Today's Repeat Menu:
Sweet Crabmeat Ravigote
Pickled Beets, Marinated Red Onions, Baby Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes and Mixed Green Salad with Feta Cheese and Balsamic Dressing
Speedy Shrimp Orzo Casserole
Pan Saute Red Snapper Topped with Crabmeat Saute
Bread Pudding Cups with Bourbon Sauce
Trisha Yearwood's Lipstick Cocktail
SWEET CRABMEAT RAVIGOTE
2/3 c. Spicy Mayo
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 green onion, finely chopped
Sea salt, black pepper
2 lbs. fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shells
¼ c. capers, plus more for garnish, drained
2 T. minced parsley
Belgian endive or your favorite crackers or toasted French bread slices
1. In large bowl, mix the mayo, mustard, green onion and season to taste.
2. Fold in capers and crabmeat and mix carefully. Taste for seasoning.
3. Sprinkle with parsley and place in a serving dish surrounded by endive and bread toasts/crackers.
4. Place a bowl of extra capers on the side for additional garnish.
PICKLED BEETS, MARINATED RED ONIONS, BABY CUCUMBERS, CHERRY TOMATOES AND MIXED GREEN SALAD WITH FETA CHEESE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
2-3 (16-oz.) jars sliced pickled beets, drained
1 (16-oz.) jar whole pickled beets, drained
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 bottle Italian dressing
6-8 baby cucumbers, skin on, thinly sliced
½ pt. red cherry tomatoes, halved
½ pt. yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 lb. bags of mixed greens (I like the ones that have spring mix, kale, baby spinach and arugula)
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Good quality olive oil
Good quality balsamic vinegar
Salt, black pepper
1. Take the sliced red onion and place in zip lock bag and drizzle with Italian dressing and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
2. In preparation of the salad, get a large flat platter with a little lip on it and spread the mixed greens all over. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Add a little salt and pepper.
3. In the center of the platter mound the whole pickled beets.
4. Surround the whole beets with the sliced beets.
5. Then around the sliced beets, drape the marinated red onions (you can strain them and save the marinade for other things.)
6. Place the sliced cucumbers on top of the red onions.
7. Then place the halved tomatoes on top of the cucumbers.
8. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar all over the salad. You can add salt and pepper or let guests add their own.
9. Place the feta cheese in a bowl on the side so that people can add as much as they like.
10. Serve.
*****You can put this whole salad together a day ahead of time and cover with saran wrap and refrigerate. I usually do not put the olive oil and vinegar on the greens when I do it ahead of time. You can do it in the last step and it works fine. holiday outdoor wears for cocktail party
You can change up the dressings and cheeses. Bleu cheese works great with this dish.
SPEEDY SHRIMP ORZO CASSEROLE
Olive oil
3 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob
1 (8-oz.) carton fresh sliced mushrooms
2 lbs. medium fresh peeled shrimp
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ of each color bell peppers cut into strips (red, orange, yellow, green)
2 T. minced garlic
3 T. lemon zest
¾ c. fresh lemon juice
Salt, red/black pepper, garlic powder to taste
2 green onions, chopped
2 c. cooked orzo pasta
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
1. In large skillet, drizzle with olive oil on bottom. Heat over medium heat.
2. Add the red onion and bell pepper strips and sauté for about 2-3 mintues.
3. Add shrimp that have been seasoned and cook until pink.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic, corn, tomatoes, lemon zest. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Do no overcook.
5. Add lemon juice and season to taste. Heat until all are hot.
6. Boil orzo following package directions.
7. Gradually add cooked orzo to the shrimp mixture until you get the ratio that you like.
8. Spoon into a greased 13x9” baking dish.
9. When ready to serve, heat in 350 oven until hot and bubbly.
10. Garnish with chopped green onions and grated parmesan cheese.
PAN SAUTE RED SNAPPER TOPPED WITH CRABMEAT SAUTE
6-8 red snapper or speckled trout fillets
½-1 c. heavy cream
1-2 c. flour, seasoned with salt, red/black pepper
Salt, red/black pepper, garlic powder
4 T. butter
4 T. olive oil
1. Pour the cream in a shallow dish.
2. Season the fillets and place in the cream. Let them soak for 20-30 minutes.
3. Drain.
4. Coat each piece of fish in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess.
5. Melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet.
6. Saute the fillets on each side until golden brown.
7. Place on a warm platter and keep warm. You can loosely cover with foil and place in oven on 175-200 degree oven.
CRABMEAT SAUTE:
1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
1 large Vidalia onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
3 ears of fresh corn, remove kernels from cobs
1 bunch green onions
¼ c. white wine
Salt, red/black pepper
Fresh lemon or lime wedges
1. Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet.
2. Saute the onion and bell peppers until crispy tender.
3. Add the corn kernels.
4. Stir and cook until tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the wine and simmer until wine is nearly evaporated.
7. Add in the crabmeat and gently toss with the sauce and veggies.
8. Taste for seasoning.
9. Serve over the warm fish fillets.
10. Garnish with the chopped green onions and lemon/lime wedges.
BREAD PUDDING CUPS WITH BOURBON SAUCE
BREAD PUDDING CUPS:
PAM
4 c. half and half
2 c. packed dark brown sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
Pinch of salt
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 c. chopped pecans
2 sticks butter, melted
12 slices stale cinnamon-raisin bread, torn into 1” pieces
BOURBON SAUCE:
1 c. apple cider
1 c. bourbon
½ c. packed light brown sugar
4 T. butter
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1. BREAD PUDDING CUPS: Preheat oven 350. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners and spray liners with PAM.
2. In large bowl, whisk together the half and half, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and eggs.
3. Add pecans, butter and bread and stir to coat.
4. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes.
5. Carefully fill muffin tins about 2/3 way up with bread pudding mixture.
6. Cook until pudding sets, about 20-25 minutes.
7. BOURBON SAUCE: In a saucepan, add cider, bourbon, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice and salt over medium heat and simmer until sauce reduces by half, about 8-10 minutes.
8. Remove bread pudding from oven and let cool 10 minutes.
9. While still warm, use a skewer to poke a few holes in each pudding and pour a couple of tablespoon of the sauce. Serve immediately.
TRISHA YEARWOOD’S LIPSTICK COCKTAIL
1 lemon, cut in half
Extra fine sugar, to rim glasses
4 small slices serrano chile pepper, plus more to garnish
4 oz. mandarin vodka
4 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
2 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz. simple syrup (commercial or home-made)
Ice
1. Chill 4 martini glasses.
2. Rim each glass top with lemon half and then dip in sugar.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice (from the halves used to rim the glasses) into the shaker.
4. Place the peppers in the shaker and muddle.
5. Add to the shaker: vodka, orange and cranberry juice and simple syrup.
6. Top with some ice, shake and strain into chilled glasses.
7. Garnish each glass with a couple of small slices of the serrano pepper.
Enjoy!