Granny's Cajun Jambalaya
Lynsey Pippen, Little Bus Books
1/4 cup canola oil
5 large onions, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
5-6 chicken breast tenderloins, cut into small pieces
Hillshire Farm sausage link, chopped into small cubes
3 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
4 1/2 cups water
Cajun seasoning such as onion powder, garlic powder, Tony’s Chachere, paprika or herbs (optional)
1. Brown onions in oil until very dark, in your black iron pot. (Stir frequently to prevent burning.) Add a little water and simmer a few minutes until consistency thickens.
2. Add garlic and cook on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, covered.
3. Add uncooked chicken, sausage and a little water (look for the sizzle) and cook until browned.
4. Add rice and 4 1/2 cups water, stir. Bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer until rice is cooked.
Sprinkle Cajun seasoning as desired while rice is cooking. If you are unsure of the amount of seasoning, you can add more before serving from the pot. Serves 8-10 people.
“The difficulty with sharing written recipes in Cajun country is that most family recipes are never written, but passed down from the experience of watching “ya mom an dem” in the kitchen for many years. Personally, measuring ingredients is optional, but using a black cast-iron pot and wooden spoon is not. I’ve added Cajun to the title because it’s important to understand the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking. While both are flavorful parts of the Louisiana culinary experience, there are similarities and differences in ingredients. Where jambalaya is concerned the spices are the same, but Creole is red (tomatoes) and Cajun is brown (browned onions.) Creole is heavier on seafood, where Cajun leans towards pork and chicken. For my Falgout family, we like to mix and match our “meats” depending on if seafood is in season, but never. ever. add a tomato to Granny’s black iron jambalaya pot! And if you don’t like spicy, you should probably grab an extra glass of water (or sweet tea) before you get seated at the table.”
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Chief Vance Monroe, Winter Haven Police Department
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces, patted dry
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup uncooked white rice, medium or long grain
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high or high heat (hot enough to brown but not burn). Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Add a little more olive oil if needed with every batch.
3. Remove chicken pieces and set aside in a bowl. The chicken does not have to be cooked through, only browned.
4. In the same sauté pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 30 seconds more. Remove onions and garlic to a shallow 9x13-inch casserole dish.
5. Raise heat to medium high and add the sliced mushrooms. Dry sauté the mushrooms (don’t add butter or oil), allowing them to brown lightly and release some of their moisture. Add the mushrooms to the casserole dish.
6. Add 1/4 cup dry sherry or dry white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom. Let the sherry reduce to about 1 tablespoon, then add the chicken stock, and remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the cream, and the sour cream.
7. Add the uncooked rice to the casserole dish. Then pour the stock, sherry, cream, and sour cream mixture over the rice. Add the Italian and poultry seasonings (or fresh herbs) and paprika to the dish. Stir the chicken pieces, rice, onion, mushroom, and herb mixture so that they are evenly distributed in the casserole dish.
8. Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes and then remove foil. (If the casserole still has too much liquid, let it cook a few minutes more, uncovered, until the excess liquid has evaporated away.)
“One day I was searching for a healthy, balanced meal that was both flavorful and easy to prepare. The combination of lean protein from the chicken and the wholesome grains from the rice makes it a perfect choice for a nutritious, satisfying dish without being too heavy. This recipe has become a family favorite of ours and I hope you will love it also.”
Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Rebecca Macpherson, Lakeland
1 pork shoulder
1 two-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper
brown sugar
1 small can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
1/2 stick butter
1 package of sandwich buns
Dressing:
1 bag of cole slaw mix salad
1 bottle of poppyseed dressing
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. In a roasting pan, layer the bottom with chunks of butter. You can also use one of those grill trays that keep the pork off the bottom of your pan.
3. Put the pork in and rub it all over with the adobo peppers. Depending on your preference for spicy meat, use a little or as much as you like.
4. Rub brown sugar all over the pork as well.
5. Pour the Dr. Pepper all over, I pour about an inch of Dr. Pepper on the bottom of the pan, so that the pork can really absorb all the ingredients.
6. Put pork in oven and cook it overnight. I usually get up twice to baste the pork with the juices, but you can leave it alone with aluminum foil over the top to prevent dryness.
The next morning, pull the pork apart and let the pieces soak in the juices.
Mix the Cole Slaw mix with the Poppyseed dressing and put that in a serving bowl. Get your buns, put some slaw on them` and pork, and enjoy the meal!
Aunt Wanda's Cajun Shrimp Bisque
Bree Hemp, Winter Haven
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 pound chopped cooked shrimp
24 ounces whole corn
cajun seasoning to taste
Melt butter in a skillet and add flour, stirring constantly until the color of peanut butter. Put all ingredients, including flour mixture, in a crock pot. Cook until hot but don’t boil.
“Dedicated to Aunt Wanda who passed away suddenly last December.”
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
Daryl Ward, PHD, Executive Director of Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance
(YIELDS 8-10 SERVINGS)
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds of white-meat chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup scallions, finely diced (green and white part)
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
3 cups boiling water or chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1. Season chicken and sausage (salt/pepper to taste). Melt butter in saucepan and add chicken and sausage – cook until chicken and sausage are browned. Remove meat and set aside.
2. Add pepper, onion, scallions, celery, tomatoes, and garlic to pan – cook until softened. Stir rice into vegetable mixture.
3. Add water (or stock) and rest of seasonings, bring to a simmer.
4. Return meat to saucepan.
5. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until water is absorbed and chicken is cooked through. Cook uncovered for a few more minutes to evaporate any excess moisture. Serve w/ bread of choice.
“I wasn’t (and I’m still not) much of a cook, but I saw this recipe in a newspaper column some 20 years ago or so. I thought it sounded good, so I made it. For many years, it was the only thing I could (or would) cook for my family. And though my recipe repertoire has improved over the years, this is still one of my favorite dishes to prepare.”
Santa Fe (Chili) Soup
Kellie Phillips, Director of Development Bonnet Springs Park
2 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 chopped white onion
1 (.5 oz) pkg ranch-style dressing mix
2 (1/4 oz.) pkg taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz.) can black beans (undrained)
1 (16 oz.) can white corn (undrained)
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans (undrained)
1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans (undrained)
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes with chile
1 (16 oz.) can tomato wedges (undrained)
1-2 cups water
Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced onions, cilantro, avocado
In Dutch oven or stock pot, cook meat and onion together until meat is browned. Stir ranch-style dressing mix and taco seasoning mix into the pot. Add remaining ingredients with the juice from all of the cans. Stir occasionally for 30 minutes on medium heat. Simmer for up to 2 hours. Add desired toppings and enjoy!
“This recipe was passed around the neighborhood families when I was a kid, so my mom used to always make it for our family! Anytime the temps dropped below 70, or the threat of a hurricane/power outage, or anytime we needed a cozy and filling meal, Santa Fe Soup was on the menu. Now, my brother and sister and I make it for those same reasons and have shared it with our friends and family as well.”
Butternut Curry Soup
Aaron Venrick, Winter Haven
1 large butternut squash - peeled and cubed
1 medium white onion - chopped
2 large carrots - chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper - to taste
1. Add olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over med-high heat.
2. Add squash, carrots and a large pinch of salt. Cook on med-high heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add onion, curry powder and nutmeg. Cook for an additional 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until squash and carrots are very soft. About 20 min.
5. Remove from heat. Add butter and stir to melt and combine.
6. With an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (You can use a normal blender for this, just make sure to remove the soup from the heat for at least 5 min and add to blender one cup at a time)
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with a tablespoon of heavy cream drizzled on top and naan bread. (Or any bread for that matter.)
“Now, I know this is in no way a “curry.” Although, the smell in your kitchen will say otherwise. And it does give you the warmth and spicy flavors that you would get from a curry. Enjoy!”
Fish Chowder
Brad Dantzler, Winter Haven City Commissioner
5 pounds fish
5 pounds potatoes (Russet)
5 pounds onions
1-2 pound celery
1/2 gallon cream
1-2 sticks butter
1 bag oyster crackers
flour
1. In a large pot, put potatoes, onions and small amount of water, bring to boil. When onions start to blanch, add fish.
2. When fish is half cooked, add the cream, butter and chopped celery, bring to a boil.
3. Cut the heat, add flour to the pot to thicken the soup. It’s critical to stir during the entire process so it won’t burn.
4. Leave on stove with no heat after it boils. Serve with salt, pepper, or hot sauce and oyster crackers.
Ritz Shrimp
Dan Chesnicka, Producing Director Theatre Winter Haven
For context, I’m a New England boy. In my family, clambakes last 3 days, we each have our own recipe for chowder, and preparing seafood is both an act of love and a bloodsport.
Holidays are not about turkey and ham, but about lobsters, clams, oysters, and other crustaceans.
Most of our efforts are incredibly complex, our secrets highly treasured and everything is cooked outside over a wood-burning fire. I spent years in my father’s shadow learning the tricks and he would haunt me if I were to share any generational secrets.
BUT… there is one thing the Chesnickas often make that is deceptively easy to accomplish and uses only a few simple store-bought ingredients. I’m sure my ancestors would not consider sharing this particular recipe a violation worthy of dishonor to the family name. Truthfully, this is something we make when we don’t have 3 days to prepare but are itching for a quality seafood fix.
You will need
1. The biggest shrimp you can find. Try for U4 or U6 if you can get them.
2. A box of Ritz Crackers (Please don’t get “Reduced Fat” or anything with any flavor beyond “Original” - I ask this so my father doesn’t turn in his grave)
3. A lot of butter. (I should mention that measuring devices are strongly discouraged in the Chesnicka household)
4. A few fresh lemons
Here is what you need to do -
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Clean, shell, de-vein, and butterfly your HUMONGOUS SHRIMP. (To do this properly, you cut the shrimp in the opposite way you may imagine. Don’t go along the back, but from the underside, cutting deep until you reach the vein. Pull out that gross vein and clean the shrimp up. This takes a little care and skill so you don’t cut the shrimp in half. Take your time. If you do this right, it should lay relatively flat and look a little like a heart.)
3. Melt a stick or two of butter.
4. Crush up your Ritz Crackers to resemble crunchy breadcrumbs, place in a separate bowl.
5. Drag your cleaned HUMONGOUS SHRIMP through the melted butter and then drag that through the crushed-up Ritz Crackers to thoroughly coat the shrimp. *(Note: it is impossible to use too much butter or too much cracker. You can try, but if you do, please invite me over)
6. Place on a cookie sheet, cut side up - they should lie fairly flat.
7. Cut up your fresh lemon and squeeze EXACTLY 3 drops of lemon juice on each shrimp.
8. Put in oven and watch it like a hawk - don’t go too far, this happens pretty fast. When the tails start to turn up and they start to get golden brown, quickly flip your oven to “broil.” Keep watching it like a hawk. DO NOT GET DISTRACTED AT THIS POINT.
9. When you see the Ritz crumbs are lightly toasted - pull it out of the oven…. It’s done.
Serve with a draft of butter for dipping (like you would a lobster) and a cold beer. It is so delicious, no one will care what sides you pair it with.
Get on your knees and thank the heavens for the day you read this article in Haven Magazine. Pour out a tall-boy for my dad.
Let’s call this dish, RITZ Shrimp, which reminds me... get your tickets to all shows at the Historic Ritz Theatre!!!!!
