Copycat Cuco’s Cheese Enchiladas and living that quarantine life

Happy Cinco de Mayo, my people!!!  I hope all is well your way!  Ya’ll do know that I am from Alexandria (as Big Daddy says I remind anyone and everyone that I am from Alex.).  He and the kids pick on me quite a bit about this but it’s fine because that is where my roots are and I am a roots are important kind of gal.  Yes I am all about blooming where I am planted in North Louisiana and Shreveport has been so so good to me, but at the end of the day, my roots in Alex. run deep!  So the recipe I am bringing to you today is a throwback copycat to Cucos.  Cucos was the first Mexican food I ever tasted.  My best friend then and now, Nicole, and her parents brought me out to eat there and I fell in love!!! Their cheese enchiladas with that amazing gravy were the best thing I had ever tasted.  See my parents are so cajun that at that time they would not have entertained eating at a Mexican restaurant.  I do remember in high school I got to pick a restaurant and where I chose to go?  Yep, Cucos.

One of our fun front porch pics taken by my talented friend, Natalie with Soul Rebels Photography. 

So I have been on the hunt for a copycat Cucos cheese enchilada and gravy recipe.  The cheese enchiladas I got down, but that gravy recipe remained ever elusive.  Since we have been quarantined, I have naturally had more time on my hands.  And the other night I was googling recipes and I googled Cucos cheese enchiladas, not expecting much as I had done this before, and up popped up this recipe.  It was like an answered prayer friends!!!  I was a little doubtful but super excited to try it.  So to my neighborhood Walmart I went to get the minimal ingredients.  As my oldest pointed out, I was a day early for taco Tuesday but oh well, when the envie for Mexican hits, it is what it is! So I made these super cheesy, extra delicious enchiladas and ya’ll…they were as close to Cucos as I am gonna get since they closed them all down years ago.  I am still bitter Cucos.  Still bitter.  But having this little recipe in my repertoire makes life a little sweeter.  I opened a can of refried black beans and made some cilantro lime rice and it was muy delicioso.  Now, Cucos refried black beans are next on my list to recreate.  Then their fried ice cream.  Sweet Mother Mary, that was the best.  My oldest loves El Chico ( I do not support him in this) and oohs and ahhhs over their fried ice cream. I am like boy please, get out of here with that noise.  You don’t know good fried ice cream.  Ya’ll, I should be 55 now with all the birthdays I celebrated at Cucos to get that free birthday fried ice cream.  I should also be ashamed of myself for having fake birthdays.  But I proudly wore that big sombrero and let the Cucos workers sing Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to our guest, Happy birthday happy birthday Cucos wishes you the best! Ole!!

Me in that sombrero at Cucos. Ahhh youth.

I made a huge double recipe of these enchiladas, which is about 16 and ya’ll…they were gone!!  No more.  Nada.  Big Daddy loved them, all the kids loved them and of course, I adored them.  They evoked such great memories for me.  The taste and the smell.  So if you have some extra time during this quarantine, I would definitely suggest making some.  And then make more because once is never enough.  Kind of like getting that free fried ice cream…

Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Gravy

serves 6

stuff you need:

For the chili gravy

6 tablespoons Canola oil

1/2 cup of flour

1 tsp. black pepper

3 tsp. garlic powder

4 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

4 T. dark chili powder (or regular if that’s what you want to do)

4 cups chicken broth

For the enchiladas:

16 corn tortillas

cooking oil

6 cups or so of shredded cheddar (I used a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack)

3-4 green onions, chopped, green parts only

allll the chili gravy in that skillet, don’t kid yourself

what to do with the stuff:

To make the gravy, heat the canola oil in a large skillet.  Whisk in your flour to make a roux.  Not a super dark roux, not light either.  So medium I guess. Cook on a low heat until it darkens a bit.  Please remember to stir!!

Stir in all the spices.  Add your chicken broth and cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.  It is absolutely perfect.  Yes.

Now, ladle a little of that gravy to cover your 9 x 13 dish.  I used one slightly bigger that was a hand me down from Big Daddy’s mama.  If you are making a half recipe, 9 x 13 is fine. You might need to use 2 9 x 13 dishes if you are making all 16.

Now to prep your tortillas (and yes this is a little extra work but I have learned it is worth it)…heat about a tablespoon in a small skillet (cast iron if you have it) and then add a tortilla to it.  Fry for a few seconds on each side, and put it on a plate lined with a few paper towels.  Do this with each tortilla.  Do not fry them long, and add more oil as needed to keep your skillet greased.  Set tortillas aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Now, on another plate, set a tortilla and add some cheese. I have no idea how much, but if I had to guess maybe 1/8 cup?  I just sprinkle some on. Corn tortillas are not very big so you’ll have to use your judgement.  Roll up the tortilla and set it in your prepared dish.  Do this with each tortilla.  Once they are all lined up in that baking dish with that scrumptious chili gravy all over the bottom, ladle the rest of the chili gravy all over the top.  If you are doing two pans, remember to divide it up.  Now sprinkle so so much cheese all over that chili gravy.  Do not add the green onions just yet.

Pop these suckers in the oven.  Cook until that cheese is all bubbly and melted.  About 5 minutes before they are done, sprinkle the green onions all over the cheese.  Cook for a few more minutes.  Yes.  This is the Cucos.  You might be quarantined but that’s not stopping you from eating a restaurant style meal is it?  No, indeed.

That is a pan dreams are made of!!

Happy eating my friends!! Hope you all stay well and use this time to cook something delicious, get closer to family, learn a new hobby, find some new joy! God is so good and His mercies are fresh every morning! Much love to you and yours!! If you make these, let me know what y’all think!! XO, AMB

My newest nephew and godson! He’s gorgeous! The quarantine has brought some beautiful things.

Everybody say “quarantine”!!!

 

 

Hungarian goulash and Going home

We are on winter break over here and while our money is crazy tight, I have people to feed over here! They somehow ask for food 3 times a day!! Go figure! So the other day I was looking at what all I had to make something for supper and I thought of one of the throwback recipes from my childhood. My mama would make this on the regular when I was growing up. My daddy is definitely a meat and potatoes sort of guy and he always liked this. I’m not sure but I’m betting Bernie still makes this for Stephen from time to time. I am sure I never appreciated her cooking when I was growing up like I do now. In fact, if I am being completely honest, I am betting I turned my nose up at this recipe when she cooked it. Hungarian goulash and Mulligan stew…two recipes I distinctly remember being not my favorites. Funny how times change. I actually made this recipe a few times when I was in college. Yes, I cooked this sort of stuff for Big Daddy in college. But for whatever reason, it has been a while since I made this goulash. And that’s a shame because it is so simple and really an economical meal (if you get the meat on sale…like a chuck roast on sale and cut it into chunks). The recipe calls for round steak or stew meat but this time Big Daddy asked me to use the elk stew meat our friend, Linc, had given him. I obliged, though I was hesitant. I’m not a fan of wild meat. And yes I grew up in a family where it was served often. My daddy is a big hunter and fisherman. We are Cajun and that means we eat all sorts of crazy stuff. Funniest story…when I was about 14 and my sisters were about 9, 7, and 5 daddy had come home from a weekend at his camp in Spring Bayou. He has brought home a mess of squirrels to cook. For the record, squirrel and rabbit are my least favorite game to eat. And I can make that statement with knowledge of how it tastes. At this point in my life, my parents had given up on trying to make me eat and just let me eat the rice and gravy and vegetables. But my sisters still enjoyed it and were not bothered. They enjoyed because it tasted good (my daddy can cook some game), but just the thought of it made my stomach turn. So they are sitting there eating the squirrel my daddy had cooked at the bar in our newly built house. Happy little clams. I was 14 or 15 and wanted to be heard, so I start up. “That’s squirrel y’all are eating. Daddy killed them this weekend and then cooked them.” My daddy, who I am sure wanted to smack me, promptly sent me to my room. I used to swear I’d never marry a man who hunted or ever make rice and gravy again when I moved out that house. I’m 0 for 2 y’all. Needless to say, the fact that I married an ole country boy who is of the “shoot it, stuff it or marry it” mentality (thanks Steel Magnolias!) is quite comical. And now I’m over here in north Louisiana making Hungarian goulash using elk stew meat. Yep. You want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans!!! Life is funny that way! I’ll be the first to admit that elk stew meat was just delicious in this goulash. I just had to not think about it. When you’re on a budget, you are grateful for any extra meat you can work into a recipe that did not cost money! So thanks Linc! This goulash makes the kitchen smell so good when it’s cooking and it basically cooks itself. This recipe was actually in a box of handwritten recipes my Aunt Gay has given my mom when she and my dad got married. It’s tucked away in my recipe box and I think as great as Pinterest and google are, there’s something so poignant and wonderful about making a recipe that was handwritten in 1972 out of love for a newly married couple. It’s a dying art that we cannot let go of. It is ironic that the older I get, the more I cling to what I come from. What I know. The kids and I went to visit my mama and daddy in Alexandria the other day and I realized the closer I got to home, the more myself I felt. That is where I am from. That is who I am at my core. Southern Maid donuts will never cut it for me. I am a Shipley’s girl. Chocolate filled thank you very much. My kids agree they are the best.

There is something comforting about going back home…kids in tow

This recipe is so simple it will surprise you. I hope you will make it and enjoy it. You can use deer meat as well.

Hungarian Goulash (circa 1972)

Stuff you need~

8 strips of bacon, raw

2 pounds of stew meat cut into chunks

1 onion, peeled and cut into thick slices

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices

6 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices

Plenty of salt and pepper

THAT’S IT!!!!

What to do with the stuff~

Layer the bacon slices at the bottom of a thick bottomed Dutch oven. You need one with a lid that fits nice and tight. I basically laid the bacon to cover the bottom one way and then laid slices across those slices the other way to fully cover the bottom. You will be amazed at how the bacon flavors this whole dish.

Next lay your cubed stew meat over the bacon. Salt and pepper well. Next layer the thick slices of onion rings over the meat. Salt and pepper well. Next potatoes, then carrots. Salt and pepper between layers. Add enough water to basically cover the meat. Then cover with tight fitting lid. Cook on low until water cooks out and meat is done. Basically about 2 1/2 -3 hours. This dish basically cooks itself but make sure to keep an eye. You might add water if needed. I did not have to.

Serve with a green salad and some brown n serve rolls (the only kind we made in my house growing up mop tit!) and you’re good to go. Cornbread would be good in place of brown n serve rolls, that’s up to you! Some sweet tea and you are good, boo!

Enjoy the simplicity and basic goodness of this recipe!!

The goulash before I put lid on and started to cook it

Me and my original ride or dies…my sisters. About 1996. I’m always this girl

My favorite chicken salad sandwiches recipe (keto friendly) and fun chaos!

Ya’ll!!!! I cannot even believe it has been so long since I’ve written a blog post. I’m sure it has been crazy where you are and I’m no different. I could begin to catch you up if I tried. My kids are growing and doing well this school year. I’ll be honest and say with a freshman, an 8th grader, 6th grader and a 4th grader…the fun never ends!!! Lmao! It’s like a big party 24/7. The kind of party that sometimes you think you just as well burn the house down after it’s over than to try to repair the damage but a party none the less. Think Sixteen Candles with the pizza on the record player, Long Duck Dong falling out of the tree and you get the picture. 😂😂

Pretty much. This. Every morning 😂

That exactly. Every day of my life with teenagers and preteens. I tell people it’s like a game of whack a mole. I get one calmed down and another one pops up. But you know what? I’m going to say it keeps me young and I would not have it any other way. When you have 4 kids in less than 5 years, challenges are to be expected. Heck, my mama had 4 in ten years and there were challenges a plenty!! 4 girls!! Can you imagine?!

3 of my best blessings (Lisa, Me, Jenny, Claire….aka the Mayeux girls)

Challenges for Bernie and Steven sure but man these girls are my best friends. So I’m hoping that one day my kids can get as much joy from their siblings relationships as I do from mine.

Photo credit Soul Rebels Photography (check her out!!)

And it’s not always been an easy road. But it’s worth it. Which brings me to why you are likely here and not to here me go on and on about my sisters and my kids. Or maybe you’re here for both!! Also on my list of not always an easy road but worth it…keto. I fell off the wagon over the holidays. Yeah. I did. And that’s ok!! I actually jumped off screaming “weeee!!!” Lol! But the good thing is I realized how much better I feel when I eat mostly keto. My stomach troubles go away, less inflammation, less anxiety, just better in general. I ate keto for over a year so the blessing there is I know how worth it is to get back into it. So I’m getting back into it.

At the end of the day, it’s not about the numbers on the scale. What size jeans I wear. I mean those things are motivators, especially in the beginning. But doing this as a lifestyle, I’ve gained an appreciation for how it makes me feel. And that motivates me the most. Last year I learned I’m a better version of me when I go to Mass regularly and when I eat keto. But I’ve told y’all before I keep it simple. I do like trying recipes. And I might make the occasional fat head dough or make a nice low carb bread…but mostly I stick to my meat and low carb veggies. The first few days getting back into it are hard, but after that it’s all good mostly. Biggest piece of advice, stay hydrated and keep it simple!!! So in that same vein, I am sharing one of my favorite simple keto recipes. My favorite chicken salad. You can make a huge batch for the week and eat it by itself or over a bed of fresh spinach.

All the Mayeux grandkids…12 in all…for now…😉

Mama and her girls

My younger two kids adore it and will eat it in a sandwich. I made a batch for my family’s big Christmas shindig and it went fast!! Granted it was served on bread but it’s so good with or without bread! Momou used to throw a huge buffet style shin dig every Christmas Eve. Almost everyone would come. My Momee and some of mama’s family would even come. Second cousins in town for Christmas would come. Her Christmas Eve buffets were legendary (at least in Bluetown 🤷🏻‍♀️) and chicken salad sandwiches cut into triangles always made an appearance. I loved them. So this year for our Christmas Eve, my sisters and mama and I kind of recreated that same buffet style situation. Meatballs, dips, and yes…chicken salad sandwiches.

Claire and JP showing off our smorgasbord

This exact chicken salad. But with bread. So this is a versatile recipe. I never knew Momou’s exact recipe but this tastes pretty close. And a little side note…if you are looking at keto meal prep for the week, make some egg salad, deviled eggs, ham and cheese roll ups…the list of simple lunches is endless! You can so do this. I can so do this!!

Any how…on with my favorite chicken salad recipe!!

Cajun Mama’s Favorite Simple chicken salad! (And it’s keto friendly!!)

Stuff you need~

Servings-a serving or two for my lunches and then enough for 2 sandwiches for the kids so double as needed

3 chicken breasts, boiled and deboned

Plenty of mayo *

White pepper

Himalayan pink salt

*check labels and use the lowest carb one….I.e. the least or no sugar. You can make your own…I don’t, but if you are so inclined then by all means. I am ketoish. Meaning I use regular mayo and that’s good enough for me

What to do with the stuff~

If you have a food processor, then I would definitely go this route! I have a Pampered Chef one that I use when I am not making a huge batch and it works perfectly! I’m a Pampered Chef consultant and I got one in my start up kit and it’s awesome! I love the consistency that running the chicken breasts through the processor gives my chicken salad….but feel free to just chop your chicken up. Do you!!

Now the mayo…listen everyone is different. Some like their chicken salad more moist and some like their chicken salad on the dry side. I know I add at least 1/2 cup to three chicken breasts. So start out with less and add more as needed. Remember that the mayo is a needed fat in this situation and much needed to keep you full!! You do not want a bunch of protein with no fat. Use the mayo made with olive oil if that helps you. Now sprinkle in white pepper. It’s an acquired taste and has grown on me over the years. Another wonderful chicken salad recipe I posted a few years ago from one of my most favorite restaurants in Shreveport Fairfield Grocery chicken salad, uses white pepper and I have incorporated it into different recipes since then. I suggest you try it if you have not before. Then sprinkle In Himalayan pink salt to taste and you are set! It will stay good in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days…but it never lasts that long in my house!!! I’ll add pictures when I make some after while. It’s so delicious!

My daddy always finds a recliner to nap on during any family function. And he really sleeps!

Big Daddy and my sissies…💗💘

Reasons my daddy naps 😂 but we have fun!!

Seems so serene…but we are a wild bunch

This is so us.

A HUGE shout out to my ultra talented and precious friend, Natalie Parnell, and Soul Rebels Photography For these fantastic family photos. She manages to capture our family at its core….fun chaos while somehow showing the beauty in all the chaos. She is so talented and just a dear precious soul to work with. She manage to get some great shots in less than an hour. If she can do that for us…she can do it for your family! Check her out here!! Also look her up on Facebook! She truly is amazing.

That’s Nat (Soul Rebels Photography) and my Madame Toot!!

Keto lemon cheesecake mousse and I’m like a butterfly 🦋

So if you know me or follow me, you know I’ve been following the keto way of eating for about a year now. It has been amazing and I just feel so good. Granted, this summer I’ve loosened the reigns with all the traveling we have been doing. I have stayed keto-ish for the most part but I realize how much better I feel when I keep my carbs under a certain amount and eating keto is a choice for me. That’s a beautiful thing when I can say ” I choose this.” Sure, I’ll have carb ups here and there. I think it’s necessary (and I’m not open to argument…I’ve done the research. You do you, I’ll do me. After a year of doing this, I’ve done lots of trial and error and I know what works for me. 😊) So I’m about to head back to work as the school year is about to start and I’m kicking my keto mode back into high gear. I’m never super strict keto (again not wanting to argue) but I’m definitely looking to keep my carbs low and my healthy fat intake up to stay full and satisfied. I operate in the real world. And in the real world, we crave something sweet. As much as I love meat, cheese, so on…sometimes you just want something creamy and sweet. Something decadent. And this lemon cheesecake mousse fits the bill!! You can leave the lemon juice out and add some cocoa powder. You can add some vanilla. You can make it fit your cravings. My friend Dana gave me this recipe and she calls it keto cheesecake. It is cheesecake-ish but there are actual keto cheesecake recipes out there. With a crust and the whole nine yards. We eat this more like a mousse and I have always loved chocolate mousse so voila! This is a great mousse recipe. Dana loves her to taste like a lemon icebox pie!

You can just get spoonfuls our the bowl or divvy it up into separate serving containers (I use our Pampered Chef one cup prep bowls). Dana is my keto leader. Lol 😂. Last year when my blood-work showed my triglycerides to be super high (like insanely high and no wonder I was very overweight…I mean I’m still overweight but I’ve come a long way and it’s a journey. One step at a time!) anyway, my doctor advised I go on a low fat diet and I bought tofu, wheat bread and the whole nine yards. I was talking about how I was going to try to make tofu taste like cheese and in her typical Dana fashion…she said “but why though?” She had great success with keto and is a firm believer in that way of eating. And that day I started…and never looked back. I jumped in head first. And she showed me the way. Some days you just need someone to do that. Just take your hand and gently lead you or shove you in the door (ha!) and she has done just that. I’m forever grateful. Yesterday I was at her house and she was making this and I came home and made some and figured I would share. It’s crazy easy.

I’ve definitely come a long way in the past year. I’m sort of evolving all over again and I’m ok with that. I’ve let my hair grow, I’ve gone back to work full time…I try to imagine myself as a butterfly…I’m in a state of metamorphosis. The above picture was so to show how much my hair has grown over the last year, but I also noticed a few other changes. At 43, I’m learning all over again. It’s my second act. And I’m loving every minute. I’ve been knocked off my behind, I’ve lost a lot (weight, people, other things) but I’ve gained so much more. And what’s here is so special. Sorry to wax and wane about this, but being a year out of my evolution…I’m proud of where I am and I figured I’d share. Wherever you are…you are not stuck. You can begin again. You can learn new things and be whoever you want to be. But you have to have the courage to start! Start now! I hope above all you get that message today. And you make up this delicious keto cheesecake filling/lemon icebox mousse. It’s great to have a few spoonfuls when you are having cravings. It’s low carb and will keep you in your macros. It’s a decadent treat you can feel good about.

Keto lemon cheesecake mousse

Stuff you need~

8 ounce block cream cheese (softened)

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup of lemon juice (more if you want a more lemony taste or less if you want a less lemony taste)

Splenda or swerve to taste *

*Dana uses Splenda. I do not like Splenda. I find it makes my joints ache and I just don’t feel good when I consume it. I like Swerve. You might to use Stevia. I use the Sweet Drops in my coffee. So whatever low carb sweetener you want to use is fine here. There are lots of options.

What to do with the stuff~

-Add your cream cheese to a mixing bowl. Of course, I’m a Pampered Chef consultant and I am a lover of our batter bowl. I’ve had this one since college 👀!! Their stuff lasts forever. If you need a great mixing bowl or some prep bowls, we have 2 sizes and you can order one from my Pampered Chef website!

So add your softened cream cheese to your bowl. If it is not softened and you just need a keto fix, you can pop it in the microwave for a 30 seconds or so. That’s what Dana did yesterday. Our Pampered Chef batter bowls are microwave safe!

-After your cream cheese is softened, whip it up with your mixer. Let it get good and stirred up. Add in your heavy cream a little at a time. Mix it until you have a good creamy consistency. Add your lemon juice, mix it up. Add in some of your sweetener of choice. Whip it some more. Whip it real good!

– Add more sweetener until you have it like you like it. You can add more lemon juice if you need a more 🍋 lemony flavor. Now refrigerate until it is a little more set. Or have a few spoonfuls right away and then stick it in the fridge. Do you! Our batter bowl goes from microwave to the fridge and even has a nice lid that pops right on! You can divvy this up into separate containers. Our Pampered Chef 1 cup prep bowls are PERFECT for this. They come with lids that fit perfectly. And our mini mix in scrape is great for getting all the cheesecake mousse goodness out of the bowl!

Keep some of these prep bowls full of the lemon cheesecake mousse for when sweet cravings hit and you can stay on track to the ketosis and your fat adapted state. What a wonderful thing!!

Be a butterfly and let yourself evolve. Thanks for reading! I appreciate you all.

Keto chicken nuggets and the best summer ever

So…long time no post and I know it my friends. What can I say? It’s been so busy. And as I have said numerous times before…it’s not going to slow down. And that’s ok. I’m accepting it. I have an almost 9th grader, almost 8th grader, almost 6 grader, and almost 4th grader. We ended the school year with a bang and the summer has just been so fantastic.

My 4 kiddos having fun in Perdido!

We’ve spent time with precious friends and family.

Me and my sisters during a rare dinner out together

All of the 12 cousins oldest to youngest

Big Daddy even got to fly to Colorado to see his brother, his wife and kiddos. He had a great time and could not believe the change in weather between Louisiana and Colorado! They sleep with the windows open and some homes don’t even have air conditioning! That’s so crazy!

Proud to say my sweet brother in law bring Cajun Mama Cooks recipes to Colorado! That’s the best!!

We have certainly logged some miles so far this summer but I am so grateful the summer is not over yet!

It was a wonderful 4th of July!

We have more ground to cover. We have a house for sale…we decided it was time to let our rent house go. It’s time to close that chapter in our lives. And we feel a great peace with it. So before I get to these delicious keto chicken nuggets and the recipe….I’m going to share the link to our house. This is a home we lived in from 2004-2012. We raised our kiddos and brought two home from the hospital to that house. So it’s pretty special and I just know this house is perfect for someone out there. So I’m sharing here.

See what I mean? Great little house and so many wonderful memories made there. I’d love to find the perfect owners for it who are ready to make new memories there. Here’s the listing if you’re interested.

But back to these chicken nuggets y’all. These. Chicken. Nuggets! My oldest kids kiddo says they are an abomination and are against nature but I’m here to say to you they are so good. They have a KFC or Chick Fil A crunch and are nugget perfection. I used the Marzetti’s ranch which is super low carb and so freaking good. My kids call it the “good ranch” 😂😂. These little tasty bits of heaven completely fill my craving for nuggets. If you’re following the keto way of eating, doing low carb, or just love nuggets…this is an excellent recipe!

I found this recipe circulating around Facebook. It’s from keto-daily.com. This recipe is genius! Only thing I’d maybe do differently is add more salt and take down the slice a notch. But it’s still fantastic as is. Making it even better, the original poster listed the carbs as 1 gram of carbs per 8 ounce serving!!! Nice!

Keto chicken nuggets

Stuff you need~

2 pounds of chicken tenderloins or breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 egg

1 bag plain pork rinds

What to do with the stuff~

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Crush your pork rinds. You can put your pork rinds in a Ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. I used my Pampered Chef manual food processor to do the trick. Easy peasy and made my pork rinds into perfect breading!

3. Cut your chicken into about 1 inch pieces.

4. Mix together the seasonings and roll your cut up chicken pieces in that seasoning.

5. Whisk the egg, Dijon mustard, and mayo together in large bowl.

6. Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the mayo mustard mixture. Coat the pieces well. Don’t make it hard. Just put the chicken in the bowl and use your clean hands to coat the pieces.

7. Add your crushed pork rinds to a sealable bag or big ole bowl and just coat those chicken pieces with the pork rind breading.

8. Take a big ole baking sheet, (I use my half sheet size baking sheet) cover with a piece of foil. Then add a cooling rack over the foil. Believe it or not, I didn’t have one of these before today. I’ve been needing one and the original poster said it was necessary ensure crispness of these nuggets. So glad I listened!!

9. Lay your pork rind coated nuggets on top of the cooling rack. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes or so.

10. Remove from oven and let them cool as long as you can stand it and enjoy!! I just dipped mine in ranch (the “good ranch” 😂)

Sausage puffs, milestones are blessings but simple is good too

Oh my. What a weekend, y’all! What. A. Weekend. Actually what a week!! A week full of milestones. Wonderful blessings, but milestones none the less. First of all, I registered my oldest for high school. We are so proud of him and so excited but man, it’s a hard pill to swallow! High school!

So that was Wednesday! Thursday, we celebrated my daughter turning 13. She became a teenager. So now we have 2 teenagers in the house. Craziness!! She’s blossoming and becoming her own person, so it’s hard to be sad, as I’m lucky to see her grow, but man 13 years went by quickly and sometimes that’s a little overwhelming. I’m sure lots of mamas and daddies out there can relate.

Her actual birthday was Friday, but we celebrated Thursday because big brother had a Sadie’s dance and had to be there. Then on Saturday, Big Daddy and I celebrated 17 years of marriage! Yikes! How did that happen? I feel like all week I asked myself how in the heck did that happen? Time sure is not slowing down for anyone.

A wonderful friend of ours had gotten us a night at a bed and breakfast last year, but we never used it. Life was just chaos at that time and then suddenly another year had gone by. How did that happen?! See?! There I go again! So she came and stayed with the kids, who were all too anxious to see us move along as Lo spoils them rotten and they have too much fun together.

So off we went. And we had so much fun. Just a nice break from reality. Frankly, we were past due. It was time. Fairfield Manor treated us like royalty and even served us breakfast in bed. If you are in the area and looking for a place to stay, I highly recommend this bed and breakfast!

So now it’s Sunday and it’s time to get back to reality. Cue that song from the late 80’s by Soul II Soul…back to life, back to reality, back to the hear and now…lol! I’m frankly looking forward to a week of no milestones. After a week of nothing but milestones, a week of regular days sounds so lovely. It’s always nice to celebrate and enjoy, but I love simplicity. And these low carb, keto friendly sausage puffs go right along with that simple vibe. A friend of mine who subs up at the school where I work sent this recipe for low carb sausage puffs one day and said they were a hit at her house. I got the stuff and finally tried them this afternoon, thinking that they’d be a nice breakfast or a quick bite for lunch. They make your kitchen smell so yummy and they are so delicious!! My little tootie girl, aka #3, loves them! Rachel warned me I needed to double the recipe and she was right! I should have! They are super simple to whip up, and they bake up quick. Yes, they are basically sausage balls. Yummy! I usually balk at using coconut flour, as I do not enjoy it in pancakes, but in this recipe you can hardly taste it. Sometimes the simple things make life so much better! Quick bite to grab if I know I need to eat but don’t want the extra carbs?! Score!

Sausage puffs (makes about 25)

Stuff you need~

1 pound (roll) breakfast sausage, browned and drained-not crumbled!!!

4 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter, cooled

4 eggs

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

A few turns of Himalayan pink salt

What to do with the stuff~

Melt the butter in the microwave and then put in fridge to cool. The pampered chef 2 cup prep bowl works great for this!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown your sausage in a large skillet. Do not crumble the sausage completely. Just sort of break it up a little. I use my Pampered Chef mix n chop for this in my big all purpose skillet and it was a breeze.

In a medium size bowl, add your eggs, sour cream, garlic powder, salt and cooled butter and whisk together.

Whisk in the coconut flour and baking powder to this mixture.

Next, add the broken up browned and drained sausage and shredded cheddar. Mix well. I use my Pampered Chef mix n scrape and I find that incorporates all the ingredients together beautifully.

Now, using a spoon or In my case, a Pampered Chef scoop to make these sausage puffs a reality. It works great. The original poster said she made 35 puffs, but I only managed to get 25. I imagine I used a bigger scoop. It’s all good. She said you did not need much space in between each puff, so I just loaded up that baking sheet.

Pop these bad boys into your preheated oven for 15 minutes give or take. And prepare for the wonderful smells to draw people in. When done allow them to set for a few minutes. Store in a air tight container in the fridge. Be prepared to stay in your macros all week long!

Here’s to a simple, keto friendly week of no milestones!! Yes!!

Enjoy and God bless!!

Low carb lasagna and change is good!

So I have lots of friends doing keto and low carb right now. That’s an excellent thing since it means lots of support and also they send me lots of recipes. As many of you know, I am also a pampered chef consultant and a friend of mine wanted to a virtual party because she, like me, loves Pampered Chef. Being a consultant and doing keto puts me in touch with lots of friends who have common interests and I love that. I have fallen in love with being a consultant and it’s a natural fit like I would never have imagined. Over the past year I have absolutely amazed myself with my ability to push past limits I had set for myself. I feel like I have stepped into this place where God wanted me to be and it’s all happening. It’s a wonderful thing and it has strengthened my faith twofold. I never thought my oldest could get accepted to an excellent high school Magnet engineering program and I’d not melt down and cry because he’s growing up. I never thought I could handle the THOUGHT of that transition.

And yet…I have.

I never thought my quiet, meek child would so bravely approach horse back riding like she has.

And yet…she has. She’s growing more confident with each lesson. Taking life on like a boss!

I never thought I could lose almost 60 pounds but it has happened. And I’m not done yet, peeps!!

I never thought I could go back to work full time and my family be ok. Somehow we have all thrived. I just thought it would be too much. It’s not. It’s exactly what I was supposed to do. I have found this wonderful community of support and positivity at the school where I work. When I say work I mean sub almost everyday. I am praying for a day when it becomes a real full time gig. I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m not there. My kids have thrived. My older two catch the bus to the school where I work and my two younger kiddos go to school. I never thought they’d love riding the bus but they do. I never thought we could leave our old school and feel at home and so much a part of a new school. And yet it is has happened. That my child who was “the problem kid” in class could excel and be so happy, just as he is.

And yet…he has. He has blossomed. Amazing what a little change can do! Even change we are so scared of and think it will never be ok. Never be the same. And no, they are not the same…they are different in a whole new, wonderful way! Change is good!!

My younger two babies are content and happy and feel at home. I never thought our family would be the same if Big Daddy did not work at Farm Bureau, and yet we are even better. He’s happier and his insurance business is thriving.

Thriving. That word. We have gone beyond surviving . Our family is THRIVING! My marriage is thriving.

We have walked through the fire, we have endured controversy and come out stronger. God has made a way when I saw absolutely no way. It’s amazing and wonderful and thrilling what he has done. No, life is still not perfect but somehow we are here and BETTER THAN EVER!! We have a wonderful support through our family and friends. They have held us up through prayer, through encouragement and little ways and big ways. The people I work with, the people he works with, the principals of our schools, the teachers at both schools, the people where we go to church. So. Much. Support. Literally a village. Our families have held us up and never faltered.

We have such wonderful people all around us!

What I thought would be a horrible time has turned out to be this beautiful time where things did not fall apart. No. They came together in a whole new beautiful way that I could never imagined. I say all of this to remind you that you are capable of so much more than you think. The people around you are behind you so much more than you know. If they are not, find new people. When things are falling apart, that is just a chance for God to help you rebuild in a whole new way. He can. He will. I’m getting somewhere with all of this, my friends. I just needed to take a minute to say things you think will never work, when your worst fear is realized, it can be ok. It can be better than ok. Trust, pray, believe.

How does this all tie into a low carb lasagna recipe, you might ask? Oh well let me tell you. When my friend, Michelle, sent me this recipe for low carb lasagna, I thought, I’ll try it but ain’t no way this is better than my mama’s lasagna. That recipe is here. It’s the best. I thought I’ll make this to stay in my macros dang it, but I know I’ll still want real lasagna, I’ll know it’s not the same. But wait. As with life, I was amazed. No lack. This lasagna is amazing. It’s so tasty. It’s full of flavor. I’m not lying y’all. It’s so good!!! I made my mama’s lasagna right alongside this low carb version for my family and I was not even tempted!! So take that for what it’s worth. Just like life can surprise you and something you think will be the end, only marks the beginning of something new…a low carb/keto lasagna CAN be satisfying and delicious. Just my two cents. And I had several taste testers (a teacher I work with and two of Big Daddy’s coworkers at Reeves, Coon, and Funderburg all liked it too!!)

Low Carb Lasagna with Meatza Layer (adapted from Low Carb Yum)

stuff you need ~

Meatza layer

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder, more or less depending on preference

Himalayan pink salt and cracked black pepper to taste

3-4 teaspoons Italian seasoning *

1 egg yolk, beaten

Lasagna~

Meatza layer

10 ounces fresh spinach

1 cup ricotta

1 jar Rao’s marinara sauce (Walmart)**

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

A few turns of cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

What to do with the stuff~

Ok. First off you will need parchment paper. So if you do not have any, get some. This recipe was a little extra, I’m not gonna lie and I have revised it some to make it less complicated but the parchment paper is important.

First off, make this meatza layer. It’s the foundation of this whole operation.

Preheat oven to 450.

Line 2 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. One for meatza layer and one for actual lasagna.

In a large mixing bowl…add all the meatza ingredients. Ground meat, beaten egg yolk….

Mix it together real good

Press into your parchment paper lined baking dish.

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes or until done. Drain.

Now to make lasagna …

In other parchment paper lined baking dish, spread a little marinara sauce on the bottom (which is on top of parchment paper…to be clear)

While meatza layer is cooking, go on and sauté your spinach. Warm olive oil over medium heat and then sauté your spinach in it until wilted. Sprinkle in the onion and garlic powder, add a little black pepper.

When meatza layer is cooked, you can slice the meatza layer to fit nicely in the bottom of this pan.

Now, spread some marinara sauce all over top of the meatza layer. Sprinkle with some of the Parmesan.

Top this layer with the spinach.

Add the ricotta and 2 beaten egg yolks to a bowl and blend together. Now spread that ricotta cheese egg mixture all over this spinach. Top with half of the mozzarella.

More marinara, more Parmesan.

Now finish this with the rest of the mozzarella. Sprinkle it all over. Load it down.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and irresistible looking. Like you cannot handle how good it looks. And why yes, that is an old school Pampered Chef stoneware baker. I inherited it from my mother in law (shout out to Deb!) I use that thing more than I ever imagined, just as I use all my Pampered Chef. I guess that’s why I became a consultant! And guess what? It’s been a blessed business and I give God all the glory!! He continues to bless my path every time I ask Him to come in and do His thing. Just saying. But I digress..back to the lasagna!

Only 3 grams of carbs and it is perfection. Noodles? I don’t need no stinking noodles!! It’s a dish I will crave and make over and over again. I can eat this and stay in my macros? It’s keto and I love it!! Hope y’all enjoy it! Thanks Michelle for sharing this recipe with me! And keto peeps, I have started a Cajun Keto Mama Facebook page if you’d like to join me on there! This is a journey, not a destination y’all. Remember that and be patient with your body. Just keep at it!! Drop me a comment and let me know if you need anything!!

*original recipe called for all sorts of spices and I just did Italian seasoning. The spices were basically all the spices in Italian seasoning.

**you can use any marinara but Rao’s is fantastic and low carb. Just a thought

***cotton field pics photo creds go to my precious friend, Natalie, with Soul Rebels Photography. She’s an amazing friend and photographer who also works at The Razzberry Restorative Salon, owned by two of my good friends, Jessica and Whitney. That’s where I get my hair did. And my soul restored. More of my people.

Cheesy asparagus stuffed chicken and this dish is just good

I promised this one a while back on my Cajun Mama Cooks Facebook page…I know. For shame. I wrote it up. I actually had a whole long verbose post written up in honor of the new year. It was very sentimental and touching…I just erased it. Yep. I did. An hour of work gone. I erased it. It was all too poignant and I was feeling it that day but now not so much. Today I’m feeling the saying “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that’s why it’s called the present.” I’m so grateful to be able to tell you about this chicken dish, so many blessings to give God thanks for, so much joy to tell of that it would take one million blog posts. So I’ll just say this chicken dish is so tasty, you have to try it! When I make this for my family, I eat only this. To make it a meal for my family, I make a starchy side because they think it is necessary…non keto people…what can I say 🙄. But it is a perfectly delicious meal. And you can always just cook a plain chicken breasts for those kiddos who would balk at asparagus and cheese touching their chicken. How dare you!!! Lol! I found this recipe on Facebook before I was doing keto and I fell in love. I really, really love it since it is on my list of things I can have!! Big daddy, Pappy, and madame toot adore this!! It’s amazing y’all! It’s even good cold the next morning for breakfast…uh, um…my friend told me. 😏

Cheesy stuffed asparagus chicken~

Stuff you need~

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<<bis recipe, I use the thicker ones)

4 slices of provolone cheese

Bundle of asparagus, the bottom inch chopped off

Zest of 1 lemon

Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pink salt and cracked black pepper

What to do with the stuff~ Butterfly your chicken breasts. Do not let this deter you! It’s simple! Put your chicken breasts on your cutting board. Use a sharp knife and yes a little caution. Put one hand firmly over one chicken breasts. Using knife with other hand, slice chicken breast almost in half horizontally. Go from outside to inside. So basically you can open the chicken breast like a book now or opens like a butterflies wings hence the term butterflied.

I am assuming some people do not know how to butterfly the chicken breasts. I know I was reluctant to do it at first. If you know, then skip reading this. Do this with all of your chicken breasts.

Now, you will season the inside of the chicken breasts with all of those spices and add some lemon zest. My Pampered Chef microplane zester always gets the job done perfectly!

Next, you will put 3 pieces of trimmed asparagus and a slice of cheese (I cut mine in half and use it that way. Whole slice per chicken breast but it fits better cut in half). Fold the breast over the cheese and asparagus. Season again with the same spices.

Heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. I use an oven safe skillet so I can do it all in one pan, but you can always transfer to a casserole dish if you want. Preheat oven to 350. Brown the chicken in your melted butter/warmed olive oil over medium heat. You’d rather brown it over lower heat so the cheese does not melt too fast. Brown on both sides. Pop it in oven and continue cooking until chicken is done throughout and no longer pink. Spoon some of those juices over the chicken during the baking process if you want. Yes some of the cheese will melt out of the butterflied chicken. It’s ok. Now on the video I saw when I first discovered this dish, it did not. But I operate in the real world, not smoke and mirrors and I’m telling you some of the cheese will drip out. Life is messy and that is ok!! There is nothing wrong with you! It only matters if you let it!! I usually cook the rest of the asparagus in the bundle right alongside the chicken because I have some asparagus lovers in my house. You do as you wish!

Cajun Mama Keto: Butter chicken and Cajuns eat crazy things!

I’ve never been to an Indian restaurant before but I think I’d love it! Truthfully we have an Indian restaurant or two in town and I really need to go there. But I’ll tell you what…I bet their butter chicken chicken is not much better than this divine concoction. I cannot imagine it could be. Yes, I said Indian food. I’m Cajun, but I love this butter chicken. Which when you think about it, Cajuns have a long history with eating different exotic foods. For instance, my parents live for Lent because that means fish every Friday and that means they can indulge in their favorite goo. Gasped goo. I’d walk in the door from school and want to gag and I knew dang well they were cooking goo fish. Another example, every Father’s Day meant there would be a ponce. Also referred to as gaug “gog”…I’m writing things I cannot even spell y’all. I just know what they are. My family would go stupid over this cajun delicacy. Here is a post from Acadiana Table that will tell you more about it. It’s a real thing though. So we have a long history of eating things that are different so what’s a little Indian food to a bunch of Cajuns? Exactly! I found this recipe here . This is a great Keto dish when you steam a little broccoli to go alongside it or make some cauliflower fried rice to go with it. I use my everyday Rock Crock from Pampered Chef to steam my broccoli for 5 minutes and it comes out perfectly every single time. What makes the butter chicken so perfect is the mix of the heavy cream (fat) and butter (healthy fat) with the chicken (protein). The tomato paste does have carbs. You use very little so it is spread out over several servings. I bought the Contadina brand and it has 6 grams of carbs 2 tablespoons and in our recipe we only need 1 1/2 tablespoons. So the carbs are minimal. I’ve learned to look at labels because carbs can vary over brands. So take a few in the store to check the carbs. It’s a good way to learn! So getting down to the recipe. It’s very simple and it makes enough for your lunch the next day. Or at least for me it does because no one else in my family eats it so there’s plenty for me!😉 Butter chicken Stuff you need~2 tablespoons butter or ghee 1 pound chicken breasts, cubed 1/2 medium onion, diced (optional)2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric3/4 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup heavy whipping cream1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt What to do with the stuff~I combine all of my spices in a pampered chef 1 cup prep bowl and then sprinkle it all over my cubed up chicken. Use your hands to rub those spices all into the chicken. It can sit for a little while if you want to let the chicken sort of soak in those spices. But it’s ok if you don’t. In a large skillet, melt butter or ghee (this is a keto suggested clarified butter and can be found in many stores now. If not Amazon has it). If you are using onion add it now and sauté until tender, add garlic towards the end and just sauté until fragrant. It does not take long. Now, add your spiced chicken to the skillet. Stir around until done and the chicken has soaked up that butter. It will smell heavenly. Next add your heavy cream and tomato sauce and whisk it until combined. Cook over medium low heat until the tomato paste and cream are blended together and the cream is thickening up a bit. The longer you let this simmer on medium low heat (whisk it or stir it some!)the thicker it will get. No need to add a thickener I promise. Now you serve it over your cauliflower rice or along side your buttered steamed broccoli and you are ready!! Keto-licious my friends!! It really is such a nice change of pace from grilled chicken or steak. Let me know what you think! This is definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for reading along! Glad I’ve found so many keto loving Cajun mama peeps! Keep calm and keto on! Take it one day at a time. Remember keto is a choice, your choice, and it is a way of eating not a diet. You are only as deprived if you let yourself feel that way. It is not that you have to eat this way, you choose to eat this way! Just that shift in words can make all the difference!

That is a picture of me, big daddy, my mama and daddy circca 1997 or so…at a pre-boucherie party. We eat some crazy things but we always have fun!!

Chicken tenders in cajun mama keto gravy

I love chicken. I love gravy. I mean I was raised Avoyelles parish style (my parents are both from Marksville, Bluetown and Broulliette to be exact) and loving gravy is just part of my genetic makeup. I think. Maybe it’s not that scientific, but I love of gravy is deeply engrained in me. So now that I have adopted the ketogenic woe, the rice is not on the list of items I choose to eat, I have found a way to make sure I can still have me some gravy. Yay!! Happy cajun girl over here! This is the tastiest, lip smacking, plum larapin’ gravy I think I’ve ever had. My dad says plum larapin when he likes something he is eating so I figured I’d toss that in there. Ha!! Love my daddy. And I love this gravy. This chicken in the gravy is over the top! I serve it over creamed spinach but it would go great with steamed broccoli with a little butter or even a salad. But me, I prefer to eat it over a nice bed of creamed spinach, which I suppose sort of acts like rice for me. All the same…a vehicle for getting that gravy into my mouth!!! I sort of concocted this recipe one night when I had chicken tenders and I wanted something creamy that fit within my macros. Now, if you are strict keto, you might take umbrage with this as a keto recipe, but it’s lazy keto, which is perfect for me. Ok. So this is an easy recipe and comes together fast! Make sure to make enough to have it for lunch the next day…you’ll want it again. Trust me.

Chicken tenders in cajun mama keto gravy

Stuff you need~

Package of chicken tenders

2 tablespoons Real butter

Himalayan pink salt and cracked black pepper

1 cup Heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons Chicken bouillon base

What to do with the stuff~

Melt butter in a sauté pan. I use my pampered chef grill pan and it works perfectly for this. Salt and pepper the chicken tenders on both sides. Add seasoned chicken tenders to the melted butter in the hot skillet. Cook on both sides until nicely browned and no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream. Let this come to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in bouillon base. You can add more to taste if desired. I add just enough to give my gravy that good chicken-y flavor. Once you have the gravy like you want it, add the chicken tenders back in. The “gravy” will thicken up the longer it simmers and the tenders will get more…tender. All in all, a perfect combination of tender tenders and chicken-y gravy. 🤣 I crack myself up! Make up some creamed spinach and you are good to go! Even the carb eaters in my house love this dish! Because it’s delish!

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t the best pictures but what can I say? I was ready to dig in!!