Creole Shrimp & Garlic Cheese Grits

Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” is the last day of the carnival season as it always falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Fat Tuesday gets its name from the tradition of being the last night of indulgence of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. 

In honour of this tradition, I decided to whip up an authentic Creole shrimp and grits recipe. If you weren't aware, the difference between Cajun and Creole dishes are the use of tomatoes. Creole recipes include tomatoes, while proper Cajun recipes do not. 

The grits in this recipe are kicked up to perfection with the addition of garlic and cheese. I used a smoked cheddar, parmesan and sharp cheddar blend. The smoked cheddar gave such a great depth of flavor and paired perfectly with the creole spices in the shrimp. You can also add bacon to this dish to make it extra indulgent. Might as well live it up on Fat Tuesday, right? Try making a traditional King Cake for dessert they are delicious! One was recently sent to my office from Cannata's in New Orleans. It was a mouthful of sugary cinnamon deliciousness and I enjoyed reading about the history and traditions behind the famous cake. Tell me about your favorite southern style foods in the comments below. Happy Mardi Gras! Let the party begin!

Creole Shrimp & Garlic Cheese Grits

For the shrimp:

1 pound of large shrimp; peeled and deveined

3 cups of seafood stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely sliced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

½ a lemon, juiced

1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

1.     Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour is caramel colored, creating a golden blonde roux (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add onion, celery, green pepper, jalapeño and garlic, stirring often, about 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in Creole seasoning, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Slowly add 2 cups of broth, stirring constantly to create a thick sauce. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

2.     While the broth simmers, sauté the shrimp in a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until just pink. Add the shrimp to the broth for the last 10 minutes of cooking, stirring in the remaining shrimp broth ½ cup at a time until the desired consistency is met.

For the grits:

2½ cups milk

2½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese or variety of your choice

1½ cups old fashioned grits (not instant)

While the shrimp is simmering, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually stir in the grits and garlic. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese and butter until melted and well combined.

Serve Creole Shrimp over the garlic cheese grits. Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce

I don't know about you, but weeknights for me are hectic. Dinner can be a challenge to execute quickly and nutritiously. In a world of fast food and takeout, I try to cook a healthier version of the restaurant food I love at home, avoiding the ease and lure of convenience and stick to a healthier lifestyle. 

Lettuce wraps are one of my absolute favorite treats, but although they appear to be healthy, most restaurants load them with fat, carbs, calories and sodium. I decided to make a cleaned up version of lettuce wraps and am very happy to say, they taste amazing! I use extra lean ground turkey in my recipe, as it is one of the leanest options of protein available. Don't let this deceive you, the taste does not reflect a drab, flavorless "healthy" filler meal you shovel in to keep the pounds off. They are bursting with Asian flavor and a little spice. Even the pickiest of eaters will love them and be surprised at how tasty they are. In fact, I prefer them to the alternative of meat so fried in oil, that the takeout box becomes translucent and mushy. You will thank yourself for taking the time to cook them at home and know you are serving up something delicious.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce

Toppings:

Bibb lettuce
1/2 bunch of chopped Cilantro
Shredded carrots
La Choy Rice Noodles

Filling:

2 T. olive oil
1.25 Lbs. Jennie O Extra-Lean Ground Turkey Breast
4 T. Chopped fresh ginger root
2 T. Chopped garlic
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped

Cooking Sauce:

1 T. chili oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. Rice Wine Vinegar
3 T. Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce
3 T. low sodium Teriyaki sauce
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
Combine together in a small bowl while the meat is cooking and set aside.

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 C. House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Sauce
4 T. Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk (you may use water, but the coconut adds a lot of flavor)
Juice from 1/2 a lime ( Save 1/2 for serving)

Warm the pan over med-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl. Saute the ground turkey, ginger and garlic for 5-7 minutes until browned. Stir in the water chestnuts, scallions and cooking sauce. Bring to a simmer, cooking until liquid is absorbed into the meat. Remove pan from heat.

Assembly:

Serve family style, lining ingredients in a DIY fashion on a large platter.

Or for a more formal plating, plate each leaf with a large spoonful of meat, layer on the carrots, rice noodles and spoon peanut sauce over the top. Garnish with cilantro and a thin slice of lime. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds if you are feeling extra fancy. This makes for a beautiful presentation for an appetizer as well. Serve remaining sauce tableside.

This recipe is filling enough in itself for a quick, low carb, weeknight dinner. But for the nights you need a little more sustenance,  I serve a vegetable spring roll on the side, pot stickers or an Asian quinoa salad.

Note: Chopped cucumber, mushrooms and red bell pepper slices are also a great option to add and switch up for variety with this dish.

Enjoy!

Tangy Guacamole inspired by Chipotle's Famous Guac

As the temperature increases outside and the days run long, I look for ways to keep the kitchen cool and to take advantage of the fresh produce that is back in season. Grilling season is back in full force and with it, side dishes and appetizers.

One of the easiest ways to feed a crowd, is with a bowl of tangy guacamole. I've finally mastered the easiest and best guacamole recipe based on the flavor of Chipotle's famous guac. I found the ingredients and nutritional info listed on Chipotle.com and began concocting my own version. I went to town peeling, chopping and smashing my way into guacamole heaven.

Funny enough, but sometimes simplicity is the best recipe. I have tried every seasoning packet, mix and spice I've ever come across. None of which turned out half as good as the simple art of letting the ingredients speak for themselves, without all the add in's overpowering the avocado and ruining the flavor.

Ingredients:

4 ripe Hass Avocados- Halved, pitted and sliced into cubes.

1 Med Red Onion- Diced

1 Jalapeño- sliced into fourths (leave the seeds for added heat)

1/2 bunch of Cilantro

1-2 limes- juiced

Sea Salt

Directions:

Place cilantro and quartered jalapeño in a food processor and pulverize. 

Scrape the avocado flesh out of each skin into the bowl with a large metal spoon. 

Add the diced onion and mash mixture with a fork until blended. Add lime juice, cilantro puree and salt "to taste", as everyone has very particular preferences on the amount of lime and cilantro ratio in their guac. I am a more-the-merrier person, so I add it all. Garnish with a lime slice or sprig of cilantro & serve.