ragin' cajun - crockin' red beans and rice

southern creole dishes that'll add spice to your life.

crockin' red beans and rice

I'm always a little hesitant recreating my Cajun fiance Greg's favorite and familiar Louisiana dishes.  After he tried my cleaned-up version of red beans and rice,  I felt confident sharing this recipe with the world. This protein packed dish is sure to be a crowd pleas-er good enough for a Cajun!  I used a recipe out of the Louisiana Cooking Magazine, "Fall Comfort with a Cajun Flair," modifiying it to suit our dietary needs.  I like to soak the beans and do the prep during the day and cook this dish in the crock pot all night. This dish could also be prepared in a large stock pot, cooked on the stove.

Makes 10 - 1 cup servings

ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound all natural chicken sausage
1 quart no-sodium vegetable stock or water 

2 cloves of garlic,  finely minced

1 large sweet onion,  diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked in cold water a minimum of 4 hours, drained

2 bay leaves

2 tsp dried chili pepper flakes

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp dried sage (optional)

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp smoked paprika

1. In a large non-stick crock pot insert, or a large non-stick dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage and the onions stirring occasionally, until the onions have slightly caramelized and the sausage has browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, making sure that the garlic does not burn.

2. Add celery and bell peppers, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the soaked beans and 3 cups of stock into the pot. Add bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, pepper flakes, salt, sage, parsley, and paprika, and stir well.

3. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Transfer the insert of the crock back to the crock pot and turn on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours.

4. Once the beans are soft, using a hand mixer (shown) or a potato masher, cream some of the beans making sure to leave some of the beans whole. Serve over brown rice or quinoa with some fresh crusty artisan bread (recipe found under wonder breads tab), oh and don't forget a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce! Enjoy! 

Shannon   

devils food - white chocolate lemon and lavender fudge with roasted pecan crust

white chocolate lemon and lavender fudge with roasted pecan crust

If you adore white chocolate as much as we do, then prepare yourself for a lovely surprise.  Rich, creamy and delightful with just a hint of lemon and lavender, fresh from the garden.  A small bite is sure to satisfy. Delicious served with a hot cup of coffee or tea. 

ingredients:

16 ounces guittard or ghirardelli white chocolate chips
1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon of good quality lemon extract
1 heaping tablespoon fresh culinary lavender or half tablespoon of dried lavender, minced
1 cup raw, unsalted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped and pan roasted

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.  Place the pecans in a pan over medium-high heat for about 5-6 minutes.  Gently shake the pan to allow even roasting.  Layer the bottom of the lined pan with the roasted pecans.  

Meanwhile, bring about an inch of water to a simmer in large sauce pan.  Use a glass mixing bowl that is slightly larger than the sauce pan insuring that the water falls below the bottom of the bowl.  Add the milk, extract, lavender and butter to the bowl and blend well. 

Slowly add the chips, stirring constantly to keep them from burning, this should take about 6-7 minutes. Once all of the chips have melted, carefully pour the mixture over the layer of roasted pecans.  

Put the fudge into the fridge and allow to cool for 2 hours.  This can also be stored in the freezer. Once set, invert on a cutting board and cut into bite size pieces.  Enjoy!

Shannon and Jill 

wonder breads - the master dough recipe

We love bread.  Sweet, savory and free form artisan.  We use the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, Master Dough Recipe authored by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., & Zoe Francois.  Do not be intimated!  The recipe is super simple and anyone can make it effortlessly.  Here is the recipe.

Master Dough Recipe

yield: 4 - 1 lb loaves or 4 - 1 lb pizza crusts or flatbread

5 1/2 c Whole wheat flour (or White whole wheat flour, our preference)
2 c All-purpose, unbleached flour
1 1/2 T Granulated yeast
1 T Kosher salt
1/4 c Vital wheat gluten
4 c Lukewarm water (no warmer than 105 degrees)
Parchment paper for the pizza peel


Measure the dry ingredients into large plastic storage container and whisk together.  You may also choose to throw ingredients into your kitchen aid and whisk.  Mix in lukewarm water all at once.  Using the paddle of your mixer (or hands if you prefer) mix without kneading.  It is finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches.  This process is literally complete in a couple of minutes.

Scoop dough into large plastic storage container and cover with lid (not airtight).  Allow to rise approximately 2 hours.  After rising store in refrigerator for up to 14 days.

This recipe is as simple as I have recorded it.  Do not knead!  Do not punch down!  Once refrigerated, the dough will have shrunk back down into itself and will be a little easier to work with.  You will have great dough in which to bake free form bread, pizza or flatbread. 

To Bake:

Prepare pizza peel with a sheet of parchment paper.  Sprinkle top of refrigerated dough, in container, with a dusting of flour.  Pull out a grapefruit sized piece of dough.  Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating a quarter-turn as you go to form a ball.  This process should not take more than 40 seconds.  

Form a narrow oval-shaped loaf and let it rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on the prepared pizza peel for 90 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the middle rack.  place an empty broiler pan under the stone on the bottom rack.

Paint loaf with a little water, slash top with serrated knife and sprinkle with an assortment of seeds.

After the thirty minute preheat, slide prepared bread on parchment, onto the pizza stone.  Quickly pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler pan.  Close door to steam bake for about 25 - 30 minutes.

When baking is complete, allow loaf to cool on a wire rack.  Slice or tear and enjoy!

Jill

ragin' cajun - sweet potato-potato salad

 sweet potato-potato salad

This is an adaption of grandma's famous potato salad.  Sorry grandma, just a few changes!  We decided to clean up the recipe by adding sweet potatoes and leaving the skins on.  The key to this recipe is to use freshly boiled eggs, still hot to the touch while whipping in the mayo and relish, creating a creamy dressing more remenisint of salad dressing then egg salad, which you'll then add to the boiled potatoes.  

yield: 6- 1 cup servings
ingredients: 

6  red potatoes cubed, cooked with the skins on
2  sweet potatoes cubed, cooked with the skins on
6  eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1/2  cup of mayonnaise or Follow Your Heart vegenaise (my favorite)
1 heaping tablespoon of Mt. Olive reduced sodium, sweet pickle relish
"How You Call It" cajun seasoning, to taste - any low sodium, cajun seasoning will do
 salt and pepper to taste

preperation:

Boil the potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes.  In the meantime make your dressing by mashing the hot, boiled eggs until creamy using a potato masher or a fork.  Add the relish, mayo and the cajun seasoning until well blended.  Set aside. When the potatoes are tender, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes. Once the potatoes have cooled slightly, slice, dice, and powder the potatoes using your hands.  Next, add the dressing, insuring not to leave a drop behind, stir until creamy, leaving a few chunks of potato for texture.  The consistency should be similar to a 'smashed' potato.

Shannon

ragin' cajun - etoufee

Crawfish Etoufee

I was introduced to Etoufee by my sister and brother-in-law, Charlotte and Jerry.  Their version is the classic cajun recipe.  I decided to clean it up and bit and happened upon a local's, Holly Clegg's cleaned up recipe. This recipe is my own adaption of  Holly's Crawfish Etoufee recipe.  Holly Clegg is a Baton Rouge resident and author of more than a dozen cookbooks.  I've changed a few of the ingredients to suite my own taste.  Please feel free to do the same as needed.

Makes 4-1 cup servings:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 chopped sweet yellow bell pepper
• 1 tsp Spice World Premium Minced Squeeze Garlic
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 12 oz Boudreaux's Brand Crawfish Tail Meat, thawed (or fresh if you like to peel and devein)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• How You Call It Cajun Seasoning to taste
• 1 bunch green onions, stems only, finely chopped
• 2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked 
• homemade potato salad (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, combine oil and flour.  Cool over medium heat until light brown, about 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add onion, yellow pepper and garlic.  Saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Gradually add broth and stir until thickened.  Add paprika and crawfish.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste.

Add green onions and cook another few minutes before serving.

To serve add 1/2 cup cooked brown rice/quinoa to bowl.  Add 1 cup Etoufee on top of rice.  Top off with a good sized dollop of potato salad.  Enjoy!

devil's food - betsy's gooey chocolate chip cookies

sweet and naughty treats to tempt.

Betsy is a hispanic immigrant who graciously passed along this cookie recipe to me a few years ago.  I was given very specific instructions not to change or make any substitutions with the ingredients and the method of preperation for these decadent cookies.  In order to preserve the beauty of how this recipe was given to me, I have decided to present it in its exact entirety.  I have had my share of chocolate chip cookies and in my humble opinion, these are by far the best.  My only disclaimer: these cookies are dangerous to have around! Waste not want not.

ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tablespoon madasgar vanilla

1 cup firmly packed, dark brown sugar

1 cup superfine c & h bakers sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups organic all purpose flour

2 packages guittard milk choc chips ---- you can find these at williams sonoma if your local grocery store fails you.

bring oven to 405 on convection / bake or 415, just bake. 

OK, this is all about the technique...

using a mixer like a kitchen aide,

blend sugar, vanilla, butter and eggs on low (2) until well mixed.

scrape the bowl

turn to speed 3 or 4 and add salt and baking soda and add flour a little bit at a time until mixed thoroughly.

mix in two bags of milk chocolate chips

wrap with plastic wrap, roll in to a long roll and chill for a couple of hours

break off large chunks

my prefernce is 405 / convection / bake in my viking oven. Put them in for 5-6 minutes.

if you use bake, 415, it will take longer but do not let them brown.

with best wishes, 

Betsy

*In my experience, these cookies are best eaten within the first two days of baking. I choose to make 3 smaller logs, one to bake right away, the other two to freeze for the future baking. Enjoy!!

Shannon and Jill

smoothie queens - very cherry smoothie

I always feel great when I start my day with a healthy smoothie. This is a nutritious treat any time of day. Sweet, yet tart. 

Fill up your blender: Serves one... unless you decide to split with your favorite person.

10 ounces of cold water

1 cup pitted, frozen or fresh cherries

1/2 cup plain, non-fat greek yogurt

2 tbs milled flax seed

1 handful of spinach...or your favorite greens

1/2 cup of ice

 If you'd like to sweeten it up, add a drop of honey, a packet of Stevia or a protein powder of your choice. Blend until smooth. You've got a meal in a cup!

Shannon