Easy Homemade Chili Recipe

Home-style Chili is easy to make using fresh ingredients such as ground beef or pork, bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes and seasonings.  We add ample amount of chili powder to the meat while it’s cooking to infuse the flavors and create a rich chili taste.

I’m no chili expert, but this is an easy chili recipe sure to please.  Try some by itself or ladle on top of a hot baked potato with cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.  Now that’s some good comfort food there cher!

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) *

* or 1 (10 ounce) bag of seasoning blend

1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder (some people also use ground Cumin)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 (10 ounce) 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 quart pot and a flat wooden utensil.  Optional – Blender or food processor.

In a large 6 quart 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, 1/2 teaspoon of Tony’s Creole Seasoning and salt to your preference.

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 Home-style 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.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf Recipe

A Cheeseburger Meatloaf is basically a fun and delicious way for your family to enjoy the old run of the mill meatloaf in a whole new way. I don’t know if this qualifies as genuine Cajun cooking, but Cajuns sure do like it, I guarantee!

Ingredients for Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds ground round beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 cups Cajun Trinity (or a bag of frozen Seasoning Blend)
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
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’s always a good idea to have a meat thermometer for cooking.

Serving Suggestions for Bacon Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

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

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

Serves 8

Hot Sausage Po-Boy

On the menu tonight, is an Andouille Hot Sausage Po-Boy grilled and smoked on a charcoal grill with mesquite chips over a real hardwood charcoal fire.  Andouille is a flavorful Cajun Sausage that is basically ground pork and special seasonings that is used in a variety of Cajun cooking and recipes like chicken and sausage gumbo, red beans and rice,  and dressings and stuffings.

These hot sausage New Orleans style sandwiches are called Po-Boys here in Louisiana.  According to Wikipedia, a po boy, or po’boy, poboy, po-boy, or poor boy, is a traditional submarine sandwich from Louisiana.

Anyway you say it or spell it, Po-Boys are a tasty treat and not a week goes by that a Louisiana Cajun doesn’t have some sort of Po-Boy.  Our favorites are Fried Shrimp, Fried Catfish, Fried Oysters and Hot Andouille Sausage Po-Boys. What we’re making today we just call a hot sausage po boy.

Note:  If you do not have Andouille sausage available in your area, try grilling any quality sausage available in your area.  You can cook your sausage on your grill, or inside in your oven or however you like.

Ingredients for Andouille Hot Sausage Po Boys

6-8 links of fresh Andouille sausage
(1 link per person at least)
Po-Boy buns or Hoagie rolls
Cheese
Mustard
Tomatoes
Relish or pickles
Shredded lettuce
Mayonnaise
Spicy Creole mustard

Grill the Andouille Sausage

(See the Grilling Tips Video if you need help with grilling.)

Serving Suggestions for Andouille Hot Sausage Po-Boys

Open the buns and butter each side.  Heat the buns in the oven to toast and melt the butter.  Don’t take to dancing or you might burn the buns.

Layer on the condiments of your choice.

Spilt a link of Andouille sausage down the middle.

Open up and place on the buns.

Close the bun and take a big bite of deliciousness.

This is one of our favorite Cajun recipes Saturday lunches.

How to Make Seafood Gumbo

Seafood Gumbo is a staple in the Cajun and Creole Cultures. As in most Cajun Cooking recipes, we will start with a Roux.

A roux is used as a thickening agent for this traditional seafood soup.

The word Gumbo derives from the Creole culture which is the West African word for okra.

Okra is also used as a thickening agent as is a special spice called Gumbo File’. File’ is ground sassafras.

We sprinkle Gumbo File’ on the bowl of gumbo at the table for a little extra spiciness.

You may think that Gumbo, whether Chicken and Sausage Gumbo or Seafood Gumbo, is only good in the cold weather. However, we enjoy Gumbo year round.

We especially like to make it for Christmas Eve and enjoy with our daughters. It’s become a tradition at our house.

Give it a try sometime. It’s really not hard to make and tastes oh so good.

Ingredients for New Orleans Seafood Gumbo

This quantity is for a 12-quart stock pot.

(If you’re using a 6 quart large pot, reduce all by half.)

Step One: The Base

1/4 cup canola oil
8 cups Cajun Trinity (can use 2 bags of frozen Seasoning Blend)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large (28-ounce) can of Rotel tomatoes (substitute plain diced tomatoes if you prefer)
4 quarts fresh Chicken Stock (or shrimp stock or vegetable stock)
3 pounds frozen cut okra
5 Bay leaves

Step Two: The Roux

2 sticks butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

Step Three: The Seafood

3 pounds fresh large shrimp – peeled (and de-veined if desired)
1 pound white crab meat
1 pound claw crab meat
1 pound crawfish tails (when available)
1 pint fresh oysters (optional)

Garnish: chopped green onions and gumbo file’

Step One: The Base –

Begin by heating 1/4 canola oil in a large stock pot (medium high #7).

Saute’ Cajun Trinity until vegetables are well cooked.

Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic.

Pour in the large can of Rotel tomatoes and 4 quarts chicken or vegetable stock. (Or water if you don’t have stock)

Bring to a boil.

Add okra and stir well.

Reduce heat to medium (#6) and allow okra to cook 20-30 minutes.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.

Step Two: The Roux –

when the okra is about done, start on the roux.

In a deep skillet, melt 2 sticks of butter on medium heat #6.

Using a flat edged spatula, gradually stir in the 1 cup of flour.

Continually stir – be careful not to splash on yourself. (This is very hot and can burn you.)

Once you a achieve a dark caramel color, turn off the heat.

Keep moving the roux so it doesn’t scorch.

Carefully, pour into the stock pot and stir as you go. (This is best done with two people if possible.)

Continue to simmer on #4 for 10 minutes.

Step Three: The Seafood –

Add shrimp, claw crab, crawfish tails and oysters shortly before you are ready to serve.

The seafood will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

(We usually add the white crab meat to the gumbo after it is plated up and being served.)

Serving Suggestions for New Orleans Seafood Gumbo

Serve over white rice and garnish with chopped green onions and gumbo file’.

A side salad and French rolls are excellent accompaniments.

Tip: If you have some Seafood Gumbo leftover, allow the gumbo to cool and then put in freezer containers for a quick supper.

Shrimp Norman

Shrimp Norman is a Cajun Seafood dish prepared at one of our favorite local restaurants, Mike Anderson’s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and also at the Mike Anderson’s location in Gonzales, Louisiana.

It is basically Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Crab Etouffee on top.

Without a recipe, we have recreated this scrumptious Cajun recipe for you.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Fried Shrimp Norman

1 pound large or jumbo shrimp
Crab Etouffee (see recipe)
1/2  cup of corn flour ( or Fish and Shrimp Fry mix)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
Canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Make Crab Etouffee according to recipe, but use less water or stock.

Etouffee should be a thick consistency.

Peel shrimp leaving the tail on.

Slice deep through the top of the shrimp to both de-vein the shrimp (take out the black vein) and butterfly it for frying.

Set aside in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, prepare the shrimp fry mix by blending 1/2 cup corn flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, salt and Tony’s Creole Seasoning.

In another small mixing bowl, crack the egg and stir in ½ cup milk.  (This is the egg wash.)

Take each shrimp and coat in the egg wash.

Move shrimp to the shrimp fry mixture and coat with the corn flour mix.

Fan out the tail for a pretty presentation (be careful – there is a sharp point on the tail of a shrimp that can pierce your hand or finger).

Place a clean platter.

Heat oil.

Fry shrimp a few at a time until golden brown or floating on top the oil.

Remove the shrimp to a paper towel lined platter to blot excess grease.

Serving Suggestions for Fried Shrimp Norman

To serve, arrange 6-8 shrimp with tails up on a plate.

Spoon the crab etouffee over each of the tails or just place in the center.

Adding a small mound of white rice is optional.

To eat and enjoy, take a shrimp and scoop up a dollop of crab etouffee and take a big bite of some deliciously good groceries.

How to Cook a Crock Pot Roast

A  crock pot roast is a wonderful thing. If you’ve been afraid of cooking a large pot roast, a slow cooker is the way to go.

This slow cooker  roast recipe contains simple ingredients and is oh so easy with a sprinkling of Cajun Cooking.

As I write this, yesterday it was like 80 degrees and summer like temperatures in December. Right now, it’s dropping into the 20’s.

A crock pot roast with vegetables and mashed potatoes is a perfect way to warm up on a cold night.

If you’re looking for an easy crock pot roast recipe that’s sure to impress, you’ll love this one!

Note: Recipe updated August 18, 2016 –

I cooked a rump roast for dinner last night, and strayed a little bit from the recipe, so I’m updating…

Ingredients for a Crock Pot Roast

Beef roast (3-4 pounds)
6-8 garlic cloves (cut in half)
2 cups Cajun Trinity (or 1 10-ounce bag of seasoning blend)
2-3 turnip roots (peeled and quartered)
1 (1-pound) bag baby carrots
1 can or carton of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Garlic powder
Canola or olive oil
All-purpose flour

Cooking Directions for a Crock Pot Roast

Pour your Cajun Trinity (or seasoning blend) into your slow cooker and turn on to start heating it up.

On a platter, cut slits in the roast and slide in garlic cloves all over the roast. Push deep down in the meat.

Sprinkle the roast all over with salt, Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s) and Garlic Powder.

Then, coat your roast with all-purpose flour.

Heat some oil in a large skillet or pot, and place your roast in it and brown it on all the sides that you can.

Place the roast in the slow cooker on top of your seasoning blend.

Add in turnip roots, baby carrots, cream of mushroom soup, and any other seasoning you like.

Add about a 1/2 cup of water water.

Cover and let cook for 4-5 hours.

The roast should be done. You can poke it with a fork or a knife to make sure it’s tender enough for you. If it’s not tender enough, you can continue cooking it for a while.

Serving Suggestions for your Crock Pot Roast

Remove from slow cooker and slice for sandwiches or cut into chunks for eating with mashed potatoes and gravy. Enjoy!

Don’t know how to make great mashed potatoes?

Check out this video and recipe.

Mashed Potatoes Recipe and Video

What Is Creole Cooking?

Creole cooking is very similar to Cajun cooking in the fact that they both use ingredients such as bell peppers, onions and celery in their dishes. However, the Creole style of cooking differs in some ways due to its use of local ingredients and simple European flavors instead of wild game and the Acadian’s heavy French flavors.

The Creole style of cooking was found mostly in the homes of rich people whereas the Cajun style of cooking was found in the poor farming communities.

Creole dishes were also served in many courses on a beautifully set table instead of a single pot over an open flame, thus distinguishing it from the Cajun way of cooking.

The History of Creole Cooking

The history of the Creole’s cooking style actually began when European settlers arrived in the late 1600’s hoping to start a new life and acquire a large amount of wealth. Their European flavors mixed with the French, African, Caribbean, Italian and Spanish, which in return created what we know as Creole, or New Orleans style, cooking.

With the use of Italian and Spanish ingredients, Creole dishes took on a whole new flavor with an abundance of tomatoes.  The tomatoes were used in dishes such as jambalaya, and gumbo and often replaced the use of roux (flour and oil).

The use of beans became another important ingredient often found in Creole dishes. Its fame took on familiar dishes like red beans and rice, a New Orleans classic.

Okra and Creole Cooking

Okra was also an important ingredient.. It was first used by the African slaves, who shared their secrets of cooking by using the juice of the okra to thicken soups and stews like gumbo. Okra was also used in whole to give dishes like jambalaya and gumbo and added flavor.

Other ingredients included, rice, pork, oysters, shrimp, crab and crawfish, which were also found in other styles of Louisiana cooking.

To season the dishes, Creoles used garlic, parsley, bay leaf, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. And while the use of these seasonings was evident in their dishes, the results are actually far less spicy than most Louisiana dishes.

Today’s version of Creole cooking is actually very different than what had originated from the past. The flavors are mixed with the Cajun, which are only slightly different from one another. More often than not, it is hard to tell what is true Creole and what is not thanks to the commercial industry and the similarity in recipes.

However, if you are planning a trip to Louisiana any time in the near future, you can probably find a local who can show you the true way and taste of Creole style cooking.

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Mashed Potatoes, or what I like to call REAL mashed potatoes, are made with real white potatoes, butter, milk and sour cream.

Real home made mashed potatoes are extremely tastier than your run of the mill mashed potato flakes that come in a box.

For just a little bit of effort, you can make this mashed potatoes recipe for your family and they will rave about it!

Serve this wonderful Cajun comfort food with stews and gravy and meat loaf and all sorts of things.

Homemade Mashed Potatoes: Ingredients

8 medium size white potatoes (2 medium potatoes per person)
¼ teaspoon Shrimp & Crab Boil (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sour cream
½ cup milk or cream
Sea Salt (or plain salt)
Tony’s Creole Seasoning

Homemade Mashed Potatoes Are Simple to Make

Prepare a large pot of water. Add dash of sea salt.

Bring to a boil.

Peel potatoes. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Rinse in a colander.

Place in boiling water. Cook for 10-15 minutes until potatoes break apart with a fork.

Carefully drain in the sink in a colander. Pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add butter, sour cream and milk.

With an electric mixer, mix on high until creamy smooth.

Voila and Bon Appétit!

Serves 4 – 6

Beryl

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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/

The Cajun Cooking TV show airs on local Baton Rouge, Louisiana channel WLFT MeTV channel 30.1 and on Cox cable channel 117 on Tuesday mornings at 10 am.

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

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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!

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.