BAYOU BLEND CASSEROLE – previously known as BLEND IN THE BAYOU and once known as SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE

I’m trying to clean up some old recipe posts. This was originally posted on March 24, 2010 and again on November 4, 2010. I then posted it for the Magazine Monday meme on March 24, 2011. I’m now changing it to a current date so I can update it. It was originally done tutorial style, but I was never happy with the pictures so am updating it a bit.

Magazine Mondays was hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. She HAD a great blog with some great recipes, but has since deleted it I guess. I really intended to stick with this recipe as it was originally written, really I did! But, as I read it more closely I felt some changes coming on. You know that feeling you get when you realize hubby won’t like ingredient 5 or your son would hate ingredient x, etc… The more I messed with the recipe the further it got from what they intended.

So here is their recipe as written:

BLEND IN THE BAYOU

8 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 – 6 ounce cans crab meat, drained and flaked

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared

4 1/2 ounce jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 teaspoon garlic salt

3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers

In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in remaining butter until tender.
Stir in the shrimp, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, garlic salt, pepper sauce, cayenne and cream cheese mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
Combine crackers crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over top.
Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly.

and here is the new recipe as made and enjoyed and savored as the plates were licked clean!

SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE inspired by Taste of Home’s Blend in the Bayou

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large bunch green onions, chopped

4 large mushrooms, chopped2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green or red pepper, cleaned of ribs and seeds, diced

1 – 8 ounce package crab meat, chopped & flaked

2 – 6 ounce cans white albacore tuna, drained and flaked

1 can cream of celery soup

3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 + teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

3/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese

1/2 sleeve crushed butter-flavored crackers (I used Keebler herb and butter)

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese, soup and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
Stir in the tuna, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, salt, pepper sauce, chili powder and cream cheese mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
Sprinkle crackers over top.
Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes more.