Main dishes

Southern Crab Nachos

Published on by carol lou

You might wonder why I call these Southern Crab Nachos.  Well, it is because I added a layer of cheese grits!  I met Parker Hinson  from Old School Mill in Albemarle, NC. and he graciously gave me a bag of their stone ground grits.  After living in Texas for five years and making grits frequently, I can absolutely say these are the best grits I have ever had. I wanted to add a southern twist to my nachos and decided to add a layer of cheese grits.  The best thing about these nachos is not only does the top of the Southern Crab Nachos ooze with deliciousness of cheese and crab, the bottom chips scoop up a wonderful layer of cheese grits with the other toppings.  Each bite is so delicious you will want to make extras!

These grits are a find!  Check out their website http://oldschool.com  Here is a little bit on info on their mill:

Old School Brand uses the art of stone grinding grains into wonderfully pure meals, flours, and grits. Since those first products were made we have developed a line of foods and mixes that bring back all the rich goodness and flavor of centuries ago.

 

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Southern Crab Nachos

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Cheese Grits
  • 1 recipe Black Bean Relish
  • 8 - 12 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
  • 1 large bag tortilla chips (flour or corn)
  • 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 recipe Avocado Lime Buttermilk Dressing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare grits and spoon over the bottom of your ovenproof serving dish. Top with layers of tortilla chips.  Spoon over the black bean relish, crab meat and cheeses.  Bake until hot and bubbly, 8 - 12 minutes.  Serve with a side of avocado lime buttermilk dressing.

 

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Cheese Grits

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup stone ground grits
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring water and salt to a boil.  Add grits.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. 

 

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Black Bean Relish

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
  • 2 teaspoons jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 1/4 cup tomato, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 lime, squeezed
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients.

 

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Avocado Lime Buttermilk Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut avocado in half and discard pit, scoop flesh into food processor bowl. Combine all remaining ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve

Mussels with White Wine and Bacon

Published on by carol lou

If it’s Friday, it must be mussels.  Our favorite dinner after a busy week is a bubbly pot of mussels, crusty bread and a great glass of wine.  I have posted previous mussel recipes most using red wine, this time I used white wine and bacon.  A fantastic combination, serve along side plenty of bread to dip into the delicious wine, bacon and onion sauce.  You can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes if you prefer, but we prefer them with a bit of a kick!  This one is going into my Friday night rotation of recipes. 

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Mussels with White Wine and Bacon

Ingredients

  • 1 2 lb. bag of mussels (serves 2)
  • 5 slices thick cut bacon, diced
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 scallions, sliced, white and green portions
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups white wine

Instructions

  1. In a large dutch oven, over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan.  Add onion and garlic to bacon fat, cook 4 - 5 minutes or until the onion is transparent.  Add scallions and red pepper flakes.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Boil 1 minute, add mussels, cover and cook 5 - 6 minutes or until the mussels have opened. Top with reserved bacon pieces.  Serve with baguette slices.

Linguine with Littleneck Clams

Published on by carol lou

This is an under thirty meal like no other.  Linguine with Littleneck Clams is so easy to prepare and yet so delicious.  One of my favorite parts of this meal is the presentation.  A piping hot bowl of pasta topped with clams – sensational!  Perfect for a weeknight meal or a special dinner.  Need I say more?  This recipe brings out the best in seafood and along with pasta – who can resist!

 

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Linguine with Littleneck Clams

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb box of linguine
  • 40-50 littleneck clams
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

Instructions

  1. Prior to cooking - prepare clams by soaking for 20 - 30 minutes in a bowl of cool water to remove any sand.  Remove clams from soaking liquid and rinse under cool water.   If any clams are open or have cracked shells, discard.

    Cook pasta as directed on package.  In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, add white wine.  Bring to a rolling boil, add clams and cover.  Cook for 4 - 5 minutes or until all of the clams are open.  Turn off heat, add butter and parsley, replace cover and let stand until the pasta is ready.  Drain pasta and pour over the clam mixture.  Gently toss pasta with the clams and sauce.  Divide into serving bowls.


Chipotle Grilled Wings

Published on by carol lou

On a recent trip to Fayetteville, NC we had dinner at a terrific bar/restaurant called Mac’s Speed Shop.  Their wings were hands down the best wings I have ever had.  They smoked their wings and tossed them in a wonderful chipotle sauce.  The thought of those wings made me think of grilling wings and then tossing them with a BBQ sauce with a hint of chipotles.  These wings are truly finger lickin’ good. Did you know the key to grilling wings is to have them touch each other while grilling to keep them moist and to turn them every 6-8 minutes.  It takes about 35-40 minutes for the wings to be crispy on the outside and fall-off the bone tender.  Serve them with your favorite blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.  Keep plenty of napkins handy – you will need them!

 

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Chipotle Grilled Wings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings, cut
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1//4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook wings over medium heat on the grill, turn every 6 - 8 minutes for approx. 35 minutes or until crispy and meat is falling off the bone.  When grilling, the wings should be touching each other as they cook to keep them moist.  While the wings are grilling, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Remove wings from grill when finished cooking, place in bowl with sauce and toss until all are coated.  Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.

 

Vegetable Topped Baked Grouper

Published on by carol lou

I sometimes arrive in the grocery store, head to the seafood department and stand there with a blank stare on my face.  What should I try now?  I lately have an ongoing love/hate affair with some types of seafood.  I used to bake salmon weekly, now I don’t think I have baked salmon for over three months.  Recently, halibut and sea bass are some of my favorites, however, after selecting grouper fillets and making Vegetable Topped Baked Grouper, I think I have a new favorite from the seafood department!

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Vegetable Topped Grouper

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds grouper fillets
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 red onion, cut into thin slices
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil a baking dish.  Squeeze lemon juice over fillets in baking dish.  Top fillets with onion, green pepper, and tomato.  Top with crumbled feta cheese.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning.  Pour wine into baking dish.  Bake fillets for 15 - 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily.  Broil fish at high setting for a few minutes after baking until the cheese is browned.  

 

Grilled Chicken with Basil Butter

Published on by carol lou

Oh let me count the many ways to grill chicken and the many recipes you will find.  One recipe search and you will find hundreds for grilled chicken breasts with every imaginable marinade or topping.  I think the key to a perfectly grilled boneless skinless chicken breast is to not overcook the chicken, so it is moist and delicious.  I have been topping grilled chicken with basil butter for years.  This is not a recipe that takes a rocket scientist to figure out!   Salt and pepper the chicken, grill over medium temperature turning frequently and top with a large dollop of basil butter.  Simple and spectacular.  

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Grilled Chicken with Basil Butter

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Combine butter, basil and garlic salt; divide in half and set aside.  Salt and pepper chicken breasts.  Grill over medium heat turning frequently until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, approx. 20  minutes. Each time you turn the chicken, top with a small teaspoon of basil butter.  When finished cooking, remove chicken to a platter and top each breast with a dollop from the remaining 1/2 of basil butter.  Serve

Grilled Flank Steak with Pepper Jack Cream Sauce

Published on by carol lou

One of our favorite neighborhood Mexican restaurants serves a wonderful grilled steak with a cheese sauce along with a cheese enchilada  and beans.  It is so good, that we order it every time we go to that restaurant.  I had a flank steak in the freezer and decided I wanted to try my hand at this delicious entree.  I first combined lime juice, orange juice, garlic, diced jalapeno and a few other ingredients to marinate the steak.  I then made a basic cheese sauce and spiced it up with pepper jack cheese.  Served along side corn tortillas, tomato wedges, and avocados you will have a most spectacular presentation.   The cheese sauce is so good you will want to have plenty at the table to serve with the vegetables, tortillas and steak.  

 

 

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Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients

  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 diced jalepeno, seeds removed

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients, pour over flank steak, refrigerate and marinate 2 - 24 hours.

 

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Pepper Jack Cream Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili seasoning
  • 4 ounces pepper jack cheese grated

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter.  Add the flour and stir until bubbly and all of the flour is incorporated.  Slowly stir in the milk.  Increase heat to medium-high and whisk constantly until bubbly and thick.  Add seasonings.  Continue stirring.  Remove from heat and add the cheese, stir until melted.  (If you made the sauce in advance and your steak is not finished on the grill, and your cheese sauce thickens - add a bit more milk to the cheese sauce and stir over low heat)

Butterflied Grilled Shrimp

Published on by carol lou

When you grill shrimp, leaving the shell on keeps the flavor of the shrimp and does not dry it out.  I purchased large shell-on shrimp, cut the shell, deveined and butterflied the shrimp. Then I quickly marinated them in a white wine sauce, grilled them over medium high heat  and served them with cocktail sauce and butter for dipping.  I also grilled two lemon halves and after everything came off the grill, squeezed the lemon over the shrimp.  What a finger lickin’ good recipe this is – easy to prepare and a perfect spring dinner.  

I am trying a new recipe format – tell me what you think…
Looking for any particular recipes?  I am always looking for new ideas

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Butterflied Grilled Shrimp

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp, shell-on
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon squeezed
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut the shell of the shrimp, carefully de-vein and butterfly shrimp; using a paring knife make an incision from the tail to the opposite end. Do not cut all of the way through. Place in a large baking dish. Combine white wine, red pepper, parsley, olive oil  juice of 1/2 lemon,and salt and pepper. Drizzle over shrimp. Let stand for 15 - 20 minutes. Heat grill to medium high heat. Place shrimp on the grill, cook 4 minutes and flip to other side for approx. 3 minutes until shrimp is opaque. Grill the lemon halves. Remove shrimp to a platter with the grilled lemon halves. Squeeze grilled lemon over shrimp prior to serving. Serve with melted butter or your favorite cocktail sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

Fettuccine with Creamy Crab Basil Sauce

Published on by carol lou

The weather was absolutely beautiful this weekend and when searching the seafood section of the market I came across fresh crabmeat and knew that was what we were having for dinner.  Into my recipe box I went and found this recipe that I have not made in years.  It was as delicious as I remembered.  You can prepare this in under 30 minutes and what a extraordinary meal.  It was especially memorable since we had dinner on our porch in front of the fire in February.  A lovely evening to remember.

Fettuccine 2

 

Fettuccine with Creamy Crab Basil Sauce
Serves 6
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Ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons butter
  2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  4. 1 clove garlic, minced
  5. 1/3 cup whipping cream
  6. 1/3 cup white wine
  7. 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
  8. 1/2 cup cooked crabmeat
  9. salt and pepper
  10. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  11. 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  12. 1 lb. fettuccine
Instructions
  1. Melt butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add tomatoes and garlic, simmer slowly until the tomatoes soften and begin to break down. Add cream and 1/3 cup white wine. Simmer 10 minutes, stir frequently. thin with additional wine if sauce become too thick. Stir in basil, crabmeat, salt and pepper; simmer 3 minutes. Add 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of the parsley. Keep sauce warm. Cook pasta as directed on package, toss pasta with sauce. Garnish with reserved cheese, parsley and basil leaves.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/

Last Minute Broiled Shrimp

Published on by carol lou

I am sure my schedule recently mirrors your schedule.  Getting back to a routine after the holidays, packing away all of the holiday decor, and trying to stay on a normal healthy eating schedule all seems to be a worthy goal.  Well, after a long week working and avoiding the grocery store, it was time to open the freezer and see what I could find and what I could make for dinner in under an hour.  First thing I did was find a bag one-half full of shrimp leftover from the holidays.  I tossed the frozen uncooked shrimp in a colander under cold running water while I put a few ingredients together.  I had made a recipe similar to one that required threading the shrimp on skewers, well I decided I did not have the time or the energy to thread shrimp on skewers.  Out came my small cast iron skillet.   In a small bowl I mixed the topping ingredients and mixed in the shrimp.  I let them marinate for approx. 20 minutes, then poured the mixture into the skillet, popped it under the broiler and our came the most delicious shrimp.  A great way to start the new year in my kitchen.

last-minute-broiled-shrimp

Last Minute Broiled Shrimp
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  2. 6 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
  4. 1 clove garlic, minced
  5. 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
  6. 3/4 teaspoon salt
  7. ground black pepper
  8. lemon wedges
Instructions
  1. Mix together the olive oil, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp. Combine and let the shrimp marinade for 20 minutes at room temperature. Pour into entire contents of bowl into a cast iron skillet. Preheat broiler to high. Cook the shrimp 3 minutes, stir, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve hot with lemon wedges. Serves 3 - 4.
A Passion for Entertaining https://apassionforentertaining.com/