Red Beans & Rice

Despite the fact that I have been blogging for more than a decade, and cooking nearly all of my life, I have yet to experience some of the simplest of foods. Case in point, prior to making them just the other day, I had never eaten red beans and rice. I kept thinking to myself…beans and rice? What can be so yummy about beans and rice? Well, I’ll tell you, they are delicious! I did all of my chopping ahead of time, so it was absolutely no trouble to put this together. The house smelled wonderful while they were simmering on the stove, and once I took my first delicious, smoky, spicy bite, I could hardly put the spoon down.

 Red Beans & Rice

Adapted from Damn Delicious

 1 c. long grain basmati rice

1 T. olive oil

1 (12.8-oz.) pkg. smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 T. tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ t. Cajun seasoning

3 (15-oz.) cans red beans, drained and rinsed

3 c. chicken stock

1 t. Crystal hot sauce

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves

 Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.

 Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate

 Add shallots, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

 Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.

 Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf, and sausage. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.

 Using an avocado masher (an invaluable tool, in my opinion), mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 Serve topped with rice and garnished with parsley, and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.

Cajun Potato Soup

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I can honestly say, when it comes to Mardi Gras, I really don’t do that much celebrating. I do, however, really enjoy the food. As a consequence, year after year, I try new recipes for Cajun and Creole dishes. With the frigid temperatures that we’ve been having, nothing sounds better than a hot sandwich or steaming bowl of soup. This Cajun Potato Soup warms you inside and out, thanks to the spices and andouille sausage. It goes together rather quickly; I got the oil and butter melting as I was chopping the vegetables, and then just threw them into the pan as they were cooking. In no time, I had a delicious, comforting bowl of soup.

 

 Cajun Potato Soup

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 T. butter 

2 T. olive oil 

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, diced 

2 ribs celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ lbs. andouille sausage, sliced into rounds 

1 1.5-oz bag Melissa’s Baby Red Potatoes, quartered

3 c. chicken broth 

2 c. whole milk 

2 c. heavy cream 

2 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. Creole seasoning

1 lg. Handful fresh spinach, chopped 

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

 In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt butter and oil together. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage slices; cook, stirring occasionally another 5 minutes. Add potatoes; cook and stir 15 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about one minute more. Remove from heat. Top with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

Cajun Chicken Pasta Florentine

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There’s good news and bad news. The good news is, number two son and his wife put their house up for sale and sold it the first day. The bad news is that the house they’re building won’t be ready until November 19. So… enter good old, mom. You guessed it, my son, daughter-in-law, and their two cats descended upon my home ten days ago, moving into the lower level. Thank goodness they have enough space to spread out, enjoy their alone time as much as I do, and are adventurous eaters. It was a bit of an adjustment for all of us initially, but, once again, I have someone to cook for, so was eager to try a Cajun chicken pasta recipe on them. This goes together fairly easily, and if you start your pasta water when cutting your chicken, this meal can be on the table in 30 minutes time. Thumbs up all around.

Cajun Chicken Pasta Florentine

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,* cut into thin strips
8 oz. rigatoni (or pasta of choice), cooked al dente,

reserving ½ c. pasta water

1 T. Cajun Seasoning
2 T. butter
2 scallions, sliced
1 c. heavy cream
¼ c. chopped Melissa’s sun-dried tomatoes
Pinch salt, or to taste
½ t. dried basil
¼ t. garlic powder
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
1-2 handfuls fresh baby spinach

Place chicken strips and Cajun seasoning into a large bowl; toss to coat.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or until tender, 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat and add scallions, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and heat through. Add spinach and allow to wilt. Stir in heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and continue cooking until mixture thickens slightly. If mixture becomes too thick, thin with reserved pasta water. Toss with hot pasta and serve immediately.

*Can substitute shrimp for chicken

New Orleans-Style Gumbo

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Whether we realize it or not, a lot of what we do is dictated by others. Case in point, the late Mr. O-P did not care for Creole or Cajun dishes, ergo I never made them. Now that he is, sadly, gone, it does free me up to experiment with this cuisine. Considering the season, and considering my love for this type of food, I decided to make my first ever pot of gumbo. Before I embarked upon this journey, I read a lot about it, studied a lot of recipes, and used all of that knowledge to come up with this version. Personally, I thought it was wonderful, but the real taste test was taking it to a neighbor who loves this type of food and used to live in New Orleans. In a word, she said it was “fabulous,” and thus I can share it with you.

There are different schools of thought when it comes to rice. Some people add it to the gumbo, some people serve it on the side, and others consider such an addition blasphemous. You can do what you like. I found that adding rice makes for a very hearty meal with the need for little else. But, if you want the true taste of the gumbo, serve and enjoy it as it is. Either way, this recipe is a winner.

New Orleans-Style Gumbo

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

4 oz. bacon drippings

4 oz. all-purpose flour

1 c. coarsely chopped celery

4 large Melissa’s shallots, rough chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced

3 qts. beef stock

1 T. granulated sugar

½ - 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

½  teaspoon Cajun seasoning

4 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 14.5-oz. can petite stewed tomatoes

1 6-oz. can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons file powder

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

2 10-oz. packages frozen cut okra, thawed

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 pound lump crabmeat

3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons file powder

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Make a roux by placing the bacon drippings and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven. Whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 80 minutes, whisking every 20 minutes.

Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the finished roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer on top of the stove over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

In a stockpot bring the beef stock to a boil. Once boiling, whisk in the roux mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; stir in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

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If you prefer Jambalaya to Gumbo, try this easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya for a taste of New Orleans.

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Meal Plan Monday #13 - N'awlins Week

It’s N’awlins Week, where I’m trying some new-to-me Cajun and Creole Recipes. I’m in the mood for spicy, one-pot dishes, so we’ll see how things go. I’ll report my successes (if any) next week.

Monday – Grilled Cheese (you read that right), Cream of Tomato Soup with Indian Spices, New Orleans Bread Pudding

Tuesday – Gumbo

Wednesday – Mammogram today, I'm taking myself out

Thursday – Dinner out with the girls.

Friday – Jambalaya

Saturday – Muffaletta Sandwich

Sunday –Pecan Pie French Toast, bacon

Here’s a sneak peek at an upcoming table.

Bacon Asparagus Cajun Pasta

I tend to make pasta once a week. I like it, there are endless varieties, and, like a girl I knew in high school, it's fast and easy. While all of the dishes that I make are good, some are better than others. This one falls into the latter category as being a "10" on the Yummy Scale (not an official unit of measure, but it should be). There is just something about those Cajun spices that take this over the top.

I spotted this recipe on the Small Town Woman blog, and it is a must try. Easy and intensely flavorful, you'll find yourself returning to this recipe again and again. 

Bacon Asparagus Cajun Pasta

​8 ounces rigatoni 

4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

12 stems asparagus, cut in bite-size pieces

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

4 teaspoons Cajun spice

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

In a large skillet over medium heat place bacon pieces. Cook for 8 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 8 minutes longer. Reduce heat and add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook just until slightly wilted. Remove to plate.

Using the same skillet pour in the wine, scraping pan bottom to remove browned bacon bits. Add cream, Cajun spice, and simmer to desired thickness, stirring frequently. Slowly add the Parmesan cheese, and stir until melted and smooth. Add bacon/asparagus mixture and drained rigatoni. Serve immediately.

This post is linked to: Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Spicy Sausage and Potato Soup

It's hard to imagine waking up near the end of March and seeing five inches of snow on the ground, at least where we live, so inasmuch as springtime normally doesn't have me thinking about thick, hearty soups, today certainly did.  In digging through the fridge I found the remainder of a package of andouille sausages that we'd bought for making jambalaya and remembered that I'd printed out a recipe for an andouille and potato soup, so decided to give it a try.  The recipe can be found here, but for the sake of convenience I've also listed it below.

Before I proceed, let me tell you that it is delicious!  I'd never made soup in a skillet before, so that was a first, nor had I ever made soup with andouille.  The skillet preparation makes it quick and easy, with little need for extensive clean-up afterwards, and the andouille makes for one delicious soup.  It's very hearty, so a bowl of this and a roll, and you have dinner.  I served mine with a tiny little side of mixed greens.

The recipe called for the sausage to be diced, but my husband thought he'd prefer it sliced, so that's what I did.  I'm not so sure dicing isn't the better idea in order to get a better sausage-to-spoonful ratio, but do whatever you'd prefer here.

Spicy Sausage and Potato Soup

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

12 to 16 ounces andouille sausage or other smoked sausage

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon dried leaf basil

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups chicken broth

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and diced (or in my case, sliced) sausage.

Saute until the vegetables are tender and sausage is lightly browned. 

Stir in the flour until smooth and well-blended.

Stir in green onions, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring, for 1 minute. 

Blend in the chicken broth. Add the diced potatoes, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 

Stir in the heavy cream and continue cooking until heated through.  

Serves 6.

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