Sunday Night Dinner

Hello all!  It has been a while since I last posted a blog.  The summer time has kept me very busy.  So I'm back!  With all of the summer fun craziness we have been home on and off and havent had any time to work in our yard so Sunday Darrel and I (mostly Darrel) started cutting trees and hauling branches to the edge of the yard.  Needless to say we were both a bit sore this morning.  After a hard day in the yard the last thing that I want to do is start cooking so before I headed out to help my husband I started cooking crawfish etouffe' and it basically cooked all day.  I know most people are a little intimidated to cook stuff like etouffe' but it is really one of the easiest things to cook.  I also get tired of eating it over rice so to change things up a bit I bought some puff pastry and served the etouffe' over it.  Very rich and decadent to say the least. 

Crawfish Etouffe'

1 1/2 sticks of butter (real butter!)
2 lbs. Louisiana crawfish Tails
Guidrys onion and pepper mix (fresh)
2 cans rotel (mild)
1 can Cream of Shrimp
1 can Cream of Celery
1 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (Cento Brand)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (Cento Brand)

Melt the butter and then add about half of the Guidry's fresh mix container to butter and sprinkle a bit of kosher salt into onion mixture.  Let this simmer for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  You want your onions to be a golden color.

Next add the rotel and let this simmer down for about 10 minutes then add entire can of cream of shrimp, 3/4 can cream of celery,crushed tomatoes, and the can of tomato sauce.  Season with a shake or two of tony's or zatarains seasoning.  Let this cook together on medium heat for about 10 minutes and then add crawfish.  Let this cook together for about 30 minutes to let all of the flavors meld together.  Season to taste.

I buy the frozen puff pastry shells and serve the etouffe' over puff.  Ca c'est bon! 

As a side dish with the etouffe' I made creamed skillet corn with fresh thyme.  Sam calls this "Pizza Corn" I guess the thyme flavor reminds him of pizza...who knows...but it is really good!

Skillet Corn with Fresh Thyme

1 package frozen Sweet White corn ( or about 5 ears fresh)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh thyme (pulled from stems)
kosher salt
1/4 tsp sugar

In a skillet melt butter and then add corn, sprinkle of kosher salt and sugar.  Let this cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the cream and fresh thyme and season to taste.  Cook together for about 10 minutes on medium heat stiring ocassionally making sure cream does not burn.

Trying to be a Skinny girl...but I really need my Margarita.

It is no secret that I love my cocktails.  Especially a cold crisp margarita on a hot day.  This is especially convinient since I live in South West Louisiana where is it hot 11 months out of the year.  So a good margarita recipe is very important.  As I get older I have become very picky about my margarita.  When ordering at a restaurant I usually ask if they use a mix and if it is I order a glass of wine instead.  Frozen and the color of a green popsicle...usually tastes just like a green popsicle.  I have also had some in a glass the size of a fish bowl that probably had 400 + calories....while it tastes awesome who wants to consume that in one drink.  I have tried the "skinnygirl" margarita and must say that it left me wanting to make my own margarita....so I did.  I hope that you decide to try it out for yourself and let me know what you think.   I also listed a recipe for what I call the Cajun Margarita because it is sweetened with Steens Syrup which is made in Abbeville, LA and I must say it makes a delicious drink.

Hilary's Version of the Skinny Marg

1 shot of Jose Cuervo Silver
juice of half of lemon
1 teaspoon agave nectar
Diet 7 up

Pour tequila into low ball glass.  Add agave nectar and lemon juice and stir.  Top off with diet 7 up and lots of ice. 


Cajun Margarita

1 shot of Jose Cuervo Silver
Juice of half of lemon
1 teaspoon of Steens Cane Syrup
Diet 7 up

Pour tequila in low ball glass.  Add Steens Syrup and lemon juice, stir.  Top off with diet 7 up and lots of ice.  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Love

As a busy mom I am always in search of a great crock pot recipe.  Being a tried and true cajun lady I just cant get over some of the bad crock pot recipes that are out there.  One pot wonders with greyish colored meat and no seasoning or recipes that are laden with fat and processed cheese(which I am sure is delicious).  I am really trying to keep my family healthy and teach our boys about good food.  But, crock pot gods give me some healthy and awesome crock recipes so I dont have to slump over my stove after a hard day of work and baseball games.  Low and behold....while in the grocery check out land I glance over and see a copy of Cooking Light magazine featuring what you may ask...crock pot awesomness!!!  Before you judge me and my love for the crock pot I would much rather cook in a more sophisticated vessel but please...during the school and work week my crock pot is a saviour!  It saves my family from endless fast food(ugh) and ham sandwiches.  Okay, I am over defending my love for my friend C.P.

  So I found a recipe for Slow Simmered Meat Sauce.  Hmmm...spaghetti is great during the week and I am always on the lookout for a great sauce.  So I decided to give it a try.  Ya'll!  This is seriously the best meat sauce that I have ever had..homemade or in a restaurant.  Absolutely delicous and healthy with a sauce that incooperates carrots which blended into the red sauce (my children are absolutely awesome and spotting a rogue vegetable in their plate)..they didnt even notice...score!

I got a hankering for a ceasar salad and decided to make my own...my 7 year old ate the entire plate of salad!  I always put salad and vegetables in their plates regardless of what it is and ask them to try it (no pressure)..they might be surprised.  Most of the time they love them..and this was no exception.

We ate our dinner on our back patio enjoying our food and our wonderful spring weather.  It was heavenly...right up until our two boys finished their dinner..got up from the table and played on the swing set and between the two of them said the word "fart" at least 50 times.  At least I have my wine.

Slow Simmered Meat Sauce
adapted just a bit from Cooking LIght Magazine

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4 oz) links of italian sausage (casings removed)
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 crushed red pepper
1 (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh oregano...do yourself a favor and use fresh!
16 oz whole wheat spaghetti noodles
fresh torn basil
fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese

note** I used Cento brand tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes


1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and carrot to pan; saute 5 min.  Add garlic; saute 1 min, stirring constantly.  Place vegetable mixture in 6 quart slow cooker.  Add sausage and Beef to skillet(season beef with zattarains), stirring to crumble.  Remove beef mixture from skillet using slotted spoon.  Add beef mixture to slow cooker and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) into slow cooker.  Season with a shake or two of Zattarains seasoning and sprinkle with kosher salt. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.  About an hour before I served I stirred in about 1 more tablespoon of oregano and check seasoning.

2. Prepare pasta.  Serve sauce with hot pasta, torn basil, and fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese...c'est bon!



Rustic Ceasar Salad

3 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parmesean cheese
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 or 2 shakes of Tobasco sauce ( or 8 if you live in my house)
Juice of 1 lemon

Blend together in the blender and serve over Romaine hearts.  I also sprinkle a bit of kosher salt and black pepper.

Birthday Dinner

Last Christmas I decided to expand my culinary chops and made Beef Bourguignon.  My husband raved about it and has been talking about it ever since.  So his birthday rolls around in May and he wants me to cook Beef Bourguignon for his birthday dinner.  NO Problem...I tell him.  So amidst working, kids, baseball, and my dog I start cooking the afternoon before the party ( truth be told if you decide to cook this it tastes so much better after it sits overnight).

  I start chopping bacon, onions, carrots...the whole thing.  My house smells like a bacon shop which makes Jaco(our dog) absolutely nuts!  I recieve a text from my hubs telling me baseball game at 5:30...oh man!  I totally thought the game was at 6:45!!!  Stop cooking...dress boys for baseball and head out of the door. 

  I get back to a house full of wonderful smells and finish the cooking at 10:30pm.  Did I mention how much I love my husband.

  I finish the beef bourguignon the next afternoon about one hour before the guest arrive.  I sautee fresh button mushroom and red potatoes in olive oil and butter and then add them into the rich wine stew. Divine!  Served with country bread that is slathered with olive oil broiled and then rubbed with whole garlic and sprinkled with fresh parsley.  C'est Bon Cher!

I love cooking and I especially love cooking for the people I absolutely adore.  It is funny how life changes.  No more late nights out for our birthdays.  Instead home cooked meal in our backyard surrounded by our children, family and friends.   Happy Birthday D!