Heather Solos's Blog, page 74

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Cornbread Dressing

Heather says:

If you have ever even given cornbread dressing a favorable nod, add this shrimp and andouille sausage recipe to your repertoire right this very moment. Heck, don't even wait until Thanksgiving or Christmas to give this side dish a try. Yes, you want to double the recipe, it'll work as an amazing post-Thanksgiving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll have to wrestle your spouse for the leftovers, so you may as well make the effort worth it, right? When doubled, this recipe nearly fills a 6 quart dutch oven.

Oh and in case you're wondering, this recipe is 100% gluten free.

My good friend Philip took a lot of pictures, so scroll past the recipe to see how this gorgeous recipe comes together. The PrintFriendly feature at the bottom of the post will let you get rid of all the pics and extra text, easy peasy.

: Cornbread Dressing with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage1 recipe sweet cornbread, made the day beforebutter to grease the baking pan1 lb Andouille Sausage1 – 1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/2″ pieces1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)3 ribs celery, including leaves, chopped1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced2 garlic clove, minced1 bunch green onions, chopped1/2 tsp dried thyme1 tsp salt1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper (estimate this)a pinch of cayenne (go very light, as the sausage already has some kick)2 large eggs, beaten1 – 1.5 cups shrimp stock - you can use chicken or turkey stock, if you need toPreheat the oven to 350F and butter a 13 x 9 baking dish.Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. While it heats, peel the casing from the sausage and crumble it as evenly as possible into the pan. (This part is kind of a pain).Brown the sausage. Then transfer to a paper towel. Leave the drippings in the pan. Chop the sausage so the pieces are uniform in size and not too large. The size is somewhat of a personal preference. If you and your family like big chunks, that's fine.Add the chopped celery and onions. Cook for about two minutes, just until the onions begin to soften. Add the bell pepper and garlic.Return the sausage to the pan and add the green onions, salt, ground black pepper, cayenne, and shrimp. Stir to mix after each addition and add the shrimp last. Cook until the shrimp has just barely turned pink. The shrimp will finish cooking off the heat and you don't want to over do it.Remove from heat and set aside.Grab a large bowl and the cornbread. Tear the cornbread into chunks, it's going to crumble easily, don't stress, the egg will bind it back together.To the cornbread, add the sausage mixture and the beaten egg. Add 1/2 the shrimp stock. Mix gently.Feel the mixture, it should be moist, not soggy. If it is still dry, continue adding the stock a little at a time until there are no dry areas. Remember, we're NOT making soup.Spread the mixture into the buttered dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 – 30 minutes at 350F. Remove the foil the last few minutes to brown the top.If you make this ahead of time, refrigerate it overnight. It will take longer to heat through, more like 45 minutes, but check after 30 to ensure it doesn't burn or dry out.
Enjoy!

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Number of servings (yield): 8

Thank you for taking the pictures, Philip. Check out his photography site for more.

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Cornbread Dressing is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 8 Creating the Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Heather says:

Let's make sure everyone is on the same page. We've found the dining room table, made a guest list (and invited them), we have made a soft menu plan, and if you've never even roasted a chicken that's on the to-do list, right? Also, if you're anything like me, you may need to put away all the stuff that has already found its way back to that recently cleared table.

Ok, today we're doing another pen and paper exercise.  Try to contain your excitement.

It's time start figuring out the final Thanksgiving menu. To do this, you need to know how many people are dining and a rough idea of their usual appetite. The list below accounts for average people.

If you are serving teenagers or relatives you already know are greedy increase the estimates.

(You know who you are, quit acting innocent. I may be thin, but I can put away the food when I want to and on Thanksgiving? I want to.)

I increase the dessert estimate just because it's a holiday for Pete's sake. These estimates work best for a formal Thanksgiving meal where everyone sits down and eventually people get tired of passing items.

If you're serving your Thanksgiving dinner buffet style, definitely increase the gravy. I don't know what it is about a buffet that makes people go nuts on the gravy, but that's life.

Serving estimates for holiday meals:
 Whole turkey* – 1lb turkey for each guest up to a 14lb bird. Anything larger, estimate 3/4lb per person. (The skeleton of the turkey weighs less proportionally in large birds).Bone-in turkey breast – 2/3 lb per personBoneless turkey breast – 1/2 lb per personDressing aka Stuffing aka Filling – 3/4 cup per guest, unless you serve the andouille sausage and shrimp cornbread dressing I'll be posting today, then you might as well say 1 cup per.Gravy – 1/3 cup per person go 2/3rds cup per for buffet styleMashed potatoes – 1lb of potatoes for every 2 guests (Are you happy, I increased it from last year?)
If you are serving two kinds (roasted and mashed) estimate 1lb for every 3 – 4 guestsCranberry relish / sauce – 1lb of berries for every 5 people who actually like cranberry sauce.Vegetables, including sweet potates – 1/2 cup per person of each type, unless you're making the brussels sprouts with bacon recipe going up later this week, go ahead and call that a cup, too. People were giving each other dirty looks when that ran out.Rolls – 2 per guest minimumRice – 1/2 cup per personDessert – 1 – 2 servings per guest

Some of the very dedicated choose to serve both turkey and ham. In that case estimate one pound of ham for every four or five people and 3/4 lb of turkey.

*If you love leftovers, as I do, increase your turkey estimate by 50%.

Tell me, Home Eccers, what's going on your Thanksgiving dinner menu?

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 8 Creating the Thanksgiving Dinner Menu is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 7

Heather says:

How is your Thanksgiving preparation going?

Are you staying on top of the weekly chores? Is your dining room table still clear? No? Fix that, I'll wait.

On Tuesday we talked about putting together a tentative guest list. It's time to go invite everyone formally. I'm not talking about embossed, fancy cards, but you can do that if you'd like and you are well within Emily Post's two weeks to two months guideline for Thanksgiving dinner invitations. While I prefer calling my friends and family to make Thanksgiving plans, it's not exactly a surprise for any of them.

Don't cold call your invitations.

While it may seem like a great, efficient idea, it may make someone uncomfortable and feel pressured to attend something they'd rather not. Remember etiquette is mostly about making someone else feel comfortable. Don't call a friend you haven't spoken to in months and try to force them to accept your invitation. Shoot them an email, mention you'll be having dinner, and then ask if they would like to attend.

Whatever your method, make your invitations and keep a list of your confirmations. This guest count is an estimate. Remember life happens and sometimes it is the flu and sometimes it's just someone being inconsiderate, but no shows happen. And sometimes people call at the last minute to see if they can bring their cousin who has two kids and just happens to be in town (even though they knew they were coming three months ago). It happens.

Be prepared.

Have you finished your Thanksgiving menu plan yet?

Still need a little help?

Here are links to the Home Ec 101 Thanksgiving Recipe Collection:

Oven Roasted TurkeyDeep Fried TurkeyTurkey StockApple, Sage, Cranberry DressingAndouille Sausage Cornbread DressingHow to Make GravyBroccoli Almond SaladCollard GreensSavory Butternut SquashOven Baked Macaroni and CheeseCaramel Apple PieGluten Free Pumpkin Pie (just use a regular pie shell if you don't want it gluten free)

As I mentioned recently, I have a few more recipes and techniques to add.

Last year a Home Ec 101 reader asked for some vegetarian Thanksgiving ideas and you, the Home Ec 101 community had some fabulous suggestions. Here are a few of my favorites from that post:

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving from Cheap Healthy Good (fabulous site) suggested by Milehimama

Mark Bittman's 101 Thanksgiving Side Dishes -not all of these are vegetarian, but Bittman is a go-to for ideas in my world, suggested by Alice Dick

101 Cookbook's Vegetarian Thanksgiving suggested by Leigh Webber

Mother Earth News A Vegetarian Thanksgiving suggested by CJ McD

What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipe resources (it certainly doesn't have to be vegetarian in nature).

Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned I was headed to Chicago with Butterball? Here's what happened at My First Butterball University experience.

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 7 is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 4 The Soft Menu Plan

Heather says:

Yay! Another pen and paper exercise or maybe if you're wired weird and serving a bunch of people it'll be a Google spreadsheet. I'm still being teased for that, if you must know.

Today's exercise is not the final menu.

Divide your sheet of paper into three columns.

Label them:

My ideal menuMy guests' ideal menuThe Great Compromise

Alternately, use this handy Home-Ec 101 Thanksgiving Menu Planner Printable.

This Thanksgiving Menu Plan has three versions.  Start with your ideal Thanksgiving dinner. If time and money weren't an object, what would you want on your Thanksgiving table?

Just for fun, I'd love to hear what you're planning for Thanksgiving this year.

Leave a note in the comment or a link to your own site, if you're of the blogging persuasion.

The second column is the one that would make everyone happy (you know with Granny's Waldorf Salad, Aunt Teppy's Green Bean Casserole, etc). After these two are complete you pull from both to make the compromise that is the reality of the holiday.

On the compromise menu make sure you include at least one item that will bring you joy. Know full well as you add that item to your list that everyone else may hate it. It doesn't matter; add it to the list anyway. A holiday meal is a lot of work and what is the benefit of being the host / hostess if you don't get something out of it?

Why is it that some holiday meals feel like a potluck while others have a unified theme?

It's all in the menu plan.

When planning a menu for a large meal, look for flavor ties between dishes to create a flow.

Take a peek at my holiday dinner spreadsheet for a good example.

The Cajun seasoning of the turkey is part of the sausage of the cornbread dressing and sausage is also in the collards. I swapped out the pecans for almonds in the apple, sage, cranberry dressing to tie it with both the broccoli salad and the green beans.  Cranberries are in the sauce -duh- the apple, sage, cranberry dressing, and in the broccoli salad.  This works best if there are very different textures with the involved dishes. Crisp turkey skin, contrasted with soft dressing, or the crispness of stir-fried green beans next to the soft baked feel of the apples in the other dressing.

It's not the easiest technique for me to explain, so feel free to ask questions in the comments. Not every dish in your menu has to fit the flow, but it's best if they don't come from too far afield. If it seems out of place, see if there is a way to alter it slightly so it carries some component of the other dishes. In my example the mashed potatoes receive turkey gravy and the macaroni and cheese was topped with  bacon (also in the broccoli salad) and green onions (onion flavor was in many of the dishes).

Have fun! Of course, maybe I'm the weirdo here who enjoys thinking about food almost as much as eating it.

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 4 The Soft Menu Plan is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 3

Heather says:

Thanksgiving will be here in three weeks.

If you have company coming, now is not the time to launch any big home improvement type projects. I'm not talking about necessary repair, if you have a hole in your roof, by all means get it fixed. If you've never played host over a holiday, don't add in the stress of painting a room or gutting a bathroom over the next few weeks.

You see that handy post-it in the upper right?* Those chores will take you through your house or apartment three times before Thanksgiving arrives. Add in 10 – 15 minutes of The Secret to a Clean Home every day and your home will be company ready long before Thanksgiving gets here.

If you're a novice cook and you've never cooked for company or even roasted a chicken, you have homework. It's time you learn how to roast a chicken. This is great practice for learning how to roast a turkey, as the concept is pretty much transferable.  I've already made four turkeys this year, so I'm all set on that front.

Confession:

 

I'm currently in LA for a blogging conference, I don't get back until Sunday night. Wednesday I leave for NYC where I'll be with Cooking With the Troops for Veteran's Day. To say things are hectic would be an understatement.

My house is currently NOT company ready.

If nothing else, know that I'm in the same boat as you, I get busy and I sometimes let my routines slide. I'll be working hard to get myself back into the normal swing of things as my favorite holiday approaches.

So, if your house is a disaster

And you don't know where to begin, check out Getting Started on Your Messy House or start with the sink. You've got three weeks which is a lot of time, provided a little work is done every day. Still feeling discouraged check out: Feeling Desperate

You are not alone.

Hang in there.

Send your household questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 3 is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

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Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 1

Heather says:

Hurray!

It's time to launch Countdown to Turkey Day 2011. Why yes, I am ridiculously excited about it this year. Oh I know, it's hard to tell, since I get excited about Thanksgiving every year, but this year?

Well, it has been even more exciting as I have had the fantastic opportunity to work with Butterball.  Yes, gobble gobble, the turkey people.

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This year I am one of the Butterball Bloggers* and I have had an absolute blast. I even had the opportunity to attend a day (Turkey Talk-Line Experts get more than a day) of their training in Naperville, IL. I had a wonderful time and learned more about turkey in one day than I have in my (no, I'm not going to say how many) years of cooking it.

*The blog goes live with 2011 content later this week.

I have already been teased about my enthusiasm for the project by friends and family, but oddly enough they didn't mind eating the results of said enthusiasm. So who was gobbling? Yeah, that's what I thought.

This year, I'll be posting: recipes, shopping lists, instructions on how to coordinate the cooking times of your meal, and cleaning checklists -broken up over the month so you aren't scrubbing toilets while stuffing turkey.

Today you have three tasks.

1. Decide – When and Where

Sit down with pen and paper and decide where and what time dinner will be served. Create a tentative guest list that notes any allergies or dietary restrictions. It's easier to plan around a gluten or nut allergy than it is to rework a menu.

2. Figure Out – Seating and Serving

Before things get crazy look at your guest list. Do you have enough chairs and place settings? Are you serving a casual enough meal that sitting on the floor and using Chinette works? No? Party rental stores often allow chair, china, and glassware rental in lots much smaller than you'd imagine. I've rented as few as ten chairs in the past for parties. Reserve what you need ASAP.

3. Find the dining room table.

Hey, don't look guilty, we all do it from time to time. Horizontal surfaces are a magnet for paperwork and odds and ends.

Clear it off today. Yep, that means getting rid of the Halloween candy, too.

Give it a good polish. If you have placed any leaves or extensions in storage, pull them out and check for spiders or other unexpected friends. If it doesn't cause problems go ahead and install them. Otherwise, place them in a convenient location, and while you're at it,  you may want to write that location down.

How many of you are considering hosting Thanksgiving for the first time?

What intimidates you the most about the event?

Countdown to Turkey Day 2011: November 1 is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

How to Make Shrimp Stock

Heather says:

As I live near the coast of South Carolina, you may assume that a staple like shrimp or fish stock would be easy to find. You would be wrong. To find shrimp or fish stock, I have to go to the fancy pants grocery store and since shrimp stock is so easy to make it has become my default.

The next time you have to peel shrimp for something like shrimp étouffée or shrimp quesadillas save the shrimp shells. Throw them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer until you have the shells from 2 lbs of  shrimp. (We generally eat medium to large shrimp¹ as anything smaller just gets annoying to fuss with).

¹The point at which the word shrimp just looks and sounds bizarre has been reached.

: Shrimp Stock

: Shrimp stock is an important ingredient in many shrimp based recipes

Shells from 2 lbs of shrimp2 carrots, scrubbed and broken in half3 ribs of celery, scrubbed and broken, including the leaves6 peppercorns2 garlic cloves, slightly crushed1 onion, quartered2 bay leaves2.5 quarts cold water Shrimp Stock Directions
[image error]Place all of the ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth to remove all of the solids.I typically strain the stock directly into wide mouth canning jars and allow the stock to cool at room temperature for an hour and then in a water (start with tepid, then add ice) bath for 30 minutes before freezing or storing in the refrigerator (if I plan on using it within two days). Stock I plan on freezing, I cool in the water bath and then place in a freezer bag which I lie flat to freeze on a baking sheet or plate.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Enjoy.

Linked to Tasty Tuesday

 

How to Make Shrimp Stock is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

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Home-Ec 101 Weekly Menu Plan #19 and Winner Announcement

Heather says:

Congratulations to @HSlater351 she was the winner chosen at random. She'll receive a copy of Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living after she emails her mailing address to helpme@home-ec101.com. Don't forget Christmas is coming and it's a great gift for young couples, new parents, the college kid that keeps calling with strange questions late at night, or even as a gentle nudge for the friend who won't move out of his or her parents' basement.

I also want to congratulate Jared and Stephanie on their marriage. I met Jared in 2005 through our local blogging community and we bonded over mutual geekery and we've been good friends ever since. I wish you both all the best.

Now on to the free weekly menu and shopping list.Broccoli Cheddar Frittata, Sliced Fresh FruitChicken Marsala, Pasta, Caesar SaladGround Beef and Cabbage Skillet, Broccoli with Bell PepperClean Out Refrigerator NightOven Fried Fish and Chips, Peas with AlmondsStewed Chicken, Rice, Oven-Roasted Brussels SproutsWine Braised Pot Roast, Roast Potatoes, Collard Greens and Northern Beans

Thanks to SayMmm.com I can provide you with a handy, printable shopping list for this menu. The recipes in this menu are written (unless noted on the recipes themselves) to serve 4 – 6. To cut down on waste we serve leftovers for lunch and one night a week. In general these menus are written to allow a significant portion of the US to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables, depending on your area's climate, this may vary and the shopping list is easy to edit to fit your needs.

If you would like, all 19 free menus are available here.

Enjoy.

Home-Ec 101 Weekly Menu Plan #19 and Winner Announcement is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Just For Fun

Heather says:

Just for fun I'm going to randomly give away a copy of Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living – Cook it, Clean it, Fix it, Wash it[image error]Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living.

No purchase necessary, must be 18 years or older, and for shipping purpose you must live in the United States (apologies to my non-American friends).

Any commenter can have up to 3 entries.

Share your favorite household tip.Share your favorite Home-Ec 101 Recipe -I've posted hundreds over the past few years, I'm sure you can pick one.Share what brings you back to this site regularly.

That's it, you don't have to tweet it. I'm not asking you to share it on Facebook or Pinterest or anything of the sort.

I wouldn't cry if you did.

I'll pick a winner from the comments Sunday evening at 9pm Eastern. If by chance I happen to crash early (it's been known to happen, I'm THAT much fun). I'll announce the winner Monday morning, but it will still only be chosen from entries submitted before Sunday October 30, 2011 at 9PM Eastern.

Oh and if you would rather I sent the book to your Kindle or Nook, I'm cool with that, too.

PS, did you know even Target.com carries it? Kind of neat, huh?

Just For Fun is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

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Drying Sweaters

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I love, love, love my sweaters!  I anxiously await the autumn weather so I can wear them again.
When I dry them in the dryer (even without heat) they get beat up and often the seam (especially where a turtle-neck is attached) will begin to unravel and fray.  I have attempted hanging the sweaters but the resulting unsightly pucker marks are unacceptable and the sweater will often fall hopelessly out of shape.  (Not unlike the rest of us as we age! )

Of course, I know to lay them flat to dry.  However, I live in a highly humid area and laying them flat to dry not only requires space I just don't have but my sweaters will literally begin to mildew/sour.  I can dry them with a fan, etc. but I seriously can only make room to lay out one or two sweaters at a time when I have many more.
So…..now that I have drawn out the whole story…..do you have any suggestions?

Signed,
Damp in Durant

Heather says:

Washing sweaters is such a treat, no? Since they have to be treated gently and washed on the delicate or hand washing cycle not all of the water is extracted during the spin process. When you place the sweater on a flat surface to dry, the water that would drip away pools under the sweater, only to be wicked back up into the material. This fun little cycle, especially in humid climates, creates the perfect condition for mildew growth. The only thing more fun than removing mildew from regular laundry is trying to get mildew out of your delicate laundry.

A folding drying rack is one possibility, typically they fold up small enough to slide between your washer and and dryer or one of the appliances and a wall. There are also hanging versions that can be stored in a closet. I'm not saying run out and buy one, just tossing it out as an option for sweater lovers like yourself. If you do opt for a rack, choose one with screens or heavier sweaters may sag between the rungs, distorting the garment's shape.

My simple solution for quickly drying sweaters is to lay them flat on an absorbent bath towel.

The towel wicks up a lot of the moisture preventing the sweater from sitting in a pool of water.  And yes, when you live in a humid area running  a fan in the room significantly cuts the drying time. If the sweater is especially thick or heavy, I often swap out the towel with a fresh one partway through the drying process.

You'll find that drying your sweaters flat will also help them keep their shape.

Since the towels have only touched clean laundry I hang them for later use, rather than tossing them into the hamper and adding to this household's laundry -with 6 people, we don't need any. more. laundry.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

Drying Sweaters is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011