Charlotte Cajun Queen

Life 🤍

Published on February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 by Charlotte Cajun Queen1 Comment

Earlier this week I was reminded just how fragile and precious life is. It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily frustrations, especially of recent, brought on by this ever consuming virus – I find myself thinking “I can’t take this anymore!” This being helping our kindergartner with virtual school while our 3 year old runs wild, at home from day care (due to covid cases), working a 40+hour job, being stuck at home all the time, and not getting to hang out with friends and family, all of which is a similar story that many of you know all too well. But when we learned the devastating news of one of our best friend’s dad’s unexpected death, someone who was always so kind and opened his heart and home to us, it put all of my “this” into perspective. Life is so unpredictable and you’re never promised another day, or hour. So I don’t want another moment to go by without telling you how much you mean to me.

*You, my dearest life long friends, who we were so lucky to see this week after way too long. You hold a very special place in my heart that’s irreplaceable by anyone. I love all of the amazing fun memories we have shared together over the years and will love you always. If you call, I will be there. And I will be calling you too!

*You, my best friends, old and new. You know who you are. You bring joy, laughter and light into my life and for that, I thank you. You give me the trusted space I need to vent over some wine and cheese and renew my spirit with you. I love you and will always be here for you when you need a shoulder to lean on or a pal to share a bottle.

*You, my second family – my in laws and extended family. I’m beyond grateful that I landed the BEST mother, father, sister and brother in law there is. Seriously. You have cared for me and supported me and our family since day one. I love all of our adventures together and memories we’ve created over the years. I’m one lucky gal to have you on my life and I love you always.

*You, my mom and dad and brothers. I love you beyond words can describe. You would move mountains for me, I know it in my heart. And for that I can breath a sigh of relief because I know you will always be there for me during the most tumultuous times. I’m so lucky to have the most amazing family that’s given me the world. To my ridiculously funny and smart brothers, I love you more than you know (or think). I’m such a lucky sister. And mom and dad, you should know in your hearts that there are not enough words that could express the gratitude and respect I have for you and for what you’ve given me. I love you, I love you, I love you. Forever.

*You, my husband James. It hasn’t been an easy 15 year road but we wouldn’t be the people we are if we didn’t have a few bumps along the way. Your love and dedication to our family is treasured. You work hard for everything we have and have never complained once (ok maybe a couple times). Also, you keep me grounded in what’s important in life and for that, I’m so thankful for you. I love you because you keep me laughing which has been especially important this last year and probably what’s kept us all moving onward and upward. I will love you always and forever.

*You, my precious Brooks and Evie. You made me a mom. You give me life. You’re insanely difficult sometimes and seriously never talk moving or talking but gosh, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Brooks, your thoughtfulness makes my heart melt. You’re ridiculously smart and probably the most energetic spark of energy I’ve ever known. Evie, my girlie girl. You hold your own, that’s for damn sure. You are bold, and beautiful and brave. You both will never know just how much me and your dad love you. You are our everything.

*****
Be sure to hug those you’re with a little tighter tonight. And live like there’s no tomorrow. Because it’s not a guarantee. 🤍🕊️

Chopped Chickpea Salad

Published on October 2, 2019October 2, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Recently I’ve been obsessed with 2 things: chickpeas and feta cheese. I’ve also been creating new spins on the typical boring “lunch salad” and with that, have incorporated both obsessions. You can make a large mixture of the chopped vegetables to use for several meals and then pile them on a bed of greens when ready to eat. I also like to make my own salad dressing – it’s easy, fast and doesn’t contain all of the “extra” unnecessary ingredients that store bought dressings have.

Chopped Chickpea Salad

For the salad:

Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Bell pepper
Avocado, cubed
Can of chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
Feta cheese crumbles
Mixed salad greens

For the Italian dressing:

3/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup White wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp Dried oregano or Italian seasoning mix (like Mrs. Dash Italian Medley)

Italian Dressing: Mix ingredients in a tightly sealed jar or container and shake well. I usually store my dressing on the counter and it’s used within 1-2 weeks, but you can store in the fridge if you don’t use it.

Salad: Mix together chopped vegetables, chick peas and feta cheese. Spoon mixture into bed of mixed greens and drizzle dressing over the top.

Enjoy!

Taking a Girls Trip Back in Time

Published on August 15, 2019August 19, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun Queen1 Comment

Recently my mom and I went on a weekend long girls trip, something we are trying to do every couple of years. In honor of what would have been my late Grandma’s 99th birthday (Aug 9th), we took a trip back in time to Abingdon, VA. A small town about 3 hours north of Charlotte, Abingdon is rich with history and theater, good eats, and antiques shopping.

Arriving midday Friday, we checked in at “the Martha“. The AC unit had broken in our reserved room so we got upgraded to a quaint suite on the top floor! Built in 1832 the Martha Washington Inn was originally home to General Robert Preston. Nearly 30 years later the home was purchased for $21,000 and turned into an upscale women’s college, and named after first lady of our nation, Martha Washington. It served as a college for 70 years through the Civil War and Great Depression, where it was also used as a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers. In 1935, the Martha was opened as a hotel and has hosted Eleanor Roosevelt, President Harry Truman, Lady Bird Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Elizabeth Taylor. The grounds are centered around a beautiful fountain, lush with bright flowers and large trees. It was calm and peaceful.

Another jewel of Abingdon is the Barter Theater. My grandma once told stories of the Barter Theater, the longest running professional theater in the nation, opening in 1933. It was called the Barter Theater because during the Depression, people could trade goods for a ticket to the show, or “ham for Hamlet”. On Saturday, we were fortunate to see one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen, Exit Laughing. It had us laughing so hard our cheeks hurt. Coupled with a sentimental message of always living life to the fullest, it was a heart warming reminder of why our girls trip tradition is so important.

The remainder of our weekend was filled with a lot of walking, admiring the beauty and history of this small town, antiques shopping, and a lot more eating and drinking. Our first stop for lunch on Friday was 128 Pecan, a quirky small restaurant right off Main Street, with THE BEST spinach artichoke dip (hint: there was bacon in it). The food was comforting and delicious. We strolled back down the brick paved Main Street and popped into Anthony’s Desserts where I had a key lime tart and my mom had a chocolate peanut butter cookie. Needless to say, a quick swim in the hotel pool was needed after that. We rounded out Friday with dinner at Sisters, the hotel restaurant. Bubbly rose’ and braised short rib were our top choices and we were not disappointed.

Saturday was ate our way through the town (again) but fortunately our 15,700 steps were able to negate some of it, at least we hoped. We enjoyed a grand breakfast complimentary of the hotel, followed by a tasty lunch (and dinner too, because it was so good) at The Peppermill. For lunch, a fried green tomato BLT with sweet potato fries, and for dinner, cheese ravioli with veggies and balsamic reduction! MmmMmm!

After the matinee showing of the play, we managed to squeeze in a special tea party for two. Hosted at the inn, we drank hot tea and enjoyed petits fours and mini sandwiches, pinkies raised, of course.

Anther highlight of the trip was the neat trinkets and memories we found in the many antique shops we visited. Saturday morning we started the day with an early visit to the local farmer’s market, where we picked up some locally made beef jerky and jewelry. We topped off the weekend with olive oil tasting, art galleries, and an international food shop.

Overall, we had an amazing trip and enjoyed all that Abingdon had to offer. Bursting with history and beauty, this small town was just what we needed for a fun, relaxing, and food-filled getaway. I was so lucky to share this trip with one of my best friends for life and I know Grandma was smiling down!

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Bacon Wrapped Sausage & Cream Cheese Stuffed Poblanos

Published on July 30, 2019July 31, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Did you get all of that? This year in our garden we grew poblano peppers, and we grew a lot of them! Having freshly picked a handful of peppers I started pondering what I could do to use them in bulk for a recipe. Inspired by jalapeno poppers, I thought this recipe would be one that James and I would enjoy for dinner, but also versatile enough that it could be a party appetizer. With football season approaching, this would be a good addition to your tailgating menu!

Ingredients:

2-4 Poblano peppers, depending on size (mine were small so I used 5)
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
3 links of mild Italian sausage, cases removed
1 cup of cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
Bacon
1 Tbsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Halve poblanos and remove stem and seeds. *Avoid touching your face during this step. Wash your hands immediately after to prevent your skin from burning. You can also wear gloves to protect your hands.
Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and saute onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add sausage and use spoon to break up into small pieces as it cooks.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together cream cheese, Colby jack cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
Add cooked sausage mixture to cream cheese mixture and stir together.
Spoon sausage and cheese mixture into peppers. Don’t be afraid to fill it so that it’s piled high. Use 1-2 pieces of bacon (depending on size of peppers) to wrap around peppers.
Bake for 30-40 minutes on broiler pan or until bacon is cooked. Tip: if you don’t have a broiler pan you can use a rack from your toaster oven (see photo above)!
Enjoy!

Happy 4th!

Published on July 3, 2019July 3, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Happy birthday America! Looking for a patriotic treat that’s perfect for your summer party? I’ve got just the thing! This easy recipe will ‘wow’ your friends and family and the kids will love it too.

Fruit Fireworks

Ingredients:

Blueberries
Seedless watermelon
Mini marshmallows
6″ Party picks/skewers
Small star shaped cookie cutter

Cut rind off of watermelon and slice 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces all the way through (so that you have a large surface area for cutting out stars).

Cut stars out of watermelon and place on a plate. *Tip: cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour. This will make it easier to skewer without the juice going everywhere.

Skewer blueberries and marshmallows, alternating, and top with watermelon star.

Enjoy!

Avocado Toast

Published on May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Avocado toast is on trend right now, and I know why. This versatile recipe can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s quick and easy and leaves you feeling perfectly full!

Avocado, Egg & Goat Cheese Toast with Arugula and Lemon Oil Drizzle

Ingredients:

Any kind of bread, toasted
Avocado
Hard boiled egg
Goat cheese
Arugula
Lemon vinaigrette*
Salt and pepper to taste

Toast bread and spread avocado on toast.
Pile high with arugula and layer on sliced hard boiled egg.
Crumble goat cheese on top and drizzle with lemon oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!

*Lemon vinaigrette: Mix 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice with 3 tbsp olive oil. Add zest of lemon, salt and pepper, and shake well.

Grilled Brushcetta Salad

Published on April 24, 2019April 24, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

The best part of this salad is the surprise hiding underneath! The warm sourdough bread mixed with the chilled balsamic tomato mixture is so yummy! I love this salad for so many reasons. It’s fresh flavors remind me of summer and it’s an easy way to make one of my favorite appetizers into a filling salad!

Grilled Bruschetta Salad

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

Greens mixture (we prefer spinach and/or arugula mix)
Tub of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Mozzarella ball from specialty cheese section of store, cut into cubes
Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (fancy word for rolled up and cut into strips)
Balsamic vinegar (about 2 Tbsp or more if you like)
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic clove
Sourdough bread (pre-sliced from bakery section of store)
1 lb Chicken breast tenders
Favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Prepare bruschetta topping mixture by mixing together tomatoes, mozzarella cubes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to marinate in the fridge, covered, about an hour.
Optional: marinate chicken in a little balsamic vinegar and dash of Italian seasoning or just salt and pepper prior to grilling. Can also use a shredded rotisserie chicken for time saving dinner!
Grill chicken breast tenders on medium high heat for about 5 minutes a side, until cooked through.
While chicken is grilling, brush each side of sliced sourdough bread with EVOO.
After you remove chicken from grill, place bread on grill for about 1 minute per side. Immediately after you remove warm bread from grill, rub all sides with whole garlic clove.
Salad assembly: place 1-2 pieces of grilled bread on plate and pile high with greens mixture. Add grilled chicken and brushcetta topping mixture.
Drizzle with favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing and ENJOY!

Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

Published on March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

I could literally sit and eat an entire bowl of Chinese Fried Rice. But how could I do it and not feel guilty about the carb indulgence. It’s a simple switch, using cauliflower instead of rice! And you can barely detect a difference. Like many of my recipes, this one takes less than 20 minutes to throw together and uses only 5 ingredients, two of which are frozen food items.

Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

20 minutes or less
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 10oz bag of frozen cauliflower rice
1 10-12oz bag of mixed frozen veggies
Any other veggies you have on hand, chopped
2-4 eggs, based on preference
2-3 tablespoons of store bought jar of teriyaki sauce, but can add more to taste*
Optional: add in cooked chicken or shrimp that’s marinated in teriyaki sauce

*For this recipe, I used Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce.

Instructions:

Cook frozen cauliflower rice and frozen vegetables according to package.
Meanwhile, in large skillet saute extra chopped veggies in 2 Tbsp oil (optional). I added leftover 1/2 of zucchini and 1/4 orange pepper.
Add cooked cauliflower rice and cooked mixed veggies to skillet.
Use a spoon to move rice mix to the rim of the skillet, making a small hole in the middle for the eggs (imagine a donut).
Crack the eggs into middle of pan and scramble for a couple minutes.
Add in teriyaki sauce and stir all together. Let cook for a 3-5 minutes on medium heat and add more sauce if you want after tasting. You can also add soy sauce if you want.
Enjoy!

St. Patty’s Day Teacher Appreciation

Published on March 4, 2019March 12, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun Queen2 Comments

I can’t believe it’s already March!🍀

We are fortunate at our kids’ school to have some pretty amazing teachers and I try to show them how much we appreciate them all year round. They have one of the hardest jobs in the world and it takes a special person to be able to do it. I couldn’t do it. I can barely handle two. 🤷

This is a super easy, inexpensive token of appreciation you can throw together for St. Patty’s Day for anyone you are lucky to have in your life. You can easily change it up to give to your family, friends, etc.

Supplies:

Mini gift bags from local crafts store (these are the cutest little bags and come in all colors) – perfect Leprachaun size!
Tissue paper
Stickers
Card stock or scrap book paper
Twine or string
Hershey’s gold nuggets candy

If you want me to email you the template I used, please use Contact section and I will email it! 🍀🌟🍫

Doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy TACOS!

Published on February 26, 2019February 27, 2019 by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

One of my favorite, quick and easy meals is TACOS. So when Tuesday rolls around, dinner is one less thing have to think about. But it doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy these tacos! It’s one of the very few recipes that everyone likes and I can hide some veggies in it too. We love tacos! They’re really versatile and easy to make in less than 30 minutes. I also enjoy making them because it’s a good way to use up any leftover veggies in the fridge. Here’s my recipe, but adapt as you please!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1lb ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 bell pepper, chopped (any color but we like yellow or orange)
1/2 zucchini, diced
1 can diced tomatoes or a few heaping tablespoons of salsa
Juice of half a lime
Packet of low sodium taco seasoning mix (or make your own: 1 Tbsp cumin and child powder and a dash of smoked paprika and garlic powder)

Optional:

Whole grain tortillas or opt for lettuce wraps
Shredded cheese
Avocado or guacamole
Salsa or fresh tomatoes
Cilantro

Instructions:

Heat large skillet on medium high heat for a minute or so before adding in oil.
Add oil and saute veggies 2-3 minutes to soften.
Add in ground meat and break up with spatula/spoon. Cook until no longer pink.
Add in seasoning pack and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in can of tomatoes or salsa and lime juice.
Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
Note: this is what it looks like before it cooks down the 10 minutes.
Serve taco mixture on tortillas with toppings of choice. Optional: I add in the cilantro to the skillet after it’s done simmering and then we put more on top.
Enjoy!