I needed something pretty quick and easy for lunch. I’m not sure why, but I was hankerin’ for a McDonald’s filet-o-fish sandwich. And wouldn’t you know I had everything on hand to make one? Well, it’s not quite the same version as you get at the fast food joint. My version of the filet-o-fish sandwich has a bit of a Cajun kick to it.
Quick. Easy. And Great.
This Cajun filet-o-fish sandwich came out great. A quick and easy lunch in a pinch. You could substitute ‘normal’ tartar sauce, but I really like the extra flavor in the Frog Bone Bayou Tartar sauce. A bottle of it doesn’t last long around here.
Cook the patties per package instructions. Halfway through the cooking process, when you have to flip the patties, sprinkle them with as much Cajun seasoning as you desire. No point in being shy about it.
To assemble sandwiches, top bun bottoms with the fish. Add a piece of cheese followed by a generous amount of tartar sauce. Add the top bun and enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional values do not include the fish patties.
I doubt I’ll ever make mashed potatoes the ‘old way’ again after making cedar-plank Cajun mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes on cedar planks on a hot grill are incredible. The cedar flavor (and aroma) is not overwhelming, but it adds a wonderful new dimension to mashed potatoes. Add some Cajun butter and you have what is unquestionably the tastiest side dish you can possibly imagine. Did I mention that these potatoes also pack a little kick from the pepper jack cheese, smoked pepper and Cajun seasoning? Just the right amount of kick. My goodness were these ever amazing!
The Perfect Side Dish
I served these cedar-plank Cajun mashed potatoes alongside a delicious prime rib. I cooked it on my Char-Broil Big Easy oil-less fryer. It was the perfect meal.
I cooked the potatoes on my just-refurbished 15 year-old Weber gas grill, but any grill will do as long as you can fit the cedar plank onto it!
I consider these Cajun grilled baby vegetables to be the perfect side dish. They take absolutely no time to throw together and they taste fantastic. Just about any vegetable can be used, just make sure that all of them are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. I needed something light and fresh to go with my just-grilled sliders. I figured, small burgers, small veggies!
Weber makes an absolutely fantastic vegetable basket for the grill. It heats up fast and evenly and is the perfect basket for making these Cajun grilled baby vegetables, whether you have a Weber grill or not!
I was looking for a little different (and spicier) version of fried mushrooms than you usually get when you order them at your local bar, and boy, I found it. I recently made some beer battered mushrooms, and they were absolutely outstanding. The nice light batter made the mushrooms feel light and airy. The batter on these Cajun fried mushrooms isn’t quite as light, but it has a fantastic (cornmeal) crunch to it. And a really nice spicy kick. These are different than the usual fried snacks you get at a restaurant or bar. Good different.
A Kicked Up Dipping Sauce
The mustardy dipping sauce complements these Cajun fried mushrooms perfectly, and it also has a bit of kick to it because, well, you need a kick and more kick is better.
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.
I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.
I was looking for a little different (and spicier) version of fried mushrooms than you usually get when you order them at your local bar, and boy, I found it.
This slow-cooked brisket with Cajun brown gravy came out absolutely fantastic. Sure, it’s tender and juicy, but it’s the flavor… perfectly meaty with the sweetness from the onions and peppers and a kick from jalapeno. And there’s plenty of Cajun-flavored gravy for sopping, so bring some bread to the party. This is comfort food at its best.
Enjoy Life. Add Crunch.
I really, really liked this brisket with Cajun brown gravy over Texas toast, topped with crispy onion rings. The crunch of the rings contrasted well with the tender beef, while the bread got all covered in gravy and, man, it was good. You could also use French fried onions or nice and crispy French fries.
I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this brisket and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!
This slow-cooked brisket with Cajun brown gravy came out absolutely fantastic. Sure, it’s tender and juicy, but it’s the flavor… perfectly meaty with the sweetness from the onions and peppers and a kick from jalapeno.
ricewhite bread, onion rings.. whatever you like for serving and sopping
Instructions
Brown the brisket on all sides in a Dutch oven. Remove.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in Dutch over medium heat.
Gradually whisk in the flour. Keep whisking until smooth, adding more oil if needed.
Cook roux 15-20 minutes or until dark brown, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Do not burn.
Meanwhile, warm the beef broth.
Slowly (WARNING: Be very careful! The roux will be very hot and the broth will boil when added. Keep your hands and face away from over the pot) pour the broth into the roux while whisking vigorously to break up any clumps.
Bring to boil, reduce to medium low and simmer 20 minutes, skimming away any foam or fat.
Scrape bottom to loosen any settled roux.
Pour into slow cooker. Set heat on low.
Heat 3 additional tablespoons of oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high.
Add the onion. Saute 15 minutes.
Deglaze with 1-2 tablespoons of water if bottom of pot becomes too brown.
Add garlic, bell pepper, jalapenos, and Cajun seasoning. Saute 3 minutes. Pour into slow cooker with broth mix.
Add bay leaves, cover and simmer on low for 4-5 hours or until meat starts to fall apart
Remove meat to a cutting board and chop as desired. Return to cooker and keep warm until ready to serve.
Notes
Add a minced jalapeno or two to the onions while they cook for a nice little kick.
Truth be told, I’d be happy at Thanksgiving or Christmas with just a big ole plate (or bowl… I’d prefer a bowl) of easy Cajun mashed potatoes topped with roasted turkey gravy, with a side of good ole fashioned dressing. Oh sure, I love (and make) a great turkey. And all the other dishes that make up a big holiday meal, but these potatoes… They are something special. Oh so buttery and creamy, with just a little kick to them… just enough to make them incredible.
These Aren’t Diet Taters, Nope
These easy Cajun mashed potatoes are well worth the extra time you might have to spend at the gym after eating them. I mean, heck, this isn’t the light version of this dish. This isn’t the time for the light version. We’re going for the gusto here. These are the mashed potato big leagues!
I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make these potatoes and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!
Truth be told, I’d be happy at Thanksgiving or Christmas with just a big ole plate (or bowl… I’d prefer a bowl) of Cajun mashed potatoes topped with roasted turkey gravy, with a side of good ole fashioned dressing.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add the potatoes. I prefer to not skin or chop my potatoes first. Just throw (er.. lower gently) the entire potatoes into the pot. If you don’t like the skins, remove them first.
Boil potatoes until fork tender (test the larger ones), 20-25 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain well.
Return potatoes to the pot (off the heat) and mash with a potato masher (or use a hand-held blender).
Add remaining ingredients and mash until well combined and smooth.
Serve hot with warmed gravy. When reheating (if you have any leftovers), you may have to add a bit more cream (or milk) to get the right consistency.
This bone-in Cajun-injected turkey breast came out absolutely fantastic. A bit spicy, unbelievably moist, and darned good. I made it in our Char-Broil Big Easy, and believe me, it can’t get any easier. Poultry in the Big Easy normally takes 10 minutes per pound and this was no exception. Just shoot up the breast with a simple, spicy marinade, drop it in a lit Big Easy, and 80 minutes later (for my 8 pound breast) you have a perfectly cooked turkey that is incredibly juicy. The skin on this bird does not crisp up thanks to the amount of liquid in the marinade. Fans of munching on crunchy skin will be disappointed with that, but the flavorful Cajun-Injected Turkey Breast on the Char-Broil Big Easy more than makes up for it.
Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
(I just noticed that my turkey breast looks like a Conehead.. or an old Spanish helmet!)
Bone-In Or Boneless, Either will Do!
You could make this recipe for a Cajun-injected turkey breast on the Char-Broil Big Easy using a boneless turkey breast. You’ll probably have to adjust the cooking time, and you can probably get away with using half the amount of marinade.
An upgrade for the standard basket that comes with…
Collapsible design makes loading and unloading…
For injecting my turkey (and anything else), I use a meat injector. It can handle absolutely anything you put into it. I learned early on not to buy a wimpy injector. They don’t last. Spend a bit more and only cry once, as they say!
Cajun-Injected Turkey Breast on the Char-Broil Big Easy
This bone-in Cajun-injected turkey breast came out absolutely fantastic. A bit spicy, unbelievably moist, and a lot good. I made it in our Char-Broil Big Easy, and believe me, it can’t get any easier.
Trim any excess skin from the breast. Rinse it and pat it dry.
Place marinade ingredients into a blender and puree for 5 minutes until smooth.
Inject turkey with the marinade in many places. Go crazy, but not so crazy that you create a turkey pin cushion (I try to slide the needle under the skin and inject in several spots so there aren’t as many holes).
Fire up your Big Easy.
Spray the Big Easy basket with non-stick spray.
Insert the turkey breast and lower the basket into the Big Easy.
Cover (see my note) and cook 10 minutes per pound.
Check temperature in multiple spots. Once the turkey reaches 165 F remove it from the Big Easy and cover it in foil and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Carve as desired.
Notes
I usually don’t cover my Big Easy with the lid until the last 30 minutes of cooking, otherwise the top part of the turkey gets too dark compared to the rest of the turkey.
There are as many variations on Cajun seasoning as there are stars in the evening sky. Ok, well, it just seems that way. This is my go-to version. I use it on everything Cajun-ish or just anything for that matter. I like my seasoning a bit on the hot side. If you like a little more mellow flavor, cut the amount of cayenne pepper in half.
Most store-bought Cajun seasonings contain way too much sodium. Making your own at home lets you adjust the salt without sacrificing flavor.
Make sure you give your container of seasoning a good shake before using. Especially if it has been sitting for a bit. Ingredients settle. You want to make sure that you get a bit of everything in every tablespoon!
Goodness, me-oh-my. I think these Crazy Cajun Nachos pretty much sealed the fate of ‘normal’ nachos in this house. These nachos are.. well, crazy good. Andouille on nachos is what nachos have needed since they were invented in the 40s by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya. And how cool would it be to immortalized by having a food named after you? Anyone up for a big ole plate of Mike’s? Nope, doesn’t have the same ring to it.
More Cheese Sauce, More Better.
The cheese sauce on these crazy Cajun nachos is simple, but really tasty. It’s great on baked potatoes and hot dogs, too. Trust me. And it’s actually good as a dip by itself.
Goodness, me-oh-my. I think these Crazy Cajun Nachos pretty much sealed the fate of ‘normal’ nachos in this house. These nachos are.. well, crazy good.
This Cajun dip and salad dressing goes great over a salad. It is also fantastic as a dip for everything from veggies to onion rings, to chicken nuggets. Adjust the Cajun seasoning, to taste. I’d use a bit less Cajun seasoning when making a salad dressing and a bit more when making a dip. The end result will taste better if you use a homemade Cajun seasoning mix or a store-bought one that has less salt.
The Perfect Dressing For A Wedge Salad
We served the dressing over a simple wedge salad. We love the crispy freshness of iceberg lettuce.
This Cajun dip and salad dressing goes great over a salad, and it is also fantastic as a dip for everything from veggies to onion rings, to chicken nuggets.