Cajun Rice Dressing and Fresh Corn Stuffed Creole Tomatoes

4-8 c. Cajun rice dressing (home-made or store bought)
Olive oil
3 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed from cobs
8 oz. chopped onion mix
6 medium creole tomatoes, cored and save pulp
Salt, red/black pepper
Balsamic glaze or thick balsamic vinegar, optional
Fresh basil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional

1. Make or buy rice dressing and set aside.
2. In large skillet, drizzle with olive oil and heat.
3. Saute the chopped onions until soft.
4. Add the corn kernels to the onions and cook 2-3 minutes.
5. Chop the pulp from the cored tomatoes and add to the corn mixture.
6. Cook another 1-2 minutes.
7. Add as much or little of the rice dressing that you want.
8. Heat through. Season to taste.
9. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze, optional. I like the tartness it gives to the stuffing.
10. Stuff the tomatoes and set aside.
11. Take the remaining stuffing and stuff more tomatoes or place it in the bottom of a baking dish.
12. Nestle the stuffed tomatoes into the baking dish.
13. Tear fresh basil leaves into pieces and sprinkle over the dish.
14. Bake in 350 oven until the tomatoes start to become tender. Do not over bake or the tomatoes will fall apart.
15. Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
*****You can also stuff big mushroom caps or bell peppers. You need to steam/boil the peppers for about 2-3 minutes to make them tender, then stuff.

CAJUN RICE DRESSING

1 (16-oz.) container of chopped onion mix
½ stick butter
2 T. minced garlic
2 (16-oz.) frozen containers of rice dressing mix (I use Savoie’s and Richard’s brand), thawed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Salt, red/black pepper, garlic powder
6-8 c. cooked white rice
1 bunch chopped parsley

1. In medium roasting pan, melt butter.
2. Add thawed dressing mix, onions and garlic to melted butter.
3. Break up dressing with spoon and mix the ingredients well and sauté until most of the moisture is cooked out of the mixture.
4. Season with salt, red/black pepper, and garlic powder.
5. Meanwhile, cook rice in rice cooker. You need for rice to be sticky kind not loose.
6. At this point, I add the chopped green onions and parsley, turn off heat and cover until ready to serve.
7. When ready to serve, heat up mixture. Turn off heat again and start adding cooked rice, a spoonful at a time and mix well.
8. You add the amount of rice you like. Some people like lots of rice and others like less. So do what fits your taste best.
9. Garnish with parsley and taste for seasoning.
*****Whenever I have leftover rice dressing mix, I like to stuff bell peppers or tomatoes with it. You can also add shrimp or crawfish to dressing mix and stuff the items.