I hate to say it, but I've gotten behind in writing lately. To be honest, my education has been holding me hostage, but that will soon come to an end. I hope everyone out there has been doing well (and eating well) in my absence. Today's blog is going to be short and sweet. I thought I'd just share with you a couple of things that have been going on in my kitchen lately.
First, I have discovered homemade Alfredo sauce. For those of you who already do this, I'm sure you're wondering what I have been waiting for all these years. It's so simple. You start by sauteing some garlic in a pan (add mushrooms if you like those). You use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream and whole milk. You add 1 - 2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese depending on the amount of liquid you used. Season this with salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Simmer the combination on low, stirring frequently until it has reduced to the desired consistency. I don't suggest pouring this on top of your pasta the way Americans tend to do. Instead pour it in with the pasta, mix thoroughly and serve as a more homogeneous mix. I promise, you'll never even look at another bottle of Alfredo sauce in the store again! Naturally, if anyone more experienced than myself has a tip for improving on this technique, please let me know. For an interesting twist, check out the Cajun pasta recipe my hubby and I whipped up the other night:
Smokin' Dave's Cafe's Fiery Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning of your choice, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1 pound linguine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Place the shrimp and 3 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning in a large resealable plastic bag and shake. Place the bag in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce. Heat a deep 3-quart skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the andouille sausage. Saute sausage for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. To the skillet, add cream, milk, remaining Cajun Seasoning, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. Stir to a consistent color. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Lower heat to a simmer. Heat the remaining olive oil in another large skillet over high heat and add the shrimp. Saute shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they just start to turn pink. Add the shrimp and cooked, drained pasta to the first skillet. Stir to combine and blend flavors, about 1 minute.
This recipe can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/ because it was featured on Emeril Live. The original recipe calls for Essence of Emeril as the Cajun seasoning. There's a recipe available for making this mixture, and I think you can buy it in the store. I'm a huge fan of Emeril's, but I used a different Cajun mix that I happened to have already prepared. No offense to the Big E, but it worked just fine.
Second, I discovered that I am no longer afraid of Brussels sprouts! My husband surprised me with this tasty little vegetable the other day. He bought them fresh, cut them in half vertically (long ways) and cooked them in a pan with butter and bacon. YUM! If anyone has other recipes for my newly discovered friends, pass them this way!
I guess that's all for now. As always, please share your recipes and ideas with me. Hopefully we'll get to do some travelling soon with school coming to an end, and I'll be able to post something other than recipes.
First, I have discovered homemade Alfredo sauce. For those of you who already do this, I'm sure you're wondering what I have been waiting for all these years. It's so simple. You start by sauteing some garlic in a pan (add mushrooms if you like those). You use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream and whole milk. You add 1 - 2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese depending on the amount of liquid you used. Season this with salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Simmer the combination on low, stirring frequently until it has reduced to the desired consistency. I don't suggest pouring this on top of your pasta the way Americans tend to do. Instead pour it in with the pasta, mix thoroughly and serve as a more homogeneous mix. I promise, you'll never even look at another bottle of Alfredo sauce in the store again! Naturally, if anyone more experienced than myself has a tip for improving on this technique, please let me know. For an interesting twist, check out the Cajun pasta recipe my hubby and I whipped up the other night:
Smokin' Dave's Cafe's Fiery Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning of your choice, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1 pound linguine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Place the shrimp and 3 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning in a large resealable plastic bag and shake. Place the bag in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce. Heat a deep 3-quart skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the andouille sausage. Saute sausage for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. To the skillet, add cream, milk, remaining Cajun Seasoning, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. Stir to a consistent color. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Lower heat to a simmer. Heat the remaining olive oil in another large skillet over high heat and add the shrimp. Saute shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they just start to turn pink. Add the shrimp and cooked, drained pasta to the first skillet. Stir to combine and blend flavors, about 1 minute.
This recipe can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/ because it was featured on Emeril Live. The original recipe calls for Essence of Emeril as the Cajun seasoning. There's a recipe available for making this mixture, and I think you can buy it in the store. I'm a huge fan of Emeril's, but I used a different Cajun mix that I happened to have already prepared. No offense to the Big E, but it worked just fine.Second, I discovered that I am no longer afraid of Brussels sprouts! My husband surprised me with this tasty little vegetable the other day. He bought them fresh, cut them in half vertically (long ways) and cooked them in a pan with butter and bacon. YUM! If anyone has other recipes for my newly discovered friends, pass them this way!
I guess that's all for now. As always, please share your recipes and ideas with me. Hopefully we'll get to do some travelling soon with school coming to an end, and I'll be able to post something other than recipes.
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