As parents, it’s important to teach your children the ABCs and the 123s, but as a Southern mama, the lessons don’t stop there. Here are some homeschooled teachings that are just as important to learn.
- Saying yes ma’am and sir is non-negotiable.
- Dress to impress. You never know when you are going to meet Jesus.
- Pull up your britches or wear a belt.
- Family is always first.
- Send handwritten thank-you notes.
- Sundays are for God and church.
- Appreciate your community and give back.
- Mind your manners.
- Recipes and traditions are your heritage.
- Every argument can be won with a “Bless Your Heart”
- A good pie can solve any problem.
- If it doesn’t move, monogram it.
- Be polite, no matter what.
- Pretty is as pretty does.
- You’ll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
- Remember to reload your brain before you shoot off your mouth.
- You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. However, no ladies should ever leave home without it.
- Love people with food.
- No one will ever love you as much as your mama – except her mama.
They say life doesn't come with a manual, but in the South, our mama’s handbook might as well be the Bible. These women gave us the tools we needed, and we're forever marked by that firm, yet tender teaching. Mama taught us to be accepting and kind towards others, to lend a hand to those in need, and to accomplish our goals through hard work and sheer determination. She taught us how to take care of ourselves, how to handle any situation with poise, and how to always take the high road. When someone tells us that we get more and more like our mother with each passing day, we can't help but grin—because what we used to think was our worst nightmare didn't turn out to be such a bad thing at all.
Shrimp & Crab Stuffed Shells in a Spicy Tomato Sauce
INGREDIENTS
For the Seafood Shells
- 1 lb. jumbo pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ¼ lbs. raw shrimp chopped
- 1 lb. crab meat
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay or creole seasoning
For the Seafood Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups seafood stock
- 2 tablespoon cooking sherry
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- half a lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Then set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. (Do not salt the water.)
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Once the water is boiling, drop the jumbo pasta shells into the water and cook according to the package instructions. (I usually like to throw in a couple of extra shells just in case any of them break.) Once cooked, drain the shells and place them open-side-up in the baking dish.
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For the Seafood Filling: Meanwhile, set a large skillet (or sauté pan) over medium heat. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Once melted, add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet. Stir and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in the chopped shrimp pieces. Stir and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes until cooked and pink.
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Now stir in the crab meat, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, old bay seasoning, chopped parsley, and black pepper. Gently stir until the cream cheese melts and the seafood is well coated in the sauce. Turn off the heat.
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Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of seafood filling into each jumbo shell. If you have extra filling, it’s OK to go back and add more filling where needed.
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For the Seafood Sauce: Rinse out the skillet and set it back on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter, black pepper, and flour. As the butter melts, whisk it together with the flour to create a smooth roux. Whisk in the seafood stock, cooking sherry, tomato sauce, heavy cream, and red pepper flakes. Continue to whisk until the sauce comes to a simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 4-6 minutes to thicken, then turn off the heat. Squeeze in lemon.
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Carefully pour the seafood sauce over the top of each stuffed shell. Then sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
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Bake the shells, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish. Serve warm with an extra sprinkling of parsley if desired.
