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Croissant, Bagel, and English Muffin French Toast
Serve the French toast with a dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Alex’s Homemade Creole Seasoning
Alex’s Homemade Creole Seasoning
This is my personal recipe for my salt-free creole seasoning. I never really add salt to my spice mixes; mostly because if I want more of the spice flavor, it will increase the salt intake. Salt to me should be used separately. This creole seasoning is great on chicken, pork, beef, turkey, shrimp, and fish of all types. The main difference between creole and cajun seasoning is that Cajun is usually just paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and sometimes oregano. Creole seasoning will have garlic, onion, basil, and thyme in addition.
Equipment
- measuring spoon
- funnel
- 4 oz spice bottle
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp white pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the seasonings together and funnel into a 4oz spice shaker bottle.
Shrimp Burger
Shrimp Burger
Let’s make one thing clear: the shrimp burger is not mutant a crab cake. The shrimp burger happens to be indigenous to the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. This succulent sandwich consists of shrimp, green peppers, garlic, and shallots pulsed in a food processor, then mixed with an egg, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and creole seasoning. The mixture is formed into patties, then fried in butter; topped on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and either tartar or remoulade sauce.
Servings: 4 burgers
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 2 shallots chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 small green pepper chopped
- 2 tsp creole seasoning
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp tails removed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- brioche buns toasted
- butter lettuce
- tomato sliced
- remoulade sauce
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the green pepper, shallots, and garlic until they are finely chopped.
- Add in the shrimp and pulse a couple of times until they are coarsely chopped.
- Scrape out the shrimp mixture into a bowl. Mix in the egg, creole seasoning, lemon juice, and breadcrumbs. Form into 4 patties.
- Melt the butter onto a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Place the patties on the griddle and cook for 4-5 minutes a side.
- Toast the buns on the griddle.
Assembly
- Spread remoulade sauce on both sides of the bun.
- Place a shrimp burger on the bottom half of the bun.
- Top with a slice of tomato and butter lettuce.
Rigatoni in Arrabiata Sauce with Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Rigatoni in Arrabiatta Sauce with Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Arrabiata sauce is one of my favorite sauces to eat pasta with. The word arrabiata means “angry sauce”, hence the crushed red pepper sautéed in olive oil at the beginning of preparation instead of adding it in at the end. This spicy sauce originated in Rome, using the basic ingredients of garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, as well as the olive oil and either crushed or fresh red pepper. Other additions to the sauce can include finely diced onions and torn fresh basil. You can serve it with just about any type of pasta. I prefer to use pasta that holds the sauce like rigatoni, penne, or ziti.Want to kick up your meatballs? Stuff them with cubes of mozzarella cheese. The meatball base is made out of ground beef, but you can use 50/50 beef and pork, or all pork. Your call. Since they are larger meatballs, they will cook best in the oven. They will take about 30 minutes at 350°.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni prepared according to package instructions
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- 24 oz 80% lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small yellow onion grated
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz brick mozzarella
Arrabiata Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup salted pasta water]
Instructions
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- Add all the meatball ingredients into a bowl.
- Mix until they are incorporated.
- Roll into 16 meatballs.
- Cut the brick mozzarella into 16 cubes.
- Stick a cube of mozzarella into each of the meatballs.
- Roll back into balls. Place on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes.
- Let rest.
Arrabiata Sauce
- Heat up olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the crushed red pepper for 1 minute.
- Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes and pasta water. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Stir in the prepared rigatoni.
- Add in the meatballs. Cook for 5 more minutes.
