Barbecue Shrimp

1 stick butter

2 lbs. shrimp, cleaned, deveined

1/3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

2 tsp. garlic puree

In oven proof skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Turn off heat and add shrimp, stirring to coat with butter. Add all remaining ingredients and let shrimp rest uncovered on stove for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place skillet in oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until shrimp are pink.

Serves 4-6

Bacon Potato Bake

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, finely minced

1 (8 oz.) pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 lb. bacon, fried and cut into bite-sized pieces

8 large potatoes, peeled, diced into 1-inch cubes and parboiled

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 (8 oz.) pkg. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms to pan and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir bacon and parboiled potatoes into saute pan and heat until warm. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer contents of saute pan into large greased cast iron skillet or 13×9-inch casserole dish. Pour heavy whipping cream over potato mixture and top with grated cheese.

Sprinkle parsley over all and cover tightly with lid. Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Remove lid and continue baking additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 6-8

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves or 2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 additional Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

8 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half

Place olive oil and butter in large roasting pan and place in oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Preheating pan will create a golden brown crust on the potatoes.)

Add potatoes in single layer and stir to coat. Roast about 7 minutes then use tongs to turn potatoes over. Continue to roast about another 5 minutes, or until almost tender when pierced with fork.

Meanwhile, combine garlic, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, extra 1 Tbsp. olive oil in small bowl, salt and pepper. When potatoes are nearly tender, carefully add this mixture to potatoes and stir. Continue roasting another 5 minutes until seasoning mixture becomes fragrant.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley leaves. Place in serving bowl and add feta cheese and kalamata olives and stir gently. Serve immediately.

True Grits

6 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground pepper

2 cups quick grits

Tabasco sauce

In large saucepan, combine stock, cream, butter and garlic. Add 2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and bring to boil. Slowly whisk in grits and cook over low heat, whisking often, until thick and completely smooth, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Serve hot.

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. garlic, minced

Kosher salt

1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups smoked ham, diced

2 cups andouille sausage, cut ¼ -inch thick

1 large red onion, finely chopped

5 large celery ribs, finely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped

2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

1 lb. dried red kidney beans, rinsed and picked over

4 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Steamed white rice

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

 In large, heavy 8-quart pot, heat olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and bay leave and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring until fragrant.

 Add the stock, water and beans and bring to a boil. Cover and cook the beans over low heat for 1 hour. Uncover and increase heat to medium-low. Add parsley and continue cooking until beans are tender and the liquid is thick, about 1 more hour. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. parsley and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle the beans into bowls and serve with a scoop of white rice.

New Year's Black-Eyed Peas

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

3-4  cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced with seeds

1 pkg. smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

½ tsp. ground cumin

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. thyme

2 dashes liquid smoke

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3-4 dashes Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. frozen black-eyed peas

1-2 cans chicken broth or stock

 In large, heavy pot, heat 2 Tbsp. EVOO over medium heat. . Sauté onions and jalapeno in oil for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking another 2 minutes.

 Meanwhile, sauté smoked sausage pieces in medium-hot skillet until browned. Remove from heat and reserve.

 Add cumin, bay leaves, thyme, liquid smoke, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, Louisiana Hot Sauce and salt. Stir and cook about 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add sautéed smoked sausage and frozen black-eyed peas and stir. Pour in chicken broth until mixture is well covered. Stir to blend, cover and reduce heat to simmer 2 hours or until peas are tender. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, mash some of the peas to give your dish a creamier texture.

Garden Lasagna

16 oz. lasagna noodles

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

8 button mushrooms, chopped

2 zucchini, coarsley chopped

2 yellow squash, coarsley chopped

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10 oz.) can tomato puree

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1 Tbsp. valsamic vinegar

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Heat EVOO in large saucepan; add onion and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in carrots, red pepper, mushromms, zucchini and yellow squash. Saute additional 4 minutes. Add undrained tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, salt and black pepper and mix well.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil, oregano and balsamic vinegar. Simmer additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 13x9x3-inch baking dish.

In large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, egg and garlic salt; mix well. Layer one-third of noodles in prepared baking dish. Top with half the vegetable sauce then a layer of half the remaining noodles.

Spread noodles with cheese mixture then top with remaining noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Pizza Hut Original Stuffed Crust Pizza

Crust:

3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 1/2 tsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

Sauce:

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground pepper

1 bay leaf

Dash onion powder

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

8 (1 oz.) mozzarella string cheese sticks

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Toppings of your choice

To make dough; prepare crust one day before baking pizza. Dough must rise in refrigerator overnight to get same quality as commercial dough.

Combine warm water, sugar and yeast in small bowl and stir until yeast and sugar have dissolved.

Let mixture sit about 5 minutes. Foam should begin to build on surface. If it doen’t, the water was too hot or the yeast is dead. Throw it out and start again.

In large bowl, sift together flour and salt. Make a depression in center of flour and pour in yeast mixture. Add oil.

Using a fork, stir liquid in to the center of flour. Slowly draw in more flour, a little at a time, then use your hads to completely combine all ingredients into a ball.

Dust clean, flat surface with flour, and with heel of your hands, knead the dough on surface until it is smooth and consistent; about 10 minutes.

Rub a light coating of oil on the dough. Place in tightly covered container and put in warm place to rise 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

When doubled, punch dough down and put back into covered container and place in refrigerator overnight.

About one hour before you are ready to use dough, remove it from the refrigerator to warm to room temperature.

Meanwhile, make pizza sauce by combining tomato sauce, spices and lemon juice in small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until it begins to bubble, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30-60 minutes, or until desired thickness.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface measuring 18-inches across. Grease a pizza pan or pizza stone and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place the pizza on pan and score dough several times with fork to prevent bubbling.

Place a ring of the string cheese sticks, end to end, around the edge of the dough, and inch in from the edge.

Brush outer edge of dough with water and fold dough over and up cheese sticks, pressing it down to seal. This should form a rounded stuffed crust. Lightly brush the top of the folded dough with olive oil all the way around edges.

Spread 1 cup of pizza sauce on crust, or more if you desire, taking care to spread sauce all the way to the folded edge to hide the seam.

Spread toppings over pizza sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and bake 12-16 minutes, or until crust begins to turn dark brown and cheese develops dark spots.

Remove from oven and slice pizza 4 times through the center.

1 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 (15 oz) can whole tomatoes, broken

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup elbow macaroni, cooked

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

In large Dutch pot, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain grease. Add vegetables, tomatoes, soup, and salt and pepper to taste . Simmer mixture over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Add cooked macaroni and continue simmering an additional 5 minutes.

To serve, place into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen shredded has brown potatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup butter, melted and divided

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine hash browns, soup, onion, cheese, 1/2 cup melted butter and sour cream. Mix well. Pat into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.

In small bowl, combine reserved 1/2 cup melted butter and crushed cornflakes. Stir to thoroughly coat cornflakes. Sprinkle cornflake mixture on top of casserole. Bake for 30-45 minutes.