Cajun Easter Favorites

The Spring weather has been absolutely gorgeous in Cajun country and perfect for grilling and boiling seafood on the patio. And with Easter almost here, I've been going through my recipes and trying to decide on 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. We will also be boiling some scrumptious Louisiana crawfish and shrimp and sipping a Cajun Bloody Mary or two. All out of this world,  and totally worth the calories, cher! Cheers and Bon Appetit!

Cajun Bloody Mary's

Jalapeno Andouille-Bacon Bites

 Cajun Crawfish Dip

 Cajun Baked Ham w/ Honey-Mustard Bourbon Glaze

 

Cajun Potato Salad

Spicy Cajun Boiled Shrimp Salad w/ Remoulade Sauce

Cajun Crawfish Casserole

Cajun Boiled Crab Salad

6 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1 carton grape tomatoes
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed and torn
1 lb. lump crab meat, peeled from boiled crabs

Place lettuce in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Layer with crab meat, onion, bell pepper, avocado, and tomatoes. Top with eggs, and my Jalapeno Ranch Dressing. (recipe below)

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Jalapeno Ranch Dressing.

1 (1/4) cups, no-fat buttermilk 

3/4 cup light mayo

1 tsp. Creole mustard

2 tsp.'s white vinegar

2 tbs.'s  lime or lemon juice 

1 tsp. crushed garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tbs. fresh parsley, minced

1 tsp. Cajun seasoning

Salt to taste

Whisk ingredients together in the order given, in a mixing bowl. Store in a sealed glass container in refrigerator, for up to one week. Shake well before each use.

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Cajun Crab and Corn Casserole 

 Parmesan Spinach Bread

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,  water, 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!

Coconut Dream Cupcakes

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Wishing you all a blessed and Happy Easter!
Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Cajun Easter Brunch Buffet

With Easter only one week away, I've been planning my Easter brunch buffet for my family and friends. I've been tweaking my buffet menu and I'll be including my family's faves and most guests will be bringing a salad or dessert to share. It will be quite a spread and packed with delectable Cajun favorites, with plenty of Bloody Mary's to go around. Cheers, cher!

This spicy quiche with jalapenos and mushrooms is very popular at my house and I'm sure that it will be at yours, too. Sometimes I add a cup of small cooked shrimp or crawfish tails, which are both also fab! Great with a Bloody Mary or two! Cheers, cher! Bon appetit!

Spicy Creole Breakfast Quiche

1 (9 inch) frozen, (thawed), or homemade deep dish pie shell 
1 cup cooked ham, cubed

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tbs.'s fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme

6 large eggs

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 tsp. Creole  mustard

1 tsp. Creole seasoning,  (for my recipe,  click here)

Salt and Tabasco to taste
2 tbs.'s olive oil

In large skillet, saute the ham, mushrooms, onions,  green peppers, and jalapeno in the olive oil, for 10 minutes. Spread evenly on bottom of  pie shell.

In medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, cheese, mustard, parsley, thyme and Creole seasoning. Add salt and a few shakes of Tabasco, to your taste, and mix well.

Pour over ham mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, before cutting.

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(Click on title to view recipe)

Spicy Cajun Boiled Shrimp w/ Remoulade Sauce

Cajun Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Creole Deviled Eggs

Cajun Crab Dip (by popular demand)

Creole Shrimp Pasta Salad

Crawfish Jambalaya

Spinach Madeleine

Cajun Baked Ham w/ Sugarcane-Bourbon Glaze

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

  





Nanny's Sweet Potato Biscuits

 

And although some of my guests are bringing desserts, I wanted to make my Dad's favorite Easter Cake. One bite of this divine cake and you'll think you're in heaven, cher! Worth the calories!

Pina Colada Bundt Cake

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Lagniappe

I'll be sharing these at ~
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage 
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

And here's a little lagniappe for my wonderful followers. Thanks so much for your continued friendship and support. My recipe for Jalapeno Cream Sauce is (to die for) and great on pasta, crab cakes, and just about anything. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Cream Sauce

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbs. vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1 tbs. Creole mustard
1/3 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup light sour cream

Saute peppers and garlic in medium skillet, in oil over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Cajun Bloody Mary's

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Wishing you all a wonderful week and a very Happy Easter! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Cajun Easter Faves + Festival Countdown

It's almost time for Easter and I am excited about a little getaway that I'm planning for the weekend. It's the first Easter in a very long time that I won't be preparing an Easter brunch or dinner, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite Easter recipes with you. These are tried and true, mostly handed down from my dear mother, grandmother, or aunts, and I hope that you will try them and enjoy them. Bon appetit!

Baked Ham w/ Pineapple-Rum Glaze

1 8 to 10 pound spiral ham 

12 pineapple slices, juice reserved

12 maraschino cherries, drained

Ham glaze (recipe below)

Place ham on rack in large roasting pan and top with pineapple slices. Place cherries in center and anchor with toothpicks. Pour 1 inch of water into bottom of pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes per pound, basting often, and pouring the remaining glaze over ham during the last 15 minutes.

Pineapple-Rum Glaze

Melt 1/2 cup butter, in saucepan. Add 4 tbs. pineapple juice, 1/2 cup maple syrup, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cook and stir, until sugar is melted. Add 1 tbs. yellow mustard. Boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/4 cup rum, until blended. Baste ham often while baking. Divine! 

 For my Cajun Baked Ham w/ Sugarcane-Bourbon Glaze recipe, click here.

Click on recipe title to view recipes

Crab and Shrimp Jambalaya

 

Creole Shrimp Pasta Salad

Spicy Grilled Shrimp w/ Bourbon Glaze

 

 Mama's Potato Salad

 Nanny's Strawberry Shortcake

Grandma's Chocolate Cake

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Festival Countdown!

It's almost time for the biggest and best festival in Cajun country! In just one week, the 25th annual Festival International de Louisiane, will take place from April 27-May 1, in downtown Lafayette. Six music stages located throughout downtown, with bands from 15 different countries, as well as the finest Cajun and Zydeco bands around,  and the most awesome Cajun and Creole food that you can imagine! That's right, 5 straight days of great music, food, and fun! Woo-hoo! This is my absolute favorite festival and it's all free! For a complete schedule, click here. To read more about this fantastic festival and see more pics, click here.  

And just to give you an idea of all the fun at this festival, here's a little clip that I took at last year's festival. Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas were rockin the crowd at Scene Chevron. This is only one of 500 artists that played during the festival! Let the good times roll, cher!

Wishing you all a blessed and very Happy Easter! Merci beaucoup for coming by!

Looking For Cajun Products? Look No Further : Cajun Supermarket

Cajun Easter Buffet

Almost time for Easter, the best holiday of the year. And with the beautiful spring weather that we're having, it should be a very special day. This year, my family has opted for a delightful Cajun Easter Buffet that will be just perfect for our noon time gathering. Part brunch and part dinner, it will have something for everyone, since as family tradition has it, each guest will bring a dish to share. It's always so much fun to see what everyone brings and it ends up being a huge feast. My contribution will include Cajun Baked Ham w/Sugar Cane Bourbon Glaze, Boiled Atchafalaya Crawfish, w/potatoes onions,  and corn,  and Creole Sausage Cornbread. Ca' cest bon, cher!
 
Cajun Baked Ham w/Sugar Cane -Bourbon Glaze
 
1 fully cooked ham, 6 to 8 lbs.
1/2 cup pure cane syrup,  (I use Steen's)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup southern bourbon
1 tsp. creole mustard
dash of ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice
 
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. Bon Appetit! So easy, so delicious!