Category: Main Dish

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Cajun Shrimp and Corn Bread Casserole

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
Prep: 35 mins
Bake: 15 mins at 400°
Stand: 5 mins

Ingredients
1 pound fresh or frozen large shrimp
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (I used a tbsp. homemade Essence of Emeril)
2 peppers: 1 green and one red/orange/yellow
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic
15 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz. fire roasted tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 recipe corn bread dumplings (follows)

Directions
Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact if desired. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels.

In a large bowl combine shrimp and 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning; toss gently to coat. Set aside.

In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or large oven-going skillet, cook sweet peppers, celery, and onion in hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add shrimp and garlic. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque.

Stir in black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Spread mixture in an even layer. Drop Corn Bread Dumplings into eight mounds on top of shrimp mixture.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers of dumplings comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

Corn Bread Dumplings
Ingredients
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal (I used blue corn, of course)
1 tbsp sugar
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup fat-free or 1% milk
1 tbsp canola oil

Directions

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl combine egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Crock Pot Chicken and Sorghum Grain Soup

Chicken and Sorghum Soup

  • Total:4 hrs 45 mins
  • Prep:15 mins
  • Cook:4 hrs 30 mins
  • Yield:4 to 6 servings

This chicken soup offers loads of flavor, color, and texture, and it’s gluten-free. A variety of chopped vegetables go into the soup along with basic seasonings, most of which you probably have on hand. Some chicken base or bouillon gives the soup some extra chicken flavor, but feel free to omit it. Whole grain sorghum makes the soup a hearty, satisfying dish.

Whole grain sorghum is a good substitute for barley or rice in many dishes, and it retains its shape and texture in the slow cooker. You’ll find whole grain sorghum in many markets in the organic food or Bob’s Red Mill section. If you can’t find it locally, check Amazon.com, Jet.com,  or other online retailers.

Sorghum is a major food source for many parts of the world, but in the US it was mainly used as livestock feed and in the production of ethanol. Because it is a gluten-free grain, it is becoming more popular as human food. Sorghum can even be popped like popcorn!

Farro is another grain that holds up well in the crock pot. Go ahead and use farro or barley in the soup if you have it, or make the soup without grain and add 1 cup of cooked brown rice near the end of the cooking time. Chopped kale adds nutrients and color to the dish. Replace the kale with chopped spinach or chard leaves if you’d like. Add your family’s favorite vegetables to this versatile soup. Diced potatoes, rutabaga, and parsnips are excellent choices. Or add about 1 cup of frozen peas or mixed vegetables—thawed under cold running water—about 20 to 30 minutes before the soup is ready.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth or unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped kale
  • 3/4 cup whole grain sorghum
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon granules, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In the crockery insert of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the chicken broth, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, kale, sorghum grain, garlic, chicken base (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

  2. Cover the pot and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the sorghum is tender. Add the diced cooked chicken and salt, to taste.

  3. Cover and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes longer.

  4. Serve soup with crusty French bread or biscuits along with a simple tossed salad.

Tip

  • To prepare the kale, rinse thoroughly to ensure there is no sand clinging to the leaves. Cut out the large center stalk from large leaves and cut the stem off smaller leaves. Chop the leaves.
Posted on » by Dino » Theme:

Rachael Ray’s Chicken Riggies with Greens

Recipe taken from RachaelRay.com

Notes

The heat… it comes from the Italian hot cherry peppers, OBVIOUSLY. 😀 And I now recall using only about 1/3 of the amount of the brine as is recommended. I was attempting to keep the heat level down, yet I still completely forgot about all of that until my memory got jogged. Ahh, aging…

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I used refined olive oil because I’m not a crazy person, nor do I enjoy smoking out my kitchen)
  • ¼ pound meaty pancetta or prosciutto di Parma end cuts, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I used 8 cloves)
  • 1 large bunch flat kale, lacinato, or escarole, chopped or sliced (I used kale)
  • Salt and pepper
  • A little freshly grated nutmeg, about ⅛ teaspoon
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • About ⅓ cup sliced Italian cherry peppers, chopped and a few tablespoons of juice (I used maybe 1 tbsn of the juice and it was plenty spicy!)
  • One 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes
  • 1 rotisserie chicken (skinned!)
  • A few leaves of basil, torn (I forgot to serve this with the basil, but it was in the cocktails!)
  • 1 pound rigatoni (RIGGIES!)

For the Breadcrumb Topping

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed (I used 2 cloves)
  • 1 ¼ cups homemade breadcrumbs or panko
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 tablespoons freshly chopped (I used dried)
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped (I used fresh)
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano or a combination of the two

Preparation

  1. Heat a pot of salted water to boil for rigatoni.
  2. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, add EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, add pancetta or prosciutto and stir a minute or 2, add garlic and stir a minute, add greens to wilt and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add stock and cherry peppers and brine, bring to a bubble, then stir in tomatoes, break them up, and simmer 20 minutes to break the tomatoes down.
  3. Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and pull meat into small pieces. Add basil and chicken to sauce.
  4. For the breadcrumb topping, in another skillet over medium to medium-high heat, melt butter into oil and add garlic, swirl a minute, then add breadcrumbs, toast to golden. Remove breadcrumbs from heat and toss with herbs and cool, then toss cool crumbs with cheese.
  5. Cook pasta to 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. Reserve about ¾ cup salty water and drain pasta. Toss rigatoni with chicken and greens and add the water as necessary to keep the pasta moist. Serve the rigatoni in shallow bowls topped with breadcrumb topping.