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

Let's see what we can find this week for the center of your Thanksgiving table. Let's start with something a little different. 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans 2 tablespoons bread crumbs 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 large egg 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 (1 to 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 red pears

Tuesday is Mardi Gras day. Here in Arkansas it’s just another day. In the South, it’s a day of parades, family and fun. It’s also a day filled with food. If you are fortunate to have a friend with a house on the parade route, your food will usually be more that Popeye’s Fried Chicken. With that in mind, I want to share two recipes that are perfect for Mardi Gras day. The first is an appetizer, Green Goddess Louisiana Crab dip. An entree for the gathering would be Chicken, Por

I love soups made wiht seafood. Here's one that uses crabmeat. 1/4 pound butter 1/4 cup chopped green onion 1 1/2 pounds claw claw crabmeat 1 1/2 tablespoon granulated onion 3/4 teaspoon shrimp base 1/4 cup flour 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (optional) 1 1/2 quarts half & half 1 1/2 quarts heavy cream 1/4 cup white wine Salt and pepper to taste Dash cinnamon Dash nutmeg In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add green onions and sweat down for 2 minutes, then stir in cr

Dcooler weather is coming. How about a couple of cream soups this week? 2 1/2 ounces dried wild mushrooms 1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms 4 tablespoons butter, or as needed, divided 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped garlic 1/4 cup red wine or port 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon dried thyme Pinch of cayenne Salt and pepper to taste 5 cups beef stock 1 cup half & half 2 lrge egg yolks Put the dried mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl and cover

Galatoire’s is my favorite French Quarter restaurant. The food is traditional and classic. I have never had a bad meal there. But what they do on two special days of the year, makes you realize that Galatoire’s is more than just great food. Friday lunch are always very busy. For two special Fridays, the one before Christmas and Mardi Gras, they auction off the tables. This money is distributed to various local charities. There are many ways that the food industry gives back.

Walk down the grocery isle and look at the options for boxed potatoes. Do yourself a favor, bypass these and make your own. The taste is 1000 times better. 1 stick butter, in all 4 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and green parts only 6 garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt to taste 1 pound mixed mushrooms, coarsely chopped Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 generous teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed 2 cups chicken stock, in all 1 3/4 cups half & half 3 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled,

This week, I want to share a couple of recipes from years past. Let's start with a predecessor to spinach dip. 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup chicken stock 6 ounces pepper Jack cheese, cubed 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3/4 teaspoon celery salt 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Creole seasoning to taste 20 ounces f

I am a hands on cook. I like to stand in front of my stove and add ingredients throughout the cooking process. As someone who works from...

One of my favorite way to eat potatoes are roasted. Here's a recipe using sweet potatoes. 7 cups 1-inch-cubed peeled sweet potatoes (...

With the holidays coming up, let's look at a couple of side dishes using sweet potatoes. Today, we will start with a salad. 1 1/2 pounds...

The biggest football game of the year is upon us. It’s time to plan your menu. Whether you watch because of the game, the halftime show,...

Here's an oldie but a goodie. It was popular in the 1980's. 2 cups sugar 1 cup shortening 4 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt...

This week, I want to feature some iconic cakes. Let's start with on from the 50's. 3 cups sifted cake or all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon...

If I had to choose between chocolate or caramel sauce on desserts, I will almost always choose the flavor of caramel. Caramel is a simply...

There are two schools of cornbread, sweet and non-sweet. This one falls into the second group. 6 tablespoons bacon drippings, divided 2...

This week, I want to share a couple of breads to complete your meals. 1 teaspoon canola oil 12 ounces andouille sausage, diced 1 1/2 cups...

I find that vegetables are often warmed up and served. That may be why people shy away from them. They should be treated like other...

Here's a slow cooker take on barbecue sauce. 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 large red onions, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 jalapeños,...

Let's continue with some sauces that are made in the crock pot. 3 pounds ripe tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 5...