Shrimp and Cheese Grits Casserole

Recipe Reprinted From "Holly Clegg's Trim & Terrific Home Entertaining the Easy Way"
Reprinted with Permission of Running Press Publishers



Makes 10 to 12 servings

Shrimp and grits pair together for this incredible make-ahead casserole loaded with wonderful flavors and ingredients. Be sure to use the quick grits, not instant.

Ingredients:
* 1-1/2 cups quick grits
* 6 cups water
* 1-1/2 cups shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided (use white if available)
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 3 ounces chopped lean ham
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 pounds peeled small shrimp
* Salt and Pepper to taste
* 3 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1-1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
* 1-1/2 cups sliced green onions (scallions)


Instructions:
Cook grits and the water according to instructions on package. When the grits are ready, add white cheddar, Parmesan cheese, cayenne, and paprika. Stir in ham, then set aside. Heat a large skillet and saute shrimp until they begin to turn pink. Add garlic, mushrooms, and continue to saute over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are fully pink and almost done. Add lemon juice and wine, cooking until shrimp are done.

In large bowl, combine grits mixture and shrimp mixture, and season to taste. Stir in green onions.

Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Serve immediately. If preparing this dish ahead of time, refrigerate to store, then bring to room temperature and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until well-heated.

Just discovered ...

Beurre de Crevettes

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked bay shrimp (fresh or frozen)
¼ pound butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
1 small container whipped cream cheese
2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients (except shrimp) until smooth. Squeeze water out of shrimp, chop into pieces, and add to creamed mixture just before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with leaves of Belgian endive, cucumber slices and crackers. Serves 10 as an appetizer.

SUGGESTED WINE WITH BEURRE de CREVETTES
2002 Chardonnay, North Coast
Chardonnay continues to be America’s favorite wine

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar or smoky flavor Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk, stirring until well mixed. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Cook for about 5 minutes; add cheese. Stir until smooth and well blended. Delicious with pasta or vegetables like broccoli.
Makes 2 cups.

Cheddar

The English Encyclopedia of Practical Cookery says:
Cheddar cheese is one of the kings of cheese; it is pale coloured, mellow, salvy, and, when good, resembling a hazelnut in flavour. The Cheddar principle pervades the whole cheesemaking districts of America, Canada and New Zealand, but no cheese imported into England can equal the Cheddar Cheeses of Somerset and the West of Scotland.

Named for a village near Bristol where farmer Joseph Harding first manufactured it, the best is still called Farmhouse Cheddar, but in America we have practically none of this. Farmhouse Cheddar must be ripened at least nine months to a mellowness, and little of our American cheese gets as much as that. Back in 1695 John Houghton wrote that it "contended in goodness (if kept from two to five years, according to magnitude) with any cheese in England."

Today it is called "England's second-best cheese," second after Stilton,of course.

In early days a large cheese sufficed for a year or two of family feeding, according to this old note: "A big Cheddar can be kept for two years in excellent condition if kept in a cool room and turned over every other day."

But in old England some were harder to preserve: "In Bath... I asked one lady of the larder how she kept Cheddar cheese. Her eyes twinkled: 'We don't keep cheese; we eats it.'"

- Robert Carlton Brown, The Complete Book of Cheese

Papa Al Couscous

Reprinted from
Easy Exotic with permission of Hyperion, New York, New York.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 whole garlic cloves, smashed
2 (about 3/4 pound) zucchini, cubed
4 medium-large tomatoes, or 8 large (about 2 pounds) plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper to taste
4 1/2 to 5 cups water
3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
1 cup couscous
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions:

In a casserole set over moderate heat, warm the olive oil until it is hot. Add the garlic cloves and cook, stirring, until golden. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomatoes, oregano, lemon pepper, Herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Add the water, bouillon cubes, bay leaves and additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Add the couscous and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until it reaches porridge-like consistency - about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and parsley. Discard the bay leaves. Serve the couscous drizzled with the extra-virgin olive oil and dusted with freshly grated pepper.

(Per Serving) Calories: 332; Protein: 10g; Fat: 8g; Carbohydrates: 57g; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 1006 mg.

Cooking Perfect Pasta

Use a good quality pasta. It will not stick or clump. Don't add oil to the cooking water, it only makes the pasta slippery and prevents the the sauce from adhering to the pasta.
Follow the cooking times on the package. To cook it al dente it should be soft on the outside and still a little hard on the inside. Taste the pasta before you drain it in a large collander and toss gently to remove excess liquid. DON'T rinse it unless you want to use it for some kind of pasta salad. Pasta should be served hot.
Speciality Pastas from Italy

Baked Ziti American-Style

Fast and easy; 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

16 ounces Ziti
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tomatoes
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Cook Ziti as directed; drain and set aside.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt, pepper and oregano; cook 1 minute or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk. Cook 2-3 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, seed and chop 3 tomatoes. Slice remaining tomato; set aside.
Combine bread crumbs and olive oil in a small cup and set aside.
Stir together pasta, white sauce, chopped tomatoes, cheese and basil in a large bowl.
Put pasta mixture in a baking dish; arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake for 30 minutes.