Here is my quick – using up the leftovers in the fridge recipes. These are great for that busy season – and to use up any leftovers.
Now I do have to point out that the Cajun Shrimp Pie was originally a recipe my Mom made for us when were kids and she always called it Cajun Shrimp Pie – why I’m not sure. Now that I am older and cook I look at the ingredients and other than the thyme … and the shrimp. In any case, I (of course) switched it up a bit, but none the less its great for left over rice.
The Penne Primavera (ish) recipe is an easy way to use up a few left over veggies and lemons.
The Pork Chops – well great to use up that one last apple, and the frozen cranberries in the fridge.
Here we go! Another culinary mission is a foot!
Cajun Shrimp Pie
I apologize – I didn’t actually take a picture until it was in the oven, and there are a couple more than 6 ingredients in this one but still easy!
Ingredients
Crust
3 cups (a little more or less is fine) cooked rice
2 eggs – beaten
1 TB butter melted
Filling:
1 Cup uncooked med shrimp + 1/4 c salted water (my mom always used 1 small tin of salad shrimp & liquid but we prefer “real” shrimp 🙂
1 small onion – chopped finely
1 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas

2 TB cornstarch mixed with 4 TB water
1/4 tsp Thyme
Optional 4 slices processed cheese
Optional – hot sauce – we use Bayou Butt Burner Hot Sauce (2-3 glubs of it)
In a bowl, mix cooked rice, beaten eggs and butter together and press into a sprayed pie plate to form a “crust”
In a saucepan saute onions, add shrimp (if using uncooked), when onions are softened and shrimp is cooked add milk, and bring to a slow simmer, reduce heat, add cornstarch mixture, and thicken, add peas and thyme and salted water, allow to simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour into rice crust. Top with slices of processed cheese (you can try brick cheese, but processed works nicely :)) Bake at 375 for about 25-35 minutes(until slightly browned) and cheese is bubbling.
Prep Time 5 minutes, baking time about a 1/2 hr. Leftovers make great lunches! You could also make this into a “seafood pie” by adding crabmeat and scallops to the shrimp mixture. Play with it – enJOY. Serves with a salad.
Easy Cranberry – Apple Pork Chops
Ingredients:
4-5 Boneless Pork Chops (small)
1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1 apple – peeled, cored sliced
1 c apple juice (or cider)
1/3 c cranberry juice
In a sauce pan, on a med-high heat a little oil or spray with non-stick spray.
Add chops – and brown – don’t worry about cooking them through. Once they are browned reduce heat to low-med and add juices, and rest of ingredients.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional minutes or until liquid reduces a little. Serve with a baked potato, salad and roasted demonica squash.
Hint the liquid is awesome over the roasted squash. EnJOY!
Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 min
Primavera-ish – Clearing out the Crisper Penne

Boil 1/2 or 3/4 box of penne according to directions.
In the meatime:
Heat a saucepan to med- high, add whatever left over veggies (we had some chicken so I threw that in too) you have – we had 2 small fingerling sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced into long slices), broccoli, chicken breast, onion or whatever you have (green beans, carrots, parsnips, asparagus etc) Add the juice of 2-3 lemons, and the zest of 1 lemon, add about 1 c of chicken stock (or veggie stock – I happened to have chicken stock), a ton of basil (1/4 c of dried). Saute/simmer until veggies are cooked, add pasta and simmer for a few more minutes. Add peas. Serve & enJOY
Prep Time – 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 min.
Hope you enJOYed (ok ok I will give the JOY thing a rest 🙂 ) these simple and healthy (well except for the process cheese business) ready to eat in no time meals! Don’t forget to like this post & leave a comment!
Tried any of my recipes? I want to know how it turned out leave me a comment!
From my kitchen to yours, Healthy & Happy Eating!
Joy
Like this:
Like Loading...