If you’re like me, you always prepare more food than is needed. This gives you an opportunity to use ingredients for other purposes. I love to have plenty of ham leftover from an Easter meal. Along with sandwiches, there are many different uses for the star of the Easter meal. With that in mind, I want to share with you two recipes to repurpose ham. The first is a delectable spread, Deviled Ham. The second one, Ham and Ricotta Pillows with Brown Butter Sage Sauce, is a meal t

Happy New Years! Here's a recipe for my favorite kond of fudge 6 cups sugar 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 13 ounces evaporated milk 1 stick butter 18 ounces smooth peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Combine sugar and cocoa powder in a Dutch oven; whisk to blend. Add evaporated milk and butter. Place over medium heat; bring to a hard simmer and cook, stirring constantly while scraping the bottom of the pot, until a candy thermometer registers 240℉, about 5 to 6 minutes. Rem

We are going to end this year and start next year with a sweet tooth. 7 ounces marshmallow créme 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels 1 teaspoon vanilla Caramel 1 1/2 sticks butter 5 ounces evaporated milk 3 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt Spoon marshmallow créme into a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate morsels and vanilla extract; set aside. In a large heavy sauce pot (not cast iron or non-stick), bring butter and evaporated milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sugar and sal

Easter is a big family celebration. In New Orleans, there are usually two types of family gatherings. The first is a crawfish boil. Easter is the peak time to dine on these local crustaceans. For those of you who want a sit-down dinner, there are many dishes that come to mind. Today, I want to share with you what a traditional indoor New Orleans Easter feast would look like. The first dish is the star of the table, Spiral Ham with Sweet-Spicy Glaze. Next would be an accompani

Merry Christmas! Here's something sweet for your day. 3 cups sugar (white, brown or combination) 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 stick butter 2 cups chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine sugar, cream, water, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir well. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once at a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 236℉ to 240

Let's go nuts with pecans this week. 6 large sweet potatoes 1 stick butter 3/4 cup half and half Salt and pepper Hot sauce (optional) Brown sugar (optional) Pumpkin pie spice (optional) 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon water 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375℉. Bake potatoes for 75 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and cool; reduce heat to 350℉. Peel potatoes and purée with butter and half and half. Season to taste

I know that things are tough when you go grocery shopping. Everyone is looking for delicious meals at a lower cost. One of the more inexpensive ways to add protein to your meal without breaking the bank is by incorporating beans. New Orleanians have been showcasing beans in their meals for years. The tradition of Red Beans for Monday started as a meal that can simmer on the stove while a day of washing clothes was being done. This is one of the recipes that I have included to

Here's a simple but satisfying bread. 2 eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 450℉. Grease and flour six 6-ounce custard cups. In a mediu bowl, beat eggs slightly. Beat in flour, milk, and salt until just smooth; do not over beat. Fill custard cups half full. Bake for 20 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 350℉; bake for 20 minutes more. Immediately remove from cups and serve piping hot. Check Out the Top 80 Chef Blogs Enjoy!!! Creole &

How about a couple of breakfast breads this week? Lets start with some scones. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon salt 1 stick plus 2 tblespoons butter, diced, very cold 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chopped cyrstalized ginger 1 tablespoon vanilla Up to 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 egg, beaten Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease the sheet. Combine flour, s

New Orleans recently lost a food icon, Tom Fitzmorris. He had never worked in a professional kitchen, although he was a very accomplished cook. He has written a couple of cookbooks. What made Tom special was that for over 50 years, he was the premiere New Orleans food critic. Where else except in New Orleans could you find a multi-hour radio show dedicated to the restaurant scene of the city? He was as New Orleans as someone could be having being born on Mardi Gras day. As fa

Here's a great way to add protein to you meal. 1 cup dried white cannellini beans 1 cup dried kidney beans 1 cup dried black-eyed peas 32 ounces chicken stock 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup 1 medium sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/3 cup chopped celery 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 dried bay leaf 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 slices thick-cut bacon 1/3 cup to

This is a great addition to a salad or charcuterie board. 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups) 2 tablespoons kosher salt 10 sprigs fresh thyme 5 dried bay leaves 5 sliced fresh ginger 3 cups apple cider vinegar2 cups water 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons fennel seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper IN a large bowl, toss otgether squash and salt. Let stand at room temperature for 30 m

Of all the land-based proteins, chicken is the most healthiest. It is also the most versatile. I could easily write six months of weekly articles on chicken without duplicating a recipe. As that would get boring, I thought that I would share two new recipes this week. My first recipe is a dish that many would consider upscale, Garlic Butter Chicken. The second is a take on a regional fascination with chicken, Hot Honey Butter Roasted Chicken. Both recipes are great for family

Pot pies are pure comfort food. Here's another twist on this down home dish. 1 1/2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided 2 cups chopped carrot 2 cups chopped onion 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 3 colves garlic, minced 3 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided 1 1/2 cups beef stock 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon 3 tablespoons tomato paste 3 tablespoons b

Have turkey left over from last week? Here's a new way to repurpose it. 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/4 cup diced carrot 1/4 cup diced celery 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey 1/2 cup tasso, chopped 1 teaspooon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrust Garnish; fresh parsley sprig Preheat oven to 400℉. In a large s

I have noticed that my local market is starting to offer various varieties of fresh fish. While you can get a good piece of fish that is frozen, I will always choose fresh. One of the first fish that I reach for is Grouper. Grouper is a fish from the Gulf. It has been a mainstay in the state of Florida for generations. Over the years, it has found its way along the coast. It is my favorite fish. With that in mine, today I will be sharing two grouper recipes. The first combine

These are great either for breakfast or dessert. 1 (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (2 sheets) 1 large egg, lightly beaten 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon butter, softened 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 egg yolk, room temperature 1 teaspoon vailiia extracy 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, plus more for drizzling Confectioners' sugar 36 small raspberries Preheat oven to 400℉. Line

This week, a couple of bite sized sweets that are perfect for holiday gatherings. 3 cups finely ground gingersnap cookies 2 1/3 cups sugar, divided 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons lightly packed orange zest, divided 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 5 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup sour cream, room temperature 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature Garnish: chopped c

Now that winter has started to appear in our rearview window, spring is upon us.  With spring comes one of my favorite seasons, crawfish season. The mudbugs have already started to appear in restaurants and food trucks. Every year, I find different recipes for crawfish tails. Today. I am sharing two recipes. They both call for packages of tails that you find frozen in your local market. You can always substitute fresh tails instead. The first recipe is a side dish, Crawfish P

Keep up the flavor of your bird with this Spice recipe. It's so much better than a store bought blend. 12-14lb. whole turkey, giblets and neck discarded 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 8 tablespoons Cajun Spice mix (recipe follows) 2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion) 1 1/2 cups chopped celery (about 3 stalks) 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium bell pepper) 1/4 cup olive oil Line a large roasting pan with foil. Place a V-shaped roasting rack over fo