How to Make Chicken Stock

Fresh Cajun Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth is essential for a flavorful gumbo, soup, stew, turkey dressings, sauces and much more.

If you think Chicken Stock is supposed to come from a box sitting on a shelf with a pop top lid, then you are mistaken.

Do you know what is in that box that allows it to sit on the self so long? One of the main ingredients is MSG (monosodium glutamate). In other words, a poisonous fake flavor enhancing substance that is made at a chemical factory instead of a real, natural food.

Anyway, making fresh chicken stock is so easy and freezable for later use. Give it a try in your Cajun recipes and you will taste the difference.

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Stock

Any piece of the chicken (thighs, drumsticks, or breasts) with bones and skin on.
2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 onion – cut in quarters
Garlic – several whole cloves
3-4 Bay leaves
Also, if you have vegetable discards, throw those in also.
Large stockpot

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.

Toss in chicken, seasoning, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.

Boil for one hour.

With a mesh wire strainer, begin to pour out stock into bowls to allow to cool.

Once cooled, dip into plastic storage container. Freeze for later use.

When you need some stock, just thaw and there you go.

Note:
Question – What do I do with the leftover chicken?
Answer – Make Chicken Salad.

How to Make Cajun Rice Dressing

Cajun Rice Dressing, Rice Stuffing, or Cajun Dirty Rice – whatever you call it – this dish is a staple of Cajun Holiday traditions.

In this episode, we made Cajun Rice Dressing in a matter of three basic steps. It’s really easy and sure to be a hit at your dinner table.

Ingredients for Cajun Rice Dressing

1 pound ground round beef
1 pound lean ground pork
2 links of fresh pork sausage (we used a spicy Andouille sausage)
4 cups Cajun Trinity
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 stick of butter
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups rice
6 cups water
Tony’s Creole Seasoning and salt to taste
Chopped green onions for garnish
½ cup chopped pecans for garnish

Making Cajun Rice Dressing

Step One: Make rice according to package directions.

Step Two: Melt butter in a deep skillet. Slice into the casing on the sausage and remove the meat inside. Place all meat in the skillet. On medium high heat, cook the meats by chopping to a fine ground meat mixture. It should take about 10 minutes. Add the Cajun Trinity, minced garlic and ½ cup chicken stock. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and clumping.

Step Three: Using a large mixing bowl, blend together meat mixture and rice. It should be a good 50/50 mix. Season to taste and stir well. Pour into a casserole dish or 13 x 9 baking pan. Garnish with chopped green onions and pecans. Serve hot.

Notes: May be used as a stuffing for turkey, chicken, or a pork roast. Rice dressing, or rice stuffing, is also a great side dish. When served as a side item, we call it Dirty Rice.

Many Cajun recipes also call for the use of poached chicken livers and giblets. Certainly add if you want. We chose not to.

Beryl

===========================================================================

Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

===========================================================================

How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin

Potatoes Au Gratin, or scalloped potatoes, is a wonderful warm and cozy comfort casserole.

I love to serve this with a steak or grilled chicken. It takes a little time, but it’s oh so good.

Potatoes Au Gratin are definitely a Cajun Cooking TV favorite.

NOTE: YouTube removed our audio because we were playing a radio in the background. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Ingredients for Potatoes Au Gratin

6-8 white potatoes
3 cups milk or whipping cream
1 T (tablespoon) butter
1 T (tablespoon) Flour
8 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste (we like white pepper in this dish)
Canola spray

Bowl of ice cold water
Colander
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler
Knife

Casserole dish with cover

How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin

You need to start preparation 2 hours before you are ready to serve dinner.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First start by peeling the potatoes.

Use approximately 2 per person depending on the size of the potatoes.

Slice in half on a cutting board. Then slice in 1/8-inch slices.

Set in ice cold water.

Warm the milk or whipping cream in the microwave for 1:30 minutes.

Make a white roux by melting 1 tablespoon butter and mixing in 1 tablespoon flour.

Add in warm milk and whisk constantly for 10 minutes until a thickened white sauce.

Turn off the heat.

Add in 4 cups of cheese and stir well.

The cheese will melt under the heat of the white sauce.

Add salt and white pepper to taste – a little Tony’s Creole Seasoning for a Cajun flavor.

Spray casserole dish with canola spray oil.

Drain the potatoes using a colander.

Pour potatoes into the casserole dish.

Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes.

Stir and blend in the cheese sauce with the potatoes.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Next, take off the cover and bake another 40 minutes.

Take out of the oven and top with remaining grated cheddar cheese.

The cheese will melt under the heat of the dish.

Let rest 5-10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Potatoes Au Gratin

Potatoes Au Gratin serves (also called scalloped potatoes) well as a side item to most meats and a side of steamed broccoli or asparagus.

Stove Top Baked Beans

Stove Top Baked Beans are sure to be served with our grilled hamburgers.  Baked beans don’t necessarily mean they have to be baked in the oven to be good either.  There are probably hundreds of ways to cook baked beans.  This is how we do it.

Ingredients for Stove Top Baked Beans

1-2 cans of baked beans
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup brown sugar
Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce (or whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is)
Small amount chopped sweet onion
Optional:  sliced bacon or seasoning ham cut into small pieces

Sauté the chopped onions and bacon in small amount of oil or cooking spray.

Add beans, brown sugar, maple syrup, and BBQ sauce.  Mix well.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Stove Top Baked Beans

Serve in a bowl with a soup spoon.  You don’t want to leave a drop behind.  I like to dip my hamburger in the sauce.

Beryl

===========================================================================

Cajun Cooking TV features Beryl Caillouet Stokes and her grand-daughter Addison cooking up some good eating Cajun recipes from their kitchen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Please Follow Us On Facebook for Daily Updates and New Recipes:
https://www.facebook.com/CajunCookingTV/

You Can Write Beryl At:
Cajun Cooking TV
7516 Bluebonnet Blvd # 179
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810

===========================================================================

How to Make White Beans

We made White Beans and Andouille Sausage during the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.  Not even 100 mile an hour winds that devastated the power to most of South Louisiana would stop Cajun Cooking TV from eating as normal.

Right before the storm, I cooked a big pot of Seafood Gumbo and a big pot of Spaghetti Sauce.  We froze meal size containers and were able to eat on that for several days.  Many Cajun recipes are great for cooking up large pot-fulls and freezing for later dinners.

For several days after the storm there were no stores open.  Many people were relying on FEMA and Red Cross for MRE’s and prepared meals.  Thank God we were able to purchase a generator and had gas stored up.  We were able to run the refrigerator, fans, microwave and other small electrics.

About day 5 or 6, we heard a sound like a policeman talking over their loudspeaker.  We didn’t know what it was.  Then we saw a sight we thought we’d never see.  A Red Cross truck was coming through the neighborhood passing out meals.  It made us sad to see such a large metropolitan city reduced to needing Red Cross assistance.  It’s like something you only see on TV in third world countries.

Happily as power began to be restored around the city, grocery stores began to open with limited items for purchase.  I was so thankful that Whole Foods opened and had all the necessities available.  We got fresh Andouille Sausage and were able to make a pot of White Beans by running the slow cooker on the generator all night.

We made rice out on a Coleman Camp Stove outside on the patio.  Since it was too dark to video at the time, we made White Beans again just for you.  I hope it’s a long time before we are out of power for 14 days again.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for White Beans and Andouille Sausage

1  (1-pound) package Large White Beans (aka Great Northerns)
1 pound sausage of your choice (we used 5 links of freshly made Andouille sausage)
2 cups Cajun Trinity (chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning) to taste
Tabasco sauce
1 cup long grain rice
Oil
Slow Cooker
Frying pan   

First you should soak the white beans overnight in a large bowl.  Cover the beans with water leaving room for expansion.

Ready to cook

Heat the slow cooker on high heat. 

Drain the water from the beans and then pour beans into the slow cooker. 

Sauté the Cajun Trinity in a small amount of oil or cooking spray. 

(My husband Mike just tosses the trinity in the with the beans without sauteing.)

Slice the sausage into 1 inch pieces and fry in a pan until brown. 

(We actually grilled the Andouille sausage the night before while we had a hot grill from grilling a steak.)

Mix all ingredients together into slow cooker. 

Add 4-5 cups of water to cover the mixture. 

Add about ½ teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning) and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.  Mix well.

Cover and let the slow cooker do its job for 4-6-8 hrs. 

Since each slow cooker is different, feel free to add small amounts of water if needed after a few hours.  You don’t want it to get too dry.

Beans are ready when soft and creamy gravy is created. 

If your gravy is not thick enough (and it usually isn’t), take a large spoonful of beans out, put them in a bowl and smash them. Then add them back to the pot and stir them in. This should thicken your gravy. In a few minutes if you think your gravy is still not thick enough, repeat this process.

Make a pot of rice (1 cup rice, 2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes).

Serving Suggestions for White Beans and Andouille Sausage

Serve White Beans and Andouille sausage over rice in a deep plate and is accompanied well with Jiffy cornbread muffins.  Now that’s some good country cooking if I do say so myself.

Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp

Stuffed Shrimp is another Cajun restaurant favorite of mine only second to Crabmeat Au Gratin.  The best stuffed shrimp I have found in Baton Rouge (besides making at home) is found at The French Market Bistro.  Two of their Jumbo Stuffed Shrimp and French Fries and you are so full.  In fact you’ll need a nap.

We had fun making these Stuffed Shrimp at home with my Godchild Ashley and her sister Amanda.  They love to help me in the kitchen.  I am glad they are interested.  My grown children do not know how to cook unless it goes in the microwave or comes out of a can.  So find time to spend with your kids or grand-kids in the kitchen.  Let them get messy.  It’s all in good fun and they will remember you for taking the time with them. Cajun cooking is fun.

Let get started because there are 3 steps here:

Ingredients for Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp

12-16 large or jumbo size fresh shrimp
½ pound white or claw crab meat
1 package Shrimp/Fish Fry or corn flour
1 cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
2-3 eggs
1 cup Cajun Trinity with 1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon each:  Worcestershire sauce, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, yellow mustard, and parsley flakes.
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Oil for frying
Lemon
Butter
Milk for egg wash
Platters
Mixing Bowls
Deep fat fryer

The Crab Stuffing

With a tablespoon of butter, sauté the 1 cup Cajun Trinity and minced garlic.

Pour into a medium size mixing bowl.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, Tony’s Creole Seasoning, yellow mustard, parsley flakes, and one egg.

Fold in the breadcrumbs and crabmeat.  Mix well.

Form the mixture in small meatball sized balls.  Place on a platter.

Refrigerate for approximately one hour to chill and become firm.

The Shrimp

Peel, clean and de-vein the shrimp.  Leave the tails on.  Carefully make a deep cut in the shrimp to butterfly it open.

Prepare your egg wash by mixing 1-2 eggs with a ¼ cup or so of milk and squeeze in some lime or lemon juice.

Prepare the Shrimp/Fish Fry by mixing in ½ teaspoon seal salt and 2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole seasoning.

Place a crab ball on the open shrimp.  Press firmly.

Dip in egg wash.  Shake off excess.

Place in the Shrimp/Fish Fry mixture and toss around to coat.  Place on a platter.

The Frying

Heat your oil.  Do not put drops of water in the hot oil to see if it’s hot enough like Mike Stokes does!

Carefully place 2-3 shrimp in the fryer (depends on what size fryer you have).

Fry the shrimp until golden brown.

Remove to a platter lined with an ample amount of paper towels.

Serving Suggestions for Crabmeat Stuffed Shrimp

Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon or lime and sides ketchup, tartar sauce, or my favorite hot cocktail sauce for dipping.  Um Um they were so good cher!

Crab Au Gratin Recipe

Crab Au Gratin has got to be my all time favorite thing to order at a seafood restaurant.  I order Crabmeat Au Gratin every time we go to Mike Anderson’s Seafood Restaurant or Boutin’s Restaurant.  They each make it a little different, but both are excellent.

Occasionally, I travel for my job to places that have no clue what good Cajun cooking is.  So, the first thing I want to do coming from the New Orleans airport is stop in Gonzales, Louisiana at Mike Anderson’s and get some Fried Crab Claws and Crab Meat Au Gratin.

Mike likes the Shrimp Norman.  I’ll have to show you how to make that soon.  Anyway, here is my version of Crabmeat Au Gratin.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for Crab Au Gratin

1 pound fresh white or lump crab meat
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups Cajun Trinity
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 quart Half and Half
3-5 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Green onions – chopped for mixture and garnish
Parsley – chopped
¼ teaspoon each
nutmeg, white pepper, salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning
4-6 oven-safe baking dishes
Deep skillet
Baking sheet

How to Make Crab Au Gratin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place your baking dishes on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and sauté the Cajun Trinity and garlic until well wilted.

Gradually add 4 tablespoons of flour and stirring for 2 minutes or so.

Add in Half and Half mixing well.

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes to form a thick white sauce.

Stir constantly to prevent scorching or burning.

Turn off the heat.  Stir in seasoning at ¼ teaspoon each, 3-4 cups of cheese, small amount of green onions and parsley.  Mix well.

Fold in the crabmeat.  Spoon the mixture into individual baking dishes.  Cover with additional cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

You can probably bake longer for a darker browning on top.  You just need to watch it to keep from burning.

Also, optional after the 15 minutes, turn the oven on broil to brown the cheese on top.

Carefully remove from the oven and garnish with chopped green onions or a parsley sprig.

Serves well with a steamed vegetable or side salad and crusty French bread.

Note:  The leftovers reheated well and were fantastic served with crackers like an appetizer. 

All About Blue Crabs

Louisiana may be known for its blue crabs, but did you know that they’re not all blue? The crabs get their name because of their bluish color, but some of these shelled creatures can also be gray or turquoise. Yet despite the color, the crab is a favorite with Louisianans everywhere!

A blue crab is found in both salt and fresh water in all almost all parts of the world. Here they are typically found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Because they are bottom-dweller, a young crab is prey to many animal species. Birds, sharks, eels, catfish, sea turtles and even their own kind will hunt them.

But animals are not the only prey they must look out for. Fishermen harvest the crab for commercial use. Trotlines or crab pots are used to trap the crab during the warm months when they are more active. Sometimes a dredge is used during the winter months when they are not so open to the cold waters.

Once a crab is harvested, workers must separate male from female. The easiest way a fisherman will distinguish a male crab from a female crab is by looking for a “T” shaped apron and blue-tipped claws. A young female crab will have red-tipped claws and a triangular shaped apron that forms a “U” as an adult.

When an adult female becomes pregnant she will carry her eggs under her abdomen until they are released into the water, which takes about two weeks.

Once the eggs hatch, the crab grows to its adult size in about a year and a half.

During their growth, a crab will shed its shell many times. During this process, the new shell will be soft which at this time are often harvested for their delectability.

Those that are left to harden are no strangers to a Louisiana table either. A hard-shell crab is one of the most common delicacies of Louisianans.

What Cajuns Do with Blue Crabs

The hard-shell crab is often boiled and served whole in the shell. Louisianans then crack the shells and enjoy the meat inside. Much of the meat is found in the claws for hard-shell lovers, but the entire crab maybe eaten when cooked as a soft-shell.

Boiling a blue crab isn’t the only way to prepare it. A crab may be fried, steamed and even baked, there are hundreds of Cajun recipes for blue crabs. But many Louisiana chefs will agree that the best way to cook a crab is by boiling or steaming it.

But no matter how a crab is prepared, one thing is for sure, it’s all good!

Click Here to Learn
How to Boil and Eat Louisiana Blue Crabs

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp is a quick and very easy Cajun recipe that can be either an appetizer or main course.  A variety of sauces or glazes can be made for topping and dipping.  For this demonstration we made a honey glaze sauce.  You can experiment with many other combinations such as olive oil and Italian seasoning or butter and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Anything you want – give it a try.  And now let’s make Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.

Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

12-18 fresh jumbo or large shrimp
Bacon
Lemon juice
Orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
¼ – ½ cup honey
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Cooking spray
Toothpicks
Non-stick baking sheet

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Turn your oven on Broil and keep the rack in the middle.  Peel the shrimp leaving the tail on.  Carefully slice the top of the shrimp and remove the black vein and discard on a paper towel.

In a small saucepan and on medium-low heat, mix the lemon juice, orange juice, brown sugar and honey.  Simmer on low while the shrimp are prepared and cooked.

Cut bacon sliced into 2-3 inch pieces.  Wrap around the shrimp overlapping and secure with a toothpick.  Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Broil for 4-5 minutes.  Turn the shrimp and broil 4-5 minutes more.  Remove from oven.  With a basting brush, cover each shrimp with the honey glaze.  Broil for another minute.

Serving Suggestions for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp:

Serve 4-6 shrimp per person.  Goes well with potato salad, pasta tossed in olive oil or a rice pilaf.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some Tony’s Creole Seasoning for a bit of spice.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Note: Honey Glazed Shrimp can also be cooked in the same manner on the grill.

What Is Cajun Cooking?

Cajun cooking began when a group of people known as the Acadians were forced to leave their French-Canadian homes by boat to the United States after the British took over their homeland. Because many U.S. states were unwelcoming to foreign people, the Acadians took up residency in Louisiana where they were accepted.

The Acadians made use of the lands of Louisiana by planting rice and sugarcane in the fields and fishing for shrimp, oysters and crawfish in the rivers. They became friends with the Native Americans, Africans and English, despite being submitted to a new and strange land.

Because the English found if difficult to pronounce the word Acadian, the “A” was eventually from the name and the “D” was pronounced as a “J.” The result was the word, Cajun.

While in the beginning, the recipes did come from the Acadians and their native homeland, it was actually a combination of heritages that created true Cajun recipes. Everyone from the English to the French to the Spanish, to the Africans, added to what has made Cajun cooking the flavor it is today.

Cajun Cooking is Spicy Not Hot

When people think of Cajun cooking, they often think of spicy food. While it is true that Cajun cooks use some spices like Tabasco pepper sauce in their dishes, most Cajun recipes are a lot milder in pepper than the way some replicated Cajun dishes are made.

True Cajun dishes actually contain a good amount of various seasonings verses just a lot of spicy pepper. It requires a perfect blend to truly create an authentic Cajun dish. Many true Cajun dishes also contain a combination of bell peppers, onions and celery.

Cajun Cooking Ingredients

Other important ingredients that are most often used in Cajun cooking include, rice, okra, sausage, chicken, ham, crawfish, shrimp, andouille and oysters. These ingredients are then turned into the dishes many of us know and love like, jambalaya, etouffee and gumbo.

Cajun Cooking in Cast Iron Pots

For many Cajun cooks, a black cast iron pot is used when cooking. The pot is usually one that has been handed down by a family member and was once hung over an open fire. Not only does the precious heirloom create authenticity in Cajun cooking, it also carries a good amount of iron that is absorbed into the food.

While many other states and even some countries try to imitate Cajun cooking, most often the results are nowhere near a true experience. If you really want to experience the authenticity of true Cajun cooking, a visit to south Louisiana is highly recommended.