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Do you celebrate Mardi Gras aka Fat Tuesday? This year the kids and I are celebrating through food with a Cajun recipe since we are certainly not headed to New Orleans. It’s a Cajun macaroni and cheese dish with crawfish and shrimp. Although this recipe has quite a few ingredients it is super easy to make. If you do not have penne pasta on hand, just use whatever you have available.
The best part is you can tell your kids that it is just fancy macaroni and cheese. The chances are quite high that they will eat it and like it! If this recipe seems to complicated check out this simple sausage rice and beans recipe.
What is Cajun Food?
Cajun food is a combination of French and Southern cuisines found along the bayous of Louisiana. It was developed by Cajun–Acadians who were deported from Acadia to Louisiana in the 18th century. They incorporated West African, French, and Spanish cooking techniques into their cuisine. If you are trying your hand at making cajun food for the first time you might want to try out this easy jambalaya.
Crawfish & Shrimp Macaroni & Cheese Cajun Recipe
Crawfish and Shrimp Mac & Cheese Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Butter, room temp
2 cup cooked crawfish tails
2 cups medium-sized peeled and tail off shrimp
1½ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 c shredded Colby / jack cheese mix
Add a dash of salt to 1 quart water in a large pasta pot.
Bring water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the package directions.
Drain and set the pasta to the side.
Slice your green onions and set to the side.
While you are cooking your pasta, cook your bacon to a crisp, so you can crumble.
Use the same skillet that you cooked your bacon in add your butter.
Melt butter on medium heat and then add green onions and cook 2 minutes.
Add 2 Tbsp flour and cook 1 minute.
Add your half and half and whisk to prevent clumps.
Add Cajun seasoning and mix to combine.
Add your crawfish tails, and shrimp and stir often for 5 minutes.
Add cheeses and stir until melted.
Fold pasta and half of the bacon into cheese sauce.
Top the pasta mix with remaining bacon and bread crumbs.
Place your pasta mix in the oven and toast for 5 minutes.
Remove garnish with green onion slices.
Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
How do you celebrate Mardi Gras?
Wow, I’m going to have to try this, it looks and sounds delicious!