perfect company dinner schwag
Sunday Suppers

The Perfect Company Dinner: Schwag

This past weekend I spent with a dear friend. On her farm. A real farm with goats and pigs and cows—oh my! And babies—lots of babies. I really wanted to hold them all, but the moms got mad at me. Don’t they know I am a mom and crave little warm fuzzies? It was so fun.

Becky is amazing and thinks nothing of whipping up dinner for 3, 5 or 15 people at a time. This dinner she calls, “Schwag!” It came from a cousin of hers who was actually a real chef. When he came home from work, he would throw whatever he happened to have in a white sauce and bake it. So, this makes the perfect company dinner. 

Becky has become an expert schwagger! And what I love about this schwaggy way of cooking is that you can take the meat and vegetables and swap them for whatever you have in the fridge. If you make Schwag enough, you will find your favorite combinations. 

Conversation Starters

1. Would you rather swim with dolphins or dance with tame bears?

2. Would you rather be a pro sports player or a professional chef?

3. What do you think is your best quality or strength?

Main Dish

Schwag Casserole
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Ingredients
  1. 4 mild or spicy Italian sausage grilled
  2. ½ pound of grilled shrimp (olive oil) OR chicken
  3. 1 package of frozen peas
  4. 1 pint baby portabella mushrooms
  5. 2 tomatoes, diced
  6. Or anything else you have in your fridge
Alfredo Sauce
  1. ½ stick of butter
  2. 4 cloves of garlic
  3. ½ cup of flour
  4. 1/3 pint of heavy cream
  5. 1 pint of Half and Half
  6. 2 cups Parmesan cheese
  7. Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Grill the sausage on a griddle or an actual grill.
  2. Depending on whether you are using shrimp or chicken, grill either with some olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. While you are waiting for your meat to grill, make the Alfredo sauce.
  4. In a saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add your flour and stir constantly for one to two minutes until flour is a light golden color. Whisk in the heavy cream and Half and Half making sure to eliminate any flour lumps. Then, whisk in your Parmesan cheese and a pinch of nutmeg. If needed, thin the sauce out with milk. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Cook your pasta just short of al dente.
  6. Mix all ingredients in a baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Susan Merrill https://www.susanme.com/
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