July 26, 2024 We are hard at work on a cookbook collection of our best recipes plus some new ones; I was deep in photo shoots last week and forgot to send the newsletter out. We made a yummy asparagus cheese tart with a balsamic glaze, dilly green beans and shrimp, chicken-asparagus roll-ups, a chicken and sausage stew that I absolutely loved, and a Creole tomato relish. This week we're focusing on baking, did a Creole cream cheese cheesecake, sauteed snapper over garlicky spinach, and my dad's ...Continue Reading

July 12, 2024 It looks like we're in for a brutally hot summer; the heat index has had us well over 100F by mid-afternoon most every day this week. The good news is, there has been rain, so my herb garden is thriving. I'm going to make fresh basil pesto for dinner tonight, with a plate of sliced Creole tomatoes and pickling cucumbers on the side. Easy enough to do without heating up the kitchen. For the recipes this week, I'm thinking easy. First up, a shrimp salad bursting with tropical flavors; I like to m ...Continue Reading

June 24, 2024 It looks like we're in for a brutally hot summer; the heat index has had us well over 100F by mid-afternoon most every day this week. The good news is, there has been rain, so my herb garden is thriving. I'm going to make fresh basil pesto for dinner tonight, with a plate of sliced Creole tomatoes and pickling cucumbers on the side. Easy enough to do without heating up the kitchen. For the recipes this week, I'm mixing things up a bit. First up, a shrimp fricassee from chef Vishwesh Bhat. His I ...Continue Reading

June 21, 2024 It's restaurant week in New Orleans, and I and a few girlfriends friends took advantage of the deals with a delicious meal at Avo on Magazine Street in uptown. I started with a watermelon gazpacho that was SO good I'm going to beg the chef to share the recipe. I can see eating it in quantity on the hot summer days ahead. If I'm successful in sussing it out of him, I'll share it here. For the recipes this week, I'm focusing on simple is better. First up, an easy upgrade on a classic Shrimp Creol ...Continue Reading

June 14, 2024 I did make pizza for the family last weekend, plus two extras to take to a jazz concert we went to with friends in a local park Sunday night. We ended up feeding most of it to the band; thumbs up all around. For the recipes this week, I'm focusing on simple is better. First up, a hearty corn chowder with Andouille sausage from Cook's Illustrated; I'd use fresh corn because it's in season here. Next, a standard from Cajun country, essentially dirty rice. No need to save it just for holidays. And ...Continue Reading

June 6, 2024 My nephew and his wife are coming for lunch on Sunday so I get to be auntie Sooz. I love it! I'm waiting to hear what they would like for me to cook; might be just hamburgers or pizza, but we'll get to spend some time together. I haven't seen them since their wedding back in April. For the recipes this week, I'm dusting off some old favorites from the magazine. First up, a butter-poached shrimp take on a dish our family has been making for years, usually with a mild flaky fish. I updated it usin ...Continue Reading

May 31, 2024 It's hard to believe, timewise, that it's June this weekend already. Weather-wise, I can certainly believe it. First we thought that winter would never end, and this week it's been so hot and humid moisture condenses on the windows and my glasses fog up when I walk outside. Seems like we're in for a long, hot summer. For the recipes this week, I'm dusting off some old favorites. First up, a shrimp scampi with a secret ingredient: super-crunchy breadcrumbs. Double or triple the recipe because the ...Continue Reading

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May 25, 2024 I conjured my mom and granny this week. I invited a dozen friends over Thursday night and made smothered pork with brown gravy and chicken cutlets with cream gravy. I made a pot of field peas with snaps; baby lima beans; smothered green beans; and a skillet of sweet corn. Buttermilk biscuits and buttermilk cornbread with chiles and sharp cheddar; a platter of sliced tomatoes and cukes, and a blackberry crumble with a cardamom cream sauce; a friend brought watermelon, and another a frozen mar ...Continue Reading

May 16, 2024 The rumor was true! I got two cases of Creole tomatoes last week; they weren't quite ripe so I had to wait a bit before slicing, but we've been eating at least two a day ever since. It's one of those things that remind me of childhood; over the summer, there was a plate of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes on the table with every meal, usually with a few hot peppers for those of us who wanted to spice things up. For the recipes this week I'm kind of all over the map. First, a seafood and artichoke d ...Continue Reading