During the pandemic, Jayson had a lot of time on his hands. He learned how to watercolor, and kicked his cooking skills (which were already awesome) into overdrive. Recently he served me Cajun Shrimp Alfredo. Fabulous. I washed it down with two Warsteiners. Marlowe the Cat went nuts when he smelled the shrimp, but they were too spicy for his delicate system. Jayson shared the recipe with me. After you stop licking your chops when you see the finished dish, scroll down to see the recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fettuccine pasta (Jayson has been feeding me Gluten Free pasta. Says it keeps my trim,)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined 
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Jayson swears by Tony’s)
• 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch thick circles
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Jayson says it’s best when you buy a block of Parmesan instead of the stuff in the bags)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (Jayson grinds peppercorns, says it gives the dish better flavor.)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Minced parsley (Yes, real men eat parsley)

How Jayson Cooks It

Jayson says a true Cajun would cook this meal in a cast iron skillet, which can also double as a lethal weapon.

1. Cook the pasta and set it aside.
2. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. 
3. Add Olive Oil.
4. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning.
5. Add to skillet when oil is hot.
6. Cook until shrimp turns pink and set aside.
7. Add sausage and onion to skillet.
8. Sauté till the onion is translucent and sausage starts to brown.
9. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or till garlic is fragrant.
10. Add chicken stock into the skillet and scrape up any brown stuff on the bottom of the pan.
11. Add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and cayenne pepper to the skillet, stir to combine.
12. Simmer on medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the mixture because dairy can scorch easily.
13. Add in the cooked pasta and shrimp.Toss to combine.
14. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it out with a little milk. If it’s too thin let it cook down a bit more until you reach the desired texture. Remember to keep stirring while the meal is in the pot.
15. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley. And yes, real men eat parsley.

To learn more about Jayson and me, click the book covers below to read the novels author Doug Sahlin has written about my escapades.