Shrimp and Grits

Recipe courtesy Joe Barnett

Ingredients
Shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds (26-30 count) Wild Georgia Shrimp
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (recommended: Tone's Louisiana Cajun seasoning)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
Grits:
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes (recommended: Knorr)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup quick grits (recommended: Quaker)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 1/2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)
1 slice sugar-cured country ham
Directions
First, peel and devein the shrimp.

 In a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the shrimp to coat well and set the shrimp aside.

Next, make your grits. In a medium saucepan, bring water, chicken bouillon cubes and 2 tablespoons butter to a boil. Slowly add the grits, whisking often with wire whisk for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, cream, and cheese. Keep whisking for another 2 or 3 minutes until the grits become creamy. Don't skimp on the butter and the cream, folks.

Now saute the shrimp. In a large saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the spice-coated shrimp, and cook only until they're just done and tender. Don't overcook. Remove the shrimp from the saute pan and set them aside in a bowl. You can taste 1 or 2, to see if they're okay.

The roux is next. With all those wonderful drippings from the shrimp in the saute pan, add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spatula to make a roux. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until roux reaches a medium-tan color, then slowly add the chicken stock and heavy whipping cream. Whisk together and cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Set aside.

And last, a little country ham. Cook 1 center slice of cured country ham in a saute pan, and cut into cubes.

To serve, and this is the best part-place a few heaping spoonfuls of steaming cheese grits onto a place, top with several sizzling shrimp. Drizzle that wonderful roux sauce over top of the shrimp, and sprinkle on a few cubes of country ham. Enjoy.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/shrimp-and-grits-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Seafood Lasagna

chopped red peppers


chopped scallions


Now the layering starts!


Layers: sauce, noodles, mixture, sauce, noodles, mixture, sauce, noodles, mixture, noodles, extra veggies, sauce, cheese




Here are pictures of our friends' daughters. They are such smart and sweet girls! Sawyer and Olivia had a blast playing with them!


Seafood Lasagna
Family Circle magazine March 2009

We had this meal last night for our guests. This, along with a spinach salad, made a delicious meal that even the children liked (except for the picky one)! This is one of those fun recipes to try when you're tired of cooking "the same ole things" over and over. This certainly isn't your every day meal! The recipe is awesome because it's packed with vitamin-rich veggies! If you are slow chopping vegetables, like I am, allow yourself a full hour to wash, dry, and chop the vegetables.

Ingredients

* 1 pound reduced-fat cream cheese
* 3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
* 1/4 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning or Creole Seasoning
* 2 sweet red peppers, cored, seeded and finely diced
* 2 boxes (10 ounce each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
* 3/4 pound imitation crabmeat, shredded
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 jar (1 pound) alfredo pasta sauce
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Stir cream cheese, scallions, milk and Old Bay seasoning in bowl until smooth. Stir in peppers, reserving 1/2 cup, and broccoli, reserving 1 cup. Add crabmeat, 1 egg, salt and pepper. Whisk remaining egg into alfredo sauce.

2. Spread 1/3 cup alfredo sauce into baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, one-third of the crab mixture and one-fourth of alfredo sauce. Repeat layering twice. Top with 3 noodles; sprinkle with reserved red peppers and broccoli. Pour on remaining alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

3. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.