Vegetarian Jambalaya Recipe

Vegetarian Jambalaya Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

1 6 oz can tomato paste

5 cups vegetable broth

2 zuchinnis, sliced

1 1/2 cups okra, fresh or frozen)

1 can diced tomatoes OR 4 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup mock meat, such as Gimme Lean or Morningstar Farms Crumbles (optional)

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, mix tomato paste with vegetable broth until smooth and set aside. In a large pot, sautee onion, garlic, celery and green pepper until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add uncooked rice and allow rice to toast for one minute, stirring. Add tomato and broth mixture. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a separate skillet, sautee the okra, zucchini and mock meat until just barely cooked, about 3-5 minutes.

After the rice has cooked about 10 minutes, add the sauteed mock meat and veggies, spices and diced tomatoes, stirring well. Cover, and allow to simmer 10-15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are fullly cooked and rice is soft. Serve with hot sauce if desired, and enjoy!

Crawfish and Stone-Ground Grits Gratin Recipe

Crawfish and Stone-ground Grits Gratin Recipe

“Most grits casseroles are high in fat and calories because they’re typically made with heavy cream and lots of butter. This Crawfish and Stone-Ground Grits Gratin is a bit lighter yet no less flavorful. I suggest cooking the grits in seafood stock and using chopped fresh herbs and garlic to enhance the sweetness of the crawfish. Additionally, use goat cheese, which is creamy and rich but lower in fat and calories than cow’s milk cheese.”—Virginia Willis

Ingredients

4 cups homemade seafood stock or 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice and 3 cups water

1 cup stone-ground grits

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

1 (8-ounce) log goat cheese

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for greasing

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, optional

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound cooked crawfish tail meat (about 2 cups) or small raw shrimp

¼ cup white wine

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped green onion

Instructions

In a large saucepan, bring seafood stock (or clam juice and water) to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in grits, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Decrease heat to low, and simmer until creamy and thick, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in goat cheese.

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a 12-inch round baking dish with canola oil, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat. Add shallot, celery, jalapeño, and garlic; cook until shallot is soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add crawfish or shrimp, wine, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; cook 4 minutes.

Pour half of crawfish mixture into a medium bowl, and set side. Add remaining crawfish mixture to grits, along with eggs; stir to combine. Spoon grits mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining crawfish mixture, parsley, and green onion.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

By Virginia Willis

Dinner Mint Cake Recipe

DINNER MINT CAKE Recipe

Okay, we are heading straight into the home stretch of Tis The Season, and one of things I am always doing this time of year is looking for the perfect combo of show-stopper and easy when it comes to that big holiday dinner dessert.  You know, the one that is going to get you a round of oohs and aahs when you bring it out, and then has your dining room settle down to delirious quietness because everyone is eating in happy holiday bliss…but also the one that is not going to keep you in the kitchen for hours.  Welcome to that dessert!

Ingredients

One 13x9 pan of brownies, baked, cooled and cut in half (line the pan with non-stick foil to make lifting the brownies out as easy as possible!)

For the glaze

10 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup light cane syrup (Karo)

4 tablespoons butter, softened

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

For the filling

12 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1½ cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. Make the glaze first so it has time to cool: Put the chopped chocolate in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir the cream and the corn syrup in a small heavy pot over medium heat until it reaches a low boil.

2. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the 4 tablespoons butter and ¼ teaspoon mint extract and whisk again until smooth. Cover and put in the fridge until it is spreadable, about 60 minutes.

3. When the glaze is set, make the filling: beat 12 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons cream and 1 teaspoon mint extract on medium until well-combined. Add confectioner's sugar and beat on low until it is mixed in. Now rev the mixer up to high and beat until everything is nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes or so.

4. Time to assemble! Put the one brownie half bottom side down on a cooling rack that is place on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread all the filling evenly over it. Pop the other half on top, bottom side up (to give you a smoother spreading surface). Take 1 cup of the glaze and spread it in a thin layer over the sides and the top (if you have an offset spatula this is the time to break it out!).

5. Save a couple tablespoons of the remaining glaze and set aside. Put the rest in the microwave for a minute until it is melted. Pour it over the top of the cake, using a spatula to spread it along the top and to help it drip down the sides.

6. If you like, put the 2 tablespoons you saved into a ziplock bag, snip off a corner and pipe decorative squiggles over the top.

7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then transfer the cake onto a platter (I use two spatulas for this) and serve!

Brandy Spice-Glazed Ham Recipe

Brandy Spice-Glazed Ham Recipe

This glazed ham is a simple way to dress up a fully cooked ham for your holiday table. It makes for great family-style entertaining and delicious leftover sandwiches the next day. Don't forget to save the ham hock for soups or stews!

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups brandy

1 ½ cups light brown sugar (packed)

1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard seeds

6 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

One bone-in, fully cooked smoked ham, 10 to 14 pounds

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack near the bottom of the oven. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place a small rack in the bottom of the roasting pan.

In a medium saucepan combine the brandy, brown sugar, mustard seeds, cloves, and cinnamon sticks and heat over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Using a sharp knife, score into the fatty layer of the skin in a diamond pattern, cutting about ¼-inch deep. Place the ham onto the rack in the roasting pan. Brush the ham with the glaze and place in the oven. Bake the ham uncovered, basting every 30 minutes, until the ham is heated through and nicely glazed, usually 15 to 20 minutes per pound.*  Remove the ham from the oven and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

*Note:  We tested this recipe using a half-ham weighing 10 pounds and it was ready after cooking 3 hours.  In the restaurant, Chef Tim cooks whole hams in a rotisserie oven, basting them every 30 minutes, for 3 to 4 hours, depending on size. If you have a rotisserie at home and would like to cook your ham on it, just note that cooking time will vary depending on the temperature of your rotisserie.

Holiday Bouillabaisse

Holiday Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

1 pound redfish fillets, skin removed*

1 pound drum fillets, skin removed*

3 teaspoons salt, divided

1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, divided

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes

3 cups coarsely chopped yellow onion

2 cups coarsely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

½ cup unsalted butter

4 bay leaves

1 lemon, sliced

2 cups fish stock

½ cup white wine

1 pound medium fresh shrimp,peeled and deveined

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shells

24 oysters, shucked

Toasted French bread, sliced

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Sprinkle fish with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon cayenne. In a medium bowl, add tomatoes and juice, and mash until small chunks remain. In another medium bowl, combine onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cayenne.

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion mixture, and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato, bay leaves, lemon, stock, and wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer; add fish, cover, and cook 45 minutes. Do not stir.

Gently stir in shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters, making sure to fully submerge, and simmer 12 minutes. Place a toasted bread slice in each bowl, and ladle soup over. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

By Hazel Gill, Baton Rouge

Source: http://www.louisianacookin.com/holiday-bouillabaisse/…

Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil, plus more for the dish

1/2 pound pork or turkey country sausage, casings removed

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

6 large eggs

21/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

12 ounces white bread, cubed (about 1/2 loaf)

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking it up into smaller pieces, until it begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, sage and parsley in a large bowl. Add the cubed bread, sausage-vegetable mixture and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a medium casserole dish with oil. Pour the chilled bread mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. (If the top of the casserole starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.) Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe courtesy of Virginia Willis

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cheesy-sausage-breakfast-casserole.html?oc=linkback

Gooey Red Velvet Brownie Cake Recipe

Gooey Red Velvet Brownie Cake Recipe

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 28 mins Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 12-15 servings

Ingredients

6 oz Chocolate (dark or white)

3 tbsp Heavy whipping cream

1 Box Red velvet cake mix

(plus ingredients on the box- egg, oil, water)

1 Box Fudge brownie mix

(plus ingredients on the box- egg, oil, water)

1 jar (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk

1 pk (8oz) Cream cheese

1 container (8oz) Cool Whip

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a microwave-proof bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute. Remove from microwave and immediately start whisking until chocolate mixture is smooth. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Then refrigerate until slightly firm. This takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine red velvet cake mix with ingredients list on the box. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Pour batter into a 9”x13” pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine brownie mix with ingredients listed on the box. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Pour brownie batter over top of red velvet batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. I baked mine for about 28 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool for at least 15 minutes.

While the cake is still warm, take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake.

Pour can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of cake and allow it to absorb in the cake until cake is cooled. Let set until completely cooled.

While cake is cooling, prepare the chocolate cream cheese topping.

Remove hardened chocolate from refrigerator and combine in a mixing bowl with cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for a few minutes until well combined.

Add whipped cream and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate cheesecake frosting until ready to serve. Spread over top of cake.

After adding the cheesecake frosting, the cake must be refrigerated. 

Courtesy of beyondfrosting.com

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