Here in the Deep South, I see a lot of Shrimp, with Pepper Jack Cheese on half of a Jalapeno, wrapped with bacon and then grilled. We call it Jacked up Shrimp. This is how we do it, but the recipe doesn't call it the JUS. https://www.heb.com/recipe/recipe-it.../1392678853502

We, also, do the Velvetta Cheese dip with crumbled, browned sausage in it and Rotel Tomatoes. Serve with small circle Tositos. This is just make the normal Rotel dip, but crumble and brown 1 pound of sausage first in a non stick skillet. Drain part of the fat off, then add the 2 pound block of cheese to start it melting. I cut it up into pieces. Last thing to add is the Rotel. Don't drain off all the sausage fat, as that is where a lot of the taste comes from. This is good in a crock pot to keep it warm or a chafing dish. The large dipping Fritos or Tostitos are good with this. So is Carrot sticks and I like celery with it. Do NOT use hot sausage, because most people can't eat it. Use only the mild pan sausage.

Another item well liked down here is Jalapeno or any pepper jelly over Philadelphia cream cheese and serve with just about any type cracker. I like the flavored Pita chips.

There's also a hot crab dip. It's called Crab Mornay (sp?) down here. It is delicious and not seasoned hot, but served warm in a Chafing dish http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lump-crab-mornay Of course, it does call for fresh crab meat, & I don't have a clue if you could get that. We use our fresh boiled crab meat for it.

And then, there is a Crawfish Bread. It does need to be kept warm, and it is delicious on French bread, which is a chewier bread than normal white bread. http://catholicfoodie.com/emerils-cr...-for-jazz-fest

And, the ever popular, Cornbread with crawfish or shrimp added to it. This is just as good cold as it is hot. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/crawfish-cornbread

And now, if any of you have looked at the recipes, you will know why it is so hard to lose weight down here in Louisiana. There is really too much good food always around. A lot of it is highly seasoned, because we like it that way, but some is rather mild.

Just wanted to add that I have not made any of these specific recipes, but they do look reasonable as to how I have made them in the past. We use the River Road Cookbooks for a lot of our recipes as they are from real southern, Cajun kitchens.

Thanks, everyone so far. Barb, those Jacked Up Shrimp look good, as does everything else.

Watson

Glad you like them. I realized when I saw what everyone else was offering, that they were going very generic. I wasn't sure if these dishes were even known outside the Deep South. Of course, after Hurricane Katrina, a lot of Louisiana and Texas folk moved to the northern states and have opened Cajun restaurants and folks have the chance to try these if they want to. So many are afraid that everything we eat is way to spicy for them and, as you know, anything can be toned down so that everyone can eat it. Most tables around here have red pepper & Tobasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce on them when we sit down to it. Please let us know what you decide to fix for the employees.

We just had -
Reuben Dip

12 oz. corned beef, chopped fine
16 oz. jar sauerkraut, drained
8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. mayo (16 oz.)

Cookie dipper full on rye cocktail bread
Place on a cookie sheet in oven the 350 for 15 min. till hot and toasty
______________________________________
While we had the rye cocktail bread we made -

8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 pack. dry Ranch dressing
Spread this on the rye bread
sprinkle with dill weed
Top with a cucumber slice
and sprinkle more dill weed on the cuc

Anticuchos
 

They say over 15,000 are sold every year during Fiesta in San Antonio. My favorite!!!!!
http://goodtaste.tv/recipes/showreci...osa-anticuchos

Hope you enjoy.

Later on, share some of you fav recipes. Thanks.

I like bacon wrapped chicken livers

Ingredients

For The Meat Mix
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 teaspoon chilipowder
1/2 teaspoon garlicpowder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayennepepper

For The Dough
2 cups prepared bakingmix (I use Bisquick)
1/2 teaspoon chilipowder
1/2 teaspoon garlicpowder
1/2 teaspoon cuminpowder
1/4 teaspoon cayennepepper
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sharp cheddarcheese, shredded

Directions
In a medium skilletbrown the ground chuck.
Add the chili powder,garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper, and then mix well.
In a large mixingbowl, stir together the baking mix, garlic powder, cumin powder and cayennepepper, then mix well.
Add the browned chuckto the baking mix and mix well.
Add the milk to themix and mix well
Stir in the cheeseuntil the dough has come together and the cheese has been incorporated.
With a tablespoondipper form 29 to 30 balls.
Place the Taco Ballson a cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until juststarting to brown on top.
Remove from oven andlet set for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with yourfavorite Salsa
These will freeze forup to 3 months.

• 2 cups frozen tater tots, at room temperature
  
• 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch squares
  
• 4 slices bacon, quartered (some people say cut into thirds)
  
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves (opt)
  Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 (some say 375) degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil; set aside.
  
• Working one at a time, wrap each tater tot and cheese square in a piece of bacon. Repeat with remaining tater tots, cheese squares and bacon pieces. Dredge each tater tot in the brown sugar, pressing to coat.
  
• Place tater tots seam side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn at halftime.
  
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Amazingly crisp chicken bites drizzled with sweet chili mayo - so good, you'll want to double or triple the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more, as needed
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  
• 1 cup Panko*
  
  
• For the sauce
  
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 2 teaspoons Frank's Hot Sauce
  Instructions

• To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey and Frank's Hot Sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
  
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.
  
• Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
  
• Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce.

Texas Caviar



Chop:
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 jalapeno
1 red onion

Mix in:
1 can of Shoestring Corn - drained
1 can of Pinto Beans - drained
1 can of Black-eyed Peas - drained

Boil in pot:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
Once cooled, mix the liquid into the veggies and stick in fridgeovernight.

Servewith your favorite dippin' chips and enjoy!