Cajun Catfish Courtbouillon

Ingredients

4 lbs of catfish
2 Onions
3 Garlic cloves
1 Sm can of tomato paste
1 8 ounce can cooked whole tomatoes(Rotel)
1 bell pepper
salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Chop the onions and bellpepper finely. Mince garlic. Saute onion and bellpepper until onions look almost clear. Add tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, and paste. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer on low heat 2 to 3 hours or until sauce has "flavored" taste. Add catfish and simmer for 20 minutes. Don't stir catfish because it will break apart. Twist pot by handle to stir.

Thanks to http://www.coonass.com/ for this great recipe. It's a must try.

Chicken in Champagne and Mushroom Sauce

Thanks to Stella Zedman and http://recipes.kaboose.com/

What you'll need...

• 1/2 tsp.  salt
• 1/4 c. All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 tsp.  black pepper
• 2 tbsp.   olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp.  butter
• 3 cups  sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup  champagne (or other sparkling white wine)
• 1 cup  whipping cream

Cooking Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken breasts in this mixture, one at a time, and arrange them on a plate.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook quickly until lightly browned on both sides, turning once -- 1 to 2 minutes per side. (You may have to do this in two batches.) The chicken should be browned but not cooked through. Remove to a plate.
3. Add the butter to the skillet, then dump in the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated. Pour in the champagne, stir around to dissolve any crusty bits from bottom of the pan, then stir in the whipping cream. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the mushroom sauce, lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened -- 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with crusty bread or steamed rice to soak up the velvety sauce.

Chicken and Oyster Gumbo

When you need something to warm the body after cold day....

1 1/2 lb. chicken 

1 cup roux

2 lg. onions

1 bell peppers

7 qts. water

1 cup chopped green onion tops and parsley

2 doz. oysters

Smother the onions, celery and bell peppers in the roux until partly cooked and then add water. Boil for 3 hours, then add chicken and boil for 1 hour longer on low fire or until chicken is tender. While gumbo is still boiling, add chopped green onion tops and parsley and oysters, cover pot and turn off fire.

http://www.cajun-recipes.com/html/gumbo.htm

Artichoke Pizza

For pizza lovers and artichoke lovers alike...this pizza is fantastic.

Ingredients:
14 oz. can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives(black), sliced
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
1 lemon
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 pkg (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
2 Plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese (your preference depending on how much cheese you like)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Chop your artichokes, slice your olives and grate the parmesan cheese. Zest lemon to measure 1 teaspoon of zest and then finely chop. Combine artichokes, olives 1/4 cup of the cheese, lemon zest and pressed garlic. Mix well.

Unroll pizza dough shaping into a circle. Roll dough to the edge of a baking stone. Spread artichoke mixture evenly over crust to within 1/2 inch of edge. Arrange tomato slices over pizza and sprinkle pizza with the italian seasoning. Add the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

I've added sliced chicken and that makes a great addition as well.

Katie Joel's Meatloaf as seen on Oprah

Billy Joel and wife Katie did their first TV interview on Oprah. This was her meatloaf recipe that he loves...I can see why. Do you agree?

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive Oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with oil.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions, garlic and bay leaf until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until the red pepper is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes, Remove pan from the heat and let the onion mixture cool. Discard the bay leaf.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, bread crumbs, 1/2 c. of ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and the cooled vegetables. Use your hands to mix everything together.

Transfer the mixture to the center of the baking sheet and form into a loaf. Coat the meat loaf with the remaining 1/2 c. of ketchup.

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on the shape of your loaf), until the meatloaf is firm. Let set for about 5 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy

Authentic Cajun Jambalaya

I decided to start my blog with my favorite...Cajun Food. I thank Jerry Odom for this recipe. I've had plenty of Jambalaya in my day, but this is the best. It isn't some imitation Jambalaya you buy in a grocery store and add water. This is the real deal..enjoy.

Ingredients:

4 big yellow onions chopped fine
about 8 cups water.
4 cups rice
1 bell pepper - chopped
2-3 banana peppers - chopped - optional if you want a hot jambalaya
3-5 crushed garlic cloves
2 bundles green onions. - chopped
2 lbs hot sausage - chopped
1 whole chicken cut up or pork.
salt, pepper, red pepper, onion powder

Instructions:

Brown your sausage and chicken and put them on the side. Cook down the yellow onions & garlic constantly stirring (add a little water if necessary so it doesn't get dry in the bottom of the pot) careful not to burn. Once you've sauteed this mix way down you add in your meat and then your water.(add enough water to cover everything) Season to taste and cook everything until your meat is good and tender. About 15 minutes before you're going to add your rice put in the peppers and green onions. Add rice and bring to simmer for 15 around minutes or until the rice looks to be getting cooked. Take a big spoon and turn the rice over once.(you only want to bring the bottom to the top) Leave over low heat until your water is all out and the rice is tender. You'll have your Jambalaya. Serve it with french bread and a salad.

Let me know how you like it. Email me your favorite recipe, thefrugalchef@yahoo.com. I'll try it with my family and if we like it, we'll post it for others to comment on.