

8.  Add to cooked pasta

9.  Stir to combine

10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes: This idea came from a box!  A friend made a frozen meal similar to this, so I just made up my own version.  You can make it spicier of you like by adding more cayenne.  You can also substitute the shrimp with chicken or a spicy sausage; OR go crazy and add all three!  I think I will try THAT next time I make it. :-)

Posted by Buffie

Eat Your Vegetables - Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

2 blocks cream cheese - softened

1 cup heavy cream
½ cup sour cream

1 bag frozen cooked chopped spinach –thawed and squeezed of water

1 16oz can artichoke hearts

2 cups jack cheese shredded

1 cup real Parmesan cheese shredded

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt and pepper

Cooking spray    
          

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º

2. In a food processor, blend softened cream cheese, whipping cream and sour cream until smooth

3. Add spinach and pulse 3-4 times

4. Add artichokes and pulse until broken apart

5. Pour mixture into a bowl and add jack cheese and seasonings 
6. Stir until blended

7. Pour mixture into pre-sprayed casserole dish

8. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese top over the top

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling 

10. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving

11. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers, salsa and sour cream  

Recipe Notes:  I've made something green for St. Patrick's Day! Even if you don't like spinach, you might want to try this dip.  It is creamy and flavorful. You can freeze it and pull it out whenever you have surprise guests.  Enjoy!

                                                       An Irish Blessing

May you have love that never ends,

lots of money, and lots of friends.

Health be yours, whatever you do,

and may God send many blessings to you!

Posted by Buffie

Chicken Alfredo Flatbread

Chicken Alfredo Flatbread is just perfect for a light lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer.  Who needs to go out when you can cook like this right at home!

Ingredients:

4 flatbreads – premade purchased at a grocery store
2 chicken breasts
1 cup Alfredo sauce (premade or see recipe below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Montreal chicken seasoning

Small onion, sliced thin
1 garlic clove

Flatbread Directions:

1.  Slice chicken breasts into small thin strips.  Season with Montreal seasoning and place in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil.  Add sliced onions and cook chicken until chicken is cooked through (5-8 minutes)

2.  Preheat oven to low broil.  Place flat bread on stone cooking sheet, brush with olive oil and seasonings if you would like and place under broiler until the top is slightly browned.

3.  Remove flat bread from oven and flip over. 

4.  Peel garlic clove, create a paste out of garlic by chopping and smashing with knife.  Add olive oil to paste and brush the flat bread using pastry brush.  .

5.  Spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce on flat bread.  Add cooked chicken and onions and top with mozzarella cheese.

6.  Place back into the oven on low broil until the mozzarella cheese melts.

7.  Remove from oven and Enjoy!

Alfredo Sauce ingredients

2 tbs butter

½ package cream cheese

1 cup cream or half and half

½ cup parmesan cheese

Alfredo Sauce Directions:

1.    Melt butter and cream cheese in small sauce pan

2.    Add cream and heat to just below boiling

3.    Add parmesan cheese and continue to using a whisk to mix cook until smooth

Hot off the Press - A Panini Story

Ingredients:
1 small, loaf Focaccia bread
3 slices paper thin honey ham
3 slices paper thin oven roasted turkey
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1 glove garlic
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP butter, softened
1 TBSP olive oil


Directions:
1. Pre-heat a Panini press, George Foreman grill, pan grill or a heavy skillet on medium high
2. Add cheese, garlic, mustard and butter to a food processor and pulse until a paste is made
3. Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally
4. Evenly spread the cheese paste onto both sided of the bread
5. Layer the ham and turkey on to one side of the bread
6. Top the sandwich with other half of bread
7. Spread ½ of the olive oil on one side of the bread, turn and spread the other half of oil.
8. Place the sandwich on the press, lower the top, and press firmly. Be careful not to let the sandwich slide out of shape. Alternately, add the sandwich to the grill pan, or skillet and press with another heavy pan or brick covered with foil.
9. Grill for 7 minutes or until bread is golden brown and crunchy (or 5 -7 minutes on each side if using a skillet or grill pan)
10. Let stand to cool 5 minutes. (It’s hard to wait, but it really does taste best if you let it cool)


Recipe Notes: I’m kinda like Joey on Friends; I LOVE sandwiches and will fight you if you want a bite outa mine! It stems from my brief stint growing up on the East coast. I have to say, no one makes a sandwich better than a Yankee. However, I never had a Panini until I made one myself. They are fantastic! This one is my all time favorite. Its flavors are strong, unctuous and absolutely lip smackingly good. There are many more versions of Panini’s and sandwiches to come, so keep your taste buds tingling!

Posted by Buffie