One of our favorite ways to enjoy seafood this time of year is, of course, in a soup, stew, or bisque. But pair seafood with pasta, grits, rice, or potatoes, and you’ve still got that extra bit of comfort we all seek out as the temperatures start to drop. Seafood offers a fresh, light contrast to the heavy dishes you might have on the table this time of year, but these dishes still leave you feeling all snug and satisfied.

Whether you’re hosting a dinner with friends or keeping it simple with family, fall is the perfect excuse to get creative in the kitchen. The beauty of fall seafood dinners is that they don’t have to be fussy to be flavorful, and they always make for a memorable meal. So, grab your favorite seafood and a few fall staples, and let the season’s flavors come to life!

Which of these fall seafood dinner ideas are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 15 Fall Seafood Dinner Ideas appeared first on Paula Deen.

Though fresh shrimp is incredibly easy to cook, it can still be daunting for some people, as they don’t know how to buy it or prep it. So let’s learn that, shall we? First, do a quality check. Good shrimp should have a slightly salty smell, after all, they come from the ocean—if it smells fishy or foul, do yourself a favor and toss it! You should also check by touching it. The flesh should be firm and spring back into place after you touch it. If it has a mushy texture, it’s no good.

Once you buy fresh shrimp, you should take it directly home. If you have other stops to make before heading home, ask your grocery store or fishmonger to pack it on ice. Now, this also seems like a good time to address a safety concern if you’re choosing to use frozen shrimp. How you thaw your shrimp is incredibly important! Always thaw your shrimp in the refrigerator—it take a little longer, but if you thaw them in warm water or by having them sit out on the counter, this puts them at risk for bacteria growth, which can be incredibly harmful! You don’t want your shrimp to be above 40˚F until it’s cooking time!

Now once they’re thawed and ready for cooking, you’ll need to peel and devein them! To devein a shrimp, simply run a sharp paring knife along the back of the shrimp. This cut should be rather shallow. Then using the knife or your fingers, pull the dark veins out. It’s a quick and easy process!

Now that your shrimp are properly prepped, you can get cooking! Need some inspiration for how to use them? Paula has plenty to offer! From salads to air-fried shrimp and dips to bisques, we’re sharing six delicious ways to enjoy yummy shrimp!

The post Shrimp 6 Ways appeared first on Paula Deen.

Which recipe are you hoping to make first? And what side dishes would you serve alongside them?

The post Fish Dinner appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 8 lemon sole fillets (2 ounces each) or 4 flounder fillets (6 ounces each)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• ½ pound crabmeat, picked over to remove bits of shell
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat or regular panko bread crumbs
• ⅓ cup half-and-half
• Smoked paprika, for sprinkling
• 4 fresh dill sprigs 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Lay the lemon slices on top of the paper.
2. In a small skillet, melt ½ tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Set aside to cool.
3. Season the fillets by sprinkling with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, the cooled onion mixture, the bread crumbs, half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste. If you are using lemon sole fillets, lay 2 fillets together, overlapping slightly down the long end. Spoon ¼ cup of the crabmeat mixture down the center of each pair of fillets and roll lengthwise into a bundle. Secure the ends with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining fillets. If you are using flounder fillets, stuff each single fillet as you would stuff the lemon sole.
5. Lay the bundles, seam side down, on top of the lemon slices in the prepared dish. Dot each fillet with a portion of the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, sprinkle with paprika, and top with a small sprig of fresh dill.
6. Bake the fillets until the fish is flaky, about 15 minutes for the lemon sole and 18 to 20 minutes for the flounder. To serve, spoon the pan juices over the fillets.

Serves 4

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: Crab-Stuffed Lemon Sole appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 ounces Andouille chicken sausage, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sausage and cayenne and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add 2 cups of the chicken broth, tomatoes, rice, and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until the rice is completely tender and the shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more. If the mixture starts to seem dry, add more broth to moisten it up. Season with the Tabasco and serve.

Serves 6

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: Jambalaya appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 1 pound crabmeat, picked over to remove bits of shell
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup regular or light sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Juice of ½ lemon, plus extra lemon slices, for serving
• 2 dashes hot sauce (optional)
• 1 cup whole-wheat or regular panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.  Grease a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the crabmeat, red onion, parsley, sour cream, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, cayenne, lemon juice, hot sauce (if using) and ½ cup of the bread crumbs. Form the mixture into 6 even-size flat disks, each about 2 ½ inches in diameter.
3. Place the remaining ½ cup of bread crumbs in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Gently dip the crab cakes in the bread crumbs until well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Gently flip the crab cakes and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon slices.

Makes 6 Crab Cakes/Serves 6

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: Savannah Crab Cakes appeared first on Paula Deen.