Cajun Jambalaya Pasta w/ Sausage and Chicken

CAJUN JAMBALAYA PASTA

Today I didnt feel like going to the grocery store so hed the cabinets and freezer for what I had laying around. I quickly came up with this recipe I went with pasta verses rice because I had it and wanted to use it. So lets get to it.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/2 a pack of egg noodles (Cooked)

1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 can of tomato paste

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1/2 block of Velveeta cheese

tspn of oregano,parsley, basil

1 tblspn of minced garlic

1/4 cup of EVOO

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 tspn of old bay seasoning

a pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste.

3 chicken breasts

1 packed of sausage (ppreferrably andouille or sweet italian)

1/2 an onion

I started by heating EVOO And saute' ing the onion and garlic. And then browning the chicken and sausage. Once almost cooked thoroughly, cut into bite size pieces.

While meat browns, heat heavy cream and velveeta in a small sauce pan and stir until smooth. 

Add all the other ingredients to sausage and chicken. 

Add in cheese sauce. And then mix in cooked pasta. 

Simmer on medium for another 10 minutes.  And then you're done.

I didnt have bellpepper but that would have been great in this as well.                                                 

As always, until next time. Hope you try this. If you do, email me your results!

love and best dishes!!

Spaghetti Salad

SPAGHETTI SALAD

This is an old recipe with pictures that I posted to my Facebook page during the summer. But I get questions about this recipe all the time so I decided to post it here so that it would be easier to send once asked!!

Even though I tend to make this during warmer months in NY, I used to make it year round in Miami. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 bussel of fresh broccoli
1 bundle of fresh parsley
1/2 pound of honey ham
2 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 box of spaghetti (broken in half and cooked)
1 packet of italian dressing seasoning
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 of Italian dressing (I prefer wish bone)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
Handful of parmesan cheese
1 teaspoons of garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all seasonings and liquids together in a seperate bowl.

Chop veggies and ham into bite size pieces.

Mix veggies and ham into cooked/chilled spaghetti. Pour the dressing mixture over it and mix well. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and mix again. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve cold!

This recipe is all assembly and prep

Brown Sugar Baked BBQ Chicken

BROWN SUGAR BBQ CHICKEN

This recipe came about on this past Sunday. When I bake chicken, I usually like to have all parts of the chicken (I.e. legs, thighs, breasts, wings) but I purchased a bag of breasts prior. I didn't expect to cook Sunday but I got hungry lol. So here's the dish...

I paired it Perlo Rice and Broccoli with cheese sauce.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

4 to 6 pieces of chicken

BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup of steak sauce
1/2 of Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup of Kraft Honey BBQ sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix BBQ mixture together.

Season thawed chicken with Salt,pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Mesquite Seasoning (picture will be below).

Pour bbq over chicken once seasoned and coat both sides.

Cover with foil and cook on 350 degrees for about an hour and a half.

I use the extra bbq sauce as gravy for my rice but that's optional of course!!!

Very quick and easy. Hope you enjoy!!!

   

Chicken Seasoned

The Mesquite Seasoning I use

Chicken once BBQ mixture is on

Perlo Rice:

Rice cooked in chicken stock instead of water. With thyme and Bay leaf

The Finished Product

Tomatoe,Cucumber,& Watermelon Salad

TOMATOE, CUCUMBER & WATERMELON SALAD

This salad is probably more befitting in Spring and Summer due to vegetables and fruit being more fresh and available. But I like as a quick side dish to fish, a quick lunch, or a nice snack. Last night I was thinking of what I should make for lunch and I have left over cucumber and tomato and watermelon. So why not???

Super simple recipe.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 tomatoe cored and diced (I prefer beefsteak tomatoes)
1 cucumber peeled and diced
1 cup of watermelon chopped
(Red onions are optional, I don't like them)
Pinch of parmesan cheese (feta would also be great in this)

Dressing:
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of EVOO: extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sugar
Pinch of Garlic powder
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together for the dressing. Whisk well.

Combine all vegetables and fruit.  Drizzle dressing over the top. Toss in parmesan and mix.

You're done!!

This fresh dish cleans the palette. As stated, it pairs well with fish and chicken.

Let me know what you guys think! Until next time.  Xoxo

Shrimp and Mussels in a Spicy Clam Sauce

SHRIMP & MUSSELS W. SPICY CLAM SAUCE

What I was in the mood for last night was Shrimp Fra Diavolo. While I was at the meat market I noticed that Shrimp and Mussels were on sale. So I said why not make a take on it myself. So this is my version of this classic Italian dish with a Southern girl spin....

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound of PEI mussels

2 sprigs of thyme

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 sprigs oregano, leaves stripped and roughly chop
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of parsley flakes
1 teaspoon of basil
2 cans of Progresso red clam sauce
1 can of white clam sauce
12 ounces bucatini or linguine
Handful of parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium sauce pan, heat up the evoo and add your garlic. Saute until soft.

Pour in your wine, crushed tomatoes, clam sauce, tomato paste and herbs.

Simmer on low for about 45 min to an hour.

Throw in your seafood.

Cook on medium for about 15 min. Make sure to discard any mussels that don't open during cooking.

Last 5 minutes stir in a handful of parmesan cheese.

Serve over your choice of pasta. I went with linguini.

I love all things Italian. So this dish hit home last night. I made enough for a few days (because I only cooked for me!! Lol) Adjust portions by half if you don't want as much for leftovers.

Hope you try this dish out. If you do, make sure you let me know what you think.

Best Dishes everyone.

I plated with a few small croissants.  Nothing fancy in the plating. 

Miami Style Bahamian Conch Salad

CONCH SALAD

I'm not surprised that everyone doesn't know what conch is. Even though I didnt grow up in the Bahamas, I did grow up in Miami where conch is abundant, expensive, and very popular.

So to give a little background on the dish. It is a bahamian dish. It consists of a raw shellfish called conch, some vegetables, and a lemon/lime dressing that sort of cooks the shellfish..

I did not take pictures of the complete process meaning step by step.  But I will make sure I do that going forward.

Warning: in no recipe do I do exact measurements so I state the approximation of what I believe I used... 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 1/2 pound of conch cleaned and tenderized (I tenderize mine with a mallot)
2 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 red onion (optional because I'm not a fan of onions)
2 oranges (the juice)
3 lemons (the juice)
3 limes (the juice)
1 can of Clamato
Parsley and cilantro (fresh)
Hot sauce (depends on how spicy you like it)
2 tspns of seasoned salt
3 tspns of cracked black pepper
1 half of a jalapeño pepper deveined and chopped small

DIRECTIONS:

Chop your onions, jalapeño,tomatoe, and cucumber and mix.

Chop your tenderized conch in 1 inch cubes or pieces. Season it with salt and pepper.

Mix conch with vegetables and parsley and cilantro.

Add the juice of lemons, limes and oranges. Add can of clamato. Add seasonings and add hot sauce to taste.

Mix everything together. Check spices and make sure they're to your liking. Adjust if necessary.

Refrigerate for 2 hrs.

Serve cold....

I usually eat mine in a bowl but if you want to present it beautifully, serve on a bed of iceberg lettuce.

Voila!!!!