Who does like a quick and simple dish. This recipe has only two ingredients. The cooking time depends on the size of the pieces that you have. 12 chicken drumsticks 3/4 cup hot pepper jelly 2 tablespoons hot water Preheat oven broiler to high Place jelly in a bowl with water and stir until evenly blended. Evenly place drumsticks on. broiler pan. Brush chicken with jelly mixture. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn; brush again with jelly mixture and broil an a

When you glaze a protein, it always adds to the overall flavor of the dish. In that vein, I will feature two dishes with a glaze. The first one takes us on a Chinese slant. 2 pounds boneless alligator meat 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning 32 ounces chicken stock 2 cups fruit juice (orange, pineapple, grapefruit, etc.) 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce Canola oil 2 onions, chopped 3 large carrots, chopped 2 bell peppers, chopped 2 tablespoons minced ginger 3 cloves garlic, mince

A cookout is not complete without beans. Here's a recipe in which the variations depend on the types of sauce and beans you use. 1/4 cup bacon drippings 1 cup chopped onion 1 medium green pepper, chopped 1 cup chopped green onions 1 pound lean ground pork 2 (22-ounce) cans baked beans 1 pound crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce Heat bacon drippings in a 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and green onions; sa

Football season is in full swing. This week, I'm sharing two recipes that are great side dishes for tailgating, whether you are at the stadium or home. Either place, they both are great accompaniments to your main dish. 5 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered 1/2 red onion, medium diced 1/2 cup diced green onions, tops and bottoms 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, tough stems discarded 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 2 cups mayonnaise\5

Here's a barbecue sauce that will put all bottled sauced to shame. You can adjust the seasonings to your liking. It has a perfect balance of sweet and heat. 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 large red onions, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 jalapeños, chopped (optional) 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 large tomatoes, chopped 1 small can tomato paste 1/2 cup molasses ( I prefer Steen's) 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon oregano 2 quarts chicken stock 3 bay lea

These days, it's easy to open a jar or bottle for a gravy or sauce. While it's convenient, you lose flavor from store bought products. This week, I'm sharing a gravy recipe and a Barbecue sauce recipe. 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons canolaoil 1 cup flour 2 1/2 quarts beef stock 2 large onions, chopped 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 jalapeños, chopped (optional) 1 teaspoon creole seasoning 2 bay leaves Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Gradually whisk in th

The seven steak is from the chuck section of a steer. The bone is shaped like the number seven, giving its name. Here's a smothered version. 2 (1 1/2-pounds each) seven steaks Creole seasoning 1/3 cup canola oil 1 large onion, sliced in rings 1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups beef stock Hot cooked rice Evenly season steaks with Creole seasoning. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; add steaks and brown well on both

To smother a dish is to cook it down with onions. These week, I want to feature two different meats smothered. Let's start with chicken 1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into pieces 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon dark roux 2 cups chicken stock Creole seasoning 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley dumplings (recipe to follow) Season chicken evenly with Creole seasoning; dredge in flour

Shrimp Scampi has always been a favorite of mine. I usually sauté it on the stovetop instead of cooking it in the oven as my mother did. Here's a great recipe for in the oven. 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 toasted breadcrumbs 1 stick butter 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon creole mustard Creole seasoning 2 pounds shelled shrimp, tails intact, deveined Preheat oven to 450℉. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, stir in toasted breadcrumbs and set

In the immortal words of Bubba Blue, there are many ways to cook shrimp. This week, I'm sharing two. One I'm sure he's mentioned and todays I guarantee he didn't. 1/2 pound extra large fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied 8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shells 8 ounces red snapper fillets, diced 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice Juice of 3 limes 1/2 cup light rum 1/4 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper 1/4 cup diced roma to

When it comes to fried seafood, people either reach for tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. Given the choice, I always reach for cocktail sauce. Here's a great recipe. 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 1 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce, not tabasco 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce pinch of kosher salt pinch of freshly ground black pepper In a glass medium mixing bowl, thoroughly blend together 1 tablespoon horseradish with all the other

Seafood and dipping sauces go hand in hand. From boiled crawfish to fried shrimp, people are always coming up with different recipes for dipping. This week, I'm featuring two. 2 ribs celery, chopped 6 green onions, sliced 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup tomato purée 1/2 cup Creole mustard 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup canola oil Mince celery, gree

Pork steaks are very underrated. Here is a way to prepare them. These can stand up to a beef steak any day. 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 (1/2-inch thick) pork sirloin cutlets (about 2 pounds) Chimichurri Sauce (recipe follows) Spray grill rack with nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to high hea

Let's head outside to the grill this week. Let's start with some shrimp on the barbe. New Orleans Style. 8 (12-inch) wooden skewers 24 large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined 16 (1 1/2-inch) cubes fresh pineapple 16 mini tricolor sweet peppers 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup cane syrup 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes. Thread shrimp, pineapple, and bell peppers on skewers. Sprinkle with salt. In a small bowl, combine cane syrup and Creole season

The drumstick is my favorite piece of chicken. Here's a great recipe for the grill. I always use 2 cans of beer. One for the marinade and one for me. 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon ground black pepper q teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 pounds chicken drumsticks 1 (12-ounce) can beer. In a large resealable bag, combine salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Add o

My favorite non-seafood protein is chicken. This week, I'm sharing two very different recipes Today's isa whole chicken cooked in the kitchen. Thursday's will be prepared on the grill. 1 (5-6 pound) roasting chicken, giblets reserved, rinsed and patted dry Creole seasoning 1 large bunch fresh thyme 1 lemon, halved 1 head garlic, halved crosswise 1 large yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced 20 sprigs fresh thyme, divided 4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces 8 Yukon Gold potato

Most people like to eat lighter during the summer. Salads are a common choice on a hot day. Here's one that is sure to please. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning 1 teaspoon honey 2 cups croutons 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved and whole 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, Creole seasoning, and honey. In a large bowl, combine crou

I want to share with you this week two dishes that are vegetarian. They can either be used as a side dish or entree. The first one starts one of my mom's favorite ingredients, eggplant. 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 teaspoon creole seasoning 1 clove garlic, pressed 3 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch thick

Time to the this childhood treat and make it an adult favorite. It won't freeze as hard as our mom's did because of the rum. It's still very refreshing on a hot day. 1/4 cup white rum 1/4 cup grenadine 1/2 cup orange juice Stir all ingredients together. Divide among 4 paper cups and freeze. Enjoy!!! Creole & Cajun Comfort Food is now available online in both Hardback and Paperback versions. #CreoleandCajunComfortFood Good Cooking, Good Eating and Good Living!!!

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, I know most moms made their children frozen cups for the summer. It was a simple but welcomed treat on those hot afternoons. This week, let's go back in time and make some more adventurous summer treats. 3/4 cup watermelon juice 1/4 cup simple syrup 2 sprigs mint Place all ingredients in a small saucepan; place over low heat for 10 minutes to steep the mint. Remove mint; pour mixture into paper cups and freeze. Enjoy!!! Creole & Cajun Comfort