What to do about those Gators...eat them, maybe??

Aside from my love of cooking and driving need to share good food with those I love on a very public forum, I'm writing this blog to aid in publication of my cookbook that I distribute to friends and family every few years or so. We've got a lot of family that likes to dabble in the kitchen...and they were nice enough to send me recipes for said cookbook. I'm sharing them here, even though I won't be making some of them--Scott's allergic to shrimp. He about died when it happened. Not literally, but he is really really upset he can't eat shrimp anymore.

This particular morsel comes from my cousin Scott from the Louisiana contingent. It looks like a mighty fine example of southern cooking, and I believe it would even do Paula Deen proud!


ALLIGATOR SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Servings : 12
Yield : 1 Pie

1 1/3 Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
2/3 Parmesan Cheese (I recommend you grate this yourself)
4 oz. unsalted butter (melted…slowly – don’t let it break)
1 ½ pounds Cream Cheese – softened
3-4 eggs (use 3 if they are really large 4 if they are smaller)
2/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese (Grated)
1 Medium Onion (diced)
½ ea. Green Bell Pepper finely diced
½ ea. Yellow Bell Pepper finely diced
½ ea. Red Bell Pepper finely diced
½ pound Alligator Sausage. Diced (You can sub Andouille or other smoked sausage if you can’t find Alligator sausage)
1/3 Can Green Chili Peppers diced (I use the 4oz cans)
½ Pound Gulf Shrimp diced
Pinch of Salt
½ Tbs. Fajita Magic (or any other Southwest Fajita Seasoning)
½ Tbs. Chipotle powder

1. Mix breadcrumbs and Parm cheese, add melted butter and mix well. Press into a 10 or 12 inch spring form cheesecake pan. Bake 10 min in a 400 degree preheated oven to set the crust. Remove and set aside.

2. Whisk cream cheese until smooth, add eggs, whisk, and add heavy cream and Grated Gouda. And set aside.

3. Saute vegetables with spices until soft. Pour off excess liquid if any. Add shrimp and cook until just done. Add Sausage and chili peppers and cook for 1 min. fold this into cream cheese mixture. When done – pour this into the spring-form pan. (Wrap foil around the pan to prevent leakage)

4. Bake in a water bath (a 2 inch hotel pan filled approx 1/3) in a 450 degree oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

5. Remove from oven when and inserted knife is clean and the filling is set. Cool to cut

6. Remove from spring form pan – unlatch and VERY slowly twist as you lift – it should come right off with minimum tearing. Cut into 12 pieces.