Here is an appetizer that will add a little fanciness to your meal. It's a simple dish that looks like it belongs at a fancy gathering being passed around on trays. It will definitely impress your dinner companions. 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup Creole mustard 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined small cooked shrimp 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasonin

Shrimp is the most eaten seafood in America. With it's versatility, it's no wonder why it's so popular. This week, I am sharing two shrimp appetizers, which are perfect for any occasion. 2 large ripe avocados 1/2 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, divided 2 tablespoons minced jalapeños 2 tablespoons orange zest 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablesp

Here is a dish that can be used as either an entree or side dish. It is a great budget stretcher meal. Using different sausages will give added flavors to your finished dish. 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup all purpose flour 3 cups milk 1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese, divided 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1 12 teaspoons Creole seasoning 1 (16-ounce) package macaroni, cooked Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish w

Sausage is know known as a healthy food. But it sure is tasty. This week, I'm sharing a couple of recipes with sausage. Now, any rope or link sausage will do in these recipes. Use your favorite. 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for frying 1/3 cup onions, minced 3/4 pound andouille sausage, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped Meat Pie Dough

Who doesn't love a freshly fried pie to eat. Whether its a fruit pie, chocolate filled, or meat filled, it's a treat. Here's a version of a peach filled pie. 3 peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced 5 teaspoons sugar, divided 1 cup mascarpone 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 cups cake flour, plus extra for rolling our dough 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1 large egg, slightly beaten 1/4 cup whole buttermilk, divided 1/4 cup powdered sugar Cano

Fresh Peaches have been popping up here at our Farmer's Market. Since I have already written a newspaper article on this wonderful fruit, I thought I would include two recipes that didn't make that article. Let's start with this one. 1/4 cup butter 1 small sweet onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced, divided 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar 3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds 1

Here's a different way to use fresh corn. The sweetness of the fresh corn really shines here. It's also a great way to chase away the summer heat. 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (2 to 3 ears) 2 cups half-and-half 6 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Wooden ice-pop sticks In a large saucepan, combine corn, half-and-half, sugar, curry powder, and salt, and bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Fresh corn has started to hit the local farmer's market. So this week, I'll feature this great fresh product. Today's recipe is an appetizer that's a great way to start any meal. 6 ears yellow corn, shucked 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided 1 (14.5oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1/3 cup fresh lime jui

This recipe is from, in my opinion, the best restaurant ever LeRuth's. This chocolate sauce was mainly served over ice cream. It was also used to top other desserts, like the Almond Torte. 4 1/2 cups chocolate syrup 9 cups hot fudge sauce 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk 4 cups simple syrup (recipe to follow) Mix all together and store in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated between uses. Simple Syrup 1 gallon water 5 pints sugar Mix together until dissolved. Enjoy!!! Cre

With the heat reaching 100 degrees here in Arkansas, my thoughts turn to ice cream. Instead of sharing two ice cream recipes, I want to share two sauce recipes. They are not only great for ice cream, they also work well with desserts. 1/4 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon sized portions 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat.

Jambalaya is one of my favorite dishes to make. Here is a recipe from my latest cookbook, Creole & Cajun Comfort Food. It uses two of my most used ingredients, crawfish and andouille. 1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon thyme 1 tablespoon filé 1 t

It has been a hot summer here in Arkansas. Sometimes I think the heat is worse here than in New Orleans. Here's a recipe to help cool you down. 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup Pinch of salt 3 large mint sprigs, crushed 3 cups cubed watermelon 2 teaspoons lime zest 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

Here is one of the most cliché of French dishes, Coq au Vin. It really needs no introduction. So I won't write one. Chicken, cut into serving pieces Red Wine 1/4 cup chopped shallots 1/2 teaspoon black epper 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons butter Sautéed pearl onions and sliced fresh mushrooms Sauté chicken, but do not brown. Add red wine to cover. Add shallots, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves. Cover pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove chicken (keep warm

New Orleans and the surrounding areas are known for their great restaurants. Unfortunately many of them are no longer opened. La Provence is one that I never made it to. This French restaurant on the North Shore was one of the highly rated in the city. This week, I will share a couple of chicken recipes from a cookbook that I found. Chicken, cut into serving pieces 2 teaspoons chopped shallots 1/2 cup dry vermouth 3/4 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons grated Swis

With it being so hot right now, ice cream is a great way to end a meal. It's also a great treat to try to beat the heat. Blueberries make an excellent addition to ice cream. 2 pints fresh blueberries, rinsed well and picked over 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water Zest from 1 lemon, removed in long strips 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch salt In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar,

I was walking through the Farmer's Market Saturday looking at all the fresh produce and fruits. One vendor was selling blueberries. Since I wrote an article on the produce, I thought this week I would post two recipes featuring blueberries. Here's one from Frank Davis. 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Dash of salt 1 cup water 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 ta

Who wants to cook in the middle of summer. The heat down south is just unbearable. Here's a cool salad to help chase that heat away. 1 1/2 cups large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cups chopped pineapple 1 1/3 cups honeydew melon balls 1 1/3 cups watermelon balls 1 1/2 cups cantaloupe balls 1 cup peeled , seeded, and sliced cucumber 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt 2 teaspoons lemon zest 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 table

Shrimp is a very versatile protein. Just ask Bubba Blue from the movie Forrest Gump. As he and forrest are scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush, Bubba rattles off all of the dishes that can be made with shrimp. This week I want to share two shrimp recipes that Bubba didn't think of. One is a hot presentation, the other a cool one. 1 (10-ounce can) Rotel tomatoes 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 bell pepper, finely chopped 2 stalks

I have many of fond memories for Roast Beef PoBoys. They were served every Friday, except during lent, for lunch in high school. Served along with a homemade cinnamon roll, I enjoyed them every week. I wish I could go back and have one now. 1 (2.5 pound) beef chuck roast 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup diced onions 1/2 cup diced carrot 1 cup beef stock 1 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons Worce

If you need to be told what a PoBoy is, you are definitely not from New Orleans. They key to a good PoBoy is the French bread. I wish I could find it here in Arkansas. The bread they make doesn't come close. Here's an Italian inspired version. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon water 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs Canola oil, for fr