FAST & Easy Recipes

Tired of the “same ole, same ole”, over and over?
Need some cooking inspiration?

Every Friday morning, Fast shares Fast & Easy Recipes and cooking ideas on The BIG Morning Show!

For years Fast has been perfecting his favorite recipes- now he’s sharing them with all of Acadiana.

Check back here for more recipes!


RECIPES BELOW


Taco Soup

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups beef stock
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
¾ cup frozen corn
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat canola oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.  Add onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in diced tomatoes & green chilies, black beans, kidney beans, beef stock, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 15-20 minutes.  Stir in corn until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste

Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Boil potatoes until they are soft.  Mash potatoes with evaporated milk and butter to desired consistency.  Add salt, fresh rosemary, and garlic powder to taste.


Crab Meat Omelet

For omelet-making technique, listen to the audio episode.


Quickly Thaw A Frozen Turkey

Leave the turkey in packaging and place in a large container, like an ice chest or cooler, and cover the turkey in cold water.  (DO NOT USE HOT WATER.)  Every 30-minutes, change out the water with more fresh, cold water.  Repeat until turkey is no longer frozen and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Average time to thaw:  30-minutes per lb.


Open-Faced Breakfast Muffin

6 eggs
heavy whipping cream or sour cream
chives
crumbled turkey sausage
pieces of pre-cooked bacon
butter
spinach
salt & pepper
avocado, sliced
muffin, sliced

Brown sausage and bacon in a pan and add butter.  Scramble eggs, whipping cream, and chives together in a bowl.

Gently, fold in the eggs into the pan with sausage and bacon.  For fluffy eggs, do not over-work them when folding in.  Season with salt & pepper.

Brown slice of muffin in a toaster or in a pan with or without butter.  Assemble eggs on top of muffin and top with sliced avocado.


Crawfish Etouffee Enchilada

leftover crawfish etouffee
tortillas
enchilada sauce

Roll leftover etouffee in tortillas, cover with your favorite enchilada sauce, and warm through in an oven for 15-20 minutes. That’s it!


White Turkey Chili

1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (4oz) cans green chile peppers, chopped
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs oregano
pinch of ground cinnamon
Cajun seasoning
5 cups chicken broth
3 (15 oz) cans of white beans

Brown turkey with onion and garlic in a large pot over medium heat and season with Cajun seasoning.  Add chile peppers, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon and stir while cooking for about another 5-minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and 2 cans of white beans.  Puree the remaining can of beans in a blender or food processor and stir into the soup.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Seared Tuna

sashimi-grade tuna
oil
everything bagel seasoning

Pat tuna dry.  Heat oil in a pan.  Press seasoning into tuna and sear on each side for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.


Shrimp Spring Roll

rice paper wrappers
carrot, julienned
cucumber, julienned
purple cabbage, julienned
cilantro
microgreens
kelp noodles
shrimp

Soak wrappers in water for about 30 seconds.  Build inside wrapper and fold.


Avocado Toast

slice of toast
avocado
poached egg
diced tomatoes
bacon
green onions

To poach an egg, gently boil water in a large pot and salt the water.  Crack your eggs into small, individual cups so they’re ready to pour into the water.

Once the water is at a gentle boil, stir in a circular motion and add the eggs when the motion of the water is really moving so that the egg white wraps itself around the egg and it stays together as it cooks.  Cook the eggs for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Assemble with other ingredients on your favorite slice of toast.


Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil divided
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup baby carrots sliced
2 tsp minced ginger
2 garlic cloves minced

For Sauce:

1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together corn starch and water. Add remaining ingredients (chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet or wok and heat over medium-high heat.
Add chicken (in batches if necessary) and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from skillet.
Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet.
Add broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, just until crisp-tender. Add ginger and garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add chicken back into the skillet and stir to combine.
Whisk stir fry sauce and pour over chicken and vegetables and stir gently to combine.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and let boil for one minute.
Serve with rice and/or chow mein if desired.


Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 head butter lettuce

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned.  Drain excess fat.

Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and Sriracha until the onions have become translucent.

Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.


Shrimp On The Barbie

1 lb raw jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined with tail on
Old Bay Seasoning to taste
1/4 cup butter
3/4 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Skewer shrimp.  Melt butter in a pan over low heat with minced garlic.  Then add all other ingredients except shrimp and lava sauce.

Brush one side of the shrimp with garlic butter mixture and grill over medium heat for about 3-minutes with butter face down.

Brush the uncooked side with garlic butter, then turn and cook for an additional 3 minutes until opaque and pink.

Finish with Noni’s Lava Sauce.


Hawaiian Grill

boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubs
cajun seasoning
bacon
pineapple, 1-inch cubes
Italian dressing
Cajun Power Garlic Sauce
Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce

Season chicken breast and let sit overnight in the fridge.

Wrap chicken cubes in a single layer of bacon, alternating with pineapple cubes, and affix them onto a skewer.  Mix 2 parts Italian dressing, 1 part garlic sauce, and 1/2 part Worcestershire sauce to make baste.

Grill skewers, basting with sauce occasionally until done.

Enjoy!


Sandwich Wrap

wrap
mayonnaise
mustard
spinach
bacon
deli meat
cheese
avocado
Press N Seal  wrap

Assemble and use Press N Seal wrap to take on road trips, work, flying, etc.


Eggplant Pizza Bake

eggplant cut into medallions
jar of marinara/pizza sauce
red onion, sliced
black olives
jalapenos, sliced
pepperoni
1/2 lbs. ground beef
pre-cooked ham
mozzarella cheese

Air fry medallions of eggplant at 390 degrees for about 6 minutes per side.

Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Brown and drain ground beef.  Heat pepperoni in a pan to remove grease.

Layer eggplant in a casserole dish and cover with sauce, ground beef, cheese, and other toppings.  Bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted.


Tomato Bacon Salad

cherry tomatoes halved
smoked bacon, cooked
green onions, chopped
Cousin’s Creole Tomato Dressing
mayonnaisse
black pepper


Volcano Wings

chicken wings
Cajun seasoning
Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce – 1/2 cup
Noni’s Lava Sauce – 1/4 cup
canola spray

Preheat the airfryer at 400 degrees.  Season wings well and spray the airfryer basket.

Cook one layer of wings for 7 – 8 minutes.  While cooking wings, combine the sauces in a small saucepan and cook together over medium-low heat.

Flip wings and cook another 7 – 8 minutes.

Place wings and the sauce in a mixing bowl and toss to coat. Enjoy!


Peanut Butter Balls

3/4 cup thick rolled oats (grind in blender)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (natural or organic)
1/4 cup honey
2 large scoops of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

Mix everything in a large bowl.  Pack and roll into bite-sized balls.  Place on wax paper and store in the fridge.


Breakfast Tacos

6 eggs
heavy whipping cream or sour cream
chives
crumbled turkey sausage
pieces of pre-cooked bacon
butter
spinach
salt & pepper
fajita tortillas

Brown sausage and bacon in a pan and add butter.  Scramble eggs, whipping cream, and chives together in a bowl.

Gently, fold in the eggs into the pan with sausage and bacon.  For fluffy eggs, do not over-work them when folding in.  Season with salt & pepper.

Fill tortilla and fold.


Rosemary Garlic Pork Chops

pork loin chop
seasoning of your choice
1 tbsp. freshly minced rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1bsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 and season pork chops.

Mix together butter, rosemary, and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then add pork chops and sear until golden.  Flip and sear the other side.  Then, brush pork chops with garlic butter.

Place the oven-safe skillet in the oven and cook until done (about 10-15 minutes.)  Serve with more garlic butter.


Creamy Chicken Thighs

chicken thighs
cream of mushroom soup
cream of celery soup
Cajun seasoning

Preheat over to 375.  Season the chicken thighs and place in a pan.  Cover chicken with cans of soup and cover with foil.  Bake for approx. 1.5 hours.


Rice Cooker Potatoes

potatoes of your choice, cut
butter
1-can of French Onion Soup

Spray rice cooker with non-stick spray.  Slice potatoes.  Put one layer of potatoes, add butter, add another layer of potatoes, add butter, etc.  Continue until the rice cooker is about 4/5 full.  Add a can of French Onion Soup.

Cover and start the rice cooker.  Once the cycle is complete, stir.  If potatoes are still a little hard, restart the rice cooker.

If desired, use cheese with the butter on each layer or on top before cooking.


Sauteed Crab Meat in Butter

crab meat
butter
seasoning

Melt butter in a skillet.  Sautee crab meat until done.  Season to taste.

This can be served as is or in combination with a variety of other dishes.


Salmon

1.5 lbs of salmon
olive oil spray or butter
Paul Prudhomme’s Salmon Magic seasoning

Preheat oven to 450.  Put salmon skin-side down on sprayed/greased aluminum foil on a baking sheet.  Use Paul Prudhomme’s salmon magic to season fish.

Bake at 450 between 12-15  minutes.

Enjoy!


Shrimp Etouffee A La Nancy

1 stick of butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 can of Rotel
1 can cream of celery soup
Cajun seasoning to taste
1.15 – 1.5 lbs medium shrimp
1/4 cup green onions

Melt the stick of butter and add onions and garlic into a hot pan until translucent.  Add a can of Rotel and saute for 10 minutes.  Add the can of cream of celery soup, stir, and cook another 5 minutes.

Add shrimp, green onions, and seasoning.  Simmer covered for about 25-minutes.

Serve over rice or something else.


Crawfish Dressing

1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped bell pepper
2 garlic pods, chopped or minced
1-2lbs. of crawfish
1 can of cream of shrimp
2 cups of cooked rice
Cajun seasoning to taste
1 stick of butter

Season and sautee onions and bell peppers.  Add garlic and butter.  Sautee until onions and bell peppers are cooked down pretty well.  Add crawfish and cook for 10-minutes.

Add cream of shrimp and stir well.  Add small portions of cooked rice until mixed well.  (Be careful not to overmix; rice could get mushy.)

Pour into a well-greased casserole dish.  If the mixture seems dry, add a little milk or half and half.

Bake uncovered for 30-minutes.  Serve hot.


Marinated Air Fryer Fish

fish filet
Cajun seasoning
Italian dressing
Cajun Power Garlic Sauce

Season fish and marinate overnight (if possible) in dressing and sauce.

Preheat the air fryer to 390. Spray basket with olive oil. Add fish and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 1/2 minutes.


Corn and Crab Bisque

1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1lb crabmeat (claws preferred)
1 12oz pack of frozen corn
16 oz chicken broth
16 oz half & half
8 oz heavy cream
cajun seasoning or salt & white pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
chopped green onions

Over medium heat, melt butter in a stockpot.  Slowly stir in flour and make a roux.  Continue stirring the roux until about the color of peanut butter.  While making roux, heat broth in a separate pot.

When the roux is ready, slowly add in 1/2 warm chicken broth, stirring continuously.  Be careful to do this process slowly to avoid the roux separating.  Next stir in the heavy cream.  Add in the rest of the broth and season to taste.

Check thickness.  Use half & half to thicken or additional broth if too thick.  This is a personal preference.

Add corn and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Continue to stir every few minutes.  Continue to use broth or half & half as needed.  Add crabmeat and cook for ten minutes.

Serve garnished with green onions.


Garlic Butter Chicken

boneless skinless chicken breast pounded or sliced thin
olive oil
poultry seasoning
chicken broth
3/4 stick of butter
2 tsp minced garlic

Heat up olive oil in a pan.  Season and cook chicken in hot oil on both sides, flipping every 5-minutes.  Remove chicken.

Deglaze the pan with chicken broth.  Add butter and stir.  Add minced garlic.  Cook down for about 10-minutes and blend well over medium heat to prevent the butter from separating.  Add chicken back into the pan for another 10-minutes.

Enjoy!


Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
1 pack of onion soup mix
cajun seasoning (to taste)
1 15 oz tomato sauce

Mix seasoning blend & onion soup into meat.  Add about 2/3 of can of tomato sauce.  Mix well.

Put in 9X5 pan and cover with remaining tomato sauce.  Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees.

Enjoy!


Chicken Salad

leftover rotisserie chicken
jalapenos chopped
mayonnaise

Shred chicken meat and mix with other ingredients. Ratio according to your personal preference.


Shrimp Fajitas

large shrimp (15 count)
Cajun seasoning
butter
onions sliced
bell peppers sliced
tortillas

Peel and dry shrimp, season, and sear in a hot cast-iron skillet with butter until “blackened” then place on the side.

Season onions and bell peppers.  Add a little more butter.  Then cook vegetables down quickly on medium-high heat until soft.

Heat up tortillas and serve.


Creamy Boursin Spinach

2 packs of frozen spinach
Cajun seasoning to taste
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 block of Boursin cheese

Cook down spinach for about 10 minutes over medium heat.  Add Cajun seasoning, heavy whipping cream, and Boursin cheese.

Stir and continue to cook over medium heat until cooked thoroughly.


Air Fried Crawfish

1 lb of crawfish
salt & pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
1 tbs of flour
pinch or two of baking powder

Mix all ingredients together.  The batter should be wet and sticky.

Toss in breadcrumbs.

Cook for 20-minutes in an air fryer at 400-degrees.  Every few minutes, toss crawfish in the pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray (preferably canola oil or another oil-based spray with a high smoke point.)


Shrimp Salad (Dip)

1 lb of shrimp (boiled or sauteed)
4 boiled eggs
mayonnaise
ketchup
horseradish
hot sauce
Worchestershire sauce (if desired)
Cajun seasoning
Old Bay seasoning
green onions

Let shrimp dry after boiling or sauteeing, then cut into smaller pieces.  Mix together and fold in the rest of the ingredients – amounts to your taste.


Turkey Burger

85/15 ground turkey
jalapenos chopped
green onions chopped
Cajun Seasoning

Combine and season to taste.  Form patties and cook in skillet.  Fast, easy, and delicious!


Crawfish Etouffee

1 lb peeled crawfish
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 sticks of butter
salt
Cajun seasoning

Melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat.  Add onions, add vegetables and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic, continuing to stir.  Once cooked well, add crawfish tails and the second stick of butter.

Season to taste, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over rice or get creative!


Pain Perdu

1 loaf of french bread (at least a day old)
2 whole eggs
2 cups of milk
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of salted butter
1 cup of syrup
powdered sugar

Slice bread about 2 inches thick in diameter.

Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.  Dip slices in and let sit in wet batter for five minutes.

Add butter to saute pan on medium heat.  Cook slices with 1-inch separation between each.  Cook 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve with syrup or powdered sugar… or both!


Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

3-4 lbs beef roast
4 cloves garlic
jar of pepperoncini peppers w/ juice
Options: ranch dressing packet, au jus packet, onion soup packet

Cook on low for at least 6 hours. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.


Guacamole

4 large avocados or 6 small avocados
3 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, cut fine
juice of half a lime
salt to taste
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of chili powder

Mash avocado, add tomato, onion, and jalapeno.  Mix.  Add seasoning.  Mix.  Add lime juice.  Mix.


Shrimp Stew

jar of roux
onion
green onions
garlic
2-3 lbs of shrimp
half a dozen of eggs
1 small can of tomato paste
2 cups water
1 cup broth (seafood or chicken)
seasoning to taste
dash of sugar
1 lemon
1 bay leaf
rice

Use jar roux hack!  (Reheat jar roux like you would be making a roux instead of just dissolving it in boiling water.)

Cook roux down with onions, garlic, and tomato paste.  Then, add liquids and the rest of the ingredients except rice and shrimp.  Simmer for about an hour.

Add shrimp and cook until shrimp is done.  Add more liquid if needed.


Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tbsp oil or butter
1 onion chopped
1-2 large carrots sliced
2 ribs celery chopped
8 oz med./broad egg noodles
2-3 cups rotisserie chicken meat
8 cups chicken broth or stock
1-2 cups water
seasoning to taste

Heat butter or oil in 6 quart pot over medium heat.  When hot, add vegetables and cook about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except noodles) and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce to medium heat and cook until vegetables are nearly tender (about 10 minutes).

Add noodles, bring to a heavy simmer.  Put lid over pot and cook another 10 minutes until noodles are tender.


Lobster Boil Popcorn

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper

Add kernels and olive oil to a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Turn the heat to medium-high and cover with the lid. Once you hear the kernels beginning to pop, shake the pot.

Once the popping spots remove from the pot from the heat and add popcorn to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle melted butter with other ingredients over popcorn and shake.


Vegetable Beef Soup

2-3 pounds beef stew meat
flour
1 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 large cans peeled whole tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
large meaty soup bone
Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper
hot sauce
1 bag of frozen corn
1 bag of frozen string beans
1 bag of frozen lima beans
1 bag of frozen sliced carrots
2 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 turnip cubed
4 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon of Lea & Perrin’s

Cut beef in small pieces and dredge in flour. Heat oil and add meat and onions. Brown meat, then add tomatoes with the juice, tomato sauce, soup bone, and water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Add vegetables and beef bouillon and simmer for a couple of hours. Add Lea & Perrin’s before serving.


Air Fryer Steak

1 1/2″ filet
olive oil spray
salt & pepper to taste or Cavender’s Greek Seasoning
garlic butter

Let steaks sit out for 45 minutes and preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 390 degrees.  Spray steaks and season liberally.

For medium-rare, cook 6 minutes and remove from the air fryer.  Put a pat of butter, tent with foil, and allow steak to sit loosely covered for 5-10 minutes to allow steak to finish cooking.


Chili

5 lbs ground meat
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 chopped bell pepper
tablespoon of garlic
1 60z can of tomato paste
1/2 cup of chili powder
6 cups of water
3 tablespoons of beef base
cajun seasoning to taste
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup of white roux

In a large stockpot over high heat, cook the ground beef until completely browned and drain.  Lower to medium heat and add onions, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook until onions become translucent (about 10 – 15 minutes).

Add tomato paste and chili powder and mix well until completely dissolved.  Add water and bring to a boil on high heat.  Add beef base and mix until completely dissolved.  Once dissolved, add seasoning and sugar and reduce the heat to low/medium.  Add white roux and stir until dissolved, then let cook for 1 1/2 hours.


Hot Dogs

hot dogs (all beef)
crab boil
butter
buns
your favorite condiments

Boil water with crab boil (use cautiously… a capful or 2 is usually enough for 6 dogs).  Poke a few holes in the dogs and boil.  Remove and dry on paper towel.

Heat hot dogs on griddle or frying pan to medium, melting 1/2 tbsp. of butter in it as it heats.  After patting dry, slice hot dogs lengthwise, butterflying them (leave attached).  Brown them on the grill.

Remove and place the open bun on the grill, browning the inside… don’t flip unless you want it really greasy.


Corn Pudding

1 medium onion
1/2 medium bell pepper
1 can yellow corn
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 cups milk
1 eggs
breadcrumbs
butter

Sautee onions and bell peppers in a little oil. Add corn and cornmeal (beat eggs, milk, salt, & pepper). Add to corn mixture. Mix well and stir over low heat until thickened.

Pour in a shallow baking dish and cover with breadcrumbs and dabs of butter. Bake at 350 for an hour.


Oven Roasted Potatoes

bag of small potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
Italian seasoning blend

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Half potatoes and place in an oven-safe pan.  Cover with olive oil.  Add salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste.  Shake to make sure oil and seasoning cover potatoes.

Place in oven skin-side down.  Cook for 20-minutes, remove, shake the pan, place back in the oven for another 20-minutes or until browned & fork tender.


Air Fryer Chicken Wings

cajun seasoning
your favorite hot sauce
air fryer (or oil for frying)

Season wings thoroughly and let them sit (in the fridge) for at least an hour.

Preheat air fryer by running it for 2-minutes on 400. Place a single layer of wings in fryer and cook for 80minutes at 400. Flip, repeat.

Place cooked wings in a mixing bowl. Sauce and shake to coat.


Brussels Sprouts w/ Garlic & Bacon

3 strips of bacon
1/4 stick of butter
1 tsp chopped or minced garlic
2 cups of chicken broth

Cook bacon, remove and reduce heat to medium. Add butter and stir until butter is melted. Add Brussels sprouts and cook, browning the edge. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two.

Add broth a little at a time. As broth reduces, add a little more, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Cook until Brussels sprouts are tender but not mushy.


Stuffed Bell Peppers w/ Rice Dressing

10 medium bell peppers, tops cut & seeds removed
dressing mix
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cooked rice
seasoning
bread crumbs

Prep bell peppers, then place in a large stockpot. Cover peppers with water, bring to a boil, & cook for 15 minutes.

Cook dressing mix until heated. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes. Then, add ground beef and cook until done. Add cooked rice & mix thoroughly. Turn off heat.

Remove peppers and drain. Place in a casserole dish and spoon in the rice/meat mixture until full.

Cook for 25 minutes at 350. Add bread crumbs and return to oven for 15 minutes.


Boudin Cakes (for Breakfast)

several links of cold boudin
two eggs, beaten with water
flour
bread crumbs
oil

Heat oil in a large frying pan.

Form boudin into burger-sized patties, coat with flour, dip in egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs.  Fry until browned and heated through.

Cover with etouffee or eat as a side with eggs.


Shrimp Valentine

3 strips of bacon
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 stick of butter
1 large can of artichoke hearts (in water) or 1 head of broccoli
1 Roma tomato, seeded
1 lb. medium or large uncooked shrimp
pasta

Cook bacon, set aside. Add butter to bacon grease. Over medium heat, add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomato. Cook for several minutes, adding a little of the broth. Add shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through.

Add remaining broth and lower heat. Fold in cooked pasta. Add a little butter if needed and season to taste.


Deviled Eggs

eggs
cajun seasoning
black pepper
celery salt
mayonnaise
mustard
dijon mustard
pickle juice

Boil eggs for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let eggs sit for at least 5 more minutes.  Peel eggs under cool, running water.

Slice eggs in half, place yolks in a bowl, and mash until fine.  Add the rest of the ingredients, but add mayonnaise a little at a time as not to make the mixture too wet.

Refill the eggs with the yolk mixture and sprinkle Cajun seasoning.


Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and cubed
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 can sliced black olives
1/2 medium red onion, diced
salt
pepper
Girard’s Champagne Dressing (or Italian dressing)

Combine ingredients, cover with dressing and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours. The longer, the better.


Seafood Stack

boiled shrimp
sliced avocado
chopped tomato
diced red onion
artificial crab meat
mayonnaise
sriracha
leftover cold rice

Mix artificial crab meat with mayonnaise and sriracha to make a crab salad. Then, layer ingredients in a ramekin in this order: shrimp, avocado, tomato, onion, crab salad, rice. Lightly compress, then flip over.

Different types of seafood can be substituted. Cucumbers and other vegetables can also be added.

Dress with sriracha mayonnaise.


New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

2-3 pounds of shrimp (head-on have most flavor)
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 tsp liquid crab boil
1 stick butter
2 small lemons
Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
loaf of French bread

Set oven broiler on high.  Mix dressing, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, and garlic in a bowl.  Place shrimp in a casserole dish.  Pour mixture over shrimp.

Slice butter into thin pats and spread evenly to cover shrimp.  Thinly slice lemons and lay on top of shrimp.

Place dish under broiler for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp beings to turn pink.

Reset oven to 350 degrees and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until shrimp are cooked.


Garlic Edamame

1 bag of froze edamame
1tsp of chopped or minced garlic
salt
pepper
chopped parsley or other mild herb

Microwave as instructed, but stop with 30-seconds remaining, add garlic and mix well.  (I always microwave in a bowl instead of the bag.)  Finish microwaving, then add the rest of the ingredients.

That’s it!


Hamburger Steak w/ Mushrooms & Onions

1 lb ground beef
cajun seasoning
3 strips of bacon
1/2 cup sliced yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
butter
beef broth
soy sauce
steak sauce (I use Tabasco Caribbean Jerk)

Season ground beef and form “steaks” (you will have between two and four depending on how big you like them). Cook bacon and set aside, then cook “steaks” in bacon drippings and make sure they are done completely.

Remove steaks, reduce heat to low-medium, and add 1 tbsp of butter and melt. Then, add onions and saute for a few minutes before adding the mushrooms. Saute again while adding about 1/4 cup of beef broth, another tbsp of butter, adding a few drops of soy sauce and steak sauce.

Saute for another minute or so. Feel free to add more broth and butter depending on how wet you want your sauce.

This could also be served over mashed potatoes.


Fried Rice

Ingredients
cold cooked rice
butter
salt
pepper
sesame oil (optional)
chopped onion
egg
frozen peas and carrots
protein of choice (I often use rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked shrimp)
green onion
soy sauce

The key to this working is using cold rice.

Heat butter until melted. I usually add a few drops of sesame oil into the butter. A little goes a long way.

Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and somewhat clear. Next, add the frozen peas and carrots and stir until heated. (Moisture from the frozen vegetables often reduces the need for water or broth, but add water if needed.)

Raise heat to medium-high or high and immediately add the protein and rice. Stir constantly until heated. During this stirring process, I crack one or two eggs and add to the mixture, continuing to stir until the egg is cooked.

That’s it! Serve with soy sauce and chopped green onions.


Air Fryer Crab Cakes

Air Fryer Crab Cakes

Ingredients
8 oz lump crab
1/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
2 green onion chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp dijon mustard
cajun seasoning or old bay seasoning
oil for spraying
squeeze of lemon

Mix all ingredients but oil and lemon in a bowl and stir until combined. Form 4 patties with the mixture.

Place in an air fryer basket and lightly spray tops with oil. Air fry at 370 degrees for 10 minutes. Open and squeeze a bit of lemon over tops before serving.

Serve with remoulade sauce.
To make homemade remoulade sauce, whisk:
1/2 cup mayo
1tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sweet relish
1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp horseradish sauce
1 clove garlic grated


White Beans

This can be served as a side dish or an entree! I like it with fried catfish or smothered round steak. Heck, you can even make it a soup!

1 lb bag of Great Northerns
1 link smoked sausage, cut
1/2 lb of cut ham hocks (or cut ham)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3-4 cups of chicken broth
3-4 cups of water
salt
pepper
cajun seasoning
rice
At the end, I will give a few shortcuts to make this even easier!

Soak beans in water for at least a few hours. I did mine when I left for work in the morning. I change the water at least once.

In a large pot, add a few tablespoons of oil. Over medium heat, add vegetables once the oil is hot. Stir for a few minutes. Add meats and saute for another 10 minutes or so. Add a little more oil if needed.

After everything is heated and vegetables are cooked down, stir in beans (drained of liquid). Immediately add two cups of water and two cups of broth. Season with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for ten minutes.

Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 203 hours, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Add additional liquid as needed.

When done, serve over rice.

Always taste along the way to check for seasoning and beans consistency. I like to cook until the beans are soft. Some people like them a little firmer.

Also, if you want this to be more of a soup, add more liquid.

Super shortcut: heat ham hocks, sausage and/or ham in oil. Once browned, just pour in a can or two of Blue Runner White Beans (I think they use navy beans).

Enjoy!


Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
thinly-sliced chicken breasts
olive oil
butter
flour
salt
pepper
chicken broth
capers

If you can’t find thinly-sliced chicken breasts, slice boneless/skinless breasts lengthwise. Place in ziploc and use mallet (or an empty wine bottle, rolling pin, etc) to pound until 1/2″ to 1″ thick.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet over medium heat. Put flour in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour. Pan fry breasts until browned.

Because you will likely need to do several batches, heat over to 250-300 and transfer cooked chicken to a cookie sheet or plate to keep warm.

After cooking chicken, add butter to skillet. Over medium-low heat, stir butter into remaining oil, making sure to scrape all of the residue left from cooking the chicken. After butter is melted, add chicken broth. Stir. Sauce won’t be thick, but will be a nice light brown color.

After warm, add capers and a bit of the liquid. Continue to stir. After warm, add a squeeze of juice from half a lemon.

That’s it! I usually serve with broad egg noodles. For a vegetable, my preference is Brussel sprouts or asparagus.


Crawfish Maque Choux

Note: You can simplify this by replacing the bacon with a little oil (vegetable, canola, etc.). Also a large can of corn and can of cream-style corn can replace the fresh corn and cream.

Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon
1/2 stick of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
1cup chicken broth
6 ears of corn, cut from cob
1 can Rotel
1 lb. peeled crawfish
3/4 cup heavy cream
green onion (optional)

Cook bacon in a medium to large pot. (large/nonstick) Remove bacon and add butter. Cook over medium-low heat until melted. Add vegetables and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add corn and broth. Mix ingredients well and cook for about 15 minutes.

Make sure the liquid has evaporated completely. Add Rotel, crawfish, and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cooked for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Garnish with chopped green onion and crumbled bacon. Can be served as a side or as a main dish (over rice or as-is).

If you would like to make it ‘wetter’, add more broth and cream at the final stage.


Keto-Friendly Chicken Crust Pizza!

It’s easy, loaded with protein, and as keto as you want to make it.

1lb of ground chicken (season to taste)
1 egg yolk (optional)

Heat oven to 400 and spread ground chicken as thin as you can with no holes on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.

Bake the chicken in the oven for about 20 minutes, then take it out and add the toppings of your choice.

Put the pizza back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until your toppings have cooked and your cheese is golden brown.



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