Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

℅ Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup celery (diced)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 4 cups ham broth or chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 (19 ounce) cans red beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 ham hock
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 
  

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat add the sausage and saute until lightly golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, and set aside.
2. Add the onions, celery and green pepper to the pan and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, beans, ham hock, sausage, paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for at least 1 hour continuing for another hour or two if you have the time to bring out more flavour from the ham hock.
6. Remove the ham hock, pull the meat from it, cut it into bite sized pieces and add it back to the pot if desired.
7. Mash or puree about a quarter of the beans.
8. Serve over rice.

The Benchely

℅ 12 Bottle Bar

Ingredients

1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
0.75 oz Dry Vermouth
0.75 Pineapple-Sriracha Syrup

Directions

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe

Directions for pineapple-siracha syrup

1 part canned Pineapple Juice
1 part White Sugar
Sriracha Hot Sauce to taste

Dissolve sugar in pineapple juice over very low heat. Stir in Sriracha

Baked Buffalo Chicken Jalapeño Poppers
℅ Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 10 jalapeño peppers, sliced in half lengthwise
• 4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 3 medium scallions, green part only, chopped
• 2 oz shredded low fat sharp cheddar (I used Cabot 50%)
• 4 oz shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup Franks Hot sauce (or any buffalo wing sauce)
• 1/2 cup egg whites, beaten
• 3/4 cup panko crumbs
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp chili powder
• pinch salt and pepper
• cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a baking pan lined with parchment or foil with cooking spray. Wearing rubber gloves, cut peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and membrane.

Combine cream cheese, cheddar and scallions in a medium bowl. Mix in shredded chicken and hot sauce.

Combine panko, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in another bowl.

Fill peppers with chicken cheese filling with a small spoon or spatula.

Dip peppers in egg, then in panko mixture to coat and place on prepared baking sheet. Spray the peppers with more oil and bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serve hot, make 20.