Ham and Corn Beignets

• 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
• 4 ears fresh corn
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 10 ounces diced cooked ham
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

1. In a large heavy pot, preheat the vegetable oil to between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Shuck, wash and dry the corn. Using a sharp knife, shave the ears of corn into a medium sized bowl. Using a cheese grater, scrape any remaining corn and juice into the bowl with the kernels. Discard the scraped cobs.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Combine the corn, ham, cayenne pepper, red onion, salt, flour and baking powder with the egg and milk mixture. Whisk until a firm batter has formed.

4. Slowly drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil one at a time. The drops should form a loose layer on the top of the oil. Fry until the drops of batter are dark golden brown. Remove the beignets from the oil and place them on a towel. Check that they are cooked all the way through. If the centers are doughy, lower the heat of the oil and fry the beignets again for 2 or 3 minutes. Repeat this step until all the batter has been used.

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

• 1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight
• 10 cups water
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 ham hock
• 4 cups cooked rice

• Place the beans and water into a slow cooker. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage in the skillet; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to the slow cooker. Reserve drippings. Add onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic to the drippings; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker.

• Season the mixture with pepper and Creole seasoning. Add the fresh basil leaves and ham hock. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or until beans are tender. If the bean mixture seems too watery, take the lid off the slow cooker and set heat to High to cook until they reach a creamy texture.

Jambalaya

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage (such as Conecuh©), cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (30-40 per pound)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sausage, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery; season with salt and Cajun seasoning. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the rice until evenly coated in the vegetable mixture, then pour in the tomatoes with juice, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

2. After 20 minutes, stir in the shrimp, and cook 10 minutes uncovered until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent in the center. Remove the pot from the heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves before serving.

Try Quinoa instead of Rice.

Saute the rice till it turns white. then add wet stuff. This will make the rice grain for grain.

**add Okra or anything you like

Angel Food Cake

• 1 cup(s) cake flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 12 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon(s) cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour and salt in a sieve set over a bowl; sift into bowl, and set aside. With a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form (see below), about 2 minutes. Add vanilla; beat to combine.

2. Gently transfer egg-white mixture to a large, wide bowl. In four batches, using the sieve again, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture. While turning the bowl, use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture by cutting down the center and coming up the sides.

3. Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel-food cake pan with a removable bottom; smooth top. Cut a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Invert pan; let cool in pan, 1 hour. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the tube to release cake, and unmold. Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan, and remove.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning *Tony Chachere's
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails

Directions
1. In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.

2. Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

• 1 pound(s) hot Italian sausage links, pricked several times with fork
• 3 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic , finely chopped
• 2 medium stalks celery, chopped
• 1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup(s) water
• 1 package(s) (10 ounces) frozen sliced okra, thawed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
• Salt
• 1 1/2 cup(s) regular long-grain white rice
• 1 1/2 pound(s) shelled and deveined shrimp, with tail part of shell left on if you like
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Directions

1. Heat 6-quart Dutch oven on medium-high until hot. Add sausage links and cook 8 minutes or until well browned, turning frequently. Transfer sausages to plate to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. When cool, cut sausages into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices.

2. While sausages cool, discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from Dutch oven. Add oil to Dutch oven and heat on medium. (If your sausages are very lean and you do not get 1 tablespoon drippings, add enough additional oil to drippings to equal 1/4 cup fat total.) Gradually stir flour into drippings until blended, and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until flour mixture (roux) is deep brown, stirring constantly. Add green pepper, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Return sausages to Dutch oven; stir in broth, tomatoes, water, okra, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors.

4. Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs. In medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

5. Add shrimp to Dutch oven; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until opaque throughout.

6. To serve, discard bay leaf. Serve gumbo in large bowls. Top each serving with a scoop of rice. Makes about 10 cups.

Red Beans & Rice

Ingredients for the Red Beans:

• 1 pound dry red kidney beans
• 8 ounces smoked pork or ham, diced
• 1-ounce rendered pork fat
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• Dash hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Green onions, sliced

Directions:

Ingredients for the Green Rice:

• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
For the Red Beans:
Soak beans overnight in cool water. In a large sauce pot, over medium heat, brown the pork in the pork fat. Add the celery, onion and bell peppers and let sweat until lightly brown. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic. Add the chicken stock and beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender and thick. Season with salt, to taste and stir in the hot sauce, vinegar and green onions.
For the green rice:
In a food processor add the herbs, oil and a pinch of salt. Add the rice and water to a rice cooker and season with salt, to taste. When cooked, fluff the rice and stir in the herb mixture.
Transfer the beans to a serving bowl or platter and serve with the green rice.

Red Beans & Rice Mix

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon dried sweet red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups dry kidney beans
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
• 4 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine the first 10 ingredients; place in an airtight container. Place beans and rice in separate containers. Yield: 1 batch. To prepare red beans and rice: Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain. Return beans to pan; add seasoning mix, 2-1/2 cups water and ham hocks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Remove ham hocks; cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to pan. Add the sausage. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until beans are tender and sausage is heated through. Remove bay leaf. Meanwhile, combine rice, salt and remaining water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls; top with bean mixture. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Authenic Red Beans & Rice

• 1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight
• 10 cups water
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 ham hock
• 4 cups cooked rice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the beans and water into a slow cooker. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage in the skillet; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to the slow cooker. Reserve drippings. Add onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic to the drippings; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker.
2. Season the mixture with pepper and Creole seasoning. Add the fresh basil leaves and ham hock. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or until beans are tender. If the bean mixture seems too watery, take the lid off the slow cooker and set heat to High to cook until they reach a creamy texture.

FOOTNOTE:
• When making your rice, if you have the time try it this way: Boil your rice until nearly done, drain in a metal strainer and rinse with cold water. Add about an inch of water to the pot you boiled the rice in and place the strainer full of rice on top of the pot. place on stove on medium heat, cover and steam the rice for about 15 minutes. This is a little time consuming, but it makes perfect rice.