Shrimp Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Shrimp Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Ingredients

¾	cup instant grits
	Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼	cup grated parmesan cheese
3	tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼	pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
2	large cloves garlic, minced
	Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
	Juice of ½ lemon, plus wedges for serving
2	tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley Directions Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne, if using, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and parsley; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Divide the grits among shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe

1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at bottom of pot, then pour out whole can of corn (undrained), rotel, and black beans. Top with seasonings and ranch mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili. Use 2 forks to shred chicken. Stir together and serve.

Stuffed Baguette Recipe

Stuffed Baguette Recipe

Ingredients:

• Baguette about 14-inch long
• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz fresh goat cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
• ½ cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
• 2 oz finely chopped spicy salami
• About 2 tbsp minced Italian parsley
• About 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste (very unlikely since there’re plenty of salty ingredients)

Preparation:

Slice off both ends of the baguette. Using a long thin knife and working from the both ends, hollow the baguette out leaving about ½-inch thick crust all around.

Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the goat cheese and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Working again from the both ends, fill the baguette with the cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight. I like to use a slender tequila shot glass for pressing the filling in. Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving, slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve. For the most neat looking slices, treat it as a cheesecake – each time slice it with a hot dry knife.

Chicken Parm Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds minced chicken
• 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 minced  clove garlic
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 egg, whisked
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 14-oz  canned pizza sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the wrack near the top.
2. Throw in all the ingredients – except for the last 3 – into a bowl, and mix well.
3. Make large balls with your hands, and arrange them on a foil sheet
4. Open the canned pizza sauce, and in bowl, mix 1 spoon of the sauce and 3 tsps olive oil.
5. Use a brush to rub the mixture on the meatballs.
6. Put in the oven and bake for 15 mins.
7. When ready, take out from the oven and add some pizza sauce to the meatballs.
8. Slice the cheese and place a slice on each meatball.
9. Turn heat on to highest, and insert the meatballs again for 3 to 5 mins for the cheese to toast.
10. Empty out can of sauce into a pot/pan and heat up.
11. Remove meatballs from oven and drop the heated sauce as the final touch before serving.
12. Throw into a bowl the following for a recommended, accompanying salad.

Chopped up shallots and Tuscan kale

Parmesan, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs Recipe

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs, skin on
• 3/4 cup barbecue or teriyaki sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
If desired, trim off excess skin/fat from chicken thighs. (If you leave it on, it just makes it that much better.) 

Place thighs skin side up in a casserole dish. 

Pour sauce evenly over chicken and spread with the back of a spoon to cover tops of thighs with the sauce. 

Cover with lid or aluminum foil.
Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for about one hour, or until meat pulls away easily from the bone. 

Remove lid/foil the last 15 minutes of baking to brown the tops of the thighs.
Remove from oven and serve hot.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe

1 16 oz. box Penne pasta, cooked and drained

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cubed and cooked

1/2-1 C. Franks Hot Sauce

3/4 -1+ C. Ranch dressing (or Blue Cheese)

1-2 C. Shredded cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar)

1. Preheat oven to 350* and prepare a deep baking dish.

2. Mix together hot sauce and ranch.  In separate bowl, mix chicken, pasta and cheese.  Pour sauce over all and mix well.

3. Pour everything into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with cheese (if desired) and bake for 20-25 min.

Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe

Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
 1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
 1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash 

First, roll out your puff pastry so that it's around 10 by 12 inches. If you have trouble rolling it like I did then just skip this part. The sandwich will still taste the same. Next, spread the dijon mustard on the puff pastry, but leave space around the edges. Then, add the ham and then the cheese. Brush the border with the egg wash. Be sure to roll out the second puff pastry to 10 by 12 inches or just leave it as is, but either way you need to place this on top of the filled pastry. Pinch the edges together to help seal the two puff pastries together. Gently, brush with the egg wash and slice small slits so that steam can escape while baking. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and then gently move the puff pastry to the baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is a lovely golden color. Serve hot or warm.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder Recipe

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder Recipe

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 celery stick, finely chopped 

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth 

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

*If you're looking for crockpot directions, several commenters have left their instructions in the comments section below!

 Mini Cinnamon Rolls Recipe 

Flatten Crescent rolls; cover with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar 

Roll into log and slice into mini rolls

Place in muffin pan; bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. 

Icing: 3/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 tbsp skim milk; 1 tsp maple syrup.

Crockpot Potato Soup

Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients

Soup:

• 5lbs Russet Potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into ½ inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic (you can use whole, crushed, or minced) – I used 10 t of minced jarred garlic
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1 TBS seasoned salt or all-purpose seasoning (I used Nature’s Season All)

Garnishes:

• Crumbled bacon
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Green onions (I don’t like green onions so I left them off.)

Instructions

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
3. Remove and puree the garlic cloves (if you used whole cloves), the cream cheese and ½ to ⅓rd of the soup, and then reintroduce to the remainder in the crock pot.
4. Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended.
5. Top with your choice of garnishes & serve!

French Toast Bake

French Toast Bake

Ingredient Checklist

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar

1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
11. Serve with warm maple syrup (I don't do the syrup part)

- Crack eggs & get them started (on low)

- Melt butter in microwave
- Add brown sugar & stir together

- Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan
- Spread evenly to cover bottom of pan

- Add milk & vanilla to egg mixture

- Spread even layer of Texas Toast on butter/sugar layer

- After you have 1 even layer, ladle on 1/2 of egg mixture

- Spread second layer of Texas Toast

- Ladle second half of egg mixture

- Refrigerate overnight

- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
- Top should be crusty, middle should be soft & moist, & bottom is just glorious!

Bacon & Eggs in Toast Cups

Bacon & Eggs in Toast Cups

• 6 slices of bread
• 6 slices of bacon
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
• salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan with butter non-stick spray.

2. Using a cookie cutter, cut circles out of bread slices about 3 inches in diameter. (I confess I do not have a cookie cutter so I use the lid to my tub of orzo pasta and just cut around the edges ;D)

3. Take bread circles and press them into the muffin pan, set aside.

4. Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Cook bacon on the skillet until partially cooked but still pliable, about 3 minutes.

5. Shape bacon strips into the toast cups, fill with 1 Tbs of shredded cheese. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, allowing the bacon to toast just a little more. Remove from oven.

6. Crack your egg and separate out most of the egg white. Drop eggs into the cups, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Place back in the oven and cook until white begins to set, about another 8 – 10 minutes.  The yolk should be creamy.

7. Remove from oven when done and pop out using a spoon, serve warm.

Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
2. In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.
4. Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen carrots and peas

1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
32 oz. carton chicken broth for boiling(reserve 1 3/4 cups chicken broth for sauce)
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Instructions:

Recipe Notes: I like to slightly bake the bottom crust before filling the pie so it isn’t soggy. Just bake for 5-6 minutes at 425 degrees.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)

In a pot, combine the raw chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add the carton of chicken broth to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain (reserving 1 3/4 cup chicken broth for filling) and set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and combine with the chicken, carrots, peas, and celery mixture. Here you can add more chicken broth if you like depending how runny you want your filling.

Place the chicken filling in bottom crust. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Caramel Apple and Irish Whiskey Clafoutis

Caramel Apple and Irish Whiskey Clafoutis

for the batter:
80 g (2/3 cup) flour
75 g (1/3 cup) sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
100 g (6 tablespoons) butter, melted
250 ml (1 cup) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

for the caramel apples:
30 g (2 tablespoons) butter
4 crisp eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced
60 g (1/3 cup) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 or 3 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Butter a 25 cm (10 inch) pie plate or cast iron skillet or large individual ramekins.

To make the caramel apples, melt a knob of butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat. When it’s sizzling, reduce the heat to medium and tip in the apples, sugar and cinnamon, stirring to coat the apples in the butter and sugar. Cook the apples for about 5 minutes, until they have softened and the sugar has turned syrupy. Keep warm.

Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, melted butter, milk and vanilla. Pour half of the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking until it looks like a paste, then add in the rest of the liquid, whisking until the batter is smooth and well blended. (Alternatively, you could just place all the batter ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth.)

Place the pie plate or skillet on a baking sheet to catch any drips when the clafoutis is cooking in the oven. Pour in the batter, then using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples to the plate or skillet, leaving as much of the caramel sauce in the pan as you can and making sure the apples are evenly distributed. Bake the clafoutis in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is puffed up and golden brown and the centre is set.

About 5 minutes before the clafoutis is done, reheat the caramel in the pan to loosen it again, then stir in the whiskey and allow to cook for 1 or 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Serve the clafoutis warm with the caramel whiskey sauce drizzled over.