Happy New Year. Our best thoughts go out to the loved ones of those killed, injured, and otherwise traumatized in the tragic attack on Bourbon Street in the early hours of the year.

I've been shipping cookbooks all week and failed to muster up the enthusiasm to cook my usual pork roast, black eye peas, cornbread, and collard greens for good luck on the first. I think I'll freeze the ham hocks and sausage I bought, and make the ham bone soup out of the cookbook later this month.

For this week, I selected Grillades & Grits up front; perfect for the chilly weather ahead. Next, a delicious lasagna with a rich meat sauce. And finally, a rich, filling chicken pot pie with a Cheddar crust. Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

Previous week's recipes:

 • Creole Jambalaya • Fried Eggplant with Crawfish Étouffé • Seafood Stuffed Eggplant

Order Your Copy of my New Cookbook Today!

My first cookbook, My Louisiana Kitchen, is shipping and is almost sold out. It features more than 140 recipes, almost all with full page photography, ranging from old classics to modern takes using familiar ingredients. Get a copy for yourself, and keep in mind that it makes a great gift!

To order your copy, call 504.208.9959 or CLICK HERE to order online.

Note: All holiday orders have been shipped. If you didn't receive yours call us 504-208-9959

Grits and Grillades

This is just what the doctor ordered for a chilly night, and today qualifies. I have a batch of grillades in the freezer, so all I have to do for dinner is make some grits. Maybe some green beans on the side.

Lasagna with Rich Meat Sauce

From one of the first cookbooks I ever bought, Classic American Food Without Fuss, this is a simple, classic meat-based lasagne. My second-generation northern Italian husband recoils with horror at the thought of meat sauce with lasagne - he's a cheese and tomato sauce only purist - but I love it.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust

Start your chicken; while it poaches and cools, prepare and cook your vegetables, and pull the crust together. Make a quick roux, add the chicken and vegetables, and assemble the pie. It bakes in half an hour, and smells delicious.