The Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp & Lobster Pot Pie was first introduced as a limited-time menu item by the restaurant chain in May 2013. The pot pie was part of its ‘Seaside Mix & Match’ promotion. This marked the first time the iconic biscuits were used as a topping for a main dish in the restaurant’s history. The dish featured a creamy sauce with shrimp, lobster, peas, and carrots, topped with the biscuit dough, then baked until golden brown.
The specific Red Lobster menu item was a unique, promotional creation designed to leverage the immense popularity of their free, unlimited biscuits. It has inspired numerous copycat recipes and variations that circulate online, allowing fans to recreate the dish at home using the store-bought Red Lobster biscuit mix.
The biscuits are made with a blend of medium cheddar cheese, garlic, and herbs, finished with a melted butter topping. This rich, savory flavor profile makes them highly addictive and distinct from typical bread or rolls. Being a ‘drop biscuit,’ it gives them a light, fluffy, and airy texture, as opposed to the denser, rolled biscuits. This unique consistency makes them melt-in-your-mouth delicious when served warm.
This copycat recipe checks all the boxes for Brion & I so I had to try it.
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Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp & Lobster Pot Pie
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Ingredients
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
Ingredients
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
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Instructions
Pot Pie Filling
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In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic, onion, & celery. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour & cook 1 minute, forming a roux.
Slowly whisk in seafood broth & cream. Stir until smooth & slightly thickened, 5–7 minutes. Season with Old Bay, salt & pepper.
Add shrimp & cook 2–3 minutes until pink. Stir in lobster parsley. Remove from heat.
Biscuits
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, garlic powder & salt. Cut in the grated cold butter until crumbly. Stir in cheddar & herbs. Add milk & mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
Assembly
Spoon seafood mixture into 4-12 oz. ramekins or a baking dish. Drop biscuit dough over the top, spreading gently. Bake 20–25 minutes, until biscuits are golden & cooked through. Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
When it comes to comfort food, meatballs have a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of many. This meatball & barley dish takes the classic comfort food to a new level. The unusual blend of herbs and spices used in the recipe give the meatballs a unique and complex flavor that sets them apart from other meatball recipes.
In savory dishes like meatballs, cardamom can complement the richness of the meat and other spices. It adds a warm, aromatic, and slightly sweet flavor, enhancing both the savory and sometimes subtly sweet notes of the dish. It’s often used in combination with other spices to create complex flavor profiles, especially in dishes inspired by Moroccan or Scandinavian cuisine.
Cardamom is a tropical perennial plant belonging to the ginger family. Originally native to south India and Sri Lanka, as of today Guatemala is the world’s largest producer. The cardamom plant has long sword-shaped leaves, white and purple streaked flower petals and yellowish-green pods which contain the seeds.
Cardamom should generally be used sparingly due to its potent and intense flavor. A little goes a long way, and a subtle hint of cardamom is often more desirable than a strong, overpowering taste.
This recipe was one of those that started with these tasty little meatballs then along came some barley, veggies and gravy and it turned out to be an amazing meal.
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Meatballs & Barley w/ Sun-Dried Tomatoes
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Instructions
Meatballs
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a baking tray.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs & mix well but do NOT overmix.
Measure out 20 meatballs approximately 40 gm each & place on baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes. You only want to bake them partially so they can finish baking with the rest of the casserole. Set aside.
Other Ingredients
Cook barley in vegetable broth until tender. Set aside barley & any vegetable broth that might still remain when removed from heat.
In the microwave, cook whole potatoes SLIGHTLY then slice into 1/8-inch slices. Slice red onion into wedges. Slice zucchini. Drain sun-dried tomatoes from seasoned oil. Grate cheese.
Sauce (Gravy)
In a saucepan, melt butter; add flour & garlic powder to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add beef broth, stirring until sauce thickens. Season to taste. The gravy should be thin so the casserole can bake in it. If you find it is too thick, add more beef broth to thin it out.
Assembly
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Lightly spray a 9 x 13 -inch baking dish with baking spray. Spread the red onion wedges over the bottom of dish. Next layer the sliced potatoes on top then the zucchini & sun-dried tomatoes.
Top with the meatballs & cooked barley then carefully pour gravy over top all. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover casserole with a piece of foil paper
Cover casserole with a piece of foil paper & bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked.
Ravioli is a beloved pasta dish that has stood the test of time. With its delicious fillings, cultural significance, and versatility, ravioli continues to be a popular choice for people of all ages and backgrounds.
The name ‘ravioli’ is derived from the old Italian word ‘riavvolgere’ (to wrap). Ravioli was traditionally served ‘al brodo’ (in broth) before the introduction of tomatoes from the New World in the 16th century, when tomato-based sauces became popular.
In the past, ravioli was just a fancy way to recycle leftovers, but today you’ll find a variety of elegant fillings ranging from gourmet cheeses, butternut squash, kale & spinach, wild mushrooms, lobster, and chicken. It can be served in a variety of ways, such as boiled, baked, or fried, and can be paired with a wide range of sauces and toppings.
The sauce you choose to serve with your ravioli will depend on the filling of your little pasta pockets. The idea is to pair the right sauce with the filling to create balance. Light, cheesy ravioli pairs well with a rich, meaty sauce, while hearty meat-filled ravioli works better with something creamy or mild. This keeps the dish balanced so it’s not too heavy or uninteresting.
This casserole pairs cheese ravioli with a creamy beef parmesan sauce making a nice flavorful meal.
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Beef & Cheese Ravioli in Creamy Sauce
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Instructions
Beef & Ravioli
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon. Cook until beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat. Add the onion & garlic, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until softened & fragrant. Stir in oregano, basil & salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
While the beef cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli & cook according to package directions, typically 3-5 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving about a cup of pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.
Sauce
In the same skillet you cooked the beef, reduce the heat to medium-low & add the milk, cream cheese & chicken broth. Stir continuously until the cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce, creating a creamy base. Add the parmesan cheese, garlic & onion powder & pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth & slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Assembly
Add the cooked ravioli & beef mixture to the skillet with the creamy sauce. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the ravioli is coated with the sauce. If the sauce seems to thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to thin it to your desired consistency. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat everything through.
Serve hot. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley & additional parmesan cheese if desired.
When German-Russian immigrants began moving to North America between 1880 and 1920, they brought with them their traditional recipes, one of them being a stuffed sandwich filled with a savory filling of ground beef, shredded cabbage and onions in a yeasted bun. If the ingredients of ‘runza‘ sound familiar, it might be because these sandwiches are the modern cousins of the German bierock. They are also sometimes called kraut burgers or kraut kuchen.
This unique recipe was passed down from one generation to the next, eventually finding its way to North America and particularly to the states of Kansas and Nebraska (but with different names). Originally the bierocks were served to the field workers for lunch.
No one is sure, but the name ‘runza’ possibly came from the Low German ‘runsa’ which means ‘bun shape,’ or the soft shape of a round belly.
Runza casserole pays homage to the sandwich in a comforting baked dish that’s super simple to make.
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Cheesy Mushroom Runza Casserole
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Instructions
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In a saucepan, brown ground beef with onion. When meat is about halfway cooked, season with salt & pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning & add in mushrooms. Cook for a couple of minutes then add shredded cabbage & cover with a lid. Stir & cook for about 5 more minutes. Cabbage should have wilted.
Combine mushroom soup with milk.
Spread 1/2 of the ground beef mixture in the bottom of an 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the soup mixture & 1/2 of the shredded cheese.
Place one tin of crescent rolls over the top of the casserole. Add remaining ground beef mixture, soup mixture & cheese.
Place second tin of crescent rolls over top of the casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Alternately you could make your own pastry instead of using crescent rolls.
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup warm water
Mix flour, butter, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in warm water and stir until a soft ball forms. Roll dough on a floured surface and knead until elastic, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a towel; let rise in a warm and dry area for about 1 hour.
The perfect summer meal, a go-to dish to impress your guests and save time in the kitchen. Salmon parcels are also known as ‘salmon wellington’ or ‘salmon en croute’. Wellingtons, including the famous Beef Wellington are specifically baked in puff pastry which is a multi-layered pastry as opposed to something flatter like a pie dough. Puff pastry goes through a process called lamination, which involves rolling, folding and chilling the pastry multiple times to achieve that flaky consistency. Of course, you can defer not to make your own pastry and use store bought puff pastry with an amazing results!
The origin of salmon Wellington dates back to Tudor England (mid 1400s to early 1600s). Beef Wellington was an incredibly popular dish among the higher classes. Less wealthy groups began to experiment with other types of protein that were more plentiful and cheaper, like salmon or chicken.
My variation of ‘Salmon Parcels’ includes zucchini as well as parmesan and Boursin cheese. The recipe makes four so for Brion & I, we enjoy two for dinner and I freeze two for another time.
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Salmon Parcels
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, & a generous pinch of salt & cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini & sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in Boursin cheese, parmesan & dill. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheeses are melted & combined, about 2 minutes. Stir in panko breadcrumbs & Old Bay seasoning. Cook, stirring, until mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes more; season with salt & pepper to taste.
Rinse salmon under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place sheet of puff pastry on a cutting board & roll out slightly. Lay on a piece of parchment paper & cut into 4 equal pieces. Arrange a piece of salmon in the center of each. (There should be about 1/2" dough on 2 sides of the salmon.) Season salmon with salt. Spoon filling mixture over salmon, making sure it stays in the center of fish; smooth in an even layer.
Using parchment paper, roll each piece into a log shape. Remove paper, flip seam side down & transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Fold in pastry on ends to enclose filling. Brush all over with egg wash.
Bake salmon until pastry is golden brown & an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of salmon registers 140°, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer salmon parcels to a platter & serve with a dill sauce if you prefer..
I love chutneys so I’m always looking for a new way in which to use them. Originating in India, chutney is made from fruits and/or vegetables and preserved with vinegar, sugar, and spices. It is a wonderful way to balance or highlight flavors in a recipe.
You may be a bit apprehensive of rhubarb and mango together, but it transforms nicely into a mildly spicy condiment. Combining the tart rhubarb with the sweet fresh mango and a variety of spices produces a fabulous flavor combination that wavers between the sweet and savory.
More than any other fruit or vegetable, rhubarb to me is a sign of the changing season. It is the signal that summer is arriving in those ruby red or speckled green & pink stalks. I snap up what I can in the garden and when I see it at the supermarket. I take all I can and more, slicing and freezing the excess for rhubarb cravings that come in winter.
Because of our love for rhubarb, I’m always looking for new ways to use it. I had never thought of pairing rhubarb with mango much less putting it in a chutney and using it in a savory muffin. So here you go – check this out!
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Rhubarb & Mango Savory Muffins
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Instructions
Chutney
Combine all chutney ingredients in a small pot, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat & cook for about half an hour, until everything is soft & it resembles a chutney consistency. Cool on a plate until ready to use in batter.
Muffins
Heat oven to 350 F. Line 12 cup muffin pan with paper cups.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients EXCLUDING cheese & mix well, add the grated cheese & mix again.
In a smaller bowl, combine oil, milk, egg & chutney, mix until combined.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry & mix until just combined, do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffin cases & top with the 30 gm grated cheese & 1/2 tsp poppy seeds.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested. Remove from oven to a wire rack. Top with a dollop of chutney.
Muffins can be served warm or cold. If not eating them straight from the oven its best to warm them for 30 seconds in the microwave before serving to enjoy the best flavor.
Recipe Notes
You will have extra chutney, but it can be used served with chicken, pork or beef.
This flavorful dish not only makes a fabulous midweek meal for four but can be easily multiplied to accommodate more. The quick cooking couscous turns this simple recipe into a one pot wonder with a fusion of flavors.
Shrimp and tomato couscous starts with ‘shrimp stock’. It’s a great way to make sure you get the most out of your shrimp by extracting all the flavor from the shells which then acts as a nice flavor base for your couscous.
Couscous has become one of my favorite pantry staples. It’s quick, convenient, versatile and makes a good alternative to traditional rice or pasta.
There are actually three different kinds of couscous:
Pearl (Israeli) couscous, which resembles tiny pasta shaped like pearls.
Lebanese couscous, also called Moghrabieh, is sold fresh or dried and is the largest in size, similar to a pea. It’s often boiled, drained, and then mixed with oils and spices or added to meats as a tasty starch in hearty stews and braises.
Then, there is the smallest size couscous made of fine granules of durum wheat. This one is associated more with Moroccan cooking.
Couscous used to be hand rolled into tiny pasta. It is now available in instant- cook packages or bulk, where couscous has already been pre-cooked by steaming and then dried. This leaves us with the simple task of re-hydrating in broth.
I guess in some ways this meal kind of mimic’s paella. One thing for sure is that its hearty & very flavorful!
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Lebanese Couscous w/Shrimp & Tomatoes
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Instructions
In a medium stockpot, combine the shrimp shells, clam juice, broth, bay leaves & peppercorns. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for four to five minutes, until the shrimp shells are nice & pink. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl; discard the solids in the strainer.
Season the shrimp with salt & pepper. In a large pot over medium-high (you could re-use the stockpot here), heat one tablespoon of the oil. Add half the shrimp & cook without stirring until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining shrimp.
Return the pot to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic & 1/2 tsp of salt then cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes & couscous. Stir in 2 cups of the shrimp broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to medium and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in another cup or so of the broth, return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is again absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining cup of broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the couscous is tender.
Turn off heat, stir in the shrimp & juices, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice & parsley. Cover & let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste & season with salt & pepper. Garnish with some grated parmesan cheese or sliced green onion if desired.
Guacamole is everywhere these days. Hailed as a nutrient-dense superfood and mixed into everything from omelets to smoothies, prior to the 16th century, avocados were unknown to all but a select few.
When the conquistadors landed in present-day Mexico, they found the native Aztecs eating a green dish called ahuacamolli, made with a never-before-seen fruit. Five hundred years later, it’s found at every Super Bowl party and Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Mexico continues to be the world’s largest producer of avocados. They remain a staple of Mexican cuisine, with slices often accompanying traditional dishes like tacos. But avocados are perhaps best known for being mashed, spiced, tossed together with tomatoes and onions, and scooped up with tortilla chips as ‘guacamole’.
Which brings me to another idea — savory guacamole muffins! This recipe is interesting in that it incorporates all the things you would use to make guacamole in a muffin. They not only make a stand-alone tasty snack but can also be paired with some cheesy scrambled eggs, salmon or cured meats, especially if you’re aiming for a comfort-food-type meal.
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Savory Guacamole Muffins
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners.
Place avocado in a bowl. Using a fork, roughly mash. Add butter, egg, milk & cheese. Stir to combine.
Sift flour, chili powder & baking powder into a bowl. Add avocado mixture. Stir until just combined.
Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden & scones spring back when lightly touched.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve.
Today, November 28th, our neighbors to the south in the USA, are celebrating their Thanksgiving Day. It encompasses both religious and secular aspects … being both a harvest festival and a festival of family.
Here in Canada, we have already enjoyed our Thanksgiving in October, but I thought it would be nice to acknowledge their holiday with posting a special meal.
Stuffed pork tenderloin is an amazing way to amp up a simple cut of meat. Pork tenderloin is incredibly tender since it is essentially the ‘filet’. Because there is very little fat in a tenderloin, its perfect to stuff with all sorts of tasty things to bring in both moisture and flavor.
Today I am going with a very simple stuffing of gorgonzola cheese and herbs and serving it with a pomegranate/blueberry balsamic sauce.
Pomegranate & blueberry sauce is the epitome of fruit flavors mixed with pork. Sweet, tangy, and savory! Balsamic sauce, the versatile, sweet reduction made by adding sugar to balsamic vinegar and cooking it down to thicken, arrived during a time of chicken Kievs, vol au vents and trifle, when chicken satay was still mysteriously exotic.
Pomegranates have a bright, sweet-tart flavor that can be incorporated into all kinds of meals. The only thing is that they are a seasonal fruit, so you need to take advantage of them while they are available from October to January. There are many interesting facts about pomegranates, but here are just a few.
- Pomegranates don’t contain any saturated fats or cholesterol.
- In China, a picture of a ripe, open pomegranate is a popular wedding present because it represents a positive, blessed future and fertility for numerous offspring.
- Ancient civilizations used pomegranate juice as a condiment or a meat marinade, much like we use lemon juice today.
- Before granulated sugar, people used ‘syrup’ from pomegranates and other fruits as sweeteners for dessert dishes.
- The word pomegranate means ‘apple with many seeds.’
- Pomegranates botanically belong to the berry family.
If you get a chance to try this recipe I hope you enjoy it as much as Brion & I did.
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Gorgonzola Stuffed Pork Tenderloin w/ Pomegranate Blueberry Sauce
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Instructions
Tenderloin
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Remove silverskin & any excess fat from tenderloin then butterfly it open. Cover with plastic wrap & pound with a meat mallet until about 3/4-inch thick.
Add herbs to a small dish & mix in a Tbsp of water to reconstitute. Set aside. Add gorgonzola to a small saucepan & heat over medium low heat. Break apart into small chunks. Add herbs & mix well. Heat until melted & bubbly. Remove from heat.
Spread the cheese & herb mixture down the middle of the tenderloin, leaving a gap around the edges.
Roll up the tenderloin from the short side & secure with kitchen twine if necessary. Place pork in a baking pan, drizzle with oil & season with salt & pepper.
Roast for 45 minutes or until cooked through & at least 145 F. internally.
Sauce
In a saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, onion, pomegranate seeds & blueberries. Cook over medium heat about 15-20 minutes the stir in cornstarch/water combo to thicken sauce slightly. If the sauce is too thick or you would like it a bit more tart, just add some more balsamic vinegar.
Serve
Remove pork from oven & lay on a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into medallions, drizzle with the berry sauce & serve with seasonal vegetables & mashed potatoes.
