Gumbo

Ingredients

1. 5-6 Lbs Meat * (Suggested: 2-3 lbs chicken, cut up or boned and/or 1 ½ lbs Andouille and/or 2-3 lbs shrimp
2. 1c fat (butter, lard, bacon drippings)
3. 1 c flour
4. 1 TBS chopped garlic
5. 8 C stock
6. 2 c green onions
7. 4 c onions
8. 2 c celery
9. 2 c green pepper
10. 4 tablespoons tomato paste
11. 1 pound okra, sliced into discs
12. Cajun seasoning
13. 3 Bay leaves
14. cooked rice
15. filé

Procedure

1. In a large soup pot, season and brown chicken in oil over medium heat.  Add sausage and ½ the onion, green pepper, and celery to the pot and sautee with the chicken.  Remove all from pot.
2. Make a roux with equal parts fat (must be free of food particles to avoid burning) and flour to desired color (Blonde for crab; ‘Peanut Butter’ for chicken, crawfish, shrimp; Chocolate brown for darker meats. This whole process can take 30 minutes.). ** 
3. Add remaining onion, green pepper, and celery and garlic and stir continuously.  
4. Meanwhile heat up the stock in another pot or microwave.  
5. After vegetables reach desired tenderness, return chicken mixture, tomato paste, okra, and bay leaves to the pot and cook, continuing to stir frequently.  Gently stir in hot liquid and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for an hour or more.  Season to taste with cajun spice.
6. Approx. 10 min before serving, add shrimp and green onions to the pot.  Remove Bay Leaves.

Serve gumbo either as a soup, or over rice.  Make filé available to individuals, ¼ to ½ tsp per serving for thickening and flavor.

Makes 15-20 servings

*You have some leeway in making gumbo, as it is really just a melange of meats and veggies. Most gumbos use a lot of the "Holy trinity," i.e., celery, green pepper and onion, but not too many other vegetables. But there is no reason you can't make a vegetarian gumbo. As for meats, any will do. As you use more than one you'll be fine. Chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp are a common trio. Beef, for some reason, is rare in gumbo.

**Most Louisiana gumbo relies on a roux that's almost the color of dark chocolate. Beyond the roux, you usually have a choice of a second thickener — okra or filé powder

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Original recipe: Went to a cooking class in New Orleans and saved the recipes

Posted by Jasmine

Chykonys in Bruette (Boiled Chicken in Ale Gravy)

Ingredients

• Whole cut-up chicken, 3-4Lbs
• (Mire Poix optional)
• 2 T butter
• Rice
• 3/4 C ale or beer
• 3/4 C broth from boiled chicken
• 1/2 tsp each pepper and powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp saffron (very optional)
• 1/2 C white bread crumbs
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot or heavy frying pan, over medium heat, melt butter, and brown the chicken well on all sides.
2. Add (veg and) water (to cover) to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for thirty minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender.  Let cool 
3. Cook rice and Shred chicken
4. With a basting nozzle or ladle, draw off 3/4 cup of the broth in the pot.
5. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine broth, ale and spices. Stir in bread crumbs, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.
6. Mix gravy with chicken, serve over rice

Serves four to six.

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Original recipe: A Boke of Gode Cookery

Posted by Jasmine

Curried Tilapia with Mango Salsa

Ingredients 

• 1 mango - peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 serrano chile, minced
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic pepper seasoning
• 4 fresh tilapia fillets

Directions

1. For the mango salsa, combine the mango, red onion, serrano chile, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a glass bowl. Set aside.
2. For the tilapia rub, mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, curry powder and garlic pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture onto both sides of the fish fillets.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish for about 3 minutes on each side or until it flakes easily with a fork.
4. Serve with the mango salsa.

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Original recipe: AllRecipes

Posted by Jasmine

Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower and BBQ Pork

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups frozen cauliflower florets
• 12oz uncooked rotini
• 3 cups skim milk 
• 6 tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 box of pre-cooked pulled BBQ pork (or other flavor, I don't own you)
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
• 1/2 cup Panko or Italian style crispy bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling over medium heat. Add cauliflower and macaroni; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender. Drain; return to saucepan, and cover to keep warm. (You'll probably need to chop up the cauliflower at this point)
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray. 
3. In 2-quart saucepan, stir milk, flour, mustard, salt, black pepper and red pepper with whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
4. Add cheese sauce and pork to cooked pasta mixture; mix well. Spoon into baking dish. 
5. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over pasta mixture in baking dish. 
6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.

Made this for my kid's 1st birthday, and she loved it.  I did too.

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Original recipe: Betty Crocker

Posted by Jasmine

Lemon Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs (skin and bones optional)
• 2 tsp paprika
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped (I use frozen chopped spinach, and to heck with measuring, go where the spirit moves you)
• Juice of 1 lemon (roughly 2 tbsp)
• 1 tps dried thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Season the chicken thighs or breasts with paprika, salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
3. Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (skin-side down, if you're using that kind), and sear it for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until it’s golden brown. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan and drain the excess.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the baby spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted (or thawed, if using frozen) and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the lemon juice and thyme. Return the chicken to the skillet and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.

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Posted by Piera

Original recipe: Tip Hero

Simple (Delicious) Slow Cooker Ribs

Ingredients:

• 1-2 slabs of ribs
• 1 can of Coke or Dr. Pepper
• [At least 1 18oz bottle] Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce (or another brand I GUESS)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. I like to use a liner in my slow cooker, but you don't have to. Ergo, either do/do not insert the liner and then place the ribs in the slow cooker.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in can of soda.
4. Cover and set to low for 8 hours.
5. Drain.
6. Slather in BBQ sauce.
7. Allow to cook for another 30 minutes on HIGH (in the slow cooker)

They can be difficult to remove from the slow cooker because they literally fall apart. Tough price to pay, haha.

I like to serve these with classic potato salad and/or coleslaw. And a ton of napkins or even wet wipes.

And do note: there's no ladylike way to eat these. Just let it happen.

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Original Recipe: Caroline Marie's Making

Posted by Emilee

French Dip Squares

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking spray
• 2 (8-oz.) tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
• 4 tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c. whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 lb. deli roast beef, patted dry
• 9 slices provolone
• 1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 c. low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9"-x-13" baking sheet with cooking spray. Place one unrolled can of crescents on prepared baking sheet and pinch together seams. 
2. Bake until edges are slightly golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, caramelize onions: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and 2 sprigs thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften and turn slightly golden. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Build squares: Spread an even layer of mustard onto prepared crescent, leaving a 1/2" border clear on all edges. Top with a layer of roast beef and a layer of provolone. Top with caramelized onions.
5. Unroll remaining tube of crescent rolls and place on top of onion layer. Press seam into bottom crust to seal all edges. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brush all over top of crescent dough, then sprinkle with parsley and salt. 
6. Bake until dough is golden and cooked through, about 35 minutes. (If dough is browning too quickly, cover with foil.) 
7. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing into squares.
8. Meanwhile, make au jus: Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 sprigs thyme, stripped from stem. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until reduced slightly. 
9. Serve squares with au jus on the side for dipping. 

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From: Delish

Posted by: Jasmine

Basic White Tin Bread

This is an excellent recipe if you are new to breadmaking; it's easy to follow and explains the steps as you go along. It's basically the same as the White Cob Loaf, only this one is smaller and is made in a bread tin (so it's easier to cut into slices). Google has easy weight-to-volume conversions if you need them.

Rise time: 2 hours, divided

Bake time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 400g strong white bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 8g salt
• 7g active dry yeast
• 25 unsalted butter, softened
• 250ml cool water (about 15-20° celsius -- basically room temp)
• Olive oil for kneading and oiling the tin

Instructions

1. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Don't put the salt directly onto the yeast, as you may kill the yeast or at the very least slow it down.
2. Add the butter and three-quarters of the water, and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the remaining water, a little at a time, until you've picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more -- you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
3. Coat the work surface with a little oil; using olive oil rather than flour on the work surface to prevent sticking keeps the dough soft. Then tip the dough onto the surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.
4. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size -- this means at least 1 hour, but it's fine to leave it for 2 or even 3 hours. [1] Resting the dough strengthens it and helps develop a robust crumb structure.
5. Prepare a 1kg loaf tin or two 500g loaf tins [2] by rubbing olive oil over the inside.
6. Tip your dough onto a lightly floured surface. If you are making 2 smaller loaves, divide the dough in half.
7. First shape into a ball by folding the dough inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out and the dough is smooth. Then form into an oblong by flattening the dough out slightly and folding the sides into the middle. Roll the whole lot up -- the top should be smooth with a join running along the length of the base. Put your dough into the prepared tin, making sure the join is underneath.
8. Put the tin(s) inside clean plastic bag(s) and leave it to prove [3] for about 1 hour, until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220°C and put a roasting tray [4! important!] in the bottom to heat up.
9. Dust the risen, springy dough with flour and slash the top with a knife -- a sharp serrated blade is ideal. Fill the roasting tray in the oven with hot water to create steam and put the bread into the oven.
10. Bake for 30 minutes or until the bread is cooked through. Check by tipping the loaf out of the tin and tapping the base -- it should sound hollow. Cool the loaf. out of the tin, on a wire rack.

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Posted by Piera

Original recipe: How to Bake by Paul Hollywood of the Great British Bake Off. I copied the recipe without any modifications, for the British charm. Click the "Read More" link for photos of the original.

[1] The oven (but turned off!) is a good place for this.

[2] I'm still not super clear about how these sizes correlate to the typical American bread pan. I have one larger pan and one that seems "normal"-sized, so I follow the instructions for the 1kg tin and it seems to work out.

[3] This is British for "cover and let rise." The Brits, I am told, have plastic bags specifically designed for covering bread dough, and "prove" is the Queen's English for "rise" (because the yeast has to prove its worth). Anyway, I cover it with the same tea towel from step #4 and have had no problems. Only more-American bread.

[4] Metal! Use metal! Do not use glass, trust me on this.

All-Purpose Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• any spices you feel are appropriate
• 2 c beef or chicken broth (or 1½ cups of broth and ½ cup milk

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle flour and spices on top and whisk until fully incorporated. Cook until it's golden.
2. Slowly add liquid, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to medium-low-ish and simmer, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens.

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Posted by Piera

(this was kinda patchworked from various recipes I've seen over the years. I like this ratio of ingredients but, as Jasmine says, YMMV)

Fajita Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (off a rotisserie chicken, out of a can, or about 3 large breasts)
• 2 cups instant rice
• 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup (or powdered good stuff)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup frozen diced onion and bell pepper blend (or 1/3c onion and half or so of a red or green bell pepper)
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Ro*Tel), undrained
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (1.12-ounce) packet fajita seasoning
• 1 (8-ounce) shredded Mexican blend cheese ( about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, uncooked rice, cream of chicken, sour cream, diced onion and bell pepper, tomatoes with chilies, chicken broth, fajita seasoning, and about half of the cheese. Mix to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it evenly. 
3. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted. (Or just add it at the beginning, that works fine)

I'm not usually much for "cans of stuff" recipes, but sometimes you just gotta feed your family quick and easy
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Original recipe: Southern BitePosted by Jasmine