Benny Cenac recipes Archives - Arlen "Benny" Cenac Jr

4 out 50 of the Best Foods in the World

Food, a term we all discover at a young age. We also all discover our favorites. Every place in the world has its specialties. Living in America gives the advantage to try most of those Best Foods. But in case you think you are missing out, making them at home is always an option. CNN Travel recently published an article about the 50 best foods in the world. Here are a few and the recipes to go with them.

Poutine, Canda

Poutine originates from our northern border country, Canada. Who doesn’t like french fries? Now add brown gravy and cheese, it will literally melt in your mouth. This Allrecipes Real Poutine recipe is easy to make, something the whole family can enjoy, and one of the more well known Best Foods in the Canada area.

Ingredients

1, 10.25 ounce, of canned gravy

About 5 medium potatoes (depending on how many you are making)

1 quart oil for frying the potatoes

2 cups cheese curds

DIrections

Cut the potatoes into fry-like shapes. Put the oil in a deep, heavy, skillet or you can use a deep fryer; Heat the oil to 365 degrees F. This is when the gravy should be heated up. Open the canned gravy and pour into a small saucepan, heating the gravy up on medium heat.

Gently put the fries into the fryer/ pan. Make sure to cook them until they are golden brown. Line a plate or platter with paper towels to let the access grease to drip off of the fries. Place the fries on a platter. Then this is when the cheese should be sprinkled on top of the fries. Take a large spoon or ladle and pour the gravy over the cheese and fries.

French Toast, Hong Kong

Tired of the same old french toast recipe? Hong Kong is famous for their french toast and thankfully The Hungry Chilipinos posted a recipe for us to follow.

Ingredients

¼ cup or 2 oz of evaporated milk

1 tablespoon of condensed milk and some extra that will be used to drizzle on the toast

2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

2 slices of Japanese Milk Bread or Texas Style Toast

1 oz of butter

1 cup of vegetable oil or coconut oil

2 eggs

¼ cup of golden syrup

Directions

Beat the eggs and evaporated milk together in a bowl. Take the bread slices and spread the peanut butter and condensed milk. Soak the bread pieces in the egg and milk mixture, the bread should not be extremely soggy or too dry.

Fry the bread for about 2 minutes on each side; it should be golden brown. Place the toast on a cooling rack, if you have one, or a plate with paper towels to drain the grease off. Take the toast and place on a plate. Drizzle with syrup, and place a dab of butter on top. Take the leftover condensed milk and drizzle on top; serving immediately.

Tacos, Mexico

There couldn’t be a Best Foods list without tacos on it! Everyone loves tacos, so why not make them at home. The Food Network has the perfect beef taco recipe.

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper

½ teaspoon of chili powder

½ teaspoon of cumin

½ teaspoon of paprika

½ teaspoon of salt

½ yellow onion, diced

½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 pounds of ground beef

Fixins

20 fajita-size flour tortillas

18 hard taco shells

1 pound of Cheddar-Jack cheese, grated

15 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 head of green leaf lettuce, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. For the beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the onions. Cook until the onions start to soften, then add the ground beef. Cook the meat until it’s completely browned, then drain the fat. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper and stir thoroughly to combine them all together.

Add ½ cup of hot water and stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. For the fixins: wrap the flour tortillas in foil and warm in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Before serving, crisp the taco shells in the oven according to the package instructions. Serve with the grated cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Ice Cream, global

Who doesn’t enjoy ice cream? Especially when it can be easily made at home. Taste of Home published a recipe that we can’t resist.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Transfer the mixture into a 13×9-inch dish. Put the dish in freezer until cold. Freeze until edges of mixture begin to set, this will take about 20-30 minutes. Take the mixer out and using a hand mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Continue this process every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours. Creating the perfect vanilla ice cream.

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Louisiana Favorite’s: Extra Crawfish Tail Recipes

It is officially spring, feeling like summer. We all know that means one thing; it’s Crawfish time. All of the big pots have started boiling those mud-bugs. Crawfish boils usually end with no leftovers, but sometimes you will get lucky and have some extra. This means endless possibilities for Crawfish recipes. Louisiana Cookin’ recently published a blog with 9 recipes that you can use for those left of tails, here are three of them!

Tomato Crawfish Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 (16-ounce) package of cooked crawfish tails, make sure to rise them and drain them

⅓ cup powdered Tomato Mix

½ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ cup thinly sliced celery

1-pint grape tomatoes, they need to be halved

12 pickled okra pods, these need to be halved also

¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon of horseradish, make sure it is already prepared

2 tablespoons of lemon juice, the fresher the better

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons dry mustard

Grab a medium mixing bowl and mix together the juice, powdered Tomato mix, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and horseradish. You then want to slowly add the oil, while constantly whisking the mixture to make sure it combines nicely. This is what will be used for the dressing.

In a different mixing bowl, combine the onion, okra, tomato, celery, and of course the crawfish. Take ¼ of your dressing and mix it into this bowl. Serve the extra dressing on the side so guest can add more if needed.

Crawfish Dip

INGREDIENTS

1 cup water

1-pound cooked crawfish tail meat

2 cups sour cream

1 (1-ounce) package dried porcini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsalted butter

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Take a microwave safe bowl and heat up 1 cup of water on high. You want the water to be really hot, add the mushrooms until they soften. Strain the mushrooms but make sure to keep the liquid. Cut the mushrooms into fine pieces.

Take a medium saucepan, melt the butter, add the green onion, and then mix in the floor, letting it cook for 5 minutes

Take the mushroom liquid, the mushrooms, and the garlic, and add it to the saucepan. This needs to be brought to a boil.

Add the salt, pepper, and Crawfish; once adding the Crawfish continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Then reduce to low heat; add the parsley and sour cream.

Cajun Crawfish Bread

INGREDIENTS

1 (12-ounce) loaf French bread and halved it lengthwise

1 pound cooked crawfish tails

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons butter

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, it needs to be softened

¾ cup sweet onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, make sure they are minced

¾ cup green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, fresh

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (with peppers)

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Take the bread halves and spread the mayonnaise on both halves.

Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the sweet onion and cook for about 5 minutes.

Then add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. The parsley, green onion, and crawfish should be add next, cook for about 5 minutes. The cream cheese and Cajun seasoning will come next. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir to make sure the

cheese is fully mixed.

Take the mixture and spread it on both halves of the bread, garnish with the cheeses and paprika. Bake the bread until the cheese looks melted then turn on the broil, you want the cheese to be slightly browned.
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New Red-Fish Recipe to Try This Lent

Need a new Fish Recipe? It is time to try Allrecipes version of Cajun Blackened Redfish. Red-fish, also referred to as channel bass or red drum, is always a great protein alternative. It is only 218 calories for one fillet. It is also a great source for potassium, 25% to be exact. Eating fish has many health benefits. Two of the top ones being, it is better for your heart and it can help eyesight.

Make sure when you buy your fish you try to stick to smaller sizes; larger fish can have a tougher texture and different flavor. The whole process of cooking the fish is to make sure it is so moist and tender, it will almost be falling apart.

For this recipe you will need a large skillet, a baking dish, and a couple of mixing bowls.

INGREDIENTS

Butter (or olive oil)

Lemon pepper

Cayenne pepper

Garlic powder

Salt

About 1 & ¼ cup of italian-style salad dressing

4 fillets of redfish

DIRECTIONS

Your first step should always be to preheat the oven; set it to 350°F. Your second step is to mix the lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in one of your mixing bowls. Make sure you have everything ready before touching the fish. You do not want any unsanitary cooking areas. Helpful hint: if you do not enjoy a lot of spice leave the cayenne pepper out, you can always add it later.

Melt your butter in a second mixing bowl in either the microwave; or an easier option would be to melt the butter, on low, in the large skillet. Coat the redfish with the butter on both sides. Then take the seasoning that is in your mixing bowl, using the butter as a glue, sprinkle it over the redfish. Place fish aside while you heat up the skillet

Grab the large skillet and turn the burner all the way to high heat. Coat your skillet with your leftover butter. The idea is not to fully cook the fish in the skillet but to sear it. Even slightly charred on each side. Make sure the skillet is nice and hot, then carefully place the redfish fillets in the skillet. Once the fish has a nice dark color, take it out of the skillet. This should not take long. Remember you are not cooking the fillets in the skillet, just searing them.

Your final step is to take the fish and place it into the baking dish. Take the Italian dressing and drizzle it over the fillets. The dressing is to add flavor, but it also helps keep the fish from drying out. Make sure the pan is covered, remember dry fish is not good fish. Cook the fillets in the oven for 30 minutes, checking on them because every oven is different. Make sure to check the fish because all ovens are different, and it might be ready sooner!

The best part about this recipe is that it can be paired with any side.

Sides that go well with Redfish recipes:

Steamed Vegetables

Steamed or Baked Potatoes

Quinoa

Brown Rice

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Everyone’s Favorite Chicken Burrito Skillet Recipe

This delicious Chicken Burrito skillet recipe first published by readyseteat.com, is a great rendition of one our favorite ethnic cuisine: MEXICAN! Mexican food is an American favorite and for good reason: it is vibrant, fresh and fun. It is also colorful, spicy and uses an amazing array of delicious ingredients such as chilies, both fresh and dried, tomatoes, limes, coriander, red onion, avocado, and corn. Mexican cooking is packed with flavor; among the herbs and spices that give it its distinct kick are oregano, cilantro, cinnamon and cocoa. Garlic, onions, lemons and limes are also frequently used. It’s hard to mess up a recipe with these ingredients!

There’s a common misconception that Mexican food is both spicy and heavy, but if you balance the earthy and savory ingredients (beans, cheese, guacamole) with the fresh ingredients (cilantro, tomatoes, citrus) you will strike a balance that even the most critical palette won’t deny.

What makes Mexican food even better, is that it’s cheap and easy to duplicate your favorite restaurant meals in the comfort of your own kitchen. Mexican food is so popular that nowadays, grocery stores have an entire aisle dedicated solely to Mexican spices, ingredients and boxed meals so it’s even easier to find authentic ingredients without roaming all over the grocery store for hours.

Did you know that we have the Mexicans to thank for many of what we consider American meats, spices and dishes? Avocados, peanuts, squash, garlic, sugar cane, and cilantro were native to Mexico until conquistadors brought them over to the New World. The Spaniards also brought livestock and dairy products like cheese. Pigs, cows, and sheep had never been seen before in the New World. Can you imagine?!

Conquistadors also brought foreign produce back to Mexico from the New World. Until the conquistadors arrived, there was no wheat in Mexico. Even today, burritos are scarce in southern Mexico, where tortillas are made with corn which is the traditional way. Colonization also brought cuisines and cooking techniques from the Caribbean, Portugal, West Africa, and South America.

Add all of those influence up and you have several variations of what we think of as today’s Mexican fare. Of course, depending on where you go, the geographical variations of Mexican food can be very, very different. We also see a lot of what is referred to as “Tex-Mex” is southern US which is heavily influenced by Texan cuisine and cooking techniques.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix

1 can Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 can Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

1 cup water

1-1/4 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

Chopped cilantro, optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and taco seasoning; cook 2 minutes more. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes and water; bring to a boil.

Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and cilantro, if desired.

How easy is that?! I’m a huge fan of “dump” recipes- recipes where you basically dump it all together and cook it. Enjoy your Mexican fiesta!

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Unique and Fun St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day is an often-overlooked holiday. It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate in unique ways: go to a parade, where funky green clothes and accessories, pinch people who don’t join in the fun, and try new color-themed recipes! Thegirlonbloor.com recently published their favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes and we narrowed it down and picked our top favorites from the list. Read on!

1. PISTACHIO ICE CREAM SANDWICHES WITH THIN MINT COOKIES

Mini cheesecakes, Mini muffins, Mini cinnamon rolls, Mini caramel apple bites….the options are endless! Mini desserts have become a craze and for good reason. They are fun, delicious, and make for a great presentation. There is just enough sweetness in a mini dessert to finish off a great meal but not so much that you leave feeling guilty.

Adding pistachios to a sweet dessert is a popular way to give a dish contrasting and complementing flavors. And their healthy properties almost offset the sugar intake, right? Not only are pistachio nuts tasty and fun to eat, they’re also super healthy. They are seeds of the Pistacia vera tree contain healthy fats and are a good source of protein, fiber and antioxidants. They also contain several essential nutrients and have benefits for weight loss, as well as heart and gut health. Notably, pistachios are one of the most vitamin B6-rich foods around. Pistachios are also rich in potassium, with one ounce containing more potassium than half of a large banana.

Around 50 pistachios contain:

Calories: 156
Carbs: 8 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Fat: 12 grams (90% are healthy fats)
Potassium: 8% of the RDI
Phosphorus: 14% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 24% of the RDI
Thiamin: 16% of the RDI
Copper: 18% of the RDI
Manganese: 17% of the RDI

This recipe is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, indulgence and healthy, and most importantly, for St. Patrick’s Day fun …it’s GREEN!

Ingredients
4 Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies or Ritz Cracker Peppermint Cookies frozen
2 heaping tablespoons pistachio Halo Top ice cream
crushed pistachios

Instructions
Place a heaping tablespoon of ice cream on one cookie. Top with another cookie and press together until the ice cream has spread toward the edge. Sprinkle or roll the edge of the cookie into crushed pistachios, coating the ice cream. Repeat with the other two cookies. Eat immediately for a messy small treat OR put the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to let the ice cream set.

2. MATCHA GREEN TEA PANCAKES

Matcha literally means “powdered tea.” With matcha, you’re drinking the actual leaves, which have been finely powdered and made into a solution. Because you are ingesting the entire leaf you receive 100% of the nutrients vs. the leaked nutrients from tea leaves when you boil it. Matcha powdered green tea has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea. One cup of matcha equals 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea in terms of nutritional content. It’s packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg. It also boosts metabolism and burns calories as well as calms the mind and relaxes the body. It’s become a sort of “It” ingredient that is often mixed in with coffees and teas.

St. Patrick’s Day MATCHA GREEN TEA PANCAKES

Here we see it incorporated into a classic breakfast staple and we are loving the idea! There is no better was to start out your St. Patrick’s Day than with a full stack of healthy, green pancakes!

Ingredients
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter + extra for frying
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 TBSP matcha powder
1 TBSP baking powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt

Toppings:
I suggest plain Greek yogurt fresh raspberries, macadamia nuts, pepitas, chia seeds and pure maple syrup but mix it up however you’d like.

Directions

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), sugar and vanilla extract.
Add the flour, matcha powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined and the batter comes together. It will be thick and very green.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over moderate heat.
Brush with vegetable oil or butter.
Using a 1/4 cup measure, transfer small mounds of pancake batter onto skillet. Use a spatula to help even out the circle if need be.
Once bubbles appear and pop on the surface of the pancake, carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another minute or so.
Stack the pancakes and serve hot with butter, maple syrup and whatever other toppings you desire.

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Garlic Butter Pork Chops Recipe

Primaverakitchen.com recently posted an amazing recipe that just had to share! We have two words for you: Pork Chops.

Americans eat almost 50 pounds of pork per person each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. Pork chops deliver iron, potassium and other essential nutrients, while being about as lean as chicken. One serving of pork is 3 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. You’ll get 137 calories and 4 grams of fat from a 3-ounce pork chop. Pork is similar to chicken, with 3 ounces of chicken breast containing 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. A pork chop has 65 milligrams of cholesterol, compared to 72 grams in chicken breast, but they both have just 1 gram of saturated fat.

Pork chops deliver a big boost of complete protein. Men get 43 percent of their recommended daily intake, and women gain 52 percent from a 3-ounce pork chop. Proteins are found in every cell in the body, where they contribute to the structure and maintenance of tissues. They deliver messages between cells, cause muscles to contract and carry important substances. For example, the hemoglobin that carries oxygen is a protein. Other important substances made from protein include antibodies, enzymes and some hormones.

If pork chops are cooked well, they can be the ultimate comfort meat. Once you figure out how to make a tender, juicy chop, it becomes a staple in the weekly rotation of dinners. This baked pork chop is super juicy and tender thanks to the garlic butter thyme sauce and it’s super-fast and easy. Prep time is only 5 MINUTES! Cook time is only 10-12 MINUTES!! What?! This recipe is also low-carb, paleo and whole30 (use Ghee instead of butter) and gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS
Good quality butter (if possible organic or grass-fed butter)
Garlic
Fresh thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
Pork Chops

DIRECTIONS
First, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Then, season well pork chops with salt and pepper. The amount of salt and pepper here will depend on your taste.
Third, prepare the butter sauce by placing four tablespoons of butter in a small glass bowl and melt it in the microwave or stove. Once it’s melted, add chopped thyme and garlic. Stir well and set aside.
In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and when the skillet is really hot add pork chops and sear them until they get a nice golden and brown look. It’s will take about 4 minutes on each side.
Pour garlic butter mixture over the pork chops and place skillet in the oven.

Pork chops should stay in the oven until they have reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. You can measure it by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of pork chop. In my option the best way to make juicy and tender pork chops is by searing on the stove using a cast iron skillet and then, finish cooking them in the oven. The reason being is: the pork chops will get a nice, brown and beautiful crust on the outside, and they will be very juicy and tender inside.

Remove skillet from the oven and using a spoon, pour some of the delicious butter sauce left in the skillet onto the pork chops before serve. Enjoy!!

Sides that go well with Baked Pork Chops:
Golden Cauliflower Rice
Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Skillet
Whole30 Mashed Cauliflower

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