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Spicy Creole Shrimp Crackers with New Orleans Style Pig Candy

Spicy Creole Shrimp Crackers With New Orleans Style Pig Candy

(Lisa Talberg, Louisiana)

Spicy Creole Crackers

I’m going to just go ahead and warn you guys here, these Spicy Creole Shrimp Crackers With New Orleans Style Pig Candy will change your life.

I’ve made them at least 4 times and in our household, we now affectionately refer to Lisa’s crackers as CRACKers. You know the saying “betcha can’t eat just one” when referring to Lay’s potato chips? Lisa’s motto should be “betcha can’t EVER put these down”.

When the traveling apron started circulating, I really had no idea who would sign up or what their recipes would entail.

I approached the project simply with just two goals:

 1. to circulate an apron and get to know the girls participating in the swap

and

2. to see what everyone else eats in their area of the country because I’m curious like that

That’s really about it.

So to get an email from a lady who not only lives in my former hometown, knows my mama, but is the holder of some prize-winning recipes?

You talk about small world!

She is the epitome of what is going to make this book so special.

Food + Story + Sharing = Community

A community built on the same principles that some of my most treasured community cookbooks  embody.

Spicy Creole Crackers

As we prepare to launch The Traveling Apron Cookbook, I thought it would be fun to feature a recipe from the book each Monday between now and then.

Obviously, I don’t want to give the entire book away but I’m excited for everyone to get a peek inside!

We’re going to kick things off with these ah-mazing Spicy Creole Shrimp Crackers.

Here is Lisa’s story (featured in the book!):

“Last year I entered the Ritz Cracker into Emeril Lasage’s Super Bowl contest. My recipe came in second! I have also won several other contests and two of my boys have won cooking contests as well.  Alex who is 20 and is studying premed at Louisiana Tech was a football player in high school but he also loves to cook. He won the first ever 4H seafood cook off in New Orleans several years ago! He was invited by several chefs to visit their restaurants because they were so impressed by his young skill.  My youngest is 11 and was diagnosed with pancreatic failure 2 years ago. He also loves to cook and has won Grand Champion in the Regionals in 4H for the past two years. We love to cook and enjoy doing stuff as a family. “

Spicy Creole Shrimp with New Orleans Style Pig Candy Crackers
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Cajun
Author: Lisa Talberg
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: makes 24 crackers
Lisa Talberg’s award winning Spicy Creole Crackers as featured in The Traveling Apron Cookbook by Aimee Broussard.
Ingredients
  • 4 slices think sliced bacon
  • 1 tbsp creole mustard
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 24 medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined if necessary
  • 24 Ritz crackers
  • 1 cup salsa
  • ¼ cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 8 oz container of cream cheese and chive spread
  • 1 tsp creole seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
  1. Slice each piece of bacon into 7 pieces. Mix mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and garlic in a bowl. Toss bacon in and stir until all pieces are coated. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and cayenne.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a rack on top of foil. Coat each side of bacon with some of the brown sugar and place on rack. Use remaining brown sugar to top each piece of bacon. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Watch carefully so it does not burn. Remove each piece to a plate to cool.
  3. While the bacon is cooking, place salsa and green onions in a skillet on medium-high. You can use bottled or homemade salsa, hot or mild- depending on your taste. Cook until most of the liquid is gone, then add shrimp. Stir the shrimp around and the tomatoes, peppers and onions so that they stick to the shrimp. The shrimp will be done in about 3 minutes and will be cooked and coated. Set aside to cool.
  4. Mix the cream cheese, creole seasoning, hot sauce, and paprika.
  5. Place a tablespoon of cream cheese on each cracker. Put a piece of pig candy (bacon) on top of the cream cheese. Place a shrimp with some of the creole bits on top. Serve.

 A little bit labor intensive but I promise you these crackers are life changing.

I am thrilled to absolute pieces Lisa not only participated in the Traveling Apron Recipe Swap, but she so graciously shared her prize winning recipe with us.

And you want to know what else? She’s got TWO more recipes in the book, too.

Until next time…..

Aimee

Southern born and raised, Aimee enjoys living life in the deep South with husband Brian and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Milo, Murph, Tucker, newest addition Queen Bea + their occasional foster dog. A graduate of Louisiana College, she once haphazardly traded in a career in corporate insurance for the aprons and ovens of her kitchen. AimeeBroussard.com is the online diary of her journey as an award-winning cookie creator and three-time cookbook author.

8 Comments

    1. Oh, these will win you some serious brownie points! They are ridiculously good. I mean, hello, she won 2nd place in an Emeril’s contest!

  4. This is a show-stopping appetizer! Can each layer (bacon, shrimp, cream cheese) be individually prepared the night before and then assembled the next day? I would love to take this to a Sunday brunch.

    1. Hi Marilyn! You could absolutely do it the day before, but I might do the shrimp right before assembling so that it’s warm. Totally a matter of preference though!

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