*1 cup of half & half

*1 can evaporated milk

*1 can of condensed milk

*2 angel food cake loafs

*1 pint of strawberries, chopped

*1 container of cool whip

*1 tsp of vanilla

Mix together the half & half, evaporated milk, and condensed milk in a bowl. Next, cut each angel food cake loaf horizontally into 3 even pieces, giving you 6 pieces total. Be sure to pinch off a few tiny pieces of the cake which you will crumble on top at the end. Layer 3 pieces of the cake into a 9×13 serving dish. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon and poke some holes in each piece and pour half of the milk mixture over the pieces. Add the remaining 3 pieces of cake, poke holes in the pieces, and add the remaining milk mixture. Add the teaspoon of vanilla to the cool whip and mix it well. Spread the cool whip on top of the cake and top with the chopped strawberries and cake crumbles. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!

*1 cup fresh squeezed satsuma juice or fresh squeezed orange juice

*1 cup water

*1.75 cups of sugar

*2 (12 oz) bags of fresh cranberries

*3 teaspoons of satsuma zest or orange zest

*1 carton of strawberries, pitted and diced

*1 Granny Smith apple, cored & diced

*1 cinnamon stick

*Pinch of salt

Bring the satsuma or orange juice, water, & sugar to a boil in a pot. Add cranberries, apples, strawberries, zest, cinnamon stick, & salt & bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently for about 20 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst open. Be sure to stir occasionally. Feel free to smash some cranberries against the side of the pot if they didn’t burst during the cooking process. Transfer sauce to a serving bowl and remove the cinnamon stick. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

½ lb. okra, halved lengthwise

½ lb of green beans

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tsp of Old Bay seasoning

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp of garlic powder

½ tsp of salt

½ tsp of black pepper

Toss the okra & beans in the olive oil & seasonings and place them on a baking sheet. Try not to let them overlap each other. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Dipping sauce:

3 tablespoons of sour cream

1-2 tbsp of pickled jalapenos, diced

1 avocado

Garlic powder to taste

Onion powder to taste

Salt & pepper to taste

Juice of half a lime

Dash of hot sauce

Mix everything together in a food processor. Once mixed, put the dip in a small serving bowl. Enjoy!

4 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed

4 apples, cored, peeled, & cubed

4 pears, cored, peeled, & cubed

1 cup of apple juice

Juice of one large lemon

Zest & juice of one medium orange

2 shots of bourbon

1 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup

1 tablespoon of molasses

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Add all of the ingredients to a large slow cooker & stir well to combine & cover. Cook on low for 10 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove cover & puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Enjoy!

*This batch makes enough to fill 6 half-pint canning jars. They make great presents to give out during the holidays.

 

 

 

1 stick of butter

1 teaspoon of liquid crab boil

2 cups of chicken stock

Juice of half a lemon

1 lb of shrimp, peeled (keep shells to cook in stock)

1 lb of crawfish tails

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small bunch of green onions, chopped & used for topping

2 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon of paprika

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of seafood seasoning

Melt the butter in a pot.  Add the crawfish and shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Remove the crawfish and shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery to the pot and sauté for at least 20 minutes. While your veggies are sautéing, put your chicken stock in a small pot along with the shrimp shells and boil your stock for about 5 minutes. Strain your stock to remove the shrimp shells and set aside to cool. When your veggies have cooked for 20 minutes, add the flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Return the crawfish and shrimp back to the pot and add the chicken stock, seasonings, lemon juice, and crab boil and stir everything together. Mix the tomato paste with a little bit of water to make it the consistency of ketchup and add it to the pot.  Stir and cook on low, covered, for about 40 minutes. Once done, remove the bay leaves.  If you want a thicker gravy, you can thicken it up with a slurry of flour or cornstarch. Serve over rice and top with some green onions.  Enjoy!