Just because it’s hot outside doesn’t mean we can’t bring some heat inside KIM’S KETO KITCHEN WITH MOORE! LET’S SPICE IT UP!! We don’t have to burn the tastebuds out of our mouths to have some good spicy food! There are many different ways to adjust the heat in food, which we will discuss later in this article, but my all-time favorite SPICY food is Cajun! It is a great crowd pleaser, Easy to adjust the spice for the diner, often can be done on the grill or in one pot, it usually can be done in relatively little time or made ahead, and you have a great meal without a ton of effort or clean up! Don’t forget these recipes are Keto Super-Friendly!
LET’S SPICE IT UP!
There really is a difference between Spicy and HOT, although most of us use the terms synonymously. Spice can come from all kinds of different plants, and evoke all kinds of different reactions. For example Lemon Pepper! You can keep that mild or increase either spice and totally change the flavor without someone saying it is “Hot”. But when you talk about ANYTHING with hot peppers in it, WELL! That’s a whole nuther story! Add Tabasco, Chili Pepper, or powder, we are definitely talking HOT! Even more so, try Ghost or Habanero peppers, and, Well, Might as well get the firehose out for me! That’s why we are COOKIN’ CAJUN TONIGHT IN KIM’S KETO KITCHEN WITH MOORE! Let’s spice it up!
OUR APPETIZER: CREAM CHEESE FILLED BACON WRAPPED JALAPENOS
This is so easy to make! and you only need 3 ingredients. You can prep ahead and have these ready to pop in the oven, or better yet one of the new-fangled, multitasking, toaster, air fryer ovens that I have yet to get! I recommend lining your oven sheet with tin foil for easier cleanup. Here’s a quick tip to keep the HEAT out: wear gloves during the prep and remove the seeds and things that hold them. That is what makes the Peppers HOT! And the gloves keep you from rubbing your eyes later and cussing !!
THE RECIPE
Preheat oven to 425 degrees if you are planning to cook immediately.
OKAY. What you need: 6 Fresh Jalapenos
1 pkg full-fat Cream Cheese
1 Pkg of Lean bacon (I prefer Hickory Smoked)
Wear plastic gloves, wash and slice jalapenos lengthwise in half, removing stems and seeds. Pat dry.Place on a large Plate. Take the package of cream cheese, remove the foil from around it and kinda divide with a knife into 12 slices. Fill each pepper half with cream cheese. You may have to borrow some from one for another depending on how even you cut. Then wrap a piece of bacon from the very tip of one end to the very tip of the other. If the peppers are small where you live you can cut the bacon in half, but don’t skimp on the bacon! Wrap it well! Place on foil line baking sheet without sides touching. Cook for 15 minutes. turn over. cook for another 15 minutes. you want your bacon to be a little crispy, thus ensuring that your peppers are done as well. Remove and let cool a few minutes before digging in! you may want to serve on a plate lined with paper towels.
OUR ENTREE: SPICY SHRIMP & SAUSAGE IN CAJUN CREAM
I looked everywhere to find just the right dish to make for some friends that I work with. They weren’t going to physically be with me, but they expected me to cook some pretty good Keto Food, Hence the name Kim’s Keto Kitchen with Moore! Spice it Up! Also, I am going to be pairing a couple of specific Fine Wines with this meal that are from the Fine Wine Club that I am a member of, so I really wanted it to be Special. One of the wines is a delicious Red Zinfandel named after a dear friend of mine, Adele. So I had to cook something REALLY GOOD! So I ended up doing what I usually do, which is combining a couple of recipes together and praying they come out great!! It usually does, because I don’t do anything TOO crazy and I try to use common sense. Some things are gonna taste good just about anyway…like ice cream!! You can click on the link above to learn more about that wine if you like.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SPICY SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE IN CAJUN CREAM
- 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 14-ounce pork or chicken sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped into chunks
- 1/3 cup (80ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream (or less)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley,
Directions
1. To make the Spicy Shrimp and Sausage in Creamy Cajun Sauce: In a large bowl, combine shrimp and sausage. Add olive oil and cajun seasoning and toss until coated.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp and sausage for 5 minutes, until cooked through, stirring regularly. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate.
3. In the same pan, melt butter in the remaining cooking juices. Add onion ( can add mushrooms at this point as well)and stir fry until translucent. Add the bell peppers and fry for 2-3 minutes so they release their flavors. Then add garlic and cook until fragrant (about one minute). Finally, pour in the vegetable broth, and allow the sauce to reduce down slightly.
4. Reduce heat to low, add the heavy cream, and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the parmesan cheese. Allow the cajun cream sauce to simmer for a further minute until the cheese melts through.
5. Add the grilled shrimp and sausage back into the skillet; sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and spoon the sauce over the shrimp and sausage. Serve the Creamy Cajun shrimp with sausage over hearts of palm noodles, steamed vegetables or cauliflower rice for Keto dieters, or rice or pasta for non-Keto. Enjoy!
If you don’t want as much spice use smoked paprika for some of the cajun seasoning, and increase the cajun seasoning if you like it really spicy! I like Zataran’s or Tony Chatcher’s seasoning the best, but there are different ones out there. I also prefer Andouille Smoked Sausage. But hey! That’s just me! When I was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, and went to New Orleans quite frequently. Yes, New Orleans had some GREAT Cajun food!!.
I hope you enjoyed our short Spice it UP menu today! Cajun food goes really well with our new Red Zinfandel, Adele, along with our Sauvignon Blanc. They both can handle the spice and the earthy Veggies.
KIM’S KETO KITCHEN WITH MOORE!
Keep coming back to see more exciting recipes and tidbits as well as fun facts about pairing wine with amazing our favorite appetizers, so-called main dishes, and desserts. We love this stuff.