ORZO SALAD

Orzo and Olive Salad
8 Servings.

The orzo can be served alone, over salad greens, in an avocado half or over avocado slices.

1½ cups orzo, cooked according to package directions
4 tablespoons oil from sun dried tomatoes (or olive oil)
1/3 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
½ cup Kalamata olives, sliced, or your favorite green olive
¼ cup chopped red onion
Torn fresh basil leaves to taste or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar or to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted in ½ teaspoon butter and lightly salted
¼ cup feta or Parmesan cheese
4 avocados, optional
4-6 cups salad greens, optional



Prepare orzo pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to large salad bowl. Toss with 4 tablespoons oil from sundried tomatoes or olive oil. Allow to cool.

Add chopped tomatoes, capers, olives, onion, basil, garlic and Balsamic vinegar.

Season with red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper. 

Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed, then stir in pine nuts.

Top salad with feta or Parmesan cheese.

Serve with avocado or over salad greens if desired.

Seared Chappapeela Duck Breast With Purple Sweet Potato Mash, Crispy Kale and Praline Brown Butter

Seared Chappapeela Duck Breast With Purple Sweet Potato Mash, Crispy Kale and Praline Brown Butter

Serves 4. 

For kale

1 bunch kale, washed, dried and cut into ribbons

Vegetable oil for frying

Salt, to taste

For Purple Sweet Potato Mash

2 lbs. purple sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Salt, to taste

For duck

4 (6-8 oz.) Chappapeela Farms duck breasts (available at Rouses), at room temperature

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

For Praline Brown Butter

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

Salt, to taste

1/2 cup pecan halves

1 oz. praline liquor

1 tbl. chopped fresh parsley

1. Fry the kale: Make sure the kale is very dry before frying. Heat the oil to 350ºF in a medium, heavy-bottom sauce pot set over medium-high heat. Add half the kale, stir with a slotted spoon and fry until crispy. Drain on a pan lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining kale and season to taste with salt. This can be cooked a couple hours ahead of time.

2. Make the potato mash: Add the potatoes to a medium-sized sauce pot. Cover with cold water. Place over high heat and boil until potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot. Add the butter and mash the potatoes with a hand-held masher until the potatoes are smooth and the butter is fully incorporated. Add salt to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

3. Cook the duck breasts: Season both sides of the duck breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the duck breasts skin side down and cook until the fat renders from the skin and the skin turns a rich golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the breasts and continue cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for about 6 to 7 minutes. Thinly slice the breasts to serve.

3. Make the sauce while the duck rests: Add the butter and a pinch of salt. to a medium sauce pot over medium-high. Cook until the butter is melted and is just starting to brown. Add the pecans and the praline liquor. Remove from heat. The liquor will immediately begin to bubble up and evaporate. Cool for 3 minutes then add the parsley.

4. To serve, divide the sweet potato mash between 4 plates and top with the sliced duck breast. Spoon the praline brown butter over the duck and top with the crispy kale.

HOT and SPICY JAMBALAYA

Hot and Spicy Jambalaya

1⁄4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1⁄2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1⁄2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
2 (28 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth
1⁄4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1-3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, to taste
1⁄2 lb precooked spicy andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1⁄2 lb smoked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1⁄2 lb. Crawfish, peeled (optional)
1 bunch scallion, coarsely chopped
2 pinches salt (or to taste)
3 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

In a large pot melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and saute 5 minutes stirring often.

Add shrimp, chicken bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside and the shrimp is opaque.

Stir in paprika until thoroughly mixed with other ingredients.  Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce until well mixed.

Add sausage and ham stirring well. Add crawfish (if using) and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid returns to a boil.

Stir in scallions, salt and rice. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and cook 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Serve with fresh crusty french bread.

COUNTRY RICE

COUNTRY RICE

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup diced jalapenos, seeds removed
½ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced green onion
¼ cup flour
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. water
3 cups cooked rice
1 tsp. each ground black pepper, seasoning salt, onion powder and garlic powder

Brown meats. Add seasonings. Add veg. Do not drain fat. Add the Tbsp. of water. Add the ¼ cup flour. Mix all ingredients together well and add the 1 cup of water. Cook the mixture 10 minutes over medium heat.

Spread the rice over the bottom of a baking dish. Pour the meat/gravy over the rice. Mix together well. Put into a 375⁰ oven for 20 minutes.  

ROOT BEER RIBS

Country Style Root Beer Glazed Ribs Recipe( OvenBaked)

2 lbs of Country Style Pork Ribs
1 Tsp of Seasoning Salt
1/2 Black Pepper
2 Tbs of minced Onion
2 Tbs of minced Garlic
1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard
3 cups of Root Beer
1 cup YOUR favorite BBQ Sauce

Your first step will be rinsing your meat. Remember to always wash your meat( with exception of ground meats) before cooking. Once your meat if rinsed, place it on a clean surface.

Pour on your mustard all over your country style ribs, making sure you coat all surfaces. Once the meat if coated, sprinkle on your seasonings.
Place your meat on your desired cookware, leaving approximately a 1/2" between each rib.

Pour 1 cup of root beer into the pan. Make sure you do NOT pour the root beer directly over the meat, otherwise you will wash away some seasonings.
Leave your meat uncovered and place your meat in the oven on 325 for 2 1/2 hours.

FRIED OKRA

Fried Okra

2 lbs Okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

  Wash them in water acidulated with vinegar.

  Then drizzle them with:
1/8 cup buttermilk

  Toss them with:
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

  Then toss with:

3 tbsp all purpose flour. To coat.

  Finally toss them with:
1/2 cup cornmeal.

  Fry in:
2 cups vegetable oil to fry with

  Drain on paper towels.

COLLARD GREENS

The Best Collard Greens

4 lbs collard greens, cleaned and cut
1 lb bacon ends, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 to 3 tbsp of white distilled vinegar


Place the bacon ends in a pot, and place the pot overmedium heat.
Brown the bacon then add in the diced onions, and cook until the onions start to sweat.

Add in the minced garlic,then cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken broth, and turn the heat up to high and let boil for 20 minutes.

Pour in the 2 cups of water, and turn the heat down to medium.
Start adding in the collard greens into the pot.

Once all of the greens are in the pot, sprinkle in the seasoning salt and ground black pepper.

Add in the sliced jalapeno, and the vinegar and stir the ingredients.
Cover the pot, and let simmer for 1 hour and 10 minutes over medium heat. Be sure to peak in and stir periodically.

TURKEY WINGS

Turkey Wings

2.5 lbs turkey wings, cut into sections if bought whole
1 large lemon, cut into 4 wedges
2 tbsp olive oil ( you can substitute it with vegetable oil)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp seasoning salt ( or salt free seasoning)
1 tsp minced onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp parsley flakes
2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 1/2 cup turkey or chicken broth( or even water)

Clean the turkey wings, then rub all surfaces of the wings with the lemon wedges
Next, place the wings into a large bowl or dish, and drizzle the wings with the olive oil.  Sprinkle all of the seasoning onto the wings, then rub the seasonings all over the wings.

Remove the wings from the bowl and Place them into a oiled bake dish.  In the bowl that the wings were in, there will be leftover seasonings. Pour 2 1/2 cups of broth or water into the bowl, stir, then pour the broth or water into the bake dish.

Cover the bake dish, and cook the wings in the oven on 350 F, for about 1 &1/2 hours to 2 hours
Periodically remove the wings from the oven, and baste.

PORK CHOPS

Fried Pork Chops

1 lb thinly cut pork chops
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt or salt free seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil to fry with

Combine all of the seasonings into a bowl, and stir until they are well combined.

Use half of the seasoning mixture to season the pork chops. Be sure to season all surfaces of the pork chops.

In a medium sized bowl, crack open two eggs, and beat them.

In a separate bowl, add 3/4 cup of all purpose flour, and the remaining seasonings. Mix until well combined, then coat the pork chops with the seasoned flour.

Next, coat the pork chops with the eggs, then place the chops back into the seasoned flour for one last coating.

Once all of the pork chops are coated, it is time to fry them.
Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet, then turn the heat to medium. Once the oil is hot, start adding in the pork chops. Be sure to not over crowd the skillet, otherwise the pork chops will not cook evenly.

Fry each side of the pork chops for about 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the chops from the skillet.

Place the Pork chops on a cooling rack or a paper towel lined plate.

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Smothered Chicken

1 lbs chicken ( I used legs, and thighs)
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp minced garlic
1 medium sized onion, chopped

Directions
Start off by making sure that all of the chicken is nice and clean.
Pour 1 1/2 cup flour into a large bowl, and add in seasonings : garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, celery seed, poultry seasoning, and smoked paprika. Mix until well incorporated.
Coat the chicken with the seasoned flour, and make sure you coat all surfaces.
Reserve the seasoned flour.
Pour 1/4 cup of vegetable oil into a large pan, then place the plan over medium heat.
Start adding in the chicken, but be sure to not over crowd the pan ( use a pan big enough to hold all of the chicken).
Cook the chicken until it is golden brown(DO NOT worry about cooking the chicken until done, because we will cook it some more).
Once the chicken is nice and browned, remove it from the pan. Leave the oil in the pan.
Toss in the onions, and cook them for about 2 minutes, then add in the garlic. Once the garlic is in the pan let it cook for an additional minute, then remove the onions and garlic from the pan.
Add three tbsp of the seasoned flour (the same flour that you coat the chicken with) to the pan. Stir in with the oil.
Next pour in 2 cups of chicken broth. Whisk in while pouring in the broth. Make sure there aren’t any lumps.
Let the gravy cook for about 2 minutes ( still on medium heat), then pour in 1 cup of milk into the pan.
Let the creamy gravy cook for about 3 minutes, then start adding the chicken back into the pan, as well as the onions and garlic.
Make sure all of the chicken is coated with the creamy gravy.
Place a lid on the pan, then let the chicken cook for 30-35 minutes. Be sure to occasionally turn the chicken.
Once done serve the chicken with rice or mashed potatoes.

NECK BONES and GRAVY

Neck Bones and Gravy Recipe( Soul Food)


2 pounds of Pork Neck Bones( plain, not smoked)
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
2 TBS of vegetable oil
1 TSP of seasoning salt
1 TBS of minced onion
1/4 TSP of black pepper

1 cup of water
1 TBS of garlic powder

FIRST STEP, RINSE YOUR MEAT WITH COOL WATER.
PLACE YOUR NECK BONES IN YOUR BAKE PAN, WITH THE BONE DOWN.
SEASON YOUR MAT WITH YOUR SEASONS AND ONION.
POUR THE WATER IN YOUR PAN AND COVER YOUR MEAT AND BAKE IT ON 375 FOR 35 MINUTES.
ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO COOKING YOUR NECK BONES, YOU WANT TO START MAKING YOUR GRAVY. YOU WILL DO THIS BY ADDING 2 TABLESPOONS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A SAUCE PAN O SKILLET.
GET YOUR OIL NICE AND HOT, ON MEDIUM HIGH HEAT.
ONCE YOUR OIL IS HOT ADD 1/4 CUP OF FLOUR. COOK YOUR FLOUR UNTIL YOU REACH A PRETTY BROWN COLOR.
TAKE YOUR NECK BONES OUT OF THE OVEN, AND UNCOVER THEM. DISH YOUR FLOUR INTO THE PAN ALONG WITH THE NECK BONES( BE CAREFUL! IT'S EXTREMELY HOT!) MIX THE FLOUR WITH THE LIQUID IN THE PAN.

TAKE YOUR LEFT OVER FLOUR AND SPRINKLE IT OVER YOUR PORK. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT YOU NOW HAVE A GRAVY.
GIVE THE POT A FEW MORE STIRS, THEN COVER THE MEAT AND PLACE IT BACK IN THE OVEN FOR 25 MORE MINUTES ON 350.

REMOVE FROM THE OVEN, AND LET COOL FOR 5 MINUTES.

SERVE!

TUNA MACARONI SALAD

Tuna Macaroni Salad

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
⅓ cup finely diced mixture of celery, green bell pepper, and onion (see note)
¼ cup dill relish
2 tablespoons sweet relish
2 (6 oz) cans tuna, drained
1½ cup mayonnaise ( I used Dukes)
black pepper, Old Bay, seasoning salt to taste
parsley, paprika, garnish

Cook pasta according to package and rinse with cold water when done. Drain & set aside.

In a large bowl, add cold pasta, chopped eggs, celery, bell pepper, and onion mixture. Toss to combine. Add in dill relish, sweet relish and tuna.
Stir to combine.

Stir in mayonnaise. Season to taste with black pepper, Old Bay and seasoning salt (if needed). Spread into a casserole dish.
Garnish with paprika and parsley flakes.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

VEGETABLE MIXTURE: For the finely diced vegetable you can use a mixture of onion, celery, bell peppers or even carrots. (whatever you like here!) You can even use just one of them.

ADD MORE MAYO: If you find your salad isn't as creamy the next day feel free to add in more mayo.

SOUTHERN POTATO SALAD

Easy, Creamy Potato Salad

2 large russet potatoes
5 eggs
⅓ of a white onion
¾-1 cup of Mayo (I always use Dukes)
¼ cup sweet relish
¼ cup dill relish
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon white sugar (optional to balance out the salt) 2-4 dashes seasoning salt + more if desired
2-4 dashes of black pepper
Paprika (to cover the top)

Wash, peel and dice potatoes into small, uniform cubes.

Bring a saucepan half-full of water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook for 7-8 minutes until firm to the touch but tender to the bite. Do NOT overcook. Potatoes will need to be firm enough to withstand being tossed around when we add the mayo mixture.

In a separate pot, bring 5 eggs to a boil and cook until done. Drain hot potatoes and place in a large bowl. Peel the eggs. Separate the yolks from the egg white. Mash up the yolks in a bowl and dice up the egg whites in a separate bowl.

Place the potatoes, eggs whites, yolks, and onions in the refrigerator to until cold.

In a large bowl add egg yolks, egg whites and the onion.
Next add in the mayonnaise, dill relish & sweet relish.
Add in the mustard, seasoning salt, black pepper, celery seed, Worcestershire sauce and sugar.
Stir it all up.

Taste. Now it's time to adjust the seasonings to your liking. I always add in a bit more of everything. Taste it after each addition until it taste perfect!

SOUTHERN CABBAGE

Southern Cabbage 

1 head of cabbage
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon of seasoning salt (or season to taste)
Fresh black pepper
1½- 2 cups chicken broth (can also use water but chicken broth makes it taste so delish.

Cut Cabbage into quarters, removing the hard stem. Slice each quarter into 1-inch wide strips.
In a large pot, add butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, & cabbage.
Add in chicken broth and toss.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium low.
Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Do not overcook.

CORNBREAD DRESSING

Homemade Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe ~Soul Food Style~
Serves: 10

BASIC CORNBREAD RECIPE
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
¾ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil

SOUTHERN DRESSING RECIPE
Cornbread (9x9 inch pan) (my grandmother always uses day old cornbread)
1 cup onions, diced (about half of a large onion)
1 cup of celery, diced (about 3 stalks)
1 cup of green bell peppers diced (about 1 medium green bell pepper. You could also add in some red bell pepper as well if you'd like)
3 pieces of toast
1 shredded chicken breast
2 eggs
3-4 cups of chicken or turkey broth
Seasonings (poultry seasonings, sage, black pepper, ) *see recipe


Preheat the oven to 350
In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal & flour.
Add in the buttermilk, eggs & oil. Stir until combined.

Pour into a greased, shallow baking dish or iron skillet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until set. Let cool.
When your cornbread has cooled, break it up in a large bowl, along with the toast.

Saute onions, celery and green bell peppers in a little bit of butter until tender.
Add the shredded chicken & the sautéed veggies into the cornbread mixture. Use your hands to really mix it up good.
Add in some spices. I usually start with a teaspoon of each and then add more after I put the broth in if it needs it. Mix it up well.
Next add in the broth a little at a time. Add in just enough to make it thick & kinda soupy. Stir it up.

Give it a taste. It should taste exactly the way you want your dressing to taste. If it needs more spices add them in here.
When you are content with the taste, go ahead and stir in the eggs.
Pour into a buttered 9 X 13 casserole pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Notes
Be sure to taste it before adding in the eggs and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
You can also use chicken thighs for more flavor.
My grandmother uses red bell pepper as well sometimes.
It's best to use cornbread that is a few days old since it's not as moist. Dry cornbread makes the best dressing!

BACON CHEDDAR RANCH PASTA SALAD

BACON CHEDDAR RANCH PASTA SALAD
Serves: 4

3 cups bow-tie pasta, uncooked
⅔ cup cheddar cheese crumbles
6 slices cooked bacon, diced
2-3 small tomatoes, seeded & diced
⅔ cup fresh broccoli, chopped
⅔ cup red onions, diced
⅓ cup black olives
½ cup mayonnaise (I used Dukes)
½ cup creamy ranch dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
½-1 teaspoon oregano

Cook pasta until al dente. Be careful not overcook.
Drain pasta and rinse with cold water until pasta is cool.
Add drained pasta to a large bowl.
Add in the bacon, broccoli, red onions, black olives, and tomatoes.
Toss to combine. (you may need to add a tiny bit of water to moisten the pasta if it's too sticky to toss)
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, garlic and oregano.
When ready to serve, mix the dressing in with the pasta mixture until well coated.
Serve immediately.

Notes
TIPS~ Feel free to add in your favorite veggies and meats! Dress the pasta salad right when you are ready to serve. If you like a super creamy pasta salad, double to dressing mixture.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON ICE CREAM

Chocolate Bourbon Ice Cream
Yield - 1 quart

3 cups whole milk
8 egg yolks
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup bourbon

Make sure the bowl of your ice cream maker is in the freezer the night before.
Add the milk to a medium saucepan and heat until warm.
While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks and powdered sugar together.

 
Add the hot milk into the eggs by laddlefills, whisking the egg yolks the entire time. Once most of the milk is incorporated into the eggs and they are warm, add the mixture into the pot on the stove.  Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Heat and stir the ice cream base until it thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in the bourbon and the vanilla.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve and refrigerate until cold, I refrigerated overnight.

 
Churn the ice cream base according to the manufacturer's directions.
Spoon into a container and freeze until firm.

SHRIMP and CRAWFISH STUFFED CHEESY BREAD

Shrimp and Crawfish Stuffed Cheesy Bread

1/2 recipe roll Dough

1/2 recipe shrimp and crawfish étouffée 

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 egg, beaten

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle.

With a slotted spoon, mound Etouffee down along center of dough.

Top with shredded cheeses.

Cut strips on either side of the mound of Etouffee.

Pull about 1 inch of the ends up and over the mound of Etouffee.

Bring each strip up and over the mound of Etouffee  making a braid.

Pinch ends together to seal.

Brush entire surface with beaten egg.

Transfer to greased baking sheet.

Place in warm spot to finish rising for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, place in preheated 350 oven and bake until golden brown.

Basic Yeast Roll Dough

4-1/2 tsp instant yeast (I purchase this at Sam’s)

1/2 cup warm water (about the same warmth as a baby bottle…you know…test it on your wrist)

2 cups warm milk ( see above about the baby bottle)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 to 7  cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with a paddle, dissolve the instant yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the warm water. Let stand for a couple of minutes until it starts foaming. Add the warm milk, melted butter, eggs, remainder of the sugar, and salt and turn the mixer on low to mix.  Add half of the flour one cup at a time and mix until smooth.

Remove the paddle and replace it with a dough hook. Add 3 – 4 more cups of flour one cup at a time. Knead the dough with the mixer for about 5 minutes. The dough should look and feel smooth and be a little sticky to the touch. If dough is overly sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more of flour. Put the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

FOR DINNER ROLLS:

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into balls and placing on greased baking sheet.    Cover and let rise for until doubled in size. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350.

Once the rolls have doubled in size, place in 350 oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

FOR CLOVERLEAF ROLLS:

Use the basic yeast dough recipe.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into small balls. Place 3 small balls into each cup of a muffin tin. After all muffin cups are filled, set muffin pan in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in size. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

FOR PIZZA ROLLS:

Substitute olive oil for melted butter in the Basic Yeast Dough Recipe. Also add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Roll out 1/2 of the dough into a large rectangle. Spread a layer of pizza sauce over the dough. Sprinkle generously with Mozzarella cheese. Add what ever other pizza ingredients you may like.

Starting at the bottom of the dough, gently roll into a log. Slice into sections and place in greased muffin pan. Set aside in warm spot to rise, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Bake in preheated 350 oven about 20 minutes or until brown.

FOR MOZZARELLA STUFFED GARLIC BUBBLE BREAD:

Substitute olive oil for melted butter in the Basic Yeast Dough Recipe. Also add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into small balls around a small piece of Mozzarella cheese. Place 3 small balls into each cup of a muffin tin. After all muffin cups are filled, set muffin pan in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in size. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Shrimp and Crawfish Étouffée 

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon Tony’s Cajun Seasoning

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 12 ounce package frozen crawfish

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 cup cold water

Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery in olive oil and butter over medium heat until tender crisp.

Stir in red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seasoning, and Tony’s Cajun Seasoning.

Add chicken broth and tomato juice.

Add crawfish.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add shrimp, simmer until shrimp are pink. About 5 minutes.

Stir corn starch into 1/2 cold water. Add to etouffee in steady stream. Stir until thickened. About 5 minutes.

Serve over hot rice.  Garnish with chopped green onion.

SMOKED SAUSAGE with POTATOES, SAUERKRAUT and ALE

Smoked Sausage with Potatoes, Sauerkraut & Ale

1 (14 ounce) package Smoked Sausage, diagonally cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
12 fluid ounces your favorite ale
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove sausage and set aside.
Add oil and potatoes to skillet and cook until golden brown.
Add ale, sauerkraut and mustard to skillet, mixing with potatoes until blended. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.

Return the sausage to the skillet, continue cooking for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

CATFISH CAKES

CATFISH CAKES

1 pound U.S. farm-raised catfish fillets
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons seafood seasoning (Old Bay)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray

Place fish on prepared baking sheet and bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork; let cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce


i , mustard, seafood seasoning, parsley, and salt; mix well. Flake fish into breadcrumb mixture and mix gently until well combined. Form mixture into 5 large or 10 small equal-sized "cakes."

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add fish cakes in batches and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden and heated through.

PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS

PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS

 
4 lemons
1 pound linguine or spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
Pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon chile flakes, more to taste
⅔ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, more to taste
Black pepper, as needed
½ cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
⅓ cup parsley, coarsely chopped (optional)
Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely zest 2 of the lemons and set aside. Trim the tops and bottoms off the other 2 lemons and cut lengthwise into quarters; remove seeds. Thinly slice the quarters crosswise into triangles. Blanch the lemon pieces in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a dish towel. Blot dry.
In the boiling water, add pasta and cook until just barely al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add the dried lemon pieces and season with a pinch each of salt and sugar. Cook until the lemons are caramelized and browned at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Melt the butter with the remaining oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the chile flakes and zest of both lemons; cook until fragrant. Whisk in the reserved pasta water.
Toss in pasta, juice of 1 lemon, cheese, pepper and the remaining salt. Cook until pasta is well coated with sauce. Toss in the caramelized lemon and the celery leaves and parsley if using. Taste and add lemon juice if needed. Serve, topped with a drizzle of oil, more cheese if you like, and a sprinkle of sea salt.

MAW MAWS ROAST BEEF

Maw Maw’s Roast Beef

1 (3-4lb) chuck roast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder seasoning salt pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
10-12 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
2 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 cup grated smoked gouda
1 loaf French bread

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels and season with onion powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt and pepper; let sit while you chop the vegetables. Dust roast with flour; save whatever doesn’t stick. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown roast on all sides, then remove from Dutch oven. Sauté onion, bell pepper and celery until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add leftover flour to veggies. Add enough beef stock to deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven, scraping up all the chunky bits. Return roast (with juices) to Dutch oven. Add wine and enough beef stock to cover top of roast. Add Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.

Cover and bake in the oven for 90 minutes. Flip the roast and bake for another 60 minutes. If you want to make pot roast you add peeled and cut potatoes and carrots for the last 30 minutes. If you want to make po-boys, keep reading.

After the 60 minutes, flip the roast again, trying not to break it apart. Return to oven for 45 minutes. It’s done when it begins to break easily. Carefully remove roast from pot and put in a covered dish. Blend the gravy with a hand blender until all veggies and meat scraps disappear. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the gravy thickens.

Remove excess fat from roast as you break the meat up by hand. Mix meat and gravy; heat through. Serve on toasted French bread with a little mayonnaise and grated smoked gouda on top. Banging!

PAUL ARTIGUES' CRAWFISH CAKES

Paul Artigues’ Crawfish Cakes

3 yellow or red onions
3-4 bell peppers, any color
2 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
1/4-1/2 bottle of beer
2-3 pounds peeled crawfish tails
1 cup garlic aioli or mayonnaise
1/2 cup Zatarain’s Creole Mustard
1/4 capful liquid crab boil
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 ounces bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Sauté onion, peppers, celery and garlic in fat in a frying pan until soft and translucent, dousing it every few minutes with a splash of beer to prevent from sticking and burning. Cool.
In a food processor, mix half the crawfish tails with aioli, mustard, crab boil, salt and pepper until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together remaining crawfish tails with vegetables, mustard mix and breadcrumbs. Form 2-inch patties and fry in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes on each side.

CHICKEN and DUMPLINGS SIMPLIFIED

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cups Flour
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Milk, A Bit Less Than A Full Cup
2 quarts Chicken Broth
3 cups Cooked Chicken

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

STRAWBERRY SOUP

Strawberry Soup

1 (15 ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed with juice
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, (measure after sifting)
1 tablespoon grenadine syrup
1/4 cup half and half

Mix strawberries, juice and sour cream. Beat slowly until well mixed. Add vanilla, sugar and grenadine syrup while mixing until smooth consistency. Add half and half last, mixing only until well blended. Chill and serve, Shake well before serving. Serves 6

CHINA COAST SALAD DRESSING

China Coast Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well blended and sugar is dissolved.

Chill before serving.

SMOKED EGGS

SMOKED EGGS

1 dozen eggs
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoked

Hard boil the eggs.
Let cool or run under water to cool then peel.
Add eggs and soy sauce and liquid smoke together in shallow container. Cover and refrigerate.
Rotate eggs occasionally till all sides brown,  8-12 hours is good.

BIZ BAZ SAUCE

Biz Baz Sauce
We eat it with everything — burgers, corn on the cob, fried plantains, meats, salad, fish, and any vegetable.

1 large garlic clove, crushed
Juice of half a large lime
1/2 to 2 whole fresh Serrano chiles (depending on your taste)
1/2 to 2/3 tight-packed cup fresh coriander leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
More lime juice if needed

Place the garlic clove in a coffee cup and squeeze the lime juice over it. Let stand 20 minutes while you gather the other ingredients.

Place the garlic, lime juice, chile, coriander leaves, sugar, yogurt, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor and purée. Taste for balance. Refrigerate the Bizbaz an hour or so to mellow, and use cool.

CORN STOCK and CORN BROTH

The second version is called “corn broth,” but one might dub it “corn cream” because it’s almost as rich and hearty as the dairy variety. 

Corn Stock

4 corn cobs, kernels removed
water to cover

Put cobs in a stock pot and just enough water to cover them by half an inch. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer slowly until the corn flavor is extracted into the broth, about an hour.

Corn Broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups fresh corn kernels
½ cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups corn stock

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then add corn, onions, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until corn is tender. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender along with the cup corn stock. Blend until smooth. Then strain into a bowl or storage container. Use immediately or store in refrigerator up to three days.

CORN PASTA

CORN PASTA

1 pound angel hair or other thin pasta
2 cups cooked sweet corn kernels (fresh is best, but frozen will work in a pinch)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon zest
Parmesan cheese for serving
grilled shrimp or chicken, if desired 

In a medium saute pan, toast the corn over medium heat just until it starts to brown and is fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Add the corn kernels to this mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with hot pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

TUNA PASTA

TUNA PASTA

The tuna in oil is used in things where you want to actually use the oil to saute the fish with the pasta for extra flavor. Most people throw it away anyway because they just don't know.

3/4 pound linguine, (I use Great Value whole wheat)
3 Tablespoons olive oil (use the oil in which the tuna is packed.  It is very fine olive oil)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 6-ounce cans oil-packed tuna (Tonnino brand is best)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (Dried is fine here.  If you use dried use 1/4 cup)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water (IMPORTANT!); drain the pasta.Wipe out the pasta pot. Add the oil, garlic, and red pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.Add the pasta, tuna, lemon zest, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and the reserved pasta water and cook over low heat, tossing, until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes.Add the parsley and toss to combine.

OYSTER PASTA

OYSTER PASTA

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 cup sliced green onions 

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

4 cups standard oysters (about 3 [12-ounce] containers), drained 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

6 cups hot cooked angel hair (about 14 ounces uncooked pasta) 

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, parsley, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add oysters; reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes or until edges of oysters curl. Stir in lemon juice, salt, and peppers. Add pasta and cheese; tossing well to coat.