Crawfish Beignets with Spicy Remoulade

This is definitely a recipe that will wow whoever is sitting at your table! Yes, it’s a LOT of ingredients, but A LOT of great flavor! Don’t be intimidated, it will be delicious! For vegetarian Cajun beignets, simply eliminate the crawfish and increase the amount of red peppers and scallions by approximately 1 cup (this measurement includes both vegetables). 

Ingredients

For the Beignets:

• 10 ounces crawfish, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon if you want more heat!)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely diced
• 3 scallions, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 dashes Tobasco
• Vegetable, Canola or Peanut Oil for frying
• Lemon wedges for serving

For the Rémoulade:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cornichons, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 dashes Tabasco
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper

That was before I was gluten free. Thanks to Food Network (thanks Pat and Gina Neely!), I have found a great recipe that I can tweak a little bit and all while remaining DELICIOUS!

Hushpuppies

A hushpuppy or cornbread ball is a savory, starch-based food made from cornmeal batter that is deep fried or baked in small ball or sphere shapes. Hushpuppies are a food with strong ties to the South, although they are available in many areas of America on the menus of deep fried fish restaurants. 

Ingredients

• Peanut oil, for frying
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 small Vidalia onion, finely grated
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat 2 inches peanut oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 375ºF.
2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar, cayenne and paprika in a large bowl to get rid of the lumps. (No one likes a lumpy hushpuppy.)
3. Mix in the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.
4. Dip 2 spoons into a mug of water (this allows the batter to come clean off).
5. Scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the batter and carefully slide it into the hot oil, working in batches.
6. Fry the scoops of batter 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through (test the first one for doneness).
7. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, seasoning with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer.

ENJOY!!

Almost-Famous Spicy Fried Shrimp

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Kosher salt

For the Shrimp:

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Bibb lettuce leaves, for serving
• Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

1. First, make the dipping sauce. Mix the mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl; set aside.
2. Now prepare the shrimp: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350ºF.( If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, test how hot the oil is by wetting your hand a little and spritz a little of the water on the pan. If the water dances, you pan is ready)
3. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.
4. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, dip in the beaten eggs, then return to the flour mixture, turning to form a thick crust. Fry the shrimp in the hot oil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
5. Toss the shrimp with the prepared sauce. Arrange the lettuce in a shallow serving bowl or on individual plates. Top with the shrimp and garnish with scallions.

Enjoy with your favorite sides! Meals out of an appetizer or enjoy lots of small plates. Small plate dining is becoming very popular!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

“Wastin away again in margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt”

Happy National Margarita Day! This post will feature some delicious margaritas to enjoy on this day. It’s may be cold where you all but it’s always sunny in Margaritaville.

Kiwi Margarita 

Enjoy Responsibly!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/3 cup gold tequila
• 1/3 cup triple sec
• 2 large kiwis, peeled
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups small ice cubes
• Lime wedge for rim
• Sugar for rim
• Kiwis sliced for garnish

Let’s have a margarita with a pop of raspberry! Raspberry is a great flavor that doesn’t seem to get used as often.

Sauza Raspberry Margarita

Enjoy the fruity, tangy flavor of raspberry in this summery margarita made with flowery white tequila and served on ice. Yea it’s not summer but who cares! Enjoy responsibly. 

Ingredients

1. Combine the ingredients without ice and shake vigorously.
2. Wet the rim with a lime wedge and dip rim of glass into sugar.
3. Then just pour the mixture over ice in rimmed glass.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The piña colada is a popular cocktail. Let’s turn those flavors on their head an make a coconut margarita.

Coconut Margarita

Ingredients 

• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 2 tablespoons for glasses (about 5 limes)
• 3/4 cup Coco Lopez or cream of coconut
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons tequila
• 1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss coconut with the salt. Spread on sheet; toast in oven, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then crush with your hands until crumbly.
2. Pour 2 tablespoons lime juice into a shallow dish. Place coconut mixture in another dish. Dip rims of two cocktail glasses in lime juice, then in coconut mixture, coating well.
3. Combine remaining ingredients with 1 cup ice in a blender; puree until smooth. Divide evenly between prepared glasses, and serve immediately.

I hope you all enjoy your day margaritas in hand or without! You can also enjoy fantastic mocktails on this National Margarita Day. I have posted the link under related articles. Remember ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

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Mardi Gras King Cake

King Cake– the preferred dessert/snack of Mardi Gras.  It wouldn’t be Carnival without one.  From the Twelfth Night (January 6) to Fat Tuesday (date varies) King Cakes are baked and gobbled up all over New Orleans. Although the name implies cake, it is essentially a sweetened, enriched bread dough similar to a brioche.  Think coffee cake (yes, you can eat it for breakfast, too, MMMM). They are glazed with a simple confectioners’ sugar mixture, then colored sugar or crystals in Mardi Gras colors crown the top; purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. Nowadays there are other versions filled with cream cheese, praline, and even one with a coconut filling and chocolate icing–yum!

Ingredients

Bahama Mama 

Coconut rum and pineapple juice are featured in this slushy drink.

Makes 4

Ingredients

Lava Lamps 

Is it lava? Jell-O? Fruit?! What is is! 

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package red or blue colored instant gelatin mix
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup vodka
  • Potato: Chopin, Teton Glacier, Monopolowa, Vikingfjord, Luksosowa
  • Grape: Cîroc, Bombora
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water until completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in vodka. Pour the liquid into small paper cups or portion cups. Chill until set, at least 2 hours.
2. Pour champagne into glasses. Break up the gelatin with a fork, and pour into a glass of champagne. A little stir gives it some ‘lava’ action. Drink with caution, these will sneak up on you.

Mojito Cocktail

Refreshing and different.

Ingredients

• 8 leaves fresh mint
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 8 cubes ice
• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons rum
• 1/2 cup carbonated water
• 4 sprigs fresh mint

Red Rooster 

Also known as a Madras.

Ingredients

• 1 cup ice cubes
• 2 fluid ounces potato or grape vodka. (Potato would be best for this particular cocktail)
  • Potato: Chopin, Teton Glacier, Monopolowa, Vikingfjord, Luksosowa
  • Grape: Cîroc, Bombora
• 4 fluid ounces cranberry juice
• 1/2 fluid ounce orange juice

Red Snapper II 

Straight from the French Quarter. 

Ingredients

• 1 fluid ounce amaretto liqueur
• 1 fluid ounce cranberry juice
• 1 cup ice cubes

1. Place the amaretto, and cranberry juice into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake, then strain into shot glasses.

The Perfect Mai Tai

A very tropical treat

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light rum
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons 151 proof rum
• 2 tablespoons orange curacao (orange flavored liqueur)
• 2 tablespoons almond flavored syrup
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup
• 1-1/4 limes, juiced
• 1 cup fresh orange juice

1. In a large jar or drink cooler, combine the light rum, dark rum, 151 rum, orange liqueur, almond syrup, simple syrup, and lime juice.
2. Stir and top off with orange juice.
3. Do not use grenadine if you want the true Mai Tai!
4. Serve in 8 to 12 ounce glasses with ice.

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

More to come!