Shrimp Etouffé

Tasty!  Just the thing to have on a cold fall-pretending-to-be-winter night (seems that we may be skipping the rest of fall this year lol).  I had made this a few years ago, back before I was blogging and remembered it being quite good.  Hubby agreed, was just as good as the first time.  I'd give it 9/10.  And next time I make it, I'll remember to put the 3/4 c. of water in at the correct step--I did not realize I'd left it out until the very end (thankfully, still turned out great, whew!)

Link to original recipe: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-touffe-1

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/3 c. butter, divided
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
2/3 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped red bell pepper
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 T. Cajun seasoning
1/2 T. minced garlic (I used bottled)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. chopped fresh flat parsley
1 lb. shrimp (41-50 ct.), peeled and deveined
chopped green onions, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine chicken broth, thyme, basil, and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer, then cover and remove from heat/set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 c. of the butter.  Once butter has melted, whisk flour into the butter.  Continue whisking constantly for around 5 minutes or until very brown.

3. Slowly whisk in the reserved chicken broth mixture until completely combined and smooth; remove from heat/set aside.  Discard the bay leaf.

4. In a Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat, melt the remaining butter (1 T +1 tsp).  Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper to pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, around 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and onion is golden brown.

5. Stir in the water with the vegetable mixture, followed by the tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

6. Add the reserved chicken broth-flour mixture to the pot, along with the Worcestershire sauce.  Stir to combine well and bring to a simmer.  Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Add the parsley and shrimp; cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are done.  Serve garnished with green onions (if desired) and enjoy!  (Suggest to be served with long-grain white rice)

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

These are quite tasty...but also quite rich--you've been warned!  I really like them because the peanut butter is not overwhelming and the cookies are nice and soft--these practically melt in your mouth.  9.5/10, would definitely make again!

Link to original recipe: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a43671/peanut-butter-oatmeal-sandwich-cookies-marshmallow-creme-filling-recipe/

Ingredients:

dough--
3/4 c. quick oats
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 large egg

marshmallow filling--
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow fluff
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand (or electric) mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in vanilla extract and peanut butter, followed by egg.

4. Mix in the reserved dry ingredients combination until just combined.  Cover cookie dough and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to a week).

5. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (I used my cookie scoop) around 2" apart on prepared baking sheets.

6. Bake for 11 min, or until just pale golden.  Let cookies cool on sheet 5 minutes prior to transferring to cooling rack.

7. While cookies are cooling, prepare marshmallow filling: in a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients using an electric mixer on high speed for 1-2 min, or until light and fluffy.

8. Once cookies have cooled, pair them up by size and make "sandwiches" using the marshmallow filling.  Enjoy!

Filet Mignon with Port Reduction-type Sauce

This sauce is divine--very worth seeking out the special ingredients needed, though there are not many.  Even though there is only half of a shallot in it, the flavor is quite present, so don't serve to non-shallot lovers (i.e. my hubby).  10+/10!

Link to original recipe: http://www.kendallfarmscremefraiche.com/recipes-meat.html
(there are other recipes on same page, too--planning to try some of them soon!)

Ingredients:

2 (or 3) filet mignons (around 6 oz each), salted and peppered, to taste
2 T. butter
1/2 medium shallot, minced
1/2 c. ruby port, divided
1 T. demi-glace (I used this)
2 heaping T. crème fraîche
2 tsp. freshly-ground/crushed green peppercorns (I used my spice grinder)

Instructions:

1. In a cast-iron skillet over medium to medium high heat, sear and cook filet mignons to desired doneness.  Transfer to a plate and drain off all but a little of the butter/fat in pan.

2. Return pan to the heat and deglaze with 1/4 c. of the port, scraping up any browned bits into the sauce.

3. Reduce heat to just under medium.  Add remaining port to skillet, along with the minced shallot, demi-glace, and any juices that have collected on the steak plate.  Whisk together well and cook for a couple of minutes, until sauce looks a bit syrupy.

4. Turn off the heat but leave pan on burner.  Whisk in the crème fraîche, then the ground/crushed peppercorns.  Return steaks to pan to coat in sauce and rewarm for a minute.  Serve, coated with extra sauce atop each steak, and enjoy!

Two-chip chocolate chip cookies

The original recipe calls these 'double chocolate chip', but that seems somewhat a misnomer.  It's really just mini chips and regular chips combined for two sizes of chips, and not really "doubled" by any means.  These are good, but nothing to get terribly excited about--I'd go 8/10.  Unlikely that we will make them again, given our other great chocolate chip cookie recipes.  Still, they are not bad, either--am quite certain they will be eaten up quickly anyway :)

Link to original recipe: https://www.crisco.com/recipes/double-chocolate-chip-cookies-3182

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 c. Butter flavored (or regular) Crisco shortening
2 T. milk
1 egg
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. regular semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand (or electric) mixer, cream brown sugar, butter, and shortening until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in egg.

3. Heat oven to 375°F.

4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Gradually add this mixture while running mixer on low speed and continue mixing until just combined.

5. Stir in chocolate chips (both sizes).

6. Make rounded tablespoons of dough (I used my cookie scoop) and place 3" apart on cookie sheets.  Bake for 11-12 min.  Let cool on sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Yukon Gold Potatoes in Duck Fat

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, these are good, but did not pair well with the pork tenderloin seasonings.  I would still make these again, though I think it would be with something that doesn't have much of its own seasoning already--the garlic in these is quite present.  I would also like to make them with the regular (curly) parsley called for in the recipe; I only had flat parsley on hand, so I looked up the substitution suggestion and went with cutting the amount in half.  I think it worked well this way, but again, I want to make it correctly.  I won't assign a rating until I do :)

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/potatoes-cooked-in-duck-fat-em-pommes-de-terre-sarladaise-em-352860

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick, placed in water
3 T. rendered duck fat
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. curly parsley leaves, packed (use half as much if using flat instead)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Drain water off of potatoes, then cover with water again.  Drain and repeat until water draining off is clear.  Spread out on a kitchen towel (or paper) and pat very dry.

2. In a 12" non-stick skillet, heat the duck fat over medium heat.  Add potatoes and salt to pan, stir and turn to coat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, turning occasionally, until starting to get golden and potatoes are tender (around 25 min).

3. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley leaves.  Stir in parsley, along with garlic, a few minutes before potatoes are done.  Remove from heat, serve up and enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Aspargus and Red Onion

Ooooh is this ever tasty and easy!  10/10 again!  The potatoes (for which I will post recipe tomorrow) are also good, but don't pair correctly with this--would have been better to have just regular fried potatoes or fries with it.  Will make again for sure!!

Link to original recipe: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a29371296/bacon-wrapped-pork-tenderloin-recipe/

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin (mine was 1.35 lb.--would not go much bigger than this)
1 packet (1 oz.) McCormick Bourbon Pork ONE mix (note to self: I found this at Jewel-Osco)
7 pieces thinly sliced bacon
1 bunch thin asparagus, stems trimmed
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/4" rounds
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat broiler on HI with rack in top third of oven (note to self: I used single oven for this).  Place pork on large, rimmed baking sheet and season pork generously with some of the ONE mix, then wrap bacon around the pork, keeping bacon seams on bottom as much as possible.  Sprinkle bacon lightly with ONE mix.

2. In a medium bowl, toss asparagus and onions with the olive oil and remaining ONE mix.  Pour veggies on to the large baking sheet, surrounding (but not covering) the pork.

3. Broil until bacon is golden (around 7 minutes), then carefully turn the pork over and broil for additional 7 minutes.

4. Change oven setting to 400°F.  Scoop veggies into a bowl and cover to keep warm.  Return pork to oven to continue baking for another 15-17 minutes, or until internal temp is 145°F.

5. Tent pork with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Reheat veggies if needed, serve alongside sliced up pork and enjoy!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Morels in Cream Sauce

Another 10+/10...this is just. plain. delicio-city!  It's a splurge meal to make, given there are morels in it (unless you are one of those lucky people who have fresh ones on hand; if so, use 12-15 of those instead and count your blessings)--but it is sooooo worth it, I assure you :)

Link to original recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019296-pan-roasted-chicken-in-cream-sauce
(You will most likely need a subscription to access the original recipe, should you click the link.)

Ingredients:

~3 lbs. chicken pieces (I used thighs and drumsticks)
Kosher salt, to taste
2 T. olive oil
1 oz. dried morels, reconstituted (I only used 1/2 oz. this time; it could easily have 1 oz.)
1/4 c. Cognac
~1 1/2 c. chicken stock
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. dry Madeira wine
1 T. unsalted butter
1 T. crème fraîche
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
~1/2 T. Italian parsley, to garnish

Directions:

1. Season chicken parts somewhat heavily with salt (original recipe says 'aggressive salt' it--I did such and it turned out a tad too much (but still great)).

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add a few of the chicken pieces, being careful not to crowd.  Brown chicken all over, then transfer to a plate.  Repeat in batches until all pieces are browned.

3. Pour off all but around 2 T. of the oil in the pan and place off-heat on the stove.  Add the reconstituted mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat.  Let the residual heat of the pot cook the mushrooms for around 2 minutes, then add the Cognac to the pot and stir to coat the mushrooms.  Again, let the residual heat cook the mixture for around 2-3 additional minutes.

4. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pot (forming a ring), then add the chicken pieces, arranging in a single layer as best as possible.  Pour in chicken stock, just until it is about halfway up the chicken pieces.

5. Place pot on burner with medium heat.  Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and lower heat to medium-low or enough to keep mixture at gentle simmer, for 15 minutes.

6. Uncover pot and transfer chicken pieces to a small, rimmed baking sheet.  Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until mixture is reduced by a third.

7. Stir in the heavy cream and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 2 minutes.

8. Heat oven to 400°F.

9. Stir in the Madeira and continue cooking for around 5-6 minutes, or until sauce can coat the back of the spoon.

10. Transfer chicken to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until skin has re-crisped a bit.

11. Meanwhile, remove the pot from heat and stir in the butter, crème fraîche, thyme, and sage.  Then stir in the tarragon.

12. Serve the chicken pieces with sauce spooned over, garnished with the chopped parsley.  Enjoy!