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!

2 mirlitons, cut in half

1 small onion, sliced & caramelized

8 cloves of garlic, roasted

10 jumbo shrimp, shells removed

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ teaspoon of lemon zest, grated

1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon citrus seasoning

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over prepared pan. Place mirlitons cut side down, on prepared pan.

Bake until mirlitons are tender but not falling apart, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Season your shrimp with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, & citrus seasoning.

In a medium skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat & cook your shrimp for 2 mins on each side.  Once cooked, remove your shrimp and place them in a mixing bowl.  Add the feta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, caramelized onions, roasted garlic & mix everything together.

Scoop out mirliton flesh, leaving a ½-inch-thick shell. Discard seeds.  Return mirliton shells cut side up, to pan. Sprinkle shells with salt, and spoon in shrimp mixture into shells.

Bake for 10 minutes and then serve & enjoy.

*Please note this only makes a small batch.  If you plan to make a bigger batch, just double the recipe.

 

*Please note this recipe is for a small batch of deviled eggs. Just simply double the recipe if you plan to use a dozen eggs.

6 boiled eggs, sliced in half and yolks removed

4 oz log of goat cheese

Half a small yellow onion, thinly sliced & caramelized

5-6 cloves of garlic, roasted

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of  sour cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Smoked paprika, for topping

Boil 6 eggs. Once they are ready, remove the eggs and let them cool. Next, peel & cut them in half separating the yolk from the egg whites. In a mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, goat cheese, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, & pepper and mix those ingredients well.  Spoon or use the ziplock bag trick to add the filling into the egg whites. Lastly, sprinkle the top of the eggs with smoked paprika. Enjoy!