photo credit: Steven Whitehurst

You will need:

10 oz. egg noodles

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2  tbs. butter

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup chicken broth

1 tsp. seasoned salt

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4-5 cups cooked chicken, diced

2 oz. jar of pimento

2 tbs. parsley, chopped

 Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat baking dish with no-stick spray.  Cook noodles according to package directions and drain.  In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, cook 2 minutes.  Add soup, chicken broth, salt, seasoned salt and half of the cheese.  Cook until sauce is smooth and cheese is melted.  Add noodles and chicken, mix well.  Transfer to a baking dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with parsley and pimento, let sit for 5 minutes and serve.

photo credit: Steven Whitehurst

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Maple Tree Inn's Famous Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp & Grits

The Maple Tree Inn, located in suburban Blue Island, IL is a real hidden gem that's been serving excellent Louisiana cuisine to the Chicago area for decades.  Highly-acclaimed for its fare, the Maple Tree Inn was opened in 1975 by chef, Charlie Orr, aka "The Walrus."  The restaurant is committed to the art of Cajun/Creole cooking and maintaining its status as the first and longest-running Cajun/Creole restaurant in Chicagoland. All of their food is prepared in-house, from the Smoked Andouille Sausage, Jambalaya, and Étouffée, to the famous Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp & Grits (pictured above). Drink selections feature signature New Orleans cocktails, such as the Hurricane and Creole Voodoo Zombie, 8 boutique wines on draft, and a carefully curated list of 24 craft beers on draught, including a few rare vintage bottles.

I've had the Gumbo, the Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins, and the Mississippi Mud Cake -- All Were Outstanding!  I ate there once when a dish called "Shrimp Bienville" was on offer.  It looked very tempting, and even though I'm allergic to shrimp, I felt compelled to sample...It Was Magnificent!  Their current impressive menu includes:

Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp    

half-pound jumbo peeled shrimp sautéed in a garlic butter sauce with tomatoes and spices,

served with jalapeño cheddar cheese grits

Chicken, Sausage and Seafood Creole Jambalaya    

hearty, highly seasoned rice-based dish with slow-roasted rotisserie chicken, house smoked andouille sausage,

jumbo peeled shrimp, crawfish tails, clams, mussels, and squid

N’awlins Bouillabaisse (Boo-ya-bes)    

classic, elegant Provencal (French) fish stew with jumbo shell-on shrimp,

jumbo scallops, catfish, pollock, squid, crawfish, clams, mussels, and oysters

Crawfish Étouffée (Ay-too-fay)    

half-pound tender crawfish tails smothered in a dark roux with butter, garlic, onions, peppers,

and white wine, served with white rice

Blackened Redfish Étouffée    

two Louisiana redfish fillets blackened with Cajun spices, delicately placed atop white rice,

smothered with crawfish étouffée, and served with Cajun shoestring fries

Beer Battered Soft Shell Crabs    

three large soft shell crabs, beer battered and deep fried,

served with smothered greens and a Creole mustard crème fraîche

Jumbo Blackened Sea Scallops    

half-pound U/10 scallops blackened with Cajun spices, served with warm creamed brie sauce,

and a grilled corn & andouille maque choux

Dis and Dat Platter    

a bit of dis and a bit of dat ~ hickory buttered BBQ shrimp, crawfish etouffee, ribs, and red beans & rice,

served with Cajun shoestring fries

Trout Almondine    

fresh-caught, pan-seared trout, topped with brown butter toasted slivered almonds, 

served atop shallot roasted new potatoes & seasonal vegetables, finished with Meuniere Butter

Duck Confit & Andouille Cassoulet    

duck confit, house smoked andouille sausage & pancetta in a rich, slow-cooked white bean stew 

with roasted red & yellow peppers, onions, celery, and Tasso

Shrimp Creole    

large shrimp simmered in a spicy, tomato-based sauce with “the Trinity,” garlic, bay leaf, and red wine,

served with white rice

*  Blackened Prime Ribeye     

14 - 16 oz. cut blackened with Cajun spices, served with caramelized onion cream sauce

and basil & garlic mashed potatoes, topped with fried onion strings

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The Maple Tree Inn provided me with an excellent dining experience, and I'm sure it will provide the same to you.  Visit and visit often...you won't be disappointed!  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

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Here is a great recipe for those times when you have a taste for ribs, but don't want to go through the trouble of firing up the grill.  I suggest using a cookie sheet as your pan.  Also, I substituted McCormick Grill Mates Barbecue Seasoning for the spices shown in the video.  The result was perfection!  Watch the video, make a slab of these delicious ribs, and enjoy!

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