Cajun Shrimp and Andouille with Alfredo Sauce

This recipe comes from Southern Living. I've made it several times now and it's so yummy but the cream does make it a bit on the heavy side. I have only one printed copy of the recipe and I keep losing it and every time I wanted to make this I had to hunt for this one copy. I recently found it but I'm not allowed to make it until I get it typed up here in case the recipe goes missing again. This recipe is a bit more on the time consuming time and has a few more ingredients than I like to use but it's worth it. Also it can be made with chicken instead of shrimp, and I usually get that sausage that looks like a big hot dog shaped like a U. The recipe says to serve on pasta but I'm sure it would be great on rice as well which is probably a bit more Cajun.

• 1 pound unpeeled, medium-size fresh shrimp

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• 1 (12-ounce) package fettuccine
• 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed (this means velvetta I've always used shredded Monterrey Jack cheese)
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions

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• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or I've used dried)

Preparation

1. Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired. Set aside.
2. Prepare fettuccine according to package directions; drain pasta, and set aside.
3. Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 10 minutes or until browned; remove sausage, and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in Dutch oven. Set sausage aside.
4. Melt butter in drippings in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp, and keep warm.
5. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning and flour. Cook over medium heat, 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in heavy cream; cook over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until mixture simmers. Add pasteurized cheese cubes, sausage, and shrimp, stirring until cheese melts.
6. Stir in chopped green onions, Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Serve over hot cooked fettuccine.
7. Note from Sourthern Living: For testing purposes only, we used Velveeta for pasteurized prepared cheese product. Freeze shrimp and andouille pasta in 3 (8 1/4- x 5 1/4- x 1-inch) disposable foil pans covered with aluminum foil. Place in zip-top plastic freezer bags. Freeze up to 1 month, if desired. Remove from freezer bag, and bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Or thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes. Each pan contains about two servings.

Note:

Substitute 3 cups chopped cooked chicken for shrimp. While the fettuccine cooks, start the sausage.