Cajun Easter Menu + Bayou Boogie

Spring is finally here in Cajun country and with it comes beautiful weather, crawfish boils, grilling on the patio, and Spring time desserts. With Easter right around the corner, I've been going through my recipes and trying to decide which ones to prepare for my Easter Sunday Buffet. This is what I have so far and I'll be adding more as I go along. All sinfully delicious, cher, and worth the calories. Bon Appetit!

Cajun Easter Menu

 Spicy Creole Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing or mayo
2 green onions, including tops, chopped
1 tsp. Creole mustard
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
Paprika for sprinkling


Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop yolks out and place in mixing bowl and mash yolks with a fork. Combine Miracle Whip, mustard, onions, Creole seasoning,  and salt in separate bowl and add to the mashed yolks and mix well. Fill egg whites with yolk mixture and sprinkle with paprika. Divine!   
   
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Spicy Cajun Crab Dip

 1 lb. lump crab meat

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese, softened
1/2 pint sour cream
4 tbs.'s mayo
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Creole mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. or more, Cajun seasoning
Tabasco to taste

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, onion, lemon juice, mustard, and seasonings, in a large bowl. Mix well and fold in crab meat and cheddar cheese.

Place in a buttered 2 1/2 qt. casserole dish and bake @ 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with pastry shells, veggies, or crackers. Sinfully good!

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 Cajun Baked Ham w/ Bourbon Sugarcane Glaze

1 fully cooked ham, 6 to 8 lbs.

Glaze
1/2 cup pure cane syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
1 tsp. creole mustard
Dash of ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice

 
Place ham, fat side up in a large roasting pan. Place 1 inch of water in bottom of pan and add more periodically. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer reads 148 degrees. About half way through, make the glaze. Combine all glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Remove foil and spread half of the glaze over the ham about 30 minutes before ham is done. Spread other half of glaze in the final 10 minutes. Scrumptious!

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Spicy Drunken Shrimp Kabobs

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
1 bottle Mexican beer, (I used Corona)
1 onion, quartered, then halved
1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, quartered, then halved
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. Zatarain's liquid crab and shrimp boil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs.'s fresh lime juice
Vegetable oil
8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning in bowl and chop veggies and set aside. Place beer, crab and shrimp boil; garlic, thyme, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce in large ziploc bag. Add shrimp and veggies, seal, and place bag in fridge for 1 hour. Remove from bag and discard marinade. Brush shrimp with vegetable oil and add a little more seasoning, if desired. Place on skewers, alternating shrimp with veggies. Place skewers on medium-hot grill and grill for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Out of this world!

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Cajun Crab and Corn Casserole

1 lb. lump crabmeat
1 tbs. minced garlic
1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tbs.'s fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 (12 oz.) can Mexican corn, drained
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
3 ounces Romano cheese, grated


Melt the butter in a large saucepan on low heat. Add flour and stir until thickened. Continue cooking for 10 minutes and stir constantly until a blonde roux is formed. Add cheeses, whipping cream, milk, parsley, and seasonings. Cook until sauce thickens and cheese is melted. Add crabmeat and cook on low for 5 more minutes. Transfer mixture to a buttered casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Yum!

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 Cajun Crawfish Jambalaya

1 lb. peeled crawfish tails
4 tbs.'s butter
1 lb. tasso, or ham, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 tbs.'s minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can diced Rotel tomatoes
3 cups chicken or seafood stock
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs.'s Cajun seasoning, divided
2 tsp.'s dried thyme
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Salt and Tabasco to taste
2 cups raw rice

Season crawfish with half of the Cajun seasoning and set aside. On medium heat, melt butter in large heavy pot or cast iron skillet . Saute tasso or ham until lightly browned, drain, and set aside.  Add onions to skillet and continue to saute about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and saute and stir for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the crawfish tails, tomatoes, tasso or ham, and rice, and saute for 5 more minutes. Slowly add the stock,  then bay leaves, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and other half of the Cajun seasoning. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, and simmer, without stirring for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Turn heat off when all of the liquid has been absorbed, adjust seasoning, and add green onions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Cest bon!

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Nanny's Carrot Souffle w/ Praline Topping

2 tbs.'s butter
2 tbs.'s flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups mashed, cooked carrots
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 eggs, separated

Melt butter on low heat in heavy saucepan. Add flour and stir until well blended, but not browned. Add milk and stir and cook until thick. Remove from heat and add salt, sugar, and egg yolks. Beat egg whites until stiff in small bowl. Fold in carrots and egg whites and place in a buttered casserole dish. Top with praline topping. (recipe below) Set in a larger baking pan of 1 inch of water and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. So good!

Praline Topping

1/3 cup pecan pieces
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbs.'s butter, softened 

Combine in small bowl and mix well. 


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Spinach Madeleine

2 pkg.'s frozen chopped spinach
4 tbs.'s butter
2 tbs.'s flour
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup spinach liquid
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. each, celery salt and garlic salt
6 oz. Velveeta Mexican or Pepper Jack cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch cubes
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and reserve liquid, and place spinach in a buttered casserole dish. In medium saucepan, on low heat, melt butter and saute onion until soft. Add flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown. Slowly add half and half, spinach liquid, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Add seasonings, and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Combine with spinach and top with seasoned breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Delicious!

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And although it is an Easter tradition in my family for guests to bring a dessert, I just can't resist making this easy Banana Pudding Cake w/ Praline Icing. Fab!

Banana Pudding Cake w/ Praline Icing

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. instant banana pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup mashed bananas
2 tbs.'s rum, (optional)

In large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Add eggs, oil, and mashed bananas,  and beat with electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. 

Add almond extract and beat on medium speed for 2 more minutes. Pour into prepared muffin pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake before icing with Praline Icing. (recipe below)

Praline Icing

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add milk and sugar and stir and cook until well combined. Bring to a boil and lower heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Heavenly!

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Bayou Boogie

Here's a little clip of Louisiana Red,  a hot as Tabasco band, rockin' the crowd at this week's Rhythms on the River in River Ranch! Let the good times roll, cher!





Wishing ya'll a fabulous week and a very Happy Easter! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!