Shrimp (and crab) Boil

 

SO much fun! No plates, no utensils, lots of napkins. :)

This is how I make it for 5-6 adult appetites.

1 packet of Zatarains shrimp boil spices

3 lemons, halved

1 extra large pot ( I mean big!)

6-8 quarts of water

9 Crab leg body halves (Dungeness or Snow or individual King legs)

2, 16 oz. bags of shrimp (21-30 count size with shells on and thawed)

8 ears of corn (fresh, raw, cut in half)

30 mini red or yellow potatoes, whole

2 pkgs. mini smoked sausages

1, 8 ounce pkg. Cremini mushrooms, whole

1 pkg. pearl onions, peeled

2 bulbs of peeled garlic cloves, whole

Condiments;

Ketchup

Mustard

Ranch dip (Uncle Dan's Southern dry packet mix is my go to!)

BBQ sauce

Cocktail sauce

1 Tbsp. slices of butter (for the corn)

Melted butter

I fill my big pot with water and put it on the stove over high heat.  Add the spice packet and lemons. When the water is boiling I add the crab legs, mini potatoes, smoked sausages, pearl onions, and garlic cloves. Cook these first ingredients until the potatoes are barely tender, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat off but leave the pot on the stove. Add the corn cobs and the shrimp. Let the pot sit for 3-4 minutes, then drain the water. 

Cover your table with a plastic table cloth and then with several layers of newspaper or brown packing paper. If you have a wooden table that is color stained, I suggest placing a towel or a cloth table runner or table cloth underneath the plastic table cloth. The heat and steam from the food can damage the surface of your wooden table stain if it gets wet.

After the water is drained from the pot, dump the cooked ingredients onto the center of the table. Condiments go right on the papered table too! (Except for the melted butter. We do put that into small ramekins for dipping.) Enjoy! Fun and messy but delicious!

Key Lime Pie in mason jars

Key Lime Pie in mason jars
1 1/2 pkg. graham crackers, crushed
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 - 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. key lime juice
whipped cream

       Crush the graham crackers in a ziploc bag or food processer.  Add the brown sugar and mix together with the cracker crumbs.  Pour in the melted butter and mix it with the crackers and sugar.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl add the cream cheese.  Mix on high until smooth.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and lime juice and mix on high for 3 minutes.  If desired, add 1-2 drops of green food coloring and mix it in. In 6 half pint jars spoon 2 heaping Tbsp. of the graham cracker mix.  Layer with the cream cheese mixture followed by one more spoonful of the graham crackers.  Top with whipped cream.

Sweet & Spicy Steak Chili with Buttermilk Cornbread (Dutch Oven) jars

Sweet & Spicy Steak Chili (Dutch Oven)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. Cross Rib or Chuck roast, cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes
1 lg. onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

         In a skillet or frying pan, heat the olive oil and brown the steak cubes in it.  In a dutch oven combine the steak cubes, diced onion, garlic, and black beans.  In a medium sized bowl add the tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper and stir together.  Pour the sauce over the meat and beans mix and stir to combine.  Place the lid on the dutch oven and bake in the oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours or use the coals method.  (About 6-8 coals underneath the dutch oven and 14-17 on top for approx. 1 1/2 - 2 hours.) Remove the lid and pour the cornbread mix (see below) over the chili.  Place the lid on and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  (20 coals on top for about 20-25 minutes.)

Buttermilk Cornbread

1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

     In a small bowl combine the melted butter, honey, and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time and stir until mixed.  Add the buttermilk and stir everything together.  In a medium bowl add the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk together.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined.  It will be just a little lumpy.  If baking alone, pour the mixture into a sprayed 8x8 pan and bake at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes.

If making the mason jar meal, spoon about 1 cup of the cooked chili into the mason jars.  Then spoon about 3/4 cup of cornbread mix on top of the chili in the jars.  Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Fried Ravioli

Fried Ravioli
25-30, 2 inch round ravioli (I used cheese ravioli)
2 eggs
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
oil for frying

     Lay the frozen ravioli on a cookie sheet to completely thaw, about 2 1/2 hours.  Set the eggs out on the counter at the same time to let them reach room temperature.
     When the ravioli is thawed, heat up the oil to approx. 350 degrees.  (You can use a frying pan, or a small deep fryer.)
     In a small bowl beat the eggs together.  Add the bread crumbs to another small bowl.
     Dip the ravioli one at a time into the egg and then the bread crumbs.
     Fry the dipped ravioli for about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the oil and let drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.
     Dip in your favorite marinara.  I use my homemade spaghetti sauce.

Poppyseed Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken
3-4 chicken breasts, grilled and diced OR boiled and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup butter, melted
           Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the soup and sour cream in a baking dish.  Add the chicken and stir it into the soup mixture. In a quart sized ziploc bag, crush the Ritz crackers.  Add the poppy seeds and melted butter to the bag of crackers and shake to mix together.  Pour the cracker mix over the chicken and spread evenly to cover the chicken.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the crackers are slightly golden brown and the soup mixture bubbly around the edges of the baking dish.  Serve over baked potatoes or rice.  

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Jars

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Jars  (makes 6 half pints)
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. cold water
1 cup (approx. 7 full-sized) graham crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 - 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
       In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp. water.  Cook over medium heat until simmering.  Add the cornstarch mixed with water and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
       Crush the graham crackers and combine them with the brown sugar and melted butter.  Spoon the mixture into 6 half-pint mason jars.  Gently press the mixture into the bottom of each jar with the back of a spoon.
       With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat it on low until combined. Set aside.  In a separate bowl, add the whipping cream and beat it with the hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Spoon it into the jars on top of the graham cracker crust.
       When the blueberries and syrup are completely cooled, spoon them on top of the cream cheese filling layer.  Place the lids and tighten the rings on the jars and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Beef and Mushroom Pot Pies with Pearl Onions

Beef and Mushroom Pot Pies with Pearl Onions

2 lbs. chuck roast, cubed into 1 1/2 inch pieces
salt
pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
12-15 Cremini (button) mushrooms, quartered
25 pearl onions, peeled
1 -14 oz. can beef broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg. puff pastry dough, 2 sheets
1 egg, beaten
poppyseeds, optional

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium high.  Add the flour to a medium sized bowl. Salt and pepper the cubed beef and toss it in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour, add the beef cubes to the heated oil and brown them on all sides.  Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.  Add the cleaned and quartered mushrooms and saute quickly just until golden on all sides. Remove the mushrooms and set them aside.  Add the beef broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.  Whisk until combined and bring to a boil.  Add the beef and mushrooms back into the pan.  Add the pearl onions.  Cover and turn the heat to low.  Let it simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beef is tender.  Spoon the mixture into ramekins.  Lay out the puff pastry dough and cut circles to cover the ramekins.  Place one on top of each filled ramekin.  Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppyseeds.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry slightly puffs up and is golden brown.