Thursday, December 6, 2012

Skillet Chicken Parmesan


Skillet Chicken Parmesan

This is an easy but delicious recipe. We make this a lot in my kitchen and it’s always a hit!

¼ cup olive oil
1  cup chopped onion
2  cloves garlic, finely chopped
1  28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
2  tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

4  boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/3  cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/3  cup grated parmesan cheese
1  egg, beaten
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a saucepan or skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic about 2 minutes, stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling and simmer.

Between sheets of wax paper, flatten chicken to ¼” thickness. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg and coat with bread crumb mix. Heat remaining olive oil in skillet; cook chicken 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. Pour tomato sauce around chicken in skillet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken, cover and heat until melted.

Fajita Marinade



Fajita Marinade

Original Recipe Yield 1 1/2 cups marinade

Ingredients
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 pounds flank steak
Directions
Combine the orange, lemon, and lime juice in a large glass or ceramic bowl along with the garlic, soy sauce, chipotle pepper, chili power, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cilantro. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until marinade is well combined. Remove one cup of the marinade and place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for use after the meat is cooked.
Place the flank steak between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the steak with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/4 inch. After pounding, poke steak all over with a fork. Add the meat to the marinade in the large bowl, cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove the steak from the marinade and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Discard used marinade. Remove meat from heat and slice across the grain.
Pour the one cup of reserved, unused marinade over the hot meat and serve immediately.

Cajun Red Beans



Cajun Red Beans

I like to make this main dish when I'm having company for dinner, since it serves a bunch. Warm corn bread makes a great accompaniment.
8-10 Servings Prep: 15 min. + standing Cook: 2-1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 pound dried kidney beans
1 large ham bone
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups chopped green onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 can (8 ounces) Hunt’s® Tomato Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced
Hot cooked rice

Directions

Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven or
soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil 2
minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Return beans to Dutch oven.
Add the ham bone, water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat;
simmer, uncovered for 1 hour.
Remove ham bone, when cool enough to handle, remove meat from bone and discard bone. Set meat aside. To the bean mixture, add the onions, green pepper, parsley, tomato sauce, garlic, Worcestershire
sauce, pepper, cayenne, oregano, thyme and hot pepper sauce. Cook on
low for 1 hour.
Add sausage and reserved ham; cook 30 minutes longer or until heated
through, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. Yield: 8-10
servings.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Big D's Shrimp Sausage and Okra Gumbo

Shrimp, Sausage and Okra Gumbo
4 tbsp. oil
4 tbsp. flour
2 lb. okra, sliced
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cans tomatoes, cut up
1 bell pepper, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1/4 c. chopped, parsley
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. basil
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 lb. shrimp, peeled and 1 lb. Andouille sausage
2 qt. Shrimp Stock (see how to make it below)
Salt & pepper to taste

Make a good dark roux in a heavy pot with hot oil and flour (see below). Add water slowly and then okra. Add all vegetables and seasonings. Black or red pepper or Tabasco may be used depending on preference.
To improve flavor, sauté vegetables{minus the okra) in butter before adding. Cook above ingredients for 30 minutes to an hour. Add shrimp and Andouille sausage, but do not overcook. File is not added because okra is a thickener. Gumbo should have a thick consistency, somewhere between soup and gravy. Serve with rice in bowl.
Roux Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Oil or Butter
1 cup all purpose white flour
Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron pot and add oil. Once oil is heated, slowly add the flour, stirring constantly until all is blended. Continue to cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until flour and oil blend to form a brown roux the color of a dark copper penny. The longer you cook it, the darker the roux will become. Remember don't rush the cooking of the roux and don’t burn it; allow the mixture to develop at its own pace. Transfer to cooking pot and add warm water to hot roux for thickness desired.



Shrimp Stock
Peel your shrimp and save the hulls. Place the hulls in a double wrapped cheese cloth and tie the top to make a bag. Then, place the bag in two quarts of boiling hot water. Boil for about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the cheesecloth bag and discard. Shrimp stock is ready. This greatly improves the flavor of your gumbo.

Big D's Redfish On The Half Shell



Redfish On The Half Shell
If you love the flavor of grilled fish and are worried about your fish falling apart, your troubles are over.
 
Redfish, cut into fillets with the scales and skin left on.
Place the redfish onto a foil pan. I used the grill pans you can buy at the grocery so I can toss them in the trash when finished.
Place the redfish on the foil pan scale side down. Place several pats of butter along the length of the fillet. Sprinkle the top with Tony Chachere’s Creole seasonings.
Place the pans on a hot grill and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve just like you cooked it, with the shell on. The meat pulls right out and tastes out of this world awesome!