New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

Ingredients
1.5 pounds shrimp, in their shells
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1.5 lemons, peeled and sectioned
1 cup water
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Cooked White Rice, to serve

Peel the shrimp. Reserve the shells and set aside. Sprinkle the shrimp with 1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning and fresh cracked black pepper. Use you hands to coat the shrimp with the seasonings. Refrigerate the shrimp while you make the sauce base.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved shrimp shells, the remaining Creole seasoning, the bay leaves, lemons, water, Worcestershire, wine, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat, allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Strain into a small saucepan. There should be about 3/4 of a cup. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook until thick, syrupy, and dark brown, for about 5-8 minutes. Makes about 4 to 5 tablespoons of barbecue sauce base.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned shrimp and saute them, occasionally shaking the skillet, for 2 minutes. Add the cream and all of the barbecue base. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a warm platter with tongs and whisk the butter into the sauce. Remove from the heat. Server shrimp over white rice. Spoon sauce over the shrimp, garnish with chopped chives.

Creole Seasoning

Ingredients
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2.75 tablespoons of creole seasoning

Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 celery
1/2 cabbage, cut into quarters
1 onion
1 pound of carrots, peeled, halved
2 potatoes, peeled, halved
1-2 pound eye roast, with fat
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 can whole tomatoes, drained
salt
pepper
paprika
water
16 ounces egg noodles

Directions
Put beef into a large stock pot. Fill up 3/4 with water. Turn on stove burner.

Separate the celery into individual stalks, cut in half. Chop the onion. Add celery, onion, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, dill, and parsely to pot. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

Bring to a boil. Remove beef fat that comes to the top of the pot. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Season as necessary.

Remove beef from pot, shred, place in a bowl.

Drain soup through strainer, reserving broth. Place vegetables on a plate to be served.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Place in a bowl.

Make a bowl of soup by adding beef, noodles, your choice of vegetables, and broth.

Yields 8 servings.

Penne a la Carbonara

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8-10 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, diced
1 pound penne pasta
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature, divided
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic. Continue to cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is beginning to crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander (reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid in a small bowl) and return pasta to the pot. Return the pot to the heat and add the reserved pancetta and onion mixture. Stir over high heat until pasta is coated with the pancetta mixture.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream and add to the pasta, along with 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper, to taste. If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to help toss the pasta if it is dry.

Top with parsley and serve immediately.

Scallops Bonne Femme with Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, finely chopped
8 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup cream
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 or 2 dashes hot sauce
4 slices prosciutto
10 large sea scallops, trimmed of any connective tissue and patted dry
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
Handful parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat broiler.

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a small pot over medium heat and add the shallots and mushrooms, cook 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour to softened shallots and mushrooms and cook 1 minute then whisk in wine, reduce 30 seconds, add stock and bring to a bubble. Stir in cream and heat through. Season sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and a couple dashes hot sauce, then reduce heat to low.

While the sauce is working, cover cookie sheet with foil and place prosciutto on the sheet and crisp up 2 minutes on each side under the broiler. It will continue to crisp as it cools.

Heat a skillet or cast iron pan over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and dress with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Sear the scallops to caramelize 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side then cover them with sauce, bread crumbs and parsley and finish in oven about 6 to 7 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Serve scallops topped with broken pieces of crispy prosciutto. Server steamed vegetables and a salad on the side.

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz. (usually one bottle) salsa verde (such as Herdez brand)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup crumbled queso fresco, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup pecan chips, toasted
4 lime wedges

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken, cream cheese, 1/2 cup queso fresco chees, and jalapeño peppers in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. Reserve remaining salsa mixture.

Working in batches, soften tortillas in microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.

Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with remaining queso fresco and chili powder. Top with toasted pecans.

Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 - 1.5 cups canned Mexi-Corn
1/3 cup sliced green onions
4 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 package taco seasoning
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups preshredded Mexican cheese blend
Vegetable Oil
Cooking spray
Sour cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

One at a time, fry flour tortillas in vegetable oil until golden brown. Set aside.

Combine first 11 ingredients in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup fresh cilantro. Mix well.

Place 2 tortillas in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon half of corn mixture over tortillas. Top with 1 cup of cheese and 1/4 cup of remaining cilantro. Repeat layers, ending with cheese/cilantro.

Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Roasted Pork Roast

Ingredients
1 boneless pork shoulder (about 4 pounds), skin on
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2-3 tablespoons oregano
2-3 tablespoons rosemary
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (optional)

Place the pork, fat-side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert, and using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Mash the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife; place the adobo in a bowl and stir in the oil and vinegar (optional).

Rub the garlic paste all over the pork, being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture - this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the pork for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Potato Wedges

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Various spices - cayenne pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, emeril's essence, thyme, rosemary -- whatever you want
2-3 pounds potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450. Combine olive oil, spices, and potatoes in a large ziploc bag, seal bag, shake well to combine ingredients.

Arrange potatoes on a cooking sheet covered with aluminum foil and cooking spray.

Bake at 450 until potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary & Garlic

1 boneless leg of lamb, about 5 pounds
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using your hands, rub the lamb all over with the lemon juice. Pat the garlic and rosemary evenly all over the surface of the meat. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and place the lamb in a roasting pan.

Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for about 1 hour longer for medium-rare, or until temp is a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers about 130 to 135 degrees F (about 20 minutes per pound). Remove lamb from pan and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Aunt Marian's Crab Cakes

2 green onions
1 lb. crab meat
1/4 cup half and half
3 tbs. mayo
1 egg beaten
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbs. worcestershire sauce
2 cups italian bread crumbs
Extra italian bread crumbs for coating.

Combine first 9 ingredients. Make patties, coat with italian breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Shrimp Scampi with linguini

1 pound large (16-20 count per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon capers, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound cooked linguini
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Essence.

Place the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and spread them out evenly in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes and quickly turn the shrimp.

Add the garlic and capers to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and cook for 1 1/2 minutes.

Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper and add the pasta, tossing to coat well. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve hot.

Chicken Marsala

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Emeril's Essence
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 ounces diced prosciutto
3/4 cup Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish
Seasonings for chicken, your choice

Season the chicken.  In a shallow plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken thighs until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the other 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and add the mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the prosciutto and saute for 1 minute. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken thighs to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.  If sauce is not thickening, add a little flour/water mixture to thicken.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.