Cajun Cookin', Part 2

• 3 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup each chopped celery and chopped green peppers
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 3 cups shrimp or fish stock
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 4 thin lemon slices
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon each thyme and basil
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 cup each sliced green onions, including tops, and snipped fresh parsley
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

Sauté shrimp in butter in large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes; remove and set aside. Add flour to remaining butter in skillet; stir over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir in onions, celery, green peppers, and garlic; cook until they begin to turn transparent. Add stock, tomato sauce, lemon slices, sugar, thyme, basil, bay leaves, salt and cayenne; simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in green onions, parsley, and reserved shrimp; cook 5 minutes longer.

Serve over hot rice. Makes eight servings.

CHAR'S CAJUN BAKED CHICKEN
from Char's Original Cajun Recipes

Things you will need:

• 1 or 2 whole chickens
• Cajun Seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
• Roasted garlic butter (Land O' Lakes)
• large baking dish

Soften up the garlic butter and spread inside and out of chicken (s), shake seasoning all over. Let sit for about an hour. Slow bake at 325 for one and a half to two hours.

AUNT EDNA'S HOMEMADE CAJUN SPICE
from Cajun in the Kitchen

• 1/2 cup Paprika
• 2 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 & 1/2tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/4tsp. Salt
• 1/2tsp. Basil
• 1/2tsp. Tarragon
• 1/2tsp. Thyme Leaves (ground)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store spice in a jar with a lid.
Use seasoning to taste...for any recipe that calls for a Cajun Seasoning.

DIRTY RICE
from Cajun in the Kitchen

• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 & 1/2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 6oz. chicken gizzards
• 6 oz. chicken livers
• 6 oz. pork
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

Cook the rice in 2 cups of the chicken stock or broth . Reserve aside the other 1/2 cup of the stock or broth.

Chop or grind gizzards, liver and pork and place in a large frying pan that has a cover. Fry the meat mixture in the butter until it loses its pink coloring. Add in the onion, celery, garlic, and peppers. Sauté together about 4-5 minutes. Pour in the reserved stock and add the cooked rice. Stir all ingredients together. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 8-10 minutes - until liquid is absorbed.