Seasonal Sundays: Everyday Cajun

Grab some beads, all, because this week's "Seasonal Seven" recipe collection is like double hurricanes for good eats and good times: weeknight friendly recipes for the ten days between now and Mardi Gras on March 4th plus an actual Mardi Gras party menu for anyone in the mood for festivities at home. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let those good times roll ...

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

~ PIN This ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Hey, all. Thank you for following Kitchen Parade, for checking in on these Sunday recipe collections. It means the world to be welcomed into your InBox and RSS readers and most of all, your kitchens. So thank you, thank you. And if you like this week's recipes, perhaps you'll share this newsletter with a friend or social circle? If you forward this message, others may subscribe for free right here. Thank you!

Whew. Anyone thinking it's getting easier? We maybe didn't expect easy-peasy lemon squeezy but dang, it's really stressy, depressy lemon effing zesty. (Read on. I'm full of survival snark right now.)

But we've got to eat so it might as well be real food and not just fuel, even if, at least around here, there's little inclination for social frivolities.

So for the next week, I'm leaning into Cajun and Creole (and pancakes! come Shrove Tuesday), just to keep myself distracted during the dinner hour. Join me?

Just a quick reminder, click any food photo to navigate straight to the recipe's page, it's especially handy for all of us who do most of our browsing on our phones.

In Praise Of ...

• ... a coverlet of fresh snow in late February when the light is already noticeably bright, the better to watch three young does gamboling in apparent fun, their antics so visible in relief against the setting sun; and two young bucks, then a doe, following one another on a "deer road" in the field across the way, also at sunset; and 16 male cardinals at the feeders and in the leafless branches above, their red feathers extra bright in late-day sun


• ... Catherine B, who so kindly wrote to say that my "unofficial" March 1 first day of spring isn't so unofficial after all since the coming month actually marks the official start of "meteorological" spring and warmer, springlike temperatures. More info? She sent this NOAA link too, Meteorological Versus Astronomical Seasons. Thanks, Catherine! I love this, how often we really just don't know, right? Even simple things.


• ... hearing back from 5Calls.org, the app that makes it so easy to contact our members of Congress, providing hot topics plus background info and a script for each one ... did I say that I heard back fast? from a real person? and that two days later, my request for a call topic for Ukraine appeared in the app? Wow. Much recommended. Amazing.

Democracy Matters

The country needs calm, thoughtful and assertive voices amid the chaos inflicted by a minority hellbent on taking/retaining generational power by strangling democratic principles and equal rights. None of us have to personally change the world. We just have to do our part. Pick one thing for the top of your To Do List this week.

I intended to write about self care this week, one of mine is collecting snarky memes.

But instead, I'm going to ask — plead, really — for all of us, myself included, to push harder than ever. Someone this week talked about how "pressure bursts pipes": we are the pressure and the Trump Regime is the pipe.

Does the pipe metaphor work for you? At first, it gave me the heeby-jeebies because our temps are in the single digits for days now so I'm already antsy-pantsy about frozen pipes. But then? Isn't it so apt? After all, I've kept a trickle of water running, especially in the pipes located next to exterior walls. I've opened the doors that house those pipes.

So more pressure, okay? To quote a wise person, "The road to fascism is lined with folks telling you you’re overreacting: do not under react".

ACTION IS A FORM OF SELF-CARE.

Made Me Think ...

• READ Illinois Governor Pritzker's stirring speech on February 19th, if you read just one thing this week, this is it, the best part of it begins well in, look for the paragraph that begins "As some of you know, Skokie, Illinois once had one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors anywhere in the world."
• TAKEAWAY (it was hard to pick just one) "The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame."


• READ this thread on BlueSky
• TAKEAWAY "There is muscle memory for these times: Americans don’t have it but Europeans do - especially E Europeans - and we should all listen to them. The time to push back REALLY HARD is now. Before it takes root. While people still see it as abnormal. In a year it will be normalized. The camps. The arrests. The hate campaigns. The disappearances. The snitching by neighbors & colleagues. The media fading out. The cowering. The looking away."

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THE SEASONAL SEVEN: Everyday Cajun

For this week's recipes, I aimed for recipes with N'awlins flavors and combinations that ...

• ... that make for fun meals at home, no demand for a party
• ... might well inspire a Mardi Gras gathering, either at home or a contribution to a potluck elsewhere
• ... leave plenty of time for fun outside the kitchen

• THE RECIPE Gumbo A classic Cajun gumbo, except that the roux is cooked in the oven. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Vegan Chickpea Gumbo A hearty low-fat plant-based gumbo, packed with vegetables and Cajun flavors.

• THE RECIPE Hurricane Rice with Shrimp & Sausage A Cajun skillet, on the table in 30 minutes. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Cornmeal Catfish with Warm Potato Salad Cajun-seasoned catfish fried crisp in bacon fat. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Red Beans & Rice Slow cooked Creole comfort food. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Black Beans & Rice Skillet Casserole with Smoked Chicken Simple comfort food with smoky flavors.

• THE RECIPE Cajun Dirty Rice with Eggplant No gizzards, no livers, much-reduced calories and carbs.
• ANOTHER TAKE Slow Cooker Sweet Potato (or Pumpkin or Butternut Squash) Grits My healthy substitute for mac 'n' cheese. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Big Cajun Chopped Salad Don't skip the olives! (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Summer Black-Eyed Pea Salad Looks like, tastes like, bites like – summer in a bowl! But make it any time of year.

• THE RECIPE Bourbon Pralines The famous praline recipe from the New Orleans School of Cooking.
• THEN MAKE Mini Tiramisu Cups with Pralines Tiramisu made with eggs that are cooked, not raw.

What's Brand-Spankin' New?!

Wondering about a recipe from the last while? Check Recent Recipes from Kitchen Parade and Recent Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture.

• THE RECIPE Jam Jar Vinaigrette Don't pitch that jar, use the last bits for an easy salad dressing. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Easy Shrimp & Noodles Slurpy-good comfort food in 30 minutes with just five ingredients. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Warm Baked Feta & Tomatoes with Shrimp The TikTok phenomenon plus shrimp. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Buffalo Chicken Dip Just five ingredients, lightened up with a hidden secret ingredient, spaghetti squash. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken Nachos with Homemade Pickled Jalapeño Rings Party food in a flash.

• THE RECIPE Winter Tomato Salad (Lightly Pickled Vegetables) Lightly pickled, great color and crunch. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Refrigerator Pickled Beets No canning required! (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Easy-Easy Daikon & Pepper Salad On the table in just 10 minutes! (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Carrot & Daikon Refrigerator Pickle Great to keep on hand for a quick salad or sandwich.

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Prefer an Actual Menu?
Our Mardi Gras Party Menu with Friends from 2024

(sparkly beads and sequined headgear recommended)

~ Pimento Cheese with Ritz Crackers ~
~ Smoked Shrimp ~
with Five-Minute Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
~ Mardi Gras Veggie Platter (purple, green, gold) ~

~ Gumbo ~
with White Rice & Green Onion

~ Sweet Potato Cornbread ~
~ Big Cajun Chopped Salad ~

~ Key Lime Pie ~
with My Favorite Graham Cracker Crust~

~ Bourbon Pralines (Gift Bags to Go) ~

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Compliments!

Please know, YOU really matter here. Your comments and email (my current address is in the FAQs) encourage and inspire and motivate and some times make me laugh out loud or turn a little teary. It's a good day when I can "see" what you're cooking, "hear" how a recipe worked out, "know" what you're loving.

• SHE LIKES IT "Great recipe, I did not use the water bath and we still really enjoyed the dish. Thanks." ~ Anonymous
• THE RECIPE Savory Spinach Kugel (Noodles with Sour Cream & Spinach)

February: Reader Favorites

• THE RECIPE Finnish Fruit Tart For golden raisins, blueberries, lingonberries, sweet & sour cherries, rhubarb and more ... (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Butter Tart Bars Small bites of Canadian nostalgia.

• THE RECIPE Jubilee Greens How to sauté leafy greens like spinach, chard, kale & more. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Greek Greens How to flash cook dark leafy greens to eat later. (PIN This)

Trending NOW ...

• THE INFO Ham 101 What to Know Before Buying a Ham. (PIN This)
• THEN FIRE UP THE SMOKER Twice-Smoked Ham How & why to smoke a smoked ham a second time. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Reuben Casserole Just five ingredients, wonderful homemade Thousand Island dressing. (PIN This)
• LEFTOVER Corned Beef with Red Potatoes, Carrot Chunks, Cabbage Wedges & Cheese Sauce Traditional for St. Patrick's Day. (PIN This)

February: Recipes Lookin' for a Little Love

• THE RECIPE Cornmeal Pancakes with Warm Blueberries Simple but sumptuous for a special breakfast or supper. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Easy Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries & Bananas Healthy oats baked with summer fruit and nuts.

• THE RECIPE Carrot Buttermilk Pancakes Light and fluffy, laced with a jar of carrot baby food.
• ANOTHER TAKE Pumpkin Pancakes Light and fluffy, spiked with pumpkin spices.

The Kitchen Parade Almanac: Looking Ahead ...

• February 28th (Friday) - 24 Hour Economic Boycott
• March 1st (Saturday) - Alanna's Unofficial First Day of Spring & the Real-Life Meteorological Start of Spring!
• March 2nd (Sunday) - Academy Awards
• March 4th (Tuesday) - Mardi Gras / Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Night
• March 5th (Wednesday) - Ash Wednesday / Beginning of Lent
• Fridays During Lent - Friday Fish
• March 8th (Saturday) - International Women's Day (IWD)
• March 9th (Sunday) - "spring forward" time change
• March 14th (Friday) - Three-One-Four Day, a Celebration of All Thing St. Louis (314 is our area code!)
• March 14th (Friday) - Pi Day
• March 16th (Sunday) - St. Urho's Day
• March 17th (Monday) - St. Patrick's Day
• March 20th (Thursday) - First Official Day of Spring
• March 22nd (Saturday, 8:30pm your local time) - Earth Hour
• March 25th - Equal Pay Day (2024 was March 12th, way to go, ladies!)
• March 27th (Thursday) - Baseball Opening Day!
• April 1 (Tuesday) - April Fool's Day
• April 12 (Saturday) - 20th - Beginning of Passover
• April 20th - Easter (yikes! so late!)

• THE COLLECTION Mardi Gras Cajun and Creole straight from N'awlins.
• ALL THE HOLIDAYS All the Holidays Year-round food for fun and celebration.

• THE COLLECTION Kitchen Parade's Fish Recipes, many Quick Suppers, many healthy meals.
• AND ANOTHER Kitchen Parade's Seafood Recipes including shrimp, oysters, lobster, crab.

• THE COLLECTION Pies & Tarts, Crusts & More from a life-long pie-baker.
• HOW TO CELEBRATE #PieDayFriday week in, week out.

Looking Back ...

THIS WEEK, YEARS PAST
• 2020 Late February (Week 9)
• 2021 Late February (Week 9)
• 2022 Late February (Week 9)
• 2023 Dried Beans for Bridge Season (Week 9)
• 2024 Spring Suppers (Week 9) (PIN This)

RECENT WEEKS
• Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner (Week 8) (PIN This)
• Sweet Little Somethings (Week 7) (PIN This)
• Super Bowl Spread (Week 6) (PIN This)
• Spinach for Any Occasion (Week 5) (PIN This)
• Project Cooking (Week 4) (PIN This)
• Snow-Day Suppers (Week 3) (PIN This)
• Feeding Our Vegetable Cravings (Week 2) (PIN This)
• Best of 2024 (PIN This)

Soups & Salads Especially for February

• THE COLLECTION Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for February (PIN This)
• BUT REALLY, DON'T MISS Kohlrabi & Apple Slaw with Creamy Coleslaw Dressing Move over, cabbage. There's a new slaw in town.
• & ESPECIALLY THIS Peasant Cabbage Tomato Soup Perfectly simple = simple and perfect.
• LOOKING AHEAD Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for March

Good to Know!

• THE RECIPE How to Cook Dried Beans from Scratch Mexican-Style (Slow Cooker or Oven Slow-Cooking) Easy, economical, delicious. (PIN This)
• BUT CHECK FIRST Why Dried Beans Won't Cook Good to Know! (PIN This)

Silly (But Fun?!) Food Holidays

• February 23 — National Banana Bread Day (Shhh Banana Bread)
• February 25 — National Clam Chowder Day (Smoked Turkey (or Clam) Chowder)
• February 26 — National Bacon Day (Baked Bacon)
• February 27 — National Chili Day (chili recipes)
• February 27 — National Toast Day (Fried Bread (Skillet Toast))
• February 28 — International Pancake Day (Make Tonight a Pancake Night)
• March 1 — National Fruit Compote Day (Eggnog French Toast with Apple-Cranberry Compote)

The Best No-Recipe Recipe I Made This Week

A slice of good bread, toasted + a little mayo + a spoonful of barely sweet marmalade + a thin slice of uncured ham = lunch, all week long!

Trader Joe's Test Kitchen

I'm having fun trying some of Trader Joe's stable of "prepared foods", diverting from my usual "ingredient" purchases. This week I bought a packet of Spinach Tortellini, thinking it would go into a pot of Weight Watchers Spinach & Tortellini Soup but then didn't have the listed vegetables nor any good substitutes nor any desired to head out into just-above-zero temperatures.

I actually thought they might be quite good in one of my newest recipes, the wonderful Easy Shrimp & Noodles.

But the tortellini didn't puff up like pasta does, so they just didn't work. And honestly? They have no flavor, anyway. For me, they're a miss, something I won't buy again at Trader Joe's.

Just Updated!

• THE COLLECTION Slow Cooker & Oven-Slow Cooking Recipes Supper saver recipes & more. (PIN This)
• MORE RECIPE IDEAS Cooking for One or Two Recipes easily divided and/or freeze well.

• THE COLLECTION Kitchen Parade Recipes, Organized by Year Just updated for all of 2024 and into 2025. (PIN This)
• THE MOTHER LODE of COLLECTIONS Kitchen Parade's Recipe Box So many ways to find just the right recipe.

• THE COLLECTION Kitchen Parade recipes, sorted by Weight Watchers Points.
• CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Rethinking Fruit for Weight Watchers Weight Watchers works. But free fruit might not work for everyone. (PIN This)
• STRAIGHT TALK How to Lose Weight with Weight Watchers Tips from Alanna & Kitchen Parade readers.

Something to Read

Ha. Even my everyday reading has taken a political turn. This week I not only read On Tyranny but also Night of Camp David, the 1965 political thriller that's been republished with an unusual cover that omits the book's actual title and reads only in giant type, What Would Happen If the President of the USA Went Stark-Raving Mad?

Did you notice? It was published in 1965!

The NYT review says the book is a "little too plausible for comfort".

I beg to differ.

In this work of fiction, the president is indeed a little wobbly and in the end, he resigns of his own volition, not even pressured.

But between the opening and final scenes, individuals who "noticed" and took action, privately and then publicly. Those individuals included a Senator / potential vice presidential partner for a second term; head of the joint Chiefs of Staff; a Supreme Court justice; the president's own son.

Ain't nothin' like that in 2025.

And that makes it an escapist read not a harrowing prediction ...

Me, I lapped it up in a few days ...

• THE BOOK Night of Camp David (affiliate link) by Fletcher Knebel


• NO TIME TO READ? How I Read 4X More This Year Than Last What I gave up, how I read so much, what I read.

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail (my current address is in the FAQs), dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, tuck a question into a plastic Easter egg, whatever.

• Any advice for Seasonal Sundays?
• Just one thing that would make it more useful for you?
• Anything else? Chime in, chat away.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. When you make my recipes, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below or better still, on the specific recipe's page.

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