Tag Archives: Cajun Mama Cooks

Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup And my soup obsession continues

March 29, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

This is one of my favorite things on the menu at the OG. Yes I know it’s a soup recipe. Yes another one. Because there are so many soup recipes that just beg me to make them. Anytime I go to the OG this is a must. This and breadsticks and I am happy as a clam. There are many recipes out there for this but chose this one seemed the most authentic. I found this recipe on http://www.carriesexperimentalkitchen.com.  Now it does use boullion cubes and I am fine with that. I know some are appalled at such practices but let me say….if boullion cubes are gonna be the death of me…well so be it. 6 of one half dozen the other. Also, I can make it during Lent as long as I don’t add the chicken. I did not add it this time and I probably will not ever because it is so perfect without it. The gnocchi is filling in its own right and I never missed the chicken. The gnocchi is not hard to find in most stores. You can find it on the packaged pasta aisle. It is truly so easy to recreate this soup at home at a fraction of the cost. I know we are hedging upon warmer weather but that does not deter me to make my favorite soup recipes. I just may not make them as often. But when a soup is this filling and not labor intensive at all…I cannot find any reason not to make it during any weather. Of course, this comes from a soupahomic and that may just be my soup addiction talking. Also, nothing pairs better with this chicken based soup like a nice refreshing glass of white wine…which makes it a win in my book!!! Whatever your pleasure, if you love OG’s chicken gnocchi soup, feel free to indulge during the warmer months…I surely won’t tell anyone. Now…where are the breadsticks?

Copycat OG chicken gnocchi soup

Makes 16 1 cup servings (so can serve 16 but it’s so good I would say about 10)

Stuff you need~

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup minced onion (it’s says shredded but that did not work so well for me…yikes!!)

1/4 cup grated carrot

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

8 cups water

6 chicken boullion cubes (I use the knorr extra large and only use 4)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups cooked chicken (grilled, roasted, or rotisserie…again I don’t use it at all)

4 cups fresh, washed baby spinach

16 ounce package gnocchi

What to do with the stuff~

Melt butter in a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat and sauté onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté a few minutes or until celery is tender.

Now whisk in the flour until it is mixed in with sautéed veggies. Next, stir in water and the bouillon cubes. Add in the ground nutmeg and ground thyme and the chicken If you are using it. Bring this just to a boil and then reduce heat to allow mixture to simmer for 15 minutes. While simmering the soup, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan. Then add this to the soup along with the spinach and the gnocchi.

Let the soup simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Ladle into individual bowls and prepare to be amazed.

healthy options, pasta dishes, quick and easy, vegetarian

Pasta with fresh tomato sauce and a glorious spring day

March 29, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

Oh today has been a beautiful day in my world. First of all, when I woke up, the sun was already out. That in and of itself is a huge statement for any mom. I got to sleep past 5:30 a.m. AND the sun was out. Score one for this girl!! So the kids and I loaded up and went out to breakfast and did a little shopping. There were minimal shenanigans or hissy fits. And the kids were pretty well behaved too.

Hahaha!! But really now…we came home and the kids unearthed last year’s stash of plastic Easter eggs and they had some Easter egg hunts. We love us a good egg Hunt now and they can get down. It really felt good for us to spend some time out doors in the bright sunshine beating down on our skin and breathing in the fresh air of Springtime. And then it got really hard core. We broke out the water hose. See Big Daddy is against opening the pool until April but the kids feel that if the sun is shining, the pool should be open. Then I could not find the sprinkler and Big Daddy was off in hot pursuit of that ever elusive Tom (turkey) so we all compromised…Mom could hold the hose while the kiddos pranced through the spray from the hose in their bathing suits. Fair enough.

simple and pure…sunshine, their shadows and the spray from the hose.

this sums up everything I feel about it finally being Spring

So then my little water logged darlings decided they were hungry and took a vote…burgers for dinner. Get on that mom! But I was not in a burger mood. And here comes the good part. There has been a recipe for pasta with fresh tomato sauce from http://www.marthstewart.com that I have been wanting to try. I also happened to have some gorgoues tomatoes begging to be used. I love it when a plan comes together that way. A fresh tomato purée with garlic and basil and olive oil just screams….spring is here and summer is not far at all! So much to my delight, this pasta sauce was all that I hoped it would be and I slurped up (don’t tell anyone) every last noodle. It truly was so fresh and perfect and full of flavor. It’s not a fussy high maintenance pasta sauce that needs you to coddle her and tell her she’s pretty. This pasta sauce is her super cool laid back gal pal who is just a breeze to be around. Next time I make this recipe, I hope it will be made with Big Daddy’s home grown tomatoes and fresh basil from my container garden. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we all enjoyed this perfect spring day. More of those please Mother Nature…if you don’t mind!!

Pasta with fresh tomato sauce

Stuff you need~

2 1/2 pounds fresh (unrefrigerated) tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (I used the Basil in a tube that you find in the produce section….about 3 tablespoons of it)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

1 pound of cooked angel hair pasta

1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water

Fresh grated Parmesan (trust me)

What to do with stuff~

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chop tomatoes until they are very fine or toss all ingredients into your food processor.

Next give the ingredients a few light pulses….

Then I spooned some of that reserved pasta water into the fresh tomato sauce…just a dash. Now grate some Parmesan…

And then prepare yourself for your pasta dreams to come true.

Enjoy this pasta sauce and enjoy Spring…it’s a must!!!!

Traditional cajun faire

The dirty truth about real, Cajun, deliciously dirty rice…and other truths my mama told me

March 23, 2015 cajunmamacookin 6 Comments

Sit down my friends. I am about to tell you the real truth about dirty rice. I am going to say some things that might both thrill and shock you. I am not talking about some prepackaged dirty rice, mop tit. I am talking about the real stuff. Hard core, down and dirty, dirty rice. One of my favorite meals is roast pig, dirty rice, potato salad and a green salad dressed only with vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Its a simple meal for sure, but not simple to recreate. Not every day do you come across a cuchon delait. Won’t be long though until I start asking Big Daddy to make me a pig roasting area in the backyard…though not sure how our Homeowner’s Association would feel about that? Maybe if I do it and then feed them a big divided Styrofoam plate full of roast pig and all the trimmings, they would overlook it? Note to self. Ha ha!! But when I do want to at least get a taste of that meal, I can make this dirty rice. It puts me there…I am at Momee’s house and everyone is there.

I am so blessed to have those memories and I am so lucky my mama taught me how to make this dirty rice. She has never been afraid to tell me the truth about many things in life and what is really in the dirty rice. I remember saying to my mama, after she told me the truth, “say what? You put what in there?” and she replied “well yeah baby, that’s what makes it tastes so good.” Simple enough truth there Bern. Simple enough. Let me say, at that point I had been eating dirty rice for a long time and I frankly did not care what was in it. When I had my first baby, my mama came and stayed for us for a few weeks. She cooked and cleaned and took care of us. She (tried) to wait on me hand and foot. She tried to tell me some truth (every time I had a baby) by telling me to rest. Don’t over do it. I was pretty stubborn and did not always listen. As I sit here 11 years and 4 kids later…I kind of wish I had listened to her. Looking back on that time, I cherish those memories. I will never forget the amazing meals she made for us. Big Daddy was in hog heaven. He loves my mama’s cooking and frankly I am not sure if that not one of the reasons he married me. If so, oh well. She always knew the way to endear him to me was to feed him well. More truths from my mama’s book. She helped me rope in my man. Thanks Mama!! Anyway, one night she made us stuffed bell peppers with this dirty rice and holy cow…they were scrumptious. I am quite certain this was about the time I learned the dirty truth about my family’s dirty rice. And I was not deterred one bit. I suppose she thought, well she gave birth, she can handle the truth about what is in dirty rice too. We lapped it up with gusto!! Now, let me go on and spill the beans. True, Cajun dirty rice is made with ground meat, chicken livers and beef liver. Oh and Savoie’s real cajun dressing mix. Not sure what all is in that and I really don’t care. Now, I have shared that secret and I feel so much better. It is not that awful but some of you may have a hard time with such information. Please know, if you have never eaten real dirty rice, you owe it to yourself, your children, your loved ones…to make it and try it. Most of these ingredients will be nearby one another in the grocery store. In Kroger, its all in a freezer case off to the side of the meat section.

I will be honest and say cutting up the livers is not my favorite thing to do but when they are somewhat frozen still, its a lot easier and less bothersome. Just a thought. Also, this recipe makes a good bit. My mom tells me to freeze the rest of the stuff that is not used. After Benny Boo was born, she made Big Daddy a mess of liver and onions with the leftover beef liver and encourages me to do the same…because she is wise and knows the truth. A well fed Big Daddy is a happy Big Daddy. Because I love the man, I do this, and it is absolutely a labor of love, because I truly cannot stand liver and onions. He is always really appreciative, so I guess that is good enough. But if you want to just double the recipe, then use all of the liver and the dressing mix.

Real Cajun Dirty Rice

Stuff you need~

1 pound ground meat

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped fine

1/2 container chicken livers, roughly chopped

1 piece of beef liver, roughly chopped

1/2 container Savoie’s real dressing mix

water

2-3 cups of cooked white rice

bell peppers, blanched and cooled if you intend to make stuffed bell peppers

What to do with the stuff~

Start out by browning ground meat in a large, heavy bottom skillet. After a few minutes, toss in the chopped onions, celery, and bell pepper to the ground meat. Cook this over medium heat.

Now, add in your chopped up livers. Stir in the dressing mix.

Just keep cooking over medium heat until its all nice and brown. Add in some water, maybe 1/2 cup at a time. You are going to do what my mom calls “smother” this mixture. That means add in water and allow it to continue to cook until water cooks down. Then add more. I cover my skillet after each water addition. Make sure you check it to make sure you know when it needs more water. Next, you will start to add your cooked rice.

Ah the white rice...the perfect backdrop to every good Cajun meal. — Ah the white rice…the perfect backdrop to every good Cajun meal.

I just eyeball it. I make 3 cups of rice and used about 2 cups of it. But you might want to add more or less to get the consistency you want.

My mama and baby Ben...she spent her days doing this and cooking us awesome meals. Thanks Mama! — My mama and baby Ben…she knew the truth…he would not stay little very long.

You are never too old or big for BB (or mama) to hold you.

Scan 4 — Most of what I know…it all goes by in the blink of an eye, dirty rice is awesome, and my mama is often right. Thanks for the truths Mama.

breakfast

Old fashioned creamy grits

March 16, 2015 cajunmamacookin 3 Comments

Here comes another story about the woes of being a Cajun gal transplanted into redneck territory. Yep. I did not grow up eating grits. I mean, my mama bought the box of Quaker grits now and then, pretty sure at my request, and I would eat them. But as far as cooking grits that would make people swoon and keel over from utter delight…negative. Big Daddy grew up on the Quaker grits as well. We went on with life, eating grits from the package and all was well. Nothing was missing. Or was it? I attempted to make real grits a few times, made grits to go with shrimp and grits (working on my favorite recipe that for those who have asked) but they were not life changing, where have you been all my life grits…until a few months ago I had never experienced such a thing. I came across a recipe from Saveur magazine on Pinterest for the best grits. I thought…challenge accepted. Let’s just see. Holy schnikes Batman…true to its word, that recipe delivered the creamiest, most wonderful, mannah from Heaven grits. I started out by taking advice and getting stone ground grits. Those are not easy to come by here in Shreveport. I am sure they are carried somewhere around here or near you…but it is just as easy to order them from Amazon. The ones I found were perfect and I have had to reorder them already. Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HHNUUE/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_FxTcvb1YMQAHR. A bag of these makes about 6 batches of the grits I am about to give you the recipe for. They are well worth the $12, especially if you have Amazon prime.

Every Sunday morning, I try really hard to make my family a big breakfast. Big daddy is a breakfast lover from way back and my kids love it too. We make fried eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and these grits. My picky child (my Benny Boo) absolutely requests these grits on a weekly basis. He had not eaten grits since was 2 (and those were the Quaker instant grits), but one day he saw the bag of grits I had ordered and he decided to try them out. Man, he fell hard. That boy has good taste I tell you. No matter which side of the grits fence you fall on, I strongly recommend you branching out and trying this recipe. They are unlike any grits you have ever had. Big Daddy’s pappaw, had a bowl of grits just about every morning for the last 20 years of his life. Deb would pick up the big variety box from Sam’s and he would be a happy camper. I only wish he could try the utter delight that are these grits. I know it would put a smile on his always pleasant face. I am quite certain whatever beef he ever had with me (mouthy, sassy, Catholic)…much of that has been forgiven since I am passing on a love of grits to his great grands. There is power in the grits my friends. You will not be disappointed!!!

Old fashioned creamy grits

Serves 6

Stuff you need~

2 cups water

2 cups milk

1 cup stone ground grits

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons real butter

What to do with the stuff~

Heat the water and milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan until just simmering.

While the water milk mixture is heating up, add the grits to a large mixing bowl. Cover with water.

Stir vigorously until the chaff floats to the top. Strain the chaff from the grits with a spoon.

Drain the grits with a fine strainer.

Now please don’t be deterred by such a step. I am not sure why we do this, but the result is so wonderful that I stopped questioning it. It’s easy peasy once you get used to it.

Stir grits into the simmering liquid. Cook in the liquid until grits are tender. The recipe says it takes about an hour but I have not found it to take this long. I sprinkle in some kosher salt when they are close to being done.

Then when they are tender but still simmering, I slowly pour in the half and half.

Then stir, stir, stir…but gently though. Take care with such perfection. They should be the perfect consistency at this point but if not stir in a little more cream. Add more kosher salt to taste and then the butter. You are so close to grits perfection.

Spoon the grits into a bowl and prepare yourself for delight. I mean it people…these are life changing grits. They separate true Southerners from people who simply live in the South. Even if you live in New York and have never stepped foot in the South, you are a southerner at heart when you eat these grits. Welcome to Dixie my friends.

add a little black pepper for good measure, Pappaw would approve

Sunday Supper worthy, Traditional cajun faire

Chicken fricassee and sweet tomato gravy and a Saturday with great friends

March 16, 2015 cajunmamacookin 5 Comments

Growing up, we would go to Momou and Grandpa’s for Sunday lunch at least once a month. And so many times she would fix chicken fricasse, sweet tomato gravy, rice and gravy, potato salad, her macaroni and cheese, petite pois and the ever present brown and serve rolls. When I got older, I was responsible for buttering the rolls before they went in the oven. I always knew when I was called to butter those rolls, lunch was getting close. I can still see the huge bowl of potato salad all gussied up with its sprinkling of Tony’s, sitting there on the white Formica bar right next to the glass pitcher of the BEST sweet tea I have ever had, even to this day. There were so many people packed into that house on those days usually, so many that we had to set up the card table to make room and yet looking back, it never seemed that full. It just seemed homey.

Now, I will admit that I was not a chicken fricasse fan until I got older. This had a whole lot to do with the fact that when I went to take a peek at was for lunch, there were chicken feet. In the pot. Chicken feet in the pot, ya’ll. I just could not even handle it. You see they had chickens at the time and Momou would just toss the whole bird in the pot. I guess even back then, homey did not play. By homey I mean me. But by the time I was in high school, she had stopped all that homegrown chicken business and was buying chickens from the store. Sans feet and much more my speed, thank you very much. I am really glad I came around because this meal so something to behold. It is likely on my list of favorites.

A few weeks ago, our best friends since grad school, Marc and Lolly and two of their kiddos came for a visit. My sweet girl turned 10 and they came to celebrate her and also just to visit. It was a good time with excellent company and some pretty excellent food, if I must say so myself. As I have told ya’ll before, Marc is from Eunice and is a dang good cook. Lolly is amazing in the kitchen as well. Anytime we go over there, it is a smorgasbord of food, so when they come here, I like to do it up right. And I think I managed to cook a meal that everyone enjoyed. Momou’s classic fricasse meal pleases another mass of hungry peeps. I cannot wait to see her again and tell her all about it. She took the time a few years ago to write down some requested recipes and I am so glad. It is the easiest recipe to follow and is not hard to make at all. Just like most recipes from the good ole days, this one does not require any exotic ingredients. It’s a feast for your senses and I am telling you, it never disappoints. We followed it up with a red velvet cake for Cookie’s birthday and we were all stuffed to the gills. What a day!!! If every Saturday could be that good, what a wonderful world this would be. It’s a meal to share with beloved friends and family and it is satisfying simplicity at its very finest.

celebrations are best with our best friends !!!

Using the self timer to take selfies…we are hip and with it! Ha!

Now I am including the recipe for sweet tomato gravy because one goes with the other and it is wrong to serve chicken fricasse without sweet tomato gravy. Says me. But of course, it’s not a law or anything so do what you will. If this is your first time to have fricasse then I would absolutely make the sweet tomato gravy as well. You can have the full experience. Go big of go home is what I say.

Chicken fricasse (French stew)

Serves about 8

Stuff you need~

1 fryer, cut up

About 3/4 jar of Savoie’s roux (1 pint jar)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

Ground red pepper, to taste

Salt to taste (Momou says NO black pepper in her recipe)

1/4 cup green onion tops, chopped (or cut with kitchen shears as Mrs. Fern, Marc’s mama, does)

Chopped parsley (optional)

What to do with the stuff~

Bring about 2 quart of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once boiling, add in roux and stir well until it is completely dissolved.

Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and then lower your fire. Allow this to simmer to low heat for about 1 hour. Add in your chicken once it starts to thicken.

Cook until the chicken is good and tender…falling off the bone is more like it). Add in your seasoning to taste.

Serve over rice, my baby. It’s good.

Sweet Tomato Gravy

Stuff you need~

1 1/2 cups of water

2 tablespoons Savoie’s roux

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

Sugar to taste (as Momou says…it takes a good bit)

In a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring water to a boil. After it comes to a boil, stir in roux.

Whisk or stir until it dissolves. Whisk in the tomato sauce. Stir until smooth.

tomato sauce …what makes sweet tomato gravy what it is!

Lower the heat and stir in sugar to taste. Simmer over low heat until mixture thickens a bit. Sweet tomato gravy…fricasse’s best friend.

Madame Toot and Momou, the fricasse queen

desserts, Refreshing beverages

Frozen hot chocolate

February 24, 2015 cajunmamacookin 2 Comments

I know! It’s in the 40’s here and my crazy behind is making frozen hot chocolate. Yep that’s me. I am breaking away from the fray, I am stepping out , I am my own woman. I like my hot chocolate frozen. Really, I have always been intrigued by the idea of a frozen hot chocolate since the movie Serendipity with one Mr. John Cusack and one Mrs. Kate Beckinsdale.

Yeah that movie. I love it. Probably one of my favorites. And I love New York. I despise travel but I would go to New York in a…well…New York minute. I love it there. When we visited a few years ago, Serendipity (the restaurant) was on my list of places to visit but my list was really long. So we never made it. I have pinned numerous recipes for this and never tried a one. Not sure why. But since we are still iced in and I have some time and I have the ingredients in my over crowded pantry, I figured why not? So I did. I used this recipe I found on Pinterest on http://www.wishesndishes.com for Mexican Frozen hot chocolate and it did not disappoint. I assume what makes it a Mexican variation is the cinnamon and vanilla? Either way…awesome sauce. I added a little Godiva chocolate liqueur to sass it up for me but left it plain so the kiddos could indulge. If there was any left. And I felt like sharing. I did share..for the record. Because I love em. And they are my babies. And the state mandates I have to feed them. And mostly because a little of this goes a long way and I needed to leave room in my liquid diet for a Bloody Mary later. Can you tell the lack of adult contact and outside interaction with others is making me a little nuts? Ok…so though it did not look like this when we drank our frozen hot chocolates…

Nor did I expect us to look like that (I mean we have 4 kids all home and ice everywhere…it’s mayhem people. Mayhem. I drank my frozen hot chocolate standing and hoping none of my little beasts would come and jank it from my hands…that’s how we roll. Fast and in fear…ha ha ha!!! So now for the recipe you have been waiting for…here we go. Make it today. Thank me later. You’re welcome.

Mexican frozen hot chocolate

Stuff you need ~

Serves about 3

1/2 cup chocolate syrup (like Hershey’s)

1 cup sweetened condensed milk (that is almost a standard size can)

1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla (I had some Mexican vanilla and used that…regular old vanilla will do)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups of ice

What to do with the stuff~

Ok for a lovely asthetic effect, squirt some chocolate sauce into a clear glass. Swirl it around.

Next, add the ingredients to a blender.

Next blend it, grind it, or pulse it until the luscious concoction is smooth and creamy and free of all ice chunks (blech!! 😝).

Next pour into your prepared glasses.

Stir in some chocolate liqueur if you are serving to adults. Add a lovely dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup and it’s time to indulge, baby. You gonna love me for this. Happy iced in day to all my homies! And you people in lovely warm climates…you too. Even if I am jealous of you. Hugs, warmth and chocolate~AMB

slow cooker, Weeknight wonder

Super easy crockpot Skillet steak and gravy and the upside to being iced in

February 24, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

I am really bad about cooking according to my whims. If there is such a thing as cooking add, I have it. A recipe looks so good one day I decide it must be made then life gets in the way and the next day I am over it. Into the freezer goes the meat I had bought and hopefully the ingredients I bought are nonperishable. As bad as that seems, there is an upside to it. When you have been iced in and going to the store is not a good idea but you know the tiny people who live with you (and one big one) will be asking for dinner by days’ end…you get concerned. Unless of course you have the frozen remnants of a cooking add fit and you realize you still have that skillet steak in the freezer you never made. And because you never have an empty pantry (thank you God) you are pretty sure you have the other basic ingredients in there. It pays off sometimes to be me. A little flighty, easily distracted and like to be prepared. So last night when I realized the kids would be home another day, I thought oh my I best get my game face on. We already had pancakes and cheesy eggs this week and I am not certain it’s cool to do that twice in a row. So big daddy brings up this skillet steak that had been there a while and I conceded that it was time to cook it. So we took it out to thaw and this morning it was on. That’s the up side to not being able to run to the store. It needs to happen sometimes. And it’s nice to be reminded of how much I already have. We, I have enough. I found the recipe I had saved on Pinterest and I set to work. It could not be easier and I have sampled it already…it tastes so good. And better still, the house smells so fantastic when you walk in from that icy cold air and step inside. Yum. So if you can get to the store today and get the stuff you don’t have…there is still time. It cooks so fast. Another bonus is that this is not an expensive recipe to make. I bought skillet steak because it was on sale but you can buy cubed steak. Whatever works. Throw in a veggie and a starch and voila…a hearty supper that is easy on the wallet and will warm your family from their head to their toes.

Here are a few pictures of our wintry mix days at home…

Crockpot skillet steak and gravy

Stuff you need~

1 family pack of cubed steak or skillet steak

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can golden mushroom

1 pack beefy onion soup mix

1/2 cup water

What to do with the stuff~

Cut your meat in to serving size portions. Mine was already like that but just in case. Place meat on the bottom of your slow cooker. Layer if necessary. In a medium size whisk together the soups and soup mix and water. Pour this over the meat. Cook on low for about 6 hours depending on your crockpot. Done.

Chicken dishes, Ethnic and spicy, Weeknight Meals

Tikka masala, basmati rice with peas and minted cucumber salad…I am in love with this Indian inspired meal!!

February 23, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

This meal right here. This is the one. I make many meals, I try new kinds of foods and I can honestly tell you all that this is one of my favorites thus far. No kidding. Dead serious. I had to make big daddy sign in blood that he really loved it and enjoyed it before I would share the leftovers with him. Ok I did not make him take a blood oath but I grilled him pretty hard. It’s not hard to make really but I did not double the recipe and I was so sad when it was gone. I usually send leftovers to his office the next day but not this time. Not because I don’t love his coworkers (I totally do ) but because I was not a quite certain they would APPRECIATE the wonder that was this meal. Because it is Indian food some people might be a little (or a lot…I am looking at you, Chris Flowers) leery of such a new experience. Let me say this. I am making this again this week and doubling the recipe. The leftovers were even better because the fantastic melee of flavors had a chance to commingle and make friends with one another. My mouth is watering just thinking of having this meal in front of me again. If you have always wanted to try Indian food but felt intimidated by the notion, don’t be. This is super simple, easy peasy. The ingredients are not even that far fetched. It just requires quite a few spices. Now, I had all of them but I cook a lot. I ordered the ghee off of amazon and it was here in a flash. I imagine world market might have it and you can make it yourself if you are so inclined. It’s essentially clarified butter and can be made at home. The ghee and some of the spices will be the main thing you might have to buy that is out of the norm, but please don’t let that stop you . Anyway, this is absolutely doable for anyone who wants to try Indian food. I have never eaten at an Indian restaurant but I know tikka masala is a very popular dish. The rice and salad are both pretty standard dishes that are pretty commonly served with Indian main dishes. I found the naan at target and it was absolutely fantastic. I saw it at Brookshires as well. It was a perfect accompaniment to this meal. Let me know what you think if you decide to try this. As I said, it is on my top 10 list of most delicious meals I have cooked. Cajun mama went to India and she liked it. Traveling while I stay in my own home…that’s right up my homebody ally. I would love to hear from any of my readers who live in India. Does this vary greatly from how you make it? I know I have a few readers located in India, so feel free to chime in. How close is this to an authentic meal in your country? What’s different?

ghee = clarified butter in a jar

I need more of this in my life. I ❤️ tikka masala

Ok first off I am going to tell you how I would prepare this meal to be most efficient. I made it on a weeknight and the heat was on…literally and figuratively. Lol. So first off, get your rice going. Here is what you need…

Basmati rice with peas (adapted from Pioneer Woman’s blog)

stuff you need~

2 cups basmati rice
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon turmeric
4 cups water
1/2 cup frozen green peas

what to do with the stuff~

Add all ingredients except the peas to your rice cooker. Give it a stir and then turn on rice cooker and let it cook. Do not mess with it. If you don’t have a rice cooker (why?!!), then just cook it in a pot but same thing…let it cook and don’t mess with it. After it’s done, stir in the peas. Mine were frozen and defrosted as they were warmed up by the cooked rice.

check out how the turmeric turned the rice a nice yellow…this is before the peas

Ok now…the minted cucumber salad can be prepared ahead of time and it gives the flavors a chance to meld together. Just a suggestion. The coolness of the salad from the cilantro and mint is an excellent counterpart to the slight spiciness of the tikka masala. Excellent combo.

minted cucumber salad (adapted from http://www.blueapron.com

stuff you need~

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/2 purple onion, sliced up or cut into mini chunks
A bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
A bunch of mint, roughly chopped
The juice of one lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Olive oil for drizzling

what to do with the stuff~

Add sliced cucumber and the purple onion to a bowl. Toss in half of the cilantro and mint. Drizzle with olive oil and toss in the lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give it a stir and taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, add a little more mint and cilantro. To be honest I used it all at once and I was not sorry. The freshness of the mint and cilantro with the cucumber and onion is a thrill ride. Enjoy.

simply beautiful and so tasty

Now…for the star of our show! The most fragrant, full of lovely flavors, just spicy enough and fit for an Indian prince…tikka masala to the stars!! I mean…some stars might have tried this recipe, who am I to say they have not?! I have not ever tried another recipe for this but I can say it fulfilled every expectation I had. I will look no further! I had a friend who tried one and it was fancy and it left her hanging. So I think this one is a winner. I found it on http://www.allrecipes.com. Tikka means “little bits” and masala means “spices”. Sure enough! This dish smells so heavenly when it is cooking. My biggest piece of advice is to double the recipe. Just saying.

Curry Stand Tikka Masala

stuff you need~

2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste

what to do with the stuff~

Warm ghee over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute or so. You know the drill…when the garlic is fragrant, you are golden. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, the cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cook for about another 2 minutes or until fragrant. This will make you salivate and you will know why I love this recipe. Good things are happening ya’ll. Ok…now, whisk in the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.

Simmer for about 10 minutes and then whisk in the whipping cream. Stir in the paprika and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bring this luscious concoction back to a simmer and allow it to simmer another 10-15 minutes, or until thickened. While this is simmering, heat the cooking oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir chicken into the hot oil and sprinkle with curry powder. Working in batches if necessary, cook until browned but still has some pink on the inside. This won’t take long I allow it to cook on one side for a few minutes and then use a spatula to sort of flip the chicken. This gives it a stir fried effect that I like. Do the next batch and then done. Transfer the chicken to the simmering sauce (say that 3 times) and allow it to simmer in that highly fragrant sauce until chicken is no longer pink inside. Adjust flavor by sprinkling in more salt and sugar as necessary.

mouth. Watering.

I could eat this at least once a month. Maybe more.

Appetizers and party foods, breads

Creamy artichoke bruschetta and Louisiana Friday night around here

February 21, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

First off…TGIF ya’ll. Thank God it’s Friday!!! It seems each week I am increasingly eager to get to Friday. There is just something about Friday. Today has been a tad bit gloomy and overcast. It has rained some with a little bit of sunshine mixed in. It’s been a busy week for us and I am just ready for whatever downtime I can get. Trust me, my expectations are low. I am nothing if not realistic. But the weekends have to bring some relief from the harried pace our weeks seem to take on, right? Just nod and back away slowly friends. There is something about Friday, isn’t there? Makes you want to party, celebrate, bow to the weekend Gods. And celebrate we shall. Today, I picked up 7 kids in the carpool line. Yeah…7. It was like trying to fit clowns into a clown car. My life is literally comparable to a circus and I am the ringmaster. It’s an incredibly funny and fitting comparison. So I loaded up my mini van aka swagger wagon with kiddos and backpacks and I toted them home. And then I decided since it was a Friday during Lent, it was overcast and we had a house full of kids that I needed to whip up something creamy and meatless and uber fantastic. That makes total sense, right? Exactly. This creamy artichoke bruschetta recipe that I found on http://www.thecookierookie.com fit that bill. Not only was it a cinch to whip up, it was a hit amongst my fellow circus people. They enjoyed it. The flavors just explode in your mouth. The creamy texture of the topping mixed with the crispness of the bread is simply heaven. It’s a perfect Friday night treat that lets you know the weekend has arrived…pop the top on that Angry Orchard Apple ginger beer or you know…whatever beverage you want.(clears throat) I just chose a beverage at random. Lol. This appetizer, that can totally hold its own as a meal in my book, is a perfect little treat to celebrate the weekend. It’s good to savor that. Hold on to the weekend and make it count ya’ll.

party like its Mardi Gras ya’ll!! That is how we roll in our circus.

Creamy Artichoke Bruschetta

serves about 10

stuff you need~

1 load French bread, cut into slices
Olive oil
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (aka what we call shaky cheese…idk)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon parsley flakes

what to do with the stuff~

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your bread slices on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until bread is nice and crispy.

Meanwhile, mix together all of the ingredients except the mozzarella in your standing mixer or with an electric mixer.

Spread a generous amount of this mixture over each piece of toasted bread.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over each piece of toast. Pop it into the oven for about 15- 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and has little browned spots on it. So seriously devilishly delicious. It’s a party for your mouth ya’ll.

my lovely taste testers approve and rate it totes delish.

you want a piece don’t you?

Chicken dishes, Hearty casseroles, Sunday Supper worthy, Weeknight Meals

My girl Trisha’s chicken, broccoli and rice casserole and my real family

Link February 20, 2015 cajunmamacookin Leave a comment

This casserole is a huge hit around our house. I have always been a fan of the Campbell’s cheesy chicken and rice casserole but to be honest the rice is not always cooked throughout and nothing like biting into a raw piece of rice to mess up your dining experience. Talk about throw someone off. So as I have found more and more new recipes to cook, I have pretty much taken that recipe out of rotation. But still. My heart yearned for that creamy concoction of rice and cheese, chicken and broccoli. And I wanted to try again…but how? Where will find the perfect chicken and rice recipe? Luckily I have an arsenal of fantastic cookbooks to peruse when such conundrums come up. And let’s not forget about Pinterest. Aka my crack. Aka my kryptonite. Enter in my gal pal (in my own mind) Trisha!! I love Trisha Yearwood’s show on Food Network and I love her music in general. She is just a good ole gal from Oklahoma who loves to cook. I bought her first cookbook before she had a show and I loved it. She has had another come out since that I purchased and has another one hitting shelves at the end of March. You best believe I will be getting it too. I may or may not have already preordered it on Amazon. I really love her recipes and how doable they are. I do love a recipe that challenges me, but most days I want a recipe that is pretty straight forward and get some real food on the table to feed my super real family. Because I am a real tired mama who gets real worn out about supper time after the real bickering between kids and the real homework and all the real laundry. Let’s not get me started on all of the real stuff that goes on here there and in between. Trisha is like most of us, she keeps it real. Get it? Good. So this recipe absolutely fit the bill. The rice was perfect because it was precooked. It was the perfect amount of creamy and flavorful. I used rotisserie chicken and frozen broccoli to cut down on how long it took to prep this meal. It’s an all in one meal that your family will likely enjoy. We fought over the leftovers and I am not even kidding. The kids all had at least one helping and my oldest, aka Mr. Picky, really enjoyed it. And I crave this stuff. So glad it’s been a few weeks since I made it so I can make it again very soon. This will be on our monthly rotation without a doubt.

a really great cookbook

My girl Trisha’s chicken, broccoli and rice casserole

serves 10

stuff you need~

2 cups cooked rice
3 cups cooked chopped broccoli (I used frozen broccoli that I cooked in the microwave)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 cooked chicken breasts (again, I used rotisserie chicken breast meat)

what to do with the stuff~

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 13 inch dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the cooked rice all over the bottom of the baking dish…

Now make a layer with the broccoli on top of the rice layer…

In a mixing bowl, mix together the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, soup, half of the cheese, salt and pepper and chicken.

Spoon this mixture over the top of the broccoli layer…

Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese all over this and bake for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving. Dinner is served for real. And your really hungry family will be really grateful, because this casserole is just so good. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

oh so comforting and perfect

My really real family. The struggle is real. The joy is real. Cue the pictures…

my really silly tween being tweenish

my really real no makeup (as usual) selfie chillin on the porch of the camp. Really happy me

my really wild child with a new missing front tooth

my really sassy 8 year old

our really cuddly pup Roy aka Roozie aka Boozie aka Von Doozie

my really handsome fellas going out for a hunt at Bayou LaGrue

my really proud 6 year old with his first squirrel

my really beautiful girls

one of my really most favorite pics

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cajunmamacookin's Blog

Tag Archives: Cajun Mama Cooks

Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup And my soup obsession continues

Pasta with fresh tomato sauce and a glorious spring day

The dirty truth about real, Cajun, deliciously dirty rice…and other truths my mama told me

Old fashioned creamy grits

Chicken fricassee and sweet tomato gravy and a Saturday with great friends

Frozen hot chocolate

Super easy crockpot Skillet steak and gravy and the upside to being iced in

Tikka masala, basmati rice with peas and minted cucumber salad…I am in love with this Indian inspired meal!!

My girl Trisha’s chicken, broccoli and rice casserole and my real family

Delicious food that is simple and real.