A Cajun Blast on the Bayou + Spicy Cajun Chicken Wings

It was another great weekend in Cajun country, with perfect, beautiful Fall weather. We had an ultimate blast at the Bayou Vermilion Festival on Sunday, held at Vermilionville, in north Lafayette. Vermilionville, a Cajun/Creole Heritage and Folk Life Park, was the perfect setting for this fabulous festival which serves to educate and preserve the Cajun culture. It was simply an ideal day for walking around the grounds, along the banks of the bayou, and for enjoying the many events of the day.

There was a ton of great Cajun food, red beans and rice, fried chicken, and an array of sweets. The aroma was wonderful, and was carried by the gentle breeze.

There was also a special, all you could eat, Cajun buffet being served in the restaurant, Le Cuisine de MaMan We couldn't resist! Oh cest bon, cher!

There were many demonstrations and old fashioned crafts in the Historic Village, boat rides, and an antique car show. There was a little something for everyone.

The cooking demonstration at the Cooking School, L'ecole de Cuisine, was my favorite. Chef Anthony St. Julien was cooking up a storm and a few of his delicacies included Garfish Courtbouillon, (coo-boo-yon) and Fried Alligator Bites. Out of this world! Also, some scrumptious bread pudding with vanilla sauce. Samples were enjoyed by the crowd.

And after all of this food, it was time to dance, for what Cajun festival would be complete without some great live Cajun and Zydeco music. There were three different bands playing in the Performance Center, throughout the day.

We arrived at the dance, just in time to catch the beginning of the second band, the fabulous Feufollet. At times, I thought the roof would blow off! They were really jammin' down!

The last band was the very popular, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie. The crowd was getting bigger and bigger and the packed dance floor was going wild!

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Spicy Cajun Chicken Wings

Here's a quick and easy recipe for Cajun wings that is perfect for tailgating or for those busy days. Just throw everything into the crockpot and enjoy!

3 lbs. boneless chicken wings
2 cups hickory smoke barbecue sauce
1 tbs. Creole mustard
2 tsp.'s minced garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tbs.'s Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. Tabasco sauce
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning

Combine all ingredients except chicken wings, in large crock pot and mix well. Add chicken wings and stir to coat. Cook on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Serves 6 Cest bon, cher!

Hope that you all had a fun weekend, too! I will be resting up this week, in preparation for the upcoming Festival Acadiens et Creole, which will take place October 8, 9, and 10th, in Lafayette! You don't want to miss this awesome festival, with three days of fabulous Cajun and Creole food, fun, and music! Click here for a complete schedule.

Cajun Cook-Out Menu - Part I + Bayou Blues

Since it's almost time for the holiday weekend, I wanted to share a few of my Cajun cook-out recipes that I will be preparing for my family and friends for our Memorial Day cook-out. From appetizers to burgers and wings, to sides, and desserts, there is a little something for everyone and they are all fab! This is what I have so far! Cest bon, cher! Bon appetit!

Cajun Cook-Out Menu

(click on recipe title to view)

The Appetizers

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos ~ Crawfish-Spinach Bread Bowl ~ Cajun Style French Bread

The Meat

Cajun Beer-Can Chicken ~ Cajun Grilled Chicken Wings ~ Spicy Cajun Burgers

                                                    (recipes below)

The Sides

Remoulade Potato Salad  ~  Bayou Bourbon Beans ~ Cajun Grilled Corn on the Cob

And who knows what else I'll be adding!  

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If you really want some really, " finger- lickin' GOOD" chicken wings, delight your guests with this scrumptious HOT wing recipe with a bit of sweetness added! Out of this world!

Cajun Grilled Chicken Wings

2 lbs. chicken wings

1 tbs. or more Cajun seasoning

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup orange marmalade
1 tbs. Tabasco
1 tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce



Sauce
Combine salsa, marmalade, Tabasco, vinegar, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce in small bowl, and mix well. Set aside.

Season chicken wings with Cajun seasoning in large baking pan. Grill on medium hot coals or on medium,  for gas grill. Cover and grill for 10 minutes, turn and brush liberally with sauce. Continue grilling for 10 more minutes, turn and brush other side with sauce. Grill for 10 more minutes or until done. Cest bon! Bon Appetit!

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It just doesn't get any better than this, for burgers! These spicy, smokey burgers are the ultimate Cajun treat and just one bite will send your taste buds into orbit, cher! Enjoy!

Spicy Cajun Burgers

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 tbs. Tabasco sauce

1 tbs. liquid smoke
1 tbs. prepared horseradish
2 tbs.'s minced garlic

1/2 cup green onions, chopped fine
1 or 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp.'s salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 large burger buns
3 tbs.'s butter, melted

Place meat and all other ingredients in large bowl and mix gently, but thoroughly. Shape meat mixture into 6 patties and cover with foil and chill for one or more hours. Preheat gas grill on medium- high heat or charcoal grill on medium- high and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on each side, for medium. Baste buns with melted butter and grill to the side for 5 minutes to toast. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles and enjoy, cher! 

I'll be sharing these over at Tasty Tuesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday,

Full Plate Thursday,  Potluck Friday, Fat Camp Friday, and It's a Hodgepodge Friday.

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Bayou Blues

Here's another little clip, taken at the Spring finale' in River Ranch last week,  of the great Marcia Ball singing some good ole bayou blues. I'd like to dedicate this one to my dear friend, Wayne, who really knows how to dance to the blues. This one's for you, cher! Cheers!

Next, I'll be sharing some more Cajun cook-out ideas and some desserts and drinks, so stay tuned! 

Wishing ya'll a wonderful week! Merci beaucoup for dropping by!

Cajun Super Bowl Party Dips

Here are a few of my favorite dip recipes that I plan to make for my Super Bowl party. They are really easy to make and are out of this world, cher!  The Jalapeno Cheese Dip is sinfully good and I could eat the whole bowl! Enjoy!











 Jalapeno Cheese Dip

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup light mayo
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Creole or yellow mustard
1 or 2  jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
Few shakes of Tabasco
2 tbs.'s fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbs.'s bread crumbs

Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. To serve cold,  omit the breadcrumbs, place in a dip bowl, and serve with tortilla chips.

To serve hot, place dip in a lightly greased, 1 quart baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve with chips or mini toasts.

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Baked Muffaletta Dip

Spicy Cajun Crab Dip

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And for a little lagniappe, here are a few more things on my menu.

Mini Muffalettas

24 count, mini Muffaletta rolls or dinner rolls
1 jar Italian olive salad

1 lb. smoked ham, sliced thin

1/2 lb. provolone cheese slices, sliced thin

1/2 lb. hard salami, sliced thin

Creole or Dijon mustard

Slice rolls in half and place, inside up, on large cookie sheet. Spread the top half of rolls with Creole mustard and bottom half with olive salad. Layer salami, cheese, double layer of ham, on top of olive salad. Top with roll. Serve cold or cover with a tent of foil and place in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

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Spicy Cajun Chicken Wings

3 lbs. boneless chicken wings
2 cups hickory smoke barbecue sauce
1 tbs. Creole mustard
2 tsp.'s minced garlic

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tbs.'s Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. Tabasco sauce
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning

 

Combine all ingredients except chicken wings, in large crock pot and mix well. Add chicken wings and stir to coat. Cook on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Serves 6 

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For more of my Super Bowl recipes, click here.

Hope ya'll have a great Super Bowl weekend! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Spicy Cajun Buffalo Wings

The guy dancing right in front of me at the festival today, was wearing this T-shirt and I couldn't resist taking a picture of it. It pretty much sums up the whole festival weekend on everything from the music, to the food, to the dancing.... And when it was all over, it was very nice to come home to my crock pot full of Spicy Cajun Buffalo Wings. I had made a big bowl of potato salad and a big tossed salad, this morning, so all we had to do was dive in. These will vanish very quickly, especially if you have any hungry teenagers. And don't forget to serve with some crusty French bread for dipping. You can modify the amounts of hot sauce and pepper to your taste. Bon Appetit!


Spicy Cajun Buffalo Wings 

3 lbs. boneless chicken wings
2 1/2 cups spicy barbecue sauce
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tsp.'s minced garlic
1/2 cup onion flakes
2 tbs.'s Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. liquid smoke
1 tbs. hot sauce

 

Combine all ingredients except chicken wings, in large crock pot and mix well. Add chicken wings and stir to coat. Cook on low for 5 hours. Serves 6

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Awesome music again today. Here's a snippet of one of my favorite blues bands that rocked the crowd at today's festival. Hot !

Lil' Buck Sinegal and Friends

A Cool Poolside Lunch + Cajun Boogie

We're in the dog days of summer, here in Cajun country, and what could be more fab than a cool poolside lunch. I like to make up platters of fresh fruits and veggies, with cool, creamy dips for dipping. And maybe a yummy salad or sandwich with a refreshing cold drink to sip on. This is one of my favorite ways to beat the heat! What do you do to stay cool?

This Smoky Blue Cheese Dip is just perfect with fresh veggies and will send your taste buds into orbit, cher!  It is very easy to make and will delight your guests! Enjoy!

Smoky Blue Cheese Dip

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3 strips smoked bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
1/2 cup light mayo
4 tbs.'s low fat buttermilk
4 tbs.'s light sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
1 tsp.apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salt and Tabasco to taste

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Chill for 1 hour and serve with fresh veggies or crackers. Also great with chicken wings. Cest bon, cher!

To see my Grilled Cajun Chicken Wings recipe, click here.
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And I also love to make up a big bowl of delicious shrimp salad and nestle it into a whole wheat French roll , and then top it off with lettuce, fresh Creole tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts. Yum! My favorite!! Divine, cher!

Shrimp Salad Sandwiches

1 lb. medium, cooked shrimp, chopped
1 lemon, cut in half
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning
2 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup each, onion and celery, diced
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tbs. sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup light mayo
1 tbs. Creole or Dijon mustard
1 tbs. ketchup
Few shakes of Tabasco

In large bowl, squeeze lemon juice on shrimp and season with Cajun seasoning. Add eggs, onions, and celery, and mix well. In separate bowl, mix garlic, relish, mayo, mustard, ketchup,  and Tabasco and mix well. Add to shrimp mixture and toss to coat evenly. Chill until ready to serve. Serve on your favorite bread with romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes,  and sprouts. Bon appetit!

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And to drink, I love to make up a batch of these Strawberry Margarita Spritzers. So refreshing and delightful and perfect for a weekend gathering! Cheers!

Strawberry Margarita Spritzers

1 (10 oz.) package frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup tequila
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 (10 oz.) can frozen strawberry daiquiri mix, thawed
2 tbs.'s fresh lime juice
1 (1 liter)  bottle club soda
Lime slices for garnish

Place first 5 ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and stir in club soda, right before serving. Garnish with lime slices. Cheers!

I'll be sharing these at:

Home Sweet Farm

Fit and Fabulous Friday

It's a Hodgepodge Friday

Saturday Nite Special 

Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Sunday Showcase Party 

Savory Sunday  

Amaze Me Monday 
Jam Hands

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 Cajun Boogie

It's shaping up to be a fun weekend, with some great music events going on.Tonight, we'll be going to the Blue Moon Saloon, for a double header event, featuring the fabulous Feufollet band and The Lost Bayou Ramblers. Then on Sunday we'll be headed to Whiskey River Landing for a benefit dance with five bands playing for a good cause. Definitely, my kind of weekend!

Here's a little clip that I took of one of the bands that are playing at tonight's shindig. Their unique style of Cajun boogie can really get a crowd moving and here they are, rockin'  the crowd at Vermilionville, at the Bayou Vermilion Festival. A whole lotta nitty-gritty dancin' going on, cher!. Oh, the life of a Cajun is oh so fun!

To see more of my Cajun and Zydeco videos,  and to check out my You Tube Channel, click here.

Feufollet

Wishing all of you a great,  fun-filled weekend! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Bayou Buffalo Wings w/ Blue Cheese Dip + Festival Fun

Here's a fabulous Cajun appetizer that will rock your socks off and have you sipping a cold drink or two. The spicy, hot sauce combined with these succulent chicken wings makes for a perfect addition to any party or occasion. You might want to double the batch, as they are so easy to make and baked for a healthier version. Bon appetit! Enjoy!

 Bayou Buffalo Wings

3 lbs. chicken wings

1 tsp. vegetable oil 

1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cane syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. or more, Tabasco sauce
1 tbs. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. chili powder
Cajun seasoning to taste

Remove wing tips from wings and place in a large bowl and season with Cajun seasoning.

Heat oil in large, heavy pot and cook onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in chili sauce, cane syrup, vinegar, hot sauce, horseradish, liquid smoke, and chili powder. Over medium heat, cook for 5 minutes,until bubbly. Allow to cool.

Pour half of the sauce over wings, to coat, and cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain sauce and discard. Arrange wings on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes on each side.

  
Meanwhile, bring other half of sauce to a boil and boil for 1 minute, reserving some for dipping, if desired. Brush half of the remaining sauce over wings and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Turn and brush with remaining sauce and bake for 10 more minutes or until no longer pink inside.

Serve with my Smoky Blue Cheese Dip and a cold beer. Enjoy!

Smoky Blue Cheese Dip

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3 strips smoked bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
1/2 cup light mayo
4 tbs.'s low fat buttermilk
4 tbs.'s light sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
1 tsp.apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salt and Tabasco to taste

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Chill for 1 hour.

I am sharing these at ~

Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sister's Stuff 

Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

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Festival Fun

We had an absolute blast at Festival International de Louisiane in Downtown Lafayette.  Six stages of fantastic music, dozens of sinfully delicious,  food booths, and an awesome International arts and crafts show, were a few of the many attractions that made this festival fun and fabulous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a little clip that I took of Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners playing at Scene Chevron on Sunday. They were really rocking the crowd and there was a whole lotta dancing going on.

Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners

 

Wishing you all a wonderful week, filled with good times! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Cajun Fourth of July Preview

 Here are a few of the delectable recipes that we'll be preparing for the 4th. Sure to please your family and guests and totally worth the calories, cher! Bon Appetit!

Cajun Muffaletta Dip

Spicy Cajun Crab Dip

 Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

Cajun Grilled Chicken Wings

Cajun BBQ Chicken w/ Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Chicken breasts, thighs, legs,
or 1 whole cut-up chicken 

Cajun rub, (recipe below)

Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce

   
Rub spice mixture into chicken, then shake on Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce on both sides and cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat grill and grill  on medium heat,  for about 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Baste often with BBQ sauce. Scrumptious!
 

Bourbon BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cane syrup

2 tbs.'s Creole or Dijon mustard

1 tbs. Liquid Smoke

1 tbs. or more, chipotle sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbs.'s onion, minced
Salt and Tabasco to taste

Combine bourbon and sugar in saucepan and heat and stir on medium heat, until sugar melts.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a little water, if needed. Use as a basting sauce and make extra for dipping. Finger lickin' good!

Cajun Rub

2 tsb.'s salt

1 tbs. cayenne pepper
1 tbs. black pepper
2 tbs.'s smoky paprika
2 tbs.'s garlic powder
2 tbs.'s onion powder
1 tbs. dried parsley
1 tbs. dried thyme

Combine all in food processor and pulse until well blended. Store any remaining rub in an airtight container.


 Cajun Rice Dressing

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Spicy Saints Burgers

Creole Summer Salad

Cajun Grilled Corn on the Cob

Happy 4th ya'll! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Last Minute Super Bowl Faves

Almost time for the Super Bowl and and here are a few of the sinfully delicious items on my menu that I will be serving my family and friends. All out of this world, cher!  And since the weather forecast is calling for 75 degrees and sunny here in Cajun country, we will also be boiling some spicy Louisiana crawfish and shrimp on the patio. Bon appetit!

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

 

Spicy Cajun Crab Dip

 








 Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos

 Cajun Meatball Sliders

Spicy Cajun Crawfish Beignets w/Remoulade Sauce

Spicy Cajun Chicken Wings

Spicy Cajun Crockpot Jambalaya

Kahlua Fudge Cupcakes

Mardi Gras Bread Pudding

Wishing you all a very happy and fun Super Bowl Sunday! Merci beaucoup for passing by!