Posts Tagged ‘Shrimp’

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

Royal Cocktail Party Time at the Ardoin’s!

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Todd and I all dressed up

Todd and I all dressed up

The only thing I love more than a party is hosting a great party.  My husband, Todd and I, have traditionally hosted a Royal Cocktail Party at our home for the Royal Court of our Mardi Gras Krewe, “The Krewe of Karencro.”  It serves as a fun evening for the Royal Court to come together, socialize, exchange gifts and just get to know one another before all the festivities officially begin.  Of course, I do not throw a party without a fabulous menu of food and drinks for my guest to enjoy while spending the evening together.

This past weekend, we celebrated our annual tradition in our home and while the weather was not the best the company sure was excellent.  At this party, I like to set up a couple of table of hor’s d’Oeuvres and a beverage table with wine, beer and a signature cocktail (this year was “Mardi Gras Ice Tea Lemonade”).  Served on platters were a party favorite my baby shrimp pies in Phyllo  dough.  I would like to share with you this easy appetizer.  The filling is awesome as presented in this pie or wonderful in Wonton wrappers or on mini bagels.  Try this out for your next party.

Mini Shrimp Pies

Here are your ingredients

The beginnings of an easy appetizer!

The beginnings of an easy appetizer!

1 (1 lb.) package Tony Chachere’s 150-250 count shrimp

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped bell pepper

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened

Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning to taste

Pre-Made frozen Phyllo dough pie shells

finely shredded cheese of choice

In a large skillet, heat up about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute shrimp until pink.  Remove and drain.  Heat another tablespoon olive oil.  Saute all vegetables until they are tender and begin to brown.  Lower heat and add cream cheese to melt.  Finely chop shrimp and return to pan.  Season mixture to desire taste. Combine all ingredients.  Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Pie filling will be thick and yummy

Pie filling will be thick and yummy

Fill pie shells with filling.  Top with shredded cheese. (at this point, you may freeze pies) Bake in 350 oven for about 10 minutes or until pies are bubbly and heated through.

Pie shells filled and ready for the oven

Pie shells filled and ready for the oven

The finished dish is a yummy bite for your guest.  You can make ahead and freeze to make your party preparations even easier! Enjoy this one guys!

To heck with the beads, throw me one of those pies!

To heck with the beads, throw me one of those pies!

Again, I wish everyone a Happy Carnival Season, check back for more of my Mardi Gras favorites!

Cindy Adams-Ardoin

Food Scientist

Tony Chachere’s

My Favorite Lunch Menu

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Considering my office is a test kitchen, I often have the luxury of preparing lunch for my husband, Todd, our Creative Director.  I try to incorporate recipe development along with just having a great meal.  If I am going to be completely forthcoming in this blog, I must admit my number one go to item is our Yellow Rice Mix.  It is so versatile as either a main course or side dish.  I am happy to share with you one of my easiest, but oh, so good lunches!

First let’s start with marinating large Louisiana shrimp in a little olive oil and Tony Chachere’s Spice-n-Herb Seasoning.  Let sit until ready to grill.

Louisiana Shrimp Marinated with Spice-n-Herb

Louisiana Shrimp Marinated with Spice-n-Herb

Next, our ingredients for our side dish:

Ingredients to Jazz Up Yellow Rice

Ingredients to Jazz Up Yellow Rice

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 (7 oz.) box Tony Chachere’s Yellow Rice Mix
2 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 wedge of lemon

In a large skillet, heat butter/margarine.  Add onions and bell pepper and cook until they start to turn brown.

Onions and Bell Peppers cooking up

Onions and Bell Peppers cooking up

Next, add the tomatoes and rice packet contents.  Toss well to coat rice for about 2-3 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.

Tomatoes and Rice Packet added to the pan

Tomatoes and Rice Packet added to the skillet

Add green onions and squeeze your lemon.  Gently toss and recover.  Cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Adding green onions and a squeeze of lemon

Adding green onions and a squeeze of lemon

While your rice is finishing its final 10 minutes, heat a skillet or grill pan with a little olive oil.  Add shrimp to hot pan and cook for about 3 minutes on one side.  Turn shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink.

Look at those beautiful Louisiana Shrimp

Look at those beautiful Louisiana Shrimp

Plate your rice and shrimp and enjoy!

So Simple and So Good

So Simple and So Good!

So there you have it an easy and fresh meal.  Remember, make every recipe your own…if you like something I do not have in my recipe add it!

Cindy Adams-Ardoin

Food Scientist

Tony Chachere’s