Articles by B. Coop

Pressure Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

Chicken, Recipes
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Still loving my pressure cooker! I wanted to try chicken in the bad boy this time. I love Pulled Chicken Sandwiches! Decided to try them out in the Cosori. 

Use your favorite BBQ sauce. I always add a little extra brown sugar and garlic to the store bought sauces. 

Oh and Coke! Yes, Coca-Cola. Trust me. We need a certain amount of liquid in order to use the pressure cooker. The Coke also gives the sauce and extra kick. I add a bit of Liquid Smoke as well. 

Serve it however you’d like. I chose to pile it onto some sweet slider buns. Then, I topped it with some coleslaw. Delicious!

Pressure Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Yields 6
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Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  2. 1 T onion powder
  3. 1 T garlic powder
  4. 2 tsp seasoned salt
  5. 1 tsp liquid smoke
  6. 1 sliced onion
  7. 1 sliced bell pepper
  8. 1 1/2 cup honey bbq sauce
  9. 2 T brown sugar
  10. 1 tsp minced garlic
  11. 1/2 cup Coca Cola
  12. 1/2 cup chicken broth
  13. 6 slider buns
Instructions
  1. Season chicken with seasoned salt, onion and garlic powders
  2. Place chicken into the pressure cooker
  3. Add the liquid smoke, onions, and bell peppers.
  4. In a bowl, whisk together the bbq sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and Coca-Cola.
  5. Pour the mixture on top of the chicken
  6. Now pour in the chicken broth
  7. Lock the lid and ensure that pressure sealing valve is locked or sealed
  8. Cook at high pressure for 25 mins.
  9. Quick release the pressure
  10. Remove chicken and shred it using two forks
  11. Return it to the pressure cooker and select the saute/brown setting
  12. Allow the chicken and sauce to simmer for 5 mins or until the sauce thickens
  13. Serve on warm buns
  14. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Pressure Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Louisiana Favorites, Recipes
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Took me awhile to hop on the pressure cooker bandwagon, but now, I’m driving the thing! I’m so in love with my kitchen buddy. It’s magical. I can prove it! It typically takes at least 2 hours to cook dried red beans. Even after soaking! Using my pressure cooker I was able to cook these things in less than 20 mins! Don’t believe me? Watch this…


Magic, right? I know! Now, you can skip the soaking part and just add them to the pressure cooker after rinsing and sorting. But, then you’d have to cook them longer and they’re not as creamy. Just try it my way. 

I do a quick soak. That’s when you add a little heat for a short amount of time and then allow the beans to soak. The pressure cooker also reduced the soaking time. Quick soaking would usually take 45 mins before cooking on the stove. With the pressure cooker, 20-25 mins is more than enough time.

I love being able to saute and brown meat and veggies in it as well. I brown the sausage first, then remove them. Brown the veggies and add the beans and water. I use my beans preset on the cooker which has three times to choose from: 5 mins, 11 mins., and 30 mins. If the beans weren’t soaked, we would select the 30 min timing. But, I use the 11 min one first. Then add in the sausage and butter and let it go for the 5 min setting. 

IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE SALT! Don’t use the salt until after the beans are finished cooking. Salt will prevent the beans from softening. Wait until they are done to add the salt. However, you can add other seasonings, like onion and garlic powder, at the beginning of the cooking process.

If your beans aren’t as thick as you’d like after the second round in the pressure cooker, just turn it on the saute/brown setting and allow them to simmer until they are as thick as you’d like. You may also add more butter as needed. 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Pressure Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Serves 5
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Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
16 min
Total Time
41 min
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
16 min
Total Time
41 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb dried red beans
  2. 1 T olive oil
  3. 1 lb sausage (sliced into coins)
  4. 1/2 cup diced onions
  5. 1/2 cup diced bell peppers
  6. 1 T minced garlic
  7. 5 cups water
  8. 1 T onion powder
  9. 1 T garlic powder
  10. 4 T butter
  11. salt and pepper or Cajun seasoning to taste
  12. 3 cups of cooked rice
Instructions
  1. Sort beans to remove the bad ones and rinse well.
  2. Add the beans to a large pot and cover them with about 2 inches of water
  3. Bring the pot to a boil
  4. Boil for 5 mins then turn off the heat
  5. Allow the beans to soak in the pot for 20-25 mins
  6. Drain water off of the beans; set aside
  7. Add the oil to the pressure cooker and set it on the saute/brown setting
  8. Add the sausage and saute until brown
  9. Remove the sausage; set aside
  10. Add in the onion and bell peppers
  11. Saute for 3 mins
  12. Add the garlic and saute for 30 secs
  13. Add in the drained red beans, 5 cups of water, onion and garlic powders
  14. Lock the lid and ensure that the pressure releasing valve is locked as well.
  15. If your pressure cooker has a "Beans" preset, select it. If not, set the timer for 11 mins.
  16. When the time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 mins before releasing the valve.
  17. Stir in the sausage and the butter.
  18. Close and lock the lid and valve again.
  19. Set the timer for 5 more mins.
  20. When the time ends, carefully release the pressure valve.
  21. If the beans aren't as thick as you'd like, select the saute/browning preset again and allow the beans to simmer until the desire thickness is reached.
  22. Serve over warm rice.
  23. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Recipes, Side Dishes
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I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share my Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe with you guys. I mean, it’s perfect. I’m so modest. But, seriously, it’s easy, flavorful, and there’s cream cheese in them. And the pair well with so many dishes. I won’t keep it from you any longer.

I know that they are called Garlic Mashed Potatoes, but I don’t want the garlic to be overpowering. I add the garlic in during the boiling process. I think it adds a nice, subtle garlic flavor to the potatoes. If you prefer more garlic taste, use whole garlic cloves or just add the garlic in with the other ingredients at the end.

 

Red potatoes, Yukon golds, russet…doesn’t matter. Just make sure you cut them as evenly as possible. The smaller the pieces, the least amount of time they will take to cook. Only cook them until they’re fork tender.

I LOVE adding a HINT of fresh rosemary to my potatoes. It’s just something special about that taste, guys! So dang good! But, you could also just use chives. 

Happy cooking,

B. Coop

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Serves 3
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 4-5 yukon gold or russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
  2. 1 tsp salt
  3. 1 T minced garlic or 2-3 garlic cloves
  4. 2 T butter
  5. 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
  6. 1 T onion powder
  7. 1 T garlic powder
  8. 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Add potatoes to a pot and pour in enough water to cover the potatoes
  2. Stir in the salt and garlic
  3. Bring to a boil
  4. Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are fork tender; about 15 mins
  5. Drain water and return potatoes back to the pot
  6. Place the pot back on the burner, but turn off the heat
  7. Add in the remaining ingredients
  8. Use a potato masher to mash everything together
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning
  10. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Stuffed Tuscan Chicken

Chicken, Recipes
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Baby, the social media food community LOVES some Tuscan something! Chicken, shrimp, salmon, adding those sun-dried tomatoes makes them feel fancy, Chile. So, here’s my version of Stuffed Tuscan Chicken breasts. Hey, can’t beat ’em, might as well join ’em…


You gotta get the sun-dried tomatoes that are in olive oil. They’re a couple of dollars more expensive, but it’s worth it. Why? Because the flavors are deeper and we’re going to use the oil to coat our chicken. Two birds, one stone…

Say this with Coop, SALT AND PEPPER IS NOT ENOUGH! Get that down on the inside of your spirit! Chicken should never be dry or flavorless. I cry a little of the inside when I watch recipe videos and they just sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and call it a day. They don’t even take the time to rub it in, Jesus! Don’t be that way. It’ll hurt my feelings.

Don’t over stuff this chicken. Yes, you will be tempted to. Do NOT. It’s just going to spill out while cooking and burn up. I know, I know… Feel free to use toothpicks to keep the breasts closed if you need to.

I know I’m always saying how good my recipes are, but listen, stuff this chicken!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Stuffed Tuscan Chicken
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
34 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
34 min
Ingredients
  1. 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  2. 2 T olive oil
  3. 1-3 T Cajun seasoning
  4. 1 T Italian seasoning
  5. 1 T paprika
  6. 1 T onion powder
  7. 4 oz garlic and herb cream cheese
  8. 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed of excess water)
  9. 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella
  10. 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
  11. 4 sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped)
  12. 1 T sun-dried tomato oil (the oil the tomatoes are in)
Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese
  1. 4 oz softened cream cheese
  2. 1 tsp minced garlic
  3. 1 T Italian seasoning
Chicken
  1. Butterfly chicken breast. Be careful not to cut all the way through them.
  2. Rub the outside of the breasts with the sun-dried tomato oil
  3. Season the outside of the breasts with the Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, and the paprika.
  4. Sprinkle the inside of the breasts with the onion powder
  5. Set aside
  6. In a bowl, mix the garlic & herb cream cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Parmesan together.
  7. *Add one tablespoon of the mixture to the inside of each breast, spread it evenly, and press the breast together to seal. Use toothpicks if additional aid is needed to close each breast
  8. Heat olive oil in a pan at a medium high setting
  9. Once hot, place each breast in the pan
  10. **Lower the heat to medium
  11. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the breasts to cook for 8-10 mins.
  12. Carefully flip the breasts over, cover with the lid again, and cook that side for another 8-10 mins or until chicken is fully cooked through (internal temp should be 165 degrees F)
  13. Remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 mins before serving.
  14. Enjoy!
Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese
  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Use it.
  3. You're welcome. (insert fake smile)
Notes
  1. *Do NOT use more than 1 tablespoon of the stuffing per chicken breast. It's just gonna spill out while cooking and burn. Then, you're gonna be mad with me and it's not my fault. Tried to warn you, Hard Head! And, you may have some stuffing left over. Use it for a sauce or something.
  2. **Look, I don't know your stove on a personal level. Hell, I'm still trying to learn mine. Just keep the heat low, so that you can give it enough time to cook all the way through without burning up the chicken in the process. Don't send me a million questions about the recipe. Stop overthinking it. You've got this! I've taught you well. Go be great!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach

Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
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For the past two date nights, we’ve dined in two different steakhouses. I’ve had the creamed spinach on both occasions and I’m pretty sure I could eat this stuff every single day! It’s so yummy! Spinach, cream cheese…you know what? I don’t even need to go any further. Let’s just hop in. Here’s the tutorial.

I used frozen spinach. Just thaw it and squeeze as much water from it as possible. Use good quality paper towels. We’re making creamed spinach. Not watery spinach. Squeeeeeeeeeze!

This recipe can also be made keto and low carb friendly. Just simply use heavy cream instead of the flour and half and half. The cream will thicken the sauce without the need for a roux. But, you could also use almond flour if you’d like to have a roux.

This is really the perfect side dish for any grilled meat or fish. If you like a little spice, add in some red pepper flakes. And don’t skip that nutmeg!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach
Serves 3
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 20 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
  2. 3 T butter
  3. 1/4 cup minced onion
  4. 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  5. 3 T flour
  6. 1 1/2 cup half and half
  7. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  8. 2 tsp onion powder
  9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  10. 4 ounces cream cheese
  11. 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  12. 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  13. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Using paper towels, squeeze all excess water from spinach
  2. Melt butter in pan
  3. Add onions and saute for about 4 minutes
  4. Add garlic and saute for 30 secs
  5. Stir in flour for 1 min to cook out the flour taste
  6. Pour the half and half in.
  7. Add the Italian seasoning, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  8. Stir in the cream cheese until it dissolves.
  9. Add in the spinach and stir for 2-3 mins to heat it
  10. Stir in the cheeses until they're melted
  11. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  12. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Crab Cakes with Spicy Creole Mustard Aioli

Louisiana Favorites, Recipes, Seafood
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Crab cakes. I want to taste every bit of the $4,686 in crab meat I bought. Yes, Cookies. We’re not wasting time today. No filler. Just a little binder, a lot of flavor, and CRAB!

I’m not from the beautiful state of Maryland. Never been. So, these aren’t Maryland crab cakes. HOWEVER, Coop’s Crab Cakes with a spicy Creole Mustard Aioli (just a mayonnaise based sauce, but aioli sounds fancy) is incredible. I mean, if I wasn’t already Coop, I’d want to try these. Just saying…The ingredients are too complex either.

Let’s talk crab. After all, these are Crab Cakes! Jumbo Lump. There’s no way around it. You could use lump, claw, or whatever. But, there is NOTHING like biting into big chunks of jumbo lump crab meat. Just make sure you examine the meat thoroughly and remove any shells or crab cartilage. Don’t want anyone biting into that stuff.

Since, I want to use as little breading as possible, I chose Panko breadcrumbs. Less than 1/2 a cup too. Saltines, oyster crackers, Ritz, regular white bread, listen, it’ll all work. Use whatcha got! Refrigerating the mix before forming the cakes is an important step in the binding process as well. I refrigerate for an hour. But, 30 mins will work too if you’d pressed for time.

Portion sizes: Now, my recipe will yield 6 cakes if you use about 1/2 cup of the mixture per cake. You could also make them smaller which will yield more cakes. This would be perfect for hor d’oeurves.

Oh, and I bake my cakes. If it’s called a cake, then it’s getting baked! On 450, in a thin baking tin. No flipping, easy, breezy, beautiful crab cakes. Done. 

The spicy, Creole Mustard Aioli sealed it for me. I didn’t want to do a typical remoulade sauce. Since, I used some of the creole mustard in the actual crab cakes, I wanted to boost more of that flavor in the sauce. Along with a couple dash of hot sauce, of course!

One last thing, make these. Please.

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Crab Cakes with Spicy Creole Mustard Aioli
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Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 10 min
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 10 min
Crab Cakes
  1. 1 pound jump lump crab meat
  2. 1 beaten egg
  3. 2 T Hellmann's mayonnaise
  4. 1 tsp Creole mustard
  5. 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  6. 1/3 cup finely minced red onion
  7. 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  8. 1 T lemon juice
  9. 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  10. 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Spicy Creole Mustard Aioli
  1. 1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
  2. 2 T Creole Mustard
  3. 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
  4. 1 tsp lemon juice
  5. 2 dashes (yes, dashes.) hot sauce
  6. salt to taste
Crab Cakes
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
  2. Sort through the crab meat, remove, and discard any shells.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients EXCEPT for the crab meat and panko
  4. Using your CLEAN hands, gently fold in the crab meat trying not to break up the lumps too much.
  5. Add the panko and gently stir or toss to combine.
  6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins to an hour
  7. Form cakes* then placed them on a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet
  8. Bake for 10-15 mins or until cakes are lightly golden brown on the top
  9. Top with microgreens and serve with aioli
  10. Enjoy!
Spicy Creole Mustard Aioli
  1. Mix all ingredients together well.
  2. Eat it.
  3. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. *This recipe will yield 6 cakes if formed using 1/2 cup of the mixture per cake. This can be served as a main course. Smaller portions will yield more for hor d'oeuvre servings.
  2. The aioli will last for 2-3 days refrigerated.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Swedish Meatballs

Beef, Pork, Recipes
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I’m mad. Hurt. Disappointed. All of that. Oh, why you ask? Thanks for being so concerned. Well, I can’t find any dang LIGONBERRY JAM for my Swedish Meatballs! How am I gonna have a legit Swedish Meatball plate without the jam?? Like this…

Okay, I guess we’ll be fine without the jam. Especially if you serve it over egg noodles like me. But, man, is really amazing with mashed taters and LIGONBERRY JAM! Alright, I’m over it now. These meatballs are good. Like hella good. 

Italian sausage is a must here. Yeah, yeah you can just use one type of meat, but that’s mad boring! Meatballs should never be boring! So, we have to add some flavorful, good stuff to it.

No raw onions. Saute them in butter. But, you have to allow them to cool before adding it to the meat. We don’t want to cook any pieces of the meat beforehand. Oh! And soak your breadcrumbs in that milk and egg mix. 

I like to bake my meatballs, too. It’s just easier to get rid of the excess fat that way. And it eliminates that whole “browning” step as well. Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. 

This gravy though! It’s my favorite part! DO NOT SKIP THE ALLSPICE! It’s something special in this gravy. Feel free to add in a spoon of Dijon mustard if you’d like too.

Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes if you actually have that dang LIGONBERRY JAM! Still sad….I love you, guys. 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Swedish Meatballs
Serves 6
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Meatballs
  1. 1lb lean ground beef
  2. 1 lb mild Italian sausage
  3. 1 large egg
  4. 1 T olive oil
  5. 1/2 finely chopped onions (sauteed)
  6. 1/4 cup milk
  7. 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  8. 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  9. 1/2 tsp Allspice
  10. 1 T seasoned salt
  11. 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  12. 1 tsp garlic powder
  13. fresh chopped parsley
Gravy
  1. 5 T butter
  2. 3 T all purpose flour
  3. 2 cups beef broth
  4. 1 cup heavy cream or sour cream
  5. 1/4 tsp Allspice
  6. 1 tsp onion powder
  7. 1 tsp garlic powder
  8. 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  9. 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
  10. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onions until slightly browned
  3. Allow the onions to cool completely
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together
  5. Pour the bread crumbs into the mixture and allow to stand 5 mins.
  6. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
  7. Then add in the onions and breadcrumb mixture.
  8. Mix well using your CLEAN hands (don't play with me! Wash your hands!)
  9. Using a 1 T measuring spoon, form meat mix into 1 inch meatballs.
  10. Space the meatballs evenly onto a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet.
  11. Bake for 20-25 mins.
Gravy
  1. Melt butter in a large pan
  2. Whisk the flour into the butter for 1 minute.
  3. Pour in the beef broth while whisking
  4. Bring it to a simmer
  5. Then, add in all remaining ingredients.
  6. Once gravy thickens, add in the meatballs, and reduce heat to a low simmer
  7. Simmer for 5-8 mins.
  8. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
  9. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

 

 

 

Southern Collard Greens

Louisiana Favorites, Recipes
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This has to be the MOST requested recipe yet! I get emails and messages every, single day for my Southern Collard Greens recipe. So, without further ado, here it is…


I tried to make this tutorial as easy to follow as possible. I’m always looking out for my beginner Cookies! Soul food can be intimidating to newer cooks. If you just follow my method, you’ll get it right every time. It’s foolproof! No shade.

Cutting: I don’t like the stems of greens. I always remove them by pulling them out. (See tutorial above for a demonstration.) It’s very easy to do. Cutting the greens are easy as well. Once you remove and discard the stems, just simply stack the leaves. roll them up lengthwise, and start slicing. 

Cleaning: Remember that movie based off of the Jackson 5? There’s a scene where Rebbie, I believe, was cooking greens and failed to wash them properly, if at all. There were bugs floating in the pot! That scene has followed me throughout life. When I began cooking greens, I would OVER wash them to avoid that mistake happening to me in real life! Rinse, soak, rinse, drain, shake, rattle, roll, and all of that to your greens! We want all of that dirt, soil, sand, bugs, etc completely cleansed from our greens before you cook them. The local market where I purchase mine, are amazing at cleaning them before displaying them. I don’t have to do much cleaning at all. If your greens aren’t as clean and you spot bugs, sprinkle some salt or baking soda on them while rinsing. This will aid in getting rid of all of those nasty little critters that may be hiding in your dinner.


Blanching & Freezing: Now, if you’re fortunate enough to have a surplus of greens and you’re not ready to cook and eat them, you can blanch and freeze them for later. Blanching is essential for a number of reasons. It halts the enzyme action in veggies which could result in loss of color and flavor. It also reduces the possibility of food poisoning, because the high heat of boiling will kill any harmful microorganisms. But, you don’t really care about all of that! Get to the steps, Coop! 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Add in the greens and boil them for 2-3 mins.
  3. Carefully drain water off greens into a colander.
  4. Then, immediately place greens (still in the colander) into a large bowl of ice cold water. This will shock the greens.
  5. Once, greens have cooled, drain the greens well.
  6. Pack into a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze until ready to use.
  7. When ready to cook, thaw at room temperature, and cook as usual.

Let’s Talk Meats: Smoked meat is the best meat for southern greens! I use smoked turkey wings, drums, or necks. They had a wonderful smokey flavor to greens. If you’re a pork eater, pickled or smoked pork will work as well. Pick your own poison! 

Spiccccccey??: My dad LOVES spicy greens! When I cook them for him, I always throw in a few slices of pickled jalapenos while they are simmering. That kicks the heat alllll the way up. Red pepper flakes are a milder alternative for adding controlled spice. 

Trying to think of something I may have missed…I think I covered it all. But, if you have any more questions, leave them in the comments!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Southern Collard Greens
Serves 5
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 30 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 bunches collard greens (washed and cut)
  2. 1 lb smoked turkey necks, drums, or wings
  3. 1 diced onion
  4. 2 minced garlic cloves
  5. 1 T apple cider vinegar
  6. 2 T onion powder
  7. 1 T garlic powder
  8. 1 T chicken base
  9. Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
  10. 1 T sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large stock pot
  2. Add in the smoked meat and boil for 1 hour
  3. Remove meat from the pot and pick all of the meat off the bones. Reserve meat.
  4. Pack the greens into the pot of stock
  5. Add in the onions, garlic, meat, chicken base, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  6. Lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 mins.
  7. Stir in the apple cider vinegar (and sugar if using)
  8. Season to taste with Cajun or seasoned salt.
  9. Stir well, cover, and continue simmering for 1 to 1 1/2 more hrs or until greens are as tender as desired.
  10. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Cajun Lobster Tail

Recipes, Seafood
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I like to be fake fancy sometimes. So, when one of my Cookies requested a lobster tail tutorial I was more than happy to do so. Especially since it’s so easy to do! And, you already know, I wouldn’t be Coop if I didn’t make it Cajun style! 

The rule is to bake the lobster for 1 1/2 mins per ounce. My lobster was only for 4 ounces. 10 minutes on 375 was perfect. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Rubbery seafood is the worst! And lobster isn’t cheap, so don’t waste it.

Be careful with cutting the shell and separating the meat from the shell. Lobster shells can be sharp. Please don’t cut yourself! Also, don’t cut the “fan” part of the lobster or the shell under the meat. We just want to cut the shell that’s on top of the tail meat. Then, carefully lift the meat from the shell, press the bottom shell together, and lay the meat on top. Cute and fancy! 

If you prefer a milder flavor, just use salt and paprika for the seasoning. However, I HIGHLY recommend trying it my way. To me, lobster can be sometimes boring in taste. The Cajun seasoning was a perfect awakening for it. Try it!

The garlic butter I use already contains lemon, dill, parsley, and, of course, garlic. Saved me soooo much time! But, if you can’t find it in stores, I have the recipe for it below. 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Cajun Lobster Tail
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
13 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
13 min
Lobster
  1. 1 raw lobster tail
  2. 1 T olive oil
  3. 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  4. 1/2 tsp paprika
  5. 1 T garlic butter (recipe below)
Garlic Butter
  1. 1 stick unsalted butter (softened at room temp)
  2. 1 T minced garlic
  3. 1 tsp chopped parsley
  4. 1/2 tsp black pepper
  5. 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  6. 1/4 tsp dill
Lobster
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  2. Using kitchen shears or scissors, carefully cut vertically down the center of the lobster tail until you reach the last horizontal line before the "fanned" part of the tail
  3. Gently, separate the meat from the shell in a lifting motion. Do not pull it from the fanned end of the tail.
  4. Press the shell together and lay the meat on top of the shell.
  5. Brush the meat with olive oil
  6. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning and paprika on the meat evenly
  7. Place into a parchment paper or foil lined baking dish and bake on the center rack for 1 1/2 mins per ounce of the lobster tail. (i.e. a 4 oz tail will bake for 6 mins.)
  8. Remove the tail from the oven
  9. Spread the garlic butter on the meat
  10. Place it back onto the center rack of the oven
  11. Broil it on high for 2-3 mins.
  12. Enjoy!
Garlic Butter
  1. Place all ingredients into a food processor. (You can also stir it by hand in a bowl.)
  2. Blend well.
  3. Spoon butter in between plastic wrap and mold into desired shape. Or store in a tightly sealed container.
  4. Refrigerate until firm.
Notes
  1. If you make your own Garlic Butter, it will last for up to one week in the refrigerator. Store tightly in plastic wrap or a sealed container.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Pan Seared Steak

Beef
Posted on

Valentine’s Day is approaching. I love showing my Cookies how to create restaurant quality dinners at home for this very occasion. Restaurants everywhere will be jam packed! And I think it’s nicer to celebrate with your loved one in the comfort of your own home anyway. It’s more personal and intimate. And impressive!  You guys have flooded my emails for a steak tutorial that’s beginner friendly. I’m not too good at explaining how I sear steaks in texts. So, per requests, here’s the tutorial:

Okay, “steak trolls”. I prepared this meal for family. My family does NOT LIKE ANY PINK MEAT! I prefer medium rare to medium. But, I have a crowd to please this time around. Forgive me? Cool. I’ll show you some pinkness in another video. I promise.

Preparation: I love preparing steak in a cast iron skillet. Even cooking every time! And to ensure that the steaks cook evenly, I first, allow them to come to room temperature. This is very, very important. You never want to cook a cold steak. Give it about a hour to sit out at room temperature before cooking. Another helpful tip is to preheat you skillet in the oven before heating it on the stove. This will also aid in even heating of the pan.

PUT THE FORK DOWN! Don’t mean to yell, but poking a steak is a no-no. Use tongs. We want to reserve as much of the juices as possible. Especially if you’re preference is Medium- Well to Well. This is why resting the steak before slicing is a vital step. 

Seasoning: Salt and pepper or steak seasoning? I use my homemade steak seasoning. Salt and pepper is perfectly fine and really all a steak needs. But, my family enjoys a little something extra. So, it’s all up to you and your taste buds. 

Up in Smoke!: Prepare for the smoke! Open a window. Turn the fan on. When you’re working with high temps, smoke is unavoidable. Don’t be afraid. It’s what’s to be expected from a good sear. 

Is it Done Yet, Coop??: Touch your steak. It’s okay. It’s not too hot. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, the hand test will be your chart. See my tutorial above for a demonstration. 

WINE: And for the grown folks that are wine-o’s like me, red wine is magically with a good, butter-based steak. I paired my Ribeye with a nice, Malbec. Zinfandel would have been a great accompaniment as well. However, if you’re serving a lean cut of steak like a filet, then Chianti, Pinot Noir, or Merlot would be better. Drink responsibility though, Cookies! 

I hope this was helpful. Special thanks to Outside the Boxx Events, LLC. for providing the beautiful table decor! It was the ideal setting for a romantic dinner for two. Check them out! https://www.facebook.com/outsidetheboxxeventsllc/

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Pan Seared Steak
Serves 2
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 NY strip, Sirloin, or Ribeye steaks
  2. 2-3 cloves garlic
  3. 1 T butter
  4. 2 T canola oil
  5. 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
  6. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  7. Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat cast iron skillet in the oven on 420 degrees F for 15 minutes
  2. Allow steak(s) to come to room temperature
  3. Season both sides with salt and pepper
  4. Remove skillet from the oven, pour in oil, and turn the heat to high.
  5. Add in the steak
  6. Sear steak on both sides for 2 mins. per side**
  7. Add in butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
  8. Once butter melts, baste steak with it constantly.
  9. Flip the steak every 1-2 mins until it reaches your desired level of doneness.
  10. Remove steak from pan and allow it to rest for 10-15 mins before slicing.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/