Shrimp and Grits

3 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Preparation

Bring chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in grits. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in salt and next 3 ingredients. Set aside, and keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon from pan.
Cook shrimp in same pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until almost pink, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and next 4 ingredients, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
Spoon grits onto individual plates or into shallow bowls; top with shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

Jambalya

Emeril's Chicken, Andouille, and Shrimp Jambalaya

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 (3-1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning, plus more for seasoning chicken and shrimp

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 moons

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 medium ribs celery, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, tops separated from bottoms, both chopped

6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, drained

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste

5 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

3 cups long grain rice

1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a very large, heavy Dutch oven or stovetop casserole, heat the oil over high heat. Season the chicken with the Creole Seasoning on all sides. Add the chicken pieces to the hot pan, in batches if necessary, and sauté until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside. Add the sausage to the drippings in the pan, reduce the heat to medium high, and sauté, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl with the chicken. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, chopped scallion bottoms, and garlic and sauté over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan, along with the 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning, tomato paste, canned chiles, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, hot sauce, stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring well to mix. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and the broth has absorbed the flavors of the sausage and seasonings.



Increase the heat to high and add the rice and chopped green onion tops. Stir well and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.



Season the shrimp with Creole Seasoning. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and gently stir in the seasoned shrimp and parsley. Let stand for 15 minutes, covered, before serving.

Waht's for Dinner Tonight? Fiesta Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

Fiesta Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, minced
3 fresh cloves garlic, minced
10 oz bag baby spinach leaves, chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 10 oz can Mild Rotel diced tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 lb (Lg family size can) cream of chicken soup
1 Cup red enchilada sauce
8 oz sour cream
1/2 Cup milk
Pinch of salt
Corn Tortillas
2 Cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oil into a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and jalaepeno until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted down. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, garlic salt, cumin and diced tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
2. Place soup, enchilada sauce, sour cream, milk and salt into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until warmed though.
3. Ladle a small amount of sauce into the bottom of a large 9×13 inch baking dish (or bigger if you have one), just enough to cover the bottom. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture inside of corn tortillas, roll and place seam side down. Fill tortillas until chicken filling is used up. Top evenly with sauce and shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Mozzarella Stuffed Homemade Meatballs

Mozzarella Stuffed Homemade Meatballs
(I left out onions for the kids)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large egg
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce, like Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Ten 1-inch Mozzarella balls
1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees F. and grease 9×13-inch baking dish with oil.
2. Place beef, egg, onion, bread crumbs, Parmesan, milk, garlic, Worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce, salt, pepper and garlic salt into a large mixing bowl, stirring until just combined. Take 1/4 cup beef mixture and press into center with your thumb to make room for cheese ball. Place cheese in middle then with hands enclose the cheese with the beef, making sure the cheese is completely covered. Place meatballs into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until cooked through.
3. Serve over top your favorite pasta or inside a warm roll for delicious meatball sandwich.

Homemade Chicken Strips

These were a BIG hit tonight at our house!
We have a BIG OLE family now--so I increased the amounts and for the hone mustard sauce I did not have any orange juice--added some extra honey instead and it turned out perfect!


2 cups crushed sour-cream-and-onion-flavored potato chips
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
6 chicken breast fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup butter, melted
Honey Mustard, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the crushed potato chips in a shallow dish. Beat together the
egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken cubes into the egg
mixture and then dredge them in the chips. Place the chicken nuggets
on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 15 to 18
minutes, or until golden brown. The chicken nuggets can be frozen
after baking. Serve with your favorite sauce, such as honey mustard or
ranch dressing.

Honey Mustard:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice or juice from 1/2 lemon

Horseradish, to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice (more or less as needed)

Combine all ingredients except orange juice; stir well. Thin to
pouring consistency for dressing or dipping consistency for dips with
orange juice. Cover and chill for 2 or 3 hours.

Cajun Smothered Pork Chops

Cajun Smothered Pork Chops

8 thinly cut (about 1/2 inch thick) pork chops (about 3 pounds total)
2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 bay leaves
Two 14 1/2-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth, or 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cans water (measured in the chicken broth cans)
1 pound smoked sausage or andouille, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Steamed white rice or rice pilaf, for serving

Directions

Season both sides of the chops with the Essence. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the pork chops, 3 or 4 at a time, and lightly brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and transfer to a platter. Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour and stir constantly until the roux is the color of peanut butter, about 4 minutes.

Add the onions, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil.

Return the pork chops to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the smoked sausage and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Remove from the heat.


Makes 4 servings to 8 servings

Stuffed Steak

Ingredients
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped pickled pepperoncini peppers
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (1 1/2-pound) lean flank steak
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir well, and set aside.

Trim fat from steak. Using a sharp knife, cut horizontally through center of steak, cutting to, but not through, other side; open flat as you would a book. Place steak between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to an even thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Spread spinach mixture over steak, leaving a 1-inch margin around outside edges. Roll up steak, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Secure at 2-inch intervals with heavy string.

Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add steak, browning well on all sides. Add water, wine, and oregano to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Remove string, and cut steak into 16 slices.
Source (introduced to us by Christi...http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?)action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=665577

Cajun Pork Burgers

Source: Foodnetwork--thanks Christi for introducing us!!!
Ingredients
3/4 pound andouille, removed from casing
1 pound ground pork
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small white onion (boiling onion), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped, about 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce, several drops
Coarse salt and black pepper

Cut sausage into large chunks and place in a food processor. Grind sausage into crumbles. Combine ground sausage with pork, vegetables, garlic, thyme, hot sauce and a little salt and pepper. Form mixture into patties and cook 7 minutes on each side on an indoor electric grill preheated to high. To cook in a skillet, heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and cook burgers 6 to 7 minutes on each side. For outdoor grill, cook patties 6-inches from hot coals or over medium high gas heat 6 minutes on each side, covered.

Special Sauce:
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup (3 well-rounded tablespoons) mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup (3 well-rounded tablespoons) prepared sweet red pepper relish

Mix chili sauce, mayonnaise, and sweet relish in a small bowl.

Pull Apart Pork

2 lbs + Pork Tenderloin
Place in Crock Pot
Pour 8-12 oz of ROOT BEER over pork.
Cook on slow all day.
You'll know when it is ready--it falls apart!
Shred with two forks by pulling apart.
Serve with your favorite BBQ Sauce on a bun!

Thanks Lori for the Root Beer Idea! It was YUMMO!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Dinner

1 lb Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup french dressing, divided.
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp thyme
1 TBSP honey
Cooked Rice (optional)-- I actually pulled this apart and made sandwiches.

Brush pork with 2 TBSP french dressing. Mix dry ing and rub onto meat. Place in baking dish. Mix remaining 2 TBSP dressing with honey--set aside. Bake at 425 for 15 min. Brush with dressing/honey mixture. Bake an add. 10 min or until cooked through. Remove meat from oven and cover with foil. Let stand before slicing 5 min.
Serve with rice or on buns as sandwiches.
YUMMY!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com


1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip Sandwiches
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

French Dip Sandwiches

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (or more...6 would be VERY generous servings!)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
Recipe from OurBestBites

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce (click here to make your own)
2T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese, diced or grated
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares (bet ya didn't see that one comin' did ya?)

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after) You guys are smart, right? Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese. (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 chicken tenders (ya know, more or less...)
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs (by Progresso)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you want to skip the spice for the kiddos)

preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces
Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.
Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.

Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour...

And then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.

Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up!) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I give mine a teeny drizzle of olive oil on top to help them crisp nicely, but it's optional.


Bake in your 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Try not to overcook them because chicken tenders go from perfect to overcooked really fast! If your tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes so keep an eye on them. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken


2 t vegetable oil


Rub:

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

for extra heat, increase chipotle or add ground red pepper


8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I'm tellin'
ya right now it's better with thighs.

Glaze:
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

*I have changed this recipe from the original version I posted. If you liked it before and you're mad at me for messing with it again, do the following! Omit onion, coriander, and chipotle and replace with 1 t paprika and 1/2-1/2 t cayenne pepper. For the glaze, I just increased it so there would be enough to drizzle on at the very end.


Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken a few minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I'm gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It's sugar, and it's gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It's totally worth it once you taste this stuff.


If you don't have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

Spaghetti Pie

Crust:
12 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained
4 TBS butter
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs well beaten

Mix all of the above and press in a 9x13 pan, sprayed with non stick oil.

2 cups cottage cheese- spread over the "crust"

Sauce:
2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup green pepper chopped
2 tsp oregano
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
2 (6 oz each) cans tomato paste
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Mix all ingredients and spoon over the cheese and spaghetti crust.
Cove with foil and bake at 350º for 1 hour. Remove foil and sprinkle with

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Bake 5 minutes more.
(Thanks to my sweet mom-in-law for the recipe!)

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti

Boil and cube 6 chicken breasts.
Cook 16 oz of thin spaghetti-using 1 Tbsp olive oil
Chop 1 onion and saute in olive oil
Add 1 large box of Light Velvetta Cheese, 2 cans Rotel Tomatoes, and 1 can of Tomato Bisque Soup to the onion.
Stir frequently - let cheese completely melt.
Add chicken - stir.
Add pasta-stir (it is thick--so fold over and over)

Place in a 13 by 9 (I think you need a bit bigger)
Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.

Yummo.

Stuffed Chicken

A new friend of mine - Courtney - posted this recently on Facebook--sounds easy!

6 Boneless Chicken Breasts--Flattened
Place 5 pepperoni slices on each, then 1 mozzarella string cheese stick
Roll up, Secure with toothpick
Cover with Ragu sauce
Top with cheese.
Bake 350 for 1 hour.

Alt....stuff with Cheddar stick and Broccoli--Cover with Alfredo Sauce.

Yummo and Easy!

Upside Down Deep Dish Pizza

Complete yumminess--all 5 family members loved it. My daughter was so funny--age 6--says..."Mommy, this is my new favorite food ever!"

1 lb ground beef or sausage (I used 1/2 and 1/2--lean beef and Italian sausage)
1 Jar Raju Old World Style Sweet Tomato Basil Smooth Pasta Sauce (or your fav kind)
10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry - (okay, I only used 1 cup...defrosted it in microwave..and chopped REALLY fine!)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used fat free due to dieting but the real stuff will taste better of course)
1 can (11 oz) refrigerated pizza dough

1. Brown beef/sausage, drain. Season well-salt, pepper, Italian seasoning
2. Stir in Ragu and bring to a boil.
3. Pour into a 2 Quart baking dish (I used round)
4. Top with broccoli, Then Cheese.
5. Press dough over dish, sealing edges

Bake at 375 for 20 min or until crust is golden. My oven bakes faster than most...so I watched it in those last minutes.

Let stand 10 min (important step!)

Apricot Chicken

From the Kitchen of Amy:

Mix the smallest bottle of Italian Dressing with 1 envelope of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix. Pour into a 13 by 9 baking pan. Place 4-6 chicken breasts on top of mixture (turning a bit to coat the breasts). Then use the smallest jar of Apricot Jam--Place a large spoonful on top of each chicken breast--spreading evenly.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours-depending on oven.

Yummo.

Amy says it reminds her of "Orange Chicken"