So, it seems as if this week’s Willing Cook-A-Long challenge wasn’t appealing to the masses. That’s too bad as Deep South Shrimp and Sausage really was quite good. I think that one could easily substitute diced chicken for the shrimp and sausage if you wanted to still get the comfort food feel with good flavor.
I love Shrimp and Grits! Whenever we travel to the deep south, particularly low country, we seek out the whole-in-the-wall restaurant to find the best Shrimp and Grits. (If you’re ever in the Beaufort, SC area, I have a great suggestion for you.) The only complaint I would have about this recipe is it didn’t make enough. There were no leftovers and not really any seconds. I think I will double the recipe the next time I make it. Overall, this recipe wasn’t quite as good as those deep south restaurants, but we all liked it and will definitely make again.
Changes I made…
- I served the shrimp and sausage over red smashed potatoes as opposed to grits because of the wheat allergy.
- I did not have any Old Bay Seasoning, so I subbed by making a homemade version.
- I used pre-cooked frozen shrimp and added them at the end of the cooking process.
- I used natural pork sausage link, not containing soy or corn.
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Since this past weeks recipe wasn’t a big hit with everyone, I thought I would mix things up a bit. Instead of a dinner dish, we are making breakfast/dessert for the Willing Cook-A-Long challenge this week. Money Saving Mom recently made these Pumpkin Scones in her weekly freezer cooking and they received rave reviews. So, putting them on the challenge this week gives me the excuse to make them.
How will I “re”create this recipe? I will definitely make substitutions for the dairy and egg. But dare I go gluten-free again this week? I have some apple pie pride still in my back pocket, so you never know what I might whip out (or might sabotage).
How will you “re”create pumpkin scones this week? I know I have to have some takers on this week’s recipe with all the fall smells and temperatures in the air. Just a few reminders…
The Willing Cook-A-Long Challenge:
- Every Friday, I will link a new recipe that I believe will be enjoyable to the masses.
- Sometime during the next week, you fix the recipe.
- On the following Friday, you come back and leave a comment or link to your blog* about how the recipe turned out.
- Please, please make this recipe yours. ”Recreate” the recipe to any or all of the following issues that may exist in your home: food allergies, family preferences/budget, and/or pantry stock.
- When you come back to comment on how the recipe turned out, please include the changes you made to the recipe. I will be doing the cook-a-long with you, so I will note the changes that I made as well.
The idea behind The Willing Cook-A-Long is to get us out of the weekly dinner rut, although it won’t always be a dinner recipe (salads, sides, desserts, etc. will also be included). In addition, it will help people see how to recreate dishes based on any of the issues noted above: food allergies, preferences, budget and/or pantry stock.
If you will commit to the Willing Cook-A-Long challenge, leave a comment below saying “I’m in.” If you need help with “recreating” your dish to make it work for your family, don’t hesitate to ask for tips!
*If you leave a link to your blog about The Willing Cook-A-Long, please be kind to link only your post, not your home page. In addition, I ask that you link back to this page. Thank you!
You had a good success with gluten free last week, but I didn’t. I’d like to try it, but I’ll have to ponder if I can get away with a 1:1 substitution for the flour, or if other adjustments need to be made.
Let me know what you decide. I haven’t looked at the recipe close enough yet to decide if I want to try gluten-free too. Perhaps I’ll try both
I’ve been gluten-free for 5 years. Two flour combinations I like are Better Batter Flour, and Jules. When changing a dessert recipe to gluten-free I double the baking powder or baking soda. All spices I double and also the vanilla. (always use the pure vanilla)
You can buy Better Batter Flour at vitacost.com or Amazon. Vitacost is the cheapest, and shipping is $4.99 an order, for any size order.
Thanks for the suggestions! I haven’t bought any gluten-free mixes because they are a bit costly, but I’ve had some luck with a few combinations. Regardless, I keep experimenting. I get Jules’ emails and may try her blend eventually.
I recently bought Namaste Pizza Crust, and it’s awesome! I usually make Carol Fenster’s recipe, but this is not only easy, but the closest I’ve come to a gluten pizza. It makes two pizza’s and they say it has to be spread 14 inches, but I used a regular pizza pan. You have to cook it for 20 minutes on the bottom rack in the oven. Then you cook it another 10-15 minutes. I cook the 10-15 minutes on the middle rack of my oven, because they didn’t specify. I’ve made this twice, and my husband (who eats gluten) kept saying how good it was, and then he said, “Did I leave you enough?” I only eat two slices, but he ate most of the pizza. Try it, you won’t be sorry!
Thanks, Donna, I’ll have to check that out. I’ve never heard of that pizza crust. Where do you get it?
There should be “clean” grits available that are safe for a wheat allergy. I’m doing fine even just eating Quaker (shhh… it all the grocery store in my area has). If you’re actually more towards the South, I’m sure there’s a wider selection and more options for whole-grain and/or organic.
You’re probably right. I just didn’t put forth much energy toward looking for safe ones. The mashed potatoes filled it very nicely!
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I sometimes can find Namaste Pizza Crust at Sherm’s Thunderbird store, but they were out this week. I placed a Subscribe & Save order from Amazon, that has 6 boxes in it. It’s quite a bit cheaper than in a store. There is enough flour in one box for two pizzas. I saved around $2.00 per box ordering from Amazon.
Good to know. Thanks, Donna!
On the grits topic, every now and then I use Arrowhead Mills (I think) Creamy Rice Cereal to change up my breakfast routine. No sweetener so you can jazz it up like a sweet cereal or my preference, with salt and Tabasco with a fried egg. It’s the texture that lends it the grits-like quality but granted I’m far from a southerner so I don’t know if it would pass muster.
Just found your blog through Money Saving Mom and I’m hooked! Your readers have a lot of good substitution ideas.
Thanks so much for stopping over! I’m glad you like it here and hope you will return often. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you’d ever like to see something covered.
Thanks also for the grits tip. I’ll definitely keep it in mind.