Just when we think summer might finally be relinquishing its hold on us, another heat wave rolls through. I'm on the verge of turning the thermostat down to 62 and pretending the weather is cool enough for a sweater. Maybe we'll get some rain and cooler weather this weekend.

We're deep in the throes of finalizing our 2019 Holiday Food Guide; up tomorrow for photography, a luxurious Seafood Lasagna with shrimp, crab, and scallops. I can't wait to get my fork into that one! We're also working on a Louisiana citrus pepper jelly vinaigrette that will be delicious on all kinds of salads over the whole holiday season.

We've also got a perfectly medium-rare chuck roast in the issue that's also meltingly tender, no easy feat for that very tasty but tending toward cut of meat. That holiday meal is rounded out with a delicious potato galette, green beans (NOT the condensed soup casserole one!), and a fool proof recipe for creating the perfect popover to go with that meal.

If you're not a magazine subscriber you're missing the best of what we do; subscribe today. You'll get your first issue next week, and you will be doing your part to support this newsletter and help grow the magazine.

Enjoy this week's recipes, share them with family and friends, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. Have a great weekend.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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Tip of the Week: Is your baking soda and baking powder fresh?

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Spaghetti Antalina

Back Pocket Pasta, by Colu Henry, never fails to inspire me when I have no idea what to cook for dinner, whether I follow one of her recipes faithfully or it simply kicks my imagination into gear. This one is from southern Italy. If, like me, you always have pecans on hand instead of walnuts, sub them in instead .

Alligator Chili (Geaux Tigers!)

This is from Chef John Folse's excellent cookbook The Evolution of Cajun and Creole Cuisine, and it's for all those LSU Tigers fans out there. The Big Game against the Florida Gators is this weekend, and, while I'm sure there will be plenty of whole gators on the grill, this one works for those of us who don't have access to a whole alligator. Feel free to substitute diced or ground chuck.  

Colossal BBQ Shrimp with Crab Stuffing

If you want, make the brine several days in advance and keep refrigerated; everything else comes together quickly. The recipe calls for smoking the stuffed shrimp, but they're equally good baked or cooked over indirect heat on a covered grill. 

Grits 'n Greens

We We did a lot of things with stone-ground grits in the last issue of the magazine, including introducing a method for making old fashioned stone-ground grits in 15 minutes in the pressure cooker. This was one of my favorites; My Louisiana Kitchen & Culture subscribers will find the recipe on page 46 of the September/October 2019 edition; subscribe today and get your own copy. We're offering 1-, 2-, and 3-year subscriptions starting at $25.

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