Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

I love all recipes that involve seafood and the DEEP SOUTH! This recipe has become a favorite at my house especially on those cold wintry nights when you need something filling and warm. Plus as an added bonus, both my kids and "the hubs" love this gumbo! This recipe is a wonderful one because it is made with fresh vegetables, shrimp, smoked sausage, with a rich, full-bodied broth that can be served over fluffy white or brown rice. This gumbo is very filling, rich and a little bit spicy which is a whole Lotta delicious! If Shrimp isn't your forte, then you can easily substitute Chicken. If you do like shrimp and Chicken you could easily use both for a 3 meat gumbo!

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

recipe and photo adapted from kevinandamanda.com

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. Butter

1/2 c. diced onion

1/4 c. diced celery

1/4 c. diced red bell pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

4 c. chicken stock

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 c. Brown or White Rice

2 c. water

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Flour

1 Tbsp. File' powder

3/4 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 lb. smoked sausage

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium low heat.When foamy add the onion, celery, red bell pepper, salt and "sweat" for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook 5 more minutes until the onions start to become translucent.

Add the Chicken stock. Add the black pepper and cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer and cover.

Start the rice-combine 1 c. rice, 2 c. water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to boil, cover, and let simmer for 13-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the sausage and add to a skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally until browned- about 7-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the gumbo. Pour of any excess fat the the skillet.

In the same skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter. When foamy, add 2 tbsp flour and whisk until combined and the roux is a light brown and fragrant. about 2-3 minutes. A ROUX is a a thickening agent of fat and flour. This is what is going to help thicken up your gumbo. Add roux to gumbo and stir, then add the file' powder. and stir until well Incorporated.

Add the shrimp. turn off heat, and cover. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Raspberry Tilapia

I love seafood! I think that seafood is truly one of my favorite foods. If you are not a fish or seafood fan don't let this recipe scare you away. This recipe is sure to please even those non-seafood lovers. Tilapia is a farm raised fish, it is very mild and doesn't have the fishy taste that is usually the culprit for turning most people away from eating fish. I like to buy my Tilapia at Walmart. I buy it in a 4 lb bag with pre-shrink wrapped fillet portions. Tilapia is white in color and has a little pink to it. I like that the fish is pre-wrapped into individual portions so I can take out how many fillets I want to make, which makes this dish an even more convenient dish to make for my family. It takes about 25 minutes to put this dish together and bake. You won't be disapointed in the flavor department. The raspberry Vinegar, honey and dill weed compliment this fish very well. I personally think that the fish is better the day after. When serving for dinner I love to serve this fish over a good helping of wild rice along with steamed asparagus. The flavors compliment each other very well. For a lunch option, you could serve the day old fish over a salad with some raspberry vinaigrette. This is one tasty entree, and even my two kids love this and ask for more. Give this recipe a try tonight!

Raspberry Tilapia

Ingredients:

6 Fillets of Tilapia(Bream)

1/4 c. and 2 T. Olive Oil

1/4 c. and 2 T. Raspberry Blush Vinegar (I purchase mine from Harmon's or a specialty store)

1/4 c. and 2 T. honey

1 1/2 t. Yellow Mustard (I personally prefer Dijon Mustard)

3/4 teaspoon Dried Dill weed

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 X13 baking dish and arrange fish in a single layer. Meanwhile, In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, raspberry vinegar, honey, mustard and dill weed until thoroughly combined. Pour over tilapia fillets until coated evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Shrimp Carbonara

I made this yummy dish last night for the father of my children. It was Father's Day, so I wanted to make my hunny a delicious dinner to celebrate his special day. I had never heard of this dish until I came across this recipe online and thought I would give it a try. It makes quite a bit and my little family will be eating on it for the next few days. If you do make this, I would recommend making it for a get together or if you are going to entertain. This dish only calls for 8 ingredients and is fairly easy to make. It has shrimp, chopped bacon and onions that are sauteed in butter and then added to a egg/whip cream mixture and then added to cooked spaghetti. The bacon and Romano cheese are what give this dish its incredible flavor. Once everything is made I twirled the spaghetti and topped it onto a crispy piece of french bread for a fancy presentation. Try making this dish tonight or for your next get together with friends or family, they will surely be impressed.

Shrimp Carbonara

1 1/2 lbs large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
1 1/2 cup bacon (diced)
1 c. yellow onion (diced)
1 teaspoon or less of black pepper
2/3 c. whipping cream
1 1/2 lbs. of spaghetti (cooked and drained)
2 c. freshly grated Romano Cheese
1/4 c. butter
4 eggs

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse cover and set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter and saute bacon and onion until onions become transparent and bacon is crispy. Add shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp have turned pink. Season with desired amount of pepper.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk whipping cream and eggs until blended.
Step 3: Add noodles to skillet. Add egg and cream mixture. Then add Romano Cheese. Toss the Noodles with the sauce and turn down the heat. Keep cooking until the sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Divide into serving bowls or place onto a piece of crispy garlic bread for a beautiful presentation for your dinner guests. Top with fresh or dried parsley.

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Shrimp Fajitas

If you enjoy eating Fajitas and Shrimp, then try combining the two for one tasty main dish!! This easy to prepare main course can be made in just under a half an hour and is so good!! I can guarantee your taste buds will be doing a happy dance!! The shrimp is marinated in a seasoning mixture and then pan cooked with yummy vegetables. This dish is perfect for summer evening meal times, especially when you don't want to heat up your home!! Enjoy!!

Shrimp Fajitas

Recipe and photo courtesy of blog chef

1 1/4 lb. Medium Raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/2 tea. salt
1/2 tea. ground cumin
1/2 tea. Chile powder
1/2 tea. Oregano
1/4 tea. Garlic Powder
1 Lime (juice of one lime)
8 flour or corn tortillas
2 T. Vegetable Oil
6 green onions, chopped
2 green Bell Peppers
Shredded Monteray Jack Cheese
1 medium red onion
Fresh Cilantro
Gaucamole
Sour Cream
Pico De Gallo (see Recipe)

Cooking Instructions:
Step 1 : In a large bowl, or sip lock bag combine shrimp, salt, cumin, chile powder, oregano, garlic powder and lime juice. Mix well and toss shrimp to coat. Place into the refrigerator and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 2: In a large skillet heat vegetable oil. Add green onions and peppers. Cook while stirring for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. Add shrimp with the marinade and cook while stirring for 3 - 5 minutes or until the shrimp are pink in color.
Step 3: Spoon shrimp and vegetables into warmed tortillas. Top with cheese, cilantro, red onions, gaucamole, Sour cream, and Pico de Gallo. Enjoy!!
Makes 8 Servings.

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Chinese Coconut Shrimp

When I came upon this recipe, I just had to try it. One of my favorite things to get when I visit Red Lobster is the coconut shrimp. I am in love with it! When I found this recipe I was hoping this recipe would be similar and become a family favorite. This is all that and more!! It turns out, I have again stumbled across another very delicious recipe. If you love seafood and love shrimp this recipe is worth a try! This is a little different from the traditional deep fried coconut shrimp that you would usually find in a Seafood Restaurant. This shrimp dish is sauteed rather than fried version that is served with a coconut flavored sauce! The shrimp in this dish is very flavorful and when you take that first bite it is like having a party in your mouth! This dish has a sweet flavor, so it may not be for everyone but if you do enjoy the Deep Fried Shrimp and dipping sauces you will most likely enjoy this recipe. Go on and give this one a try, I promise that your taste buds will thank you for making this dish! If you try this dish, I would love to hear from you and get your feedback!

Chinese Coconut Shrimp

Recipe and Photo courtesy of blog chef.com

1 lb. jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails off)
Salt and Pepper
1 T. Olive Oil
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 T. Amaretto Liquor *(You will have to make a trip to the state liquor store for this. I bought the Amaretto Silk DeKuyper Brand.)
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. Heavy cream
2 T. Sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* If you are worried about cooking with alcohol, do not fret, the alcohol cooks out! :)

Step 1: In a wok or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium- high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and saute' for 2-3 minutes. Add green onion and amaretto liquor. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the shrimp begins to caramelize.
Step 2: Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add to the wok or saucepan- coconut milk, heavy cream and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (stirring occasionally ) until the sauce is reduced by half (about 6 minutes).
Step 3: Add shrimp back into the wok or saucepan and add vanilla and coconut extracts. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes and serve over rice.
(Makes 4 servings)

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Shrimp Scampi

I Love Seafood and One of my favorite things to order at any well known Seafood Restaurant is the shrimp scampi. Usually when my order comes to the table I find that the shrimp scampi is served piping hot soaking in a rich parsley, garlic and butter sauce. Yum! Who can resist that? When I came across this recipe that has the shrimp scampi served with angel hair or linguine pasta, I jumped at the chance to make this for my family. The shrimp really pops with flavor and the noodles are a yummy compliment. My husband adored this dish and my kids actually dove into it. I was surprised but they(my kiddos) actually enjoyed the noodles and shrimp. What makes this recipe really good is that it is easy to prepare and you could whip it up quickly on a weekday night. It is also fancy enough to make for that special occasion, impressing a date or for a holiday dinner like Valentines Day! Give this recipe a try it is truly a winner!

Shrimp Scampi

recipe adapted from blog chef and photo courtesy of blog chef

2 lbs. raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 lb. angel hair or linguine pasta
1 c. butter
2 shallots(minced)
8 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/3 c. white wine *
3 T. Lemon Juice
1/4 c. fresh parsley (chopped)
1/4 c. teaspoon salt
1/8 teas. Black pepper
*Note: You can find a variety of cooking wines and cooking sherries at your local Harmon's. Harmon's seems to have the best variety and selection of "exotic" if you will cooking supplies. If any of you are worried about cooking with alcohol, know that it cooks out!

Step 1: Cook angel hair or linguine pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt 1 cup of butter in a skillet. Add in the shallots and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly (you don't wan them to burn).
Step 2: Add shrimp and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Make sure you flip them over so they are cooked on both sides.
Step 3: Add wine, lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or two and pour shrimp over pasta and serve.

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Salmon Tacos

Love Mexican Food? Si' me too. This recipe combines the Mexican flavors that I adore but leaves behind the fat, sodium and calories that I would prefer not to have! I also love fish and anyway I can get my family to eat a serving of fish combined with a healthy helping of veggies, I am all for!

Salmon Tacos

adapted from March 2010 Edition of Woman's Day
photo provided by Woman's day
(if you don't like salmon you probably could substitute chicken)

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking pan with nonstick foil. Rub 1 lb. skinless salmon fillet with 1 Tbsp. of my Salt-free Mexican seasoning blend. Roast 8 minutes or just until cooked through. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss 1 cup. shredded cabbage or lettuce; a diced avocado; 1/2 c. each diced tomato, sliced red onion and chopped cilantro; 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Break Salmon into pieces with a fork. Fill 8 warmed corn or flour tortillas with the salmon and veggies. Serve with green or red salsa. Hold the cheese and sour cream for a healthier meal!

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Ashlee, The Culinary Queen