Baked Shrimp Toast

Always use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Never use that powdery stuff that comes in a can. Use pepper-jelly dipping sauce, plum sauce, or muscadine sauce with this recipe.

Ingredients

1 1 /2 cups small shrimp, (approximately 10 ounces)

1 quart water

1 tsp crab boil

1 tsp salt

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 Tbsp finely minced onion

1 /2 cup mayonnaise

1 /4 cup sour cream

1 /2 tsp minced garlic

1 /4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp creole mustard

2 Tbsp finely chopped green onions

1 tsp hot sauce

1 /4 tsp old bay seasoning

1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 small loaf French bread, cut into 1 1 /2 inch rounds

Instructions

In a sauce pot, bring water, crab boil, and salt to a boil. Cook shrimp thoroughly, drain and cool. When shrimp has cooled, rough chop into small pieces.

Combine all remaining ingredients except French bread. Add shrimp.

Spread a thick layer of shrimp mixture onto French bread rounds. Place rounds on a baking sheet and freeze. When completely frozen, transfer to an airtight plastic bag.

To cook: Preheat oven to 350. Remove from freezer. Place on baking sheet and cook 15 minutes.

Makes 25-30 toasts.

Recent Recipes

Potato Gratin

Potatoes are the one vegetable I could never give up. Fried, roasted, mashed, or scalloped—doesn’t matter, they’re always on the table in one form or another. This gratin is my favorite way to make them feel a little more special. It’s rich, creamy, and just decadent enough to make it feel like you’re putting in some extra effort. There’s a good bit of cheese in this recipe, but that’s exactly how it should be. The combination of sharp white Cheddar, gruyere, and Parmesan gives it the perfect balance of nuttiness, creaminess, and tang. And using Yukon gold potatoes instead of russets makes a big difference. They have just the right amount of starch to get creamy without getting mushy. This dish is a showstopper on the holiday table, but I’d eat it on a random Tuesday without hesitation.

Orange Cranberry Muffins

These muffins are like Christmas morning in a bite—bright, citrusy orange paired with tart, bursting cranberries. The combination feels like something you'd find in a festive basket dropped off by a thoughtful neighbor. Perfect for Christmas gift giving or to have on hand for guests throughout the holiday.

Chocolate Christmas Cheesecake

Chef Linda Roderick has been by my side through these cookbooks for over two decades, and there’s no one I’d rather have guiding me through a cheesecake recipe. She’s a master of the craft—steady, exacting, and always aiming for perfection. This rich, decadent chocolate cheesecake is no exception. It's all about balance. The deep, smooth chocolate filling meets a crisp, slightly salty crust for a perfect bite every time. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing—otherwise, you’ll end up with lumps. And when you melt the chocolate, give it time to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter, so you don’t end up with curdled filling. It’s worth the patience, every time. A few techniques can elevate this recipe to another level: chilling the dough overnight for a richer flavor, using a water bath to ensure an ultra-smooth texture, and letting the cheesecake rest for at least 24 hours before serving for the best flavor.

RobertStJohn.com