It's Fat Tuesday!!!

I'm so ashamed.  I forgot Fat Tuesday.  How?  I have no clue!  I can honestly say that I've never slacked on an opportunity to eat cajun food.  We even went out for a cajun lunch on Saturday.  I've bought all of the ingredients.  Now I've got to figure out what to do with them!

Thanks to the Zatarians sale at Dillons last year, I think I've got a couple of boxes of gumbo mix and a box of red beans and rice as a backup. 

Right now, I'm scouring the internet for recipes and ideas. 

Christy Jordan over at Southern Plate has a yummy looking recipe for Dirty Rice (don't like dirty rice?  Check her blog out anyways.. awesome!).

You should definitely read Ninja Princess' experience- a northerner presenting a king cake to other northerners- with one southerner in the mix.  Disaster in the making!

Mama Belle has an awesome recipe for shortcut gumbo.  I LOVE her logic!!  I highly doubt that I can buy jarred roux here.  She has tons of other recipes- I love her Super Bowl foods post.

Now I'm off to do a google search for some other cajun recipes!  The Zatarains mix is sounding better and better.

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

This recipe was delicious and was just thrown together with stuff I had on hand!  This recipe is very versatile as you can thicken the sauce and use it as filling (be sure to save a little to top them with  to prevent browning) or fill the enchiladas with whatever filling you choose.  You could even leave the chicken out of the sauce, season with taco seasoning and a can of tomatoes, and fill the tortillas with it.

Sauce:
16 oz container sour cream (85¢)
4 oz cream cheese (25¢)
1 jar Pace Chili Verde (FREE after coupon- from stockpile)
1 cup chicken broth
2 bone-in chicken breasts ($1.50)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
*Cornstarch to thicken, if desired

Enchiladas:
1 package large flour tortillas ($1.00)
1 can refried beans (35¢)
1 8 oz package shredded cheese (70¢)

Directions:
Boil the chicken until cooked through.  Shred with a fork, reserving all broth.  Mix the remaining ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add chicken and thickener (if desired).

Fill enchiladas as desired, top with sauce, and bake for 25 minutes at 350.

Tip: carefully pour the (cooled) extra chicken broth into a ziploc baggie and freeze.  You will then have it on hand for the next recipe!  You can also pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze individually.  When frozen, put it in a baggie and you will have individual broth cubes!

King Cake

Ok- so not the most flattering picture I've ever taken, but this was hot and smelled so good that we devoured it right out of the oven.  I wanted a picture of the whole thing (or as close as I could get) to show you the basic shape of the cake.

Every year, I bake a King Cake on January 6th.  This is a tradition my husband experienced as a child in New Orleans that we decided to carry on with our family.  Traditionally, a King Cake is baked on January 6th (and is only eaten until Ash Wednesday) to symbolize the end of the 12 days of Christmas (according to the Christian calendar).  This is celebrated in many countries, including parts of the US.  In Louisiana, the cake also symbolizes the kick-off of Mardi Gras. 

A plastic baby (to symbolize Baby Jesus) or large nut is hidden in the cake.  Whoever finds it has to buy (or make) the next cake.  They are about $50-$75 each, so this is NOT an honor!

This cake is actually a sweet bread-like pastry filled with a variety of fillings (or none).  I prefer a cream cheese filling.  It is also supposed to be iced with purple, yellow, and green glaze, or covered with dyed sugars. 

Pastry:
2 packages yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine- cooled
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp grated lemon rind

1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in milk.  Let sit until dissolved.  Mix in butter and egg yolks.

2. Mix in dry ingredients and lemon rind.

3. Stir until dough is smooth.  Turn on floured board and knead for 5 minutes (or until smooth).

4. Let raise 1 1/2 hours.

5. Roll out in an 8" by 36" rectangle.  Spread filling (recipe follows).  Fold long sides together, sealing the edges.  Lay on cookie sheet, twisting the dough while forming into a circle. 

6.  Let raise 45 more minutes.

7.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

8.  When cool, top with glaze and colored sugars.

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese- softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix well.

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 tbs milk
assorted food coloring if desired

Mix until smooth.

Jalapeno Popper Dip/Spread

6 fresh jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
8 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix the peppers, onion, and garlic in the food processor. Add in salt, pepper, mayo, and cream cheese. Blend until mixed. Spoon into oven-safe dish and stir in cheddar cheese. Bake at 300 for 18-20 minutes. Serve with crackers. *You could add chopped cooked bacon or bacon bits to this also.

This is a variation of my poppers. I use the mixture (with no mayo) and roll into small balls. Partially freeze. Roll each ball in flour, then an egg/milk mixture, and then in saltine crumbs. Repeat once for each ball. Deep fry.

You must fry them when they are VERY cold and just for a few seconds.

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