We had our first significant rain earlier this week and it's getting down to brisk weather at night. We have a beautiful weekend in store, though, with highs in the mid-70s with lots of sunshine. I think I'm going to make pizza Saturday night, and get some red beans soaking on Sunday for a Monday cook. We'll see how the smoked sausage I've found stands up in my recipe.

For the recipes this week, first up, easy food food: A bourbon chicken stir fry that definitely benefits from an overnight marinade; the actual cooking time is nominal, making it a great option for a busy weeknight. Serve over hot cooked rice, steamed broccoli would be great on the side. Next, Jim's recipe for leek and potato soup. It's one of a few really good recipes in his repertoire, and he'll make it any time I ask for it. I'll bake a loaf of bread one of these days and put him to work. Finally, an easy, one-skillet meal with roasted tomatoes, Italian sausage, and dried cheese-stuffed tortellini. Easy and delicious!

Enjoy these 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

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Previous week's recipes:

 • Enchiladas Suizas • Smoked Pork Paella • Creamy White Beans with Smoked Turkey

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Bourbon Chicken

This is an easy weeknight recipe that greatly benefits from an overnight marinade, but shorten it to however much time you have. It's delicious served over rice or noodles of any sort. As pictured here, with a simple fried rice.

Jim's Leek and Potato Soup

I do almost all of the cooking around here, but there are a few dishes in Jim's aresenal and this is one of them. Any time I'm feeling under the weather for some reason, I can ask him to make this for me and he'll get to work. It's best made with rich homemade chicken stock, and served with a thick slice of good crusty bread.

Roasted Tomato and Sausage Skillet Tortellini

I like the roasted tomatoes and garlic called for in this dish enough that I usually roast a double batch, always with extra olive oil because the resulting flavored olive oil can be used in so many ways. Shelf-stable dried tortellini are almost always in my pantry, so this is a go-to dish on chilly days.