February 2013 Newsletter

Hi Everyone!

 

Hope this finds all well...know there have been so many sick with the changing weather, viruses and flus being passed around,

 

This month's recipes are all about Shrimp! One of my favorite food "groups" ;) And, of course, Nutella can be used in so many different ways! Try this Bundt Cake!

 

Hugs,

Paula

 

 

Food for Thought:
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
Moments we've spent together, Conversations we shared as we reveal our Innermost
Thoughts to one another.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
The Hours spent Lying in your Arms, feeling your Embrace; your Warmth, Love and
Protection.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
Knowing that I am Loved, even in the moments we spend Apart...that doesn't Cease our
new found Love.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
The days that lie ahead of us, time to Share...time to Laugh...time to Love one another.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
My best Friend, My Confidant...the one that knows me Without and Within...the One that
will Always be There for me.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
Knowing that your Heart, Mind and Soul are likewise filled with Thoughts of me.
I Awaken, To Thoughts of You...
Knowing we will walk Hand in Hand...ever Pressing Forward; Together , Enlightened, Loved.

 

Paula 01/04/2009

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Caesar Salad Pasta
Feel free to substitute anchovy paste for anchovy fillets. Because it's milder than fillets, start with 1 Tbsp. paste, then add more according to your taste.

 

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 30 minutes
COOK:
8 oz. dry linguine8 oz.
MELT:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup diced shallots
1 can anchovy fillets in oil, minced (2 oz.)
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
OFF HEAT, TOSS:
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan
 Salt and black pepper to taste 
Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

 

Melt butter with oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallots and anchovies and cook until shallots are soft and anchovies melt, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice, zest, Worcestershire, and pepper flakes. Toss linguine with sauce to coat.

 

Off heat, toss romaine and Parmesan with pasta and season with salt and black pepper. Serve pasta with Grilled Shrimp and Crouton Skewers.

 

Grilled Shrimp & Crouton Skewers
You can make the lemon oil ahead, but wait until just before grilling to brush it on the shrimp so the acid in the lemon juice doesn't cook them.

 

Makes: 4 servings (8 skewers); Total time: 30 minutes
WHISK:
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
ALTERNATELY THREAD:
24 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on 
24 cubes Italian baguette, 1-inch thick
Preheat grill to medium. Brush grill grate with oil.

 

Whisk together ½ cup oil, zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

 

Alternately thread shrimp and bread cubes onto eight metal skewers, then brush with lemon oil.

 

Grill skewers, covered, 2–3 minutes per side. Serve shrimp and croutons with Caesar Salad Pasta.
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SPICY SHRIMP WILLIAM
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. minced celery
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
16 shelled, de-veined uncooked shrimp
(about 1/2 lb.)
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. fresh snipped parsley
1 tsp. fresh snipped cilantro
2 cups hot cooked rice

 

In large skillet, heat oil & butter over med-high heat. Add celery, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and bell peppers; saute 8 minutes. Add shrimp, wine and lemon juice. Saute 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley and cilantro.Spoon around bed of rice in serving dishes. Yields: 2 servings
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Cajun Alfredo Sauce

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 12 oz pkg frozen seasoning blend
(the cajun trinity - onions, celery, bell pepper)
2 tsp chopped or minced garlic
1/8 tsp celery salt
16 oz heavy whipping cream
16 oz half/half 
8 oz shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped provolone cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh snipped parsley
1tsp. Old Bay
Tony Chachere's or Zatarain's Creole Seasoning about 1-2 Tbsp. my preference

 

Saute vegetables in melted butter for 10 minutes...add remaining ingredients, cook until
thickened...if too thick, add milk until reaches desired consistency.

 

Serve over fettucine noodles topped with grilled chicken  or sauteed shrimp.
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Shrimp Scampi

 

1-1/2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup BUTTER (no substitutes)
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 cup FRESH lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Tabasco Sauce
Chopped parsley

 

Preheat oven broiler. Melt butter and saute garlic; add lemon juice. Arrange shrimp in single layer in a shallow pan, add several dashes of Tabasco. Pour garlic butter over shrimp and season lightly with salt and pepper. Broil 2 minutes. Turn shrimp and broil 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon; place shrimp on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. Pour garlic butter in a bowl and set on platter.

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Nutella Bundt Cake

 

1 cup Nutella, divided
4 large eggs, divided
1 box classic yellow cake mix (18.25 ounces)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons Frangelico liquor or hazelnut syrup

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan.
In small bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup Nutella and 1 egg. Blend until completely smooth and set aside. In large bowl, using electric mixer on low speed, stir together cake mix, remaining 3 eggs, buttermilk and remaining 1/3 cup Nutella until moistened. Scrape down sides and beater(s) and increase speed to medium, beating for another 2 minutes.
Remove 1 cup batter and mix with reserved Nutella-egg mixture. Pour leftover batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Spoon reserved Nutella batter over it and, using a knife, gently swirl batters together to create marble pattern. Smooth top of cake and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. (Cake is done when moist crumbs cling to inserted toothpick.)
Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes. When ready to handle, carefully invert onto cooling rack and remove pan. While cake continues to cool, make glaze by whisking together confectioners sugar and Frangelico liquor until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake.

 

Serving ideas:
For a spring touch, sprinkle top of cake with candied orange and lemon slices.

 

Alternative:
To make mini Bundt cakes, use 2 mini Bundt pans (6 cakes each) instead of a 10-inch Bundt pan and follow above instructions, dividing batters into 12 smaller cake forms. Bake cakes for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

(>'-'<)

Super Bowl Sunday!!! What's on the Menu?

Football Party Dip

FOOTBALL PARTY DIP
1 pound Hot Sausage Roll

1 (16 ounce) can baked beans

1 cup Barbecue Sauce

1 3/4 cups fresh diced tomatoes*

1 1/2 cups diced celery

1 1/4 cups diced onions

1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

Hot sauce to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste
 
Garnish Options:

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large bag tortilla chips

1/4 cup green diced onions

Directions
1.Crumble and cook sausage in a large skillet or soup pot, over medium-high heat until browned.
Carefully drain off excess drippings. Add celery and onions to sausage and continue to cook over
medium heat until vegetables are slightly tender and sausage is no longer pink. Add baked beans,
barbecue sauce and mix well. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, hot sauce, salt and pepper to mixture.
Simmer together for 5 to 10 minutes and serve in a large bowl.
Garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream and diced green onions on top if desired.
Serve with tortilla chips. Refrigerate leftovers.

Fiesta Shrimp Dip

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. lemon juice
1-5/8 oz. pkg. Italian dressing mix (like Good Seasons)
1-1/2 cups shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined and chopped (I cook mine in Old Bay)

Blend well cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and dressing mix. Fold in shrimp. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with crackers or chips.

Yields: 4 servings

p.s. you might want to double or triple the recipe!!!

Popper Dip

...6-8 slices of bacon, diced and cooked crispy
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, soft
1 cup of mayonnaise
4-6 jalapeno's, chopped and deseeded. (The seeds will make it a lotta hot.)
1 cup of cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup diced green onion

Topping:
1 cup of crushed crackers ( I used Ritz-type)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 stick of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all of the ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well.
Put into oven proof dish. The size of the dish depends on how thick the dip is.
The thicker the dip the longer it may need to warm up.
My dip is usually about an inch thick...10-12 inch dish works best.

Cheesy Pimento Cheese
2 1/2 cups jarred chopped red pimiento peppers, drained
5 cups shredded sharp Vermont cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup mayonnaise for desired consistency
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Flat bread, for serving
In a food processor, pulse the peppers a few times.
Move the peppers to a large bowl. Pulse cheddar and
Parmesan cheeses, mayonnaise, parsley, black and cayenne peppers a few times.
Add to pimentos and
Mix until fully incorporated.
Serve with
flat bread.

Nostalgia...

sometimes it works and others, NOT!

These 2 recipes are from Rick's days at Sewell Hall, Auburn, Alabama...room 324! Circa...late 60's

Saturday Morning began with these yummy biscuits for breakfast!

Sewell Hall Biscuits
3 cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
a little lard, if desired
1/2 cup-3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees. Heat oil in 10" cast iron skillet.
In mixing bowl, make well in center of flour/salt. Add oil & buttermilk.
Work dough until flour and liquid are incorporated.  I pinch off section of dough 
about size of golf ball and roll into ball (flouring my hands). Place in hot skillet.
Press down slightly. Bake in preheated oven, middle rack for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Brush tops with 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

Saturday evening...Sewell Hall's Chili!

Sewell Hall Chili
1-1/2  to 2 lbs. ground round/sirloin or chuck... Brown & Drain!
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
2 large onions, chopped
1 or 2 bell peppers chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
Saute celery/onions/bell peppers (aka The Trinity) in 2 Tbsp oil
Place in crockpot or Dutch oven.
Add 2 or 3 bay leaves
2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes (15 oz)
2 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans (I use VanCamp's)
4 tsp. chili powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
5 cloves of garlic minced or 1 Tbsp.
1 stick butter
Bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours or cook on low or in crockpot for 6-8 hours, add butter. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. ( I seasoned ground meat and adjusted seasonings as I went).
Remove bay leaves and serve.

Southern Family Magazine

In the January/February 2010 issue of Southern Family Magazine, I began doing the recipe section titled Southern Recipes. Southern Family Magazine is a local North Alabama publication that is distributed in the TN Valley. It may also be purchased online and delivered to you quarterly. Check it out, and check out the Recipe Archives for previous publications. Thank you, Shannon Phillips, for opportunity to be part of this publication.

http://www.southernfamilymag.com/index.cfm


A couple of previously published  recipes:

My French Country Omelet

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled *see

variations

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup Vidalia onion, diced

5 or 6 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp. half & half

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of crushed red pepper

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack/Colby cheese

*see variations

2 Tbsp. fresh snipped chives

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook bacon over medium heat; crumble and set

aside.

Reserve 2 Tbsp. drippings.

Add potatoes and onions and cook until lightly

browned.

Beat together eggs, half & half, salt and peppers.

Reduce heat to medium-low.

Pour over potatoes.

Cook 2-3 minutes.

Top with crumbled bacon.

Sprinkle with cheese and chives.

Place skillet in oven and cook 5-6 minutes until

eggs are set.

*Variations: Use 1/2 lb. bulk sausage, crumbled and browned.

SOUTHWESTERN  COBB SALAD QUESADILLAS

FOR THE DRESSING

1⁄2 cup purchased ranch dressing

2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles)

1 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Salt and black pepper to taste

FOR THE SALAD

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)

Salt and black pepper

3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

1⁄2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1⁄2 cup avocado, diced

1⁄2 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed

1⁄2 cup jarred roasted red bell pepper, sliced

1⁄2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1⁄2 cup corn chips, crushed

FOR THE QUESADILLAS

3 burrito-size flour tortillas

1 1⁄2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Olive Oil

Directions

- Preheat grill to medium.

- Stir all ingredients for the dressing together; cover

and chill.

- Brush chicken with oil, then season with salt and

pepper. Grill 4–5 minutes per side, or until cooked

through. Slice into strips.

- Toss chicken strips with all salad ingredients (except

the dressing); chill while assembling quesadillas.

- Assemble quesadillas with cheese. Fold over, brush

with oil and grill, covered, 1–2 minutes per side,

or until cheese melts and tortillas brown. Cut each

quesadilla into 4 wedges, toss salad with dressing,

and serve. (Store any leftover dressing for up to

1 week.)

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 688 cal; 25g total fat (11g sat); 75mg chol;

1730mg sodium; 65g total carbs; 8g fiber; 34g protein