Over the next two weeks, I will be sharing with you some recipes that are great fo brunch. Let's start off with a little sweetness. 3/4 cup butter, softened and divided 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, divided 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup 3/4 cup chopped pecans 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/2 cup chopped golden raisins Preheat oven to 400℉. In a small bowl, stir

I think that sandwiches often get a bad rap for being so easy to make. Take two pieces of bread, put some meat and condiments on it and you have a sandwich. While this will nourish you, there are many ways you can elevate your sandwich game. With that in mind, I want to share with you a couple of sandwiches that are far from boring. The first one is a sandwich that is served warm, Toasted Hot Bacon, Cheese, Basils & Tomato Sandwiches. The second one is a zesty chicken sandwic

Here's a quick and flavorful dish for a weeknight meal. 2 onions 2 stalks celery 1/2 bell pepper 4 cloves garlic 3 ounces tomato paste 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 pound peeled and deveined medium raw shrimp 4 ounces canned sliced mushrooms Creole seasoning, to taste 1 quart water 1 pound spaghetti Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish Chop onions, celery bell pepper, and garlic; cook in a small amount of oil until wilted. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce. Cook over low fire until

This week, I am sharing a couple of pasta recipes. The first one is perfect for meatless Mondays. 1 bunch asparagus 1 bunch green onions 4 tablespoons butter 2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste 6 ounces heavy cream 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish Creole seasoning, to taste 1/2 cup shelled edamame or green peas 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot 1 pound pasta Cracked black pepper, lemon zest, sliced basil, chopped parsley, for garnish Put a large

Today would have been my brother Lyle’s 70th birthday. Unfortunately, he passed away ten years ago. Growing up, he always included me in the grownup activities. Being the best athlete in the family, he wasn’t afraid to take the youngest brother on his team and help him shine. Like most of my brothers, Lyle was always at home in the kitchen. Our holiday gatherings featured some of the best cooks around. Since I can’t talk to him today, I want to honor him with the following re

Here's a Cajun twist on an Italian classic. Replacing the bacon with tasso gives this a unique flavor. 16 ounces penne pasta 4 egg yolks 2 large eggs 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup diced tasso 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Garnish: fresh oregano leaves Cook pasta according to the package directions for al denté. Drain pasta. Reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid. In a small bowl, whisk together eg

This week before Mother's day, how about a couple of recipes featuring pork products. Here's a galzed ham just in time for the big day. 1 cup water 8 to 10-pound spiral cut ham 10.5 ounces red pepper jelly 1/2 teaspoon orange zest 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup dry white wine (sub ginger ale for non-alcoholic version) 2 tablespoons Creole mustard 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Garnish: orange slices, Fresno chili pepp

As you are well aware, my favorite type of sausage is andouille. Truth be told, there is another type of sausage that is very close, Italian sausage. I remember my introduction to Italian sausage. My mother would always cook a few links for my father. As a child, I often wondered what was so special about them. When I first tasted it, I did not like the taste. As I grew older, I gave it another try. Too my surprise, I found that it was a great flavor, different from any other

The sauce that BBQ Shrimp are prepared in is perfect for other seafoods. Here, we give crawfish tails the BBQ treatment. 1 pound of peeled crawfish tails 1/4 pound butter 1/2 cup finely chopped garlic 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary 1 cup seafood stock 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste Garnish: lemon wedg

This week, I want to put a twist on traditional dishes. The first is to substitute orzo for other pasta in pastalaya. 2 tablespoons butter 12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup chopped yellow onion 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 3/4 cup green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 32 ounces chicken stock 28-ounce can crushed fire-roaste

For a person who never liked to write papers and essays in school, I have come a long way. With two cookbooks under my belt, today I am reaching another milestone. It is with great pleasure that I share with you my 400th column. When deciding on what recipes to share, I figured that I would put my two most recent new dishes I have cooked in print. A chef is only as good as his last dish. The first one is a coastal Southern staple, Peggy’s Shrimp and Grits. The second one is a

Whenever I make a Mexican dish, this is always the side dish. 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 cup minced onions 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 cups chicken stock Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking sprinkle with salt, garlic and cumin. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomat

Let's visit our neighbors to the south with some Mexican cuisine this week. Let's start with some Carnitas. 3-pound pork butt Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 1/2 cups lager-style beer (sub ginger ale for non-alcoholic version) 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped Coarsely chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 3/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 long strip of orange peel, any p

If you take a stroll through the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, you will find the freshest produce available. On one of my weekly trips, I spotted a staple in Southern cooking, okra. It is found throughout the area fried as a side dish. There are many different ways you can prepare okra other than fried. It is with that in mind that I thought about the following dishes. The first is a recipe that is an ingredient in a following recipe, Spicy Pickled Okra. The recipe that follow

Bobby Flay is always cooking sticky rice during his competitions. Here's a version. 1 cup rice 1 1/2 cups water 1/8 teaspoon salt Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the water dips below the level of the rice, about 10 minutes; reduce the heat to low, cover , and cook until the rice is tender and water has absorbed, about 15 additional minutes. Check Out the Top 80 Chef Blogs Enjoy!!! Creole & Cajun Comfort Food is now a

Time to dive into my Asian flavors. Here's a stir-fry dish. The sticky rice recipe is coming Thursday. 1 pound peeled and deveined 16/20 shrimp 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons rice wine (or cane) vinegar 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger Canola oil 2 bunches green onions, white bottoms, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 red bell peppers, cut into i-inch squares 2 bunches green onion tops, cut into 1-inch pieces Hot pepper flakes (optional) Gar

I am not one who likes to start a meal with a cold dish. But with the temperatures that we are currently enduring, sometimes you just have to break the rules. Cold dishes can be very refreshing. They also are less filling as hot menu items. That doesn’t mean that they are not flavorful and delicious. With the heat in mind, I have assembled 3 appetizers that are not served warm. The first is Tomato-Shrimp Shooters, served in a spoon or shot glass. The second is Chili-Lime Crab

Mac and Cheese is a dish that most people have enjoyed since their childhood. Here is a grownup version. 1 pound dry elbow macaroni 1 stick butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream Hot sauce to taste (optional) 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 cup smoked meat, your choice 1 cup cheese crackers, crushed Preheat oven to 400℉. Cook macaroni in salted water until just al denté; drain into a colander. Run cold water over macaroni until cooled

Now that Mothewr Nature has decided to end the cold weather nonsense, it's time for backyard activities. This week, a couple of side dishes that are perfect for cookouts. 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup diced onion 1/2 cup diced bell pepper 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1/2 cup bacon, ham or tasso, cooked and chopped fine 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 large egg 1 1/4 cup buttermilk 6 tablespoons

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