Category: MISC

SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE

It’s ALMOST Christmas and Santa Claus is coming to town. If you have kids, or are just a big kid at heart, you can track Santa’s progress as he travels around the world on NORAD.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I really intended to stick with this recipe as it was 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 the 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 deveined
2 – 6 ounce cans crabmeat, 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
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large bunch green onions, chopped

4 large mushrooms, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 – 8 ounce package crabmeat, chopped & flaked
2 – 6 ounce cans white albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1 can cream of celery soup or soup substitute
3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
1/2 sleeve crushed butter-flavored crackers ( I used Keebler herb and butter)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • 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 cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

Healthy Meals

Fresh Vegetables!  Is there anything healthier?

Sweet, green peppers… Very low in calories, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fat, and sodium.  Bell peppers are a GREAT source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.  They are also a good source of vitamin A, Niacin, Thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper, potassium, and vitamin K.  Wow!  This vegetable really packs a healthy punch!

White onions… Extremely low in fat and calories.  Great source of dietary fiber.  Good source of vitamin C. Manganese, copper, vitamin B6, folate, and phosphorous are also present in white onions.  They also contain flavonoids, anti-oxidants responsible for protecting the body from free radical cells.  Onions have been used in many studies regarding their ability to prevent certain types of cancers.  Fantastic!

Roma tomatoes… Fat and calories are almost nonexistent.  No cholesterol.  Very low in sodium.  Excellent source of vitamins A and C.  They also contain anti-oxidants.  Nice!

Fresh cilantro… (also known as coriander) No cholesterol.  Very rich in anti-oxidants and dietary fiber.  Excellent source of numerous minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.  Also a great source of vitamins A, K, C, and B6.    My family loves the flavor cilantro adds to dishes.  It’s kind of a love-it-or-hate-it-herb, but it is definitely beneficial to your health.

Now, what to do with these beautiful, tasty, healthy vegetables?  My family loves when I add them to a pot of pinto beans.  Beans are an excellent source of protein and are very low in fat and calories.  My bean soup is both delicious and healthy.

You can also add these fresh vegetables to pretty much any soup recipe, chicken, ground beef, or whatever your heart desires.  Chopping them fine makes it easier to sneak them into your regular recipes, too, and your family may not even notice.  But they will definitely reap the health benefits.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE BRAID

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.
This month I was paired with ANGRY ASIAN CREATIONS. I love being paired with someone I’ve never been paired with before I inevitably learn sooooooo much, and find great new recipes.  I chose her SWEET BRAIDED BREAD recipe which she adapted from KING ARTHUR FLOUR. I chose it because I was having a serious chocolate craving at the time and it seemed holidayish too.  I used a cream cheese (honey nut) chocolate chip filling.