New Orleans Shrimp, Tomato and Okra Saute

1 1/4 pounds large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
6 slices smoked bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups frozen cut okra (from 16-ounce package), thawed
1 12-ounce container cherry tomatoes
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 green onions, chopped


Toss shrimp and 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning in medium bowl to coat. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain.

Add flour to drippings in skillet. Stir constantly until roux is very dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add okra and cherry tomatoes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Cook 1 minute. Add clam juice and allspice. Boil until sauce is thick, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Add shrimp. Sauté shrimp until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in chopped green onions and cooked bacon. Serve.

Feedback: I really didn't enjoy this recipe at all. I may try it again because I used creole seasoning as opposed to cajun - is there a difference? It was way, way to hot - I couldn't enjoy any of the flavors because my mouth was on fire.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 cups chopped spinach leaves

8 oz feta cheese

1/2 cup oil packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 tsp minced lemon zest

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

1. Working with one at a time, place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound meat until approx. 1/2 inch thick.

2. Combine spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, basil, garlic powder and pepper in bowl.

3. Top the wide end of each chicken breast with the mixture. Roll tightly.

4. Place rolled chicken in slowcooker. Top with diced tomatoes and their juice.

5. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low 5 1/2 - 6 hours in slow cooker.

Feedback: I probably wouldn't repeat this recipe. You can't actually top the chicken with the tomatoes or the stuffing cooks out. I have a hard enough time getting items to stay into stuffed chicken breasts - I guess I've not yet mastered that trick.

Cooking so long in the slow cooker the chicken was also a little dry. With some modifications (like baking instead) it could be a successful recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I served this with some store bought lobster ravioli. I'd been wanting to try the sauce but the idea of fresh made ravioli still feels slightly daunting.



1 jar roasted red pepper pieces
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup heavy cream
Fresh parmesan, shaved or grated (used to top pasta)

Feedback: The sauce was good but a little over powering for my taste. The recipe didn't say what size jar to use so perhaps that was the problem? I believe next time I would use slightly less roasted red pepper and a touch more cream. It was good however, it will be a repeat.

Personalized Pizzas

Tonight hubby and I wanted to eliminate some of the leftovers from the meals that we ate this week. Because near my Weight Watchers meeting there is a bread outlet we stopped by and picked up some Boboli pizza shells. Not the ideal, and I should have made them from scratch, but I was feeling lazy.

My pizza was half parmesan and BBQ shrimp, and half Feta and BBQ shrimp. I used the Boboli sauce and that was my first mistake.



Brian's pizza I must admit smelled much better than mine did and I was very jealous. I didn't get to taste it but he had Boboli sauce, parmesan cheese, olives, mozzerella (strong cheese) and the left over roast and spiced Cornish game hen. Very over loaded but very good (or so he told me).

Pork Roast with Apples, Sage and Rosemary

Roast in the Slow Cooker

This recipe was actually a little magazine insert that was an ad for a slow cooker. I love my slow cooker, especially in the winter when I can make hearty soups and stews. This is the first time I attempted a recipe without a liquid, though I suppose the apples release their juice and assist in the cooking process.

Even browning off the onions I knew that this was going to be amazing. The kitchen smelled delicious. I was correct and the roast was very good. The flavor of the rosemary and the sage really came through in the meat and gave off a delicious aroma also.

4-6 Granny Smith Apples
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 lb boneless loin pork roast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, quartered
1 fresh sprig sage
1 fresh sprig rosemary

Toss apples with lemon juice. Set aside.

Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown roast om all sides and remove from skillet.

Add red onions to skillet and stir to brown slightly. Place in bottom of slow cooker.
Top with seared roast. Surround roast with apples and place sage and rosemary on top of the roast.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours. Discard rosemary and sage sprigs.


Prepared Roast

Feedback: I would make this again. My only disappointment was that all of the apples weren't able to be used and they were so mushy they would have been wonderful if you pureed them into an applesauce. However, because the onions are cooked with it you can't seperate the two. Everything but the roast had to be discarded and it felt like a waste.

Hubby Cooks - Spiced Game Hens

My wonderful hubby decided to give me a break from the kitchen this evening. He's been rather impressed with my new obsession with the kitchen and I believe wants to outshine me :0) I won't complain though as it's been a long day of grocery shopping and a screaming baby who got his two month shots. Sad Momma.



Spiced Game Hens

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 24 ounce Cornish game hens
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

For marinade, in a small bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, salt, coriander, tumeric, pepper and garlic. Set aside.

Using a long, heavy knife or kitchen shears, halve each Cornish hen lengthwise, cutting through the breast bone jice off-center and through the center of the back bone. If desired, remove backbone.

Place hen halves into a resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade and seal bag. Chill for 2 hours, turning bag once.

Remove hens from bag after 2 hours and place them cut side down into a rectangular baking dish. Pour lemon mixture from bag over the hens. Pour broth arond hens in dish. Season hens with additional salt and pepper.

Roast, covered, in a 375F oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and roast for an additional 20-35 minutes or until thermometer inserted into the thigh registeres 180 degrees and juices run clear.



Feedback: He did an outstanding job. We had peas and Basmati wild rice with the hens and it was a perfect match. The hens were juicy, very flavorful, and I think we'll be making these again. The only change Brian, my husband, said he would make is that he may marinate the hens longer than the suggested two hours next time.

Baked Parmesan Tilapia

I found a recipe for Broiled Parmesan Tilapia and it looked like something I wanted to try. Hubby and I are both big fans of tilapia and make it often. However, because the rental that we are in has a rather temperamental stove I didn't want to try to use the broiler - hence my adapted version of a baked version. The recipe also called for 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise but I cut that to make a slightly healthier version.



1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1/2 C butter, softened
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 Teaspoon dried basil
1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Celery Salt
2 lb Tilapia Fillets

In a small bowl mix together the cheese, butter and lemon juice. Add the remainder of the dry spices, mix and set aside.

Arrange fish on a non-stick, foil lined cookie sheet. Bake fillets for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven and flip. Top each fillet with parmesan cheese mixture. Place back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes until fish cooked and cheese melted.

I served this with one of my favorite sides - baked potato, butter spray, garlic powder and low fat sour cream.

Feedback: The fish was AMAZING - I would without doubt make it again. I can't wait until I have a better oven so that I can try the original recipe with it broiled.

Chicken with Feta and Green Onions

I made a recipe out of the Weight Watchers cookbook tonight because hubby and I have been trying to eat healthier. This means I've been trying to cook healthier but I still want to try new things. I've never cooked with feta before and I'm happy I made the decision to do so. I'll defintely be trying some more feta recipes in the future. I did made some substitutions - I removed the hot sauce because honestly it just didn't sound that appealing. I served it with green beans sauteed with garlic and onion as a side dish.



1/2 cup feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes (I couldn't find this so I just used feta)
2 Tablespoons minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon country style dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Cooking Spray
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, toss gently. Set aside.
Combine mustard and hot pepper sauce; stir well.
Place chicken on pan coated with cooking spray. Spread mustard mixture over chicken. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese mixture over chicken and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is slightly melted. Sprinkle with pepper.

Pasta with White Wine Tomato Sauce

Again, this is something that I made up spur of the moment while standing at the stove. I had another idea for dinner but as I began my prep I realized I was missing a key ingredient (bad chef!). I had been craving pasta for awhile and decided that I would attempt to throw something together to kill the craving. This was the result ..



2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 large white onion, diced
3/4 Cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 lb large shrimp
1 bag No Yolks Egg Noodles
1/2 Cup Milk (or heavy cream which I didn't have on hand)
Dried Oregano
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper

Place the garlic and onion into a skillet that has been warmed to medium/high heat. Add the white wine and bring to a low simmer and let cook several minutes to soften the onion. Add the diced tomatoes and ALL of the juice from the can despite using only half of the tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer and let continue to cook another 3-4 minutes. Test to ensure the onion is now cooked thru.

Start the pasta cooking in a seperate pot.

Add to the sauce skilled 1 teaspoon Oregano (or more to your taste), salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are cooked thru (I used precooked). Add the milk, stir to incorporate into the sauce and let heat.

When the pasta is completed, drain and add back to pot. Pour sauce from skillet over pasta and toss. When plated top with grated parmesan cheese.

Appetizer Saturday

Last night we had family dinner and I was in charge of the appetizers. I made sausage balls, which I love but are typically in my family only for the holidays. The Cordon Bleu appetizers were found in a Taste of Home magazine about a year ago and everywhere I take them they are a hit.



Sausage Balls



1 package Jimmy Dean HOT sausage (16 oz.)
1 package sharp cheddar cheese (16 oz.)
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Self Rising Flour

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Form into 1" balls. Place sausage cheese balls on ungreased baking sheet; bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove sausage cheese balls from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks.

Tip: I always place a cooling rack onto my backing sheet before I lay the sausage balls down and bake them on the rack. It keeps the balls from sitting in the grease that leaks from the sausage while baking.

Cordon Bleu Appetizers



4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/2 cup minced chives, divided
18 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in the Swiss cheese, ham and 1/4 cup chives. Spread 1 tablespoon mixture over each bread slice; place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Chicken Stuffed with Asparagus and Cheese

This recipe is very, very complicated. Get into your car, drive to Safeway supermarket, go to the butcher counter and purchase 2 Chicken breasts stuffed with asparagus and cheese! I had my nephew all day so I took the easy way out - they were wonderful though. I will need to find a recipe so that next time I can make them from scratch.

COF Chicken

Tonight's dinner was a spur of the moment improvision, no recipe involved. I wanted to clean things out of my fridge that weren't going to last much longer and see what I could create. So, I guess I'll call this COF (Cleaning Out the Fridge) chicken.

4 Chicken Breasts (sprinkled with salt and pepper)
2 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 C Mushrooms
1 Handful Fresh Snap Peas, stemmed and cut in half

I browned the chicken breasts on each side and then removed them from the deep skillet. I then added the garlic, thyme, and chicken broth. After that game to a simmer and cooked for a few moments I added the mushrooms and the snap peas. After they began to soften I added the chicken breasts back to the pan and covered them. I let the entire meal simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken was completely cooked. Ta Da!

For an improvision it came out really yummy - Hubby even had two pieces and is taking one for lunch. I guess you know that your getting more comfortable in the kitchen when you feel comfortable "winging it" without a recipe! I loved the flavor of the thyme - it really came thru. Rosemary is still my favorite herb, followed my fresh cilantro in the summer, but thyme is a nice change occasionally.

Turkey with Lemony Thyme Butter

Lemony Thyme Butter

Zest of large lemon
4 garlic cloves
1 cup butter, room temp
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Turkey

One 14-16 pound turkey, rinsed, giblets removed, patted dry inside and out
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lemons cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups turkey stock, chicken stock, or water

Lemony Thyme Butter: Blend lemon zest and garlic in a mini-processor (or a regular food processor) until finely chopped. Add butter, mustard, lemon juice, scallions, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper, and process. The butter can be made two days ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.

Roast Turkey: Generously season the main turkey cavity with salt and pepper, and coat the cavity with 2 tbsp. butter. Starting at the neck end of the turkey, carefully slide your hand between skin and meat of the breast, thighs, and upper drumsticks, to loosen the skin. Spread the Lemony Thyme Butter over the meat of the thighs and drumsticks, below the skin, on both sides. Arrange a few lemon slices under the skin. Spread the remaining butter over the breast meat, below the skin. Fill the main cavity with any remaining lemon slices, parsley, and rosemary. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Tuck the wing tips under.

Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub outside all over with the oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour stock into the pan. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165-170 degrees, about 3 hours. Transfer the turkey to a platter. Tent it very loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Serves 10 to 12

Gravy

2 cups (or more) turkey or chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Lemony Thyme Butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the gravy, scrape the juices and browned bits from the roasting pan into a large glass measuring cup. Spoon off the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. If necessary, add enough stock to the juices to measure 1 2/3 cups.

Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons fat in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots; saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour; whisk until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the degreased pan juices and 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy is reduced to the desired consistency about 4 minutes. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons reserved Lemony Thyme Butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the sour cream, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.


Feedback:

Wow. This was the first time I'd ever made a turkey and it was a challenge - especially trying to get the turkey prepped with a screaming infant in the background. I was suprised what a chore it was getting the skin up so that I could get the butter under it - who knew! The entire process was a learning experience and a success - now I know that I can be counted on to prepare the Thanksgiving turkey for my family. I even carved it!

The turkey (14 lbs) actually needed to cook slightly longer than stated in the recipe and I cooked it for 3 1/2 hours. I LOVE the taste of the lemony thyme butter under the skin and so did my Mother and Husband. It filled the house with a wonderful smell as it cooked and it made me want to make a larger batch and wear it as perfume! I did not make the gravy so I can't give an honest review of that - someone else attending our Easter had already agreed to make that item.

Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Snap Peas

4 chicken breasts, boneless
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 scallions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake or a combination, quartered)
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups sugar snap peas, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 Clove Garlic, thinly sliced

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Cook chicken breasts until done and set aside on plate.

Add the butter to the hot skillet, then add the scallions, garlic and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown, about 4 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 4 more minutes. Stir in the snap peas and heat through; add chicken to the skillet again and let simmer 1-2 minutes in sauce.

Feedback:

This is a variation of a recipe which I saw in the Food Network Magazine. I added the clove of garlic, they used chicken cutlets and not whole breasts, and I served my recipe over white rice. The magazine recipe called for you to dredge the chicken in flour and cook it but I didn't see the need for that and was attempting to make the recipe slightly healthier (ok, other than the heavy cream and butter!)

The mushrooms added a wonderful flavor and even my husband seemed to like the dish .... this is rare because it had something green and healthy in it. Enjoy!

Tortellini with Peas and Pancetta

1 pound meat-filled tortellini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. About 2 minutes before the tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the tortellini and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Feedback:

This recipe was really good but it didn't make enough sauce for me. There was a very thin coat on each of the ravioli but I like a little extra when I'm eating pasta. Next time I think I will create a little extra and the recipe will be perfect. I also used three cheese tortellini instead of a meat filled variety. This one is another keeper!

Asparagus with Warm Bacon Dressing

I have to thank Paula Deen for this wonderful creation. I was slightly nervous about preparing it because it was so out of my comfort zone. Leave it to Paula to make a healthy vegetable as fattening as possible. It was well worth it and a favorite at the table - I'll be using this dressing in the future on other items. It was very easy to make and I think everyone that dined with us that evening were fairly suprised that they enjoyed this side dish.

3 strips bacon
2 tablespoons sliced shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1⁄2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, about 10 minutes, or until crisp, turning once. Remove bacon, reserving drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; cool, crumble, and set aside. Add shallots to bacon drippings, and cook over medium-high heat until tender. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine shallots and bacon drippings, mustard, vinegar, and lemon zest, whisking until blended. In a large deep skillet, add enough water to fill to within 2 inches of rim; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, and cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well. Serve asparagus with warm dressing, and top with crumbled bacon.

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar

I got this recipe from Bon Appetit magazine. It was well worth the effort! I wasn't certain how I felt about using the zest of fruit in my chocolate but it really gave the strawberries a different twist. This will be going into my file of "things to bring to a party to impress."

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina)1
6 large ripe strawberries

Line baking sheet with foil. Using fingertips, mix sugar and citrus peels in small bowl until sugar is moist. Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.Holding 1 strawberry by stem end, dip 2/3 of berry into chocolate; shake excess back into bowl. Turn berry dipped end up and sprinkle with citrus sugar. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining berries, chocolate, and sugar. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Momma Cooks .... Maybe?

I had no idea when I had a child exactly how time consuming it is to raise a newborn. I think it's one of those things that you can't really know until you do it yourself. I had delusions of spending my maternity leave learning spanish, reading books, crosstiching and cooking all of these new and gourmet recipes for the first time. Instead my house looks like a disaster area, I'm constantly covered in spitup and my hubby is lucky if he gets a frozen pizza for dinner.

Jacob was born on Feb. 21, 2010. He's now approaching six weeks old and we seem to be getting some sort of a routine established. I'm finally finding the time to cook though all of the other things I wanted to do are still on hold - I suppose it's because I have to eat everyday and I assume I might as well make it worth wild - at least it makes me feel productive.

I've always loved to cook and I love trying new foods and methods to create them. I constantly collect recipes from magazines, friends, family and my cookbook collection is slowly overtaking the nursery bookcase! So here I will document what I'm cooking - the successes, the failures and feedback showing what I would do different if I thing the recipe is worth attempting a second time. Enjoy!