Name: Grillades and Grits Two Ways
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 2 lbs beef chuck short ribs (bone on) or beef round steak (pound beef round steaks thin then cut into 2.5 inch square pieces); vegetable oil; 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 heaping cup red onion diced; 1/2 cup diced celery; 1/2 cup mini sweet peppers; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp Oregano; 1 tsp onion powder; salt and pepper for taste; 2-3 thinly sliced green onions (for garnishment (optional)); Parsley (for garnishment (optional)); make enough buttered grits for 4 people (See package cooking instructions); 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (add more for taste) (Use additional parmean for garnishment ); salt and pepper for taste; 3 cups beef broth (add more if needed)

Grillades and Grits

November 26, 2017 by April 24 Comments

Grillades and grits pronounced (/ɡree-yahds/) is a popular southern New Orleans brunch/lunch. The meat, usually beef, (pork or veal is also used) is slow cooked in a rich and flavorful beef gravy made up of diced tomatoes, onions, red wine, beef broth, peppers, celery etc, served over cheesy Parmesan grits. Grits and grillades are perfect for Christmas brunch! So delicious!

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I hope you had a pleasant, great food filled Thanksgiving! I can’t believe it’s almost December already. The weather is getting colder and colder and you know cold weather calls for delicious comfort food! I’m a big fan of comfort food, especially in the winter. What’s not to love about comfort food? It’s fulfilling, warms the heart and nostalgic.Grits and grillades bring back so many memories.

Grits and grillades may sound fancy, but they are actually very easy to make. I’m all about easy recipes. There are several ingredients but this savory grits recipe comes together pretty fast. Once you’re finish chopping your vegetables, everything else is effortless.

If you don’t want to cut up fresh tomatoes, you can speed up things by using canned tomatoes. You can also save time by using jarred minced garlic. I keep jarred minced garlic handy when I don’t have fresh garlic, or I’ll grab it when I’m in a rush.

The only other fresh ingredients you will need to make these grits and grillades are celery, peppers and onion. I think those are pretty quick and easy to dice up. Almost forgot, if you don’t have all of the fresh ingredients, feel free to use dry seasonings instead. For instance, if you don’t have fresh onions you can use onion powder, celery seasoning etc. Got it? Okay great!

To make the grits tips:
To make the grits, feel free to use quick 5 minute cooking grits or stone ground grits. If you can’t find them in the store, it’s okay to use the quick cooking grits, or you could order them online. If want to order them online, or maybe you are on a special diet, Amazon carries gluten and non gluten free stone ground grits.

Follow the directions on the package. The package ingredients always say to use water but I suggest using milk. Also, add about 2-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter then a bit of salt and pepper for taste. This recipe can serve about 3-4 people so make sure you make enough grits for 3-4 people as well.

Parmesan cheese: I used about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese in my grits. I can’t really taste the Parmesan cheese if I use less than half a cup, so I always add more. Feel free to add more or less for taste. Once the meat is done cooking add the grits to each bowl and then add the beef and then the gravy. Top with thinly sliced green onions (optional) or parsley (optional) and shaved Parmesan cheese.

I’ve made these grits and grillade two different ways. I love to use chuck short ribs. They just seem to have so much more flavor and so tender. I don’t mind slow cooking them longer than beef rounds. I think I see a New Orleans trip in the near future. I seriously want to go just for the food. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

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5 from 5 votes

Grillades and Grits Two Ways

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 40 mins

Grillades and grits prounouced (/ɡree-yahds/) is a very popular southern New Orleans brunch/lunch usually served over grits. The meat, usually beef, (pork or veal is also used) is slow cooked in a rich and flavorful beef gravy made up of diced tomatoes, onions, red wine, beef broth, peppers, celery etc and served over cheesy Parmesan grits. Grits and grillades is perfect for Christmas brunch! So delicious!

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner

Cuisine: American, Cajun, Creole, New Orleans, Southern

Servings: 4 people

Author: April

Ingredients

2 lbs beef chuck short ribs (bone on) or beef round steak pound beef round steaks thin then cut into 2.5 inch square pieces
vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 heaping cup red onion diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mini sweet peppers
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper for taste
2-3 thinly sliced green onions for garnishment (optional)
Parsley for garnishment (optional)

Grits

make enough buttered grits for 4 people See package cooking instructions
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (add more for taste) Use additional parmean for garnishment
salt and pepper for taste
3 cups beef broth add more if needed

Instructions

If using beef round, cut the meat into 3-inch squares. Season with salt and pepper then dredge in 1/4 cup flour and shake off excess. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the meat on each sides for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set to the side. See notes or below if you would like to make this using short ribs (my fav).
Add the celery, sweet peppers and onions and cook until softened about 3 minutes. Add the garlic cook until fragrant. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set them to the side.
To make the roux: Add 3 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet over medium heat If you already have about 3 tablespoons of oil in the pan (from cooking the veggies and meats) then no need to add more. Add 1/4 cup of flour stirring constantly until it’s a rich dark brown. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the grits). Sir and bring to a boil then simmer until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
Return the meat to the pan, cover the skillet and cook until tender, about 1 -1 1/2 hours or until falling off the bone and you can easily pull the meat apart with easily with a fork. Serve the grillades and sauce with hot buttered Parmesan grits.
Make sure you are occasionally checking the liquid level. Add more water or broth if the liquids gets too low.
If you are using short ribs (my favorite) no need to cut them and skip the roux steps if you like. I skip the roux steps when I use ribs because the longer cook time results in a thick sauce anyway. Follow the same steps as above but slow cook the short ribs longer, about 2 hours or until falling off the bone and you can easily pull the meat apart with easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper for taste.
Make sure you are occasionally checking the short ribs liquid level. Add more water or broth if the liquids gets too low.
Add Parmesan cheese to your grits. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and serve the beef and sauce over the grits. Top with green onions and more shaved Parmesan cheese if you like.

Recipe Notes

For the short ribs: (my favorite) no need to cut them and skip the roux steps if you like. I skip the roux steps when I use ribs because the longer cook time results in a thick sauce anyway. Follow the same steps as above but slow cook the short ribs longer, about 2 hours or until falling off the bone and you can easily pull the meat apart with easily with a fork. Make sure you are occasionally checking the short ribs liquid level. Add more water or broth if the liquids gets too low.

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Slow Cooker Cajun Turkey Breast With Maple Glaze

November 14, 2017 by April 20 Comments

This juicy slow cooker/crock-pot Cajun turkey breast with maple glaze is so simple to make (not a lot of ingredients or steps) and it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. This Thanksgiving, reserve your oven for your other oven only foods and let your Cajun maple turkey slow cooker to juicy perfection!

This sweet and spicy slow cooker turkey is perfect and small enough to make for Thanksgiving or throughout the year too. Sometimes I crave something other than chicken or beef, so when I do feel that way, I usually go for turkey breast and green beans with potatoes and bacon. I can’t forget Tyler Florence’s cornbread sage stuffing. It’s so darn good and simple! Cranberry sauce, eh, although I love it, I can do without during the year but on Thanksgiving, it’s a must-have! You can find my maple cranberry sauce recipe here. Whatever cranberry sauce you use, make sure you save some to make my grab and go cranberry sauce crumble bars or this cranberry cream cheese french toast.

I was never really a fan of turkey until I made it in the slow cooker. So darn juicy! When I first made it, I thought the turkey wasn’t done. Like, how can this turkey be so juicy plus done? Hmm, I was skeptical. But the meat thermometer proved me wrong! The slow cooker did its darn thing! But to make it even better, once the turkey is done, pop it into the oven, on broil and let the skin crisp all up. Mmmmmh! So good I’ll tell ya. My toddler loves turkey only because of the crisp skin, so I usually give him the first slice of turkey, since that part has the most crispy skin.

You ever make turkey and it comes out so dry that you have to drown it in gravy? Well, you won’t have to drown your slow cooker turkey in gravy, unless that’s how you like it. It’s funny, I hate drowning my food in any type of sauce but I can drown the heck out of food (even perfectly tasty cooked food) that requires gravy. Gravy is just so good. Am I right? This crockpot/slow cooker turkey will come out so moist (I hate that word) but that’s all I got. If I can think of a better word, I will make the necessary edits.

You still might be asking yourself, why should I make slow cooker turkey breast or a whole turkey instead of a roasting it?

Well, the slow cooker allows the delicious flavors to simmer and meld, creating an irresistible juicier moist (ugh hate that word) turkey.

It’s low maintenance. Roasted turkey is great and all but sometimes it can be dry out the turkey and during Thanksgiving the oven can get pretty crowded with a huge turkey and other foods. Slow cooking your turkey will save some oven space. Cook your other foods in the oven while your turkey cooks in the slow cooker.
Crock-pot turkey breast is a great option for small Thanksgiving gatherings, plus it’s cheaper than buying a whole turkey.
The thought of cooking a whole turkey can be intimidating, so a turkey breast is great for a beginner cook looking to get their feet wet.
And like I said initially, It’s great all year round when you want a change from beef, chicken or pork.

If you are on a budget, need more oven space, a beginner cook, or cooking for a small group of people, or need a change of meat, then slow cooker turkey breast is a great choice for ya!

Tips: Turkey breasts or whole turkeys varies in sizes obviously so before you decide to purchase your turkey, make sure it will fit in your slow cooker. I have two slow cookers an 8 quart and a 6 quart. The day I made this turkey breast, my 8 qt was already in use, but luckily this 6 lb turkey breast was able to fit into my six quart slow cooker.

Most turkeys come frozen, so make sure you are thawing your turkey safely. Per the USDA, turkey is only thawed safely if it’s thawed in the microwave, the refrigerator or in cold water. Any other way is not recommended.

I used to think it was okay to leave a frozen turkey or chicken etc out overnight in the kitchen and then cook the thawed out chicken the next day. Well, that’s not considered safe. How do you thaw your turkey or any meat for that matter?

*Tips for thawing turkey in the fridge: Cook within three days after thawing.
4-12 lbs 1-3 days
12-16 lbs 3-4 days
13-16 lbs 4-5 days
20-24 lbs 5-6 days

*Tips for thawing turkey in cold water: Cook right away.
4-12 lbs 2-6 hours
12-16 lbs 6-8 hours
13-20 lbs 8-10 hours
20-24 lbs 10-12 hours

*Tips for thawing the turkey in the microwave:
Follow your manufacture instructions.
Remove all wrapping and place in a microwave-safe tray. Thaw according to your manufactures instructions.
Cook the turkey as soon as it is done thawing in the microwave and DO NOT refreeze or put it in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
6 lb turkey breast, skin on, bone in
4 tbs softened butter. (2 tbsp for the turkey breast plus two tbsp for underneath the skin of the breast)(I actually didn’t soften the butter that was used under the skin but it still came out delicious so don’t sweat it if you forget too)
3 tbs Cajun seasoning (go easy on the salt if your cajun seasoning already has salt in it)
Salt for taste
Pepper for taste

Maple Glaze
3 tbsp unsalted butter halved and diced (straight from the refrigerator is fine no need to soften it)
3 tbsp maple syrup

Gravy
Chicken broth, stock or water
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth, stock or water
liquids (strained) from slow-cooked turkey
Salt and pepper for taste if needed

Directions:
Pat the turkey breast dry. Gently pull back the turkey breast skin and insert a butter. Brush melted butter all over the turkey. Add salt and pepper if needed to the Cajun seasoning. Mix well then add a bit of the Cajun seasoning under the breast skin then add the rest all over the turkey. Spray the slow cooker with oil. Place the turkey into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-7 hours or-or until internal temperature is 165-170 degrees. Remove and rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler to high, add turkey breast to heat safe pan. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, basting with the maple glaze frequently. Reserve the last of the maple glaze and baste again once the turkey is done. Make sure you keep an eye on it because the skin will crisp up quickly.

Gravy Directions:
Strain the turkey liquids into a small bowl. Add the chicken broth or water or stock and flour in a small bowl and mix to make a slurry. Add butter, chicken broth slurry, strained turkey liquids in a saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Mixing frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes. Add more chicken broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

*If you have any leftover turkey, remove the meat from the bone within two hours of cooking and refrigerate. Use the turkey within 3 days.

*Cooking time may vary.

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5 from 7 votes

Slow Cooker Cajun Turkey With Maple Glaze

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 15 mins

Slow cooker turkey breast is amazingly succulent. This Cajun seasoning maple turkey breast is so simple plus it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. This Thanksgiving, reserve your oven for your other meals and let your turkey slow cooker to juicy perfection! This recipe can easily be adapted for a whole turkey.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10

Author: April

Ingredients

6 lb turkey breast skin on and bone in
4 tbsp softened butter 2 tbsp for the turkey breast plus two tbsp for underneath the skin of the breast(I actually didn't soften the butter that was used under the skin but it still came out delicious so don't sweat it if you forget too)
3 tbsp Cajun seasoning (go easy on the salt if your cajun seasoning already has salt in it)
Salt for taste if needed
Pepper for taste if needed

Maple glaze

3 tbsp unsalted butter halved and diced
3 tbsp maple syrup

Gravy

chicken broth stock or water
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth stock or water
liquids from slow cooked turkey
Salt and pepper for taste if needed

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the maple syrup and butter. Remove the glaze from the heat.
Pat the turkey breast dry. Gently pull back the turkey breast skin and insert a butter. Brush melted butter all over the turkey. Add salt and pepper if needed to the Cajun seasoning. Mix well then add a bit of the Cajun seasoning under the breast skin then add the rest all over the turkey.
Spray the slow cooker with oil. Place the turkey into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until internal temperature is 165-170 degrees. Remove and rest for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high, add turkey breast to heat safe pan. Broil for 3-5 minutes basting with the maple glaze frequently. Reserve the last of the maple glaze and baste again once the turkey is done. Make sure you keep an eye on it because the skin will crisp up quickly.

Gravy

Strain the turkey liquids into a small bowl. Add the chicken broth or water or stock and flour into a small bowl and mix to make a slurry. Add butter, chicken broth slurry, strained turkey liquids in a saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Mixing frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes. Add more chicken broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Preheat broiler to high add turkey breast to a heatproof pan. Broil for 3-5 basting with the maple glaze frequently. Reserve the last of the maple glaze and baste again after the turkey is done. Make sure you keep an eye on it because it will crisp fast.

Recipe Notes

Turkey breast varies in sizes obviously but before purchasing a turkey breast, make sure it will fit in your slow cooker.

*Cooking time may vary.

*To store leftover turkey, remove the meat from the bone within two hours of cooking and refrigerate. Use within 3 days.

*Tips for thawing turkey in the fridge: Cook within three days after thawed. 4-12 lbs, 1-3 days
12-16 lbs 3-4 days
13-16 lbs 4-5 days
20-24 lbs 5-6 days

*Tips for thawing turkey in cold water: Cook right away.
4-12 lbs 2-6 hours
12-16 lbs 6-8 hours
13-20 lbs 8-10 hours
20-24 lbs 10-12 hours

*Tips for thawing turkey in the microwave: Follow your manufacture instructions. Remove all wrapping and place in a microwave safe tray. Thaw according to you manufactures instructions. Cook the turkey as soon as it is done thawing in the microwave and DO NOT refreeze or put it in the refrigerator.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

May 5, 2017 by April 15 Comments

Quick and easy Chili’s copycat cajun chicken pasta recipe has a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce. Since it’s homemade, you know exactly what your eating! It’s so good! Use your choice of pasta. You can have dinner ready in less than 25 minutes. Wash it all down with red wine and berries lemonade. So refreshing!

This post may contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I will only refer you to products that I love to use and work well.

Update: This post was updated with new photos on 1/6/2018. No changes to the recipe.

The first time I tried Chili’s chicken pasta, I thought it was pretty good, but I also knew I could make my own version taste better. This Cajun chicken pasta has a rich and smooth melt-in- your -mouth Parmesan sauce and juicy tender Cajun spicy chicken breast then topped with fresh grape tomatoes and lemon zest. It’s so delicious!

This creamy Alfredo chicken pasta is so quick and easy to make. It tastes way better than the restaurant’s version. My Chili’s copy-cat Cajun spicy chicken pasta is one of my families favorite! My 4 year old kid loves it too but due to the spice factor, I always season his portion separately. You can can easily adjust this recipe to make it kid friendly if needed.

The best part of making your own copy-cat recipe is that you know what you’re eating and you control the ingredients.

How to make Cajun Chicken Pasta:

Make sure you have a skillet or cast iron that will be big enough to hold all your delicious food. I use this cast iron skillet I like to flatten my chicken breast then add the spicy Cajun seasoning and set it to the side for later. Next, I start cooking the pasta. I used linguine but feel free to use penne pasta, elbow or whatever you like. I cook the garlic and onion in a separate skillet. I removed the garlic and onions and reserve for later. Next, I cooked the Cajun chicken for about 3 minutes on each side or more depending on how thick the chicken is.

Once the pasta and the spicy chicken breasts are done, I add the pasta to the pan with the chicken. Over low heat, I add butter, heavy whipping cream, the cooked garlic and onion mixture and Parmesan cheese. I toss everything together. Lastly, I garnish with lemon zest, parsley, fresh pearl tomatoes, which I sliced thin and more shaved Parmesan cheese. The rich Parmesan sauce with the spicy chicken and fresh tomatoes is so darn good. I love easy chicken breast with pasta meals. To make this recipe even easier, or if you’re short on time, use a good quality brand Alfredo sauce.

I absolutely love pasta, especially Cajun chicken pasta (my favorite kind of pasta) but hate that it can add inches to the waist, so let me leave you to make this delicious restaurant-style recipe while I go hit the gym and work this Cajun chicken pasta of my bod!

5 from 3 votes

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Delicious spicy creamy Cajun pasta which cooks in under 20 minutes, with a creamy rich Alfredo sauce. An easy and quick restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home.

Course: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cuisine: Cajun

Author: April Ronnecke

Ingredients

8 oz linguine
1 lb chicken breast
2 tbsp of Cajun seasoning
salt for taste
pepper for taste
1/2 tbs fresh minced garlic
1 tbs fresh minced onion
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper seasoning optional. Add only if you like heat
1/4 tsp smoked paprika optional
1 tbs olive oil plus more for the pan
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup of heavy whipping cream or more for taste
1/2 cup or more for taste of freshly grated Parmesan use more to garnish
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp fresh parsley
1/8 cup pearl tomatoes sliced thin.

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions.
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 tbs olive oil in a bowl and toss to coat.
In a large skillet or cast iron over medium heat add 1 tsp olive oil to a pan. Once the olive oil starts sizzling, add the garlic, onions and optional crushed red peppers. Cook until fragrant about a minute making sure to not burn it by stirring the garlic. Remove from pan and set to the side.
In the same large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in a tbs olive oil until chicken is tender, about 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
Reduce heat add the cooked linguine, heavy cream,butter, the onion and garlic and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper for taste if needed. Toss everything together and heat through.
Garnish with lemon zest, parsley and pearl tomatoes.