How to boil Crawfish like we do in Louisiana, Cajun Style !
There are many variations of Cajun boiled crawfish, but this is the most common and the best boiled crawfish recipe I've used. The average man will eat about 5-7 lbs of boiled crawfish. Women eat 3-5 lbs. Don't worry about cooking too much. Boiled crawfish will keep overnight in a cold ice chest or fridge, assuming you have any leftovers. Just don't freeze them.
Ingredients for Cajun Boiled Crawfish:
1 (30-to-40 pound) sack of live Louisiana Crawfish. Ask for "Select" or medium sized ones. No one likes tiny boiled crawfish.
1-2 boxes of salt for purging
Water
5 lb sack of small onions, peeled
8 oz. Ground Cayenne Pepper
2 (1 pound) boxes/sacks of Zatarain's Crawfish/Shrimp/Crab Boil Seasoning ( I also use one small bottle of the liquid crab boil, along with about 6 of the small pouches.)
Whole mushrooms ( optional...but common)
8 to 10 lemons, sliced in half
Smoked sausage, cut into large pieces
10 lb sack Small red or new potatoes, unpeeled
10 to 15 ears of fresh corn on the cob - shucked and cut in halves
6-8 heads of garlic, split in half
And most anything else you want to add to the flavor of the water.
Step 1: Use a large pot, as a turkey frying pot and a hot burner such as a fish cooker.
EXCEPT for the live crawfish, fill the pot 1/2 full of water and drop in the onions, garlic, lemons, Zatarain's crawfish boil seasoning, mushrooms, cayenne pepper, and sausage, then turn the heat up, bringing it to a boil. Leave out the potatoes and corn cobs for now. DO NOT add the crawfish at this time !
Meanwhile, While your water is heating up, Purge the live crawfish. Use your garden hose and fill a few ice chests 1/3 full of fresh water. Add the salt. Now add a 10 lb bag of ice and stir it up, Carefully add the live crawfish and gently stir them a bit with a paddle. Let them sit for about 5-7 minutes. They spit up all the mud. Pour out the dirty water and rinse them until the water is reasonably clear. Dont just put the garden hose in the ice chest and let it run, allowing it to overflow, or you'll be chasing crawfish all around your back yard ! So be careful. Don't let the mudbugs sit underwater for more than a few minutes or they'll die, either. Speaking of dead ones, don't add them to your pot ! Throw them out. When the water is almost clear, then pour it all out and toss more ice on the live crawfish while still in the ice chests, keeping them cool but not frozen.
Step 2: By this time, your water should have been boiling for about 10-15 minutes. Now add the the potatoes and corn to the pot and boil for another 10 minutes. ( it's customary to drink a cold beer during this time)
Step 3: Add the live crawfish to the pot and drink another beer, allowing them to boil for 3-5 minutes after the water begins to boil again. Then IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE HEAT !
Now....here's a real Louisiana Cajun Crawfish boil SECRET: ADD a bag of ice to the crawfish water RIGHT after you turn the fire off. Some say it's the key to having juicy crawfish. Let the crawfish soak for 15 minutes with the fire OFF..
Step 4: While the boiled crawfish are soaking, make sure you have plenty of napkins and trash cans available. You might want some lemon slices on the table too. (Drink another beer.)
Step 5: Drain, peel and eat. Some people add more spice to them after they are cooked. I keep a container of Ball's Cajun seasoning in front of my plate. Some use a dipping sauce, and some eat them like they are. Don't eat the dead ones. Those are the ones whose tails are NOT curled. If the tail of a boiled crawfish isn't curled, he was dead before he hit the water.
Step 6: By now, you should know that drinking beer is acceptable during a crawfish boil, so you should have already drank another one or three. If not, then get to it !
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Breakfast Cupcakes By Recipes Filled with Love
BREAKFAST CUPCAKES
This is a really easy dish to prepare, and it looks so darn cute! It is also a great dish to serve on a buffet table because each serving is completely self-contained and can just be picked up and popped on a plate.
1 20 ounce package pre-shredded hash brown-style potatoes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons flour
1 small sweet onion, coarsely grated
2 thick slices deli ham, chopped into small bits (about 1 cup)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 dozen eggs, scrambled*
chives for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the first eight ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon potato mixture into each prepared muffin cup until about 1/3 full. Gently press the potato mixture down in the middle and up the sides of each cup. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. If the nests have puffed up too much in the center, scoop out a little with a teaspoon. Spoon a few tablespoons of scramble eggs into each nest and top with chives. —
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This is a really easy dish to prepare, and it looks so darn cute! It is also a great dish to serve on a buffet table because each serving is completely self-contained and can just be picked up and popped on a plate.
1 20 ounce package pre-shredded hash brown-style potatoes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons flour
1 small sweet onion, coarsely grated
2 thick slices deli ham, chopped into small bits (about 1 cup)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 dozen eggs, scrambled*
chives for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the first eight ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon potato mixture into each prepared muffin cup until about 1/3 full. Gently press the potato mixture down in the middle and up the sides of each cup. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. If the nests have puffed up too much in the center, scoop out a little with a teaspoon. Spoon a few tablespoons of scramble eggs into each nest and top with chives. —
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Cajun Boodin By Now your Cookin
Cajun Boudin
Original recipe makes 4 1/2 pounds
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cubed
1 pound pork liver, cut into pieces
4 cups water
2 cups uncooked white rice
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 feet 1 1/2 inch diameter hog casings
Directions
Combine the pork shoulder, liver, and 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the pork cubes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Bring the rice and 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
Once the pork is tender, remove from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and allow to cool a bit. While the pork is cooling, stir the green onion, chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley, cilantro, and garlic into the simmering pork broth. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is tender. Meanwhile, grind the meat using the coarse plate of a meat grinder. Stir the ground meat into the vegetable mixture, and cook, stirring frequently until the water has nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, and set aside to cool.
While the meat mixture is cooling, rinse the sausage casings inside and out with plenty of warm water. Keep the casings in a bowl of warm water until ready to stuff. Once the sausage mixture is cool enough to handle, stuff into the prepared casings using a sausage stuffer. Prick the sausage with a needle every 4 to 6 inches.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to keep the water at a very gentle simmer. Add the sausage and cook gently until the sausage is hot on the inside, firm to the touch, and has plumped, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Original recipe makes 4 1/2 pounds
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cubed
1 pound pork liver, cut into pieces
4 cups water
2 cups uncooked white rice
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 feet 1 1/2 inch diameter hog casings
Directions
Combine the pork shoulder, liver, and 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the pork cubes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Bring the rice and 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
Once the pork is tender, remove from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and allow to cool a bit. While the pork is cooling, stir the green onion, chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley, cilantro, and garlic into the simmering pork broth. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is tender. Meanwhile, grind the meat using the coarse plate of a meat grinder. Stir the ground meat into the vegetable mixture, and cook, stirring frequently until the water has nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, and set aside to cool.
While the meat mixture is cooling, rinse the sausage casings inside and out with plenty of warm water. Keep the casings in a bowl of warm water until ready to stuff. Once the sausage mixture is cool enough to handle, stuff into the prepared casings using a sausage stuffer. Prick the sausage with a needle every 4 to 6 inches.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to keep the water at a very gentle simmer. Add the sausage and cook gently until the sausage is hot on the inside, firm to the touch, and has plumped, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Chicken Crescent Roll Ups By Foodie Tv
Chicken crescent roll ups
1 1/2 cup cooked and cubed chicken
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of milk
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of crescent rolls (8 count)
Mix 1 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/2 cup of cheese in a bowl.
(I used my hands to mix it and mush it all together.)
Roll out and separate the crescent rolls.
In each triangle,
place 2 tablespoons of the chicken/cheese mix, and roll it up in the crescent roll.
Once you have all 8 rolled up,
place them along the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish.
Pour the 1 cup of milk over the roll-ups. Spoon out the cream of chicken soup (undiluted) on top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degree
1 1/2 cup cooked and cubed chicken
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of milk
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of crescent rolls (8 count)
Mix 1 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/2 cup of cheese in a bowl.
(I used my hands to mix it and mush it all together.)
Roll out and separate the crescent rolls.
In each triangle,
place 2 tablespoons of the chicken/cheese mix, and roll it up in the crescent roll.
Once you have all 8 rolled up,
place them along the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish.
Pour the 1 cup of milk over the roll-ups. Spoon out the cream of chicken soup (undiluted) on top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degree
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pull Apart Bread By Kitchen to Kitchen
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pull Apart Bread
1 loaf of Italian Bread
8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend
16 ounces crisp cooked bacon, diced
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing mix
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 sheets of aluminum foil to wrap bread in, overlap the foil so the bread will be completely covered.
On a cutting board, slice bread in 3/4-inch intervals, being careful to not cut all the way through. Cut again, crosswise, not cutting all the way through.
Slide bread onto foil and stuff cheese between all cuts: sprinkle with bacon. Mix melted butter and ranch mix, with a fork, and drizzle over top of bread evenly.
Wrap foil around bread snuggly and bake for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Adapted from Sargento
The variations to this are simply endless. I will be trying new twists to this all summer long.
1 loaf of Italian Bread
8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend
16 ounces crisp cooked bacon, diced
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing mix
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 sheets of aluminum foil to wrap bread in, overlap the foil so the bread will be completely covered.
On a cutting board, slice bread in 3/4-inch intervals, being careful to not cut all the way through. Cut again, crosswise, not cutting all the way through.
Slide bread onto foil and stuff cheese between all cuts: sprinkle with bacon. Mix melted butter and ranch mix, with a fork, and drizzle over top of bread evenly.
Wrap foil around bread snuggly and bake for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Adapted from Sargento
The variations to this are simply endless. I will be trying new twists to this all summer long.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Granny's Homemade Split Pea Soup By Granny's Favorite Cookbooks
Granny’s Homemade Split Pea Soup
1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 hambone, or 2 meaty ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
3 carrots, peeled & sliced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water
Layer ingredients in slow cooker, pour in water. DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 hambone, or 2 meaty ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
3 carrots, peeled & sliced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water
Layer ingredients in slow cooker, pour in water. DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
Cast Iron Skillet Cleaning and Seasoning Tips By Karen's Creative Cooking
Seasoning
Traditional cast-iron skillets don't emerge from the box with a nonstick surface. That comes with seasoning, or coating the skillet with cooking oil and baking it in a 350° F oven for an hour. It won't take on that shiny black patina just yet, but once you dry it with paper towels, it will be ready to use. You'll reinforce the nonstick coating every time you heat oil in the skillet, and you can hasten the process by seasoning as often as you like. Or you can forget seasoning and go with Lodge Logic (available at hardware and cookware stores), a line of preseasoned skillets from Lodge Manufacturing, the oldest U.S. maker of cast-iron cookware.
Cleaning
A cast-iron skillet isn't ideal for a set-aside-to-soak sort of person. For best results, rinse the pan with hot water immediately after cooking. If you need to remove burned-on food, scrub with a mild abrasive, like coarse salt, and a nonmetal brush to preserve the nonstick surface; you can also use a few drops of a mild dishwashing soap every once in a while. If the pan gets a sticky coating or develops rust over time, scrub it with steel wool and reseason it. To prevent rust, dry the skillet thoroughly and lightly coat the cooking surface with cooking oil. Cover with a paper towel to protect it from dust.
Tips
•Although everything from Dutch ovens to cactus-shaped cornbread pans comes in cast iron, nothing is more versatile than a basic skillet. Either a 10- or 12-inch will do.
•There's only one thing you shouldn't attempt in cast-iron cookware: boiling water, which will cause the pan to rust.
•Cast iron takes longer to warm than other surfaces but retains heat remarkably well and diffuses it evenly.
•Cast iron remains hot long after you remove it from the stove. As a reminder to be careful, drape a thick towel or a mitt over the handle.
•To avoid getting smudges on all your kitchen towels, designate one to use exclusively for drying your cast-iron skillet.
•Cooking in cast iron increases the iron content in food. The longer the food is in contact with the skillet, the more it absorbs
Traditional cast-iron skillets don't emerge from the box with a nonstick surface. That comes with seasoning, or coating the skillet with cooking oil and baking it in a 350° F oven for an hour. It won't take on that shiny black patina just yet, but once you dry it with paper towels, it will be ready to use. You'll reinforce the nonstick coating every time you heat oil in the skillet, and you can hasten the process by seasoning as often as you like. Or you can forget seasoning and go with Lodge Logic (available at hardware and cookware stores), a line of preseasoned skillets from Lodge Manufacturing, the oldest U.S. maker of cast-iron cookware.
Cleaning
A cast-iron skillet isn't ideal for a set-aside-to-soak sort of person. For best results, rinse the pan with hot water immediately after cooking. If you need to remove burned-on food, scrub with a mild abrasive, like coarse salt, and a nonmetal brush to preserve the nonstick surface; you can also use a few drops of a mild dishwashing soap every once in a while. If the pan gets a sticky coating or develops rust over time, scrub it with steel wool and reseason it. To prevent rust, dry the skillet thoroughly and lightly coat the cooking surface with cooking oil. Cover with a paper towel to protect it from dust.
Tips
•Although everything from Dutch ovens to cactus-shaped cornbread pans comes in cast iron, nothing is more versatile than a basic skillet. Either a 10- or 12-inch will do.
•There's only one thing you shouldn't attempt in cast-iron cookware: boiling water, which will cause the pan to rust.
•Cast iron takes longer to warm than other surfaces but retains heat remarkably well and diffuses it evenly.
•Cast iron remains hot long after you remove it from the stove. As a reminder to be careful, drape a thick towel or a mitt over the handle.
•To avoid getting smudges on all your kitchen towels, designate one to use exclusively for drying your cast-iron skillet.
•Cooking in cast iron increases the iron content in food. The longer the food is in contact with the skillet, the more it absorbs
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