All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter,
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
-Tolkien

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^{Finished Product of the Low Country Bake}

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#Whatscookingchallenge by @jaynie : Low Country Bake

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If there is one thing we are famous for in the South, it is our low country boils. This intoxicating conconction of seafood, spices, and spuds is a messy good time. It is very labor intensive and takes a fairly long time to cook. As a great alternative, I stumbled upon an amazing recipe for a Low Country Bake. It is all of the goodness with much less work and mess. Of course, I have never found a recipe that I haven't modified with my own flair, so what follows is my own rendition of a Low Country Bake and my first entry for the #whatscookingchallenge created by the talented @jaynie!

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The Indgredients

First, let's start with everything you will need to complete this self-professed masterpiece! Of course, you can substitute various items for things you may have a better taste for, but I can't guarantee the awesomeness of it if you deviate too much!

• Three Pounds of Georgia Boy or Alabama Boy Smoked Sausage
• Three Pounds of Large Shrimp
• One Small Bag of Red Potatoes
• One Large Container of Lump Crab Meat
• One Bottle of Zatarain's Shrimp and Crab Boil
• Minced Garlic
• Butter
• One Large Vidalia (Sweet) Onion
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Everglades Seasoning
  For super-duper fantastical super secret version, you can also add a pound or so of crawfish. If you add crawfish, cook them with the shrimp and potatoes.

Seafood Sauce:

• 8 to 10 Ounces of Original Velveeta
• Two Cans of Cream of Celery Soup
• 3/4 Cup of Half and Half

Wow, that's a lot of ingredients, right? I said this was good, not cheap!

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Now the Hard Part

Now you take a large rectangular, deep pan and line it with tinfoil to make clean up much, much easier. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.

^{Don't mind the beat up pan, it has been a loyal companion for many years.}
I usually start with the sausage by cutting it up into bite-sized medallions and then cooking it until browned with a good coating of Everglades Seasoning and Old Bay Seasoning. Once cooked, drain thoroughly and set aside for now.

^{Some people prefer Alabama Boy, but I swear by Georgia Boy!}

Next, we move onto the red potatoes. Cut these into manageable pieces and set them aside. Take your thawed shrimp and make sure they are deveined and peeled(including the tail).

Now we take a large pot and fill it with hot water. I get a little crazy with garlic and seasonings in general so take the next instructions with a grain of salt ( see what I did there? lol) I add two heaping table spoons ( yes I said TABLE spoons) of minced garlic and add to the water. Also, add the entire bottle of the shrimp and crab boil seasoning. As you are waiting for the water to come to a roiling boil, cut your sweet onion up into small pieces. Once, the water is boiling fast and furious, add the potatoes and onions and cook until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are soft. At this point add the shrimp ( and crawfish if using) to the water and cook approximately 2- 3 minutes. It is absolutely imperative that you not cook the shrimp too long or they will be tough and rubbery. Continue to stir to keep the shrimp under water and cooking. Take off of heat and let set. The longer the items stay in the pot of water, the spicier they will be. Once you are comfortable with the level of spicy heat, drain all of the items in a colander and set to the side.

^{There is no such thing as too much garlic!}

In another pan, take a half of stick of butter and melt down on medium heat until bubbling. Now add a teaspoon of garlic and let pan fry for a few moments. Add the can of crab meat to the butter and cook until hot throughout and set aside.

The next step is not difficult, but it can be a bit tricky. Sauces are the most finicky of all creations of the face of the earth and they are insanely jealous of your time and attention, so make sure you have everything done and that you can dedicate your undivided attention to the sauce preparation. The biggest mistake I see with new cooks is rushing things or attempting to juggle other chores while cooking.

Take your Velveeta and cut it into cubes. This will increase the speed at which it melts and it will make your sauce creamier. Take a pot and add the two cans of soup, the half and half, some sprinkles of Old Bay seasoning, and a pinch of Everglades seasoning. On low to medium low heat, continually stir as you slowly add a cube at a time of the Velveeta. Do not, I repeat, do not take your eyes off of the sauce and do not stop stirring until all of the Velvetta is added and melted down to a smooth sauce. If you are not careful it will scorch and your final creation will have a slightly burnt flavor.

Now that the sauce in complete, we can start layering items into our rectangular pan. First, add the crab meat and then add the sausage, shrimp, potatoes and onions. Next, add the seafood sauce and make sure it is spread evenly throughout the pan. Place the pan in the oven at 400 degrees and cook for 15 minutes.

After cooking for 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly, but not enough to cool all the way. You want to serve this fairly hot. Plate generous portions because you just became the best friend to everyone in your entire household!

^{This looks good enough to eat!}

This dish is perfect and filling all by itself, but if you are like me you think every meal needs some kind of bread. This pairs perfectly with garlic cheese biscuits or a robust Asiago cheese toast! I really hope you try this recipe, I promise you will not be disappointed! Thank you to @jaynie for creating this challenge. It was so fun creating this post and thanks for reading it.

I think that @gails-word-syrup @foxyspirit @happyhousewife @nickbuha and @derangedvisions may enjoy this challenge as well!