Crawfish Boil Corn Grits: Now That's Spicey

It is a new week and what better way to celebrate than with good food.  This is sort of a follow up to the previous crawfish boil post where I made yummy potato salad.  Another recipe I whipped up Easter Sunday was yellow corn grits using the left over crawfish boil corn. 

So without further ado, I present Crawfish Boil Corn Grits.  Here’s what you’ll need. 

2 cups water or chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup yellow corn grits
4 tbsp. butter
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup of corn kernels (previously boiled)
½ cup sliced green onions

I purchased my corn at a local seafood market blocks from my house.  They are crazy busy this time of year and 3 ears of corn will set you back $1.49.  For this recipe I used 6 ears, but given that theirs was much spicier that the ones we made during our own boil next time I will only use three.

Begin by removing the kernels from the cobs with a sharp paring knife and break them up with your fingers.

Bring the water, heavy cream and butter to a boil with a good dash of salt.  When this comes to a boil I add the grits and immediately stir to keep the grits from clumping. 

Then lower the heat to medium low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Add the corn and green onions after about 10 minutes to give the flavors time to come together.  Serve immediately and enjoy. 

Something to think about, when I made this for Easter I used an 8 quart stock pot for the recipe and I made 1 ½ cups of grits with 3 cups each of water and heavy cream.   I prefer the texture in the larger pot and the cooking seemed to be more precise. The grits cooked more evenly and with less stirring and I was able to adjust the seasoning easier. 

Next time I make these I will use a much larger pot than the one I used here. It may even be a good excuse to buy a pot like the one in my mother’s kitchen.   There you go, Crawfish Boil Corn Grits, enjoy and remember to share with a friend.

Crawfish Boil & A Sack Of Taters

Thank goodness it is spring time! I bet you thought I dropped off the face of the earth, well good news, I’m still here.  I have adjusted my approach to the blog and decided that it doesn’t have to be perfect with long explanations and perfectly cropped and airbrushed photos my projects. This is my way of sharing my excitement for homemaking and creating and its coming to you live and in color straight from the heart, and yes, most of the time direct from my iPhone.

Today it is Crawfish Boil Potato Salad.  My beautiful sister celebrated her birthday a week before Easter and I came away with left over crawfish, potatoes and corn.  What does one do with so many leftovers? Well invent recipes of course. 

I am giving you approximate measurements here, as with any potato salad, it's a matter of taste.  Here’s what you will need.

3 lbs. of small red potatoes cooked in crawfish boil
1 large stalk of celery
2 green onions chopped
½ jar of pimentos
½ to 1 cup of mayonnaise
¼ to ½ cup of spicy brown mustard
¼ cup horseradish sauce
Splash of lemon juice
Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

Here’s what I did. This was two gallon size freezer bags of potatoes.  I started by using my paring knife to peel mostly around the center of the potatoes.  I like a little potato peel in my salad to keep it rustic, but too much gets in the way and interferes with the flavor in my opinion.  Then I cubed them and added them to my large bowl. 

I chopped 1 large stalk of celery, 2 green onions and added those to the bowl, along with ½ a jar of pimentos, mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, horseradish sauce and lemon juice.  I seasoned with salt, pepper and the beloved Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning.  Because the potatoes had been refrigerated for a week I used a potato masher to give them a little smashing and get the texture I wanted.  I mixed this all together and put in a container overnight.

The next day I tasted the potato salad again and decided on a little extra mayo, and another hit of Tony’s.  The crawfish boil seasoning on the potatoes was enough that I didn’t have to work hard to season the salad.  The horseradish added a nice zing to it.  It just so happened that I picked up the ham for Easter at the Honey Baked store and couldn’t resist their horseradish sauce.  I know it is pricey, but it’s so good and I only buy it once a year.  You can use any jar horseradish you want to here, but if it is straight horseradish you might start out with a couple of tablespoons and add to your liking.

I used the leftover crawfish to make a few crawfish pies, and the spicy crawfish boil corn made the best yellow corn grits.  Needless to say we ate well for Easter, and thanks to my wonderful family for all their dishes and desserts that made it a wonderful holiday. So there you go Crawfish Boil Potato Salad.    Enjoy and remember to share with a friend. 

Feel Like Singing! Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, Filet Gumbo

I have some yummy southern goodness on the menu for today.  I got a hankering for crawfish pie this past weekend, but I am a bit indifferent to the recipe that I have for a few reasons.  1) You have to let the pie rest for quite a while before cutting or the filling falls out,  2) I don’t have enough people under my roof to finish an entire pie in one sitting, and 3) When I reheat left overs the filling tends to dry out.  Given my mental reservations I needed a solution, I decided to take my favorite recipe and make individual hand pies. 

 

Now I have to warn you my sister made a recipe from the blog recently (thanks sissy) and used what she saw in the picture without reading the details.  The result was an entire can of broth instead of the called for 1/2 cup.  She swears she liked the extra gravy, but just a quick warning to read the recipe details before attempting.

 

Here’s what you will need:

3 tablespoons butter
Drizzle of olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1/2 Cup chopped celery
1/2 Cup chopped green pepper (had a yellow on hand)
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1 pound of Louisiana crawfish tails
Salt and pepper
Dried parsley
Tony Chachere’s seasoning
Onion and garlic powder
1/3 cup of sliced green onions
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese
1 egg beaten
2 packages of Pillsbury piecrust

I gathered, chopped and measured all of the ingredients.  I drizzled a few rounds of olive oil and added the butter into my large skillet, in which I sautéed the onion, celery, and pepper. 

 

 

I only had red and yellow pepper in the fridge and decided on the yellow, because I find the red is too sweet and overpowers the flavors of this dish.  I seasoned the vegetables with a palm full of parsley, and a healthy sprinkle of the seasonings listed above until I achieved the flavor and aromas I desired.  

When the vegetables were clear I added the flour and chicken broth to thicken. Next I added the crawfish tails, green onion, garlic and heated through.
 

 

I added the bread crumbs and moved it off the stove to cool slightly before adding the mozzarella.
 

 

If I were dumping into a 9 inch pie plate I would just add the cheese and spoon into the crust, cover with the second crust, cut vents, brush with egg and bake.
 

 

For the hand pies I didn’t want the melted cheese to make it all gooey so I cooled the stuffing while I prepared the crust before adding the cheese. 

 

I unrolled the pie crust and used my circle cutter, I was able to get 3 pies form each of the four crusts, I kneaded the remaining scraps, rolled them out and continued to cut.

 

 

I placed filling on the crust, brushed edges with beaten egg folded and crimped the pies with a fork.  I placed them on parchment paper on my baking sheet and baked at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes.
 

 

I was able to make 18 pies this time but I would probably have gotten 2 dozen if I had portioned the filling differently. I was out of stuffing and tired of rolling so I gave the ball of remaining crust to the 8 year old to play with, and he had a blast. 
 

 

I would say "Voila" here, but I know that this is not exactly a lightning fast meal to prepare. It is just that the end result is so worth it.  If it weren’t for the good sense of my husband I would have eaten these straight from the oven, the 2^nd degree burns seemed well worth it to me.  Thanks honey for stopping me.  So there you have it, crawfish hand pies. 

 

A friend suggested that I freeze the unbaked pies on a cookie sheet and then place the frozen pies in a plastic bag to be baked and enjoyed at a later date. Sounds like an idea to me, next time I will be sure to give that a try.

 

I got to thinking that this stuffing would be great with redfish, or catfish, or with rice stuffed in a pepper, maybe even in a thick cut pork chop.  You’d be surprised what we can stuff in the South.   So give this classic a try and remember to share with a friend. 

Crock Pot Mania: Chicken Straight Up or Enchilada Style

Well today we are getting back to my go-to kitchen appliance and making some goodness in the crock pot. This is another one that I made up out of my pantry one day in a pinch. The first time I made this I did not have cheddar cheese soup so I experimented with broccoli cheese soup and it came out great. I served the chicken whole and we had pasta and steamed vegetables. As I served that meal I told my husband this would be awesome shredded in an enchilada. 

So for this recipe I made a few simple changes and enchiladas is what I ended up with. This is what you will need: 

1 package of boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can of RoTel tomatoes and chilies (or diced tomatoes)
1 cup Mexican cheese blend
A package of corn tortillas

Begin by washing patting dry chicken breast and placing them in the bottom of the crock pot. 

Whisk together in a small bowl the can cheddar cheese soup, taco seasoning mix and RoTel tomatoes, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. 

I use diced tomatoes if I'm serving this to the kiddies. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cook in the crock pot 3 to 4 hours on high, or 6 to 8 hours on low. 

Once the chicken is cooked take it out of the pot and place onto a cutting board, shred the               chicken with two forks the meat should fall apart. Add about 3/4 cup of the sauce to moisten           the chicken and use this to stuff the tortillas.

I warmed the tortillas on the skillet to make pliable, I then dipped one side of  the tortilla into the sauce in the pot. 

I filled it with chicken, rolled the tortilla and placed it seam side down in the pan.

 

Once rolled and placed in the pan I used a ladle to pour some of the sauce over the stuffed enchiladas (not pictured).

I covered with the Mexican cheese and then placed in the oven at 400 until melted and bubbly. I served this with the package Mexican rice my favorite is Mahatma Spanish rice.  

Truth be told I had some steamed broccoli on the side, I know it's not in keeping with the theme. If you prefer beans then I say go for it I think it would make a very nice plate. 

So there you have it easy chicken enchiladas.  I love that the crock pot does the hard part for me. Enjoy and remember to share with a friend.
        

        

What Came First? Chicken or the Dumplings?

Hey howdy everybody, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. It's just your regular crazy winter weather in the South, new responsibilities at work, and winter boogies that are keeping this momma very busy. I have a quick post today that's so simple and I hope that you all will get to try it before the cold weather leaves us. Today I'm going to make the world's easiest chicken and dumplings.  

This used to be an all day process that began with me boiling a whole fryer, seasoning broth with onions and vegetables, deboning chicken and straining broth, but this is much faster and has lots of flavor.  I start by getting a rotisserie chicken, try and get the plain or “savory” one, any other seasoned chicken is too overpowering for this recipe. You will need:

1 carton of chicken broth (plus one can if you prefer it thinner)

Onion powder

Garlic powder

2 tbsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper

1 can of biscuits

1 tbsp butter

Flour

Begin by deboning the chicken; add this and the broth to good deep stock pot.

 I like to cut the corner off a flap of the broth carton if I'm going to use the whole thing, this eliminates the glug, glug and gives me a nice smooth pour.

Season with a few sprinkles of onion powder and garlic powder and bring to a gentle rolling boil.

While the broth comes to temperature get out the biscuits, a rolling pin, flour and a pizza cutter. Be careful not to buy butter flavored biscuits, I did this once in college and ended up with an inch of yellow colored, butter flavored grease product floating on top of the pot, blagh! 

Open your biscuits and coat both sides with generous amount of flour, this will thicken your broth when you add them to the pot. Roll the biscuits very thin and stack them up. I use a pizza cutter to cut my biscuits into thin small strips.   

Once your broth has come up to a boil gently add handfuls of the biscuits to the pot, use the back of the spoon to push them down into the liquid. 

Once they've all been covered put the lid on top and wait for them to cook. They will all puff up and float to the top; it looks a bit like a science experiment. 

Then when they are all cooked they will sink down into the bottom. Once the dumplings are cooked they will distribute evenly throughout the chicken and broth when you stir.  

 After the dumplings have cooked turn it down to a medium low, add a couple of pats of butter for richness and some dried parsley and you are ready to serve. 

There you have it quick and easy chicken and dumplings.  You will get a feel for how you like it, thick or thin, other seasoning, what have you.  Give this one a try, you'll be glad you did, and remember to share it with a friend.  Be sure to come back for some organization tips, more recipes and a little building project I have going on for 'Harry the Dog'.

Crock Pot Mania: Texas Style Brisket

You know how much I love a good crock pot recipe, so here's one I just had to make for New Year's Day. This is Texas Style Brisket from Taste of Home. I've made this one for a few years and it always gets rave reviews.  I will say that this time my eyes were bigger than 10 or 12 people's stomachs.  I went to the butcher to see if he had anything smaller than an eleven pound brisket.  He offered to trim and cut one in half for me.  Well after he cut all of the fat off it just looked naked and deflated so I took the eight pounds of brisket at the trimmed price, I am such a sucker some times I didn't want to hurt the brisket's feeling.   Despite that, it really was so delicious and it travels and reheats very well. Mine is never quite as pretty as theirs, probably because I cook mine until it falls apart like a woman at a chick flick.

Texas-Style Beef Brisket Recipe photo by Taste of Home

I started by cutting it in half to fit the crock pot and marinating it in a 2 gallon food storage bag. I placed it in the refrigerator before going to bed, when the baby woke up for his middle of the night bottle I went into the kitchen and put it in the crock pot so it would be ready in the morning when we woke up.

I had to cut it once more to fit the three pieces side by side in the crock pot. I poured in the beef broth and put the lid on and cranked it on high and went back to sleep.

I woke up the next morning to find this glorious sight of brisket done and ready.  

I placed it on my favorite bamboo carving board and shredded it with two forks; I chose not to cut it across the grain because it would have completely fallen apart.

Next I chopped the onions and measured my ingredients for the sauce.

I used my gravy separator to skim the fat off of the au jus from the brisket, to add that to the barbecue sauce. I love this gravy separator because it's over sized and has a strainer on the top. The recipe calls for one cup of au jus, with the remaining I measure 1 cup into freezer bags and freeze lying flat so I can make this sauce anytime I'd like.

I served this New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with the sauce on the side. I had enough leftovers to prepare another batch of barbecue sauce later in the week and we had barbecued beef sandwiches. I cut the leftovers across the grain and put back into the crock pot to warm with the sauce. I served it with toasted buns and potato salad.

Mmm-mm.  I definitely recommend adding this one to your repertoire. Enjoy, and remember to share with a friend.