We have many Cajun friends from south Louisiana and we love their cookin’ almost as much as our Hill Country cookin’.  They tell us that one of their favorite ways to cook shrimp, a subject on which they are certainly experts, is to combine them with yellow squash.  We loved that idea as another way to use our summer bounty of yellow squash fresh from the garden.  So we headed for the kitchen and combined the shrimp and squash with a couple of our all-natural products to cook up a quick and easy one-dish supper.  Try it for yourself.  We think this recipe will delight our Cajun friends as much as it does our Hill Country family of friends.  If you’d like to add a starch, the dish is great with rice.

To Serve 4 to 6.

1-1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup Fredericksburg Farms Watershed Ranch Roasted Chipotle Salsa
½ cup whipping cream or 1 small (5.33 ounce) can
evaporated milk
3 tablespoons Fredericksburg Farms Victory Garden Vegetable Dip Mix
½ cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse shrimp under cold water and drain well.  Pat shrimp dry using absorbent paper towels; set aside.  Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed 10-inch skillet over medium heat.  When foam subsides, add the flour and stir to form a smooth roux.  Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the roux is a light blond color.  Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and Watershed Ranch Roasted Chipotle Salsa.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Add the shrimp, whipping cream and Victory Garden Vegetable Dip Mix.  Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until shrimp are beginning to turn pink.  Remove from heat. 

Arrange a layer of the squash in the bottom of a 3-quart oval or round casserole dish.  Spoon half of the shrimp mixture over the squash.  Add another layer of squash, then top with remaining shrimp mixture.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven.  While casserole is cooking, toss the bread crumbs, cheese, and melted butter, blending well.  After 30 minutes baking time, uncover the casserole and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Top the casserole with the cheese mixture, scattering the mixture evenly.  Bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the topping is golden brown.  Serve hot.