Spicy
A Hot Cocktail!
A few weeks ago I was on the East coast with my daughter, Zoe, visiting some of the colleges she is considering for next year. One night, we stayed with our good friends, Leslie and Mark in Hartford, Connecticut. Leslie is a wonderful chef and has written three cookbooks – Simply Shrimp, Salmon, and (Fish) Steaks, Simply […]
Continue ReadingCrawfish (or Shrimp) Etoufée
ay-TOO-fay! Étouffée or etouffee (pronounced: ay-TOO-fay) is a dish found in both Cajun and Creole cuisine typically served with shellfish over rice. It is most popular in New Orleans and in the bayou country of the southernmost half of Louisiana. In French, the word “étouffée” (borrowed into English as “stuffed” or “stifled”) means, literally, “smothered” […]
Continue ReadingHarissa Marinated Top Sirloin Tips
The Ketchup of North Africa My friend, Jessica, found this recipe on Epicurious. It got 24 rave reviews and 100% of the reviewers would make this recipe again! I, of course, had to give it a go. Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili sauce commonly eaten in North Africa whose main ingredients are piri piri […]
Continue ReadingTaco Soup
Ranch Style Beans with Jalapenos! I found this Taco Soup recipe using my all time favorite canned beans – Ranch Style Beans with Jalapenos. I love eating these beans with hot dogs or BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. They have just the right amount of heat. Also included in the recipe below is a recipe for […]
Continue ReadingBuffalo Shrimp
Hey, all you Couch Potatoes, get up and make this! Here is a guilt-free recipe to eat while you park yourself on your sofa to watch some idiotic game….. This is from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fattening: Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the Super Busy, by Devin Alexander, who wrote The Biggest Loser Cookbooks. Buffalo Shrimp […]
Continue ReadingHot Cheese Mushroom & Chorizo Dip
Zap it! Here’s a hot cheesy dip for your favorite game. It’s a snap to make in microwave (or should I call it a zap?). Hot Cheese Mushroom & Chorizo Dip Makes about 3 cups 12 oz Mexican asadero or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into chunks 6 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 cup Mexican-style chorizo, […]
Continue ReadingWoolworth’s Frito Pie
A Cult Classic I was watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network last night with my daughter, Zoe. One of the chef’s favorite things is Frito Pie. She was very intrigued. I remember eating it as a child. One of the best ways to eat it, however, is to pour the chili right into a […]
Continue ReadingSpicy Hoisin & Sesame Glazed Corn
A Versatile Sauce This sauce/glaze is very versatile and can be basted on corn, eggplant, bok choy, chicken, buffalo wings, ribs, meatballs, hot dogs, pork, salmon, etc. Spicy Hoisin & Sesame Glazed Corn Serves 8 ¼ cup hoisin sauce ¼ cup honey 2 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 Tbs lime juice 8 ears corn, husked […]
Continue ReadingPulled Pork Nachos
Gus’s BBQ Last night, we went to Gus’s BBQ in South Pasadena, CA for dinner. Gus’s has been around since 1946, though it’s been sold and re-done in the past few years. For some reason, I ordered the pulled pork nachos. My expectations were low. Boy, was I wrong! Everything about this messed up pile of meal […]
Continue ReadingArtichoke, Jalapeño & Parmesan Dip
A Spicy Dip Anything with artichokes in it is a good thing, as far as I am concerned. This dip recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. You can adjust the “heat” of the dip to your personal preference by the amount of jalapeño peppers used, just remember that no two batches of pickled peppers share the […]
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