Andouille Sausage Jambalaya with Shrimp

Photo by Southern Living

My cousin, Warren, made this for us on New Year's Eve, 2015.  Very, very good!! 

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Warren Troseth                                                                 Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 (8-oz.) packages pre-chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper mix
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 (14.5-oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 (3.5-oz.) packages boil-in-bag rice
1 pound medium-size raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Chopped fresh parsley
Sliced green onions
Hot sauce (optional)

Directions
Cook sausage in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in skillet. Drain sausage on paper towels, and place in a 5-qt. slow cooker.
Add onion, celery, and bell pepper mix; garlic; Creole seasoning; and thyme to hot drippings. Sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Place in slow cooker, and stir in tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours.
Cook rice according to package directions. Stir cooked rice and shrimp into sausage mixture in slow cooker; cover and cook on HIGH 15 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Top with parsley, green onions, and, if desired, hot sauce.

Notes

Original recipe from: Southern Living

Classic Potato Salad

Classic Potato Salad (Southern Living)

As close to my Mom's recipe that I can get!

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                          Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds red potatoes (5 to 6 medium), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
Cover potatoes with water in 4-quart saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper and mustard in large bowl. Add potatoes, celery, onion, eggs and parsley and toss gently. Serve chilled.

Notes
I prefer red potatoes over russet, as they stay firm when cooked.

Original recipe from: Southern Living

Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie

Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

This recipe won the Grand Prize in the Pillsbury Bake-Off way back in 1980.  Good for brunch or dinner, this quiche-like pie is a great use for fresh zucchini from the garden.  Even better if you have fresh herbs, just substitute a tablespoon of fresh for every teaspoon of dried.

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Judy Soyez                                                                          Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 eggs, well beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Directions
Heat oven to 375°F. In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onions; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in parsley flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano.
In large bowl, mix eggs and cheese. Add cooked vegetable mixture; stir gently to mix.
Separate dough into 8 triangles. Place in ungreased 10-inch glass pie plate, 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish or 11-inch quiche pan; press over bottom and up sides to form crust. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread crust with mustard. Pour egg mixture evenly into crust-lined pie plate.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with strips of foil during last 10 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

Homemade Pasta

Hands down, nothing beats homemade pasta!  And if you have the pasta roller and cutter attachments for your Kitchenaid Mixer, it's a snap to make.  I like to use fresh eggs from my chickens, using an extra yolk for flavor.  

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                              Yield: 1 pound

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon water, if needed

Directions
Place flour and salt in large bowl; whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and oil.
Pour egg mixture into well. Working from the inside rim of well towards the outside, slowly incorporate flour into egg mixture, adding water, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, if dough seems too dry.
When dough begins to come together, transfer to a clean work surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

Notes

Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice (Photo by Amy Bradt)

This recipe is as close to take out as I've found.  You can make this with meat or without, I've made with leftover rotisserie chicken and shrimp.

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                          Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of kosher salt
4 scallions (white and green), thinly sliced
1/4 cup minced carrot
1 large clove garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2-3 tablespoons oyster sauce or fish sauce (to taste)
3 cups cooked chilled jasmine rice
1 pound cooked meat cut in 1/2-inch cubes, such as shrimp*, pork, beef, or chicken**
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted in a strainer at room temperature

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a well-seasoned wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the pan. Pour in the eggs, swirl the pan so the egg forms a large thin pancake. (Lift the edge of the egg to allow any uncooked egg to run to the center.) As soon as the egg has set, turn it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cool, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining peanut oil over high heat. Add the scallions and carrots and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, and ginger, stir-fry for 1 minute more. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and rice and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the meat, peas, and reserved egg, cook, stirring until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

Serve immediately.

Chicken Fried Rice
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

Notes
You can use frozen peas and carrots from a bag, just add about 3/4 cup defrosted, strained to mixture along with meat (if using).  

It also helps if you make your rice earlier in the day, and keep covered in the refrigerator so it is chilled when frying.  I usually use chicken broth instead of water when making the rice.

*I used 12 ounces of medium shrimp (peeled and deveined), 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (mix and refrigerate 30 minutes before stir-frying in an additional tablespoon of peanut oil before frying the eggs)

*I used 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (mix and refrigerate 30 minutes before stir-frying in an additional tablespoon of peanut oil before frying the eggs)

Original recipe from: Food Network

Venison Pot Pies

Venison Pot Pie (Photo by Amy Bradt)

Okay, okay...So I got a little morbid with the Reindeer cutouts on this, but it really cracked me up!!  This recipe can be used with regular stew meat as well, but I'm always trying to come up with new venison recipes, and I did have the adorable pie cutouts....

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                          Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds venison, cut in bite-size pieces  
1/4 cup flour  
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1 teaspoon kosher salt  
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided  
2 tablespoons butter, divided  
1 cup red wine (I used Cotes Du Rhone)  
1 (10.5-ounce) can Campbell's condensed beef broth  
2 cups water  
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce  
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning  
1 bay leaf  
1 shallot, diced  
2 garlic cloves, minced  
4 red potatoes, peeled and cubed  
2 turnips, peeled and cubed  
2 cups carrots, sliced  
2 stalks celery, sliced  
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped  
2 store-bought pie crusts, softened as directed on box 

Directions

The night before: 

Remove all hard fat and silver skin from venison, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in large gallon re-sealable freezer bag, cover with milk (or salt water) and refrigerate until ready to cook next day. This helps reduce the "gamey" taste.

Serving day:

Combine flour, peppers and salt in large re-sealable bag. Seal and shake to thoroughly combine. Add venison and shake until well coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large dutch oven, over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add 1 tablespoon butter and melt. Add 1/2 of the venison to the pot, and sear on all sides. Remove and repeat with remaining oil, butter and venison. Once all the meat has browned, remove from pot and add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up all the browned bits from bottom of the pot. Add broth, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning and bay leaf.

Return venison to the pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and let cook 2 hours.

Add remaining vegetables, and simmer for another 30-45 minutes, or until vegetables are almost done. Remove from heat, add parsley and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400°. Pour stew into six large bowls or ramekins. Cut pie crusts to fit top of ramekins and place on top of stew. Cut small slits in top of crust to vent.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pie crusts are golden brown.

Venison Pot Pie (Photo by Amy Bradt)

Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops

Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops (Photo by Amy Bradt)

My son-in-law's Mother, Evelyn, is a fabulous cook, and her Cajun dressing is THE best cornbread dressing I have ever had!   I took an old recipe for Stuffed Pork Chops, and tried to mimic her dressing instead of the traditional "Stove-Top" stuffing, and came up with this dish using fresh herbs and mushrooms.  It is a bit spicy, so not for the faint of stomach (i.e. my Stepdad, Hal)

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                           Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
For the Brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 quart water
6 (2-inch thick) bone-in rib loin pork chops, split to bone

For the Cornbread:
1 (8.5-ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/3 cup half & half
2 eggs

For the Stuffing:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Tex-Joy seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups crumbled cornbread (from above recipe)
1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions
Whisk salt, brown sugar and water in large bowl until salt & sugar are dissolved. Place pork chops in a glass 9"x13" dish and pour brine over chops. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat with paper towels until completely dry.

While chops are brining, prepare the cornbread for the stuffing.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Whisk together the Muffin Mix, half & half and eggs.  the batter will be slightly lumpy.  Let rest for 5 minutes, stir lightly, then pour into a greased 8"x8" pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Let cool completely before crumbling.

Reduce oven to 350°.  In large saute pan, fry bacon for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter, celery, onion and garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add the next seven ingredients, and saute for another couple of minutes.
In a large bowl, mix prepared cornbread with bacon/vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well.

Divide stuffing evenly and stuff into pork chops (about 1/2 cup for each). Secure with string or toothpicks.  Melt remaining butter in pan. Brown the chops on both sides over medium-high heat. Place in a 9"x13" baking dish.

Mix remaining chicken broth and milk with mushroom soup in saute pan until smooth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Pour over chops, cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove string or toothpicks before serving.  Pour gravy over chops and serve immediately.

Notes
You can always use dried herbs in lieu of fresh, just substitute a teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh.  I personally prefer the taste of fresh much better!