August 5th

Last night we had pan "fried" catfish, rice with bacon and green onions and bacon wrapped green beans.

Here is the recipe for bacon wrapped green beans.

I used a can of whole green beans, drained well.
Cut bacon in 1/2 strips.
Season the green beans with your favorite spices but go very easy on salt because of the bacon.

Wrap a half slice of bacon around 3-5 whole green beans. Place on a wire cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or till the bacon is cooked.

August 4th

Tonight we went to a cooking demo. He was doing appetizers and because he did a few different kinds I was full when I got home.

Here is an easy scallop one that he did.

Melt a stick of butter in a heavy skillet.
Toss scallops with seasonings of your choice.
Sear scallops and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.
Deglaze with white wine and continue cooking till the wine and butter have reduced into a thick sauce.

enjoy!

August 3rd

Last night I went out to eat with some friends. I searched online for a recipe for what I had, and well this isn't it, but it may hit the same flavor points.

CHICKEN CON QUESO
8 to 10 chicken breasts
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies
Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Cube cheese and place over chicken. Pour in tomatoes. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over rice or tortillas.

August 2nd

Last night we had Shrimp and Okra Gumbo.

Here is the recipe.

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

Serve in soup bowl over rice.

Hubby makes it in a huge pot so that we can freeze small bags for later meals. For that reason I will not give many measurements.

For each pound of shrimp, use a pound of cut okra. Can use frozen okra.

Use one can of rotel per 2 pounds of shrimp.

Here is the method.

Make a roux with 3/4 cup oil to 1 cup flour. Make it dark like chocolate. Make sure you stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Also be careful, roux is extremely hot and will cause a really nasty burn. Add the roux to a pot of slowly boiling water.

Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic for a couple of minutes in a small amount of oil. Add okra and saute' until okra starts to brown a little and loses the sliminess. Add to roux/water mixture. Then add rotel and cook for awhile. Season to taste when you add the roux. This needs to simmer for a couple of hours minimum. Add shrimp during last hour.

August 1st

Here is the recipes we had on August 1st.

Barbecued Shrimp

Serve as meal over mashed potatoes or pasta or over french bread as an appetizer.

20 each (16/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 oz canola oil
1 tablespoon plus 5 tsp green onions, chopped
2 oz dry white wine
1 tsp fresh chopped garlic
4 tbl worcestershire sauce
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
8 oz butter

1. Place a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add oil and cook shrimp until they are just done, you will have to do in batches if your skillet isn't large enough. Don't over crowd the pan. Remove shrimp and set aside.

2. Add green onions and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add white wine and reduce by half.

4. When wine is reduced, add the garlic, worcestershire, tabasco, cayenne, and paprika. Shake the pan well. Cook for one minute. Reduce heat to low.

5. Cut butter into small chunks and slowly add to pan. Stir to melt butter. Add shrimp and toss well to coat with the butter mixture. Can garnish plate with green onions.


Bacon Wrapped Chipolte Shrimp

1 lb 21/25 shrimp
12 slices bacon
1 cup honey
5 oz chipolte tabasco sauce
3 tbl cajun power garlic sauce

Wrap 1/2 slice bacon around shrimp securing it with a toothpick and set aside. Combine all other ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Heat skillet and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When skillet is hot, add bacon wrapped shrimp. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut off heat and add sauce mixture tossin shrimp till covered completely.


We had both of these with a loaf of whole wheat french bread.

Italian Garlic Ring

1 can of buttermilk biscuits, cut in half
1/4 cup of italian dressing
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Tablespoon parsley

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray. Toss the biscuit halves in the italian dressing, then in the parmesan that has the garlic mixed in to it. Arrange in a single layer in the pie plate, sorta in a circle. Top with the mozzarella and parsley. Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then cut in to 6 servings.

This is a healthy replacement for garlic bread and is very tasty.

Tonight's Supper

Well no pictures today but I will post what I am cooking.

Oven Pot Roast

1 nice size beef roast
garlic
onions
carrots
potatoes
seasonings of your choice
bell peppers

Last night hubby stuffed the roast with minced garlic, salt and pepper, minced onions, and he seasoned the outside well with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

This afternoon I will get out my trusty black iron pot and cover and brown the roast well on all sides. Then I will saute the onions, bell pepper and a little garlic (hey we are cajuns after all lol) until they are just tender. Then back in the pot with the roast, some beef broth or water, and the cover will go on and I will put it in a 350 oven. After about 1 hour, I will turn the roast over and check if it is beginning to get tender. If so I will add in the carrots. If not I will wait another hour and check and flip again. Once it just starts to get tender I will add the carrots, and about 15 to 20 minutes later I will add potatoes. Once the veggies are cooked I will take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before hubby carves it. Alot of times it is actually to tender to actually carve lol and he will just pull chunks off.

I will make a little rice, cause he and my son can't have roast without rice lol.

Since I have an abundance of carrots right now I will make one of hubby's favorites.

Carrot and Raisin Salad

Carrots
raisins
pineapple
a little mayo

shred the carrots. Drain crushed pineapple. Add the raisins and pineapple to the shredded carrots. Mix with a little mayo and chill.