Shrimp and Mirlitons

Ingredients:
4 Medium Mirlitons
2 T crab boil (liquid)
4 T margarine
1 cup green onion, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
garlic powder (or minced garlic) to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs




 Boil mirlitons until tender in salty water to which 2 tbsps of crab boil were added.
 Peel and cube the pulp. Sauté green onions, onions and parsley in margarine. Add shrimp and cook 10 minutes. Add mirliton, garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Pour into 9x13-inch casserole, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake 30 minutes.

Mississippi Mud

Ingredients:  
 1 cup chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 (3.9 oz) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
vanilla to taste (optional)


 Kitchenware:
Medium Mixing Bowls
Large Mixing Bowl
9x13 Pan
Whisk
Stirring Utensil
Measuring Cups/Spoons

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium mixing bowl, combine walnuts and flour. Mix well, then stir in softened butter or margarine. Stir until ingredients are combined and mixture forms a ball. Press into bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and cool.

In another medium bowl, place pudding mix, and slowly whisk in milk. Mix until smooth; allowing to set up for 5 minutes then spread on top of cooled crust.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until fluffy.Beat in confectioner's sugar until mixture is smooth. Add in vanilla if you wish. In a separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form, then fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread over pudding layer. Chill before serving.

Coconut Pancakes

 Someone on my birth board just shared this recipe, and my mouth is watering... What can't you do with pancakes?!?!

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  flaked sweetened coconut
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1  tablespoon  butter, melted
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine coconut milk, butter, and egg; stir well. Add coconut milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

French Bread

2 ¼ c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured

Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too stick – but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.
Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times.

Then turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Chicken and Chile Enchiladas

I am SO not a Mexican food lover. I am extremely picky about Mexican food, and since most of it is blegh, I tend to stay away from it. However, when I went to Kentwood to visit family before Marie was born, they introduced me to this recipe...

These are unlike any enchiladas I have ever had! They are silky and creamy in the middle, and have just enough sauce and cheese on them to not be overpowering. Even if you don't like Mexican food, I'm sure this will be a hit at home!


Ingredients:  
 1 pound chicken breast or thighs (cubed or cut into strips)
1- 8 oz package cream cheese, cubed
1- 4.5 oz can Chopped Green Chiles ( I use the 7 oz can, because we like the added spice)
1 package 6 inch tortillas
2- 10 oz cans Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (Mild or Hot depending on spice preference)
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
*For additional spice, you could also add chopped jalepeno

Kitchenware:
13x9 baking dish (or two smaller pans... one pan to cook, and one to freeze)
10 inch skillet
Stirring Utensil

This is a quick and easy dinner! I always have the ingredients on hand, the chiles and sauce in the pantry, chicken, cream cheese and tortillas in the freezer (Yes, you CAN freeze them!), and cheddar in the fridge.

Heat oven to 400 degrees; spray your baking dish with cooking spray. In your skillet, cook chicken over Medium-High heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in the center. Stir in cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to Medium. Cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.

Spoon chicken filling into tortillas; roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

If you were freezing a batch, you would still put the sauce and cheese on top. Then wrap with saran wrap, and aluminum foil. I like to write the heating directions on the foil so I remember. 400 for 30 minutes.This freezes wonderfully and tastes just as spectacular as if you had made it fresh!

Shutterfly Cards

As the search for Holiday Cards is drawing near, I thought I'd share a little something! Shutterfly has some BEAUTIFUL cards. I mean, cards that I would never even think of, this site has them. I do think we are going to have a problem choosing between cards. How do you choose cards? They also have some neat gifts ideas, calendars, photo books, and many other photo gifts. I think my favorite card at the moment is this one.

 

We've used Shutterfly since before Marie was born, sharing sonogram pictures with family, recent pictures and updates about her, and we ordered her Announcements from Shutterfly. They came with envelopes and were breathtakingly beautiful. Not to mention, they always have coupon codes for free shipping, discounts, and free photos if you sign up for their newsletter. We've used other sites before for photo printing, but the discount prices also came with discount quality. I would much rather pay a little extra to get quality photographs to share with friends and family.

If you have a blog, Shutterfly is offering a deal that you can get 50 free cards.

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
Large Fryer Chicken (mine was about 4 pounds)
Gallon of Salted Water
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs
Tap Water (about 1/2 cup)

 Kitchenware:
Crockpot
Large Mixing Bowl
Rolling Pin
Wooden Spoon


This recipe is easy peasy...

Set your crockpot on High. Pour in your water, and add in your chicken. (If you'd like to add seasoning right now you can.) I added in my seasoning and Bay Leaf. Cook, on High, for 4 hours. Take out your chicken and let cool, so you can debone it.

To make your dumplings:

Combine flour, baking powder, eggs and knead dough, adding water as needed. I eventually added in 1/2 cup of water, but depending on the consistency you desire, you may add less or more. Roll out dough on lightly floured board; cut in strips or squares.

Drop into crockpot. Cook for 20 minutes after the last dumpling has been added. (Cooking time for dumplings may depend based on the size and/or thickness) Add in deboned chicken; stir in GENTLY. Let cook another 10-20 minutes to reheat the chicken. Serve over rice.

This can also be frozen really well in quart containers or ziploc bags.