Craw-Mama’s Shrimp or Crawfish Bisque

Some people think cookin’ bisque is a hard task.  Anyone can make bisque with a little practice.  What is different with this recipe is that the seafood is what makes the consistency of the bisque soup.  It is thick and creamy. 

To make Craw-Mama’s Shrimp or Crawfish Bisque you will need: 1 lb raw or cooked shrimp or crawfish tails 6 tbsp of butter or margarine 1/4 cup flour 2 cups water 2 cups half and half 2 cubes chicken bouillon 1/4 cup onion 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

 

	You will want to boil your seafood before you start your bisque.  I boil my shrimp and use the shrimp water in place of the two cups of water.  Once your seafood is done, set two cups of water to the side and add your bouillon cubes.  If you are not cooking your seafood, warm two cups of water in the microwave and then add your bouillon cubes.  Peel your shrimp or crawfish and put’em to the side.

 

In a 4 quart pot, melt your butter between medium / high mark on de burner.  De butter will start to sizzle. Now you are going to make a roux. Add your flour a little at a time while stirring.  The flour will look like it is melting.  Continue to stir your roux until it starts turning a light brown.  Slowly add your water into the roux.  It should become quite thick.  Turn your burner down to medium.  Stir in your onions and let them simmer for five minutes.

"Add your flour a little at a time while stirring. The flour will look like it is melting."

"Continue to stir your roux until it starts turning a light brown."

While your onions are simmerin’, get your mincer out.  Put about 1/4 of your seafood into the mincer.  Add 1/4 cup of your half and half in the mincer with the seafood.  Mince the heck out of it until they are itty bitty.  Stir that into your pot.  Continue to do this until you have nothin’ left of the seafood but a handful.  Cut up that handful (I half them) and add them to your bisque so you have a few big pieces.

Add your onion powder, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning to the pot.  Stir it around and turn your burner down to medium/low.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, continuing to stir de bisque every once in a while.

Happy cookin’!

~ Craw-mama 

New Orleans Gourmet Foods Jalapeno Style Cornbread Mix

The New Orleans Gourmet Foods Jalapeno Style Cornbread Mix is not a jalapeno cornbread mix for the spicy impaired.  Along with our dirty rice, we cooked this jalapeno cornbread mix.  The flavor of the jalapeno cornbread was fantastic and it had such a spicy kick, Emily had to get a full glass of milk AND she mixed it in with her dirty rice. 
 

The New Orleans Gourmet Foods Jalapeno Style Cornbread Mix was easy to make.  The jalapeno cornbread recipe calls for one cup of water.  Just mix the water with the jalapeno cornbread mix and let it rest for about five minutes.  This allows the jalapeno cornbread to rise.  While I am letting my jalapeno cornbread rise, I put my 8 inch cast iron skillet on the stove with about 2 or 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  I heat the vegetable oil on about medium.  This coats your cast iron and gives it an extra non-stick surface.  When my jalapeno cornbread is done rising, I pour my jalapeno cornbread into the cast iron skillet.  It’ll bubble a little bit.  Then I throw it into the oven and let it cook.  This is the southern way to cook any type of cornbread.  It gives your cornbread that crispy bottom and sides.

The New Orleans Gourmet Foods Jalapeno Style Cornbread Mix came out super fluffy.  You can see in the pictures that it came out perfect.  If your family can handle the spice, they will love the slightly sweet and spicy taste of this jalapeno cornbread recipe mix. Purchase the New Orleans Gourmet Foods Jalapeno Cornbread Mix and other great mixes here:  Jalapeno Cornbread Mix Happy Cookin'! ~ Craw-momma

New Orleans Gourmet Foods Dirty Rice Mix

Looking for a dirty rice recipe?  There are several dirty rice recipes and dirty rice mixes out there.  Our family has tried most of them.  The authentic Cajun dirty rice recipe calls for liver, which my family will gag when I’m cookin’ it.  So . . . I tried the dirty rice mixes. 

Cajun Dirty Rice is a very popular Cajun dish down here. It is basically ground beef mixed in white rice and flavored perfectly. It is not spicy and great for the entire family.

Last night we tried the New Orleans Gourmet Foods Cajun Style Dirty Rice Mix.  I’ve got to say that this is the best tasting dirty rice mix out of all of them.  The problem is that most of your dirty rice mixes are extremely salty.  They also usually have too much seasoning or just do not make enough to feed an entire family.  When I was cooking the New Orleans Gourmet Foods Cajun Style Dirty Rice Mix, I was pleased to find that the seasoning pack is separated from the actual rice mix in the package.  If you find that the recipe is too salty, just don’t add the entire pack.  We used the entire package of seasoning and it was seasoned just right. 

The dirty rice recipe on the back of the box calls for four cups of water.  If you know about cookin’ rice, you know that for every two cups of water and one cup of rice, your results are enough rice to feed four people.  The New Orleans Gourmet Foods Cajun Style Dirty Rice Mix made enough dirty rice to feed at least eight people.  You will need to use a large pot (at least a 6 quart) to cook this dirty rice mix.

It was seasoned perfectly.  It tasted authentic.  My family and I give this dirty rice mix two thumbs up!

Purchase the New Orleans Gourmet Foods Dirty Rice Mix and other great mixes here:  Dirty Rice Mix

Happy Cookin'!

~ Craw-momma