Spicy Corn Chowder

Aren't y'all lucky, you are getting 2 recipes today...I couldn't decided which one I wanted to save so you get 2!

Though I find the Neeley's SUPER annoying, if you seen the show you should know what I'm talking about, but apart from their basic annoying-ness they seem to have some pretty good recipes. So here is a Neeley recipe that I can't wait to try.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped seeds and ribs removed
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 large red potatoes, well scrubbed and small diced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 16 ounces frozen corn
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon until crisp and browned and the fat is rendered. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel and reserve. There should be about 4 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan.

Add the onions and red pepper to pan. Saute until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour until it reaches a slight blonde color, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock and the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes; potatoes will become soft. Add the cream, corn, cayenne and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 pound Mexican-style chorizo
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large, fresh poblano chiles
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
• 3/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil and chorizo, cook for 3 minutes. Add peppers, jalapeno, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, then add rice and cook until all the grains of the rice are coated with oil. Add all liquids and stir over high heat for 3 minutes, cover and reduce heat to low. Check rice for doneness after 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place poblano chiles on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cut top 1/4 of chile off and remove ribs and seeds.

When rice is finished cooking, fluff with fork and stir in shrimp. Stuff chiles with 1/6 of the rice mixture. Place all the chiles on baking sheet and place into oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, mix cheeses together and cover pepper with cheese. Broil for 3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.

Flank Steak Stir-Fry

This seems like it's going to have to be a must try for me, who doesn't like steak with veggies, especially asparagus?! This might be a meal that I'll try next week, I'll make sure to post about how it comes out ^_^

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
• 1 tsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
• 1/2 tsp chili oil

METHOD

1 While you are chopping the ingredients in preparation, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of white rice, following the instructions on the rice package.

2 Prepare the All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce by combining the ingredients in a small dish, and set aside.

3 Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 Tbsp of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.

4 Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5 Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed white rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice).

Serves 4.

Cheesy Ham and Banana Casserole

I saw this the other day on Paula Deen's show and it kinda freaked me out, so I figured I could share the weirdness with y'all.

Ingredients

• Butter
• 12 slices white bread
• 8 large slices deli ham
• 4 bananas, sliced on the bias
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar
• 2 cups crushed potato chips
• 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cream
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9 by 13 glass baking dish. Butter both sides of the bread and layer 6 of them into the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping them as necessary but keep them even. Layer the slices of ham on top of the bread and then the bananas, 6 more slices of bread, then the cheese, potato chips, and bacon. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the casserole almost to the top. Bake for 45 minutes until brown and bubbly. Cut into squares and remove with a spatula, like lasagna.

Roasted Shrimp with Broccoli

I'm trying this tonight!!

Ingredients:

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons ( 1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (you might consider grinding them up- your call)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (see above)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving.

*I tried something like this. It turned out really good. I didn't have the lemon or the cumin. I put some cayenne pepper, and did everything else. I paired it with couscous cooked in chicken broth, the couscous came out a little bland some I'm going to have to to try some other different ways to make it as flavorful as the shrimp and broccoli came out. But over all it was still really good and I'm going to have to make it again...maybe try it with some pasta next time =D*

Pecan Sandies

I've made these cookies, they are SOOOOOO good, me and mom didn't leave any for the week ahead when I made them! ^_^

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, vegetable oil, 1 cup white sugar and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll each ball in remaining white sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.