Holiday Recipe: Ashleys Overnight Breakfast Casserole

2TheAdvocate.com photo by Heather McClelland 

From Denny:  The hectic holidays are almost upon us and it sure comes in handy to have a few easy dishes like this to bake when people gather for any reason from the holidays to Saturday night football!  Breakfast casseroles come in handy when you have a house full of family and you need something you can just pop into the oven while you make coffee and slice some fruit.

This casserole comes from Dr. Ashley Lucas who was thoughtful enough to give it as a hostess gift to a friend who hosted a football night gathering.  That hostess sure was delighted to find a ready to go breakfast waiting in the refrigerator that all she had to do was bake and serve the next morning.  A great idea as Christmas food gifts too!

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Easy Fall Recipe: Make Your Grandmothers Pot Roast With Red Wine

Photo: Catherine Threlkeld/2TheAdvocate,com/Baton Rouge, Louisiana newspaper

From Denny:  Here is an easy recipe perfect for those busy work days as much as it is for special gatherings like Sunday dinner and the holidays that is a crowd pleaser.  This easy long time American favorite comfort food recipe comes from Marti Didier who works full time yet she still creates time to give community service.  

Didier proudly comments she "come from a family of old-fashioned, traditional, good cooks, and, as a result, has always taken time to embrace the old-fashioned way of cooking."  Didier often gives out this recipe for bridal gifts and also shares it at wedding showers in addition to smart cooking tips for new brides.

When busy with a career the usual choice for cooking is to start several dishes before you leave the house, turning off the stove, then return hours later after work to finish the cooking.  This is where a slow cooker sure comes in handy so you don't have to jump through so many hoops just to get a quality inexpensive meal on the table for your family...

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Delivery: 1 fat elf stuffed full of good cheer!  Since Santa is such a popular guy this fun design also available:  in earrings, bracelets, necklaces, key chains, silver charms, compact mirrors, round jewelry case, greeting cards, 3 sizes of bedding, blankets, pajamas, teapots, mugs, Christmas ornaments for your tree, coasters, throw pillows, aprons, shower curtains, cocktail plates and platters! 

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Holiday Appetizer: Chicken Wings With Two Sauces

From Denny:  OK, who doesn't love chicken wings as a snack or favorite party food?  They sure are a big hit at our house any time, especially when the weather turns chilly, so I'm always looking around for a different take on it or novel sauces. 

The peach sauce is a combination of peach jam, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili flakes - plenty of heat to balance the sweet jam.  The jalapeno chili pepper sauce is comprised of jalapenos, garlic, sugar, water, vinegar and ginger - plenty of garlic and ginger to complement the chili peppers.

This recipe is so simple that all you have to do is sprinkle the chicken wings liberally with salt and pepper and pop under the broiler at about 4" to 5" and broil for about 20 minutes or so while you make the easy sauces. Both sauces are cooled to room temperature before serving.  This recipe is a slam dunk when you are in a rush and need something easy for a weekend or weekday meal, just add a salad and chips!

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Chef Recipe From Kingfish: BBQ Shrimp Gaufre With Sweet Potato Spread

From Denny:  Ready for yet another chef inspired version of the classic BBQ Shrimp idea?  This one comes from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the Kingfish (named after Kingfish Sen. Huey Long who was definitely larger than life).

In Louisiana we love an excuse to use in any dish we can our incredible sweet potatoes grown here.  This is the first time I've seen sweet potatoes used in a BBQ Shrimp recipe!  This chef uses his sweet potatoes to create his version of a "BBQ" sauce poured over the shrimp on top of the waffle...

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Louisiana Creole BBQ Shrimp

From Denny:   Looking for a super simple hot appetizer for your next party or holiday gathering?  Louisiana BBQ Shrimp is the perfect fit.  A novice cook can pull off this one to rave reviews!  

Here in Louisiana - when you want to double or triple the recipe, we place it all in a roasting pan and stick it in the oven under broil with the oven door open slightly.  You really have to watch it so nothing burns but it is a time saver. 
 

However, you could also make this recipe in several batches on top of the stove as the recipe instructs.  Either way this recipe is always a big crowd pleaser!

Fair warning:  once your guests start eating they won't stop at just an appetizer portion so you may want to plan for doubling this recipe for 12 appetizer servings.  It's been my experience that when you bring out shrimp in Louisiana most people make a meal of it!

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New Orleans Chef Recipe: Crabmeat-Shrimp Fritters, Creole Tomato Dressing

From Denny:  Like to make easy fritters for the family for a quick meal?  I sure remember those yummy clam or corn fritters my mother used to make on Saturdays when I was a kid.  Apple fritters are equally tasty, especially when dusted with some cinnamon and sugar.  So, when I run across yet another variation to The Fritter Family then I'm game to try it.

This new fritter recipe comes from New Orleans Chef John Besh and Zatarain's.  Claw crabmeat, corn and small shrimp are featured in this recipe along with its own special tomato creole dressing.  Pull out your food processor to make this easy tasty dressing of Creole seasoning, garlic, Creole mustard (like stone ground mustard) and tomato.  Chill for an hour and then you are off to the dinner races!

In Louisiana we often prefer heavy iron skillets in which to deep fry for dishes like fritters.  If you have a special electric deep fat fryer then feel free to use that as well.  Around small children it would prove safer anyway.  Iron skillets are more a romantic historical sentiment that reminds us of our grandmothers - than necessary technology. :)

These fritters are made with the flour mixture that is a hush puppy mix from Zatarain's which saves time so you don't have to stop and measure flour, corn meal and spices.  Any products that save time in the hectic world of working people, especially parents, are welcome!

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New Orleans: Creamy Seafood Jambalaya Pasta

From Denny:  Need a quick pasta dish finished in 30 minutes?  Zatarain's created a product using the traditional jambalaya seasonings but with pasta noodles instead of rice!  If you want to include more than shrimp, like some tilapia or other fish, then cook these first and set aside.

Cooking shrimp separately to be added by the diner is also a good idea if you have diners who don't like shrimp or are allergic.

You never want to overcook seafood, especially shrimp.  Under cook them slightly while you finish the rest of the dish.  That way the heat of the sauce and vegetables will finish the seafood cooking without ruining the delicate texture.  I usually place the cooked seafood in a warmed ceramic/ironstone pasta bowl and cover with a small plate to keep it warm and moist until ready to place in the final dish.

If you are bored with fresh parsley as a garnish then consider diagonally sliced green onion.  It looks pretty and helps cut the rich cream sauce!

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New Orleans Recipe: Crescent City Shrimp Jambalaya

From Denny:  Not in the mood for the chicken version of jambalaya?  No problem; make it with shrimp and andouille sausage for a change of pace.  Shrimp is ridiculously popular down South that we are forever creating new dishes to keep up with the demand.

Louisiana cooking is based off of French cooking and with the same mindset of employing whatever food sources are at hand.  From the bayous or spillways teeming with yummy crayfish to the gorgeous shrimp and oysters from the Gulf of Mexico we create recipes around our bountiful food.

Kick it up a notch with Louisiana food products like from Zatarain's that help us make our meals cook that much faster and we are all a happy lot.  This recipe employs Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix of rice and seasonings.  You provide the fresh shrimp, sausage, onion, bell pepper, parsley and tomatoes.

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Chef Recipe: How To Make Remoulade Sauce

From Denny:  Remoulade sauce is popular here in Louisiana because it is so versatile.  This restaurant recipe makes a large amount so plan on dining on a lot of salads, gifting some friends or holding a family reunion.

Originally, remoulade sauce was used in France as a dressing for carrot, potato or raw celery root salad.  Classic French remoulade sauce is based with Dijon mustard, fresh made from scratch mayonnaise and an assortment of favorite French herbs like tarragon, chervil and parsley.  To that they add capers, some finely chopped pickles and then anchovies.

But this is the Creole style of remoulade sauce we enjoy here in Louisiana.  This version of remoulade is much more spicy.  We use Creole mustard in place of the traditional Dijon mustard.  We also include ketchup, finely chopped green onions or minced shallots.  To kick up the spice once more we add hot pepper sauce like the Tabasco brand or finely ground cayenne pepper.

So, how can you use a remoulade sauce?  We love it with seafood like shrimp cocktail, seafood po'boy sandwiches, crab cakes or a pan-fried fish but it also goes well with cold meats.

Mardi Gras: Muffuletta Sandwich

From Denny:  Do you love the New Orleans tradition of muffuletta sandwiches?  They are popular throughout Louisiana, especially at carnival time.  During the parades people are always looking for snacks that are easy to grab off a tray and run back into the crowd to catch those all important beads.  :)

This recipe is for an appetizer version where you don't have to worry so much about the high calories, salt and preservatives since it is a smaller portion.

There is even a recipe to show you how to make your own olive salad which can be used for more than just this sandwich, like a dressing on a garden salad or as a spread on French bread.  It was originally developed by the Sicilian immigrants that settled in New Orleans about 100 years ago.

Mardi Gras: Winner Meatloaf and 3 Sauces

From Denny:  Looking for a healthier recipe for the Mardi Gras season?  While the kids are busy jumping off and on to the porch to grab fistfuls of chips and quick sandwiches and then run back to the parades, the adults might enjoy taking a plate of this crowd pleaser.

This recipe is so easy to make it's kid friendly.  The versatility of this meatloaf is that it can be topped with something as simple as a warmed can of cream of mushroom soup or any of the three sauce recipes that follow.

One is a tomato sauce with brown sugar and mustard.  Another is a sweet and sour taste.  The final one is an Asian flavor using hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and ketchup.

Tailgating Pancakes: Beer and Bacon Man Cakes

From Denny:  More ways to use beer and bacon in delicious recipes, two favorites men love.  OK, if it uses dark beer even I'm intrigued.  After all, many dark beers - like Boston's own Samuel Adams Cream Stout - have chocolate in the brew.

A favorite recipe from the Betty Crocker site is this one that includes bacon that is baked and candied with brown sugar.  Then you crumble the bacon into the Bisquick mix, along with the eggs and beer.  The result produces a large and fluffy pancake.

Talk about a cool recipe to use for tailgating.  Can you imagine the smell of the bacon and brown sugar wafting through the RV parking lot outside of the stadium?  You will have new best friends in no time! :)

Beef: Braised Sirloin Tips

Mushrooms Image by Getty Images via @daylife

From Denny:  Want a low maintenance meal to throw in the oven during the holiday season while you tend to other things?  A hearty casserole is always welcome when the weather turns chilly.  You might want relief from dining on turkey.  Why not try this easy braised sirloin tips recipe?

Besides, it has brain food:  mushrooms.  During the holiday season it's easy to get frazzled and it sure is fun to know that mushrooms are available to get our overloaded brains back on target. :)

This recipe was featured in our local newspaper last year where local great cooks often share recipes.  Try this easy recipe and maybe it will become a holiday favorite:

Appetizer: Layered Chili, Cheese, Roasted Corn Dip

From Denny:  Just think of all the yummy things you can do with the simple pinto bean.  The first idea that comes to mind is a Mexican style layered hearty party dip perfect for tailgating or holiday parties.

This easy dip is layered with pureed beans with spices and fat-free cream cheese, salsa and a rice mixture made up of skillet roasted corn, chiles and spices.  All this goodness is topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and then baked for about 30 minutes.

How simple is that?  Yeah, I thought you'd like this one!  At this holiday time of year we can all get a bit frazzled so easy recipes like this are welcome.  This one certainly qualifies as a meal at our house so why make anything else?

You could add a simple salad - and chocolate pretzels for dessert.  Yes, I have a chocolate blog too.  Come on; you had to know. :)  Check it out if you enjoy chocolate recipes:  Romancing The Chocolate.

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake: From Denny: Dates are loved around the world. In the Middle East they are a traditional part of the culture, offered as a sign of hospitality. Dates are served with strong black coffee and sometimes yogurt to balance the intense sweetness.

We love them in America too, especially here in Louisiana, and we never miss a chance to check out a cake recipe featuring them. One beautiful characteristic of dates is that cakes like this freeze well and can be enjoyed months later.

This recipe is from a long time famous food writer, Sheila Lukins. Read on to find out about her many cookbooks she has authored as she has worked for Parade Magazine and co-founded the restaurant takeout shop at the Silver Palate Restaurant.

Dennys Food and Recipes: Readers Recipes: Apple Upside-Down Caramel Cake, Louises Birthday Cake

Image by karenandbrademerson via Flickr

Dennys Food and Recipes: Readers Recipes: Apple Upside-Down Caramel Cake, Louises Birthday Cake: " Upside-down cake is one of the first cakes I learned to make when I was a child.  They were so easy and even smelled good as you assembled them into the iron skillet which was our pan of choice.

This apple caramel cake is unusual in that it employs canned sweet potatoes too.  We love our sweet potatoes in Louisiana and eat them all year long, finding new ways to use them.  This is the first I've seen used in an upside-down cake.  Everyone knows that brown sugar and sweet potatoes are a natural and perfect taste combination!

The second recipe for an unusual birthday cake uses a spice cake mix and pumpkin pie filling.  That makes for a dense moist cake topped by cream cheese icing  - low fat cream cheese and low fat whipped topping, of course. :) To gild the lily the special cake is topped off with white chocolate bark."

Chef Emeril Lagasse Bakers Dozen: 5 Shrimp and 8 More Recipes

Cover of Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast

From Denny:  These Emeril recipes come from his cookbook, one of many, " Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast." All the recipes are designed to get food on the table in about 30 minutes, full of flavor and a breeze to make.

I own a number of his cookbooks and enjoy every one of them. He really understands when people are pressed for time to produce a good meal but don't want to skimp on freshness or full flavor.  Emeril always hits the right note, especially with his famous Emeril's Essence, with his recipe provided here too.

When you make your own spice combinations you can adjust the salt and peppers to your taste or even add more exotic spices to the blend.  Try out this basic Cajun seasoning recipe.  It  was first developed back in the 1960's by Tony Chachere, a brand still well loved and used here in south Louisiana.  Emeril's is a very good comparable version.


Gaaalicky Sizzling Shrimp

Servings: 2-4
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 1-30 min

If you like garlic, this is the dish for you.

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
6 tablespoons shrimp or chicken stock or canned, low-sodium shrimp or chicken broth
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley


Directions:

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the Essence and the salt. Set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the butter and garlic. Once the butter is nearly melted (about 20 seconds), add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Add the stock, lemon juice, and parsley, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

Serve immediately.

How To Make Your Own Marmalade

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  This is an easy tutorial - though without the recipe - for tomato and lemon marmalade. It shows the process. They have even updated the usual sterilizing in a water bath for the jars and lids. The jars and lids get heated in a 250 degree F. oven instead. After placing the cooked marmalade in the jars and sealing, the jars go back into the 250 degree F. oven for another 15 minutes to sterilize and that's all there is to it! That sure is a lot easier and I'm going to try that simpler method.

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Related articles

• The Lost Art of... Marmalades? (circleoffood.com)

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Comfort Food From Chef Katie Lee: Chicken Parmesan On Garlic Bread

From Denny: Everyone loves Chicken Parmesan and we usually eat it on spaghetti and red sauce with a delightful glass of Chianti. But did you ever think about placing it on garlic bread with some salad greens and onion slices? Now that's a hoagie, a poboy, a Super Bowl sandwich!


Recipes Featured:

Chicken Parmesan
Really Good Salad
Ciabatta Garlic Bread
Easy Tiramisu Affogato

Chili Cook Off: 3 Recipes From The Today Show

3 awesome takes on chili recipes from cold weather comfort food to inventive and heart healthy.

From Denny: The Today Show put out the call to all its viewers, asking cooks to compete in a chili cook off. Hundreds of recipes were sent in. Can you imagine testing and tasting all of these chili recipes and trying to narrow it down to just three? That must have been a tough call.

The three finalists they chose really all deserve the prize. Each one is unique and each recipe is quite tasty. It just comes down to personal taste of you and your family. The third recipe is also a healthy chili recipe, using chicken and turkey and spices that are excellent digestives. A digestive sauce or spice helps your metabolism burn the calories faster and more efficient.

Looking at the recipes I'd say the first one, Hog Call Chili, would be especially good in the fall or spring seasons. I like the inventive combinations of unusual ingredients.

Michael's Chili is a heart healthy chili and would be fabulous to enjoy in the hotter summer weather since it is so much lighter than traditional chili, layered with subtle interesting flavors because of the oyster sauce addition. Michael makes it easy to enjoy chili even in the summer months!

The Texas chili recipe, Bayou City Chili, is perfect for a hearty cold winter dish, the ultimate comfort food during this crazy severe snow weather engulfing the nation this season.

The Texas chili, Bayou City Chili, took the top prize from judges Food Network host Sunny Anderson and Travel Channel author Adam Richman.

To be sure, I will be making all three recipes as they are all outstanding. Kudos to all the people who entered this contest. Now I want to know "But who were the runners up?" Bet those are some serious taste treats too. Hey, Today Show, quit holding out on us here in food virtual land! ")

Create Your Niche Mug

Philosopher Wise Owl says: Create your niche, forget about what the other guy gets, be happy! by Louisiana artist Denny Lyon