Cajun Seven Layer Dip

I’ve talked about my husband's Louisiana roots before, so I am thrilled to be able to work with Jay D’s Molasses Mustard. Jay Ducote was my favorite Food Network Star contestant. I loved the dishes he created and his personality. I hope that you find my Cajun Seven Layer Dip with Jay D’s Molasses Mustard delicious with all those wonderful Cajun flavors you desire.

Cajun Seven Layer Dip
by Linda Mire

12 ounces peeled and cleaned, frozen crawfish tails, thawed
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cube Dorot garlic or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup of Jay D’s Molasses Mustard + more for garnish
1 8-ounce brick Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce container of mascarpone
1/2 link andouille sausage, chopped into bit size pieces
1 15.5-ounce can small red beans (I used Goya)
Lettuce, shredded (about 1/2 cup), just for a little green
Tomato, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch of green onions, dice whites and part of the greens
1/2 pound pepper cheese (jalapeno or hatch), grated
Black olives

Layer 1

1. Melt butter in large saute pan, medium heat. Add thawed crawfish tails, garlic and lemon juice. Saute for 2-3 minutes until crawfish fully cooked.
2. Turn off heat and add the 1/4 cup of Jay D’s Molasses Mustard. Coat crawfish tails. Set aside.
3. Cream together cream cheese and mascarpone.
4. Strain crawfish tails, then fold into cream cheese/mascarpone mixture.
5. Spread mixture into small shallow serving dish.

Layer 2
1. Grab another saute pan and brown andouille sausage.
2. Drain and rinse can of small red beans. Add to andouille sausage and cook for 1 minutes. 

3. Place sausage/bean mixture on top of cream cheese/mascarpone mixture.

Layer 3
Add layer of shredded lettuce.

Layer 4
Add layer of diced tomatoes.

Layer 5
Add layer of green onions

Layer 6
Add layer of shredded cheese

Layer 7
Last layer, black olives. I just scatter a few.

Garnish top with additional Jay D’s Molasses Mustard.

Chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Enjoy with your favorite cracker, corn chip or veggie!

Guava Pastries

A while back, I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive a box from a company called Try the World. They send out monthly subscription boxes, with different products from around the world.

My box contained some really great stuff from Brazil and as soon as I saw the guava paste, I knew I was gonna make guava/cream cheese turnovers. The recipe follows, and the turnovers were delicious!

Guava Pastries
by Matt the Butcher

1 package Guava paste
1 box frozen puff pastry dough
1 8 ounces package cream cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Follow package directions for rolling out puff pastry, and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Cut cream cheese and guava paste into 8 pieces each. Lay one piece of cream cheese and guava on a square of dough and sprinkle with a little sugar. Fold and seal the dough and place pastries on a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.

Mini Zucchini Banana Bread

For our last garden harvest this year, we had a large amount of zucchini. Since fall is a time of year that we love to bake in our house, I thought about combining our garden harvest with some other ingredients for a yummy but healthy snack. I immediately thought back to the delicious and nutritious coconut flour from Tropical Traditions and how great it was as a flour substitute or supplement. This recipe got the thumbs up from the whole family with an immediate request for a second batch! Always a good sign.

Mini Zucchini Banana Bread
by Lori

Wet ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Tahitian vanilla
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cup zucchini (grated)
1 cup bananas (about 3 very ripe)
3 eggs (medium)

Dry ingredients:
2 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup walnuts pieces
1/2 cup thick rolled oats
3/4 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup walnuts pieces
4 Tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup thick rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of flour

Mix wet ingredients:
Begin by creaming butter, sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Gently incorporate with yogurt and set aside.

In a food processor, add zucchini and pulse until finely chopped. Place processed zucchini in a cheese cloth and press to remove as much liquid as possible. Mash ripe bananas, then add processed zucchini and bananas to the large mixing bowl of yogurt, butter, sugar and vanilla. Whip three eggs - do not over beat. Gently incorporate all wet ingredients and set aside.

Mix Dry ingredients:
In a medium bowl, add wheat flour, coconut flour, baking powder, walnuts, oats, salt and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly. Then add dry ingredients to large mixing bowl of wet ingredients and gently incorporate. Do not over mix.

Liberally coat pans with butter and place mixture into them. I used 6 mini ceramic loaf pans (approximately 5 inches x 3 inches - 2 inches deep) which I bought at Michael's Crafts for a couple of dollars each (brand is Celebrate It).

Make Streusel Topping by mixing ingredients and then place this mixture on top of each loaf - cover each top completely and press down gently.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F. Remove and let cool on a wire baking rack.

Enjoy with a cup of great coffee or a yummy latte.

Savory Rye Gougeres

Bob's Red Mill makes some of the best flours out there to bake with. I love these savory little puffs that are made with Bob's Dark Rye Flour.

Savory Rye Gougeres
by Diana
Yields 24 smallish puffs

1 cup water
1 Tablespoon buttermilk powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye Flour
5 eggs
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 1/2 ounces grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring the water, buttermilk powder and butter to a simmer in a medium sauce pot. Add the flours and reduce the heat to low while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should form a ball. Take off the heat and let the flour mixture cool to room temperature. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the remaining ingredients. 

Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place in 425°F degree oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F degrees and continue baking for 7-10 minutes, until lightly puffed, cracked and golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Pierce each puff with a knife to release the steam. 

Serve warm on their own or with your favorite soup, or split and fill with spinach dip, warm pastrami, Swiss cheese and mustard, roast turkey, onion and provolone cheese or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Fried Catfish So Good You Will Wanna Slap Ya Mama

This is one of my favorite dishes that I make though not often enough. It is relatively simple, extremely messy and ridiculously good. You may want to consider frying it outside, I do when I remember.

When we started 37 Cooks with 2 gallons of Slap Ya Mama seasonings I had already fallen in love with the hot seasoning and was using it for everything. For some reason I never replaced the seasoning in my fish batter but when I did, wow! It gave the fish an attitude! It can be used for other fish but Mississippi farm raised catfish is so good!

Fried Catfish So Good You Will Wanna Slap Ya Mama

by Willie Simmons

4 large Mississippi farm raised or fresh caught catfish filets

1 quart buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup corn meal (fine)
4 Tablespoons Slap Ya Mama Hot
Peanut oil

Start by putting the fish in a gallon zip-top bag or a deep baking pan with the buttermilk and soak for at least 2 hours.

Whisk the flour, corn meal and SYM together and place in a shallow dish.

Use a deep cast iron skillet. Pour in enough oil to cover the thickness of the filet. Preheat the oil to 325°F.

Drag the filets through the flour/corn meal and place on a baking rack for a 5-10 minutes.

Place 1 or 2 filets into the oil, depending on size of skillet. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side, or until crust becomes golden brown. I prefer to fry them a little longer, as I like crispier fish. We usually make more than we can eat and use the filets the next day to made unbelievable po-boy sandwiches. Enjoy!

Pressure Cooker Chunky Applesauce

Our past sponsor, Instant Pot, gave us the opportunity to play and revel in this fantastic new electric pressure cooker. This beauty does it all: 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker: Pressure cooker, Slow cooker, Rice Cooker/Porridge Maker, Steamer, Sauté/Browning, Yogurt Maker & Warmer. For our Past Sponsor Challenge, I decided to make something I hadn’t made before. I decided on applesauce, since its fall. I gave some of this batch to my MIL, and she raved about it. She warmed it, and put in on top of vanilla ice cream, and topped it with crumbled lemon cookies. The next morning she put it on pancakes. She and her friend were in applesauce heaven! I don't think I'm going overboard to call the Instant Pot, the Magic Pot. I have made cheesecake in the Instant Pot. It may have been the best cheesecake I have ever made. I have cooked rice at the snap of my fingers. I could go on forever about the eggs that practically peel themselves, and the “poached” eggs I have made. Give the Instant Pot a try, and join the rest of us who continue to be amazed by it’s capabilities.

Pressure Cooker Chunky Applesauce
by Sharyl W.

8 medium to large apples (I used an assortment of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Gala)
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup of sugar (I used white, but one could also use brown sugar)

Add the water and lemon juice to the Instant Pot liner pot. Peel, core and slice, or chop the apples. Add the apples, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar, to the pot. Set high pressure manual for 6 minutes and then NPR (natural pressure release) until pressure drops and lid can be removed. For smoother applesauce, blend with an immersion blender or mixer. I like ours to be chunky, so I didn't do this step. 

Note: I discovered later that most don't peel their apples. Peeling apples is a step I detest, so I will never again peel my apples, for applesauce! I didn't want real sweet applesauce, so I didn't use much sugar. Adjust to personal taste.

Steel Cut Oatmeal Bread

Especially in cold weather, I love to start the day with a bowl of great oatmeal. I love Bob's Red Mill's steel cut oats - they cook into a hearty porridge. It does take longer to cook than rolled oats, so I tend to make a large batch and then keep leftovers ready to heat throughout the week.

Sometimes, though, I want a change from my morning oatmeal. I love to use leftover oatmeal as the basis for bread. Three cups of leftover oatmeal will give you two large loaves of some of the best bread available. I'll confess that sometimes I go out of my way to make a batch of oatmeal especially to use for this bread. Toast made from this bread is absolutely the best!

Steel Cut Oatmeal Bread
by Maurita Plouff blogging at Get the Good Stuff!
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups leftover cooked oatmeal (I like to use Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats)
2 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4+ cups all-purpose OR bread flour

If you make oatmeal especially for the bread, let it cool until just a little warm to your hand. If you're using leftover oatmeal, warm it up a bit and stir it around, so it's not stone cold and has no hot spots. Measurements are approximate, and you should feel free to add a bit more of this, or a bit less of that, to your personal taste.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oatmeal, water, honey, and yeast; stir i.e. enough to break up the oatmeal. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes or so.

Add the salt and 2 cups of the flour, and mix very well. Don’t be afraid to beat it hard; you’re developing gluten that will help the bread rise. Add additional flour, mixing well after each addition, until the dough just comes together – it may take 2 more cups, or it may take a lot more, it depends on the weather, the humidity, and the moisture content in the leftover oatmeal.

When the dough will just hold together in a shaggy mass, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes or so.

After the dough rests, knead it another 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed. It takes a bit of experience to know when you’ve kneaded enough. It will no longer be sucking up flour, the surface will be smooth and a bit less sticky, and it will feel alive under your hands.

Put the dough in an oiled clean bowl, turn it so that all surfaces are greased, then cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk - 1 to 2 hours.

Turn out onto a floured surface and gently punch it down. Shape into 2 loaves, put into greased bread pans, and let rise, covered with a tea towel, until doubled in bulk again.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Slash the loaves if you prefer, and bake 30 minutes. Check for doneness: each loaf will look done, and will sound hollow when turned out of the pan and thumped on the bottom. The internal temperature is 190-200°F.

Let the bread loaves cool for at least an hour before slicing.

Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Fudgy Pudgy Cake

Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Fudgy Pudgy Cake
by Holly K of Holly's Table
Adapted from Baked Fudge Pudding Cake

Cooking spray
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel, or 1 teaspoon freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1/2 cup whipped, for serving
1/4 cup crushed pistachios, for serving
1/4 favorite berries, for serving


Spray the inside of the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker  with cooking spray and set on low to heat.

Combine the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a small bowl, set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs on medium-high until thickened. Sprinkle in the sugar slowly and continue to beat until very thick. Drizzle in the butter. Add the vanilla. Keep mixing. Add in the orange peel, nutmeg and cocoa mixture. On low, stir in the cream.

Pour the batter into the slow cooker. Line the lid with paper towels to prevent condensation. Cook on low 3 hours. 

Top with nuts, berries and whipped cream. Serve warm.