Shrimp and Grits

If I could have one last meal before I died, this would be it!  I cannot begin to tell you how often I get asked for this recipe.  It is my most requested meal.  It is OH SO GOOD and super easy!!  My kids even love it.  You can spice it up even more if you like it spicier.  If it is just me and my husband eating I add a little more cajun seasoning and hot sauce.  If my kids are eating, I tone it down a little.  Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients:

2 lbs large shrimp peeled and deveined
2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1/4 butter or margarine
2 garlic cloves pressed
1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp all-purpose flour
Hot cooked grits (well seasoned)


Combine Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, and paprika; toss together seasoning mixture and shrimp. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add shrimp, 3/4 cup of broth, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon, reserve broth mixture in skillet. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and flour till well blended. Whisk flour mixture into broth mixture in skillet and cook whisking constantly, 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute. Serve immediately over grits.

How I cook my grits: (not low fat, haha)

3 cups of heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 stick of butter

Heat until it comes to a boil. Add 1 cup of grits and turn to low stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt to taste. Takes about 5-10 minutes. If grits get too thick add some more milk.

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Wine Sauce

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 c Finely chopped shallot
1/2 lb Fresh shiitake mushrooms,
1 1/2 c Dry red wine, divided
1 cn (10-1/2-oz) beef consomme,
Cracked pepper
4 (4-oz) filet mignon steaks
1 tb Low-sodium soy sauce
2 ts Cornstarch
1 ts Dried thyme
1 tb Margarine, divided
Fresh thyme sprigs

Preparation

Directions: Melt 1-1/2 t margarine in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallot and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes. Add 1 c wine and 3/4 c consomme; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove mushrooms, and place in a bowl. Increase heat to high; cook wine mixture 5 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 c. Add to mushrooms in bowl; set aside. Wipe skillet with a paper towel.


Sprinkle pepper over steaks. Melt remaining margarine in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 1-1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Place on a platter; keep warm.


Combine soy sauce and cornstarch; stir well. Add remaining wine and consomme to skillet; scrape skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add mushroom mixture, cornstarch mixture, and dried thyme; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve with steaks. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

I derived this recipe from cooking light so it is low in calories and fat.

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon margerine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cracked black pepper

Preparation
Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut chicken and saute till chicken is no longer pink throughout.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta and chicken. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately

Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Arrange chicken in 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, pour half mixture over chicken, cover and refrigerate chicken for at least 1 hour or over night.

Cover and refrigerate bowl of remaining marinade for basting. Drain chicken, discard liquid.

Wear a hot mitt, and use tongs to arrange medium hot briquettes in a ring, leaving 12inches in center free of coals.

Grill chicken on covered grill, skin side down, in center of grid, directly over coal free area for 25 minutes.

Baste with reserved marinate.

Turn, cook 20 to 25 minutes or until no longer pink at bone.

Alternately, on gas grill, set end burners on medium heat, leave center burner off, place chicken over off burner and cook as instructed above.

Feta Stuffed Chicken

 

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato

sundried tomatoes
Sundried Tomatoes

Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons margarine, melted

3 cups torn spinach

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each piece of chicken and a few sundried tomatoes, and fold chicken in half. I put a toothpick in to hold it in place. Place folded breast halves in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drizzle margarine over chicken. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until done.

Combine spinach and basil in a bowl, and drizzle with vinegar and oil. Sprinkle pepper over salad; toss well. Serve chicken over salad or by itself.

Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients
4 whole (up To 6) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
½ cups All-purpose Flour
Salt And Pepper, to taste
½ cups Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cubes Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pound Thin Linguine

Preparation Instructions
Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate.
Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.
At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.
Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.
Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.
Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.
Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.