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Because this is Frozen Food Month, it’s a good time to use some of that frozen shrimp and crabmeat so abundant on the market right now.
To add some humor to our menu, two of my recipe pals sent some recipes for us to enjoy. From New Orleans comes a jazzed-up Lenten pasta dish, from Texas comes a squirrel bar and from Georgia comes a yummy warm-up peach casserole — all to not only add fun to these cloudy days but also good eating.
Sue’s Crab Cups
1 (4-ounce) carton onion-and-chive-flavored cream cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 (8-ounce) package imitation crabmeat, flaked
1 package phyllo cups (in frozen department)
Bake phyllo cups according to package directions. While cups are baking, prepare filling. Combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. Remove cups from oven and spoon filling equally between cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Serves 12 to 15.
Shrimp Casserole
3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups cooked white rice
1 (12-ounce) package shreddedsharp cheddar cheese
1-1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup seafood cocktail sauce
Salt and pepper to suit taste
2 pounds salad shrimp, thawed
Sauté mushrooms in butter until tender. Combine all ingredients; mix well and pour into buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 8.
Shrimp Casserole No. 2
1 (4-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 pound salad shrimp, thawed
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup light cream or half and half
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine mushroom slices, shrimp, rice and cheese; toss to mix well. Whisk together cream, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce; pour over shrimp mixture and mix well. Pour into buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 8.
Note: I used fresh mushrooms and sautéed them in the butter until tender. I also used Velveeta cheese instead of cheddar, but both kinds blend very well.
Crab Noodle Casserole
1 (8-ounce) package crabmeat, flaked
1 can cream of shrimp soup
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1 (4-ounce) package finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups uncooked noodles
1 small can french-fried onion rings
Whisk together soup, milk, mayonnaise and cheese. Fold in crabmeat and noodles. Pour into buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Top with onion rings and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves 6.
Note: I did not add onion rings until about the last 5 or 10 minutes of baking time.
Gina’s Seafood-By-The-Sea Casserole
1 (16-ounce) package your favorite frozen mixed vegetables
2 (6.5-ounce) cans tuna, drained
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup milk
Cheese-flavored Goldfish crackers
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into buttered 7-by-11-inch baking dish or 11/2-quart casserole dish.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or rice is tender. Uncover and sprinkle desired amount of crackers over top.
Note: I tried this in the microwave, and it takes about 8 minutes but this will depend on the microwave oven. Serves 6.
New Orleans Lenten Jazzy Pasta
2 pounds your choice pasta
1/2 cup salt
4 large lemons
1/2 cup vodka
2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in large kettle with the salt until tender. Grate rind of 1 lemon and set aside. Squeeze juice from all lemons and set aside. In saucepan, heat vodka and cream over low heat until it thickens. Add the lemon rind and juice to the cream mixture. Add parsley and cheese. Heat through only. Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and serve.
Serve additional parmesan cheese on the side.
Nancy’s Squirrel Bars
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup soft butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (12-ounce) package mini chocolate chips
Combine peanut butter, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla; beat until creamy. Sift together flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Fold in chips. Spread into greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until it tests done.
Note: Nancy has two ways of using the chips in these bars. One time she will not fold the chips into the batter but will bake the plain batter for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the chips on top and return to the oven and when chips are soft. With a knife, she will marbleize the bars by running the knife through the batter and chips. Another time, she will add chips to the batter and frost the bars with chocolate frosting. Both ways are very good, but I folded the chips into the bars, topped the bars while still hot with additional chips, let them melt and spread to cover, then sprinkled finely chopped peanuts on top.
Rona’s Peach Casserole
2 (16 ounce) cans peach halves, drained
1 box light brown sugar
2 stacks butter-flavored crackers
1 to 2 sticks melted butter
In a deep casserole dish, place half of the peaches. Spoon brown sugar over peach layer until all are well-covered. Cover sugar layer with coarsely crushed crackers. Drizzle with melted butter; repeat layers ending with drizzle of butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until very bubbly and all sugar is melted into a glaze.
Note: Very good but also very rich, best if served in small portions with a scoop of whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.
Marilyn Block can be reached at news@winonadailynews.com or Winona Daily News, P.O. Box 5147, Winona, MN 55987.
