Seafood Pasta Chowder

© 2009 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

This is one of those recipes that calls for spoiling yourself and making this a special meal.  Of course you can also serve it for a casual lunch.  But it can be made very special.  

First of all, there is something about having this chowder out of a bread bowl that makes you feel spoiled.  I also like to garnish the top with larger shrimp.

However you choose to serve it,  the chowder aims to please!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked miniature pasta bow-ties or shells 
• 5 tablespoons butter 
• 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups fish stock (clam juice can be used if it is your preference) 
• 2 cups half-and-half 
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
• 1 teaspoon dill 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, amount depends on your heat preference 
• 1 cup canned fresh crab meat 
• 8 ounces shrimp (whatever size you prefer . . . we prefer bigger shrimp and sometimes use more than 8 ounces depending on our budget) 
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions, green tops included 

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water in a large pot. Drain and rinse.

While pasta is cooking . . . 

Saute mushrooms on low heat in 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Salt and cook about 3 minutes, until they have cooked down a bit.

Saute an additional minute after adding garlic, making sure the garlic does not brown.

Stir in 2 tablespoons butter until melted. 

Add flour into the mixture, stirring constantly and cook for 2 minutes. 

Continue stirring and add the fish stock, then the milk. Heat until thickened.

Add paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne, stir in crab and shrimp.  

Cook only until heated through! 

Add drained pasta and green onions. 

Taste and season accordingly, if necessary.

Awesome when served in a bread bowl, but make sure to enjoy with some hot crusty bread.


Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Photo credit © 2009 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, recipe adapted from About.com

The Captain's Pork Stew

Who said that leftovers have to be boring?  We had some pork roast left over from our delicious meals of black beans and rice with roast pork.  The Captain made a delicious pork stew out of the leftovers!  I can't tell you how much money we have just thrown down the garbage can until we started coming up with ways to turn one meal into another.  

There are many things you can do with leftover pork roast.  My favorite is to make sandwiches on some good hoagie bread.  How about a pot of any type of beans with the leftover pork thrown in?  I've used them in my famous "Gina's Cuban Style Fried Rice" . . . actually, all types of leftovers end up in that dish!

Ingredients:

1-3 lbs Gina’s Mojo Pork* or your roast pork

1-3 large onions quartered

4-8 medium potatoes cut into bite sized pieces

1-2 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic

½ to 1 12 oz can of tomato sauce

½ to 1 can corn

½ to 1 can peas

Salt

Pepper

2 quarts of water

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil and add the onions, garlic, and potatoes boil for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile slice or shred Gina’s Mojo Pork, keep some of the fat and discard the rest.

Reduce the onions/potato/garlic mixture to a simmer and add Gina’s Mojo Pork. Add just enough tomato sauce to taste. When the stew simmers add salt and pepper to taste.

Occasionally stir the stew. As it cooks it will become long shreds of pork and the sauce will reduce.  When the potatoes have become soft (about 20 minutes), mash them against the side of the pot to break them apart.

Add the corn and peas.  Heat until steaming and serve with biscuits.

  

*The spices used in Gina's Mojo Pork do have an impact on the outcome of the total flavor of the stew.  I highly recommend making the pork for a main meal and using the leftovers for the stew.

This recipe was shared at the following linky parties:

Ham and Cheese Omelet Bake

What an awesome breakfast!  As a big fan of breakfast food, I would have this meal any time of day.

Perhaps for breakfast, I would leave out the veggies . . . or I may have to include potatoes.  Lots of room for variation!

Ingredients

1

(10-oz.) box Green Giant® Frozen Broccoli & Cheese Flavored Sauce

1

(10.2-oz.) can (5 biscuits) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers Refrigerated Original Biscuits

10

eggs

1 1/2

cups milk

1

teaspoon dry ground mustard

Salt and pepper, if desired

2

cups diced cooked ham

1/3

cup chopped onion

4

oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

4

oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese

1

(4.5-oz.) jar Green Giant® Sliced Mushrooms, drained

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cut small slit in center of broccoli and cheese sauce pouch. Microwave on High for 3 to 4 minutes, rotating pouch 1/4 turn once halfway through microwaving. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, spray bottom only of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Separate dough into 5 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces; arrange evenly in sprayed dish.
• In large bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in ham, onion, both cheeses, mushrooms and cooked broccoli and cheese sauce. Pour mixture over biscuit pieces in dish. Press down with back of spoon, making sure all biscuit pieces are covered with egg mixture.
• Bake at 350°F. for 40 to 50 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.

Source:  Pillsbury.com

Bake-Off® Contest 41, 2004

Julie Amberson

Browns Point, Washington

Corn Fritters

Corn fritters is one of my favorite things.  This recipe comes from Martha Stewart and her television series on PBS, Martha's Cooking School.

Since I love corn fritters so much, I have posted more recipes . . . click here.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• Coarse salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups yellow corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Honey, for serving
• 
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and cayenne. Add milk and egg to flour mixture and stir together to create a batter. Add corn and fold to combine.
2. Heat 4 inches oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees. Working in batches, using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, drop batter by the tablespoon into the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and deep-golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes; adjust heat as needed to keep oil temperature between 350 and 360 degrees. Transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season to taste with salt, and serve immediately with honey.

Source