yelhsadesigns
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shrimp and sausage baked pasta
new food for the new year
This New Year's Eve I put together a couple of completely new-to-me recipes to share with a good friend.  These were definitely slow food recipes.  I was juggling between 2 - 4 things going on simultaneously the entire time I was cooking... Phew.  But it was worth it! And, we thought the recipes were tasty, so I thought I'd share. :)  The main dish was a cheesy sausage and shrimp baked pasta... here is the recipe... You'll need: 3 italian sausages (I used sweet turkey sausage), 1 dozen or so lg shrimp (raw), 1 lg egg (beaten), 8 oz. spaghetti pasta (I used organic, whole wheat). 3 garlic cloves (minced), 8 oz. alfredo sauce (I used Classico Four Cheese Alfredo), 1/2 cup grated parmesan romano cheese blend, 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, 1 tsp italian seasoning, 2 tsps old bay seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Prep: Heat 2 quart saucepan filled with water to a boil, add thawed shrimp and old bay seasoning.  While shrimp are boiling, brown crumbled, de-skinned, sausages in a skillet with garlic, and cook pasta until almost "done," or al dente.  In a 2 quart casserole, combine alfredo sauce and dry seasonings.  Add cooked shrimp (cooled in ice after having boiled), browned sausage with sauteed garlic, and cooked pasta, plus egg, grapefruit juice and parmesan/romano blend.  Combine (I did this with my hands, it was fun!).  Sprinkle the top of this dish with more grated parmesan/romano cheese if desired and add a few pats of real butter for browning.  Bake in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Enjoy! - Ashley Collins yelhsa.collins@ gmail.com
tots have feelings too.
maryland-esque crab cakes
I've always loved crab cakes.  This is the first time I attempted making them with REAL crab, but I was pleased with how they turned out.  Here's my recipe...  You'll need: 1 lb. crab meat (prepackaged and not lumped), 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, 2 lg eggs (beaten), 1 tbsp mayo, juice of 1 lemon  Seasonings: ground white pepper, ground black pepper, 1 tsp old bay seasoning, 1 tsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sea salt  Prep: Mix wet ingredients, then add bread crumbs and seasoning.  Combine ingredients thoroughly.  If the mix is too moist, add more breadcrumbs.  If it's too dry, add another egg or more lemon juice (I mean, who can really have enough lemon juice on seafood???).  Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in an iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Once oil is heated, add crab cakes to pan, cooking 3-5 minutes on each side. (Timing will depend on crab cake size.  This recipe yields 5 large crab cakes, so for a party, it'd probably be perfect for a plateful of minis. Yum!) - Ashley Collins yelhsa.collins@ gmail.com
desserts at a local coffee joint
and for dessert
If you're like me, holidays make you hella sleepy... what with all the eating and being around family.  The perfect solution? Dessert!  My poison when it comes to sweets is some combination of dark chocolate and caffeine.  For this reason, I love deserts such as tiramisu, and dark chocolate cheesecake brownies (as seen above). Not to mention you can add any assortment of tasty chocolate and/or caramel liqueurs to coffee and, voila!, you have a perfect after-dinner coffee beverage.  If you're worried about calories, well... there's always fruit! :)   - Ashley Collins yelhsa.collins@ gmail.com
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FluExpert - Dec 1 2009 10:15 AM
yeah! foooooooooood))

yelhsadesigns - Jan 5 2009 10:26 AM
@Ali I absolutely ADORE red-velvet cake... I hear ya!

Ali - Jan 4 2009 7:24 PM
My weakness when it comes to dessert is red velvet cake. Heaven.