The French Quarter - NOLA

Myrtles Plantation

Sunset at Rockport, TX

Mandeville, LA

Lake Pontchartrain - North Shore

Myrtles Plantation

French Quarter - NOLA

Love Ariel

Yum Yum Pie

Yum Yum Pie

Recipe from Grandma Turner’s recipe box.

This pie is both easy to make and very addicting. 

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cube butter
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans
• 1 – 8oz cream cheese; softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 12 oz cool whip (divided)
• 1 lg. vanilla instant pudding
• 1 lg. chocolate instant pudding
• 3 cups milk

Combine nuts, flour, butter; and press into 9X13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool.  Combine cream cheese sugar, and half of the cool whip, blend until smooth.  Spread onto crust.  Beat together both puddings and milk.  Pour onto pie.  Spread remaining cool whip on top. 

Sweet Corn Cake

Sweet Corn Cake

Similar to El Torito

Copycat recipe by looneytunesfan

• 1 (7 ½ oz) package sweet cornbread mix
• ¼ Cup butter, melted
• ¼ Cup water
• 1 (15 oz) can cream style corn
• 1 Tablespoon honey, optional

In bowl, combine corn cake mix with melted butter.  Add water and can of cream style corn.  Mix until ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.

Use an ice cream scoop to serve sweet corn cake as a side dish or for dessert.

Strawberry Refrigerator Cake

Strawberry Refrigerator Cake

Duncan Hines Box cake box recipe

This was my go-to cake recipe for years, but lost the recipe in the mid 2000’s.  I found the recipe again very recently online on the Duncan Hines Website. 

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix (can substitute white or yellow cake mix too) Make cake according to box directions.
• Approximately 10oz of sweetened, frozen sliced strawberries, thawed

Topping:

• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling (can substitute cream cheese pudding too)
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping
• fresh strawberries

Baking Instructions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease and flour 13x9-inch pan.

2.       For cake, prepare, bake and cool according to package directions.

3.       Poke holes 1 inch apart in top of cake using handle from wooden spoon.

4.       Puree thawed strawberries with juice in blender. Spoon evenly over top of cake allowing mixture to soak into holes.

5.       For topping, prepare pudding mix according to package directions using 1 cup milk. Fold whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread over cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Sour Cream Pork Chops

Sour Cream Pork Chops

(A Paula Deen modified recipe)

2 Tbsp. Veggie or Canola Oil
6 pork chops or pork steaks (recipe calls for boneless, but I have made it with the bone)
1 1/2 C. sliced Onion, separated into rings
1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 C. Beef Broth
1 Tbsp. chopped Parsley

1-2 cloves garlic; minced
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

½ cup milk

2 Tbs. Corn Starch
1 C. Sour cream

Hot cooked Rice or Mashed Potatoes
Garnish: chopped parsley

In large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Add pork chops, and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until browned.

Place onions evenly over pork chops.
Spread mushroom over onion.

In a small bowl, combine broth, parsley, paprika, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Pour broth mixture over pork chops.

Cover, reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove pork chops from pan.  Combine milk and corn starch in small bowl.  When thoroughly mixed add milk mixture to pan and stir to thicken. 

Stir in sour cream, add pork chops back to pan, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Do NOT let boil.

Serve over hot rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Shrimp Etouffee

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse and Jesse Tirsch

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 2 teaspoons Thyme
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons Cajun / Creole Seasoning (I used Tony Chachere’s or Slap ya’ Mama)
• 1 quart shrimp stock (or Shrimp broth; bouillon found in soup aisle.  I’ve made it both ways)
• 3 pounds medium shrimp (21 to 25 count per pound), peeled and de-veined
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• Steamed white rice, for serving
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops, for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir the roux over medium heat until the color of peanut butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and soup to the pot and season with the thyme, salt, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun / Creole Seasoning. Cook the tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes and then whisk in the shrimp stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook the etouffee, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining tablespoon of Cajun / Creole Seasoning and add them to the pot, stirring to evenly distribute. Cook the shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Add the chopped parsley to the pot and stir to combine.

Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish with sliced green onion tops.

Or if you don’t like rice serve over angel hair or spaghetti pasta. I also added parmasean cheese to a plate. You can omit this. This was an Erik thing.

Shrimp Stock:

1 pound (about 1 quart) shrimp shells and heads

1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots

3 smashed garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons salt

Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for several minutes.

Combine the shrimp shells and remaining ingredients in a heavy 6-quart stockpot, add 4 quarts water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally.

Remove the stock from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container; let cool completely. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.

Misty’s Salsa

Misty’s Salsa

• 1 large can diced or whole tomatoes; add the liquid
• 3 charred jalapenos (remove skin and the stems.  Remove the seeds from 2 of the peppers) **Add one jalapeno at a time.  The last time I made this the Jalapenos were hotter than normal. 
• ½ cup cilantro (might need to adjust, I never measure this)
• ½ - 1 cup finely diced red onion (might need to adjust this too, I never measure this either)
• Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Add half of tomatoes to blender with cilantro and jalapenos and blend until the cilantro and jalapenos are chopped up small.  Add this to a bowl.  Next add the remaining tomatoes to blender and blend just until the tomatoes are know longer big. You still want the tomatoes to be a little chunky.  Add this to the bowl.  Add the onions.  Add seasonings. 

You can add more or less of the ingredients depending on your preference. 

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler

Recipe from Grandma Turner’s recipe box

This is the easiest cobbler and just as good.

• 1 cube Butter
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 large can peaches

Melt butter in 9x13 in. pan.  Mix all other ingredients in bowl and add to pan.  Do not stir batter into butter.  Spoon in fruit.  Bake at 375 degrees; for 40-45 minutes or until crust turns brown. 

Misty’s New England Clam Chowder

Misty’s New England Clam Chowder

• 11 slices chopped bacon (chop length ways; then across)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow or white onion
• ¾ - 1 cup chopped celery
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter (not margarine…Ewwww)
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 bottles clam juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups Half & Half
• 4-5 6oz cans of chopped or minced clams. 
• 1 ½ cups peeled, diced and boiled potatoes; drained
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• Parsley and Paprika for garnish

Cook bacon in large pot.  Drain bacon when finished cooking and put to the side.  Do not overcook bacon or make crispy.  Add celery and onion to bacon drippings and start to sauté.  Add butter and continue cooking for 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook; stirring for 3 to 4 minutes making a blond roux.  Stir in the clam juice and chicken broth; bring liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium – low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, 4 to 6 minutes.  Stir in the half and half and continue to cook for another 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in cooked potatoes, bacon, and clams and simmer on low. When done put in bowl and garnish with a small pat of butter, paprika and parsley. 

****If the soup is too thin mix a couple tablespoons of Wondra flour or Corn Starch into ½ cup of cold milk.  Mix well and put into pot and continue cooking.  Once chowder has begun to boil it will thicken up.  If the chowder is still to thin; repeat step.  If chowder is too thick add more half & half or milk. 

Lemon No-Bake Cheese Cake

Lemon No-Bake Cheese Cake

I’m not sure whose recipe this was, but I remember both my mom and Grandma Turner making it. 

Crust:

• 4 ½ cups graham crackers
• 9 tablespoons sugar
• 18 Tablespoons butter

Filling:

• 3 pkgs cream cheese
• 6 cups whole milk
• 3 pks lemon instant pudding

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together.  Press into a 9X13inch baking dish.   Stir Cream cheese until very soft.  Blend 2 ½ cups of milk.  Add remaining milk and the pudding mixes.  Beat slowly with mixer.  Just until mixed about 1 minute.  Do not over beat.  Pour at once into crust.  Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs lightly over the top of cake.  Chill about 1 hour. 

Jalapeno Corn Bread

Jalapeno Corn Bread

Recipe from Alison Ball

• 1 Box of Jiffy cornbread mix; follow directions on box but replace milk with buttermilk.  Add the following ingredients:
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 can chopped / diced green chilies
• 1 small jalapeno – diced
• ½ cup cheddar cheese
• ½ cup frozen sweet corn

Stir all the ingredients into the prepared cornbread mix.  Cook in 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Hash brown Potato Casserole

Hash brown Potato Casserole

Recipe adapted from Paula Dean

• 2 pounds frozen hash brown potatoes
• 4 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 10 ¾ oz. Cream of chicken or Cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups sour cream
• ½ cup (1 stick) melted butter
• ½- ¾ cup white or yellow onion, chopped
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (season to your taste)
• 6-8 pieces bacon; chopped and cooked
• 3 green onion; chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 2 cups of the Cheddar cheese, soup, sour cream, butter, onion, 1/3 green onions, 1/3 bacon and seasonings.  Place in a buttered 13x9x2 inch pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and top with remaining Cheddar, green onions and bacon.  Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes longer. 

Crawfish Etouffee

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 pound peeled crawfish tails (frozen if can’t find fresh)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 2 cup shrimp or chicken broth (can get bouillon cubes in soup aisle of store)
• Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste (I use Tony Chachere’s or Slap ya’ Mama)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onions

Directions

In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and sauté until the vegetables are wilted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the crawfish, garlic, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the crawfish for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add can of soup.  Dissolve the flour in the broth. Add the crawfish mixture. Season with Cajun / Creole seasoning to your preference. Stir until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove Bay Leaves.  Stir in the parsley and green onions and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Serve over steamed rice. 

Crawfish and Shrimp Fondue

Crawfish and Shrimp Fondue

Recipe adapted from another type of fondue recipe by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces brie, trimmed of rind
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• ½ lb. crawfish tail meat
• ½ lb. small – medium shrimp (de-vein and unshell) If med. Sized shrimp; chop up in smaller pieces.  Sauté just until done in a tablespoon of butter.
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Tomato Confit, recipe follows
• French bread or focaccia croutons, for serving

Directions

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted, add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Once the cream is hot and bubbling, add the Brie and use a whisk to stir it into the cream. Season the cream with the salt and pepper and add the shrimp and crawfish to the pan. Continue to cook the fondue over medium heat until the cream is slightly reduced, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir the parsley into the fondue. Transfer fondue to a fondue pot and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Tomato Confit into the fondue. Serve warm with French bread or focaccia croutons.

Tomato Confit:

• 1/4 pound plum tomatoes, cored, halved, and seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• Olive oil, as needed

Place tomatoes in a small saucepan and season with the salt. Add the rosemary sprig and garlic and enough olive oil to barely cover the tops of the tomatoes. Bring oil to a very low simmer and cook for about 1 hour. Remove tomatoes from the oil with a slotted spoon and place in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from Emeril Legasse

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onions
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 cups diced potatoes, blanched
• 1 cup diced carrots, blanched
• 1 cup sweet peas
• 2 ½ cups shredded chicken, cooked
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 package of pie crust (I use the red box that has the two individual wrapped crusts)
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 9 by 2-inch square baking pan.

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes for a blond roux. Stir in the chicken stock and bring the liquid up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the half and half and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, peas and chicken. Mix the filling thoroughly. Line the baking pan with one of the crusts. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Place the top crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges of the pan and place on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crispy.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

*****CAN ALSO SUBSTITUTE LEFTOVER TURKEY FOR CHICKEN

CHATEAU BASQUE’S BASQUE SOUP

CHATEAU BASQUE’S BASQUE SOUP

Recipe printed in the Bakersfield Californian sometime in the 80’s 

Copied this from Grandma Turner’s recipe card.

• 4 -6 Beef Bouillon cubes
• 1 can Beef Consommé (found in soup aisle)
• 1 soup bone
• 16 cups water
• 2 Cups sliced celery
• 2 Cups sliced potatoes
• 1-15 oz can tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons parsley
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Salt

Add 12 cups water, soup bone, bouillon cubes and consommé in large stock pot.  Cook for 1 ½ hrs on med-low heat.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1 1/2 hours. 

Serve with good crusty French bread and butter.  If you’re lucky enough to have Pyrenees Bread you are blessed.  LOL

Cespacal

Cespacal

Recipe from Aunt Joyce; given to Grandma Turner

• 1-whole chicken (cut-up) or favorite pieces
• 1 Tablespoon shortening
• 1 Cup green onions, chopped
• 1 Cup Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Cup Celery, chopped
• ½ stick butter
• 2 links smoked sausage (Hillshire Farms Oval shaped links are fine)
• 2 small cans tomato sauce or one medium can
• 1 small can tomato paste
• Dash or two of Tabasco sauce (depends on taste; may want more)
• Tex Joy Steak Seasoning to taste (Grandma used 1 whole bottle) I’ve substituted Cajun or Creole Seasoning to taste  (The last time I used 4 Tablespoons each of Tex Joy spicy steak seasoning and Tony Chacherie’s creole seasoning.)

***DO NOT USE ANY SALT.  THE SALT IS IN THE ABOVE SEASONING

Place chicken in a pot and brown in shortening leaving the skin on the chicken.  When finished browning add water enough to cover the chicken.  Sauté onions, celery, and bell peppers in butter.  When finished add vegetables, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasoning.

Cook with lid on until about half done.  Then add the sausage (cut in slices about ½ inch thick).  Cook until the chicken and sausage are done.  Debone chicken and discard the bones.  Put chicken back in pot.  Keep lid on while cooking – add more seasoning at this time if needed.  May need to add more water; per grandma’s recipe. 

Beef Stew

I have no idea where I found this recipe or if I made any changes.  However, I do know I found the main recipe sometime in 2005 or 2006.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for searing
• Flour for dredging
• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, cut into 6ths
• 5-10 cloves garlic, crushed (depending on preference. I use 10)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, or to cover
• 10 cups cold water, or chicken or beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned ( I use beef powdered boullion)
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 pounds medium red potatoes, quartered
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium canned whole peeled tomatoes, lightly crushed
• 2 to 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar, or to taste (or red wine)
• 3 Tablespoons Wondra (mix this with 1 cup of broth at about 30 minutes left of cooking time)
• Cook's Note: Beef chuck, from the shoulder, because of its marbling of intra-muscular fat, is the choice for any type of stew. If you can't find chuck cubed for stew in your meat department, buy a thick chuck steak and cut it into 2-inch cubes.

Directions

Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/4-inch deep. Spread flour out on a plate or piece of wax paper.  Season half the beef generously with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour.  Shake off the excess flour, and add to the pan.  Saute half the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef. Discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Return the pot to the stove and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Add the reserved beef and scatter the flour over the vegetable and beef mixture (enough to lightly coat) and cook stirring until lightly toasted. Add the water or broth, and bring to a simmer. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves together with a piece of kitchen twine and add the bundle to the pot. Season with 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook the meat until just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (This can also be done on the stove at a low simmer.)

Remove pot from the oven. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid with a spoon or ladle. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Mix Wondra with broth and cook for another 30 minutes.    Add enough to thicken to your preference.  Remove and discard the herb bundle. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.