Cajun Shrimp and Crab

Today, I decided to try a new recipe for my Valentine's Day dinner with my hubby. It was absolutely delish and I will be making this again. I served it over yellow rice but you can also serve it over grits.

From You've Got Supper

• 8 oz andouille sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 3/4 cup(s) chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1 tsp old bay seasoning

1. Cut sausage into 1/2-inch slices. Heat saucepan to medium high heat. Cook sausage until golden brown. Remove sausage and drain on paper towels. Reserve drippings in pan.
2. Add a little olive oil to pan. Saute onion and pepper in drippings and hot oil for 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute.
3. Whisk in flour. Whisk constantly for about 1 minute or until flour is browned.
4. Whisk in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in shrimp and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sausage, crabmeat, and Old Bay. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve over grits or rice.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I have been meaning to do a formal post about these but didn't get a chance to do so. They are from the Martha Stewart Cupcake Book and I have made them a few times in the past few months as my husband has proclaimed them to be his favorite. I have to admit that I am quite fond of them as well and so are my co-workers.

• 3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus 1 tbsp reserved
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 7 ounces (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
  
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
  
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract


• 5 large egg whites, room temperature
  
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Mix milk and vanilla extract in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture ending with dry. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl. Toss chocolate chips in the remaining tablespoon cake floor, and gently fold into batter. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 22 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days, unless otherwise noted. Makes 30

Championship Chocolate Chip Bars

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, I decided to make Hershey's Championship Chocolate Chip Bars.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick)cold butter or margarine
  2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, divided
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped nuts
  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Stir together flour and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; press mixture on bottom of ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.

3. Combine sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in remaining 1-1/2 cups chips and nuts. Spread evenly over hot baked crust. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 36 bars.

Since I am in a weight loss challenge I only had a little sample. They were quite tasty. I think I will take the rest to the office tomorrow for my co-workers.

Financial Fast ….Check!

A few weeks ago I started a financial fast. Today is day 21 and I am proud to say I accomplished my goal.

Earlier today, I was interested to see how much money I spent in the same time frame in previous months. Since I rarely use cash and can wear out the magnetic stripe on my debit card I used my banking statements to gather the information. Due to the holidays I decided to look at September and October 2009 for a more accurate average estimate. I discovered I spent an average of $443.12 each 21 day period on non essential expenses. So what is a non essential expense? Shopping, eating out, eating out, shopping and eating out. Ok I did have $90 hair appointment thrown in there but you catch the drift. I spent $443.12 on eating out and shopping? Really Nika? For this reason alone I will continue to monitor my spending as I would like to make it a lifestyle change. Maybe now I can actually meet my saving goals and stop wondering where in the world my money went.