Craw fish Boil

We support a lot of good causes in our community and attend a number of charity events. We find ourselves at many "typical" dinners and auctions fund raisers. So it was really a nice change when we attended the "Dinner for the Nat", where they served an authentic craw-fish boil! It was so authentic that they even paid a chef from New Orleans to drive up with a refrigerated truck filled with seafood! The food was outstanding!!! All you can eat craw- fish along with potatoes, andouille sausage, corn, mushrooms, gumbo, and jambalaya. A spicy mix of food that compliments each other! Gold, green and purple Mardi Gras beads draped tables covered with newspaper and a soulful jazz band filled the room with music. It was a fun filled night for us as it brought back memories of our trip to New Orleans and a successful night for the Nat as they exceeded their fund raising goal!

Tomato Skewers

I like appetizers that I can make ahead of time and this recipe is best made the day before.

Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Bocconcini balls (Mozzarella balls in water)
Your favorite vinaigrette
Fresh chopped basil

Marinate for 1 hour to 24 hours
Assembly on skewers

Orzo with Garlic-Basil Shrimp

2 Tablespoon olive oil
18 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or more to your taste
3/4 cup dried white wine
1 1/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
salt and ground pepper to taste
3 cups cooked orzo

Heat the oil until hot and cook the shrimp (turning once) approximately 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp.
Add the red pepper and garlic and cook for 30 seconds on low heat .
Add the wine and cook on high heat for 3 minutes to deglaze the pan.
Stir in the tomatoes and basil.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Add the shrimp and serve over the cooked orzo.

This recipe only takes about 20 minutes to prepare so it is good for those nights when you don't have a lot of time in the kitchen and are looking for something fast, fresh and full of flavor.

MY TIP: Although some recipes you can easily substitute dried herbs for fresh, this is one that I would definitely recommend using fresh basil.

Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

Such a simple appetizer! The cucumber base adds the perfect crunchiness to the rich saltiness of the salmon that sits on top of it and the creaminess of the cream fraiche adds a freshness to form a perfect taste combination.

Angel Food Cake with Mango Sauce

Our Easter dessert

We had a wonderful Easter filled with so much fun, laughter and family time. It was not only filled with Easter baskets but with countless examples of the love in our family. This was definitely a time and memory to cherish.

2 medium-ripe mangoes
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T sugar
1 store bought angel food cake
fresh mint for garnish

In a blender process one mango, sugar and fresh lemon juice. Dice the other mango. Slice the cake, add 1 T of pureed mango and top with diced mango, garnish with mint.