7.06.2011

Baked Seafood Au Gratin recipe.

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup butter, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 pound fresh crabmeat
4 cups water
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound small scallops
1/2 pound flounder fillets
3 cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a heavy skillet, saute the onion and the pepper in 1/2 cup of butter. Cook until tender. Mix in 1/2 cup of the flour, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in crabmeat, remove from heat, and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, bring the water to a boil. Add the shrimp, scallops, and flounder, and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set the seafood aside.
In a heavy saucepan, melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter over low heat. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cook and stir constantly for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk plus the 1 cup reserved cooking liquid. Raise heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Mix in the shredded Cheddar cheese, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir in cooked seafood.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch baking dish. Press crabmeat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the seafood mixture over the crabmeat crust, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash-Sweet Potato Ginger Bisque recipe.

Ingredients
1 (2 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 quarts water, or amount to cover
1 cup plain yogurt, or amount desired (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Place the squash, sweet potatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic in a large pot. Pour in enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to simmer over medium heat, and cook until vegetables are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork, 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove pot from heat. Place soup in batches into a blender or the bowl of a food process. Pulse until smooth. Return soup to pot, and whisk in yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, reheat soup over low heat, but do not allow to boil.

Becky's Oatmeal Carmelitas recipe.

Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the caramels with the evaporated milk, stirring frequently until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the crust with chocolate chips and walnuts. Drizzle the caramel mixture over all. Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top, and pat down lightly.
Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool before cutting into bars.

Best Buttercream Frosting recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In small saucepan cook flour and milk until it forms a ball, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat both mixtures together on high speed until fluffy and smooth. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour, until it is of spreading consistency.