Louisiana Food World

12/13/2024

Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Shrimp:

1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust for spice level)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Topping:

1 large cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
2 ripe avocados (mashed)
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
For Garnish:

Fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
Lime wedges
Instructions:
Season the Shrimp:
In a bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and all the spices. Mix until shrimp are well coated.

Cook the Shrimp:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until blackened and fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the Avocado Mix:
In a small bowl, mash the avocados with lime juice, cilantro (if using), salt, and pepper.

Assemble the Bites:
Place cucumber slices on a serving plate. Top each slice with a spoonful of avocado mixture, then a blackened shrimp.

Garnish and Serve:
Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

12/12/2024

INGREDIENTS
Crescent roll dough: 1 can (8 oz), unrolled and separated into triangles.
Breakfast sausage: 1 pound, cooked and crumbled, adding a savory base to the filling.
Cream cheese: 1 cup, softened, for a creamy and rich texture.
Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies: 1 can (10 oz), drained, providing a zesty kick.
Shredded cheddar cheese: 1 cup, for a gooey, cheesy finish.
Garlic powder: 1 teaspoon, enhancing the flavor with a subtle garlic note.
Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon, for an aromatic, herbal touch.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2:
In a bowl, combine cooked sausage, softened cream cheese, drained Rotel, shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Mix until well combined.
Step 3:
Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into triangles. Place a spoonful of the sausage mixture on the wider end of each triangle. Roll up each triangle, starting from the wide end.
Step 4:
Place the filled crescents on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crescents are golden brown and cooked through.
Step 5:
Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy these tasty, cheesy bites!
Serving and Storage Tips
Serve these crescents warm with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

12/12/2024

Mozzarella Pepperoni Croissant Rolls Recipe
Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
16 slices pepperoni
8 mozzarella cheese sticks (cut in half)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Marinara or pizza sauce (for dipping)
Instructions:
Preheat Oven:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Prepare the Dough:
Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into 8 triangles.

Add Fillings:
Place 2 slices of pepperoni on the wide end of each triangle. Top with half a mozzarella stick.

Roll the Croissants:
Roll the dough from the wide end to the pointed tip, tucking in the sides slightly. Place the rolls seam-side down on the baking sheet.

Season (Optional):
Sprinkle the tops with Italian seasoning and garlic powder for extra flavor.

Bake:
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Serve:
Let the rolls cool for a few minutes. Serve warm with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

12/12/2024

The Ultimate Southern Pimento Cheese Spread! This is great as a snack on crackers or celery sticks. And makes a wonderful spread for a sandwich. Have you ever had a grilled pimento cheese? You definitely have to try it. This Southern Pimento Cheese Spread is a creamy, tangy delight that's got the South swooning since 1923. Crafted with love, cheddar cheese, and a whisper of Southern charm, this is the spread that's ready to waltz its way into your heart and onto your crackers.

12/12/2024

These Philly cheesesteak sliders are a wonderful way to use leftover roast beef, but using sliced roast beef from the deli also works

12/12/2024

Homemade Hamburger Helper I love that this meal is ready in 30 minutes and only requires a few pantry staples. This is probably one of my kid's favorite meals. I mean they could eat this for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. This is also a reader favorite! It's one of the top recipes on Countryside Cravings!

12/12/2024

12/12/2024

Banana Bread Delight Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Bread:

3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) or chocolate chips (optional)
For the Topping (Optional):

1/4 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Preheat Oven:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

Mix Wet Ingredients:
In a large bowl, mix melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. Stir well.

Combine Dry Ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Mix Batter:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in nuts or chocolate chips if using.

Add Topping (Optional):
Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter for extra flavor and crunch.

Bake:
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool and Serve:
Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

12/11/2024

In Judy's Kitchen: Crawfish Pie
The days when we tape our 'In Judy's Kitchen' segments have become my favorite workdays, even though it takes days of effort and physical labor. But our group of four is hitting on all cylinders (to use a non-digital metaphor) and we truly enjoy doing this work together.

12/11/2024

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons Butter
4 tablespoons Flour
2 cups Onions ; chopped
1/2 cup Celery ; chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper ; chopped
6 cloves Garlic ; minced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 1/2 cups fish stock ; or shrimp stock
1 cup tomatoes ; peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
Hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 pounds crawfish tails ; with the fat
1/2 lemon ; juiced
1 cup Green Onions ; chopped
1/4 cup Chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and whisk in flour to combine well. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until roux is a peanut butter color.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme and cook until vegetables are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes, salt, red pepper, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

Skim surface, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add crawfish tails and fat, lemon juice, green onions, and parsley and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining butter and stir to combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

12/11/2024

Why has sauce piquante, a south Louisiana favorite, managed to escape mainstream American attention? Almost 30 years after Cajun cooking burst onto the national food scene, gumbos, jambalayas, and etouffees populate restaurant menus from California to Connecticut. Yet the humble sauce piquante, a long-cooked, spicy stew, remains firmly in the realm of home cooking, church suppers, lunch-only cafes, and hunting camp kitchens. The thick, tomato-enriched dish frequently features alligator, venison, rabbit, seafood, or an old hen. Many old-fashioned Cajun cooks assert that strongly flavored meats are best prepared in a sauce piquante, as the tomatoes’ acidity & long cooking tames their wild flavors & texture.

12/11/2024

The word Piquante is of French origin meaning to “prick or sting.” It is recognized as a spicy Cajun dish composed of a tomato based sauce with the Cajun trinity and a little roux. You can use this dish with any meat and it is served on hot rice. This recipe features chicken but can be used with anything from chicken, deer, alligator, etc.

I used boneless chicken thighs and breast for this recipe but you can also use a cut up fryer as well. The bone in gives it such a great flavor, but for this recipe I used boneless chicken.

1 stick of butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

Several dashes Worcestershire sauce

Pack of boneless chicken thighs (about 6 or so)

2-3 breasts cut up

1 can 15 oz can of tomato sauce

1 large onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

3-4 celery stalks diced

1 head of garlic chopped or 2 tbsp diced garlic

Cajun seasoning to taste OR red pepper, black pepper, and salt to taste

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp thyme

Chicken broth as needed

2 tbsp roux

1/2 cup or so of chopped green onions

Chopped tomato Rotel like mixture: (or 1 can rotel)

2 small tomatoes diced

2 tbsp red onion chopped

1 can of diced green Chilis

Melt 1 stick of butter with 2 tbsp brown sugar stirring constantly until mixed well and bubbling. (Season chicken in a separate bowl while doing this step.)
2.Place seasoned chicken thighs face down while sprinkling Worcestershire. Brown for a few minutes and flip to other side. Once browned, remove from heat.

3. Place cut up chicken breast stirring for about 5 minutes or so until browned, then remove from heat.

4. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté veggies for a few minutes then add your homemade Rotel. Sprinkle several dashes of tobasco.

5. Once veggies have sautéed for about 10-20 minute and are soft to your liking, add healing tbsp of roux. Add chicken broth as needed to dissolve and keep from sticking.

6. Once roux is mixed well, add the can of tomato sauce. Then, add about a cup of chicken broth or so. Add 2 bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, zydeco chop chop, thyme.

7. Cook uncovered on a low-medium heat for about 20-30 minutes and sauce is thick to your liking. Garnish with green onions and simmer until ready to serve over rice.

12/10/2024

This is what New Orleans is known for "GUMBO!" ! ;-)

12/10/2024

No, you can’t just use the two interchangeably – and the difference is as much about culture as food.

12/10/2024

A rustic chicken fricassee, or chicken stew, with tender dumplings in a rich gravy served over rice is an authentic Cajun dish that satisfies any comfort food craving.

Meat
• 1 Chicken, cut up (5 pounds), large
Produce
• 1/2 cup Bell pepper
• 1/2 cup Celery
• 1 tsp Garlic granules
• 2 Garlic pods
• 1 cup Onion
• 1 Parsley and green onions
Refrigerated
• 1 Egg
Baking & Spices
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 1/3 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt black pepper
• 3 tsp Sea salt
Oils & Vinegars
• 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
Dairy
• 1/3 cup Milk
Liquids
• 5 cups Water

12/10/2024

Cajun meatball stew (fricassee)
3 lbs ground beef or beef/pork mixture
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of Cajun season
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire
2 cups raw oats or bread crumbs
4 yellow onions
2 bell peppers
2 stalks celery
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can beef broth
1 qt chicken broth
water as needed to consistency you want
Cooked rice for serving
Chop up all your veggies and set them on the side while you make meatballs.
In a bowl put 3 lbs of meat - I had 2 lbs ground beef and 1 lbs ground pork. I seasoned the meat with a little of everything and added 2 eggs. Instead of bread crumbs I use raw oats…. It holds together well and when they cook you can’t even tell there is oats there. It’s more filling and I just like that better! It’s up to you though. Use bread crumbs if you prefer. I wear gloves for this cuz it gets messy. Use probably 2 cups of oats- feel it out- if you need more, add more. Once it’s all mixed up form your meatballs! Put them on a baking sheet.
Set them in the fridge until you finish the roux and veggies.
At some point after you make your roux you’re gonna wanna take your meatballs out and pop them in the oven on 375 for 30 minutes.
Next - make a roux. 1 cup of oil and 1 1/4 cup of flour…. On low-medium heat…. You want to take your time and get it a nice chocolate color… a roux is just oil and flour slowly cooked down, and make sure you constantly stir it til it gets the right color or it will burn. If it burns you gotta start over! This may take 30 minutes to do it right… or more sometimes! The higher the fire the quicker it darkens BUT also- the easier it is to burn! If you don’t know how to make one that we’ll keep it LOW AND SLOW.
Once the roux gets the color you want it, add in all your veggies. This will make it difficult to stir and you’ll feel like you wanna add liquid. If need be, drop a splash of cold water in it to help you out but continue to stir the veggies and roux together until they get tender. This step also could take about 30 minutes to do it right: I know this takes time but this is how you get that authentic Cajun fricassee taste! It’s just not the same if you rush it. Like I said it will look weird but trust the process. WHEN YOUR VEGGIES LOOK DONE, add in your garlic and stir and cook about 3 more minutes with garlic before moving to the next step.
Next add in your beef and chicken broth and an extra can of water. Depending on how you like your gravy you may wanna add more water later but for now, just let it cook. This is also where you want to add salt, pepper or Cajun seasoning to taste! Get it to a low boil. Once boiling, stir and cut the heat and let it simmer. Stir occasionally to make sure it’s not sticking.
Remove your meatballs from the oven after 30 minutes and add them to your gravy- including the drippings if your meat was lean enough - if you got a lotta grease during baking don’t put all that grease in there. Gently stir that up and simmer it. The longer you let this cook the better it will be. I cook it altogether for about an hour.
Cook your rice and sides and serve this over rice. It is AMAZING! I know it’s a labor of love but this is how you make all the hungry bellies happy 🙂