Articles by B. Coop

Sloppy Joes

Beef, Recipes
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Ever watched the movie “It Takes Two”? It was one of my favorite childhood movies! I adored the Olsen twins. They’ve been my homies since their “Full House” days. Where was I going with this? Oh! Sloppy Joes! There’s a scene in “It Takes Two” where one of the twins eats a Sloppy Joe. She devoured it like it was the greatest meal on Earth! And every single time I’ve watched that movie, I’ve instantly wanted a Sloppy Joe.

Kid friendly and you’ll know every ingredient you’re serving them. Now, I’m not knocking the canned stuff. However, homemade is just so much better. And it’s easy to make. I like to balance the flavors equally. Not too sweet, not too tangy. Adjust the measurements to your taste. If you prefer sweeter Sloppy Joes, add more brown sugar.

Consistency is everything in this recipe! We want it thick, gooey, and SLOPPY! Adding water and simmering to reduce, makes a world of a difference. Break out extra napkins for this one. 

And do NOT forget the tater tots and pickles!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Sloppy Joes
Serves 4
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb lean ground meat (beef or turkey)
  2. 1/2 cup diced onions
  3. 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
  4. 8 oz can tomato sauce
  5. 3-4 T brown sugar
  6. 1/3 cup ketchup
  7. 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  8. 2 tsp onion powder
  9. 1 tsp garlic powder
  10. 2 tsp chili powder
  11. 1/2 cup water
  12. Salt and pepper to taste
  13. 4 Potato buns
Instructions
  1. Add ground meat, onions, and bell peppers to a pan
  2. Cook until meat is brown; drain excess fat
  3. Add in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, and chili powders.
  4. Stir to combine.
  5. Pour in the water, stir well, lower heat, and allow to simmer for 25 mins or until liquid reduces.
  6. Salt and pepper to taste
  7. Serve on warm potato buns
  8. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken, Recipes
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Cookies!! This cold weather has got to go! It makes me cook too much comfort food! Just something about the chill makes me want warmth…in the form of dinner. After this, we’re only cooking veggies! Okay, I’m lying, but that sounded like the right thing to say. Let’s talk Chicken Pot Pie…

How easy was that?? And, to reduce the cook time even more, you can use a rotisserie chicken. I don’t like potatoes in my Chicken Pot Pie, but if you do, cook some and add them in at the same time as the chicken. Just be very careful while stirring. You don’t want to have mashed potato pot pie!

The star of this show is my homemade pie crust! Flaky, buttery and soooo easy to make! Very few ingredients. And you can make it ahead of time for ease. Here’s the recipe: http://www.coopcancook.com/pie-crust/

Don’t skip the egg wash!

This pot pie freezes well too! Unbaked or baked. If you’re going to freeze it, I suggest preparing it in a disposable, aluminium pan. Wrap it in foil then place into a freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw it and bake!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 6
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
35 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 (9) inch pie crusts
  2. 3 T butter
  3. 1/3 cup chopped onions
  4. 1 chopped celery stalk
  5. 1 tsp minced garlic
  6. 3 T all purpose flour
  7. 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
  8. 1 T onion powder
  9. 1 T garlic powder
  10. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  11. 1/2 cup heavy cream
  12. 2 cup cooked, shredded chicken
  13. 12 oz pkg frozen peas and carrots
  14. 1 egg
  15. 1 tsp water
  16. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Melt butter in a saucepan
  3. Saute onions and celery in the butter until translucent; about 5 mins
  4. Add garlic and saute for 1 min.
  5. Sprinkle in flour and stir for 2 mins to cook out flour taste
  6. Pour in the chicken stock and add in Italian seasoning, onion, & garlic powders
  7. Simmer for 5 mins
  8. Stir in the heavy cream
  9. Salt and pepper to taste
  10. Cook until mixture thickens
  11. Turn off the heat
  12. Add in the chicken, peas, and carrots
  13. Roll out one pie crust to 1 cm thickness and add it to the bottom of a greased, 9 inch pie plate
  14. Pour filling into the pie dish on top of the crust
  15. Roll out the other crust and top the filling. Press to seal the edges
  16. Whisk egg and water together and brush the top of the crust with it.
  17. Cut several slits in the top of the pie to vent
  18. Bake for 30-35 mins or until golden brown
  19. Allow 10 mins to cool before serving
  20. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Pie Crust

Baking, Recipes
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Cookies, we’re going back to the basics today. I always tell you guys I’m going to do a basics series. Then, I do one recipe, get side tracked, and move on to something else. You have got to start helping me stay focused! lol There are gonna be many pie recipes in our future together, so we’re gonna be a pretty amazing pie crust recipe in our arsenal!

First things first, we need COLD ingredients! I mean everything should be cold. Even the flour. Why? Because, we don’t want the butter to start to melt anywhere, but in the oven. So, we need to keep everything nice and cold during the preparation process. I keep a few sticks of butter in my freezer for this reason. But, if you’re a normal person, just give your butter an hour or so in the freezer before you start. I like to chill my flour and lard (or shortening) in the fridge for an hour beforehand as well. And as for the water, I fill a measuring cup with more water than I’ll need and drop some ice cubes in the there to keep it chilled. 

You can either use all butter or a mix of half butter, half lard or shortening. For a flakier pie crust, use half butter and half shortening. But, it will still come out with a nice texture if you just use butter. Totally up to you. 

Oh! If you have a food processor, grab it now! It’s the easiest, and least messy, way to make this crust. That’s just my opinion. However, this can definitely be done using a bowl and a pastry cutter. Or two knives. Whichever of the two you have available. Just be careful not to touch the ingredients too much or take too much time preparing the dough. I’m not trying to rush you and make you all nervous about this. It’s just pie crust, chile! But, we don’t want to melt that butter. So, move like you got somewhere to go, okay?

My recipe will yield (2) 9 inch pie crusts. After we have the dough prepared, separated, and rounded, we MUST refrigerate it for at least one hour. This will give the gluten time to chill out and ease. At all, it’s had a rough day in the processor. Now, you can also freeze these things. Just wrap them, individually, in plastic wrap. Throw em in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer. When you’re ready to use, let them sit out at room temperature just until they are soft enough to roll out. Don’t thaw them all the way out. Use within 1 month, though. 

Happy Baking,

B. Coop

Pie Crust
Yields 2
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups all purpose flour
  2. 1 stick, unsalted butter
  3. 1/2 cup shortening or lard (Crisco. Butter or Regular flavor, Original flavor, or whatever it's called)
  4. 1 tsp salt
  5. 2 tsp granulated sugar
  6. 4 to 8 tablespoons of cold water (Don't panic. I'll explain below...)
Instructions
  1. Place flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor or bowl
  2. If using a food processor, pulse 1-2 times to mix. Use a whisk if you're using a bowl
  3. Cut cold butter and shortening into small cubes.
  4. Add it all to the flour mix
  5. Pulse (or use a pastry cutter in the bowl) until the mixture is crumbly
  6. Now, add in the cold water 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough clumps when pinched together.
  7. Then, pour the dough onto your clean work space and mold it into a ball
  8. Cut the dough into two equal parts and form a round, thick disc with each part.
  9. Wrap each crust in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
  10. To freeze, place each wrapped crust into a freezer bag and seal.
Notes
  1. Crust will last up to 1 month if frozen correctly.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Taco Lasagna

Beef
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Today, I’m sharing one of the first recipes I’ve made that people actually requested me to make over and over! Taco Lasagna. Definitely not authentic Mexican cuisine, but it’s pretty dang tasty! And it’s perfect for nights when you aren’t in the mood to cook an elaborate dinner. Oh, and the kiddos will love it!


Of course, you can buy taco seasoning. BUT, my taco seasoning recipe is pretty amazing. It will make your kitchen smell like Taco Bell on a good day. lol And, you’ll probably have most if not all of the spices used in your collection already. Cornstarch is added as a thickening agent. Why? Because, we add water to the ground meat and cook it until it reduces. This will make that “taco meat” consistency. 

Yup, there’s Queso cheese dip in my version of this recipe! You’re welcome. I can’t visit a Mexican restaurant without ordering Queso dip and an extra side of it to pour on everything! In other recipes, nacho cheese soup is used. I prefer Salsa con Queso dip. Use your favorite brand. For a little extra heat and tomatoes, I added a drained can of Rotel to the mix!

There are many variations to this recipe. I’m pretty simple and boring when it comes to toppings and additives. Refried beans can be spread on to the tortillas before adding the meat. Oh, and shredded chicken can be substituted for the ground meat as well. Top it with olives and/or lettuce if that’s you thing. Add whatever your faves are to increase the yum!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Taco Lasagna
Serves 8
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 lb ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken)
  2. 2 T taco seasoning (recipe below) or 1 store bought packet
  3. 1 cup water
  4. 15 oz Salsa con Queso dip
  5. 1 can Rotel (drained)
  6. 6 large flour tortillas
  7. Shredded cheese of your choice
  8. fresh cilantro to garnish
  9. choice of toppings (sour cream, tomatoes, olives, etc.)
Taco Seasoning
  1. 1 T chili powder
  2. 1 tsp onion powder
  3. 1 tsp garlic powder
  4. 1/2 tsp cumin
  5. 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  6. 1/4 tsp oregano
  7. 1 T seasoned salt
  8. 1 tsp cornstarch
  9. 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Brown ground meat and drain excess fat
  3. Stir taco seasoning and water into meat
  4. Cook until water is reduced and absorbed
  5. Pour in queso cheese dip and mix
  6. In a greased 13x9 baking dish, add tortillas to the bottom
  7. Evenly spread some of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas and cover with shredded cheese
  8. Continue layering until the dish is filled to the top ending with the shredded cheese.
  9. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 mins or until cheese is melted
  10. Garnish with cilantro and choice of toppings
  11. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Shrimp Stock

Recipes, Seafood
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Every Cajun cook knows that a good stock is the heart of an amazing dish. I’ve tried many store bought seafood stocks. NONE of them compare to making it homemade. I love being able to control the flavor I impart into my cooking. One reason our cooking style here in the South is so special is the fact that we don’t mind taking the time to prep and bloom flavors. But, we also use some of the same elements and ingredients in lots of different dishes. My shrimp stock recipe is one I treasure. Of course, I just had to share it with you!


What’s the secret to a great stock? FRESH ingredients and TIME! The stock only takes 45 minutes to an hour to cook. But, I NEVER use it on the same day it’s made. I like to give it at least two days to chill in the fridge. That will give the flavors more time to bloom. The flavor is a lot more intense and magical! 

Another important part of making stock is skimming the foam off the top. If you don’t skim off the foam, it will be become a solid with fat like consistency on top of your stock. We don’t need that mess! You would do the same for chicken or beef stock. Then, you’d skim it, because the foam may contain toxins from the bone marrow of the carcass. But, you guys don’t care about all of that! Just skim it off. You’ll need to do this several times during the cooking process. 

After your stock is done, drain it, and discard shells, heads, etc. You don’t need them anymore. Allow the stock to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator or freezing.href=”http://www.coopcancook.com/?attachment_id=1392″ rel=”attachment wp-att-1392″>

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Shrimp Stock
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1-2 lbs shrimp heads and shells
  2. 1 T olive oil
  3. 1 onion, roughly chopped
  4. 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  5. 3 celery stalks with the leaves, roughly chopped
  6. 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  7. 4 thyme sprigs
  8. 2-3 bay leaves
  9. 1/3 cup fresh parsley
  10. 1 tsp whole peppercorns
  11. 1 tsp liquid crab boil
  12. 1 T cajun seasoning
  13. 2 tsp salt
  14. 12 cups water
Instructions
  1. Rinse and drain shrimp heads and shells
  2. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil
  3. Add in the shrimp heads and shells
  4. Stir for 2-3 mins or until it becomes pink and fragrant
  5. Add in the onions, celery, and carrots
  6. Stir for 4-5 mins.
  7. Add in all remaining ingredients
  8. Bring to a rolling boil
  9. Reduce heat, and simmer for 45 mins to an hour
  10. Skim foam off the top of the mixture occasionally during the simmering
  11. Turn off heat and drain the stock into a bowl
  12. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing
Notes
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 days before using. You may freeze stock in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Chicken and Spinach Tortellini Soup

Chicken, Soups
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My air conditioner is on as I type this. It’s almost 70 degrees today. And tomorrow it’ll probably get down to the 50’s. Typical winter in Louisiana! But, I couldn’t wait on the weather to make soup! I’ve been wanting soup all week! And today, I got in my kitchen and made this heavenly Chicken and Spinach Tortellini soup!

Olive Garden, I want to challenge you to a soup-off! You Zuppa Toscana against my Chicken Tort soup! Let’s go! Seriously, I really believe that this recipe will win it. 

I love spinach, so I didn’t even bother chopping it up. I just put handfuls of fresh spinach leaves into my Dutch oven. Oh, and let me tell you that the aromatics from the mirepoix allow was incredible! My kitchen smelled so good while preparing this soup!

And it was very, very easy to make. I always encourage you to either make your own chicken stock or use a chicken base instead of those boxes of chicken broth. It really makes a difference in the end product. 

Serve it with some crusty bread and you’ll have the perfect chilly day lunch! Or, turn the AC on like I did and have it year round! 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Chicken and Spinach Tortellini Soup
Serves 4
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb chicken breast
  2. 2 tsp olive oil
  3. 3 T butter
  4. 1/2 cup diced onions
  5. 1 cup sliced carrots
  6. 1-2 celery stalks (diced)
  7. 3 T flour
  8. 1 T minced garlic
  9. 5 cups chicken stock or 5 cups water & 5 tsp chicken base
  10. 1 T Italian seasoning
  11. 2 sprigs thyme
  12. 2 T onion powder
  13. 1 T garlic powder
  14. 9 oz package tortellini
  15. 3-4 cups fresh spinach leaves
  16. 1 cup heavy cream
  17. 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  18. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 T onion powder
  3. Wrap chicken in foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 or until cooked through
  4. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 mins then chop into bite sized pieces; set aside
  5. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and melt butter
  6. Add in the onion, celery, and carrots
  7. Saute for 5-6 mins.
  8. Add garlic and saute for 30 secs
  9. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 mins
  10. Pour in the chicken stock and add in the Italian seasoning, thyme sprigs, onion & garlic powders.
  11. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and allow to simmer for 15 mins
  12. Add in tortellini and refer to package instructions for cooking time; about 7 mins.
  13. Remove thyme stems
  14. Pour in the heavy cream and cheese
  15. Salt and pepper to taste
  16. Add the chicken and spinach
  17. Continue cooking for 4 mins
  18. Serve with crusty bread
  19. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Cottage/Shepherd’s Pie

Beef
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Cottage/Shepherd’s Pie? I’m gonna explain. Don’t worry! There is lamb in traditional Shepherd’s Pie. Shepherd, sheep, lamb…of course. But, many of us in America opt to use ground beef instead of lamb due to availability and taste preferences. Doing so, turns Shepherd’s pie into Cottage pie! Now, look, if you enjoy lamb, use it! I just can’t eat my childhood homie, Lamb Chop. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff!

Comfort food heaven, right?? That savory beef mixture and creamy, decadent potatoes!! Goodness! Just bliss especially during the wintertime. My Cookies know I love a good red wine with dishes that include beef. And it’s amazing in this recipe. The consistency should be that of “minced meat”. Not stew like and loose.

Don’t skip the egg yolk in the potatoes. It’s a binder. And the cheese helps to brown the top beautifully. I used Parmesan, but white cheddar is great in this recipe as well. Everything is already cooked, so we’re only baking it to brown the top of the potatoes and stiffen them up a bit. I place it on the top oven rack. But, you can also just use the middle rack and place a baking sheet under you skillet or casserole dish. 

Speaking of skillet and dishes, I like to prepare this in my 9 inch cast iron skillet. Easy clean up as I am cooking, baking, and serving it all in one skillet! If you don’t have an oven safe skillet or pan, just transfer it over to a baking dish. 

Cottage/Shepherd's Pie
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
50 min
Meat
  1. 1 lb lean ground beef or lamb
  2. 1 T olive oil
  3. 1 onion (grate it or finely chop it, whatever works, baby!)
  4. 1 celery stalk (finely chopped)
  5. 1/3 cup grated carrots
  6. 1 T minced garlic
  7. 2 T all purpose flour
  8. 1 T tomato paste
  9. 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  10. 1 tsp onion powder
  11. 1 tsp garlic powder
  12. 1/3 cup dry red wine
  13. 1/3 cup beef broth
  14. 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
  15. seasoned salt and pepper to taste
Potatoes
  1. 4 russet or yukon gold potatoes
  2. 3 T butter (room temp)
  3. 2 T cream cheese (softened)
  4. 2 T heavy cream
  5. 1 tsp garlic powder
  6. 1/3 cup Parmesan (shredded)
  7. 1 egg yolk
  8. salt to taste
  9. fresh parsley to garnish
Meat
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F
  2. Heat oil in a skillet
  3. Crumble in the meat and brown
  4. Add in carrots, onions, and celery
  5. Saute until tender; about 5 mins
  6. Add garlic and saute for 30 secs
  7. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it coats the meat
  8. Add the tomato paste and stir
  9. Now, add the Worcestershire sauce, onion, and garlic powders
  10. Pour in the red wine and simmer until it reduces and the mixture starts to thicken
  11. Stir in the beef broth
  12. Allow it to simmer until it thickens
  13. Taste and adjust seasoning
  14. Turn off the heat and stir in the peas
  15. If not using an oven safe skillet, transfer mixture into a baking dish
Potatoes
  1. Peel and dice potatoes
  2. Boil them in salted water until fork tender
  3. Drain and place back into the pot
  4. Put the pot back on the burner with the heat set at low
  5. Mash the potatoes then stir in the butter and cream cheese
  6. Add the heavy cream, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese
  7. Season to taste with salt
  8. Stir in the egg yolk
  9. Add dollops of the mashed potatoes to the meat mixture and spread it over gently and evenly
  10. Grate more Parmesan on top
  11. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20-25 mins or until as brown as desired
  12. Allow to rest for 15 mins before serving.
  13. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

The BEST Beef Stew

Beef, Recipes, Soups
Posted on 2 Comments on The BEST Beef Stew

Beef stew is one of my absolute favorite dishes to prepare! I love everything about the cooking process. The fresh herbs, simplicity of ingredients, and tender beef all make me happy! A lot of love goes into my pot! And I put even more into this recipe! Ready to try the BEST Beef Stew ever??!?

I’m not exaggerating. It really is amazing. I LOVE using a dry, red wine in my stew. I typically use Merlot or Pinot Noir. It really enhances the flavors in the beef. Alcohol cooks out with 20-30 secs, so it’s safe for the kiddies. 

NEVER buy stew meat! I repeat, NEVER BUY STEW MEAT!!! It never gets tender no matter how long you cook it. It’s basically just scrap meat from different parts of the animal that butchers package together and sell. Buy a chuck roast and cut that sucker up! Makes a huge difference!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

The Best Beef Stew
Serves 5
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 20 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 chuck roast cut into 1 inch chunks
  2. 2 teaspoons onion and garlic powder each
  3. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  4. 3/4 cup flour
  5. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  6. 1 yellow onion chopped
  7. 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  8. 2 tablespoons flour
  9. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  10. 1 cup dry red wine
  11. 4 cups beef broth
  12. 2-3 sprig thyme
  13. 3 potatoes
  14. 2 cups chopped carrots
  15. 1 cup chopped celery stalks
  16. 1 cup frozen peas
  17. seasoned salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Season the beef with onion and garlic powder, seasoned salt, and Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Toss the meat in 3/4 cup of flour.
  3. Heat the oil in a pot.
  4. Brown meat 1 min per side. Do this in batches so that the meat actually browns and not just steams from overcrowding the pot.
  5. Remove from pot but leave the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. **That’s called the “fond” (who knew it had a name??) it’s where all of your flavor comes from. Looks burnt, don’t be alarmed it isn’t.
  6. Now add the onions and minced garlic.
  7. Sauté till translucent.
  8. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour then stir for a few secs to cook out that flour taste. Add the tomato paste.
  9. Next pour in the red wine. **Don’t worry, the alcohol content of the wine will evaporate after 20-30 secs of cooking. My stew won’t make ya tipsy! However, you can use beef broth instead if you prefer. Only a 1 cup tho, for now.
  10. Allow it to come to a slight boil. This will loosen “the fond”.
  11. Stir until it starts to thicken. Keep the heat at medium.
  12. Add meat back to the pot. (the smell in your kitchen will be amazing at this point, you’re welcome!)
  13. Then, add in the beef broth and thyme sprigs
  14. Cover and allow to simmer for an hour.
  15. Remove thyme stems
  16. Add vegetables of your choice. I use potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  17. Taste and adjust your seasoning if needed.
  18. Cook for another hour or until meat and veggies are fork tender.
  19. If using peas, add them in during the last 10 mins of cooking time if frozen.
  20. Serve over rice or potatoes.
  21. Invite me over for dinner.
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Strawberry Delight

Desserts, Recipes
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My best friend, Danielle, used to do all of the cooking back in the day. I NEVER cooked. It happened by chance. I just one day decided to put a pot on the stove. Haven’t turned back since! Back to the story. My bad. Danielle made some super bomb desserts! She introduced me to one called Strawberry Delight! And the name fit it perfectly! It instantly became my favorite thing to have her make! And it was extremely easy! I hadn’t made it in years before this Thanksgiving mishap transpired. 

On this past Thanksgiving, I was in the middle of baking pound cakes when I realized I was out of Baker’s Joy! I figured I’d just flour and grease the pan. Big mistake! The damn cake stuck! I mean, it was glued to the pan! That’s what I get for being lazy! I went into panic mode. And that’s how my version of Strawberry Delight was created…

Yeah, it’s definitely not a cute dessert. It looks a mess! But, I promise, no one will care about the looks after tasting this heavenly treat! Danielle’s version used Nilla wafers instead of cake and Cool Whip instead of fresh cream. I had to be extra! And I definitely encourage you too be extra too!

I’ve made this with Cream Cheese Pound Cake and it was great. But, I do prefer using my Easy White Cake recipe http://www.coopcancook.com/easy-white-cake/ in this. I made a few changes to the cake recipe. I used strawberry extract instead of almond. I also used Vanilla Coconut almond milk instead of whole milk. Yummy! So, feel free to play around with the flavors. 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Strawberry Delight
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. 1 13x9 white cake cut into cubes (Use my Easy White Cake recipe)
  2. 8 oz cream cheese (soften; don't you put it in the microwave! Let it sit out at room temp.)
  3. 15 oz container frozen, sweetened, sliced strawberries
  4. 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  5. 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  6. 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  7. 3 T powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Spread cake cubes into a casserole dish or container
  2. Using an electric mixer, mix 4 oz of the cream cheese until smooth
  3. Pour in the condensed milk and mix well
  4. Add in the juice from the strawberries and 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  5. Mix until combined.
  6. Fold in the strawberries.
  7. Pour mixture evenly over the cake
  8. Now, mix the remaining half of cream cheese until smooth
  9. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and mix for 30 secs
  10. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
  11. Whisk until stiff peaks form; about 2 minutes.
  12. Spread cream evenly over the crumbled cake mixture
  13. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to serve.
  14. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/

Cajun Roasted Chicken

Chicken, Louisiana Favorites
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This past Thanksgiving, my 16 year old cousin did the turkey. It was the best turkey I have ever had! Juicy, moist, and flavorful! No knife needed. We tore into that thing with forks! She made me so proud! She gave me a great tip that I’ll be sharing with you guys. Instead of using a turkey, I’m going to show you how to roast the absolute best whole chicken ever!! Cajun style of course!

The tip my cousin, A’Reya, gave me was to soak the Trinity (onions, bell peppers, and celery) in the marinade before stuffing it into the cavity. This produces a very flavorful bird! It also prevents you from having to use other spices to season the cavity. All of the flavor will be there from the marinaded veggies. The kid is a genius!

I use Cajun Butter marinade. It’s the bomb! One stop shop. So much flavor! Don’t worry if you can’t find it in stores. I’ve included my homemade version below. Just get a meat injector and load that baby up!

I marinated my chicken, Chuck, for 24 hours. But, you could honestly get away with just 4 hours. It’s also extremely important that you allow the chicken (or any meat) to come to room temperature before roasting. If not, you’ll “shock” the meat and it won’t be as moist and tender as you’d like.

I like to cover the chicken with foil during the first hour of roasting. This will allow the bird to steam a bit and lock in the moisture. I remove the foil, and continue roasting for the last 30 mins. This will give it a chance to brown and crisp the skin. 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

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Cajun Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 1 3-5 lb whole chicken
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 16 ounces Louisiana Cajun Butter marinade or use the homemade marinade recipe below
  • 1-2 T Cajun seasoning
  • 1 T onion powder
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • 2 T Italian seasoning
  • 4 T butter softened

Cajun Butter Marinade:

  • 1 stick salted butter melted
  • 2 T Cajun seasoning
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp Allspice
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Instructions

Chicken:

  1. Roughly chop the bell pepper, onion , and celery
  2. Pour 1 ounce of the marinade on the veggies and toss to coat; set aside
  3. Clean the whole chicken under cool water (Don't put any soap on that dang bird!)
  4. Remove everything from the cavity and trim all excess fat
  5. Pat the chicken dry very well with paper towels (Don't worry about being cute. Put your hand in that cavity and dry it out, boo.)
  6. Place the bird in a marinating bag (not a Walmart or plastic grocery store bag) or dish
  7. Stuff the marinade covered veggies into the cavity
  8. Load your injector with the marinade and inject each part of the chicken until all (except 1 ounce) of the marinade is used.
  9. Inject the chicken deeply and slowly push the marinade in while pulling the injector out to distribute the marinade evenly. (Wait. That lowkey sounds erotic. Ew. Sorry.)
  10. Take the remaining 1 ounce of marinade and rub it generously over the entire chicken.
  11. Mix 1 T of Italian seasoning and butter
  12. Rub the butter mixture under the skin on the breasts of the chicken
  13. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning, the rest of the Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powders all over the chicken and rub it in gently.
  14. Tie the bag or cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.
  15. Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 mins.
  16. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  17. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and cover the pan with foil tightly.
  18. Bake for 45 mins.
  19. Remove the foil and baste the chicken
  20. Continue to bake for another 45 mins or until the internal temp of the chicken thigh reaches 170 degrees and juices run clear.
  21. Baste the chicken again and return it to the oven until the skin is a crispy as you'd like.
  22. Remove the chicken from the oven and over it with foil
  23. Allow chicken to rest for 10 mins before slicing.
  24. Enjoy!

Cajun Butter Marinade:

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk all remaining ingredients in.
  2. Allow mixture to simmer for 5 mins.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 mins.
  4. Get to injecting!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: This is a updated recipe. The steps will differ from those taken in the tutorial. Refrigerate any leftover marinade. Homemade marinade is good for one week.