Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits Casserole

 (Adapted from Southern Living recipe)

Servings: About 8 for main dish

 
I am a tried and true shrimp and grits kinda girl!  I'm also a GRIT (Girl Raised In the South)!  There's not much that I like more.  I've made several variations of a traditional menu where you cook the grits and shrimp separately and then top the grits with the shrimp.  This recipe combines the ingredients and makes a nice presentation with a yummy taste.  It would be good for breakfast, brunch, or dinner or as an appetizer course.  I served it for dinner last night with fresh sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob.  You can adjust the spiciness to your taste by using mild, medium, or hot Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies.  

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular grits (not instant)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded Monterey jack pepper (or Pepper Jack) cheese

2 Tablespoons butter

6 green onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lb fresh small shrimp, peeled and cooked

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

·       Bring 4 cups chicken broth and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in large saucepan; whisk in grits.

·       Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

·       Stir together grits, ¾ cup cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese.

·       Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add green onions, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute about 5 minutes or until tender.

·       Add the green onion mixture into the grits mixture and stir in shrimp, diced tomatoes/green chilies, salt and pepper.

·       Pour into lightly greased 2-quart baking dish.

·       Sprinkle top with remaining ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese.

·       Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes.

Note:  You can serve this as an appetizer in small martini glasses… Oh yum!

Baked Summer Squash

 (adapted from Southern Living recipe)

Servings: 8

Another squash recipe?  Yep!  I do love squash but after a wonderful summer filled with delicious farm fresh squash, I'm a bit weary of the old tried & true recipes.  I found this Southern Living recipe online and based on its reviews, gave it a try.  Hubby declares that this is the best squash he's ever had... and I agree!  This could almost be a vegetarian meal in itself, but is also great as a side dish.  I served it with fresh corn on the cob, dixie lee peas, and baked pork chops!  It was delicious!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

·        2 1/2 pounds yellow squash, washed and ends trimmed

·        1 small sweet onion, chopped

·        2 ½ teaspoons salt, divided

·        1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup (low fat/low sodium)

·        1 (8-oz.) container reduced fat sour cream

·        1 (8-oz.) can diced water chestnuts, drained

·        1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

·        1 (6 to 8-oz.) package cornbread stuffing mix

·        1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.

2. Stir together soup, sour cream, water chestnuts, ground black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together dry stuffing mix and 1/2 cup melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.

3. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Turkey (or Chicken) Tetrazzini

 Kayaker on flooded golf course behind our home!

   
Turkey Tetrazzini: (slightly adapted from recipe by Ree Drummond)

Have we ever had the rain here in coastal North Carolina!  We've been "socked in" for days and the last 2 days have been particularly extreme, with 20 inches of rain, flash flood warnings, high tides, and wind.  So I decided to throw a boneless turkey breast in the oven to use for turkey tetrazzini, as I was craving pasta... again!  I know, I can't seem to get enough pasta!  This recipe would work equally well with cooked chicken, or left over Thanksgiving turkey.  To make it more healthy, I used whole grain thin spaghetti, low sodium broth, and low fat cream cheese.  This makes a huge batch, so I ended up with plenty to share with our flooded in neighbors!  Serve with a Caesar salad and cheesy olive bread and  you've got a Sunday supper!

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 medium onion, diced (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound white (or baby bella) mushrooms, quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more
1/4 cup flour
4 cups turkey or chicken broth, plus more if needed
One 8-ounce package cream cheese (I used low fat)
3 cups leftover turkey, shredded or diced
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas (or 1 12-ounce package)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or Cheddar Jack)
1 cup finely chopped black olives (optional) (I used a small can of chopped black olives)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
4 slices bacon, fried and chopped (optional)
12 ounces thin spaghetti, broken in half and cooked (I used whole grain)
1 cup panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

·        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray large baking dish (13x9 or so) with cooking spray.

·        Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the garlic and onions, cooking until onions are translucent and tender, about 3 minutes.

·        Throw in the mushrooms, wine, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.

·        Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine well.

·        Pour in the broth, stir, and continue to cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3 to 4 minutes.

·        Add the cream cheese and stir until it is well blended.

·        Add the turkey, peas, Monterey Jack cheese, olives, Parmesan and bacon and stir to combine; add salt and pepper to taste.

·        Add the spaghetti, and stir to combine.  If the mixture is too thick, add in ½ cup of broth.

·        Pour this mixture into prepared baking casserole dish and spread to even out the surface.

·        Sprinkle the top with panko crumbs and bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the casserole is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Fresh Apple Cake

It's finally fall!  After a hot and humid summer in North Carolina, I'm ready for those cooler autumn temperatures, colorful leaves, and apples!  I made this cake in two small bundt pans rather than one large one so that I could share it.  Yep, it's that good... really moist and chock full of fresh apples.  It just makes you want to go jump in a pile of leaves... and smile!  

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups diced apples (I used Granny Smith), about 4 apples

1 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar, ½ cup brown sugar

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 Tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a tube or Bundt cake pan, dusting it with flour.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the apples, pecans, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• In another medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs until creamy.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and beat until well blended.
• Fold in the apple mixture.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Be sure to check it after one hour. (if you use two small bundt pans, then reduce the baking time to 45 minutes to an hour total.
• While the cake is baking, blend together the glaze ingredients until smooth.
• Turn cake onto cake plate.
• Poke holes into the top and side of the cake gently with a toothpick.
• Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. 
• Serve and enjoy, as is, or topped with freshly whipped cream.

Zuppa Toscana, aka Italian Sausage and Potato Soup

I just love Olive Garden's unlimited soup, salad, and bread stick combination!  All of the soups are excellent, but my favorite may just be the zuppa toscana.  Topped with Parmesan and bacon bits and served with a fresh tossed green salad with Italian vinaigrette, and bread sticks, it is a winner!  Here's my take on it!  Enjoy!

Makes about servings
Cooking time:  6 to 8 hours on low, 3 to 4 hours on high

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground Italian sausage (I used mild)
6 cups chicken broth (I used low sodium)

1 chicken bouillon cube
1 cup water
1 medium onion, diced
4 large russet potatoes, cubed (or yukon gold potatoes) to amount to about 4 cups cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup real bacon pieces (cooked)

1 packet (or enough to serve 4) instant mashed potatoes, cooked as directed
1 cup half and half
1 10-ounce package fresh baby spinach

Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, for topping

1.  In a pan, over medium high heat brown the ground sausage until well done & drain the grease.  Add the sausage to the slow cooker.
2.  Add broth, bouillon, water, onion, potatoes, bacon, and garlic to the slow cooker.
3.  Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or until potatoes are tender (or on High for 4 hours).

4.  About 30 minutes prior to serving, stir in half and half and mashed potatoes.
5.  Remove and discard tough stems from spinach and add spinach to slow cooker and continue to cook until spinach is wilted and soup is hot.
6.  Ladle into soup bowls and top with extra bacon bits and Parmesan cheese.