Spice it up, Cajun style

A group of Murfreesboro gals were walking through the Riverwalk Marketplace, looking for an air conditioned shortcut to the hotel, and we happened to meet Buddy Callahan. By day, he is a radiation therapist at the Thibadoux Cancer Center. By night and on holidays, he is an amazing Cajun cook and has developed a spice mix that makes cooking great Cajun dishes simple for everyone, even folks who really don't cook.

Once we sampled Buddy's shrimp, we all knew we had to share his spices with you, our friends and my readers.

Buddy learned to cook at the feet of his Cajun mother and his uncle, Junius "Big Mac" McJimsey, who was always cooking for a good cause when Buddy was growing up.

Because Buddy learned not just about cooking but also about giving back, he is an avid charity cook himself, serving up jambalaya, shrimp and other dishes at cancer benefits all over Cajun country. After tasting his signature dishes at dozens of events, Buddy's fans began asking for his special ingredients and recipes.

Buddy got together with a team of spice blenders in Thibadoux and created Buddy's Cajun Spice, "A premium bayou country blend." It is available online at www.buddyscajunspice.com.

Even though dozens of Cajun spice mixes are on the market, Buddy figured out his homemade spice blend was a winner for several reasons. It is lower in sodium than other Cajun spice blends, relying more on real spices for the flavor. It is also excellent for adding flavor to everything from jambalaya to grits and most everything in between. It is not too hot, so you can really enjoy the taste of the bayou without burning your mouth. If you are a spicy eater, add some hot sauce.

Best of all, Buddy has developed nearly fool proof recipes, so even those of us who don't cook can create a great dish without too much work or worry. As one of my girlfriends, who really doesn't cook, said, "even I can make this shrimp."

Here's my favorite recipe from Buddy's recipe box, but I have yet to try his famous pork chop recipe.

Buddy's Bronzed Shrimp

Buddy suggests peeling and deveining the shrimp for this recipe, but you may choose to keep it in the shell if you want to create a more rustic Cajun feel for a party. If you leave the shells on, you should give it a little time to absorb some of the spices before cooking, and you will have to cook the shrimp a bit longer, but don't cook it too long, or it will be rubbery. If you want to cook this for a crowd, just double or triple the recipe. They will love it.

1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp

2 Tbsps. olive oil

2 Tbsps. butter

Buddy's Cajun Spice to taste (1/4 cup to season the shrimp before cooking and more as a garnish after cooking)

If desired, peel and devein the shrimp. Season the shrimp well with Buddy's Cajun Spice, tossing to be sure it coats all the shrimp. Heat the olive oil and butter together until very hot. Add the shrimp, quickly searing it just until it is cooked through. Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp, stirring to mix it in. Remove immediately to a platter and sprinkle with additional Buddy's Cajun Spice. Enjoy hot.

Barb Ford of Murfreesboro is a food columnist and former chef. Contact her at easywaygourmet@msn.com.