Crab Deviled Eggs

12 hard-cooked eggs

1 can (6 ounces) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped celery

1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 dashes hot pepper sauce

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Additional minced fresh parsley

Cut eggs in half lengthwise.  Remove yolks; set whites aside.  In a bowl, mash the yolks.  Add the crab, mayonnaise, onion, celery, green pepper, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce; mix well.

Pipe or spoon into eggs whites.  Sprinkle with additional parsley.  Refrigerate until serving.

TIP: When I’m making a big batch of deviled eggs, I first prepare the yolk mixture and chill it for several minutes in the refrigerator.  Then I use my small cookie scoop to fill the egg white halves.  This method is quick and leaves nice-looking rounded tops on the deviled eggs.

Spicy Shrimp and Andouille Over Charleston-Style Grits

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Essence, recipe follows

Salt

8 ounces andouille sausage

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1-1/2 cups chicken broth, or canned, low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Charleston-Style Grits, recipe follows

Season the shrimp with Essence and salt.  Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat and sear the andouille, cooking for about 3 minutes.  Remove the andouille to a plate, and add the shrimp to the pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove the shrimp from the pan, and heat the oil.  Add the onion and bell peppers and cook until soft, 3 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons Essence to the pan, stirring well, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook until reduced slightly, 5 minutes.

Stir the cream, green onions and parsley into the sauce and return the andouille and shrimp to the pan. Return sauce to a simmer and continue to cook until reduced slightly.  Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over Charleston-Style Grits.

Emeril’s Creole Seasoning (Essence):

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Charleston Style Grits:

6 cups of water

Salt to taste

1-1/2 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned grits (not instant!)

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

8 tablespoons butter

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large, heavy sauce pan bring the water to a boil.  Add a generous teaspoon of salt and the grits and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.  When grits thicken add milk, cream and butter and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover sauce pan and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, until grits are tender, smooth and creamy.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Keep covered and warm until ready to serve.  Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Chocolate-Vanilla Layered Bars

1 roll (16.5 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies, broken into large pieces

3 cups milk

2 boxes (4-serving size each) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

40 vanilla wafers (from 12-oz box)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  With floured fingers, press cookie dough into bottom of ungreased 13×9 inch pan.  Bake 13 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on cooling rack 10 minutes.  In medium bowl, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 minutes.  Refrigerate.  In small saucepan over medium heat, heat 3/4 cup whipping cream to boiling.  Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted.  Set aside.  In chilled bowl, beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form.  Spread 1/2 cup chocolate mixture over crust; freeze 5 to 7 minutes or until set.  Spread 1-1/2 cups pudding over chocolate layer.  Arrange vanilla wafers on top in 5 rows by 8 rows.  Spread with 1/2 cup of the chocolate mixture.  Drop whipped cream by spoonfuls on top of chocolate; spread to edges of pan.  Top with remaining pudding; spread to edges of pan.  Drizzle with remaining chocolate mixture.  Cover with foil; chill at least 2 hours.  Cut with non-serrated knife dipped in hot water.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pie – Yield 8 Servings.

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry

1 package (3 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix

1-1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free strawberry gelatin

1/2 cup boiling water

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 fresh strawberries

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry.  Transfer to a 9-in. pie plate.  Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate; flute edges.  Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove foil; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.  In a small saucepan, combine pudding mix, water and lemon juice.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened.  Remove from the heat; set aside.  In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Gradually stir in pudding.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until thickened.  Fold in sliced strawberries.  Transfer to crust. For topping, in another bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup whipped topping and vanilla until smooth.  Fold in remaining whipped topping.  Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a medium star tip.  Fill with topping.  Pipe topping around edges of pie; garnish with whole strawberries.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Italian Cream Cake with a Coconut and Pineapple Icing

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse 1999

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 eggs, separated

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup ground pecans

2 cups fresh grated frozen coconut

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 pounds powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup crushed fresh pineapple

1 cup pecan pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans.  Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar with 1/2 cup of the butter.  With the mixer running, add the oil and incorporate thoroughly.  Add the egg yolks, 1 at at time, beating well after each yolk.  Sift the flour and baking soda together.  Add the ground pecans to the flour mixture.  Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the egg mixture.  Mix thoroughly.  Fold in 1 cup of the coconut.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff.  Fold the egg whites into the cake batter.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake the cakes for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of each cake is set.  Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a wire cake.  After the cakes have cooled, invert each cake onto a piece of parchment paper.  Set the cakes aside.  Using an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter with the cream cheese.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and pineapple.  Mix well.  Fold in the pecans.  Slice each cake in half horizontally.  Spread a thin layer of the frosting on top of each cake.  Place the layers of cake on top of each other.  Place the cake on a serving platter.  Ice the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.  Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining coconut.

Lime-Graham Tea Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon frozen (thawed) limeade concentrate

1 tablespoon grated lime peel (from 2 small limes)

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

In large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Stir in vanilla, limeade concentrate and lime peel.  Add flour, graham cracker crumbs and salt; beat on low speed just until incorporated.  Fold in nuts.  Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Shape dough into 36 (1-1/4 inch) balls.  On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until slight cracks appear and cookies are lightly golden.  Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool 5 minutes.  Place remaining 1 cup powdered sugar in shallow dish.  Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool.  Store tightly covered up to 1 week.