Monday Night Meals

NFL Recipes             

Gumbo 

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

½ c butter

½ c flour

½ white onion

1 bell pepper

2 celery stalks

2 T garlic

3 tomatoes

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t hot sauce

2 t parsley

2 t thyme

1 bay leaf

¼ c Worcestershire sauce

1 large andouille (or linguica) link

3 chicken thighs

½ lb shrimp

4 c chicken broth

salt and pepper

Directions:

            Cut up into small slices the onion, bell pepper, celery and tomatoes. In a medium pot, place in the olive oil and turn on medium heat. When hot, add the celery, bell pepper, and onion. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper. When vegetables begin to brown, remove from heat and set aside.

            In a large pot, place on medium-low heat, and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour and mix well. Allow the roux to become a chocolate color; this will take around ten minutes. Occasionally stir the roux, but allowing it to become dark will enhance the flavor.

            Meanwhile, cut the chicken and sausage, also remove the tails and shells from the shrimp. When the roux is dark, add the chicken and tomatoes and cook about five minutes. When the tomatoes and chicken are cooked down, add the vegetable mixture, garlic, sausage, shrimp, cayenne, hot sauce, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce. When the mixture is well incorporated, add the chicken broth and mix well. Place a lid on pot, and allow to cook thirty minutes to 2 hours (flavor will be more developed the longer you wait). Go Giants!


Serve with rice, yum. 

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

½ c butter

1 ½ c flour

1 t salt

¼ c ice water

Filling:

4 c cottage

1 ½ c sugar

16 ounces cream cheese

¼ c flour

1/3 c sour cream

½ T vanilla

zest of a lemon

½ t salt

5 eggs

Directions:

Crust:

            Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the flour and salt, and blend until it is crumbly. Add the ice water one teaspoon at a time, until the dough begins to hold shape. Place into refrigerator.

Filling:

            In a strainer, place the cottage cheese so the liquid drips out. Meanwhile, blend the sugar and cream cheese together. When well blended and creamy, add the flour, sour cream, vanilla, zest, and salt. Mix well. Slowly add one egg at a time, until the mixture is smooth.

            Place the strained cottage cheese in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer until it is smooth. Add the cottage cheese mixture to the cream cheese mixture and blend well.

            Preheat oven to 325. Roll out the crust and place into a spring pan. Allow the crust to bake ten minutes. Add the cream cheese mixture to the crust, and place into oven. Place a pan underneath the cheesecake and put some water to create a water bath (this will reduce the chance of the cake will crack). Allow to bake 45 to 60 minutes, or until the cake jiggles as a whole. Go Saints!

Cheesecake Topping

Ingredients:

1 c mixed berries

2 T honey

¼ c cornstarch

Directions:

            Place the berries in a pot, and place on medium heat. Add the honey and allow juice to form. When the berries have formed a nice amount of juice, add the cornstarch (with water). Allow to boil, and let cook about five minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and serve.