Bourbon Pecan Pie or if you prefer….just leave out the Bourbon!

Taught this Bourbon Pecan pie in a recent cooking class.  The guests wanted me to add more Bourbon than the recipe called for….I thought it had just enough but you can eliminate it all together.  The crust is perfect.  Years ago when I was catering lots of Thanksgiving pies..I was always so nervous when taking pies out of the oven.  I was always scared I would ruin the pie by accidently knocking off a bit of the fluted crust.  I solved that problem by using a removable bottom Quiche pan!  Comes out beautiful every time!  It takes 3/4 of this Perfect Pie Crust recipe.

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One of my favorite dishes I turn to when the weather finally brings a chill to our Southern skies is definitely, hands down, without question…… Chicken and Dumplings.  I always make a huge pot so I have plenty to share and lots to have for myself.

I always start with a rich Chicken Stock and if you research classic Southern cookbooks for Chicken and Dumplings you will find a truly simple recipe containing little more than a raw chicken, maybe a little onion and salt and pepper.  You boil the chicken until the meat falls off the bones, strain it and reserve the meat to add later.  The dumplings usually are just flour, water, and maybe an egg salt and pepper.  They are mixed, rolled out, cut into squares or strips and dropped into the boiling broth.  More black pepper is added and that’s about it! Continue reading →

Gulf Fish Imperial is basically a lovely piece of roasted fish filet topped with a breadcrumb free crab- cake topping.    To serve, it is drizzled with an aromatic lemon, butter and garlic sauce.  This dish is really very easy to make and is a wonderful choice when entertaining.

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Yesterday’s cooking class included one of my favorite soups:  Smoked Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Bisque.  The original recipe for this soup came from my good friend Robyn.  True she is from the NORTH (yikes) but she is a wonderful chef, none the less.  This soup is just one of her many original creations that I love.   Just the aroma of this soup simmering on the stove lifts my spirit and makes me look forward to the blustery days of Fall.

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I recently had the honor and great pleasure of participating in a Fundraiser hosted by the Saints Football Team’s Superfans. Here I am pictured with my precious baby boy Ben “CyborgSaint” Collier the Superfan who organized this event to raise money to help purchase a wheelchair-friendly van for a wonderful young Saints fan.  We were at our local tv station doing a cooking demo of some of the food we were serving at the event! Along with great entertainment, great food, Saints team celebrities, great raffles and fun bowling, (the event was held at Rock and Bowl),  there was a fabulous auction.    The auction included lots of Saints Team signed items, fishing trips, art, signed jerseys, posters, etc.   I was happy to include a dinner for 8 at the New Orleans Cooking Experience where I teach cooking classes in Uptown New Orleans.

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When people think of Sunday dinner in the South, the first thing that comes to mind is a Fried Chicken dinner with all the trimmings.  Umm….Crunchy fried chicken with pan gravy, creamy mashed potatoes,  and hot, fluffy buttermilk biscuits with sweet butter and local honey.  And let’s not forget, a cold pitcher of iced tea.

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Sitting here working on menus for upcoming cooking classes, I am reminded of a time when I was a young girl, and my dad was getting ready for a Deep Sea Fishing event. The night before the fishing trip he would invite all the “guys” over for a special, traditional, pre-fishing trip dinner. The menu consisted of BBQ Shrimp, lots of hot French Bread for dipping into the sauce, a big green salad and Spanish Flan for dessert. Why such a simple menu, you might wonder…..because when my Mom made her BBQ Shrimp that is all anybody wanted to eat and eat they did!!  About 5 men would consume about 10 pounds of Louisiana shrimp and about 4 loaves of hot French bread, a huge green salad that  acted as the vegetable and the Spanish Flan (also known as caramel custard)  was just what one needed to help soothe the system after all that spicy shrimp.

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Just got back from a “spur of the moment” trip to Georgia visiting my dear friend Sister Linder and her gracious family! I love hanging out with this wonderful family because they are always happy to see me. As soon as I greet them with a hug and a few moments of “How are you doing?”, I am immediately asked, “What are you gonna cook for us, tamales?” Sister has three wonderful sons, Chris, Davis and Jordon; a beautiful daughter-in-law Pam; and a precious grandson, Luke. And not to forget, a super husband, Bill. I must say, they love my Mexican Hot Tamales! Making these for the boys has become a tradition…one I hope will go on for years to come.

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Not long ago, my sweet friend Anne Sharp, owner of Covey Rise Farms, gave me an assortment of some really beautiful vegetables, freshly picked that morning. I was to attend my nephew’s baby girl’s first birthday party and wanted to bring something special…..so this generous gift was perfect timing! In my bag I found: red and golden beets, some cherry tomatoes, and lots of colorful baby greens.

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