Cajun Eggs Benedict Recipe

Cajun Eggs Benedict Recipe

I did not think breakfast could get better than classic Eggs Benedict, but I was mistaken. What is not to love about perfectly poached eggs, rich, tangy Hollandaise sauce, savory Canadian bacon, and lightly toasted English muffins? To me, it is heaven on a plate; or at least that was my thought until I recently changed up my favorite breakfast meal.  I swapped out the Canadian Bacon for Andouille sausage, added Cherchies Cajun Seasoning to the Hollandaise sauce, and created this bold, Louisiana-inspired dish to share with you.  I present to you, Cajun Eggs Benedict Recipe. 

Oh my!  Talk about a flavor party in your mouth! This classic breakfast dish went from awesome to sinfully delicious!  So, if you're looking to spice things up at breakfast or brunch and wow your guests, consider making this robust version of Eggs Benedict and savoring the bold flavors of Louisiana.  I guarantee, this simple recipe will soon become a family favorite!

Let us know when you try this decadent recipe and thank you for visiting our blog!  

Ingredients

Eggs Benedict Ingredients (this recipes serves 4)

• 2 English muffins, fork split in half, lightly toasted

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• 2 links of Andouille sausage, cooked and sliced in half

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) chopped fresh chives for garnish

• Hollandaise sauce (below)

Homemade Hollandaise sauce:

• 2 egg yolks, room temperature

• 2 tsp. lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning Blend

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preparation

Add egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, Cherchies Cajun Seasoning, and Cherchies® Champagne Mustard to a blender.  Blend until ingredients are incorporated.  Turn the blender on again and slowly add the melted butter.   *The emulsion process (thickening) works better when the eggs are at room temperature.  If the hollandaise sauce gets too thick, blend in a few teaspoons of water to loosen it before serving.  Set aside.

In a large deep skillet or 2 quart pan, add two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Turn the temperature down so the the water is at a gentle boil.  Gently break the eggs, one at a time into a coffee cup, small bowl or measuring cup.  Or, so the eggs can cook at the same time, use four different cups.  Carefully pour the eggs into the slow boiling water as close to the water as possible.  This will begin the poaching process.   See link from Betty Crocker.

While the eggs are cooking, toast the English muffins until lightly toasted.  Now it's time to assemble the Eggs Benedict.  Place the English muffin halves on plates.  Slice the Andouille sausage in half and in half again and equally divide among the English muffin halves.  Carefully remove the poached eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and place on top of sausage.  (The eggs should be slightly jiggly).  Dollop the eggs with the hollandaise sauce and garnish with the chopped chives.  Sprinkle the eggs with a little more Cajun Seasoning for effect.

Look at that, heaven on a plate!  Enjoy!

Cobb Salad With Brown Derby Dressing Recipe

Cobb Salad With Derby Dressing Recipe

One of my favorite salads in the whole world is The Cobb Salad.  Who can resist crisp greens, creamy avocado, tomatoes, eggs, scallions, bacon, and leftover chicken?  I surely cannot. Did you know this famous salad originated in Hollywood, back in the 1920's?  

Here's some trivia for you:

The Cobb Salad got its name from Robert Cobb, an owner of the once famous Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles. To quote marriedatthemovies.com: “As the story goes, late one night, [Cobb] prepared himself a salad of chopped leftover chicken with some other ingredients.  Four of his pals dropped by the restaurant after a movie preview, just as Bob was enjoying his homemade supper.  One asked what he was eating, and that salad became known as Bob’s ‘Cobb Salad.’ When the Hollywood Brown Derby opened in 1929, The Cobb Salad, with its homemade Derby French Dressing appeared as an official fixture on the menu.  To this day, the salad appears on menus throughout the country" (marriedatthemovies.com).  For the full history and original recipe, check out marriedatthemovies.com.  

Cool, huh?

Now I feel privileged to eat such a prestigious salad!  Our version is close to the original recipe, and surely one you will love. Another great line from marriedatthemovies.com: "At the Brown Derby, the Cobb Salad was presented to the guests with all the toppings lined up vertically over the salad greens, and tossed well with the Old Fashioned French Dressing, tableside." (www.marriedatthemovies.com).  The original Derby French Dressing recipe, according to Sally Cobb, called for English mustard, but we substituted Cherchies® Champagne Mustard and added Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning to the mix.  This recipe serves 6, but feel free to scale it down to your liking.  

We would love to hear your comments on this recipe and as always thank you for visiting our blog!   Enjoy!

Salad Ingredients

• 6 cups shredded mixed greens

• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken

•  1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

• 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 6 slices of bacon, cooked, crispy, and crumbled

• 3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced

• 1 avocado, seeded, peeled, and diced

• 2 green onions (green part only), chopped

• Brown Derby French Dressing

Brown Derby French Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) sugar

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard (Substitute Cherchies Hot Banana Pepper Mustard for a spicier palate)

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) ground pepper

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 1 green onion (green part only), chopped

Preparation

Prepare the salad dressing.  Add the salad dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid.  Tightly close the lid and shake the ingredients until combined.  Set aside.

Arrange the lettuce on a large platter.  As true to the original recipe, except for the green onions, place all the ingredients vertically over the salad.   We opted to arrange the ingredients in a star shape.

Garnish with the green onions and serve with The Brown Derby French Dressing.  Toss.

Enjoy!

Cobb Salad With Brown Derby Dressing Recipe

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!

Thank you for visiting!

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.

Thank you for visiting. Please come back again.

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