Apologies for the lack of blogging—the holiday weekend was busy! Anyway, I am a big fan of one-pot cooking whether it be in a skillet, a pan or a pot. One-pot recipes are easy, quick, & versatile, plus the flavor combinations are endless. You can start from scratch or with a packaged product such as rice, pasta, or vegetables. During the week, I like to make dinner as easy as possible, especially since I spend my work day making and styling food! Tonight, I am starting with Zatarain’s Red Beans and Rice (8 ounce package). The Zatarain’s products are full of flavor. They’re a great platform for other ingredients. I have one pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, that I am tossing with a little olive oil and Cajun spice blend (any spice blend will do; there are so many intriguing blends on the market). Saute the shrimp in a large skillet until they turn pink; remove from skillet. Add rice mix with the amount of water package suggests, and cook according to directions. At the last-minute, stir in the cooked shrimp and serve!! It’s that simple.
Tips
– Sauté chopped onions, red or green peppers (or even jalapeno peppers) after the shrimp is sautéed and removed from skillet.
– Stir in a small can of corn to add color and texture.
– Use any protein you like—strips of boneless chicken, pork or beef, sliced andouille sausage, crumbled Italian sausage, chopped ham, scallops, or cubed tofu.
Cathy
à la carte kitchen 