One pot cooking is a great way for beginners to learn how to cook. While it makes for an easy cook and cleanup, you won’t be lacking in the flavor department. My favorite go-to one pot meal is a South Louisiana classic, Jambalaya. What makes jambalaya such a great meal is the various variations for the dish. You can use any protein that you like to make a jambalaya. With that in mind, today, I want to share with you two different recipes. The first contains three different me

Pork roast have always been a staple of the Centola family holiday table. Here's a different take on the traditional rotisserie prepared that we serve. 1 (6-8 pound) pork shoulder roast 6 large garlic cloves Creole seasoning 1/3 cup canola oil 2 large yellow onions, sliced thick 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice 6 cups chicken stock 2 bay leaves Cut 24 (1-inch deep) slits evenly around pork roast using a sharp thin knife. Quarter each peeled garlic

Easter is this Sunday. If you're not having a crawfish boil, I thought I would share a couplle for large roast recipes that are perfect for the center on your plate. 1/3 cup kosher salt 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper 1 (10-12 pound) beef rib roast Blend salt, parsley, thyme, and black pepper. Rub mixture evenly over entire rib roast; cover and chill form up to 72 hours. Before roasting

There are four seasons in South Louisiana. I’m not talking about Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. I’m talking about Crawfish, Crab, Shrimp and Oyster seasons. Now that crawfish season has come and gone, it’s time for crab season. Unfortunately, whole crabs are hard to come by here in Arkansas. You can still satisfy your cravings with crabmeat. With that in mind, I have assembled a couple of recipes today that showcases the sweet meat of the Blue Crab. The first one can be us

Here's the filling and assembly instructions for Monday's recipe Lemon Curd 1 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch Pinch of salt 6 egg yolks, beaten 2/3 cup water 4 teaspoons lemon zest 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Place over medium-high heat; stir in egg yolks, water, lemon zest, and lemon juice; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Transfer to a heatproof dish and cover with plastic wrap, pressing

Time to bring out your pastry skills. This week is a two for one group of recipes. Cream Puffs 1 cup water 1 stick butter 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 large eggs Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease a baking sheet. Crack eggs into individual prep bowls and place near cooktop. Place water, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a cohesive ball. Re

At one time, lobster was served to inmates at New England prisons. They were plentiful and not very expensive. These days, lobster is considered a delicacy. Surprisingly, I have started to find lobster in the local grocery store.  Not only frozen whole lobsters, but refrigerated lobster tails. With their availability, I decided to reach into my bag of recipes for ways to prepare lobster. The first is a fancy entree, Lobster Gnocchi with Butter Sauce. The second is the New Orl

When Emeril moved to New Orleans, he quickly started using all the local ingredients. Here's a simple but elegant pasta. 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Emeril’s Essence (or Creole seasoning) 1 pound crawfish tails 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Crystal hot sauce 2 cups heavy cream Salt and pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1 pound fresh fettuccini, cooked a

Let's visit an old friend this week. Here's a couple of recipes from Mr BAM himself, Emeril Lagasse. 3/4 pound bacon, julienned 2 cups chopped yellow onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup diced carrot 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 bay leaves 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 10 cups chicken stock 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered 4 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed from the husk 1 teaspoon Crab Boil 2 cups half and half 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 1/4

I stumbled across some raspberries at the Farmer’s market the other day. Naturally, I started thinking of different ways to serve them. Dessert was the first thing to pop into my mind. There are many ways that you can use them to end your meal. I also wanted to find a way to use them in a savory dish. With that in mind, I present to you two different dishes using raspberries. The first is a dessert, Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons. The second one is for your main course, Jalape

When you hear bread pudding, you think of a sweet dessert. Time to chage that with this savory recipe. 3 large eggs 11/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning 4 cups half & half 1 loaf soft French bread 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 pound tasso, coarsely chopped 1 pound crawfish tails with fat, coarsely chopped 3 green onions, sliced Preheat oven to 325℉. In a large bowl add eggs and cr

Now that crawfish season is in full swing, this week a couple of recipes for leftover crawfish, if there is such a thing. 1 dozen large eggs 1/4 cup half & half 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound crawfish tails with fat 3 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 stick butter, divided 3/4 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese Beat eggs together with half & half,

Bell peppers are part of the Holy Trinity of Creole/Cajun cooking. Since carrots were not readily available when the settlers moved to Louisiana, they used bell peppers in its place in the traditional French mirepoix. There are so many other ways to use bell peppers. With that in mind, today I have three recipes using bell peppers. The first uses one of my favorite ingredients for stuffing, Boudin-Stuffed Bell Peppers. The second is a Grilled Andouille with Grilled Pepper Rel

This week, i want to feature a complete entree. Let's start with the protien. 4 pork loin chops, boneless, 4 to 6 ounces each Canola oil Creole seasoning Black pepper 2 eggs 1 tablespoon milk 1 cup saltine cracker crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs Place a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add cooking oil to depth about 1/2-inch. Pound chops to an even thickness, about 1/2-inch thick, or slightly thin; season them liberally with Creole seasoning and black pepper. Whi

Bell peppers are part of the Holy Trinity of Creole/Cajun cooking. Since carrots were not readily available when the settlers moved to Louisiana, they used bell peppers in its place in the traditional French mirepoix. There are so many other ways to use bell peppers. With that in mind, today I have three recipes using bell peppers. The first uses one of my favorite ingredients for stuffing, Boudin-Stuffed Bell Peppers. The second is a Grilled Andouille with Grilled Pepper Rel

Most people don't make soups because of the time required to make them. Here's a quikcly prepared soup to warm your soul. 4 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 17-ounce can corn, creamed or kernel 1 pound coarsely chopped andouille 4 tablespoons tomato sauce 5 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock Haet oil in a soup pot. Add flour and cook to a light golden brown, stirring constantly. Add onion, bel

Artichokes can be stuffed with multiple things. Here's a recipe using andouille. 4 large artichokes 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons lemon juice Water 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced parsley 1/2 pound andouille, skin removed and finely chopped 4 1/2 cups breadcrumbs 1 tomato, peeled and chopped 1 cup Parmesan cheese Creole seasoning 1 lemon, sliced Trim pointed leaves of artichoke and remove a

As you know, I always enjoy my Saturday walks through the Farmer’s market. Not only are these great fresh product and fruits, it always gives me ideas for my articles. Take today’s for example. One of the farmers were selling new potatoes. I started thinking of all the different things I could do with them. With that in mind, today I am sharing three potato recipes. The first is a perfect summer dish, Buttermilk Mustard Potato Salad. The second one is a little more fancier, C

Who doesn't love the flavor of crab? This crab butter is great on any seefood. It also goes well with pasta. 2 1/2 pounds gumbo crabs (or crab shells) 1 small onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 spring rosemary 1 sprig oregano 1 bay leaf 2 sticks butter, softened 3/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning 2 tablespoon fresh minced chives Combine gumbo crabs, onion, celery, rosemary, oregano, and bay leaf in a stockpot. Cover with 2 quarts water. Place over medium-high heat and bring t

This week, let's make some compound butters. These are great to add a little extra flavor to a dish. 2 tablespoons olive oil 6-10 cloves garlic, minced 2 sticks butter, softened 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes (do not brown). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Combine garlic, butter, salt, and pepper; mix well. Form into a long cylinder on a piece of parchment pap