I wanted to end the first year of WPL Spice Club with a bang; or rather, with a bit of spiciness! While I was going over the hundreds of different spices and spice blends that are out there, I wanted to find one that might tie in our new club with a celebration of the New Year. I never knew there were so many foods that can bring you good luck in the upcoming year, if eaten on New Year’s Day!
On that same note, there are several foods you should definitely AVOID eating on New Year’s Day Planning your first meal of the new year, using both of these lists, should bring you the best 2022 imaginable!
So let’s get back to our December spice. A popular New Year’s Eve dish, especially in the south, is Hoppin John. Dating back to the 1800s, this popular dish of peas, pork, and rice has a rich history An important part of the dish is the Cajun seasoning that gives it its bold flavor. Some recipes call for the individual components of the seasoning mix, and others call for “Cajun Seasoning” – a blend of spices that are sold under a number of labels. In an effort to do our part in spreading good luck and good fortune in the New Year, we decided that exploring different uses of Cajun Seasoning would be a great way to end 2021 and welcome 2022.
Cajun vs. Creole Seasoning and Cuisine – definitely not the same thing!
Before we go any further, let’s take a minute to examine the differences between Cajun and Creole seasonings and cuisines. While we Midwesterners may use the terms interchangeably, there’s a definite difference between the two that should be respected.
The main difference between Creole and Cajun seasoning blends comes down to the ingredients: Cajun seasoning features an array of ground peppers—black, cayenne, and white—while Creole seasoning is more herbal, with recipes often containing oregano, thyme, rosemary, and paprika. I’ll include some recipes for Cajun and Creole seasonings in the Recipes section below, if you want to make your own homemade versions.
Cajun vs. Creole Seasoning and Cuisine – fascinating histories!
For a great discussion about the history and differences between these two cuisines, check out this Savory Spice blog
For even more reading about this richly historic cuisine, check out this great website from Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack Restaurant (love the name!)
Cajun Seasoning – not just for gumbo!
In addition to the recipes that we’ll share below, there’s a lot of really fun things you can do with Cajun seasonings. Give a couple of these a try and let us know what you think! Thanks to our friends at the Food Network for these ideas.
1. If you don’t have some on hand, make your own Cajun Spice Mix.
2. Sprinkle over freshly popped popcorn.
3. Mix with canola oil, brush over salmon, then grill.
4. Mix with ground turkey breast or 90 percent lean ground beef, Dijon mustard, and finely chopped red onion for a jazzed up burger.
5. Give oven fries a kick when they’re hot out of the oven.
6. Whisk with low fat ranch dressing to serve over a grilled chicken salad.
7. Make a one-pot Cajun shrimp dish – ready in less than 10 minutes!
8. Mix with nonfat Greek yogurt as a dip for veggies or baked potato topper.
9. Combine with crabmeat and cream cheese for surprisingly delectable party food.
10.Use on its own or mix with other favorite spices to make a dry rub for chicken, fish, steak, pork, corn on the cob or thick slices of vegetables.
The Cajun Seasoning that’s included in your packets this month is from the Slap Ya Mama brand of products. Available at nearly any of your local markets, this brand pops up as one of the highest rated Cajun Seasoning out there, on a number of “Best of” articles. We’re also including 8 ounces of black eyed peas, so you can try your own Hoppin John this New Year’s Day!
Health Benefits
Cajun Seasoning’s spicy kick may also have some health benefits, in addition to livening up your dishes! Cayenne pepper has long been known to host a variety of healthy benefits, including pain relief and aide to your digestion. In addition, some Cajun seasoning blends contain ingredients that may possess other health benefits!
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cayenne-pepper#1 https://www.spiceography.com/cajun-seasoning/
Enjoy your sample of Cajun Seasoning. If you whip up a batch of Hoppin John – let us know how it turns out. Better yet, share any good luck you might have in the upcoming year!
Recipes
Cajun Crab Stuffed Pepperoncini
Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo
The Slap Ya Mama website https://slapyamama.com/ has dozens/hundreds? of recipes using their products (and while this recipe is not one that I would try, it might appeal to some! Also, I promised a co-worker I would include it):
Squirrel Sauce Piquante
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cajun-seasoning/ (this site also has links to some great-looking recipes)
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/
Homemade Creole Seasoning
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/38214/creole-seasoning-blend/
WPL Spice Club 
Thanks for explaining the difference between Cajun and Creole spice mixes. This spice took me back to the 80’s when blackened fish was on menus everywhere and Paul Prudhomme was popular! I cooked the Hoppin’ John – it was good and spicy; since it’s still January I’m assuming it will give me good luck, as well. Thanks, WPL!
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Hi Sarah! I remember the era of blackened fish being such a trendy menu item. 😉 I never got around to fixing the Hoppin’ John – I hope my 2022 is still lucky! So glad you’re enjoying Spice Club!
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