26 degrees. That’s what the thermometer will register tomorrow tonight. I will be hiding under two layers of covers with a belly full of spicy shrimp and corn chowder. I love curry spice so much I decided to put it in this chowder along with some smoked paprika. If you are a chowder purist, you may be disturbed by this spice combination, but one taste will change your mind. READ MORE
Nicky Omohundro: Instant Pot Easy Gumbo
Ready for some classic southern Louisiana food? This Gumbo recipe is cajun comfort food at it’s best. This stew (actually more of a soup) is full of spicy Andouille sausage and chicken served over rice. The best thing about this easy gumbo recipe is it’s made in a pressure cooker dramatically cutting cooking time. So now you can enjoy this classic cajun recipe is less time. READ MORE
Sometimes, you get a hankering for soup but don’t want the the typical chicken or beef. This creole sausage and shrimp soup brings the heartiness and warmth, but the spices and meat pairings bring a welcome change. READ MORE
Lacie Ring: Easy and Hearty Etoufee
If you like rice and you like Cajun food, this Easy and Hearty Etouffee will make your belly sing! If you like free happy mail then you must enter this giveaway!!! The free stuff you could win…oh my! Did I mention that this is the best Etouffee I’ve ever tried? You will never believe how easy it is to make and you will swoon over the taste. Pure Cajun Heaven! READ MORE
Whether you are the Pioneer Woman, a contestant on the Worst Cooks in America, or just trying to get culinary in a small south Arkansas town, nothing makes dinner easier than a “cabinet creation.” Growing up, I always dreaded “clean out the fridge” buffet night. I would offer to help my mom get the meal ready because that left me first in line to pick out the remains of my favorite meal of the week. Thus leaving the mushy stuff that I didn’t like for the slow pokes who weren’t listening when the dinner bell rang!
On the contrary, I LOVED nights when my mom just winged it. She was (and still is) the queen of creativity in the kitchen. She taught me how to make incredible meals on a tight budget. She can always remake leftovers in to a new creation.She can take parts of two different meals and if you don’t pay attention, you think she has cooked a fresh dish 3 nights in the same week! It’s a not-so- secret talent and it’s been fun as we have added son-in- laws to the mix at our holiday table to watch their amazement at her dinner creations.
What she does best is always seek to be present with her people. Doing this takes lots of preparation. Mama will cook the week or weekend before we come and have meals ready in the fridge or freezer that we just have to bake and eat. (That leaves us more time for shopping, craft projects, window shopping, bargain hunting, cashing in coupons, and more shopping – all the essential things for time with your mama!)
She is also really great at her own “semi-homemade” treats. She will have the meat or cooked parts ready and just stir it all together at meal time. That’s exactly what happened with today’s dish. On their own, any of these ingredients are just fine. But, together, they are magic! And if a Cajun likes anything, it’s the magic that happens in a slow, stewed gumbo.
3 14.5-ounce Margaret Holmes Okra, Tomatoes, and Corn
1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1-2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 27-ounce cans Margaret Holmes Red Beans and Rice
“soppin” bread – frozen garlic bread recommended
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in crockpot with 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning and 1/2 cup water.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove chicken to cutting board and dice in to cubes. Return chicken to crockpot and add canned veggies, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
Cook for 2 more hours on LOW. A few minutes before serving, add shrimp (chopped to desired size or left whole) and canned red beans and rice.
Stir together and serve hot with any sort of bread to sop up that goodness!
Notes
In case you are wondering, we are Texans, not Cajuns…therefore we let the people who know what to do, do it and we take full advantage of what comes our way!
Keisha (Pittman) McKinney is settling in to her new married life in South AR after she #becamemrsmckinney. A Digital Media Director by day for a church in Northwest Arkansas, Keisha is remembering what its like to plan ahead for shopping trips to “the city,” getting resourceful at her small town Walmart and creating online shopping personas everywhere. She blogs @bigpittstop about daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats and the social justice cases on her heart.
Arkansas Women Blogger members enjoy a special relationship with Riceland Foods. Not only is this Arkansas-based company headquartered here, it supports and features some of the best farmers and producers in our state. Riceland is unique because it is a cooperative of rice farmers, meaning it is owned by those farmers. Both Riceland and ARWB take tremendous pride in supporting our local farmers and producers.
Several of our members have recipes which have been featured on Riceland’s blog, including this one for Baked Chicken Marsala and Rice Casserole from Lyndi Fultz of nwafoodie which uses Riceland’s Extra Long Grain White Rice.
Captain Mom, also known as Rhonda Franz our Girl Friday of everything The Women Bloggers, starts her family’s day off right with a Favorite Way to Eat Brown Rice for Breakfast. I certainly remember eating and loving steaming bowls of rice with sugar and cream especially on cold, winter mornings.
And who doesn’t love a good dessert? Rice can be your go-to ingredient for sweet craving as well as for your savory. Julie Kohl of Eggs and Herbs, Content Creator for ARWB, recently shared her Jumble Cookie recipe — perfect for lunch box treats.
I’m really looking forward to experimenting more with Riceland’s Jazmine (Jasmine) Rice in some of the Indian and Thai recipes I’m learning. (Thanks Swathi!)
Have you checked out the Riceland blog? Here are a few other examples of some of the jewels you’ll find when you do!
You don’t have to have a big fancy grill or even a tiny disposable one to have delicious barbecued chicken. I used to think that barbecue was saved for big family picnics or get-togethers at a local park and you …Continue reading…
It seems like every restaurant that serves kabobs on the menu or every butcher shop that sells pre-cooked kabobs follow a set routine by only offering chicken or beef. I often wonder, why the discrimination over other kabob meats?Continue reading…
As the resurgence of Sunday Suppers, potlucks, and general embracing of comfort foods tease us weekly on our social media apps, I am on the constant lookout for family-style desserts that are easy, delicious, and will please all age groups. …Continue reading…
When I think of black-eyed peas, I am instantly transported to a magical place of antebellum homes, magnolia trees, and mint juleps. In my minds-eye, I am sipping the mint juleps and fanning myself from the summer heat and persistent …Continue reading…
We all have those times when the day is super busy but there is still a desire to put a healthy, delicious meal on the table. This Brown Rice Chicken Skillet Dinner is quick, easy and sure to please even …Continue reading…
I keep leftover turkey and chicken in my freezer just about all of the time. It comes in handy for those evenings when I need a quick and easy dinner.During the holiday season when the prices are really good, I …Continue reading…
Just about everyone enjoys the spicy taste of Mexican food. From tacos to burritos to enchiladas, we just never seem to tire of all the combinations of meat, cheese, rice, beans, avocados and peppers. While we do enjoy those, one …Continue reading…
In late August and early fall in the South, all thoughts turn to football. And that, of course, means it’s time to tailgate! And while tailgate used to be just that —a picnic on the tailgate of your honey’s pickup …Continue reading…
Good friends are such a blessing. And they are especially so when they share delicious, original recipes with you and allow you to share those as you please. My good friend, Chef Liz Bray, created the original version of this …Continue reading…
Every Sunday, my in-law’s church hosts a dessert social following the evening sermon. Parishioners bring a variety of desserts to share while they mill around and enjoy each other’s company. My mother-in-law is always looking for fun new recipes and …Continue reading…
If Taco Tuesday isn’t a thing in your house, it should be. And if you’re not eating breakfast for dinner on a regular basis, well you should be doing that too. We love Taco Tuesday and breakfast for dinner in …Continue reading…
Even though I try not to indulge in sweet stuff too often, every now and then my sweet tooth strikes out in full force. It usually happens in the evening. You know, the times when you are already in pajamas and …Continue reading…
Join me Tuesday, September 27 when I’ll be sharing some of our favorites from Riceland on THV11 This Morning — at 6:15 am (go ahead and set your DVR:)
Bon Appetít Y’all
All recipes and photos courtesy of Riceland Foods.
Summertime means that it is officially grilling season! This week I grilled up some Bloody Maria Shrimp. It’s a Mexican twist on the classic Bloody Mary flavors that uses tequila instead of vodka. I also added some chili powder and paprika to spice up the flavor profile and complement the smoky flavor you get from grilling. These shrimp are a little sweet, a little smoky, and the kick from the lemon and tequila adds a great brightness and freshness to the dish. Serve these up as an appetizer with some frozen margaritas and you’ve got the perfect summer treat.
Now, a little bit about this particular method of grilling. One of my favorite ways to grill shrimp is to throw them in a foil packet with a little bit of marinade. It’s so much easier than sticking them on kabobs and I find that the shrimp cooks more evenly. They also soak up more flavor from the marinade on the grill so there’s no chance of them drying out or getting too charred. It’s an easy method for first time grillers and master grillers alike.
In the meantime, make the marinade. Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a large bowl and whisk together to combine thoroughly.
Add the shrimp to the bowl and marinate for 15 minutes.
Make two foil packets using heavy duty foil. To do this, lay a large sheet of foil on a flat surface. Place half of the shrimp and a little bit of the marinade in the center of the foil. Then place a few slices of lemon on top. Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal. Fold in the sides leaving some room for steam.
Make another foil packet for the other half of the shrimp.
Place the foil packets on the grill and grill over medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
Remove the shrimp from the grill, open up the foil packets, and garnish the shrimp with a few fresh slices of lemon and the chopped parsley.
Notes
Serves 4 as an appetizer.
By Caty Mills
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
What food reminds you of childhood?
Pinto beans, greens, and cornbread. My dad used to make it all the time from scratch. It was both of our favorite meals.
What is your favorite international cuisine? Ramen. It’s so fun to make at home and actual healthy!
What is always in your refrigerator at home? Tons of fruit and lots of different kinds of cheese.
What is your most used cookbook?
The Pioneer Woman’s first cookbook
What is your favorite kitchen gadget? My spiralizer. Awesome for curly fries!
Do you have a favorite food indulgence?
Homemade biscuits with cream gravy
What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again? Chicken broth. You need it for almost any casserole or soup.
What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?
Homemade mac and cheese
What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks? Don’t stress about following recipes to a tee (except if baking). It’s fine to add your own flair and try new things!
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes? Playing volleyball
What else would you like us to know about you? I am writing an e-book right now.