Cabbage Jambalaya

Cabbage Jambalaya


1 lb ground beef

1 lb smoked sausage

1 onion chopped

3 celery stalks chopped

1 clove minced garlic

1 medium head of cabbage

3/4 cup of water plus 1 tbsp of water

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 cup uncooked rice

salt and pepper to taste



In large stock pot over medium high heat cook beef, sausage, celery, onion, and garlic until beef is no longer pink. Add cabbage, water, stewed tomatoes, and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes or until rice is done.

Dirty Rice Dressing

Dirty Rice Dressing


1 pound chicken gizzards, ground

1 pound ground beef or pork

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup chopped onion tops



Brown ground meats in oil in a heavy pot. When browned well, add chopped onions, bell pepper and celery. Season to taste. Cook together on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Add rice and onion tops. Mix well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.



Serves 6-8.

Pork Chop Jambalaya

Pork Chop Jambalaya


2 pounds pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 inch oil in bottom of pot

1 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 cup water

4 cups cooked rice

1 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops



Brown pork chops that have been seasoned to taste. Remove chops from pot and saute' onions, bell pepper and celery in the same oil that chops were browned in. Remove all oil from the pot that you can and add a small amount of water to form a gravy. Put chops back into the pot. Cook on medium heat of about 20 minutes. Add cooked rice and onion tops and stir well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.



Serves 4.

Crawfish Etoufée

Crawfish Etoufée


1/2 cup flour

1 cup oil

3/4 cup onions, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1 1/2 pints water

2 pounds crawfish tails

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped green onion tops

1/4 cup chopped parsley



Make a light roux. Add onions, bell pepper and celery. Saute' until limp and shiny. Add water and bring to a medium boil. Slow boil for 30 minutes. Add crawfish tails, salt pepper, onion tops and parsley. Stir well. Allow to slow boil for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.



Serves 4-5.

Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice Soup

Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice Soup


1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb bacon

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tbsp minced garlic

4 bay leaves

6 oz andouille sausage

1 small hamhock

2 cups dry kidney beans

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

8 cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup and 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onions



Soak beans overnight.



In a large pot saute bacon in olive oil over high heat for about 2 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, sausage, bay leaves, garlic, and ham hock and saute for 2 more minutes.



Add beans and saute 2 minutes. Stir in cajun seasoning, worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.



Add salt and cover pot. Simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Discard ham hack. Serve over a bowl of rice and top with chopped green onions.

Creole Cornbread Stuffing

Creole Cornbread Stuffing


2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups ground cornmeal

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp white sugar

5 eggs 3 cups buttermilk

6 tbsp melted butter



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and sugar and mix dry ingredients well. Combine the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients mixing with electric mixer until blended - moist. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.



2 tbsp salt

2 tsp each white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and thyme

4 tsp oregano

6 tbsp fresh chopped basil

4 bay leaves

1 cup minced onion

1 cup chopped green onions

2 cups chopped red bell pepper

1 can chopped green chilies

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 stick melted butter

2 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp hot sauce

2 cups evaporated milk

6 to 7 eggs, beaten



Melt butter over medium heat. Combine salt, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, thyme, oregano, basil, and bay leaves. Add to melted butter and cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. Add the chicken broth and hot sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat - add evaporated milk and beaten eggs. Return to low heat and cook 2 more minutes. Remove bay leaves. Place stuffing in a bowl and allow to cool before stuffing turkey.



Prepare turkey for baking. Place cooled stuffing in turkey and bake according to the size of the turkey. Rub turkey with about 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours or according to the size of the turkey. Bake until the thickest part of the turkey reaches 180 F degrees and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 F degrees. Remove foil during the last hour of cooking to brown the bird.



Please note: You can use this as a dressing. I boiled a chicken in water and used the stock for the broth. I placed the dressing in a baking dish and placed chicken pieces on top. Add broth as needed. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes. This recipe made 2 pans of chicken and dressing.

Mexican Starburst Casserole

Mexican Starburst Casserole


1 lb ground beef

1/3 cup chopped green onion

2 tsp chili powder

1 cup water

1 can tomato soup

1 small can chopped green chilies

6 oz uncooked elbow macaroni

5 slices american cheese



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



Cook beef and onion until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in chilies, chili powder, water, and tomato soup; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.



Cook macaroni in boiling water for just 4 minutes and drain.



In a 2-quart casserole dish pour 1/2 of the prepared meat mixture and top with the hot macaroni. Slice cheese into triangles and place 1/2 of the cheese on the macaroni. Pour remaining meat mixture on the cheese. Cover and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Place remaining cheese on the casserole in a star or sun shape and allow to melt.



Serve garnished with chopped onions, sour cream, salsa, lettuce or any of your favorite side items.

Bayou Shrimp

Bayou Shrimp


1 2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice

3 1/3 cups water

1/4 cup melted butter

1 lb uncooked peeled fresh shrimp

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp to 1 tsp pepper

1 cup salsa

8 oz clam juice

4.5 oz can chopped green chiles

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp flour



Stir rice into boiling 3 1/3 cups water. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until done.



Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and done.



Add salsa, clam juice, and green chiles to shrimp. Mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.



In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup of water with 2 tbsp flour. Stir flour mixture into shrimp mixture. Cook about 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.



Serve in bowls with or without rice. Just add a side salad and crunchy french bread for a complete quick and easy meal.

Festive Cornmeal Biscuits

Festive Cornmeal Biscuits


1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup all purpose yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg white, beaten

optional - serve with peach or strawberry preserves



Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk until dough holds together.



Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 times. Pat or roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place biscuits on baking sheet and brush tops with egg whites. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve with preserves if desired.