Meatless Monday - Beach Shrimp

I tore this recipe from the pages of Southern Living several years ago, and it's been a family favorite ever since.

Super simple, fast, tasty, sloppy....what else could you want?  This is a great dish to prepare for a gathering of family and friends.  We plop this dish down into the middle of the table, tear off hunks of hot, crusty French bread, and go all in.  At the end of the meal, it's nothing but shrimp peelings, wadded up paper towels ('cause I ain't using good napkins) and buttery smiles of gluttony.

Beach Shrimp

Ingredients

• 3 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp*
• 1 (16-oz.) bottle Italian dressing
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up

Preparation

• 1. Place first 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Squeeze juice from lemons over shrimp mixture, and stir. Add lemon halves to pan. Sprinkle evenly with parsley; dot with butter.
• 2. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve in pan.
• *3 lb. frozen peeled, large raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted. Prepare recipe as directed, reducing pepper to 1/2 tsp.

Click here for the printable recipe.

Make sure you get nice size shrimp.  This wasn't the biggest of the bunch, but it's the one that got the photo op...yummmmm!  Snap off the heads, but leave the peel on.

I made a double batch, so that's why it looks like Paula Deen was in charge of butter portions.  

I hate clean up, so I even use a disposable pan.  I told you this was easy.

I promise, this will become one of your favorite meals.  You can worry about your diet and your arteries tomorrow.

Meatless Monday - Shrimp Quesadillas

Loved this recipe.  I confess, I stole it straight from The Pioneer Woman's blog.

Ingredients

• Flour Tortillas (I used whole wheat)
• 12 whole Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined (I used 1 lb. of smaller shrimp)
• 8 ounces, fluid Mexican Red Sauce
• 1 whole Large Onion
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper
• 2 cups Cheese, Grated (Monterey Jack Is Best)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt to Taste 

Preparation Instructions

Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside.
Chop vegetables into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.
In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp. Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry.
Remove from skillet and slice into wedges

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, red or green salsa...whatever you like.

This is a definite keeper!!

Meatless Monday - Slow Cooker Corn Chili

I know it's summer and nobody's thinking about chili, but hey, if a recipe includes the words "Slow Cooker"...which in my mind means lazy, throw it together in 10 minutes, fuggedaboutit the rest of the day... then it's fair game anytime of year.

Got this recipe off of the Meatless Monday website.

I pretty much followed the recipe, except I added Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and Tiger Sauce (you can substitute Tabasco) right at end.

 I also used red onions and shredded cheese for garnish...I DON'T do cilantro.  Yuck!

  This was super easy and we all really liked it. 

Slow Cooker Corn Chili

Give it a try....

Meatless Monday - Crawfish Monica

This is a recipe that I've used for years and is a favorite in our house.  At the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, this is one of the "must eat" dishes. 

Creole Crawfish Monica

If you can't get crawfish in your area, I'm sure you could substitute shrimp.  Also, I usually throw in some parmesan cheese to give it a little more "oomph".

Enjoy!!

Meatless Monday - Frittata

Some Mondays you just can't muster the energy to put a big meal together.  I've been in that frame of mind now for a while.  Come to think of it, I kind of feel the same on Tuesdays, Wednesdays...you get the picture.

The weather has been so nice that all I want to do when I get home from work is grab a big glass of iced tea and head outside to putter around the garden.  Every man for himself as far as dinner is concerned.

Sadly, we can't live on PB&J sandwiches, so it's time to cook.

Today's Meatless Monday recipe is brought to you courtesy of Giada De Laurentis.  Oftentimes I find her recipes a little too bland, but we really liked this one.   It took maybe 30 minutes from start to finish....really simple.

Frittata with Asparagus, Tomato and Fontina

Changes I made....cause you know I did:  

1.  I added a little cajun seasoning

2.  I couldn't find Fontina cheese (I was only stopping at once grocery store, not going on a scavenger hunt) so I just used shredded Italian blend....worked out fine.

Delicioso!!

Meatless Monday - Eggplant Lasagna

 I love me some Italian food...I mean, other than chocolate, what's better than tomato sauce and cheese...so when I'm looking for meatless dishes, I naturally gravitate towards pasta.  I searched the all knowing Google and couldn't find a recipe that I really liked, so I combined several of them and came up with my own. 




Today, you get a bonus, simple salad recipe to go along with your main dish.

Eggplant Lasagna

with Ricotta and Parmesan

Ingredients:

28 ou. can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ou can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes

1/4 cup red wine

2 eggplants

1 onion

3 cloves garlic (or a couple tsps of minced garlic)

4 tbs. olive oil, plus more for eggplant

15 ou. ricotta cheese

2 lg. eggs

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped

1 tbs. Italian seasoning blend

Grated Italian Cheese blend

Directions:

1. Heat broiler. In 2 batches, arrange the eggplant slices on a broilerbroof baking sheet, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until charred and tender, 4-5 mins. per side.

2. Meanwhile, pour 4 tbs. of olive oil in skillet and brown onions and garlic. Turn off the fire and pour in the red wine. Immediately turn the fire back on high and allow the wine to cook off, scraping the pan to get all of the goodies off the bottom. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, oregano, and Italian seasoning blend. If you don’t have fresh oregano, just add extra Italian seasoning.  As always, all of my seasoning measurements are approximately.  Add or subtract to your taste.

3. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta, basil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

4. Spread 1/3 tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish. On top of it, layer 1/2 the eggplant slices, half the ricotta mixture. Repeat for the next layer, finishing with the final 1/3 tomato sauce. Sprinkle grated Italian cheese blend on top.

5. Bake at 400 until bubbly, about 20 mins. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

and here's your bonus side salad recipe

SALAD:

4 cups mixed baby greens

chopped red onion

Grated Italian cheese blend

ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbs. fresh oregano/2 tsp dried

3/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients. Shake. Dress salad immediately before serving.

I have to tell you, we REALLY liked this meal.  Even Meg, who has "food texture issues" enjoyed the eggplant.  Definitely a keeper.

Meatless Monday - Crunch Romain Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing

This is a delicious salad that was introduced to us a few years ago by my daughter's future Mother in Law, Ginger....so, we call it Ginger's Salad.

It's from the Mississippi Junior League cookbook and it is DELICIOUS!

Here ya go....  Crunch Romain Salad (aka Ginger's Salad). 

The only change I make is that I substitute Splenda for the sugar...and I add red onions.

On "Meat Days" it's also really good if you marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a variation of this dressing (overnight preferably), pop them on the grill, slice and place on top of the salad.  I could almost live off of this meal.

Hope you enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Vegetarian Chili

Today's Meatless Monday recipe is brought to you courtesy of my friend Jenn over at jenuinemoments.  She turned me onto this recipe and boy, am I glad.

It's actually a Rachael Ray recipe...and before you Rachael Ray haters write this one off, try to have an open mind.

...and because I'm lazy and it's just easier for me to post this link to the recipe....here ya go.

Veg Head Three Bean Chili

I pretty much followed the recipe, except I did add a can of diced garlic/onion tomatoes.  It'd be just as good without that addition, and when I make this again, I'll probably leave it out just to see.  I also just used diced jalapenos in a jar....I warned you I was lazy.

Meatless Monday - Italian Pasta Salad

Today's Meatless Monday recipe is one of my all time favorite, go-to recipes.  I've been making this for years and it's an often requested dish at family/friend gatherings

For the Italian Pasta Salad you'll need:

1 lb. Rotini Tri-Color Pasta

(if I'm making this just for our family I use wheat pasta and it's equally good)

1 jar Italian Giardiniera mix

1 lg. jar Salad Olives

Marinated artichoke hearts (make sure you use marinated)

1 bunch broccoli

1 red onion

3 tomatoes

1 bottle Robusto Italian dresing

1 bottle Ceasar Vinaigrette

Creole seasoning, salt, pepper - to taste

Parmesan cheese (use Parm/Reggiano or Parm/Romano,

fresh grated is better)

***The amounts listed above are only a guide.  Use more or less of each ingredient to suit your own individual taste.  Add new ingredients, subtract the ones you don't like. This recipe is super forgiving.***

Directions:

Boil pasta (al dente)

Chop and cook broccoli...do not overcook or it'll be a mushy mess

Chop onion and tomatoes  

Drain most of the liquid from giardiniera, olives and marinated artichoke hearts.  Rough chop giardiniera and artichoke hearts.

Add above ingredients to bowl.

Add half a bottle of each salad dressing to moisten the ingredients.

Add cheese, creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.  (Taste before adding salt as the dressing, olives, cheese, etc. are already salty.)

Just before serving, add more salad dressing to taste.

***I find this recipe is much better if made a day in advance.  It gives the ingredients a chance to blend and soak up the dressing. ***

Hope you enjoy!!

Meatless Monday - Shrimp Etouffee

Today's Meatless Monday invovlves SEAFOOD!!!!  Sorry, but if it doesn't moo, quack or oink, it's not considered meat in our house.  Shrimp are pretty quiet, so they're fair game on Meatless Monday.

INGREDIENTS:

(Now please understand, most of my measurements are "ish"....1tsp"ish" of whatever)

2 -3 lbs. peeled, deveined raw shrimp

2 cups chopped onion

2 tbs. minced garlic

1/2 cup green bell pepper

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup oil

2 cans tomato paste

1 - 28 ou. can crushed tomatoes

2- 14.5 ou. cans diced tomatoes (I used garlic & onion flavor)

64 ou. seafood stock (you can sub chicken stock if necessary, but then it's not technically meatless)

Cajun seasoning to taste (I use Tony Chachere's)

Red Pepper Flakes to taste

2 Bay leaves

Tabasco to taste

1 tbsp Seafood seasoning

2 tbsp sweet basil

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp liquid Shrimp/Crab boil

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar

First make your roux.  Don't panic, it's not hard.  In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux making skill), stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun-style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans-style roux, cook it to a medium,

peanut-butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it.

Once the roux reaches your desired color, quickly add your veggies to stop the roux from cooking.  Cook veggies until translucent.

Add tomato paste and cook down for a little while....enjoy the smell...mmmm.

Add tomatoes and cook a bit.

Add stock and all remaining ingredients except shrimp and cook for at least 2 hours.

About 30 minutes or so before you're ready to eat, add the shrimp (you can also substitute crawfish) and cook.

 

Serve over rice with some warm, crusty French bread and butter.

This also freezes well, so if you have any leftovers, you'll have dinner for another day.

Enjoy!!

Meatless Monday - Veggie Pesto Pizza

Today's Meatless Monday recipe couldn't be easier...Veggie Pesto Pizza.  The Mr. was away on business, no doubt enjoying a steak dinner while out of my Eagle-like gaze, so I decided to do something quick and easy for dinner for daughter no. 1, Meg, and myself.

I'm not one of those people who makes my own dough....uh....no thank you. I use Mama Mary's Whole Wheat pizza crusts, but feel free to use whichever brand you like, unless of course you want to be Martha Stewart and make your own.  Puhleeeeeeze.

I love the fact that this pizza isn't tomato sauce based.  Now, I love me some tomato sauce, but pesto, well I'd eat a ratty old shoe if it had pesto slopped all over it....and if you add feta cheese on top of that, well, I'm like a pig in slop.  Okay, bad visual, but you get the idea.

Here's what you need.

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust

Basil Pesto (comes in a jar or you can make your own)

Frozen Spinach (thawed, cooked and drained completely of water)

red onion - chopped

tomatoes - chopped

marinated artichoke hearts - chopped

feta cheese

mozzarella cheese

parmesan cheese

Generously spread pesto on the crust...generously...

including lots of the oil.

Then add spinach, tomatoes, onions and all cheeses.

Bake acording to package directions (450)

until it reaches the desired level of "doneness".

Now, how easy is that????

Eat, Enjoy, Be Healthy! 

Meatless Monday - Veggie Lasagna Florentine

Today's Meatless Monday recipe is a real winner,

Veggie Lasagna Florentine.

As y'all know, I have some sort of deep seeded aversion to adhering to a recipe...I'm a rebel, I know....so I did tweak it just a teensy, tiny bit. 

I added extra minced garlic, as well as red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning.  I also substituted Ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese.

This was just a really good recipe, not a good meatless/vegetarian recipe, but a good all around recipe.  Give it a try.

We give this one two big thumbs up!

Meatless Monday - Green salad with Poppyseed dressing

Because today is Lundi Gras in the Crescent City, today's Meatless Monday recipe is going to be super simple....Green Salad with Poppyseed dressing. 

 In all honesty, I've been out celebrating quite a bit and I'm exhausted.  I'll probably be out parading again tonight and will maybe even.....gasp...eat meat on a Monday.   I thought I'd take a second to share this quickie recipe with you today, though.

I have gotten to where I rarely use store bought, bottled dressings.  It's just so easy to make your own and control the ingredients.  I still use bottled for some things, but mostly I wing it.

For the salad, use whatever veggies you like.  I used:

Mixed baby greens

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Tomatoes

Red onion

Walnuts

Dried cranberries or craisins (or blueberries, strawberries, whatever)

The Poppyseed dressing is sweet and thick and takes only a few minutes to make.  I substitute Splenda for the sugar, but other than that I follow the recipe...a rarity, I know.

This is a great salad for your family, and I think it's even fancy enough for entertaining.  The Splenda substitution drastically cuts the calorie content, so you're truly eating a healthy salad. 

Now, let me get back to my regularly scheduled Mardi Gras festivities.  I know it's a regular old Monday for a lot of you, but it's party central in the Big Easy.

Throw me somethin' mistah!!!!!!

Meatless Monday - Pasta Primavera

This is the inaugural "Meatless Monday" recipe post....

please contain your excitement.   

I thought I'd try something pretty easy for my first outing, so I began scouring the internet for a Pasta Primavera recipe.  I ended up taking several, picking them apart and coming up with my own concoction. 

Here are the ingredients you'll need.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

1 12 oz. package of penne pasta

(I used whole wheat, but use whatever you like)

3 yellow squash

(I wanted to use a mix of squash and zucchini, but the store was out of zucchini)

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved

7 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, julienned (yellow, red, orange...whatever you like)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. Herbs de Provence (or more, to taste)

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning (or more, to taste)

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

(store was out of fresh and my plants are dead, so I used dried)

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbs. butter

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano/Reggiano cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. In a bowl, toss squash (zucchini), bell pepper, tomatoes and asparagus with 2 tbs. olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, Herbs de Provence and Italian Seasoning. Arrange veggies on the baking sheet and roast 15 mins, stirring about 7 mins. through.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook according to package directions, drain.

4. Heat remaining olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss and cook until heated through. Turn off heat (you may transfer to a serving bowl at this point) and add in roasted veggies and sprinkle with Parmesan/Reggiano cheese. Adjust your seasonings at this point. I added more Herbs de Provence, Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper and dried basil. You may also want to add a little more balsamic or olive oil, depending on your taste.

5. Serve immediately in individual bowls garnished with a sprinkling of P/R cheese.



Mmmm....veggies all seasoned up and ready to hit the oven.



and here's the finished product.  We really enjoyed this meal and it has been filed away in the "keeper" category.

It really was very simple.  You can add whatever veggies you have on hand, omit the ones you don't like....just wing it.  As I said above, I really wanted zucchini, but couldn't find any, so I just added more squash. 

Hope this inspires you to go meatless, even if it's just for one meal.

I introduce you to Meatless Monday!

Where's the beef? 

Well, on Mondays you won't be finding it here my friends.

In an effort to get my family healthier, we are now going to observe Meatless Monday.  I've heard chatter about this and thought I would do a little research.   I had no clue it was such a big movement.  Why go meatless?  Well the benefits are too numerous for me to mention here, but my big motivation is health.  We are not vegetarians or vegans, and never will be.  I think we eat a pretty healthy diet, but we are definitely carnivores, especially my husband.  And well, without getting too "green" here, it just feels environmentally responsible to try this. 

So, henceforth, on Mondays I will share a new meatless recipe with you.  This is especially challenging for me, since I also try to limit carbs, but it's doable. 

I work full time, and go to the gym for an hour after work, so I don't have time to cook complex gourmet meals.  Don't expect recipes that require 30 ingredients and 4 hours to cook.  These will be simple...pasta, beans, sometimes just salad.  I will  occasionally include seafood (I live in South Louisiana... give me a break... and I MUST do my part to promote the safety of Gulf Seafood)...heck, some weeks I may only be able to muster a grilled cheese sandwich.  This is real life folks.   Tonight's recipe will be featured next Monday.

I invite you to join me, or at least give it some thought.  It's one day a week.  Think of it as an adventure.   A chance to broaden your horizons, try new recipes, expose your tastebuds to something new, and maybe make yourself a little healthier in the process. 

You'll also be making cows just a little happier.