Goat Cheese & Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos for 2

Easy Gourmet - April 2011 Recipe of the Month
 I had dinner at a cozy little Blue Island restaurant last weekend.  Had a yummy stuffed chile that was awesome.  Thought I'd take a spin on the tasty dish  for this month's Easy Gourmet.  As you know, I'll wander the grocery isles till the idea hits me.  This time I was looking at the spices and saw Smoked Paprika.  Thought this would be a nice compliment to the roasted chiles.

2 poblano chiles

2 ounces mild goat cheese

¼ cup Taco style shredded cheese

¼ pound cooked shrimp from butcher counter chopped

1 tablespoon white onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste



Roast poblano chilies either over a direct flame or under a broiler until charred. Place chiles in zip lock bag to steam - Remove the charred skin. Leaving the stems intact, make a slit in the sides of the chiles and remove the seeds.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheeses with shrimp, onion, cilantro and chive. Taking care not to tear the chilies, carefully stuff them with the cheese mixture. Transfer the chilies to a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for about 10 minutes.

Serve with smoked paprika tomato sauce.

Smoked Paprika Tomato Sauce:

1 Jar good pasta sauce

1 Tablespoon roasted paprika

1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped

Olive oil to taste

Heat olive oil sauté jalapeño chile in a medium skillet heat around 2 minutes add sauce and paprika, heat for an additional 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Enjoy Julea Joseph

Asparagus, Shrimp Coconut Oil Sauté with Lemon Infused Rice

Easy Gourmet March 2011 Recipe:
Spring is here and with that my favorite veggie in season - Asparagus.  Whip up this super simple, yet special dish.  The use of coconut oil to saute in, gives this dish a nutty, yet exotic flavor. And the lemon infused rice pairs well with the shrimp.  Enjoy - Julea Joseph

Ingredients:


• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 1 1/4 cups rice

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

• 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil*

• 3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 3/4 pound frozen shrimp, defrosted

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

• 1/4 cup white wine

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Rice: In microwave safe bowl, mix together, broth, rice and lemon zest. Cook 22 minutes at 60% power. Check at 18 minutes, mix and continue cooking till rice has absorbed all liquid. Take out of micro and let set a few minutes.

Sauté: In large skillet, add oil and bring up to medium heat. Add asparagus and cook 5 minutes till fork tender, add shrimp and then green onions. Add salt and pepper, then sauté another few minutes - De glaze pan with white wine.


Serve: Serve over a bed of rice. Add wedge of lemon.


*Coconut Oil: This oil is available at health food and gourmet shops. Check your organic isles also at your local grocery too.

http://www.latourangelle.com/products_detail.php?product=coconut

Apple Crisp with Bourbon Crème Sauce

Easy Gourmet February 2011 Dish

When it’s cold and gloomy and you’ve got the blizzard blues, some warm, gooey comfort food is always a wise pick-me-up. The fun twist on this dish - is the crispy corn flakes in the mix. And tell me, who doesn’t love apples in the winter to remind us of days to come! The total yummy end is the bourbon creme sauce topper.

Ingredients:

• 5 apples peeled and sliced

• 1 cup brown sugar

• ½ quick oats

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• ½ sugar coated corn flakes

• 1 ½ teaspoons 5 Chinese 5 spice

• 1 stick of butter

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 pint good vanilla bean ice cream

• ¼ cup bourbon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and slice all apples. Melt butter in microwave. Blend together all dry ingredients and butter. In buttered cast iron pan, layer ½ the apples. Sprinkle ½ of flour/butter mixture, then layer remainder apples and top with mixture. Juice lemon and pour over the top. Bake 35 minutes.

Bourbon Sauce: Melt ice cream in microwave, mix in bourbon.

To serve:

Drizzle bourbon sauce on plate, add wedge of crisp, pour a bit more over top – Enjoy.