Thursday, December 20, 2018

Cajun Holiday Favorites

It's that time of the year again for Christmas and New Year's parties and festivities and I wanted to share a few of my family's favorite holiday party recipes. I like to have an assortment of family party favorites served in a casual buffet style and let guests help themselves whenever they choose.  They are perfect for all of your parties and gatherings and will fit in nicely at your New Year's celebration, too. All are sinfully delicious and guaranteed to please your family and friends. Why not start the party off right with a round of delicious drinks. Cheers and Bon Appetit!
 

  Ultimate Cajun Eggnog 

 











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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. Fab!

 Baked Muffaletta Dip w/ Mini Toasts


 Crawfish Spinach Bread Bowl  





 














Cajun Ham w/ Honey-Mustard Bourbon Glaze


















 Creole Potato Salad



















 














Mama's Cornmeal Biscuits
 

 

 


 









Bourbon Brownies w/ Praline Icing 

 

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  For my Cajun Christmas Dinner Menu, click here.

Happy Holidays Ya'll! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Cajun Cookout Favorites + Bayou Boogie


Summer is in full swing here in Cajun country, and grillin' on the patio and chillin' in the pool are my favorite activities on a hot day. Here are a few of my favorite Memorial Day recipes and cookout faves that I will be preparing for family and friends. Plus lots of yummy frozen drinks and dips in the pool.   Bon appetit!

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Cajun Frozen Margaritas

2 tbs.'s coarse salt
1 lime wedge
3 oz.'s white tequilla
1 oz. triple sec
2 oz.'s fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. green Tabasco sauce
1 cup crushed ice

Place salt on saucer. Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass and dip glass in salt to coat rim. Pour tequila, triple sec, lime juice, Tabasco, and crushed ice into blender and blend on high until creamy and smooth. Pour into cocktail glass and garnish with a lime. 


 Spicy Drunken Shrimp Kabobs

















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 and basting often with Bourbon BBQ Sauce. (recipe below)



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 or blender and pulse until well blended. Store any remaining rub in an airtight container.


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Loaded Baked Potato Salad















Creole Summer Salad


















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And now for a sinfully delicious dessert.

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Pina Colada Bread Pudding w/ Rum Sauce

1 (16 oz.) loaf French bread, (torn into bite sized pieces
1 (10 oz.) can frozen pina colada drink mix
6 oz. pineapple juice
1 large can, (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup flaked coconut
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup light rum
1 small can, (8 oz.) crushed pineapple



In large bowl, tear bread into bite sized pieces. Place the next 7 ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth. Stir in the crushed pineapple. Combine mixture with the bread pieces and stir well to coat. Place in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Serves 8.

If you prefer to bake it in the oven, follow the basic recipe, and place mixture into a lightly greased baking dish, and then into a larger pan of water about 2 inches deep. Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with whipped cream,  or if you want a little added touch of decadence, serve with my rum sauce. (recipe below)

Rum Sauce

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tbs.'s water
2 tbs.'s dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan. Add the sugar, egg yolk, and water. Bring to a boil and cook on a full boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the rum. Strain and serve over bread pudding. Fab!

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Bayou Boogie

Here's a little clip that I took at a recent concert in River Ranch. Wayne Toups was rockin' the crowd and there was a whole lotta dancin' going on. Crank it up for this one and let the good times roll, cher!



Thursday, March 29, 2018

Cajun Easter Buffet Faves

It's almost time for Easter and I've been tweaking my menu for our annual Easter Sunday Buffet. The weather forecast is for beautiful Spring weather, so we'll be boilin' up a storm on the patio, (crawfish and shrimp) and grillin' a few things too, in addition to these sinfully delicious faves. Guaranteed to please your family and guests.  Cest bon', cher!! Bon Appetit!


Cajun Ham w/ Honey Mustard - Bourbon Glaze


6-8 pound bone-in ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1/4 cup bourbon








Place ham, fat side up in a large roasting pan. Cook 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. 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. Remove to a large platter and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Divine!

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 (click on title to view recipe)

Creole Deviled Eggs

 












Spicy Boiled Shrimp w/ Remoulade Sauce





Boiled Crawfish Pasta Salad
















Spinach Madeleine

















 Banana Pudding Cake w/ Praline Icing


Blueberry Bread Pudding w/ Lemon Sauce










Hope Ya'll have a blessed and very Happy Easter!

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Cajun Mardi Gras Favorites

It's time for Mardi Gras, cher, and time for some of the best eats of the year. King cake parties, before and after parade parties, lavish Mardi Gras balls, BBQ, crawfish boils, and the list goes on and on! Just one big party! Here are a few of my favorite Mardi Gras "must haves". Out of this world! Enjoy!


  (click on titles to view recipes)

Spicy Cajun Crab Dip
 Mardi Gras Jambalaya
 Creole Shrimp Pasta Salad


 Spicy Cajun Crawfish Cakes


1 lb. fresh crawfish tails

2 tbs.'s mayo

1 tbs. Creole or Dijon mustard

1/2  tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. or more, Cajun seasoning

1 cup saltine cracker crumbs

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbs.'s olive oil

In large bowl, combine all ingredients, except oil and breadcrumbs and mix well. Roll in breadcrumbs, shape into 8 patties, and chill for 30 minutes. Heat oil, in large nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with my Creole Tartar Sauce. (recipe below)

Creole Tartar Sauce

1 cup light mayo
1 tbs. Creole mustard
1 tbsp. each, green onions and fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic 1 tbs. sweet pickle relish
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Few shakes Tabasco

Combine all ingredients in bowl and chill. Fab!
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And by popular demand.




Creole Potato Salad
















Cajun BBQ Shrimp

















King Cake Bread Pudding


















Have a safe and Happy Mardi Gras, Ya'll! Merci for passing by!