Homemade Pimento Cheese Sandwiches

This recipe comes from the Food Network, one of my favorite television channels.  I was watching Sunny Anderson's show the other day and she featured this recipe that is so simple to make and looks so delicious.

These sandwiches would make awesome appetizers for a party!

The only thing I would change . . . omit the onions and substitute cayenne pepper for the black pepper.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded (recommended: Colby)
• 1/2 pound Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, plus 2 tablespoons juice
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf white sandwich bread, sliced into diagonal pieces

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, pimentos and pimento juice, onion, mayonnaise, garlic, paprika, and celery seed. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer the cheese spread to a serving bowl and serve with the bread.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits

Although I have often heard of the pairing of shrimp and grits, it is a dish that I have never had. I've had a craving for shrimp lately, moreso than usual, and the thought of pairing it with grits came to mind for something different, so off I went in search of a recipe that best suited our taste.

This recipe was found on Food Network Magazine . . . check out their website if you have not done so, it is awesome with all types of sections and blogs for whatever you are hungry for.

Speaking of shrimp . . . The Captain and I have a shrimp dish a couple times a week and are always looking for new ways to prepare it. I'll be posting something we came up with this week that was so good . . . we couldn't get enough of it. We made it two nights in a row. No, I didn't take photos . . . I'm bad about that! Another post to come on our new flavor discovery . . . hopefully with some photos.

If you have not discovered the big bags of frozen shrimp at your grocery store, you must check it out. We have found that it is the most cost effective way to buy shrimp, even though we are on the Gulf coast and fresh shrimp is readily available. I love the convenience of the peeled and deveined shrimp. It takes a few minutes to thaw them out in hot water and you are ready to go without the mess of cleaning shrimp. One bag is enough shrimp for three meals for 2.


By the way . . . I never use instant grits!  It takes five minutes to cook grits the old fashioned way and so worth it.  I like convenience foods, but not when it comes to grits, oatmeal and rice.

Here is the recipe for 
Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup instant grits
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne, if using, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and parsley; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the grits among shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Shrimp and Sweet Pepper Linguine

Fast and easy recipes are what I seek out on those days when it seems like there are not enough hours in the day.  I've gotten into a cooking groove that I can whip out in 30 minutes or less since that is what our lifestyle calls for recently . . . except for our two days off.  Fast and easy is smart cooking, but doesn't have to compromise the quality of the meal.  

This recipe has everything I look for in a fast, easy and quality meal.  Add a salad and some good bread to complete the meal.

This Shrimp and Sweet Pepper Linquine recipe comes from Crisco's website.  They are currently hosting an awesome giveaway . . . their theme . . . 

"The authentic flavors of Crisco® Olive Oil can inspire you to transform everyday ingredients into something extraordinary. And you can share your inspirations for a chance to win a trip to Italy!"

Click here to get details and enter the contest.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Crisco® Pure Olive Oil

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 large red pepper, cut into strips

1/2 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 pound linguine, cooked and drained

Parmesan cheese, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Directions

1.HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook and stir until golden. Add onion and peppers, cooking until tender.

2.ADD shrimp, salt and pepper. Cook shrimp until pink and tender. 

(I never cook shrimp more than 4 minutes)

Serve over cooked linguine. 

Top with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

There are countless ways to vary this recipe  

and ways to make it even easier on a busy day.

Variations!

Use chicken instead of shrimp 

Make it a veggie meal by adding mushrooms, broccoli, green beans or diced tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes instead of shrimp or chicken.  Experiment with what you like or what you have in the fridge.

Kick it up a notch by using jalapeno peppers if spicy hot is what you like.

Kitchen tips to make it easier!

Use pre-cut onions and peppers . . . when I have time, I'll cut peppers and onions and place them in freezer bags.  For one thing, they don't go to waste if you don't use them fast . . . second, this meal can really come together way faster if you don't have to spend the time to cut your veggies.
  

Another thing I've started doing to make things easier . . . I buy minced garlic in a big jar since I use so much garlic in my cooking.  Garlic dries out so fast and I hate waste.  Or you can make your own minced garlic in olive oil packed in a glass jar and kept in the fridge.  Make it on the same day you cut your peppers and onions to freeze . . . get it all done at one time so you won't have to be bothered with that stuff until you run out.

Have you experimented with sun dried tomatoes?  Try throwing some in a sauce or a stir fry type of meal like this one.  

How about roasted red peppers that come in a glass jar?   Some come packed in garlic for awesome flavored peppers that are ready to go with no fuss.  I love them!  They add a new dimension to any recipe that calls for peppers.

Since I finally have a "life" with the awesome new man in my life, I'd rather spend more time with him than in the kitchen . . . I'm finding ways to cook faster and with convenience foods, and adopting the "Sandra Lee" style of cooking.

Hope these tips help save you some time!

Gina's Pepperoni Bread

Bread is one of the greatest wonders of the world!  There is nothing like the making of fresh bread from working the dough to the smell of baking bread. I'm always looking for awesome bread recipes that can be used as appetizers or snacks.  

My imagination is going wild with ideas for variations to this recipe . . . but that's a future post.

Imagine a loaf of bread, assembled similar to a cinnamon bun, loaded with pepperoni and cheese or whatever filling you decide on.

I love that this bread can be made ahead and frozen for a future party . . . or make two at a time and put one away for a lazy day.

This recipe comes from my filing cabinet full of recipes and I have no idea where it came from!

Ingredients


Dough:

3 ¼ cups flour 
1 package (¾ tablespoon) yeast
¾ tablespoons salt
½ tablespoon sugar
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil


Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz. shredded cheese, your favorite
Pepperoni


Egg wash:

1 egg 
½ tablespoon water
Garlic salt



Directions

• Mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in large bowl; stir until combined.

• Add warm water and olive oil; stir until dough forms.

• Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

• Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.

• Roll dough out into rectangle on floured surface. Let rest.

• Spread cheese evenly over dough. Top with pepperoni.

• Roll dough tightly and fold edges inward and pinch.

• Let rest for 40 minutes, covered in plastic wrap.

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• Whisk together egg and water, coat loaf with egg wash. (I use a smallish paint brush that is just used for baking.) Sprinkle with garlic salt.

• Bake bread for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.

• Remove from oven, cool on wire rack, then slice.