There are many people who are immediately recognized by their first name. Elvis and Cher are two that quickly come to mind. When it comes to the kitchen, one of the most famous one name chefs made his mark in the city of New Orleans, Emeril. Emeril Lagasse started his rise to fame at Commander’s Palace before he went on to open his restaurant empire. Not only did he redefine New Orleans cooking, he was also very proud of his heritage growing up in Fall River Massachusetts. To

I can smell the Thanksgiving feast being cooked already. This is my most traditional holiday. Last year, my wife and I changed things up. Instead of spending the day with her family, we took a trip to spend Thanksgiving with my cousin and her family in Denton, Texas. Thus, a new tradition was started. Today, I want to share with you two new recipes for the centerpiece for your holiday table. The first is the grand bird itself, Cajun Spiced Turkey. The second is from the other

Some people think that the only times to eat soup is when it’s cold or when you’re sick. I am not in that group. Soup is welcomed at my dinner table year-round. Though, there are some soups that lend themselves to colder weather. Which brings me to today’s recipes. Cream based soups, in my opinion, are better eaten when there’s a chill in the air. The comfort food feeling of the cream warms your body with every spoonful. Today, I’m sharing two cream-based soups, Cream of Mush

While turkey may be the star of the Thanksgiving table, the sides are more than just a supporting cast. To me, they make the meal. Every year, I try to bring at least one new side to the table. Instead of creating a new dish, I thought, this year, I would turn back the page and find a couple of classics. With this in mind, I present to you two classic sides that are perfect for the holiday table. The first is Spinach Madeline, a creamy spinach casserole. The second focuses on

The holidays will be here before you know it. For many, it is prime cooking time. While there are always traditional dishes that show up every year, I am always looking for new preparations of holiday staples. Sweet potatoes are always on our holiday menus. It makes a great side to accompany the large roast of the season. Today, I want to share two dishes featuring roasted sweet potatoes. First is Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Arugula Salad, a very different way to serve the roo

As much as I like to create new dishes, there’s always room for the classics. Many of my recipes are rooted in the dishes I ate as a child from my mother’s kitchen. No where is that better seen than when it comes to the last course of the meal. I’m not one who has the patience to bake from scratch without a proven recipe. With that in mind, today I want to share with you a couple of classic cakes. Both have been around longer than I have. The first became popular after the Do

here are two schools of cornbread, sweet and non-sweet. My wife is firmly in the first group. For the holidays, she always ask me to make chicken cornbread dressing made with sweet cornbread. It is one of her favorite dishes. There is a lot to be said about non-sweet cornbread. I find that it lends itself to different recipes than sweet cornbread doesn’t. With that in mind, today I want to share with you two different cornbread recipes. The first one makes individual muffins,

Sauces are a great way to elevate a main dish. Some restaurants employee a saucier, who is responsible for making sauces and stocks. Given the opportunity, I will always prepare a sauce for my meals. We don’t always have the time to make a sauce. Today, I want to share a way to remedy that. One does not think of a slow cooked as a way to make sauces. They are a great way to bring the depth of flavor that good sauces contain. I am sharing two different ones. The first is a lig

It is often said that people eat with their eyes. The first view of the dish you are about to eat can definitely raise your anticipation of it’s flavor. With the advent of Instagram, people are constantly posting pictures of their meals. Many people have taken food photography to another level. You must first start with a dish that is worthy of posting. Today, I want to share with you a recipe that not only photographs well, but it is also delicious to the last bite. The visi

Arkansas is the country’s largest rice producing state in the nation. Louisiana is also in the top three. One of my favorite dishes to cook (and eat) is jambalaya. There are many other ways to bring rice to the table. With that thought in mind, I want to share with you a couple of dishes including this wonderful grain. The first contains seafood, Cajun Shrimp and Rice. The second one is paired with a different protein, Smothered Pork Chops and Rice. Both would be a highlight

One of my favorite cities to visit is San Francisco. My first impression was standing at the cable car turnaround on Market street. I was mesmerized watching the car climb up the hills of Powell St., disappearing as they started their journey towards the bay. Once we reached the bay, my thoughts turned to food. One of the local dishes was a soup/stew called Cioppino. This delicacy was created by Italian immigrant fishermen in the city. It is said that fisherman who weren’t su

Every year around Labor Day, an annual tradition takes place, the start of Football season. Whether it’s the bright Friday night lights of high school football, college game day on Saturday, or professional football on Sunday, the excitement fills the air with hope for a championship season. What makes things even more exciting is gathering with friends to watch these games. Of course, you need some good food for your viewing pleasure. I have assembled two recipes that are gr

Brisket is one of the stars of the smoker. It is my preferred smoked meat. It is not something that I cook often due to the length of time required to smoke it. I do love to eat it. It is always my first choice when I visit a BBQ restaurant. With a taste for brisket on my mind, I started searching for non-smoked ways to cook one. What follows is two different ways to cook a brisket. The first is to boil it, Boiled Brisket of Beef. The second one gives you some smoked flavor,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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