Cajun Fourth of July Faves

With the Fourth of July holiday just a few days away, I am looking over my list of "must haves" for what might just be THE party of the summer, at my house. Since the weather forecast is calling for a "hot and sunny" day, the pool seems to be the perfect setting for this year's bash! There will be a whole lotta grillin' going on and most guests will be bringing either a side or dessert to share. Here are a few of the delights that I'll  be preparing, and I'm sure that I'll be adding more before it's all over with. Cest bon, cher! Enjoy! Happy 4th!

Cajun Andouille-Pepper Kabobs

1 pkg. Andouille sausage, (or other smoked sausage), sliced

1 each, green, red, and yellow bell pepper, seeded, cut in halves, then quartered

1 onion, cut in half, then quartered

1 tbs. Cajun seasoning

Skewers

Place a pepper of each color on a skewer and alternate with sausage and onions. Repeat. Cook directly on grill on medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, on each side. Yum!

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Cajun Crawfish-Stuffed French Bread

1/4 cup butter

1 cup,"holy trinity", diced
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
4 tbs.'s white wine
2 tbs.'s seafood stock or clam juice
Salt to taste
8 oz.'s cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 lb. peeled crawfish tails
1/4 cup each fresh parsley and green onions, chopped
1 large loaf French bread

Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and celery and saute' for 5 minutes. Add cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, and garlic and stir well. Stir in white wine and seafood stock, and reduce heat to low. Add crawfish tails and salt and mix well and cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Gradually add cream cheese until melted, stirring often and cook for 5 minutes. Add green onions and parsley and a little more white wine if mixture is too thick. Cut bread in half and scoop out center portion of French bread loaf. Fill bottom portion with crawfish mixture. Place top half on top, brush with melted butter and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Can also be made with shrimp. Sinfully delicious!
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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.
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 Spicy Cajun Margarita Shrimp

2 lbs.  large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
1/4 cup tequila
2 tbs.'s olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Place all ingredients, except shrimp, in a large zip lock bag. Shake to combine. Add shrimp and shake again. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Drain marinade and place the shrimp in a large grill skillet and cook on a medium hot grill for 3 minutes on each side. Fab!
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Creole Potato Salad

5 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped fine
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin
1 large dill pickle, chopped fine
2 tbs.'s apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup,  more or less, light mayonnaise
1/4 cup Creole mustard
2 tbs.'s yellow mustard
1 tbs. Creole or Cajun seasoning
Salt to taste

Place the potatoes and the eggs in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Water line should be 2 inches above potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile mix the sugar, vinegar, mayonnaise, and mustard in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and mix gently, while they are still warm. Add the chopped eggs, dill pickle, onions, celery, Creole seasoning, and salt, and mix gently until well combined. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkling of more Creole seasoning. Divine!
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Bourbon Brownies w/Praline Icing

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbs.'s water

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 large eggs

1 tsp.vanilla extract

1 (1/4) cup flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 to 3  tbs.'s bourbon

In large saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and water. Cook, over medium heat, until just boiling. Add chocolate chips, and stir until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the eggs, bourbon, and vanilla, and beat lightly. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and pecans and mix well. Spread the batter into prepared 8x8 baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes and cool in the pan. Top with Praline Icing, (recipe below), if desired. Totally decadent!

Praline Icing
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring the first 3 ingredients to a boil. Boil for one minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add pecans and continue to stir for about 3 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour onto cooled brownies. Makes 1 1/2 cups. 

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Sangria LeBlanc

1/8 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 bottle dry white wine
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1 1/2 cups lemon-lime soda
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 orange, cut in wedges
Fresh strawberries, cut in half
Mint leaves for garnish

In saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. In large pitcher, combine sugar mixture, wine,  and liqueur and chill for several hours. Just before serving, add soda and fruit, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve over ice. Out of this world! Cheers!

For more of my Cajun cookout recipes, click here.

I'll be sharing these at Amaze Me Monday, What's Cooking Wednesday,  Jam Hands,  It's a Hodge Podge Friday,  Fresh Food Friday,  Sweets For A Saturday , Show and Tell Saturday,  Saturday Nite Special, Sunday Showcase Party and Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

Wishing all of you a  fabulous, fun-filled weekend and a very Happy Fourth of July!
Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

Fourth of July Favorites + Bayou Boogie !

With just a few days left to finalize my menu for the Fourth, I am doing some last minute shopping, and trying to decide on the desserts that I will be serving, for our family cookout. These are some of the favorites that my family has requested. All cest bon ! Hope ya'll have a fabulous, fun, holiday weekend! Merci beaucoup for coming by! Let the good times roll, cher!

Happy 4th!

(click on title for recipe)

Who Dat BBQ Chicken

Spicy Saints Burgers

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Marguerite's Hot & Spicy Jambalaya

Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Grilled Veggie Kabobs w/ Sugarcane Viniagrette

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Bayou Boogie

Here's a little clip of one of my favorite bands, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, rockin' the crowd at the Crawfish Festival. The man knows HOW to play an accordion! Crank it up for this one, cher! Dancing to this one is guaranteed to burn off those calories! Enjoy!

Cajun Fourth of July Cook-Out

It's almost time for the Fourth of July, and that means it's time to bring on the best that summer has to offer. I will be posting several of my favorite grilling recipes, for the next few days, along with some yummy side dishes. There is nothing better than getting together with family and friends, especially if there is a feast behind it. Here is a partial menu of the spread that I will be preparing for my guests. Le bon manger, cher!!! Wish ya'll were here! Have a Happy, Fun 4th!!!

Fourth of July Cook-Out Menu

Grilled Chicken Jalapeno Poppers
Spicy BBQ Chicken and Ribs
Deviled Egg Potato Salad
Cajun Rice Dressing
Grilled Creole Vegetable Kabobs
Grilled Cajun Corn on the Cob
Fresh fruit and veggie platters
Banana Coladas
Southern Iced Tea w/Mint and Lemon

   
Cajun Grilled Chicken Jalapeno Poppers

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves,
1 tbs. or more, Cajun seasoning
12 large jalapenos, cut in half, lengthwise, and seeded
Two 8 oz. packages cream cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. bacon, cut in half, lengthwise

Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2 inch strips, and season.

Sprinkle the top of each square of cream cheese with the minced garlic
Cut each square of cream cheese in half, lengthwise, and then cut each half into 6 pieces for a total of 12 pieces per square. Stuff each pepper with a piece of cream cheese, and press down. Then press a chicken strip down on top of the cream cheese. Wrap each pepper with a strip of bacon and hold in place with a toothpick. On an oiled grilling surface, grill away from direct heat for about 10 minutes on each side or until bacon is cooked. You might want to double the batch of these sinfully delicious poppers, cher! Bon appetit!

Cajun Rice Dressing

1 cup onions, chopped fine
1 cup celery, chopped fine
1 cup bell pepper, chopped fine
2 tsp.'s minced garlic
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1/4 lb. chicken giblets, chopped, optional
Salt and Tabasco, to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs.'s Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 bunch green onions, chopped, including tops
1  cup beef broth or stock
3 cups cooked rice

In heavy skillet, on medium heat, brown the beef, pork, giblets, salt and Tabasco, and cook, stir and chop with large spoon, until browned. Drain excess oil and add the trinity, (onions, bell peppers, and celery), garlic, and remaining seasonings and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, stir, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the green onions and parsley and cook for 10 more minutes. Cut heat off and add the cooked rice and gently stir until well blended. Divinely delicious! Serves 6