TUNA CAKES

3 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 jalapeno chile (ribs and seeds removed), finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup prepared salsa

In a large bowl stir together tuna, egg, cilantro, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and jalapeno. Mix gently until ingredients just hold together.


Using a packed 1/3-cup measure of tuna mixture per patty, shape into 8 cakes.


In a large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium. Working in batches if necessary, cook cakes until golden brown and crisp on the outside, about 2 minutes per side. Serve hot, accompanied by salsa, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

BRUSCHETTA MELTS

Bruschetta Melts
Serves: 12-24

3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ C chopped tomatoes
½ C red onion, finely chopped
12 slices french bread, about ¼ inch thick (if you are using a small loaf, you will want about 24 slices)
4 oz ⅓ of the fat cream cheese, softened
¼ C torn basil leaves
1½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Stir in tomatoes and onion until combined. Set aside.
Spread cream cheese over the tops of the french bread slices. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve.

Notes
Because the size of a loaf of french bread varies, you may find yourself using more or fewer pieces of french bread to use up the tomato mixture.

ANTIPASTO CHOPPED SALAD

Antipasto Chopped Salad

(I chop up a generous amount of all ingredients and store in the fridge so I can make the salad several times during the week.)

Ingredients:
chopped romaine lettuce, washed and spun dry in a salad spinner
black olives, drained and cut in half
turkey pepperoni, cut in halves or quarters
hearts of palm, cut into slices
marinated mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters
peperoncini, stem cut off, drained, seeds removed, and cut into slices

string cheese, cut into small rounds
capers, 2-3 tsp. per salad
your favorite garlicky Italian dressing (I buy a sugar-free garlicky dressing from one of my favorite restaurants for this.)

Instructions:
Chop several heads of romaine lettuce, then wash and spin dry in a salad spinner (or wash by hand and dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Cut up the olives, pepperoni, hearts of palm, mushrooms, peperoncini, and string cheese as described above. (For the peperoncini, I cut the stem off with kitchen shears and put them in a colander to drain before I remove the seeds and cut them into strips, otherwise it's a rather juicy job!)

To make each salad, put desired amount of lettuce into a bowl that's big enough to toss ingredients. Add salad dressing and toss until the lettuce is well-coated with dressing. Add other ingredients as desired and toss again. (Please don't skip the capers, which I think are one of the best things about this salad.) Season salad with a generous amount of freshly-ground black pepper and serve on individual serving plates.

Other Antipasto Ingredients You Could Use:
~roasted red peppers from a jar
~marinated asparagus
~green olives
~artichoke hearts
~roasted garlic
~chopped pickles
~thinly sliced smoked ham or turkey
~boiled eggs

HOW TO RIPEN AN AVOCADO-QUICKLY

What you need: A baking sheet, tinfoil and that hard-as-a-rock avocado


What you do: Wrap the whole fruit in tinfoil and set it on the baking sheet. Pop it in the oven at 200°F for ten minutes, or until the avocado is soft (depending on how hard it is, it could take up to an hour to soften). Remove it from the oven, then put your soft, ripe avocado into the fridge until it cools.


Why this works: Avocados produce ethylene gas, which is typically released slowly, causing the fruit to ripen. But as the avocado bakes in tinfoil, the gas surrounds it, putting the ripening process into hyperdrive. Guac and avocadotoast for all!

How long to cook stuffed pork chops

The baking time for stuffed pork chops can vary depending on the preparation technique. If you are baking the pork chops directly without pan searing the outsides, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. If you’re using frozen stuffed pork chops, defrost them before baking. Place a cooking rack into a roasting pan and lay the stuffed pork chops onto the rack. Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into the bottom of the roasting pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the rack. The water bath will help the pork retain moisture. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Take off the foil and bake for another 45 minutes. The pork should be golden brown and tender to the touch; if not, bake an additional 10 minutes.

If you want to add a crispy coating to your stuffed pork chops by partially pan frying them first, the baking time will be drastically cut. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. The higher heat will keep the outsides crispy, while cooking the insides through. While the oven is heating, add 2 tbsp. vegetable oil into a pan and turn the stove to medium high. Place the pork chops into the oil with the stuffed side down first. The stuffing pocket will become sealed when it’s heated, so the stuffing won’t fall out when you flip the chops. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn the pork chops over and cook for another 3 minutes. Place the pork chops onto a baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, pork must be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees to be safe for consumption. Cooking times can vary on ovens, so measure the internal temperature of the stuffed pork chops 5 to 10 minutes before the end of the recommended baking time. This can also prevent overcooking the chops or cutting into the center to check the doneness. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork chop, usually in the center. Avoid areas with fat, gristle or bone. If the thermometer reads less than 160 degrees, put the pork back into the oven for the remainder of the recommended time. Measure the temperature again after baking to ensure it is cooked through before serving.

VEGETARIAN PULLED SWEET POTATO SANDWICHES

Print

BBQ Pulled Sweet Potato Sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: about 4 servings; depends on accompaniments

Luscious BBQ pulled sweet potato sandwiches, served with all the fixin's for a vegetarian and vegan barbecue treat.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large or 2 small sweet potatoes (enough to make about 2.5 cups shredded)
• 1 tsp. oil
• salt & pepper, to taste
• scant 1/2 c. BBQ sauce of choice (I used homemade; I also love Stubb's BBQ sauce)
• toasted whole wheat buns, or other sandwich rolls
• other toppings of choice

Instructions

1. Shred the sweet potato (feel free to leave on the peel) using a cheese grater. I shredded mine straight into a measuring pitcher and it came out to 2.5 cups. If you have much more or less, just adjust the amount of BBQ sauce a little bit.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet. When hot, add the shredded sweet potato and quickly stir to distribute the oil. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and flipping the sweet potato several times.
4. Once the sweet potato is starting to dry out and is browned in several places, add the BBQ sauce and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sweet potato is cooked to your preference. I like mine just a little bit al dente.
5. Serve a big scoop of the BBQ pulled sweet potato on a toasted bun with toppings of choice. We had ours with a generous spread of cultured cashew cream cheese sprinkled with black pepper, and simple coleslaw.

Notes

For variations, try other root vegetables, tap roots or tubers instead of sweet potato! Adjust seasoning to taste.

GREEK SALAD SANDWICH

GREEK SALAD SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS
* 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
* 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
                Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 3 ounces crumbled feta
* 8 slices rustic bread or olive bread
* 1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
* 1 tomato, thinly sliced

1. In a food processor, pulse chickpeas, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and parsley until finely chopped. In a small bowl, stir together onion, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, mash feta with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread chickpea mixture on 4 slices bread. Top with cucumber, tomato, and onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Spread feta mixture on 4 more bread slices and place on top of sandwiches. 


VEGETARIAN MUFFULETTA

Vegetarian Muffaletta Sandwich
Yield: 4-8 servings

For Sauteed Mushrooms:
2 large portabella mushrooms
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper 

For Olive Salad:
1 cup giardiniera
1 cup green olives
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1 tbsp. capers
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

For Muffaletta:
1 (1-lb.) round loaf of bread
8 oz. sliced provolone cheese
1 cup roasted red peppers (or use a mix of colors)
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts

Prepare mushrooms:
Wipe portabella mushrooms with a dry paper towel to remove dirt.
Remove stems from mushrooms and slice 1/2-inch thick.
Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add mushroom to oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on both sides.
Season mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Prepare olive salad:
Coarsely chop giardiniera and place in a medium bowl.
Smash green olives with the side of a chef's knife, then roughly chop. Add to giardiniera.
Pit kalamata olives, then smash with the side of your knife and roughly chop. Add to giardiniera.
Add capers, garlic, spices, olive oil, and red wine vinegar to giardiniera.
Mix olive salad well. Set aside.

Assemble muffalettas:
Cut bread in half. If your loaf is very thick, remove some of bread from inside the loaf, leaving about a 1-inch shell.
Cover bottom of bread with half of the olive salad. Make sure to add some of the olive and vinegar dressing.
Top olive salad with half of the provolone cheese.
Cover cheese with roasted peppers, then top peppers with the artichoke hearts.
Add the rest of the provolone cheese.
Top cheese with the portabella mushrooms.
Cover portabellas with remaining olive salad and brush bread top with any leftover dressing.
Top sandwich with bread top. Gently press down on sandwich.
Cut muffaletta into wedges and serve immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Notes


When selecting bread, choose a sturdy, round loaf that's topped with sesame seeds, if possible. A wider, flatter loaf (about 8-inches or so) is better than a narrower, tall loaf, if you have an option. Can't find a large, round loaf? Try substituting a regular Italian loaf, ciabatta, or even focaccia. Just make sure that the bread you use will stand up to the hearty filling!

MUSHROOM DEBRIS PO' BOY

The Chubby Vegetarian Debris Po Boy at The Second Line

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
2 medium ribs celery (thinly sliced)
2 medium carrots (thinly sliced)
6 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried, crumbled porcini mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 cups vegetable stock
4 to 5 large portobello mushrooms or 3 8-ounce packages of crimini (*thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire
Hot sauce to taste
3 12-inch crispy French rolls (split)
Pickles, sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise (vegan or regular), Creole mustard, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce (to garnish)


In a stock pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until nice and brown. This takes about 20 minutes with some occasional stirring, but it's worth it. The flavor gained from all those brown bits is amazing!

Add the garlic, thyme, porcini, bay leaves, and red wine to the pot. Scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and cook until it looks dry, about 1o minutes. Add the stock, sliced portobellos, vinegar, tomato paste, and Worcestershire. Once the liquid starts to simmer, reduce to low heat, and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes. The liquid should have reduced significantly at the end of the cooking time.  Serve heaped onto several French rolls garnished with pickles, sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise, Creole mustard, and cabbage. (Serves 6.)

*I slice the raw mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick on my meat slicer. I lay the mushrooms flat and slice disks. This way there are lots of large slices and tons of great bits and pieces.

EGGPLANT PO' BOY

Oven-Fried Eggplant PoBoy Sandwiches



Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 35 mins
Total time 55 mins
Serves: 5

1 large eggplant (approximately 1 1/4 pound)
3/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt (if desired)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (more or less, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Peel the eggplant and trim off the ends. Slice it into rounds about 1/2-inch thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. You should have a batter a little thicker than pancake batter. If it seems dry, add a splash of non-dairy milk.
Dip each eggplant slice into the batter and turn it to coat both sides and edges well. Holding the slice between two fingers, allow any excess batter to drip back into the bowl, and place the eggplant on the baking sheet. Repeat with as many slices as you can fit on the baking sheet, being careful that they do not touch. (If your baking sheet is small, you may need to make two batches; batter can thicken between batches, so add more liquid if necessary.)
Place in the oven. After 20 minutes, remove and gently turn each slice–you may have to hold the parchment paper and peel it from the eggplant. Replace and cook until outsides are brown but not burning, about 15 more minutes.
Serve hot on hoagie rolls or French bread with marinara sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

BLACK BEAN STUFFED POBLANOS

Chorizo & Black Bean Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Gluten-Free)

Author: Willow at Will Cook For Friends

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  35 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Serves: 8 small servings or 4 large servings

These peppers are packed with flavor, and incredibly easy to make. Serve them just as they are, or with a side of brown rice, quinoa, or other grain for a heartier meal. Naturally gluten-free.

Ingredients

For the peppers:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• ½ small onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ lb. ground chorizo
• ½ cup cooked black beans (homemade, or canned and drained/rinsed)
• ½ cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup grated chihuahua cheese, divided (or monterrey jack, or mild cheddar)
• 4 poblano peppers

Optional, for serving:

• fresh salsa or your favorite hot sauce
• cumbled queso fresco
• chopped cilantro
• sour cream or mexican crema
• lime widges
• rice, quinoa, or other grain on the side

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until they start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the chorizo is fully cooked, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the beans, corn, and cilantro. Stir to combine, then mix in ½ cup of the grated chihuahua cheese.
4. Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and veins. Stuff each half with the chorizo mixture, packing it in as tightly as you can, and place the peppers into a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
5. Divide the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the peppers, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the cheese is bubbly and browned.
6. Remove from the oven and serve with the toppings of your choice -- I like mine with crumbled queso fresco, a bit of cholula hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve them as they are, or with a side of brown rice, quinoa, or other grain.

Notes

Depending on the size of your poblanos, this recipe should make just about the right amount of filling... but if you happen to have a little extra, don't let it go to waste. Once you've cooked up the filling, you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and use it for all kinds of things -- fill quesadillas with it, stuff it inside a baked potato, spoon it over rice, top it with fried eggs, or make the most amazing plate of nachos. In fact, now that I think about it, you might want to just go ahead and double or triple the amount of filling here, because there are just so many uses for it!

KUMQUAT LIQUADO

KUMQUAT LIQUADO

12 kumquats, washed and unpeeled
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. Sugar
2 handsful of ice

Put all ingredients into a blender.  Strain if desired.  Blend for 10 seconds on high speed.  Drink wile still foamy. May be made with milk.

SHRIMP DIP

Louisiana Shrimp Dip

Shrimp dip, like spinach & artichoke dip and hot crab dip, are staples at almost every New Orleans get together. This is a really simple version that doesn't take long to make and can feed a crowd.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes 
• Total Time: 20 minutes 
• Yield: 3 cups 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 pound neufchatel cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons green onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

• Season the shrimp with the Creole seasoning.
  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook until the shrimp are cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
• In the bowl of a food processor combine the neufchatel cheese, buttermilk, green onions, lemon juice, hot sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne and lemon zest. Quickly pulse the ingredients for 30 seconds.
  Allow the shrimp to cool slightly and then add them to the bowl of the food processor. Process for 30 seconds or until just combined. The dip should be fairly chunky.
• Serve with chips and party crackers.

Carrot Salad

Gorgeous ribbons of fresh carrots are marinated here in a gaaahlicky, gingery, lemony, honey vinaigrette. Light and refreshing.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes 
• Total Time: 20 minutes 
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, ends trimmed off, peeled
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or mint leaves, or a combination

Directions

• Holding a carrot over a medium bowl, create ribbons by running a vegetable peeler along the length. You will have wider ribbons if you keep the carrot steady and peel two opposing sides until you are left with a core. (Discard the cores or save them in your freezer for stock, chop them and add them to a soup, or add them to your compost pile.)
• Fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water, and set it aside.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, add the carrot ribbons, and cook for 10 seconds. Drain, and immediately plunge the carrots into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Once they are com- pletely cooled, remove the carrot ribbons from the ice bath, lay them on a kitchen towel, and gently roll them up in the towel so that they are thoroughly dried.

• Make the vinaigrette:

  Combine the canola oil, cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic in a small sauté pan, set it over low heat, and heat until the garlic sizzles, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a mortar, and grind it with a pestle. Transfer this mixture to a small bowl, and add the shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to combine. Add the 1/4 teaspoon salt and the crushed red pepper. Stir in the parsley.
• Combine the carrot ribbons with the vinaigrette, and set the salad aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes before serving. Taste, and season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt if desired.

Shortcut red beans and rice

Ingredients

3 (16-ounce canned) red kidney beans
¾ pound smoked ham hocks
1¼ cups water
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup lard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 cups long-grain white rice, cooked and drained


Cooking Method

Pour 2 cans of beans (juice and all) into a large saucepan.


Add the smoked ham hock and water.


Then turn the heat on medium low and stir well to mix all the ingredients.


Simmer for about an hour until the meat starts to loosen from the bone.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool until the hock is cool enough to be handled.


Then carefully remove the meat from the bone.


Discard the bone.
Place the meat, beans and liquid in a food processor or blender.


Add onion powder, garlic salt, red pepper, salt, and lard.


Blend on high for a few seconds.


In a food processor, process for only 4 seconds.


The beans should be chopped and the liquid should be thick.

Drain the third can of beans.


Then add the drained beans (discard the liquid) to the mixture.


Process or blend just for a second or two.


You want these beans to remain almost whole.

Then transfer the beans mixture back into the pan and cook slowly over low heat.


Stir often to prevent sticking.


Cook until the beans are firm, and most of the water has been evaporated.

While the beans cook...


Prepare the rice by cooking it according to the directions on the box. Basic directions for rice include boiling water and adding the rice to the water once it begins to boil.


Cook he rice until it is tender, then drain well.

Once the beans and rice are done cooking, remove them both from the heat.



Serve the bean mixture over the cooked rice on individual serving plate, or alongside a main course dish.

CRAWFISH PIE

CRAWFISH PIE
Firm and sweet, crawfish meat goes well just about anywhere you'd use lobster; here, it's combined with peppers, celery, tomatoes, and cayenne pepper and baked in a flaky pastry dough for a spicy twist on pot pie. This recipe first appeared in the tablet edition of our April 2014 issue with Felicia Campbell's story Born on the Bayou.
SERVES 6-8

FOR THE CRUST:
3 cups flour
14 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 cup ice cold water

FOR THE FILLING:

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium green bell pepper, minced
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1⁄2 tsp. cayenne
1 (16-oz.) can whole peeled canned tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 lb. cooked, peeled crawfish tails
2 tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in ½ cup water
1 tbsp. minced parsley
2 scallions, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Instructions
Make the crust: Pulse flour, butter, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add water; pulse until dough forms. Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
Make the filling: Melt butter in a 12” skillet over medium heat; cook pepper, onion, and celery until golden, 10–12 minutes. Add cayenne and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes. Add crawfish and cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, scallions, salt, and pepper; set aside.
Assemble and bake the pie: Heat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough into a 12” round. Fit into a 9” pie plate. Trim edges, leaving 1” dough overhanging edge of plate; fill with crawfish mixture. Roll remaining disk of dough into a 12” round and place over top of pie. Pinch top and bottom edges together and fold under; crimp edges. Brush with egg mixture; cut three 1”-long slits in top of pie. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly before serving.

SHRIMP PO BOY BURGERS

Shrimp Po Boy Burgers #FarmToJar

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teas chipotle hot sauce
2 teas Cajun seasoning, plus 2 tbs
2 teas chiptle mustard
2 teas Worcestershire sauce, plus 2 tbs
1 clove garlic
2 tbs Farmer's Garden pickles, minced
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 lbs shrimp, peeled and deviened
Toasted buns, shredded lettuce, and sliced tomato for serving


Preparation

Whisk the mayo, hot sauce, 2 teas Cajun seaoning, chipotle mustard, 2 teas Worcestershire sauce, garlic clove, and minced Farmer's Garden pickles in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.

When ready to grill, preheat grill to medium high an grease grill grate.

Mix the ground beef with 1 tbs Cajun seasoning and remaining 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce. Form into 6 patties with an indent in the center from your thumb to avoid poofy patties on the grill.

Skewer the shrimp onto grilling skewers and seasoning with remaining 1 tbs Cajun seasoning.

Grill the patties 5 to 8 minutes, flipping once half way through, until cooked to desired temp. Remove from grill and cover with foil to keep warm.

Grill the shrimp 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once halfway through until cooked through. Remove shrimp from skewers carefully.

Serve the burgers on toasted buns topped with tomato, lettuce, shrimp and a heaping dollop of remoulade sauce

THAI CHICKEN RAMEN

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Thai Chicken Ramen



Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced then diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup matchstick carrots
4 green onions, divided, sliced
1 Tbsp Thai green curry paste
4 cups water
1 14 oz. can light coconut milk
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 (3.53 oz) pkgs. Nissin RAOH Umami Tonkotsu Flavor
10 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded (from 1 lb raw, once cooked it reduces to 10 oz)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided
Unsalted peanuts and sesame seeds for topping (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, carrots and 3 of the green onions. Saute 1 minute then add Thai green curry paste and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in water and coconut milk and fish sauce and bring mixture to a boil. Add in ramen, cover pot and boil 4 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Meanwhile add seasoning packets from ramen to a bowl. Ladle out 1 cup of the water mixture from soup and stir into seasonings in bowl then return to pot. Stir in shredded chicken lime juice and 1/4 cup of the cilantro.Divide among 4 bowls then top with more cilantro, remaining green onion, peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

RAMEN NOODLE SALAD

Serves 2 | Prep Time: 10 Mins | Cook Time: 2 Mins | Total Time: 12 Mins

Ingredients:

1 pack instant ramen, discard the seasoning packet
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
2-inch carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick strips
Chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon white and black sesame seeds

Dressing:

1 1/2 tablespoons Japanese ponzu
1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white and black sesame seeds

Method:

Bring water to boil and cook the ramen for about 2 minutes or until al dente. Drained and set aside, let cool. Mix all the ingredients of the Dressing in a small bowl, set aside.

Transfer the ramen to a salad bowl and toss with the shredded cabbages, carrot and the Dressing with a salad tong. Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Serve cold.

Read more at http://rasamalaysia.com/ramen-noodle-salad/2/#KMvP4LVcGhHX2j5s.99

3 MEAT CORNMEAL DRESSING

This 3-Meat Cajun Cornbread Dressing is more than just a dressing. It can become an entire meal in itself.


Ingredients



1 lb. pork steak, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, lean
1 lb. chicken livers, boiled and pureed
6 - 8 med. onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup green onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped

1 pkg Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix
20 oz. chicken broth
3/4 lb. butter
4 boxes Jiffy cornbread (cooked)
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
Tony Chachere's Original Creole seasoning (to taste)


Bake cornbread and set aside. You will need at least 8 cups. The more cornbreadyou add to this recipe, the less soupy it will become. If the mixture is too soupy, either add more cornbread or increase the oven baking time until you have obtained the desired texture.

Boil the chicken livers using just enough water to cover them. You can add a teaspoon of Tony's seasoning to give it a good taste. Mash the livers, (puree is better), and set aside for later use. Using some of the butter, brown the other two meats. Add the rest of the butter in a stock pot and saute' all of the vegetables except the garlic and green onions. (Garlic and green onions should be added to prepared foods toward the end of the cooking process.)

When the vegetables have cooked down a bit add all the meats, include the water from the boiled livers and the chicken broth; mix well. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a small amount of water at the time, if needed, to maintain a thick soupy consistency. Thirty minutes before the meat/vegetable mixture is cooked, add the minced garlic, green onions, Lipton Onion Soup mix and Worcestershire sauce.

When that is done, add the cornbread to the meat/vegetables and mix well. Place all the mixed ingredients in a large baking pan (12" x 14"). Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes, or until the desired texture is reached. 16 servings. This can be a stand-alone food or a side-dish which greatly compliments any holiday main entries, i.e., baked or deep fried turkey, as safe turkey stuffing, pork roasts, beef roasts, baked ham, outdoor barbecues, etc.

EMERILS COUNTRY GUMBO

Emeril's Country Gumbo
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 medium onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
4 quarts shrimp, crab or chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne
Dash of hot sauce
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 or 3 gumbo crabs, cracked
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 links andouille sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch thick rounds, browned and drained on paper towels
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded in pieces
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
File powder, for serving, optional (available in specialty food stores)
Directions



Make a dark roux: Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat. When oil begins to smoke, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk constantly until mixture is a rich brown color. Be careful not to produce specs of black. Roux must remain an even color throughout process. If specks appear you must start over. When roux is mahogany colored, add onions, celery and bell pepper.


Stir mixture until the vegetables are softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the stock along with the Worcestershire, hot sauce, and cayenne. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the gumbo crabs, bay leaves and thyme and simmer until the flavors begin to come together, about 45 minutes.


Add the sausage and continue to cook until the gumbo reaches the desired thickness and is rich and flavorful, about 1 hour longer.


Stir in the shrimp, chicken, green onions, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Cook until the shrimp are cooked through and the onions and parsley have softened, 15 to 20 minutes longer.


Serve over hot white rice and allow guests to add filé powder to their bowls if desired.

SLAP YA MAMA PASTALAYA

Slap Ya Mama Pastalaya is a unique take on the traditional Cajun Jambalaya. With smoked sausage, spicy chicken, fresh shrimp and pasta instead of rice, this dish will most definitely become a household favorite.

12oz chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
½ large sweet onion, julienned
bell pepper, julienned>
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, julienned
½ pound smoked sausage, sliced
14 ½ oz can diced tomatoes
8oz can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning
12oz large fresh shrimp (26-35 ct), peeled & deveined
¼ cup parsley, chopped
8oz penne pasta, cooked to package directions
Directions:


Season cubed chicken breast pieces with 1 ½ tsp of Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and chicken. Cook chicken until all sides are browned. Add onions to skillet, cook until they start to soften then add bell peppers, garlic, jalapeno and sausage. Sautee for 5 minutes then add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, oregano, basil, thyme and the remainder of Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Seasoning (1 ½ tsp). Bring to a light boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes. With 4 minutes left to cook, stir in shrimp and parsley. Serve over a bed of penne pasta and enjoy.

Makes 6 Servings

FOUR PEPPER JELLY SAUCE

Four Pepper Jelly Sauce


Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
2 hours
Total time
2 hours 5 minutes

This sweet and spicy jelly can be used as a topping for all things sweet and savory!
Author: Jennifer Stewart - Take Two Tapas
Serves: 1.5 cups
Ingredients
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups granulate sugar
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded, ribs removed, and chopped
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse grind
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce to low and simmer for 2 hours or until reduced by ⅓.
I like mine a little on the runny side so I can pour over chicken wings or goat cheese.
You can always reduce it even more according to your needs.

CHINESE BARBEQUE PORK

Chinese Barbecue Pork | Char Siu


Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
35 mins

Your favourite Chinese barbecue pork made at home! It is so easy to make and aside from the deep charcoal flavour you get from slow cooking pork over charcoals, it tastes just like what you get from the Chinese barbecue shops! I've made notes where you can make substitutions so you can make this using what you prefer or have on hand. Because there are so many subtle flavour combinations you can do, you can interchange and adjust but still achieve a very similar flavour, so I've provided some notes on what you can swap around. This marinade is also fantastic for baked chicken. Follow the recipe directions, just bake it for longer as chicken takes longer to cook.
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Recipe type: Roast
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Marinade
¾ tbsp sugar, brown or white (Note 1)
1½ tbsp honey
1½ tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce (not critical)
1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 1)
½ tbs soy sauce (normal all purpose soy sauce) (Note 1)
½ tsp five spice powder (Note 2)
½ tsp sesame oil (not critical)
1 tbsp oil (Note 3)
Few drops red food colouring, optional (Note 4)
Pork
1 lb / 500g pork tenderloin (Note 5)
Instructions
Place the Marinade ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to simmer for just 30 seconds, then set aside to cool.
Place the pork and Marinade in a ziplock bag. Remove as much air as possible, then massage it so the marinade is all over the Pork. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight (up to 48 hours).
To Roast
Take the pork out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking tray with foil or baking/parchment paper and place a rack on top (rack is recommended but not critical).
Remove pork from the marinade but save the Marinade for basting.
Place the pork on the rack and tuck the thin end of the the tenderloin underneath so the whole piece is roughly the same thickness.
Roast for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 - 160F/ 65 - 70C. Around halfway through roasting, baste generously with the reserved Marinade. Sort of dab it on so you get as much Marinade on the pork as possible - this is key for getting the thick, glossy glaze.
When the pork is cooked, switch the oven to the broiler/grill. Baste the pork very generously with the remaining Marinade (again, dab rather than brush it on), then broil/grill the pork until it is nicely charred and caramelised - around 2 to 3 minutes. Baste at least twice during broiling/grilling - preferably more. It's the key to the thick glaze.
If you want extra glaze, add a dollop of honey into the remaining marinade and dab that onto the pork. Chinese BBQ shops do this. Do this towards the end of the cooking time while broiling, otherwise it will burn.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve with rice and steamed Chinese greens. It is also great to serve on noodle soups, or chopped up inside Chinese pancakes or steamed buns.
Notes
1. You can substitute all the sugar + light + ordinary soy sauce for 1½ tbsp of kecap manis (Indonesian soy sauce) or Chinese sweet soy sauce.

If you don't have light soy sauce, you can just substitute with ordinary soy sauce.

2. You can get Chinese five spice powder (a mix of spices) in the herb and spice section of supermarkets and it isn't any more expensive than other spices. You can substitute the Chinese five spice powder with 2 tsp extra hoisin sauce BUT you should reduce the sugar to ¼ tsp, otherwise it will be too sweet.

3. The oil is only required if you are using pork tenderloin or another in cut of pork. Because the meat itself does not have enough fat to create that thick sticky glaze.

4. The red food colouring is to make the pork red, like you get at the Chinese barbecue shop. This is purely optional.

OOEY GOOEY BUTTER BARS

Ooey Gooey Butter Bars

From Paula Deen. Makes ~24 bars.

There are some “real” recipes floating around out there, but honestly, the whole point of this is that it’s a midwestern “church dinner” recipe, as my step-mom would put it: it takes 20 minutes to pull together, involves some sort of fake, is delicious, and that’s all that matters. 

Crust
1, 18.25 oz package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 T butter, melted

Filling
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
8 T butter, melted
1, 16 oz box powdered sugar

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 T butter and mix well
• Pat the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan
• In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth
• Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together
• Add the powdered sugar a mix very well
• Spread the filling over the crust and bake for ~40 to 50 minutes Do not over bake; the center should be a bit gooey…They’re ooey gooey butter bars after all!

ITALIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Italian Cucumber Salad

3 cucumbers, spiralized into noodles
1 chopped tomato
¼ fined diced onion
¼ cup of green olives
¼ cup chopped nitrate free pepperoni
⅛ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. oregano
¼ tsp black pepper
Italian dressing (you want enough to coat and marinade the salad)

Add ingredients and toss in a bowl
Let stand in the refrigerator for an hour before serving

THAI TOMATO SALAD

Serves: 4 servings


3 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges
2 Thai (bird's eye) chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
⅛ cup fish sauce
⅛ cup water

Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Let rest at room temperature until ready to serve. Use a slotted spoon for serving.

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

3 1/2-4 pound chicken legs and thighs
1 cup artichoke hearts (halved)
1 medium onion (cut into chunks - to match the artichokes)
1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper (to taste)



step-by-step directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan. Distribute artichoke hearts, onion and mushrooms over the top. In a small mixing bowl, combine mustard, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, wine, dried spices, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour.
Similar categories:IngredientsChicken & PoultryChicken BreastCourses & MealsDinnerChicken

SHRIMP CREOLE

Mother's Shrimp Creole

Makes 12 entree-size servings

2 cups butter, clarified, divided
4 pounds shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and deveined (Gulf shrimp preferred)
4 cups onions, yellow, medium diced
4 cups bell pepper, medium diced
2 cups celery, medium diced
1/4 cup garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, white
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, dried
4 whole basil leaves, fresh
2 bay leaves
1/8 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup white wine, dry
2 cups plum tomatoes, canned whole, drained and intact (whole)
2 teaspoon sugar, granulated white
6 cups plum tomatoes, canned whole, drained and rough chopped
1 cup green onions, diced fine
4 to 6 cups cooked rice

In large skillet, add 1/2 cup butter. Sauté shrimp in four even batches on high heat just until lightly cooked and the color changes. Set aside. (Recommend cooking in 1-pound batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Add more clarified butter as needed.)

Run 1 pound of the shrimp through a food processor or meat grinder until coarsely puréed. It should have a lumpy texture.

In a 10-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté onions, bell pepper and celery in rest of butter on medium-high heat until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add ground shrimp and quickly sauté for 1 minute, until shrimp are evenly mixed with vegetables.

Add garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, basil and bay leaves. Continue to sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add hot sauce and continue to cook until mixture starts to simmer, about 2 more minutes. Deglaze with white wine, scraping the bottom to loosen any dry and browned bits. Simmer until the alcohol evaporates, approximately 5 minutes.

Stir in the whole tomatoes (only) and sugar. Bring to a quick boil then reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Lightly break tomatoes into large chunks. Add rough chopped tomatoes and bring back up to heat. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add remaining whole shrimp and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Do not overcook shrimp. Season to taste.

Remove from heat and serve in bowl over rice. Garnish with chopped green onions.