A Cool Cajun Lunch + Bayou Boogie

It's been hotter than hot in Cajun country and we've been eating light and trying to stay cool. I just love going for a dip in the pool and then eating a cool poolside lunch and sipping a frozen fruit smoothie. I like to make up a platter of fresh fruit for nibbling and dipping in a creamy fruit dip and maybe a yummy salad or sandwich. On the weekends, I like to grill a lot of chicken, shrimp, and veggies, and then freeze in individual containers for use in week day meals. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I love to prepare for those hot, summer days.  Cest bon, cher! Enjoy!

Cajun Chicken Salad  

 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/2 cup light mayo
1/4 cup Creole or Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 small red onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt to taste
Lettuce and sliced tomatoes
12 slices of your favorite bread or 6 rolls

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, mix well, and chill until ready to use. Place salad in a serving bowl and serve with bread or rolls and a platter of lettuce and tomatoes. Makes 6

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And what could be better than a platter of fresh fruit with a heavenly fruit dip. Fab!

Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz.) container Vanilla Greek Yogurt
2 tsp.'s fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar or honey





Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer to a dip bowl and enjoy!

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And why not top it all off with a refreshing frozen fruit smoothie. Here's my fave.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

6 strawberries, cut in half

1 banana, sliced
6 oz.'s vanilla frozen yogurt
1 cup low fat milk
2 tsp.'s sugar or honey, optional
Ice cubes





Place strawberries, bananas, and sugar, in blender. Add frozen yogurt and milk. Add ice cubes and blend until smooth and thick. So delicious and good for you, too!

Bon Appetit !

Hope ya'll are having a fun and fab weekend! Thanks for passing by!


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Bayou Boogie

Here's a little clip that I took at the final Spring concert at Rhythms on the River, in River Ranch. Wayne Toups and ZydeCajun were tearing it up and there was a whole lot of nitty-gritty dancin' going on. Crank it up for this one, cher, and let the good times roll. Geaux Wayne!

Cajun Holiday Cook-Out

With only a few days to go until the Fourth of July, I've been finalizing my menu for our holiday cook-out. With the hot and humid weather we've been having, I've decided to keep things simple with quick and easy grilled favorites, and cool refreshing drinks and desserts. This is what I have so far and who knows what else I will be adding. Bon Appetit!

Spicy Cajun Dogs

4 links Andouille or other smoked sausage
Spicy BBQ Sauce
4 poboy rolls or hot dog buns
4 tsp.'s Creole mustard
Pickled jalapeno slices
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Grill sausage for 10 to 15 minutes on each side on a medium hot grill. Baste with BBQ sauce before and after flipping. Grill buns for 5 minutes on indirect heat. Top with mustard, jalapeno slices, onions, and cheese.

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 Spicy Cajun Boiled Crabs

 Cajun 7 Layer Taco Dip

Cajun Seafood Pasta Salad

 Spicy Cajun Burgers

Mama's Macaroni Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbs.'s fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. or more, Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Few shakes of Tabasco
8 oz.'s macaroni, cooked and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced

In a large bowl, stir mayonnaise, milk. vinegar, parsley, salt, Cajun seasoning, and Tabasco until well mixed. Add macaroni, onions, bell peppers, and celery. Toss until well blended and chill until ready to serve.

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 Cajun Grilled Corn on the Cob

 

Bayou Bourbon Beans

  Lemon Ice Box Pie

 Lemonade Sweet Tea

2 family-size tea bags

3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups cold water
1 small can (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs for garnish

In 2 qt.saucepan, bring the 3 cups of water to a boil.  Remove from heat, add tea bags, and steep for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags and stir in sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour into a 3 quart pitcher and stir in lemon concentrate and cold water and mix well. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs.

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For more scrumptious cook-out recipes, click here.

Have a safe and HAPPY 4TH, YA'LL!!! Merci for stopping by!