Louisiana Red Beans

1lb of Camellia dry red beans
24 oz frozen raw seasonings (onions, bell peppers and celery)
2 tbs minced garlic
1 lb of smoked turkey necks or pork neck bones
1 lb of chopped sausage (optional)
Tony Chachere’s Seasoning
Slap Your Mama Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt 
3 bay leaves
2 tbs. Sage
Parsley
Black Pepper
6 cups of Water
Note:  Soak red beans overnight or at least 8 hours to decrease cooking time.

1. Add water and smoked meat to large heavy bottom pot and bring it to boil for at least 30 minutes.  
2. Add pre soaked beans to boiling water and stir. Water should be approximately an inch over the beans.
3. Add raw seasonings and dry seasonings to taste.
4. Chop and sauté sausage in a separate skillet.
5. Add sausage to pot with red beans and bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add chicken broth to beans if water starts to get low.
6. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Allow beans to simmer about 1.5 hours, stir periodically. (3 hours if using beans that haven’t been soaked. Serve over warm rice.

Tip: For creamier beans, mash a  few cooking beans with a spoon and add back to pot.
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Quick but Legit Homemade Chili
2lbs of ground beef (lean, if preferred)
2 cans of 16.5 oz diced tomatoes
2-3 tbs Garlic Powder
2-3 tbs Cumin
2-3 tbs Onion Powder 
4 tbs Chili Powder
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper
Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning (to taste)
Badia Complete Seasoning (to taste)
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
1 15.5 oz can of kidney beans
2 cups Beef Broth

1. Season the ground beef with everything except salt and pepper.  Brown the meat and drain, if necessary.
2. Under medium heat, Add olive oil to pot and sauté onions, bell peppers and celery for a couple minutes.  Add minced garlic and continue to sauté ‘
3. Add the ground beef back in with raw seasonings.
4. Add chili powder, cumin, tomato sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder and stir well.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and  drained kidney beans.
6. Add the beef broth. Add salt, pepper and slap your mama to taste.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 20-25 mins.
8. Remove from heat and allow it to stand for 5-10 mins.

Serve with Fritos or crackers.  Garnish with favorite toppings like cilantro cheese, sour cream and green onions.

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Crawfish Étouffée is a favorite around here and I love it even more with shrimp added to the mix!  When I have time, I truly enjoy the additional flavor that fresh seasonings brings but feel free to make this a quick weeknight meal by using pre-cut seasonings. I served mine over warm rice and topped it off with fried fish!  The recipe is below along with a short form video.  Enjoy and comment and/or tag me (@bmycurlfriend), if you decide to make it!

Louisiana Shrimp and Crawfish Étouffée
3 small yellow onions
3 Bell Peppers (any colors, I used red, yellow, orange)
Bunch of green onions
3 Celery stalks
2 tbs. minced garlic
3 sticks of butter
1lb of Louisiana crawfish
1-2 lbs of shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 10oz cans of diced tomatoes
8-10 tbs of flour
8-10 cups of water (or homemade seafood stock)


1.  Chop all seasonings.  Be sure to save some of the green onions for the end.
2.  In a large, heavy bottomed pot, melt 2 sticks of butter at medium heat. Sauté onions, celery and bell peppers until soft.  Add minced garlic and sauté  another 5 mins.
3. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and all-purpose seasoning.
4.  Add diced tomatoes and sauté another 5-10 mins. Add another stick of butter and melt.
5.  Add flour and stir constantly until the mixture thickens (10-15 mins).
6. Add 6 cups of water or seafood stock, 2 cups at time and bring to a slight boil. Add crawfish and more salt or pepper if necessary.
7.  Add the rest of the water and butter. Mix and well and allow to simmer on med-low while covered about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt or seasoned salt.
8. Add shrimp and simmer another 10 minutes.
9. Garnish with green onions and parsley.
10.  Serve over warm rice.