Cajun Boil Pot

This recipe comes from our local spice shop. They have an amazing selection in the store and also sell on their website. I have yet to find better pricing on spices and loose teas. They also have a facebook page. She is always posting awesome recipes like this! My Aunt beat me to it and has already made the recipe; “It was VERY good and actually quite easy! Thanks for posting the recipe. Will definately go into our “food for a crowd” recipes!”. With a review like that I can’t wait to try it!

 

CAJUN BOIL RECIPE: Perfect for Mardi Gras, this easy, one-pot casual recipe is fun to make!

3 tablespoons Old Bay Spice seasoning (OTSS)
3 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons kosher salt, OTSS
… 2 bay leaves
1 can or bottle of beer*
1 onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
Cayenne pepper to taste, OTSS (optional)
Hot sauce
2 pounds small red potatoes
2 pounds Andouille sausage, sliced on the bias into thirds
6 ears corn, shucked and halved
2 to 3 pounds large raw shrimp, unpeeled

Fill a large stockpot with about 5 quarts of water. Add Old Bay, lemons, salt, bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil.
Add potatoes, lower the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Add sausage, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add corn, and cook for another 7 minutes.
Add shrimp, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Dump everything onto a table lined with newspapers or on to baking trays or even a large turkey roaster..
Serve with melted butter, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and ice cold beer.

Chicken Fiesta Soup

After taking a few week hiatus for the holidays I am back! Here’s a yummy soup recipe that has just enough spice to take the chill out of a cold winter night.

2 Chicken breasts, cooked and pulled

6 Potatoes, cubed

1 onion, chopped

2 C. frozen corn

1 C. frozen green beans (Optional)

7 oz. can green chilis

1 pkg. taco seasoning

4 c. chicken broth

2 c. water

2 c. milk

about a half block of Velveeta cheese, use more or less to your taste

Tortilla chips

Mix all ingredients together in a crockpot except the milk, velveeta cheese and tortilla chips. Melt the cheese with the milk in a large sauce pan on the stove to make sure you get the nice creamy consistency, then add to the rest of the soup mixture. If you don’t have time for this step, skip it! It will still turn out great. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. Garnish with tortilla chips. I also like to add some red pepper flakes to mine to add a nice little kick!

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

**Side note for Meghan- You can use 4 cups of water instead of the 2 of water and 2 of milk to help with your allergy.**

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The Hubs LOVES mashed potatoes and has now decided that he can no longer eat them plain. By plain I mean with butter, salt and pepper; you know, how most people enjoy them. This has gone through quite the transformation in the past few years but I am finally happy with the result, even if it takes a tad longer.

3-4 Potatoes, cooked and mashed

2 T minced Garlic

2 T Butter

1/4 c. half-and-half

1/2 t. all spice

1 T minced onion

1 t basil

1 t. garlic powder

2 T sour cream

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Milk to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook minced garlic in the butter. Once you have a nice color on the garlic add the half-and-half and spices to warm through. Add to the mashed potatoes along with the sour cream and parmesan cheese. As you are mixing everything together add milk until you get the consistency you would like.

Enjoy!

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