Shrimp and Grits

3 cups milk

1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter 

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

4 slices bacon

1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp 

1 cup thinly sliced onion

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground or crushed red pepper

1/4 cup green onion strips

1. Combine milk, water, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; gradually add grits, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

2. While grits cook, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings; crumble bacon. Add shrimp to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Add white onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in bacon, tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, pepper sauce, and red pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are heated. Serve over grits; sprinkle with green onions.

Cheese Puffs

This recipe is only three ingredients and it could not be simpler.  Make some today and freeze them to serve for Christmas dinner.

1/4 pound of butter softened
1/2 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup flour

Mix ingredients together with your hands and roll them into 1/2 inch balls.  Put them into an airtight container to freeze them or bake them immediately at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

If you freeze them defrost them first before baking them.

Makes 40 puffs.

Patrick's Chocolate Decadence Cookies

These are a family favorite, especially my son, Patrick.

1 cup of butter

2 cups of flour

½ cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 6 oz package chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

½ teaspoon vanilla

In large mixing bowl, with electric mixer beat butter for 30 seconds.  Add flour, sugar and salt.  Press 2/3 of mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.

In medium saucepan combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk;.  Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  (or melt in microwave).  Remove from heat.  Stir in nuts and vanilla.  Spread hot mixture over crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool pan on wire rack.  Cut into squares.  Makes 48 squares.

Baked Pasta with Savory Meat Sauce

This is worth the effort!

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup minced parsley

small handful of chopped fresh basil leaves

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk chopped

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 pound rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup fresh grated Romano cheese

1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium, add onion, garlic, parsley, basil, carrot and celery.  Saute till tender and then add ground beef until beef turns brown.  Pour in wine, turn heat on high and boil till wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste, simmer for one hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water.   Drain and toss with sauce and Romano.  Lightly oil 9 x 13 pan with olive oil. Alternate layers of meat and sauce mixture with layers of provolone.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. 

This dish can be prepared early and frozen or refrigerated for 2  - 3 days, in this case bring to room temperature bake for 30 - 35 minutes.  

Lemon Pepper Turkey Brochettes

Marinade:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoons salt

Brochettes:
1 skinned boneless turkey breast half about 1 1/2 pounds
1 large sweet onion
1 green pepper
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
cherry tomatoes

For marinade, put ingredients in a large ziploc bag

For turkey cut into 1 inch cubes.  Place in ziploc bag and seal and marinate at least six hours or overnight.

Cut onion and peppers in bite size pieces.  Thread turkey with vegetable on skewers. Grill on over medium high heat 5 -  7 minutes per side.

4 servings

Turkey Cutlets Picata

1 pound turkey or chicken cutlets
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup butter

With meat mallet pound cutlets to a 1/8 inch thickness.

In pie plate, with fork, beat egg with milk.  Place bread crumbs into another pie plate.  Dip cutlets into milk and egg mixture, then into bread crumbs to coat them completely.

In 12 inch skillet over med high heat in 1/4 cup hot melted butter cook cutlets two pieces at at time until browned on both sides, adding more butter if needed.  Remove cutlets to a plate.

Reduce heat to low.  Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon into drippings in skillet add water, bouillon and salt.  Return chicken cutlets to skillet.  Thinly slice remaining lemons, top cutlets with lemon slice.  Cover; simmer for 15 minutes or until cutlets are tender.

To serve, arrange cutlets and lemons on a warm platter; pour liquid on top.

Beer Biscuits

These are really fun and easy!






1 cup of bisquik batter
5 ounces of beer
3 tablespoons sugar

Grease a muffin tin.  Mix all ingredients together with a fork.  Fill each muffin tin half way with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.

Makes 8 - 10.