Category: Main Dishes

Smoky Gouda Grits and Shrimp

Smoky Gouda Shrimp and Grits

We were in Pensacola recently for a long weekend. It was fun and relaxing! We went to the Crawfish Festival, met up with some old friends, visited a favorite antique shop, went to a few of our favorite restaurants and drove by our old house. Most were unchanged, except for some major road work in front of the subdivision and some horrendous apparatus on the back of my house! Yes, my house! We put everything we had in that house, completely changing the floor plan, going out to the site every day, & picking out every single thing that went into it. Miranda Lambert even wrote a song about it! If you’ve built a house, I’m sure you know. It made me a little homesick. I can still call it home, right? After all, there’s a piece of my heart in every city that I have ever lived. We have been fortunate to live in some outstanding places, and I have wonderful memories of each and everyone, not to mention awesome friends.

Our trip would not have been complete without a visit to Joe Patti’s! We loaded up the cooler and have been able to indulge in some wonderful seafood since we returned to the farm. I have taken a very simple Shrimp and Grits recipe and changed it up by using smoked Gouda. This recipe is fast and simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but serve it to guests at your next dinner party and they will be asking for the recipe.

Leftover smoked Gouda grits make a special breakfast treat. I like to heat the grits in the microwave for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on high. Then stir in a small amount of water, the amount will depend on the amount of grits you have leftover. Warm another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes and top with a sprinkling of cooked and chopped bacon, chopped tomato, chopped scallion.

city grits

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Smoky Gouda Grits and Shrimp
 
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Serves: 4
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Ingredients
  • 32 oz. chicken broth
  • 1 c. uncooked quick-cooking grits (not instant)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 c. (8-oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
  1. Bring chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in grits. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in salt, pepper, butter, and shredded Gouda. Stir until the cheese melts. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While the grits are cooking, start cooking the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; remove bacon from pan.
  3. Cook shrimp in the same pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until almost pink, stirring occasionally. (I do this in batches)
  4. When all shrimp are to the almost pink stage, add all back to pan, if you have removed any to cook in batches. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley, green onions, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
  5. Spoon grits onto individual serving plates or shallow bowls; top with the shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

 

Sesame Chicken Kabobs

Asian sesame chicken kabobs

 

I wanted to start this post by saying something about “grilling weather”, but truth be told, grilling weather is year-round at our house.  We have a Traeger and love to grill on it all year.  It’s just a little bit nicer when the weather cooperates!

This is an easy and delicious recipe that doesn’t require a long marinating time.  It’s great with rice and a salad and of course Yum-Yum sauce.  (I really wish I didn’t like that stuff!)

I was short on skewers so you’ll notice I have one skewer per kabob.  However, food tends to rotate when you use one skewer, which often makes it difficult to turn on the grill.  If you will use 2 skewers per kabob it works much better.  Also, if you’ll soak your wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes before grilling, your skewers will not burn, as mine did.

 

Sesame Chicken Kabobs
 
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Serves: 6
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Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
  • ¼ c. + 2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
  • ¼ c. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
  • 6 to 12-inch wooden skewers
  • bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • onion wedges
Instructions
  1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; arrange in a shallow container, set aside.
  2. Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, and sesame oil and whisk together. Pour over chicken, toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  3. Soak wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread chicken alternately with peppers and onions onto skewers. Grill kabobs over medium hot coals for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is done, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

 
Yum-Yum Sauce
 
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Ingredients
  • 1¼ c. mayonnaise
  • ¼ c. water
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Fritos or Doritos Pies

 

Frito-or-Doritos-Pies

Not Just Sunday Dinner is almost 4 years old!  The first recipe I ever posted was a Super Bowl recipe.  It was Hot Crab Dip and I posted it on February 1, 2011.  Honestly,  it amazes me that NJSD has grown as it has.  I have readers all over the world and I have a newspaper column in several small town newspapers…and it all started because I was bored.

Before moving to the farm I had a job that I loved, in Florida, as a Design Consultant.  I use the word “job” loosely because it was more fun than anything.  I worked for our builder, and friend, Mitch, and I basically shopped!  I selected the flooring, plumbing fixtures, lighting, paint colors, cabinets, etc. for his spec houses.  It was like building my own house again everyday.  I really enjoyed it!

When we moved to the country the housing market was on the mend, but finding another job like I had in Florida was not going to happen and I needed something to do.  I thought about a public job but I had been at home since Wes was born.  I felt that I was unqualified to do anything other than cook, clean, volunteer at school, or maybe drive a taxi for kids.

A friend in Florida had started a stamping blog.  I have always loved cooking and entertaining friends and family so a food blog just felt like a good fit and something I might enjoy doing.  I never imagined that it would last and I’m so glad that it has.  Besides being a mother, this is the best job I’ve ever had.  I have so much fun sharing tried and true recipes and new recipes that I have tested.  I love hearing from you via comments or emails.  Thank you for visiting my blog and helping it grow.

Today’s Super Bowl recipe is for Fritos/Doritos Pies.  This chili is not a “saucy” chili which makes it perfect for this Fritos/Doritos Pies.  The pies are like chili nachos.  I like to set up a Fritos/Doritos Pie Bar so my guests to build their own pies.  To supply your own Fritos/Doritos Pie Bar you’ll need small bags (1 1/8-oz. to 4 5/8-oz.) of Fritos, Cool Ranch Doritos, and Nacho Cheese Doritos.  I usually have bowls of shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, sour cream, jalapeños, and sliced scallions.   I have plastic spoons, in my the teams colors of course, and one last very important item, scissors.  You’ll need a pair of scissors for your guests to cut their bags lengthwise because you make the pies in the bags.  It’s so easy and fun and delicious!

 

Super Bowl Chili
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 (10-oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. ground red pepper
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 (16-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (16-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • small bags of Fritos and/or Doritos
  • Garnish: Cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, sliced scallions, jalapeños, and sour cream
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain and return to pan. Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, red pepper, black pepper, salt, and oregano. Stir to combine.
  2. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add beans and cook about 15 minutes.
  3. Cut bags of chips open lengthwise. Spoon chili with a slotted spoon on chips, into bags. Garnish with desired toppings. Serve with a spoon.

 

 

 

Bacon Wrapped Brats

bacon wrapped brats

Super Bowl Sunday is February 1st and most likely you have started to make your plans.  I know that my list has been started.  You know by now that I am a planner so I make list for everything.  Occasionally, if I have an extremely busy day, I will even have a chore list for my housework.  When I run errands I have a list of each stop I need to make, in the order I need to make them, and what I need to do at each place.  I simply work better with a list. 
 
Our friends, Michelle and Jimmy are hosting the Super Bowl party this year.  The Super Bowl is always a fun time surrounded by friends, family, and food.  These brats are delicious, wrapped in bacon and grilled to perfection.  This recipe comes from the maker or our grill, Traeger.  Wesley claims that this is the best thing I’ve ever cooked.  I’m not sure what that says for my cooking, since these are so very simple, but I’ll take it as a compliment anyway.  Serve these with the traditional hot dog condiments or make this delicious mango salsa for a delicious topping.

Bacon Wrapped Brats
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. brats
  • 1 pkg. bacon
  • toothpicks
Instructions
  1. Heat grill to a medium-high temperature.
  2. Wrap 1 to 2 pieces of bacon around each brat, securing with toothpicks. Place on grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until brats are cooked through and bacon is cooked to your liking.
  3. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Mango Salsa
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tbsp. chopped purple onion
  • ¼ c. chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped fine
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 pinches granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for a hours before serving.