Friday, March 26, 2010

Crab Lasagna Rolls baked in Shrimp Alfredo Sauce and Speedy Hazelnut Bundt Cake

The crab Lasagna Rolls baked in Shrimp Alfredo Sauce may not look gorgeous on the plate BUT the flavors meld wonderfully! The Canadian Snow crab used is slightly sweet mixed in with fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan and cottage cheese. The Alfredo sauce makes a large amount and the remaining sauce can easily be used for a separate pasta dinner. Fresh Alfredo sauce is worth the effort to make and once you have tasted the difference, your taste buds will never want to go back to store bought.
Buy a loaf of freshly baked French bread, slice the the center horizontally, add a mixture of 1/2 c. butter (melted), 2 T. olive oil, 4 cloves garlic minced, and 1/2 t. kosher salt (all ingredients mixed and left alone for 30 minutes before applying to the bread halves). Wrap in foil and Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the pasta dinner. Delicious way to sop up the Alfredo sauce!

Crab Lasagna Rolls baked in Shrimp Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
****START SAUCE WHILE COOKING LASAGNA NOODLES****
Crab Lasagna Rolls:
1/2 pound flaked or lump crab meat
4 regular lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Additional grated Parmesan (optional)

Shrimp Alfredo Sauce:
1 stick butter
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced celery
Garlic to taste
1 pound medium shrimp
1/2 cup flour
2 c. whole or 2 % milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup clam juice
1/4 c. parsley, minced
Salt and white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 c. Chopped mushrooms
1 beefsteak tomato cut into thin slices

Directions For Crab Lasagna Rolls:
Beat the egg. Thoroughly combine crab meat, Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, egg, fresh parsley and onion powder.Divide filling into 4 equal portions. Spread filling mixture on each noodle.

Roll noodles tightly, and place seam-side down in an 8-inch square baking dish.

Pour shrimp Alfredo sauce over top. Add thin slices of tomato. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with additional grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Directions for the Shrimp Alfredo Sauce:
In a saucepan melt butter and add onions, green onions, celery and garlic.

Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink. With cooked shrimp, add at the last 5 minutes. Add flour and stir in completely. Add about half the whole or 2 % milk and half the cream. Let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Add more milk and cream to desired thickness. Add Worcestershire, clam juice, fresh parsley, salt and white pepper to taste, cayenne if using and chopped mushrooms.

Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Pour over crab lasagna rolls and top with thin slices of tomato.
I do not make a habit of using boxed cake mixes but we enjoy the texture and flavor of this recipe and the cake has become a family favorite over the years. You can change the liqueur to different flavors and end up with the same great results. Amaretto is another liqueur I use for this recipe. VERY tasty!
Easy Hazelnut Bundt Cake

1 cup chopped pecans
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur
Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over bottom of pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 3/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur. Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. Pour batter over nuts in pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto the serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake. Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze repeat until all glaze is used up.
Directions for the Glaze:
In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Hazelnut liqueur.