Archive for March, 2010

A New Twist on your Etouffee

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Lent is quickly winding to an end, but I am just in time to give you a new spin on traditional etouffee.  Historically, this Cajun recipe is served over rice.  Today, I am going to first show you how easy our Etouffee base mix is to use.  Next, I’ll incorporate it with baked potatoes for the best twice baked potatoes. You can easily serve these as a main dish or portion smaller as a side.

Another cool twist with this recipe is you can choose your protein.  Today, I will be using shrimp because I have some available.  However, ALWAYS keep in mind a recipe is a “guide” (unless baking!).  If you have crawfish available, please use in this recipe.  If not making a “Lent friendly” recipe, left over chicken works awesome in this recipe as well.  Always adjust to your taste and those for whom you are cooking.

Shrimp Etouffee Twice Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Etouffee stuffing ingredients:

These ingredients will start off your stuffing!

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 1/2 cups cold milk

1 (2.75 oz.) Tony Chachere’s Etouffee Mix

1 lb. Tony Chachere’s Wild Caught Shrimp or choice of seafood, precooked meat (chicken or sausage)

3 tablespoons chopped green onions

6 medium pre-baked potatoes or 3 large cut in half

1 cup shredded cheese of choice

In a large skillet melt butter.  Add onions and saute until tender and transparent.  Add milk, etouffee mix, and meat. Stir gently while mixture comes up to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook about 5 minutes.  Add green  onions and remove from heat.  Gently scoop out pulp of potatoes, keeping skins in tact and placing on cookie sheet.  Mix potato pulp into skillet.  Stir well to combine.

Adding the potato pulp into your etouffee

Take mixture and fill potato skins.  Top with grated cheese.  Place in a 350 oven for about 10 minutes to warm through and melt cheese.

All stuffed and ready for the oven!

Serve these potatoes warm as a main dish or cut in half as a side dish.  This is a no fail one your family will enjoy!

Comfort food at its best!

Cindy Adams-Ardoin

Food Scientist

Tony Chachere’s

Tony Chachere’s Spices Up Your Lenten Menus

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Crawfish Etouffee, a Cajun staple!Our Lenten theme to my blog continues this week.  If you need a few ideas for your Lenten table whether you are Catholic or not, I humbly suggest you take a visit to Tony Chachere’s recipe section of our website. Let me make a few suggestions to you guys…

First up is  Tony’s Crawfish Etouffee.  I recently fixed a large helping of etouffee for some friends in Florida.  Many people were quite amazed at just how easy and simple it is to make etouffee.  Etouffee literally means “to smoother.”  Take it from this Cajun girl, don’t complicate it with a bunch of crazy ingredients, just stick to the basics, sometimes perfection is simple!

Now, let’s talk some crab recipes.  If you are thinking breakfast or brunch, you need to try this Crab and Mushroom Omelet.  What a great way to introduce crab to your kids by incorporating it with scrambled eggs.  Of course, no adult in their right mind would need any convincing.   Did you say you need a Cajun friendly appetizer?  Do not think twice and try out our Crab Meat Dip for your next gathering…Lent or not!Breakfast, Brunch or even Supper never looked so good!

If shrimp is your favorite seafood of choice (as is mine!), I just love a comforting bowl of Shrimp and Corn Soup to warm my heart and soul.  Young and old love this filling dish that may be served as either an appetizer or main dish with a salad and warm French bread.  Combining two Louisiana classics or making each separately, Shimp and Crawfish Fettucine fuses Cajun and Italian culinary delights.  This hearty, rich dish is a favorite of my stepkids.

Luckily, catfish is now available to almost all markets.  For a special treat or date night, try out this Crawfish Palmetto recipe.  If you do not have access to crawfish, shrimp or bay scallops can easily be substituted.

These are just a few of my seafood favorites available at the Tony Chachere’s recipe section of our website.  I thank all of you for stopping by my blog, being fans of Tony Chachere’s, and taking time out of your day to read my little stories.  Take time this Lenten season to reflect on sacrifices others have made for you and try to give back a little to those less fortunate.

Cindy Adams-Ardoin

Food Scientist

Tony Chachere’s