Cresent City Grill's "Corn and Crab Bisque"

My favorite bisque is from Cresent City Grill.  So, I set out to find the recipe and I found it.  The warmth and smoothness of this soup is very comforting to me.  This recipe makes alot.  You can use the wine or substitute chicken stock.  I serve it with french bread. 

CORN AND CRAB BISQUE

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, medium diced
1/4 cup green bell peppers, medium diced
1/4 cup clelery, medium diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp basil, dried
1 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 thyme, dried
1 1/2 qts chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine
2 tsp worcestershire
2 tsp Crescent city grill cayenne and garlic sauce (i used Krystal hot sauce)
2 cans whole kernals, drained
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cup heavy cream
2 cup half-n-half
1 tbsp creole seasoning
2 lbs jumbo lump crabmeat


In an 8 qt dutch oven, sweat onion, bell pepper, and celery in butter over medium heat til soft. Add farlic, basil, pepper, cayenne, and thyme. Stir wee, making sure that spices are incorportated. Add stock, wine, worcestershire, and hot sauce. Cook on high heat 7-10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium. While stock is boiling, make a light peanut butter-colored roux with the margarine and flour. Add the roux to the hot stock and stir thoroughly. Add heavy cream, half-n-half, creole seasoning, and crabmeat. Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas

I have had several request for this recipe over the past few weeks.  My friend, Jenna, and I went to a Southern Living Cooking class back in 1998. This was one of the recipes that they cooked that night.  I sometimes don't put the spinach in them.  To me, they are better that way (I don't like SPINACH).  Hope you enjoy!


Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans rotel

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup AP flour

1 8oz cream cheese, room temp

1 small pkg chopped spinach

1 cup cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups shredded cheese

8-10 flour tortillas

Combine rotels, chicken and water in saucepan.  Bring chicken to a boil; reduce heat, and cook 10-15 minutes.  Remove chicken and stain cooking liquid, reserving 2 1/2 cups liquid.  Save the rotel tomatoes, also.  Cool chicken slightly and chop. 

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until smooth.  Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in reserved liquid until blended.  Add cream cheese, and cook, whisking contantly until incorporated.  Place one cup of sauce on bottom of 9x13 casserole dish.

Press spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Stir together spinach, chicken, reserved tomatoes, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup cheese.  Spoon mixture down cneter of each flour tortilla, roll up.  Place seam side down in dish.  Top with remaining suace. 

Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes/ sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and bake until cheese starts turning golden.

Snow Cream

We are suppose to get 5+ inches of snow tonight.  I have my sweenten condensed milk and vanilla ready in the pantry for some homemade snow ice cream!  BRING ON THE SNOW!!!!

1 gallon Clean snow

1 small can sweetened condenced milk

1 tbsp vanilla

Mix, eat, and freeze leftovers!

Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is coming up Sunday.  I've been trying to decide on a my menu.  It will be all cajun cusine in honor of the Saints.  I've got part of it.  I know its going to be gumbo and beignets.  Still working on the rest of it. 

BBQ Sides

Well, what a dreary day!  Cold, windy, and nothing to do but cook.  So that's what I've been doing today.  Put on a boston butt this morning and also have ribs smoking now.  Now to work on the sides.  I have been wanting to make a potato salad that doesn't have mayo, eggs, or pickles.  I don't like regular potato salad.  Also, wanted a new baked bean recipe.  So, I got to work on it today.  Here are the recipes.

Baked Beans

1 gallon Bushes Baked Beans

1 1b bacon, diced

6-8 jalapeno's, diced/seeded

1 lg onion, diced

1/2 cup brown sugar

Saute diced bacon, jalapeno's, and onion until onion is translucent.  Drain fat and mix with beans. 

Bake in oven @ 400.

Red Potato Salad

Red potatoes boiled and diced

1 Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese, room temp.

2 heaping tbsp sour cream

salt/pepper

1 handful Shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 pkg Real Bacon peices

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Parsley flakes

2 tsp Dill Weed

3 Green onions

Dice potaotes and boil in salted water until fork tender.  While potatoes are boiling, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and the rest to the ingredients.  Set aside.  When potatoes are done, drain and let cool.  Lightly toss potatoes and cream cheese mixture.  Refigerate and serve.




Pulled Pork

Celery Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Apple Juice
Boston Butt

The night before rub down butt with seasoning and wrap in suran wrap followed by foil and refrig.  Get smoker heat to 225-250 and place butt in aluminin pan fat cap down and pour in apple juice.  Place in smoker.  Every hour spray with apple juice.  When internal temp reaches 150 cover with foil and continue to smoke until internal temp reaches 195.  This may take up to 10-12 hours.  When its done remove and cover with foil and let rest for 30-45 mins.  Pull with forks.

Salsa

Wow!  It's been awhile.  The holidays can be all consuming.  I've also been working on my family cookbook as birthday presents for my mom and sis.  They are complete!  That was a job.  Here is my favorite homemade salsa recipe.  It's one of my sister's.  ENJOY

2 cans whole tomatoes
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 1/2 white onions (you can use 1/2 red onion to change the flavor a bit)
2 tbsp minced garlic (to taste)
1/2 jar jalapenos
Salt (be careful, adding Tony's as well)
Pepper
Tony's seasoning (usually just coat the top)
Extra virgin olive oil (probably about 1 tbsp)
Red wine vinegar (probably about 1 tbsp)


Chop whole tomatoes fairly well to make the base. Add the diced tomatoes for texture. Chop and add bell peppers and onions (depends on what texture you want). I always chop jalapenos and garlic together just to blend well. Add remaining ingredients. It is always better after it has sit for a few hours.
When you are done mixing everything, if it tastes too acidic or bland, add a little salt. That tends to bring out more of the flavors.

Bread Pudding 2

Well,  the difference was the bread.  Take your Italian bread and slice it long ways and place in oven while your oven is heating up to 350.  It was yummy.  I'm happy with the recipe now.  If you like banana's foster then add sliced bananas and some banana liquor.  You can also add rasians, toasted coconut, or pecans.  Top with homemade caramel sauce and ice cream.  Just use this recipe as a beginning and add as you want!

Bread Pudding

4 cups toasted Italian bread

5 eggs

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups sugar

1 tsp cinniamon

Toast sliced bread while you mix the rest of the ingredients.  Let bread soak in custard for 10 min before pouring in a greased 9x13 dish.  Bake at 350 uncovered 25 min and covered for 10-15 min until set.  Serve warm over ice cream and topped with caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

4 tbsp flour

1 cup boiling water

dash salt

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp cream

vanilla, to taste

Mix sugar with flour in suacepan; blend well.  Add water and salt.  Stir while cooking for 6-8 min.  If too thick add a little more water.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, cream, and vanilla to taste.