Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cook Time:  20 minutes

Difficulty:  Easy

Whether there is any truth in the saying, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," it sure is apparent that old man winter is not finished with us here in the northeast.   Ahhh, the sun is shining once again here in Pennsylvania, but it is still drearily cold.   Winter Storm Quinn blanketed our region yesterday with almost a foot of snow, and as another nor'easter looms on the horizon, I can't help but think of warmer days to come.   For now, I will just stay inside, think warm thoughts, and make soup- one of my all-time favorite comfort foods.  This savory Cajun Seafood Chowder is the perfect recipe to keep you warm and snuggly on these chilly winter days.

As I watched the snow pile up yesterday, I thought this to be the perfect opportunity to play around with our Cajun Seasoning and come up with a new recipe to share.   I researched a bunch of cookbooks (remember those?) and recipes on the internet and stumbled upon this delicious chowder recipe, which I adapted from Closetcooking.com.  The result was a tasty, hearty chowder, brimming with fresh seafood and vegetables, and smothered in creamy Cajun goodness.  Soup for the soul.  It was a huge hit with our family, and I guarantee yours will enjoy it too!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) butter

• 1/2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) oil (Having the two, helps prevent burning)

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning Blend

• 4 cups chicken broth (homemade is always best) or vegetable broth

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2 lbs.), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

• 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) fish sauce

• 1 cup fresh corn (could substitute canned corn, drained)

• 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) fresh Tarragon, chopped, or dried Tarragon

• Juice of half a lemon

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1/2 lb. scallops

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning

• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional for garnish)

• 1/4 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled for garnish (optional) or 4 oz. diced andouille sausage for garnish (optional)

• 1 green onion, chopped (optional for garnish)

Preparation
In a medium pan or dutch oven, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped onion, and cook until onions are translucent about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic, Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs, and Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning to the pan, and cook for an additional minute.  

Add the chicken broth, sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil.  (* For more intense flavor, add the shrimp shells to the soup pan).  Reduce the heat and simmer the potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes.  (Remove the shrimp shells at this point, if used).  **I didn't have full shrimp with the shells in this picture, rather shrimp with tails.  I threw them in for only a few minutes).

After about 10 minutes, add the fish sauce, corn (I didn’t have for this picture), lemon juice, and tarragon.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the potatoes have cooked, remove half of them and place them either in a blender or a large bowl.  If using the blender, puree the potatoes, and if using the bowl, use a hand emulsion blender to puree.  Return the pureed mixture to the soup pot.  This will act as a thickener for the chowder.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the shrimp and scallops with 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) olive oil and Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning.  Heat a large skillet to medium-high and cook the shrimp and scallops until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.  Add the shrimp and scallops to the chowder and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp and scallops to the chowder and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. 

Serve the chowder.  As an option for a pretty presentation and even more flavor, garnish the chowder with the chopped parsley, cooked bacon or andouille sausage, and the green onion.

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Cajun Seafood Chowder Recipe

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Happy 2018! Now that the holidays are behind us, I am sure many, like me, have a plethora of leftovers, including vegetables from the vegetable tray. Am I right? Instead of tossing the veggies, dice them up to create this unique, flavorful Irish Vegetable Soup.

Happy 2018! Now that the holidays are behind us, I am sure many, like me, have a plethora of leftovers, including vegetables from the vegetable tray. Am I right? Instead of tossing the veggies, dice them up to create this unique, flavorful Irish Vegetable Soup.

Vegetable soup is very satisfying and full of fresh vegetables and herbs, but not necessarily noteworthy, in my opinion. But travel across the ocean to The Emerald Isle (Ireland), and you will find not only breathtaking countryside with warm and friendly native folk but also delicious vegetable soup presented entirely differently than in the states. Instead of chunky vegetables swimming in a sea of full-bodied broth, the Irish version is a smooth, pureed blend of root vegetables, garlic, herbs, cream, and butter.

There is nothing like travel to cause a bit of culture shock, particularly in the cuisine, but I am rarely shocked by soup! My hubby and I traveled to Ireland last summer to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, and this humble dish graced almost every pub and fancy restaurant throughout the country. I have to admit; I was a bit skeptical at first about pureed vegetable soup, but my husband and I sheepishly smirked at each other and indulged.

Wow! If I had not been in the presence of others, I might have licked the entire bowl clean! It was so tasty and filling that I had to recreate this pool of deliciousness at home!

When I re-created this soup, I thought for sure the texture alone would send my teenagers running, but it didn't! The aroma drew them out of their rooms. "Mom, what smells so good?" "Vegetable soup," I replied. "Would you like to try it? It is Ireland's version." They liked it so much that this soup now makes a weekly appearance in our home.  

So, for my version, I used potatoes (sweet or regular), garlic, Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, celery, parsnips, carrots, onions, and sometimes leftover vegetables, such as broccoli or spinach. And, because you puree the entire batch, even the most discerning vegetable haters might enjoy this dish. It is a great way to get your family to eat more veggies. You need to give this version of vegetable soup a try. It is easy, delicious, and satisfying, and you may never return to the chunkier version again!

Please comment below if you have tried this tasty soup.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) butter

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 ribs of celery, washed and diced

• 3 carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced

• 3 potatoes with skins on, diced (feel free to substitute sweet potatoes)

• 1 tomato, chopped

• 1/2 cup spinach (optional)

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic or Cherchies® Garlic'n Herbs Seasoning Blends, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) ground pepper

• 2 cups vegetable broth (ok to substitute chicken broth)

• 1/4 cup half & half (substitute fat-free greek yogurt for a lighter version)

• Blender

Preparation  

Add butter, celery, onions, garlic, parsnips, and carrots to a large soup pot or dutch oven.  Season with 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic or Garlic'n Herbs Seasoning blend and pepper.  Sauté the vegetables, until onions are translucent.

Add the vegetable or chicken broth to the pot.  Add potatoes, tomato, and rest of the Garlic Seasoning to the soup pot.   Throw in some Kale or Spinach of leftover broccoli if you have it on hand (optional).  Simmer until potatoes are soft and then add the half and half.

Once vegetables are finished cooking, turn off the stove and allow the soup to cool for five minutes.  Now onto the blender.  Carefully add the soup ingredients to a blender, making sure to only fill the blender half-full.  You may have do a couple of batches.  To ensure the hot soup does not explode everywhere, remove the center portion of the blender to allow steam to escape and put a clean towel over top.  If you have a blender that is equipped to handle soup, then this step is not necessary.  Hold the lid covered with the towel down and puree.  Or, wait until the soup has cooled about 20 minutes or so and then puree.

Pour the pureed soup into your favorite soup bowl, serve with bread, and enjoy this tasty version of Ireland's vegetable soup!  If you are feeling fancy, carefully add a little half and half and make a fun design.   Enjoy!

Irish Vegetable Soup Recipe

Sweet & Savory Ham and Cheese Pinwheel Recipe

These savory morsels are perfect for those busy days as an after-school snack, a make-ahead appetizer, a game day treat, or a different twist to your usual dinner routine. Easy, peasy!

We embellished on our stromboli recipe from our blog and came up with these sweet and savory pinwheels to share with you.  Instead of pizza dough, we substituted refrigerated crescent roll dough and added Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread as a glaze to these tasty tidbits, with a pop of texture from the poppy seeds.  

The result was a deliciously sweet and savory, flaky pinwheel tinged with tangy mustard, salty ham, and glazed with fruity apple butter. A must-have recipe for holidays, game day, or any celebration. Make sure to grab some for yourself, because these morsels will disappear before your eyes! Serve them with our Homemade Applesauce and our Cranberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal!

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Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 package refrigerated crescent rolls

• 1-2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard, or Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard

• 4-5 slices deli ham or leftover holiday ham, sliced thin

• 4-5 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

• 2-3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) poppy seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a floured surface or on parchment paper, roll out the crescent roll dough into the shape of a rectangle.  (If using traditional crescent roll dough, press the triangle seams together to form a rectangle.  There are now long sheets of crescent dough on the market, either of which is fine).   Spread the dough with the mustard of your choice.  

Next, layer the dough with the cheese, followed by the ham.  Starting with the long side of the dough, carefully and tightly roll up the dough and place the dough seam side down.  Refrigerate the rolled up dough for about 15 minutes to allow for easier cutting.

Once the dough has chilled, remove the rolled dough from the refrigerator and carefully slice into 1 inch segments and place on a parchment papered baking sheet. 

Lightly brush the pinwheels with the Apple Butter Spread and then sprinkle the pinwheels with the poppy seeds.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Stromboli Recipe

Ham, Turkey and Cheese Stromboli Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: About 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Are you up for a twist to your dinner routine?  Get the gang together, grab some pizza dough, some toppings, and reinvent pizza night, because it is time make mouth-watering strombolis!  

Strombolis are rolled up deconstructed pizzas, filled with savory meats, gooey cheese, and tangy sauce, the perfect casual meal for friends or family or an easy appetizer for a crowd.  (Game Day would be perfect!).  So, what goes inside of a stromboli?  The world is your oyster friends (although I am not sure oysters would go over well as a filling:). There are just as many infinite toppings as there are for pizzas such as leftover holiday meat and cheeses, vegetables, meatballs, the combinations are endless! 

This tasty stromboli features ham, turkey, two different kinds of cheese, and one of our favorite mustards, Cherchies® Champagne Mustard!  It adds that special zing to this dish!  Yum!  By all means, if you're feeling spicy :), then Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard should be your mustard of choice, or if you are feeling festive, then use Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard.  We have made this recipe dozens of times, and each time we mix it up by adding different fillings.  So, go, create, be happy!  Let us know what combinations you come up with using our products and we will post your recipe!

Either way you "slice it," this meal is the perfect twist to your usual pizza routine.  Invite your family or friends over, bring out your favorite toppings, grab a glass of wine (or two), and get rolling in the kitchen with this delicious stromboli recipe!  This dish will become your favorite go-to recipe for your family and friends.  Serve this meal with our Homemade Cherry Applesauce Recipe and a salad for a complete meal!

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Ingredients

• 1 pizza crust, refrigerated

• 2 (Tbsp) Tablespoons Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, Cherchies® Cranberry Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard

• 5-6 slices ham

• 5-6 slices Provolone or Swiss Cheese

• 5-6 slices turkey

• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

• 1 egg, beaten

• Cherchies Garlic Seasoning or Cherchies Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning Blend

• Flour for rolling

• Marinara sauce for dipping

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rollin', rollin' rollin' (sorry).  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface.

Spread the dough with the mustard of your choice, followed by a layering of ham, cheese, turkey, or whatever combination that pleases you.

Next, add the mozzarella cheese.  Starting with the long end, carefully roll up the filled dough.

Place the stromboli, seam side down on parchment paper, pinch together the ends to ensure the dough is completely sealed, cut small slits into the dough, and brush the dough with the egg.

Sprinkle the stromboli with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning.   Cook stromboli in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the outside is a golden color as pictured. When stromboli is finished cooking, slice it and serve it with marinara sauce.  

Enjoy!

Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Stromboli Recipe