A Cajun/Mexican Love Affair

A Cajun/Mexican Love Affair

 Ingredients:

• 1 pound of linguine noodles
• 5Tbls of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 1/4 cup of diced celery
• 1/2 cup of diced green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1Tbls of minced garlic
• 1Tbls of dried parsley flakes
• 2 tsp of Tony's seasoning (or more if wanted)
• 1 pound package of peeled crawfish tails, (do not drain or rinse) 
• 1C heavy whipping cream
• 1 Can Rotel with Green Chiles 
• 1 pound of Velveeta cheese, cubes

Instructions:

Cook Linguine to desired tenderness, drain & set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, celery & bell pepper, cook until tender. 

Stir in the flour & cook a couple of minutes until it becomes like a paste. Add the garlic, cook another 2 minutes. Add the parsley, Cajun seasoning & crawfish, cook on a low simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add in the heavy whipping cream, the entire can of Rotel with juice & the Velveeta, continue cooking over low until the cheese is melted and creamy. 

In a large baking dish, spray with non-stick spray, pour in the pasta and the cheese sauce, mix well, bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.  

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat) in the Crock Pot

Zuppa Toscana in the crock pot

(copycat of Olive Garden)

Ingredients:

1-2lbs Hot Italian Sausage

(cooked through, drained on paper towels, but don’t press out) the grease)

2lbs of Yellow Potatoes, washed, sliced in half then in thin slices

1 large onion, chopped small

¼ Cup of cooked bacon pieces (optional)

2 Tbls Minced Garlic

2 Cups Kale, chopped (optional)

48oz Chicken Broth

1Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2Tbls Flour

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Turn the Crock Pot to high

Pour in the Chicken Broth, add the minced Garlic, stir together, add the cooked Hot Italian Sausage, the chopped Onion, the thinly sliced Potatoes, & Bacon.  Cook on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.

30 minutes before serving add Heavy Whipping Cream and Flour to a jar with a screw tight lid and shake vigorously until smooth. Add to the crock pot along with the Kale. Cook on high for 30 more minutes. 

Add Salt and Pepper to Taste

I made this tonight without the Bacon and the Kale and it was delicious and spot on, so fast and simple!  

Enjoy!!!

Super Simple, Pulled Pork (crockpot)

Super Simple, Pulled Pork 

(crockpot)

Ingredients:

1-2 Pounds of  Pork Chops (thin or thick cut)

1/2 Cup Water

1/2 and Onion Sliced

Circle F Private Reserve (pulled pork seasoning)

2 Bottles (your choice) BBQ Sauce 

Buns, Bread, or Tortillas

Directions:

Pour the 1/2 cup of Water in the bottom of the Crockpot, add 1/4 of a bottle of BBQ sauce. Seasons each of your Pork Chops, both front and back with your Circle F Private Reserve (pulled port seasoning) Can be purchased at this link....   http://pfarmertx.blogspot.com/2013/08/circle-f-private-reserve-spice-trader.html   

It is really a delicious seasoning, worth the money! Give it a try. Then start layering your in your seasoned Pork Chops, then a layer of Sliced Onions, then a layer of BBQ Sauce (using only one bottle).  I was able to put three across the bottom and four on my second layer. I used thin pork chops.

                          

What your Crockpot should look like when you're done layering. Your cook time will vary with the thickness of your Porkchop. Start with four hours on low, and cook up to six hours, but remember to test at four hours. If they pull apart easily they're done. 

After your Porkchops are cooked through, use a slotted spoon to put them in your stand mixer, using the white paddle mix them on low or number two until finely pulled apart

 Then scoop into a Tortilla, Bun, or onto Bread, apply BBQ sauce from the second bottle if you'd like to have sauced pulled pork. 

ENJOY!

If you'd like to purchase the pulled pork seasoning I used, you can find it at the link below.  

Circle F Private Reserve has many different spices, I have four different ones that we use regularly and they're all delicious! Give them a try. 

http://pfarmertx.blogspot.com/2013/08/circle-f-private-reserve-spice-trader.html 

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1-2 Pounds of Beef Stew Meat, fat trimmed, and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 Cup of All Purpose Flour
1tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp Onion Powder
1tsp of Black Pepper
1tsp of Parsley
1tsp of the left over Flour
2Tbls of Olive Oil
2Tbls of Butter
1Medium Onion Diced
1Package of Fresh Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced small
1(10oz)Can of Beef Broth
1(10oz)Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1Cup of Sour Cream
1Package of Egg Noodles, cooked to desired tenderness
1Gallon Ziplock Bag

Directions:

Trim the fat off the pieces of stew meat and cut into bite size pieces. In a 1 Gallon Ziplock bag, combine the 1/2Cup of Flour, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, & Parlsey. Add the meat to the bag and coat the meat by shaking it all up thoroughly. 

In a large non-stick skillet, add the Olive Oil and the Butter, heat on Medium-High. When the butter is melted completely and the pan is hot, using your hands put the coated Stew Meat into the pan. Do not pour the entire bag into the pan, you don't want all the extra flour in the pan. Brown the meat quickly, you do not have to cook it through. About eight minutes total, while stirring. Take the meat out with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Add Sliced Mushrooms and Onions to the pan and cook until the Onions are Clear and the Mushrooms are soft. Put the Stew Meat back in the pan, sprinkle with the 1tsp of left over flour, add in your Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Beef Broth, stir together well. Cover and cook on low for about 30 minutes. Make your noodles now while you're Stroganoff is finishing. 

After the 30 minutes add Salt and Pepper to Taste. Stir in the Sour Cream just before you serve. Serve over cooked Egg Noodles. 

Enjoy! 

Creamy Ranch Chicken

 Creamy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:

1 small package of Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs trimmed

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

½ an Onion Chopped

1 Tablespoon Butter

¾ Cup of Milk

1 10oz Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

Salt & Pepper to taste

Or Tonys J

1 package of Pasta, your choice Or Rice

Directions:

Trim all the fat off of your Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs, then cut into bite size pieces, and place in a bowl. Liberally pour Garlic Powder and Onion Powder over the cut chicken stirring frequently to coat each piece evenly. Pour your Olive Oil in to your frying pan, heat to medium-high and add the Chicken

Mean while dice up half of an Onion. When your Chicken is about half cooked (most pieces of meat are white now) add the Onion and the Butter to the pan, continue to stir frequently cooking the Chicken the rest of the way through. This whole process should take about ten to twelve minutes. If you aren't sure if your Chicken is cooked through, pick out the biggest piece with a fork, cut it in half, if the Chicken is white all the way through you are good to go! 

Meanwhile, start your water and boil your Pasta, drain and set aside. If you decide to serve your Creamy Ranch Chicken over Rice, you’ll need to start that before you start cooking your Chicken!

The picture above is what your Chicken & Onion mixture looks like completely cooked. I apologize I didn't get a picture of all the liquids together with the Chicken, but as follows are the directions for that part. 

After your Chicken is cooked through and your Onions are clear, add in your ¾ cups of Milk, your can of Cream of Mushroom Soup, and the entire package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix. Bring your liquid & Chicken mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low for ten minutes until slightly thickened. Season again with Salt & Pepper, or for me Tony’s. 

Pour your Creamy Ranch Chicken over Pasta Or Rice, add a little salad or veggie to the side. Super quick and delicious! In the picture I chose to mix all of mine together. If you make it with rice you would be better off pouring it over a pile of rice. Also if you find in your first try that there isn't enough "gravy" you can double the liquid portion of the recipe, or choose not let it reduce as much. Either way it's great! If you choose to chose Tony's you'll get a little more heat in your recipe. 

Enjoy!  

Creamy Shrimp & Mushroom Linguine

1 Package of Linguine

1 Stick of Butter

3T of Butter

1 Small Onion chopped finely 

1 Package Fresh Mushrooms Sliced Thin

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

4oz of Cream Cheese

2T of Chopped Parsley

2/3C Boiling Water

2-lbs Whole Fresh Shrimp

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Pasta: Cook pasta as directed on package to desired 

tenderness. 

Shrimp: Remove heads, tails, shell, & devein. Wash. 

In a large skillet, using medium high heat melt two

tablespoons of butter and toss in shrimp, cook shrimp 

until just done and pink, about 4 minutes. Any longer 

& it will become rubbery. Remove shrimp with a slotted

spoon and set aside. Add the last tablespoon of butter 

to the butter left over from the shrimp. When it's 

melted add chopped onion and sliced mushrooms, saute 

until the onions are translucent. Remove Onions and Mushrooms

with a slotted spoon & set aside with the shrimp.

Sauce: On medium high heat in the same pan with left 

over drippings from Shrimp Mushrooms, & Onions, melt 

down the stick of butter, garlic, & the 4oz of Cream 

Cheese. Use a whisk to keep breaking it down. When 

it's broke down completely it will look like white curds

in the butter, it will NOT be smooth. Stir in the Parsley

& simmer for 5 minutes. Next add the 2/3C Boiling Water &

keep whisking until smooth, allow to simmer for another five

minutes. Salt & Pepper to taste. Add back the Shrimp, Onions,

& Mushrooms, heat through. Add in the pasta, toss and 

heat through. Serve in a bowl with french bread. 

Sorry for the lack of progress pictures, I was in a hurry with dinner. 

Enjoy! 

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs.

Cock Pot BBQ Ribs

I am not a grill master. I have never even turned the grill on. But if it can be cooked in the kitchen, I've got it made! So I found away around the grill.  My husband's most favorite food is Ribs. He bought a small rack of ribs a couple of months ago and put them in the freezer. However since we travel for a living, we live in a 40foot 5th wheel and if you know RV's then you understand his ribs were taking up precious freezer space. Working double shifts he never had time to get them on the grill for us. So for his birthday I made him ribs in the Crock Pot. They turned out so yummy and tender. Give them a try! 

4 pounds pork ribs
salt, pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder

For the Sauce:
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce(I used Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, I'm from Texas)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried oregano
(optional) 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke (if you like a smokey flavor)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel off the film layer off of the back of the ribs, rub in your desired amount of salt, pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder. Bake for 15 minutes & then turn over bake for 15 more minutes. 

In a medium bowl combine BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, oregano, and 

liquid smoke if desired.

Place ribs in a large slow cooker (at least 6 quart). You can cut them in half if you need to. Pour sauce on top & cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender.

If you want to caramelize your BBQ sauce put them back in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Enjoy!