So equipped with our new idea, we set out to try a whole chicken to grill.  Our local meat and seafood market, Maxwell’s Market, features fresh local free range chickens. 

The butcher recommended to cut the bird into 10 pieces instead of the usual 8: 2 legs, 2 breasts, 2 thighs and 2 wings. 

The extra cut basically cuts the large breast in half.  And you know what – it worked out great.  We had 2 extra pieces of white meat.

Cutting the breast in half also made for a perfectly sized meat portion.

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken

Whole Chicken cut-up into 8 or 10 pieces
Garlic Powder
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt
A flavorful Bar-be-que sauce

Grill
Charcoal
Hickory or Mesquite Chips
Grilling brush or mop
Grilling Tongs

Cooking Directions for Grilled Chicken

Begin by preparing your grill and starting the charcoal.  For a full video on how to start a charcoal grill, please see our video called How to Grilling Tips.

Meanwhile, rinse the chicken pieces with water and drain on paper towels or in a colander.  Keep the skin on to provide juicy chicken instead of dried out burnt chicken meat.  Place on a platter or large baking sheet. 

Season with Garlic Powder, Sea Salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Sprinkle on both sides if you wish.  We just seasoned on the skin side.

Place on the grill opposite the charcoal – off the direct heat.  Grill for 25 minutes, then pat on a generous portion of BBQ sauce.  Continue grilling for another 20-30 minutes.  Chicken’s internal temperature should reach a minimum of 160 degrees in the thickest part of the meat. 

Remove from grill onto a serving platter.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so to soak in the great flavor.

Serving Suggestions for Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken goes great with our Cajun Potato Salad!

Ingredients for Homestyle French Fries

Idaho or white potatoes (1 potato per person)

Sea Salt or Tony’s Creole Seasonings

Canola or Vegetable Oil

The Potatoes: 

Thoroughly scrub the potatoes and leave skin on or peel the potatoes.

Cut a piece off one end of the potato so that it will fit flatly on a cutting board. 

With a sharp paring knife, cut potato into 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices. 

Then, lay flat on the cutting board and cut into strips. 

Cut evenly as possible for even cooking time. 

Place in a bowl of cold water.  Drain. 

Place back in a bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes. 

The Oil: 

Using a heavy bottom deep pot, skillet, or electric fryer, pour in fresh canola or vegetable oil. 

Always be careful to leave 2-4” from the top to leave room for the oil to bubble up. 

Optimal temperature is 350 to 375 degrees. 

An electric fryer either has an automatic temperature setting or a button to help you. 

If you are using a regular pot and do not have a thermometer, drop a small amount of a potato into the oil. 

If it bubbles up quickly, the oil is ready.

Deep Frying: 

Once the oil is properly heated, carefully drop potatoes into the oil.

Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Potatoes should freely move around.

Potatoes should be golden brown and probably will be floating to the top of the oil. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on layers of paper towels.

Serving Suggestions for Homestyle French Fries

Serve with Sea Salt or Tony’s Creole Seasoning sprinkled on top. 

Or for a bit if indulgence, top with finely shredded cheddar cheese.

Note: Oil and water DO NOT MIX!! Keep water away from the hot oil. If you pour water on the oil, the mixture will explode. If the oil smokes or catches fire, cover it with a pan lid or cookie sheet. You can use baking soda to put out any grease fires, but be careful that you don’t spread the flames around.

The most common story tells of streetcar workers on strike in 1929.  A local restaurant owner and former streetcar conductor would bring the workers sandwiches.  Employees from the restaurant referred to the workers as “Poor Boys”.  Of course with our Louisiana slang they became known as PoBoys.

One thing for sure Po Boys are here to stay.  Here in Baton Rouge, there are several restaurants that serve wonderful versions of the Po Boy.  Many people in South Louisiana have at least one Po Boy a week for lunch.  I know that I do.  My favorite is a Catfish Po-Boy dressed.  Enjoy!

This particular Saturday night, we made Shrimp Po Boys and Catfish Po Boys – give it a try!

Ingredients for Catfish Po Boys

2-3 Thin Catfish filets (cut into strips)

Shrimp & Fish Fry mix or corn flour

½ cup All-purpose Flour

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Tony’s Creole Seasoning

1-2 eggs

Milk

Canola or Vegetable Oil

French Bread or Po-Boy Rolls

Shredded lettuce

Tomatoes (thinly sliced)

Slice Dill pickles

Yellow Mustard, Creole Mustard, Ketchup, Cocktail Sauce or Tarter sauce.

The Seafood: 

Prepare your Shrimp by peeling completely and slice the top open to remove the dark vein. 

Prepare Catfish by cutting into strips somewhat like chicken tender strips.

Seafood Batter: 

Prepare the egg wash by breaking an egg into a mixing bowl. 

Wisk in some milk (maybe a cup).  

Squeeze in a wedge of lemon or lime juice. 

In another mixing bowl, pour in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mix. 

Add ½ cup of flour, 1 tablespoon Sea Salt and 2 tablespoons Tony’s. 
Stir altogether well.

The Oil: 

Using a heavy bottom deep pot, skillet, or electric fryer, pour in fresh canola or vegetable oil. 

Always be careful to leave 2-4” from the top to leave room for the oil to bubble up. 

Optimal temperature is 350 to 375 degrees. 

An electric fryer either has an automatic temperature setting or a button to help you. 

If you are using a regular pot and do not have a thermometer, drop a small amount of the frying batter into the oil.  If it bubbles up quickly, the oil is ready.

Note: Oil and water DO NOT MIX! Keep water away from the hot oil. If you pour water on the oil, the mixture will explode. If the oil smokes or catches fire, cover it with a pan lid or cookie sheet. You can use baking soda to put out any grease fires, but be careful that you don’t spread the flames around.

Battering Seafood: 

Using your left hand, drop several pieces of catfish in the egg wash and cover completely. 

Pull out and drop in the Shrimp & Fish Fry mixture. 

With your right hand, toss the seafood around to fully coat with corn flour. 

Shake off excess and place on a platter. 

Continue this process until all catfish is coated.

Deep Frying: 

Once the oil is properly heated, carefully drop catfish into the oil.

Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Seafood should freely move around. 

Seafood will be ready in just a couple minutes.  It should be golden brown and probably will be floating to the top of the oil. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on layers of paper towels.

ServingSuggestions for Catfish Po Boy Sandwiches

Prepare French bread or Po’Boys by splitting open and spreading butter on the inside. 

Toast in the oven. 

Then, add desired amount of catfish, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise. 

Some people prefer mustard, cocktail sauce or tarter sauce. 

Fold it altogether and cut in half for easy handling.

Oh man – that’s some good eating Cher!

Ingredients for the Smothered Potatoes Recipe

8 medium size white potatoes
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk or half & half
8 oz container sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onions
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Cooking Directions for the Smothered Potatoes Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Peel potatoes and slice in half. Begin to slice in 1/4 inch slices. Potato slices should look like thin half moons. Place in a large bowl of cold water and set aside.

To make the white sauce, melt butter and whisk in flour.

Slowly add milk and stir constantly for 8 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream and blend until smooth.

Turn off the heat and toss in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle in a dash of Tony’s Creole Seasoning (salt & pepper will do if no Tony’s available).

Stir in 1 cup chopped green onions.

Spray a deep casserole dish with canola oil spray.

Drain the potatoes in a colander.

Pour half of the potatoes in the casserole dish.

Pour half of the Sour Cream White Sauce over the potatoes and spread evenly over the potatoes.

Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.

Place on a baking sheet and add casserole cover or foil.

Bake covered for 30 minutes.

Then, bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Add additional cheese and green onions if desired.

Serving Suggestions for Smothered Potato Casserole

Serves well with our Grilled Filet Mignons, Grilled Chicken or Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a side of steamed broccoli or steamed asparagus.

Prep Time: 2.5 hours
Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients for Texas Barbeque

1 Large sweet onion – diced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper – diced (remove seeds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 Pork tenderloin – cut into cubes
2 lbs cubed beef stew meat
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Bay leaf
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 oz Jalapeno Jack Cheese (shredded)
1 package of large flour tortillas
Toppings: Salsa, Sour Cream, sauteed onions & peppers, etc.

Cooking Directions for Texas Barbeque

In a 6 quart pot, begin sauteing onions, jalapeno and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil.

Brown all the meat thoroughly.

Add in chili powder, ground cumin, and Italian seasonings.

Stir in 1 cup beef stock and 1 can Rotel tomatoes.

Cover and cook on medium heat (#5) for 1 hour.

Stir occasionally.

Uncover and cook an additional hour stirring occasionally.

Remove meat to a platter and break apart with a fork.

Return to the pot.

Heat flour tortillas according to package directions.

Serving Suggestions for Texas Barbeque

Spoon Texas Barbeque meat into the flour tortilla. Top with shredded jalapeno jack cheese, salsa, and whatever you normally like on fajitas.

In tonight’s recipe, we made a Shrimp Remoulade Salad served over endive lettuce and mixed greens.  The Shrimp Salad could also be served as an appetizer with one Shrimp on a round water cracker or melba toast.  Give it a try and see how you like it.  Bon Appetite!

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients for Shrimp Remoulade Salad

Boiled Shrimp Recipe

1 1/2 – 2 pounds of large Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 medium sweet onion (cut in quarters)
2-3 stalks Celery (cut into several pieces)
Sea Salt
Lemon or Lime Juice
Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil (substitutes are cayenne pepper or Old Bay Seasoning)
3 Bay Leaves

In a 6 quart pot or larger, fill with water leaving several inches to allow for all the ingredients. 

Add in all the ingredients except the shrimp. 

Bring water to a rolling boil. 

Add shrimp. 

Boil about 5 minutes. 

Turn off the heat. 

Let sit to soak up the flavor a few minutes. 

Drain and run cold water over the shrimp to stop the cooking process and cool down faster for salad. 

Set aside.

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

1/4 cup Lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped Green Onions
1/4 chopped Celery
2 tablespoons minced Garlic
2 tablespoons prepared Horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole mustard 
3 tablespoons Yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped Parsley
3 tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
dash of Sea Salt, Tony’s and Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. 

In another mixing bowl with the shrimp, pour half of the dressing and mix well.  

Chill for 1 hour prior to serving. 

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Remoulade Salad

Serve Shrimp Salad over a bed of lettuce greens, cut in half Endive or Romaine lettuce.  Drizzle more dressing on top.  As desired, add boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, green olives, etc. 

Back in the day, my grandparents had a couple pecan trees in the backyard of their Southdowns home. I remember collecting pecans in a bucket and all of us sitting around the table cracking and shelling pecans.  I’ve always loved pecans. In this pecan pie recipe we added a little twist on the traditional pecan pie. We added a shot of Kentucky Bourbon and chocolate chips. It was a hit with the IT guys at my work.  Although no food lasts long once they get a hold of it. Have you made your “Sweet Tooth” happy today?

Prep Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingredients for Pecan Pie

1 package deep dish pie shells
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup; dark or light
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons Bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips
2 cups pecan halves

Cooking Directions for Pecan Pie

Heat oven to 350 F.

Remove 1 deep dish pie shell from the package. Thaw for about 30 minutes prior to baking. 

Melt the 3 tablespoons butter either on the stove or just for a few seconds in the microwave.

With a whisk, blend together the eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, Bourbon, vanilla extract and salt. 

Now, stir in the chocolate chips and pecan halves. 

Mix well. 

Pour into the pie shell.  Mixture should not overflow over the crust.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. 

Note:  If the crust is getting too dark after 30 minutes, tear off thin strips of aluminum foil and wrap around the edges, or there are special gadgets you can buy specially for this purpose.

Prep Time:  30 minutes     
Serves: 4

Ingredientsfor Grilled Filet Mignon

4 Choice cut Filets (these were Black Angus)
Seasonings: Tony’s Creole Seasoning, Sea Salt, and Garlic Powder
Mesquite wood chips

Cooking Directions for Grilled Filet Mignon

(See our Grilling Tips video for best grilling practices.)

Soak a handful of wood chips in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. 

Prepare your grill and charcoal. 

Spray the grill with canola oil spray. 

Season the Filets Mignons with Tony’s, Sea Salt, and Garlic powder.  Not too much. 

Place the meat on the grill.
 
Grill covered for 9 minutes.  Flip the meat and grill another 9 minutes. This is medium rare.

Remove meat to a platter add a pat of butter to each. Let sit 5 minutes and serve with your favorite side items.

Yellow Crookneck squash is from the family of vegetables called summer squash; which includes zucchini and patty pan squash. Summer squash are named so as they are harvested when the vegetables are young and the skin still tender to eat with little or no cooking. In other words, you can eat summer squash either raw or cooked. In this recipe, we smothered the squash in a small amount of water with a sweet Texas onion, vibrant red bell pepper, seasonings and crumbled bacon. I had a couple junior cooks that I was teaching how to cook squash – Ashley and Marie.

Prep: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients for Smothered Squash

4-5 Yellow Squash, sliced
1 medium Sweet Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
4 slices bacon
2 cups water or chicken stock
Tony’s or Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions for Smothered Squash

Begin by heating 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 6 quart pot on medium heat (#6).

Cook the bacon. Set aside on a paper towel to drain and cool.

Saute‘ onion and bell pepper until softened.

Add 2 cups water.

Season with small amount of Tony’s or Salt and Pepper.

Add the sliced squash.

Crumble the bacon and add to the squash.

Stir well.

Cook covered for 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Smothered Squash

Serve in small bowls as a side item topped with a sprinkling of Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.

Optional: Substitute bacon with sliced and cooked sausage or ground pork.

.

Crawfish Bisque (some folks call it crawfish stew) consists of a rich sauce accompanied with stuffed crawfish bodies or crawfish balls.  For this recipe we made both.  This was so good we could not stop eating it.

Ingredients for the Crawfish Balls

1 – 1 pound bag of fresh crawfish tails (can substitute shrimp or crab if needed)
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 parsley flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Cooking Directions for the Crawfish Balls

Blend all the above ingredients in a food processor or blender. 

Remove to a mixing bowl. 

Form into small meatballs. 

If you have access to crawfish bodies, just stuff the bodies with the mixture. 

Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes on a baking sheet.

Ingredients for the Crawfish Bisque

4 cups Cajun Trinity
2 sticks butter
1 cup All-purpose flour
3 cups Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons tomato sauce or ketchup
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 – 1 pound bag of fresh crawfish tails (substitute shrimp or crab if needed)
1 cup rice

Cooking Directions for the Crawfish Bisque

Saute’ Cajun Trinity in 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large 6 quart pot. 

Make a Roux in a flat bottom stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet. 

Melt the butter and gradually add in flour and continue to stir with a flat edged spatula until dark brown color. 

Transfer Roux to the Cajun Trinity pot.  Stir well. 

Add chicken stock, tomato sauce, minced garlic, crawfish tails and seasoning to taste.  

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low (#3). 

Stir occasionally and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. 

Make 1 cup rice according to package directions. 

Add the stuffed crawfish and/or crawfish balls. 

Simmer another 5-10 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions for Crawfish Bisque

Serve Crawfish Bisque over rice and garnish with chopped green onions and chopped parsley. 

Bon Appetite!
.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients for Spinach Enchiladas

1 package of large flour tortillas
1 8 oz container of sour cream
1/2 diced onion
1 Family size bag of fresh Spinach
1 container fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
Chicken stock
Salt & pepper to taste
Jalapeno-Jack cheese – shredded
Jalapeno slices or fresh cilantro for garnish

Cooking Directions for Spinach Enchiladas

Heat oven to 350 F.

Begin by melting butter in a deep skillet and add flour stirring until well blended.

With a whisk blend in the sour cream.

In a large 6 quart pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat (#6).

Saute onion about one minute.

Add in whole bag of fresh spinach. Cover and cook for about five minutes. Spinach will cook way down.

Prepare a baking sheet or 13” x 9” pan by spraying with canola spray oil.

Preheat the tortillas according package directions. (I typically wet 4 paper towels and wrap around the flour tortillas and place in the microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute. You just want to soften them.)

On a plate, place a flour tortilla. Fill with a spoonful of the spinach and mushrooms. Top with Jalapeno-Jack cheese and roll. Place seem side down on the baking sheet. Try using a toothpick if they will not stay rolled. Continue with remaining tortillas.

Pour the sour cream sauce across the tops of the enchiladas.

Top with additional cheese, jalapeno slices, black olives or fresh cilantro for garnish.

Bake in the oven about 10 minutes or enough to heat and melt the cheese inside the enchiladas.

Serving Suggestions for Spinach Enchiladas

Serve on a plate with Spanish Rice and Black Beans. This is a great vegetarian dish as well as very rich in nutrients. It takes darn good too!

Other serving suggestions: fill with crabmeat or small sauteed shrimp.

Ingredients for Eggplant Casserole

4 Eggplants
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 stick of butter or 2-3 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound ground round
1/2 pound ground pork
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups bread crumbs
1-2 cups chicken stock

Cooking Directions for Eggplant Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Spray a casserole dish with spray oil.

FIrst start by peeling the eggplant.  Cut in half and then cut into strips.  Then, cut crosswise into 1 inch cubes. 

Heat in a large pot about 2 cups chicken stock. 

Place in the pot the cubed eggplant. 

Season with Sea Salt and  a sprinkle of Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Let simmer for 15 minutes. 

Stir occasionally. 

Once tender, mash with a whisk or a potato masher to get the lumpy pieces. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 stick of butter on medium heat (#6) in a deep skillet. 

Cook the ground round beef and ground pork by chopping up with a flat edged wooden spatula.  The meat should all be brown and no pink.

Pour the meat mixture into the eggplant pot.  Stir well. 

Then, add in 1 cup of bread crumbs. 

Stir to mix all ingredients evenly. 

Add seasoning if needed.

Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with another cup of bread crumbs. 

An optional step would be to also sprinkle on parmesan cheese. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions for Eggplant Casserole

Serve as a side dish in a small bowl or serve with a good butter cracker or whole wheat cracker for a party.

Other Options for Eggplant Casserole 

Replace ground meat with boiled or sautéed shrimp, crawfish, or crabmeat.  The seafood really makes for a tasty party dip.

Ingredients for Burgundy Beef Stew

2 pounds lean beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 slices of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups Cajun Trinity (onion, bell pepper, & celery)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large carrot (diced)
4 large mushrooms (sliced)
3 cups Burgundy wine or any red cooking wine.
(We chose a California Red Wine)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups beef stock
Ground Thyme
Egg Noodles or Rice

Cooking Directions for Burgundy Beef Stew

Place stew meat in a large mixing bowl.

Season with Sea Salt, Tony’s, and Garlic Powder.

Toss in 1/4 of all-purpose flour to coat the stew meat.

Mix well until all meat is covered in the flour.

In a large 6 quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium heat (#6).

Place bacons pieces in the hot oil and brown. Remove from heat into a separate bowl.

In the same pot, brown the stew meat in 2-3 batches.

Brown the meat on all sides to sear in the juices and the browning creates a nice gravy.

Remove from from heat after each batch and reserve in a separate clean bowl.

Next, saute’ 2 cups Cajun Trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery) and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.

Add diced carrots. Cook 5 minutes.

Toss in sliced mushrooms.

Add 3 cups red wine, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and 4 cups beef stock. Stir well to blend.

Mix the stew meat and bacon bits back into the liquid mixture.

Sprinkle the beef stew with a dash of ground thyme.

Cover and let simmer on low heat (#3) for 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.

Cook egg noodles according to package direction and number of servings needed.

Serving Suggestions for Burgundy Beef Stew

Serve the Burgundy Beef Stew over the egg noodles.

Man this dish was so good. The gravy was thick and rich. You could taste the wine just a bit and the meat was super tender. This stew would also serve well with rice or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients for Fried Crab Claws

1 pound fresh Crab Claws
1 bag of Fish & Shrimp Fry or substitute with corn flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
lime or lemon juice
ketchup
fresh prepared horseradish
Canola oil for frying

Start by pouring about 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottom saucepan or use an electric fryer.

Pour the Fish Fry, flour, and Tony’s into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.

In a smaller mixing bowl, crack to egg and add milk and 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice. Mix well.

Heat oil on a medium heat (#6).

Put several crab claws in the egg wash to coat. Then, toss crab claws into the Fish Fry mixture and coat well. Place on a clean platter. Repeat until all crab claws are battered.

Place crab claws in the fryer – maybe a dozen at a time. They only need to fry about 2 minutes or less. Really quick.

Move to a drain on paper towels.

Make Cocktail Sauce with one cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Serving Fried Crab Claws

One pound of Crab Claws will likely serve 6-8 people. They are pretty addictive. Enjoy!

Many times we’ve had Grilled Chicken Fajitas; however, this night we had a Grilled Pork Tenderloin.  We sliced it thin and tossed around in the sautéed onions and peppers.   They were so tasty and a bit different than your typical restaurant fajitas.

Fajitas Ingredients

1 Pork Tenderloin
1 large sweet onion
1 large red bell pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Prepared Guacamole
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Sour Cream
Lime juice
Sliced Black Olives
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Slices Jalapeno peppers
6-10 Flour Tortillas
2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
Sea Salt, Tony’s Creole Seasoning and Garlic Powder

Preparation:

Prepare the charcoal grill. 

Season the pork tenderloin with sea salt, Tony’s and garlic powder. 

Grill the meat for approximately 45 minutes not directly over the heat. 

For more specifics about grilling meat, please see our Grilling Tips video or How to Grill a Steak video.

Slice onions and bell pepper. 

Heat a skillet to medium heat (#6) with melted butter or olive oil. 

Saute’ the onions and bell pepper stirring often.  Squeeze or sprinkle on lime juice.

Thinly slice the pork tenderloin. 

Heat the flour tortillas according to package directions.  I just heat in a toaster oven on a low toast setting. 

Place tortilla on a plate and begin to add all your favorite toppings. 
Try to keep the fillings to about 1 cup so that it all fits. 

Fold one end and then roll like a taco or burrito.  The folded end helps keep the filling from falling out as you eat from the other end.

Serving Suggestions for Fajitas

Serves well with a small salad, black beans or refried beans, and Spanish rice.

Ingredients for Steamed Cauliflower

1 head fresh Cauliflower (it should be firm and free of brown spots on the top)
1 cup water
Dash of Sea Salt
Butter (optional)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Cut off the green leafy part attached at the bottom of the Cauliflower. Cut off as much of the stem as you can. You may have to insert a paring knife at an angle to get down to the stem. Rinse well to remove any grit.

Heat 1 cup water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Place Cauliflower in water. Sprinkle some Sea Salt.

Cover and lower the heat to medium-to-low #3. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until soft enough to run a knife through the stem. Ours took about 12-15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Steamed Cauliflower

Cut into serving wedges and top with cheese. A dash of Tony’s Creole Seasoning adds a great kick also. Our daughter, Alexandra likes Tony’s on everything.

Happy eating and don’t forget to dance while you cook. We have so much fun!

Surf & Turf

Ingredients for Surf and Turf

2 Lobster Tails (fresh or frozen)
2 Petite Beef Filets
1/2 stick butter
Chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Lime or Lemon juice

Cooking Directions

• Melt butter. Add Lime juice, green onions and garlic. Stir well. Turn heat to low.
• Take thawed lobster tails and using kitchen scissors cut the tails down the middle either on the belly side or the outside. We cut open the belly side since it was softer.
• With a sharp knife, cut the tail meat down the middle.
• With a brush or a spoon coat the tails with the lime butter sauce.
• Run a skewer through each tail for easier handling on the grill and keeps from curling.
• Place Lobster tails and Petite Filets on a platter. Season with Sea Salt, Garlic Powder and Tony’s.
• Place evenly on grill.
• Grill the Lobsters for 5 minutes each side.
• Grill the Filets for 10 minutes each side.
• Return to a platter and bring inside.
• Pour lime butter sauce over the lobster tails or pour the lime butter sauce in custard cups for dipping the lobster meat.

Serving Suggestions for Surf and Turf

Serve with a steamed vegetable, Twice Baked Potatoes or Homemade Macaroni & Cheese.

Ingredients for Twice Baked Potatoes

4 medium – large Idaho potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 small broccoli crowns or 1/2 bag frozen broccoli crowns – steamed
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
Bacon bits (optional)
Sea Salt
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Wash potatoes.  Wrap in foil. 

Bake for 1 1/2 hours turning over half way through cooking. 

In the meantime, steam broccoli crowns. 

Remove potatoes from oven and open from foil.  Let sit a few minutes.

Cut potatoes in half and separate.  Allow to cool a bit in order to handle. 

Take a small spoon or ice cream scooper and hollow out the potato halves.  Put in a large mixing bowl. 

(Do not scoop all the way to the skin so that you have a stable base.)

To the potatoes, add butter, sour cream, broccoli, green onions, cheese, and seasonings. 

With a potato masher or a large whisk, mash all the ingredients together well.

Place the mixture back into the potato shells. 

Place on a baking sheet or casserole dish. 

Top with more shredded cheddar cheese. 

Bake 5-10 minutes to re-heat and melt the cheese.

Remove from oven and serve. 

Serving Suggestions for Twice Baked Potatoes

A typical serving is a half potato for each person. 

Enjoy with a steak or seafood or anything you like.

I first experienced She Crab Soup in Panama City Beach, Florida at the well renowned restaurant Captain Anderson’s. They serve She Crab Soup by itself of course, but my favorite is the She Crab Pie. She Crab Pipe is a grilled fish of the day stuffed inside a puff pastry with She Crab Soup ladled on top. Yum Yum.

In our version of She Crab Soup, we added cut asparagus and fresh sweet corn.

Ingredients for She Crab Soup

4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups Milk
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 pound White Crab meat
1/2 cup Sherry or White Cooking wine
1 bunch of fresh Asparagus stalks (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 ear fresh sweet corn (kernels cut from the cob)
2 boiled eggs (chopped egg yolks only)
Chopped green onions
White Cheddar Cheese (shredded for garnish)

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cut corn. Cook for 6-8 minutes.

In a deep 6 quart pot, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat (#5-#6).

Saute the Cajun Trinity until well cooked. Add the minced garlic and sauté another minute. Remove from pot and set aside.

In the same pot, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Blend in the 4 tablespoons flour stirring well. Cook about 2 minutes.

Slowly add the milk blending well with the white roux. Add the heavy cream. Stir constantly with a whisk to prevent scorching for 8-10 minutes. Mixture will become thickened.

Add all seasonings, Cajun Trinity, Crab Meat, Asparagus, Corn and chopped egg yolks. Stir well. (If a thinner consistency is desired, add 1 cup vegetable stock).

Cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat.

Add and stir well the 1/2 cup wine.

Serving Suggestions for She Crab Soup

Serve in a deep flat bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions and a lump of white cheddar cheese; accompanied with crusty French bread or rolls.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients for Fresh Steamed Spinach

1 bag of Fresh Baby Spinach leaves (Serves 2)
or 1 large container of Fresh Baby Spinach
2 Tablespoons butter
small amount of water; maybe 2 tablespoons
dash of Sea Salt

Melt butter and add small amount of water on medium heat. 

Add spinach and cover to allow steam to build up and actually cook the spinach. 

Should only take a few minutes. 

Serving Suggestions for Steamed Spinach

Stir and serve with Steak, Chicken or Pork.

Ingredients for Homemade Tartar Sauce (Serves 2-4):

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Sweet Pickle Relish
1 teaspoon Creole Mustard
Dash of each:
 Lemon Juice
 Tony’s Creole Seasoning
 Tabasco Hot Sauce

Mix all ingredients well. 

(If expecting a crowd, double or triple the tartar sauce recipe.)

Serving Suggestions for Homemade Tartar Sauce

Best served chilled in small dipping cups.

Tartar sauce is great for dipping most any seafood into (shrimp, fish, you name it).

It’s also a great sandwich spread.

Ingredients (Snow Crabs):

1-2 Snow Crab clusters per person (depends on the size)
1/4 cup Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab boil
Sea Salt
1 medium sweet onion
3 celery stalks
2 tablespoons Garlic Powder or several Garlic pods
1/4 white distilled vinegar
1/4 lemon juice
5 Bay Leaves

Fill a large 8-12 quart stock pot with water. Leave 5 inches or so from the top to allow for adding ingredients. Bring water to rolling boil.

Add in all the seasonings.

Add the Snow Crab Legs. Bring back to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let sit to soak up the seasoning for about 10 minutes.

Suggested Serving for Snow Crab Legs

Serve Snow Crab Legs on large platters with crab or nut crackers and small pick seafood forks.

We typically serve with boiled new potatoes by boiling the potatoes in the boiling seasoned water for 20 minutes before adding in the Snow Crab Legs.

Ingredients for Homestyle Chili

Serves 8

1 1/2 pounds Ground Round Beef (or split between ground beef & ground pork)
Cajun Trinity
1 bell pepper (diced)
1 sweet onion (diced)
2 ribs of celery (diced)
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
2 tablespoons Chili Powder (some people also use ground Cumin)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole seasoning
2 cans diced Rotel tomatoes
1 can Pinto Beans or Chili Beans
Dash of Tabasco sauce
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Chopped Green Onions (for garnish)

Also need a large 6 qt pot and a flat wooden utensil.  Optional – Blender or food processor.

In a large 6 qt pot, turn on the stove heat to medium-to-high #6. 

Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Saute the bell pepper, celery and onion until soft.  Add minced garlic. 

Push the vegetables to the sides and add the ground meat. 

Begin to break the meat apart with the wooden utensil. 

Add the 2 tablespoons Chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon of Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Continue to brown the meat by stirring and chopping into small clumps. 

While the meat is cooking, open Rotel tomatoes. 

Pour one can in a blender or food processor and puree (remember to put the lid on or you will have a red ceiling).  This will create a rich and thick sauce for the chili. 

Once the meat is well cooked, add the tomato puree and the second can of Rotel tomatoes. 

Add the pinto beans and stir well. 

Allow to simmer uncovered on medium-to-low heat #3 for 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent scorching or burning. 

Suggested Servings for Homestyle Chili

Serve over a Baked Potato or simply by itself in a bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions for garnish.  Don’t forget the crackers or French bread for dipping. We hope you enjoy our recipe for chili and share it with your friends.

Note:  If chili is not thick enough for you, try using a little corn starch (follow package directions) or blend 1 tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon softened butter and mix in the sauce.  Allow to cook an additional 5-10 minutes to thicken.

Ingredients for Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf (Serves

1 1/2 pounds Ground Round Beef
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
2 tablespoons chopped dried or fresh Parsley
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Sea salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 – 1 cup bacon (6-8 slices), cooked and crumbled

Also need a large baking sheet, wax paper and canola oil spray.

Preheat oven on 350 degrees. 

Cook the bacon strips.  Remove to several paper towels to blot off excess oil. 

In the bacon drippings, saute the Cajun Trinity until well cooked.  If desired to hide from your children or those that don’t like the sight of onions, chop well in a food processor.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat, seasonings, bread crumbs and eggs.  Blend together well with your clean hands. 

Using a baking sheet either 13 x 9 or a 15 x 10, place a sheet of wax paper over the pan. 

Place the meatloaf mixture on the pan and begin to spread out evenly and flat like making a pizza dough or a jelly roll cake. 

Sprinkle the crumbled bacon all over and spread out shredded cheddar cheese. 

At this time, add other ingredients as desired like caramelized onions or sliced mushrooms.

From one end, begin to roll up sealing off the ends as you go.  You may have to gradually remove the wax paper. 

Place the loaf on a greased baking sheet with the seal side down.  Make sure the ends are meshed together good so the cheese doesn’t unnecessarily ooze out.

Bake for 1 hour or until the Cheeseburger Meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees.  It always a good idea to have a meat thermometer for cooking.

Serving Suggestions for Bacon Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

Serve with Baked Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese or Steamed Broccoli. 

Leftovers are wonderful to have a Cheeseburger Meatloaf sandwich.  Oh this is making me hungry!

Ingredients for Louisiana Crab Cakes (Serves 4)

1/2 pound fresh white crabmeat
2 cups finely chopped Cajun Trinity
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon oil olive
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups Bread crumbs
3/4 cup Mayo
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Canola Oil for frying
Lemon
In a skillet, saute’ the Cajun Trinity in butter and olive oil until well done. 

Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Tony’s.  Move to a mixing bowl and stir in 1 cup bread crumbs.  Add mayo and creole mustard.  Mix well. 

Fold in crabmeat, blending well.  Add more mayo if too dry.  The mixture should be sticky enough to form patties.

Divide the mixture evenly to form 4-5 patties (like a hamburger patty).   Place on a platter and chill at least 30 minutes to an hour. 

In a small bowl make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg and 1/2 cup milk.  Add in a dash of lemon juice if you like. 

In another bowl, pour in 1 cup bread crumbs. 

Then, in a deep skillet, pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat on medium heat. 

Take the crab patties out of the refrigerator.  Dip each patty through the egg wash then dip through the bread crumbs coating the outside of the patty completely.  Place on a clean platter. 

Once the oil is properly heated, carefully place the patties in the skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes.  Flip each Crab Cake over and fry another 2-3 minutes.  Each side should be golden brown.  Don’t go to far from the stove – 2 minutes passes fast.

Remove Crab Cakes to several layers of paper towels to remove excess oil. 

Serving Suggestions for Cajun Crab Cakes

Serve the Crab Cakes on a platter with a side salad. 

A local restaurant has a wonderful Crab Cake dish where they serve the Crab Cake over a bed of Angel hair pasta with an Alfredo sauce.  You talk about some good groceries there cher!