Cajun Recipes
Fast Fix Meals
Vidalia Onion Pie
2 lbs. raw onions, sliced thinly (yellow onions work as well.)
1/2 stick butter
1 pie crust, frozen
8 oz. evaporated milk
3 eggs
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
If you like spicy, add a dash of Cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute' the onions until translucent, do not brown them. In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, flour and seasoning. Add onions to the eggs mixture, stir and then pour into the pie shell. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
Cook the pie for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. Lower the temp to 325 and cook for 25-30 minutes. If the shell begins to burn, you can lay a piece of foil over the top, until the last 5 minutes. Serve warm as a side dish.
Shrimp Casserole (click on picture to make it a full printable size.)
Cajun Crab Cakes (the crab cakes with the Cajun Mayo were delish!)
2/3 cups butter
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
2 tsp. Tony Cachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 8oz. can crab meat (claws)
1 8 oz. can crab meat (white meat)
4 cups Italian bread crumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cup canola oil
In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and stir well. Saute until onion is tender. Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, creole seasoning, and remove from the heat.
Put in mixing bowl and add crab meat - stir well.
Add bread crumbs - stir well.
Add eggs - stir well.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Mold cooled mixture into 1/2 cup cakes and set aside.
Heat oil to 375 or deep frying temperatures, and fry cakes for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Cajun Mayo for Crab Cakes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
dash of hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Hurricanes (cocktail that is famous at the piano bar Pat O'Briens down in the French Quarter.
(Revised a recipe, the original had 3 equal parts of 3 types of rum, and I added some fresh squeezed lime juice.)
1.5 oz. white rum
1.5 oz. Jamaican rum
3 oz. orange juice
3 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 oz. grenadine syrup
squeeze juice from 1/4th of a lime
crushed ice
Red Beans and Rice
1 Vidalia (sweet) onion, chopped
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock (or 4 cups water & 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 14.5 oz can tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
hot pepper sauce to taste
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 15oz. cans natural organic red beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt-free Creole Seasoning
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 sprig of Thyme
Kosher salt
Brown Rice
In a dutch oven (a heavy metal or cast aluminum or Magnalite, covered pot), add the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and vegetable stock.
Braise the vegetables in the stock until soft. Add the beans, tomatoes, seasoning, cumin, ground pepper, hot sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes. You may need to add more stock if the beans become too dry.
After the beans have simmered, season to taste with salt and add the chopped Italian parsley. Serve with fresh steamed brown rice and hot sauce. Serve with a side salad and French bread.
Cajun Mexican Chili with Fritos (cajun-recipes.com)
1 bag dip size Fritos
1 1/2 package burrito seasoning
1 small can green chilies
1 can (no bean) chili (chunky)
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 shredded onion, white or yellow
1 12 oz. salsa
1 12 oz. bag shredded cheese
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Soften onions with a little butter in microwave or on stove top. Using a deep Pyrex dish, melt cheeses with all ingredients. Stir often. Once completely smooth, pour over individual bowls of Frito corn chips.
Fast Fix Meals
Chicken Burritos
Ingredients:
4 frozen chicken breasts
1 14.5 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14/5 oz. can black beans
1 jar salsa
8 oz. cream cheese
Place all ingredients in a Crock-Pot and turn on low for 6-8 hours. About half way through cooking, shred the chicken and add the cream cheese. Stir the cream cheese until it melts.
Serve on burrito-sized tortillas with sour cream and shredded cheese.
Gluten-Free Chicken Enchiladas
2 green bell peppers, diced (2 cups)
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. chili powder
1 clove of garlic, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
1 small can gluten-free tomato sauce
1 T. chopped cilantro
3 C. cooked shredded chicken
1 T. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 jar Amy's mild salsa
6-8 corn tortillas (I use Whole Foods fresh ones.)
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces) or Cheddar-Jack
Top with guacamole and cilantro.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1 cup salsa, tomato sauce, and cilantro. Cook for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl combine chicken with the lime juice; stir in tomato mixture. Spread 1/2 cup salsa in un-greased 13x9 baking dish; top with corn and half the corn tortillas (break in pieces to fill gaps.) Top with the chicken mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Top with remaining corn tortillas. Spread on 1/2 cup of salsa or what is left of salsa and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted, 15 minutes. Garnish with guacamole and cilantro.
Kitchen time about 35 minutes. This is a great dish to make ahead and pop in the oven when you get home.
Homemade Guacamole:
Organic avocados, diced tomato, garlic cloves put through a garlic press, fresh lemon juice, and some onion all mashed together.
Chicken Salad Puffs
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. butter, softened
2 C. of cooked chicken, cubed
1 T. chopped green onion/chives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. milk
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (Use the name brand)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese and softened butter; beat until smooth. Add cubed chicken, chives, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix well.
Separate dough into 4 rectangles, you will need to put two triangles toegher and firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup of chicken mix onto the center of each triangle. Pull the 4 corners of dough to the center and twist firmly. Pinch the edges to seal and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Beef Stroganoff
3 pounds extra-lean stew meat
2 envelopes onion soup mix
4 cans cream of mushroom soup
6 T. water
16 oz. sour cream
egg noodles or rice
Place stew meat, onion soup mix, mushroom soup and water in a Crock-Pot. Cook on high 6-8 hours. Stir well, breaking up the meat chunks. Add sour cream just before serving. Cook noodles or rice and serve.
This meal will make 2 meals for a family of five. You can freeze the leftovers for another meal.
Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
4 chicken breasts, stewed and de-boned (or boneless/skinless)
1 8 oz. package of Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 stick butter
1-2 tall cans chicken broth
Stew chicken in chicken broth in Crock-Pot or on stove. To give broth a richer flavor, throw in an onion, celery stalk, and a carrot. Chop chicken into small bites and set aside. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Melt butter and mix into stuffing until stuffing is coated well. Place half of the stuffing mixture into bottom of casserole. Layer chicken on top. In a serparate bowl, mix cream of chicken soup with 2 cups of the chicken broth leftover from stewing the chicken. Pour this on top of the chicken. Spread the remaining stuffing on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
*You may also substitue dark and white meat from a rotisseri chicken as a time-saver. You need approximately 4 cups of chicken.
*For variety, you may want to add 1 package of frozen chopped broccoli.
The Pioneer Woman's 16-minute Mini-Meatball Sandwiches, (click link.)
Taco Stuffed Shells (Click link)
Shipwreck Dinner
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef or turkey
1 package Kraft Mac & Cheese
1 can (16 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can sweet peas
1 cup milk
1 cup Mozzarella - shredded
Directions:
Brown meat in large skillet; drain fat.
Stir in macaroni, cheese sauce mix, tomatoes, peas & milk.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 12 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand until cheese is melted.
Goulash
This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen. It makes a huge batch so you can freeze leftovers. It even tastes better reheated!
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
2 large onions, chopped
3 cups water
1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. of basil and oregano
1 T. salt
2 cups dried elbow macaroni
3 cups of colby jack shredded cheese
In a pan, saute' the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute' until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil and salt. Stir well. Place lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes then cover with cheese.
Harvest Kielbasa
2 pounds kielbasa
3 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 small to medium onions, sliced
Slice kielbasa into 1/4 inch slices. Brown in skillet and drain.
Combine applesauce & brown sugar.
Layer kielbasa, onions and applesauce mixture in Crock-Pot.
Cover & cook on low 4-8 hours.
(The longer it cooks the better it tastes.)
White Chili
2-4 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-1 cup assorted green peppers, diced
2 cans white beans
32 oz. chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk or cream
fresh or dried sage, to taste
cumin, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Saute' onion, garlic and peppers in 1 T. EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) and 1 T. butter until onions are translucent (I use mostly Anaheim peppers and other spicy or mild green peppers, not green bell peppers.) Add chicken, beans and chicken stock. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream until smooth, then add to chili. Add seasonings (I used 2 T. cumin and about 15 leaves fresh sage.) Let incorporate and simmer for about 15-30 minutes on stovetop or in Crock-Pot for a few hours on low. It tastes great 15-30 minutes later, but the longer it cooks (or sets in the fridge), the yummier it is.
*Variations:
I often cook a whole chicken with veggies and water in my Crock-Pot overnight or all day the day before and then I have both my cooked chicken and chicken stock ready to go.
*Grill up a few extra pieces of chicken for dinner one night and use the left over chicken for the recipe.
*You can roast the green peppers in the oven for a deeper, roasted flavor.
*This recipe doubles easily, and freezes beautifully.
*Like toppings? Try avocado, tortilla chips or white cheddar.
1-Stop Chicken, Green Beans and Potatoes
3-4 chicken breasts (raw), cut into strips
3-4 red potatoes, halved and then thinly sliced
3 cups green beans, snapped (or 1 bag of frozen)
1 stick butter, melted
1 package Good Sense Garlic and Herb seasoning (usually next to the dry Ranch seasonings)
Place strips of chicken in a pile/row in the center of a 9x13 baking dish.
Place green beans in a pile/row on one side of the chicken.
Place sliced red potatoes in a pile/row on the other side of the chicken.
Melt butter in a bowl, stir in package of Good Sense seasoning, pour over the top of chicken, potatoes and beans.
Bake (covered with foil) at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove foil and bake a few minutes more if desired for a little crispier potato.
My (Mrs. Albright) version of the above recipe is to put a whole chicken (skin removed) on a big piece of foil (I actually use two big pieces to make a cross pattern) and pat butter over the whole outside of the chicken. I then sprinkle it with either a package of lipton onion soup mix or any seasoning you may like. I then add cut up potatoes, baby carrots, a quartered onion, and a can of green beans to the foil. I fold it all up in the foil. It's best if you have this placed in a 9x13 pan in case there is leaking. Bake for 1 and a half hours.
