Shrimp Pot Pies

Hi, my name is Jenn, and I am a blogging slacker!  I don't know what my funk has been all about, I have actually made quite a few things over the last couple of weeks, it is just every time I think about sitting down to post, I just don't want to!  Maybe it is because I have hit my one year of blogging mark and I am losing some steam, but whatever it is, IT NEEDS TO STOP!  I need to just snap out of it and post what I cook, because I really do enjoy sharing my adventures on here.  So if I have a long, unexplained absence again, send me a note and kick my virtual butt!

So, onto the food now....and this was some good food!  One of my favorite blogs that I follow is Cassie Craves, almost everything that she makes appeals to me, and nothing is too crazy fancy.  When I saw the recipe for the Shrimp Pot Pies pop up on her blog, I wanted to make them, and I wanted to make them pronto!  She adapted the recipe from Sunny Anderson on the Food Network, and I went a bit further and took my own liberties....but that is the fun part about cooking!  I think I got a bit heavy handed with the salt, but other than that, these were delicious!  My only issue with these were the puff pastry shells, mine didn't get cooked all the way through in the middle by the time they were browned on the outside, not sure what the problem was, but I guess I may just not be good with puff pastry!  If you can't find the pastry shells, you can always use puff pastry sheets and just cut them in larger rectangles!  Either way, the filling is yummy, and since I substituted half and half for the heavy cream, these weren't too terrible for the waistline!

Shrimp Pot Pies

adapted from Cassie Craves

4 - 6 frozen puff pastry shells
1 (1 lb.) package frozen uncooked medium shrimp (buy them shelled and deveined)

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 small carrots, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups half and half
Salt and white pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place puff pastry shells on baking sheet and bake per the package instructions.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Saute the shrimp, 1 minute per side. Remove shrimp and set aside.
Add remaining butter to the pan and saute onions and carrots until softened about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add wine, bring to a simmer and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the half and half and bring back to a simmer until the sauce thickens to a gravy consistency, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Place the shrimp back into the sauce to coat. Season with salt and white pepper. Ladle the shrimp mixture onto the bottom halves of the puff pastry shells; enjoy!

BBQ Shrimp

This was my second time making these shrimp, the first being before my blogging days, but I just had to share these with my readers because they are so good and so easy!  They are most like the BBQ shrimp that they serve down in New Orleans, a thin sauce that is slightly spicy and oh so good.  Make sure to make some garlic bread to go along with these, because you will definately want something to dip into the delicious sauce!  Make sure to have lots of napkins ready, because these are peel and eat, so things could get messy!

Also, for easier clean up, I would recommend using a dispoable aluminum pan!

BBQ Shrimp

adapted from Recipezaar

2 lbs unpeeled large raw shrimp (I use the easy-peel kind to make it easier to eat)

1 lemon, cut into wedges
2 bay leaves
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme

Place shrimp in a 13- x- 9-inch pan; top with lemon wedges and bay leaves. Stir together butter and next 6 ingredients. Pour over shrimp.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 35 minutes or until shrimp are pink, stirring every 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Serve with garlic bread and lemon wedges.

Red Curry Shrimp with Jasmine Rice

A couple of Sunday's ago I didn't go to the grocery store as planned, and once six o'clock rolled around, I was hungry.  Rather than running out to grab something, I figured I should try to throw something together with the stuff that I had on hand.  When I looked in my cupboard I found this:

It was a jar of Thai Kitchen Red Curry Simmer sauce, I had bought it a few months ago when I had a coupon for it, and had yet to try it.  I remembered that I had some shrimp and frozen broccoli in the freezer, so I figured I would try it out.

I knew I needed some sort of rice or noodle to serve it over to soak up the sauce; so I was very happy when I came across this:

Uncle Ben's Jasmine Ready Rice!  I think I bought this with the intention of using it with some sort of Thai stir fry I was going to make once; well it didn't happen then, but on this night I was happy to find it, especially since it only takes 90 seconds in the microwave and it is done.

So I gathered my sauce, shrimp, rice, frozen broccoli and red bell pepper that I had found in the fridge and started cooking.  Well the strangest thing happened, from start to finish the entire process took just 15 minutes, which is at least how long it would have taken me to run out and grab some food somewhere!  Plus, it was a much healthier option than anything I would have gotten.  The flavor of this was good, very mild for those of you worried about spice (but it could be easily taken up a notch with some siracha sauce) and it paired so well with the Jasmine rice.  I was very proud of myself for making such a colorful, healthy meal....and my stomach was grateful that it only took 15 minutes!

Red Curry Shrimp with Jasmine Rice

(Serves 2 )

1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (If using frozen, just run under some water for a minute)

1 (11.9 oz.) jar Thai Kitchen Red Curry Simmer Sauce

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 c. broccoli florets (I used frozen, but fresh would work)

1 (8.5 oz.) bag Uncle Ben's Jasmine Ready Rice

In a medium saucepan, heat simmer sauce until boiling.  Add shrimp to sauce and reduce to a simmer.  Cook about 3 minutes and then add the red bell pepper and broccoli.  Meanwhile, cook Ready Rice according to package directions.  The sauce is done once the shrimp are fully cooked (pink).  Divide rice into two bowls and top with the shrimp sauce.  Enjoy!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce & Shrimp Enchiladas

Every summer when I visit Coronado with my family, there is one thing that I always have to do...go and eat at Miguel's Cocina! My family has been eating here since I was a toddler, and I have many fond memories of spending time there with both family and friends. When we first went back to stay in Coronado after about a 15 year hiatus, I was really excited to go back to Miguel's. It looked just how I had remembered it, but one thing that I didn't remember was the Jalapeno White Sauce that they serve alongside the chips and salsa. Let me just say....it was love at first bite! Maybe I never ate this stuff as a kid, or maybe it had just been too long, but I could not believe that I didn't remember it. Even though there are jalapenos in it, it is not really spicy, it is just a smooth, velvety white sauce that goes great with just about everything on the menu!

On my recent trip to Coronado, I was only able to get to Miguel's once (I usually try to sneak in at least two trips) but I savored every bite of the sauce, knowing that I wouldn't get to have it again for an entire year. Well.....I was wrong! The other day I was surfing around on the Internet and came across a website full of secret restaurant recipes, it got me thinking, and so just for fun I Googled "Miguel's Cocina Jalapeno White Sauce," and to my complete surprise it popped right up! In reading the blurb, apparently Miguel's will actually give you a recipe card if you ask for the recipe at the restaurant....who knew??!! With the secret recipe now in my hot little hand, I knew that I was going to have to try it out ASAP. And while I am always a fan of eating just dip for dinner, I decided I need to be a little bit more grown up and actually make some real food as well, so I got some shrimp at the butcher counter to make into some enchiladas with the sauce on top!

The instructions for the dip seemed pretty simple, but they did call for "clarified butter." I had heard of that before, but didn't know how to make it, so after some Internet research I was good to go. It actually was pretty simple, but a word to the wise, start with double the amount of butter that you actually will need, because the clarifying process reduces it by half. Once I had the butter ready it was smooth sailing, and the sauce came together in just 10 minutes! I tasted it, and it was almost a perfect duplicate of my beloved sauce from Miguel's! I think it could have used even a bit more jalapeno, so adjust according to your heat tolerance. Once the sauce was ready, I prepared the enchiladas and I had myself a delicious (although, not low fat at all) Mexican feast! I think next time I will try and make it using half and half and see how it works out!

The possibilities are endless for this sauce.....thank you Miguel!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce

2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. chicken base
2 Tbsp. clarified butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (Or more if you like it hot!)
1 Tbsp. juice from jarred jalapenos
1/2 c. shredded cheese (Mexi-Mix)

Heat whipping cream in a saucepan over high heat. When cream is ready to boil, stir in sour cream. When sour cream dissolves, reduce heat to medium. Stir in chicken base and jalapeno juice and simmer.

While cream is simmering, make a roux by warming butter in a saucepan over medium heat, adding flour, and mixing with a wire whip until mixture starts to turn pale gold.

Just before cream mixture is about to boil again, add roux, whisking briskly until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in minced jalapeno and shredded cheese.

Shrimp Enchiladas
(I just made enough for me, so adjust accordingly)

8 extra large shrimp, peeled and deviened
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
Olive Oil
1/2 c. Jalapeno cheese sauce
3 corn tortillas
1/2 c. shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Green onions, chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add shrimp; sprinkle with seasonings and some of the onions. Cook until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and roughly chop. Add in a touch of the cheese sauce.

Warm tortillas in microwave. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Fill tortillas with shrimp mixture; roll up and place seam side down in dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese and onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Enjoy!

Shrimp Cheeseball

Yesterday we celebrated my sister's upcoming birthday with a pool party and bbq at my parent's house. A great time was had by all; good friends, good fun and good food were all in attendance! And we even got lucky with an unusually cool, nice day during the Arizona summer!

Laura asked me to plan some food for the party, which meant I got to try out a bunch of new recipes that I will be posting over the next week or so. But since it was Laura's celebration, I thought I would post her favorite one first. She told me that this reminded her of the shrimp canapes that our mom used to make growing up, and I think it is beacause they both use one of those little jars of Kraft Old English Cheese. You just can't go wrong with Old English cheese, especially when it is mixed with two other kinds of cheese! This was a big hit with everyone else at the party as well, although, I think next time I make it, I would use two cans of shrimp, because they seemed to be few and far between!

Shrimp Cheeseball

adapted from Gather Round Our Table

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese (I used light)
1 (5 oz.) jar Kraft Old English cheese
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can tiny shrimp, drained (use 2 cans if you like!)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 - 1 c. pecans, coarsley chopped or crushed

Soften cream cheese, either by setting out an hour before preparation, or by defrosting in microwave until soft (remove foil wrapping first!). Add the rest of the ingredients, except for pecans, and mix thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the mixture firms up slightly. Divide mixture into 2 or 3 balls and wrap each individually in saran wrap. Chill until serving.

When ready to serve, roll blls in chopped nuts and place on platter. Serve with crackers (I used Wheat Thins and Ritz).

Yummy Yummy! I had an extra cheeseball leftover that I sent home with the birthday girl!

Shrimp Pad Thai

I absolutley love Pad Thai, and when I came across this recipe on another recipe blog I knew that I wanted to try it out ASAP! I decided to invite a few friends over to watch the American Idol finale (so happy that Kris won!), so I thought this would be the perfect time to try it out.

I have to say, it was much easier than I would have anticipated; especially once all the prep work was done, it cooked up in just about 15 minutes and was very good. I will definitely be making this again and my guests agreed! Give it a try!

Shrimp Pad Thai

adapted from a blog that I can't find again...sorry!

8 oz dried rice noodles

1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 T hoisin sauce

2 T to 1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp. chili sauce (siracha) [Use less for less heat]

2 eggs

1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined

10 oz fresh bean sprouts

6 green onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup peanuts, chopped; divided

1/4 cup chopped cilantroLime wedges

Soak noodles in hot water according to package directions. Drain. Peel & devein shrimp. Place in bowl, season with a pinch or two of salt and stir to be sure all shrimp are seasoned.Mix fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and hoisin sauce in a bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a large sautee pan with high sides over high heat. Add 2 T oil, garlic and chili sauce. Stir fry until golden. Add noodles and toss lightly to coat with oil. Push noodles to one side. Add more oil if necessary. Add eggs. Cook until slightly set then break up into pieces and toss with noodles.
Add shrimp, most of the bean sprouts, the green onions, and 1/4 cup of peanuts. Stir fry until shrimp just turn pink, 1-2 minutes. Add sauce and toss to coat.

Remove to a serving platter and top with cilantro and remaining peanuts. Garnish with bean sprouts and lime wedges. Serve immediately.