CREOLE-STYLE POTATOES AU GRATIN

If you go to New Orleans, you will see this side dish on practically every menu. This is ultimate Creole comfort food! 
You can make it in a large casserole or au gratin baking dish or individual baking dishes.

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes

4 T unsalted butter

1 shallot or ½ small yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 T all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ t cayenne pepper (optional)

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and thinly slice potatoes and set aside in a bowl.

In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the shallot or onion and sauté a minute.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the milk and whisk another 2 minutes.

Stir in the cheddar cheese and cayenne with a wooden spoon until melted.

Add half of the Parmigiano and stir until combined.

Season with salt and pepper.

Place half of the potatoes in a 2-quart casserole dish or au gratin dish.

Pour half of the cheese mixture over the potatoes.

Add the rest of the potatoes and pour the rest of the cheese mixture over.

Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano cheese.

Cover with parchment paper and then a sheet of aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove parchment and foil and bake another 20 minutes until top is lightly brown.

Serves 4 to 6

* You can also bake in individual ceramic containers, such as small au gratin dishes or ramekins.

CHOCOLATE SWIRL HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

This is quite a decadent dessert and very impressive to serve as dessert at a dinner party. I actually sent my guests home with some of the cheesecake. You can omit the hazelnuts and/or hazelnut liqueur, if you wish.

Crust 

¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
¾ of a package chocolate wafer cookies 

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 t pure vanilla extract

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet until lightly browned and fragrant.

Remove and place in a clean tea towel or flour sack towel and cover completely.

Using both hands, rub the skins off of the nuts and then roughly chop.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Place chopped hazelnuts, cookies, and brown sugar in a food processor and pulse to make fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl and add the melted butter and vanilla.

Stir to combine and press into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.

Use a metal (¼ cup) measuring cup to press around the edges and up the sides of the pan

Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Filling

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 T cornstarch

2 T hazelnut liqueur, optional

1 t vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Reduce temperature of oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water. 
Stir until smooth, turn off heat and set aside. 

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl often.

Slowly pour in the sugar and scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Beat in the cornstarch, hazelnut liqueur, vanilla extract, and eggs, one at a time.

Scrape filling into the pan with the cookie crumb crust.

Using a rubber spatula, add mounds of chocolate around the top of the batter. 

Using a knife, swirl in the chocolate a few times.

Bake for 30 minutes and without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in oven for one more hour.

Remove and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Remove cheesecake from pan and place onto a serving plate.

Serves 8 to 10

HAMBURGER STEAKS WITH ONION-MUSHROOM GRAVY

My mom would make hamburger steaks (AKA Salisbury steaks) for weeknight meals. She preferred to roast a chicken or beef or make fried chicken on Sundays and I am the same way. This is such a Southern comfort meal. Mama didn't add the mushrooms, but I love mushrooms. Serve this with mashed potatoes and a side of collards or peas.

1 lb lean ground beef

1 t sea salt

½ t fine ground black pepper

½ t paprika

½ t garlic powder

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg

¼ cup plain dry breadcrumbs

2 T unsalted butter

1 yellow or sweet onion, cut in half and sliced

6 white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced 

2 T all-purpose flour

2 cups beef broth

1 t beef concentrate or Kitchen Bouquet

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and bread crumbs.

Shape into 4 somewhat oval patties.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter.

Once butter has melted, brown the patties on each side for about 5 minutes.

Remove patties to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sliced onion and mushrooms.

Cook onions and mushrooms for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the beef broth and beef concentrate or Kitchen Bouquet and stir well.

Return beef patties to the skillet, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

Serves 4

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE BARBECUE SHRIMP

Creole cuisine usually contains tomatoes and true Cajun cuisine does not. This recipe for barbecue shrimp is a Creole version because of the spices used. I also added one tablespoon of tomato paste. That small amount of tomato paste gives the sauce a velvety texture and is extra delicious for dipping your bread into. This recipe goes together quite quickly, so cut up the butter, and chop the onions, garlic, rosemary, and scallions. Put them in little bowls or on a pizza pan, ready to add to the skillet. This makes a great weeknight meal.

2 lbs large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (save shells)

2 bay leaves

½ cup water

1 cup Abita Amber Beer or other amber beer

2 T Creole Seasoning (recipe follows)

1 t granulated sugar

1 T avocado oil

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T minced fresh rosemary leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 T tomato paste

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Lemon slices, for garnish

Hot sauce, for serving (preferably Crystal or Louisiana)

Place shrimp shells and bay leaves into a small saucepan.

Add the water and beer and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and slowly simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes.

Strain liquid into a heat resistant measuring cup and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the shrimp, Creole Seasoning, and sugar.

Stir to coat and set aside.

In a cast iron skillet, sauté the onion in oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté another minute.

Add the shrimp and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the strained shrimp shell liquid, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste.

Simmer another 3 minutes.

Spoon shrimp into a baking or serving dish and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven.

Raise heat in skillet, add the rest of the butter, and boil the sauce for about 2 minutes, to reduce and thicken slightly.

Pour sauce over shrimp. 

Scatter scallions over top and add a lemon slice.

Serve with crusty French bread and hot sauce.

Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as a first course

Creole Seasoning
3 T paprika
2 T sea salt

2 T ground black pepper
2 T garlic powder
2 T cayenne pepper
2 T onion powder
2 T dried thyme
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil

Pour all ingredients in a jar fitted with a lid. Shake to combine and store in a cool dry place for up to one year.

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BEEF BRISKET

The earliest mention of smoked briskets was in a Jewish deli in El Paso, Texas around 1910. Briskets are an inexpensive cut of meat and slow cooking makes it tender. Slow smoking on a barbecue grill makes it delicious!

My roots go back to Texas when my 3rd great grandparents, James Samuel Ball and Susannah Posey, moved from Kentucky to Decatur, Wise Co, Texas in about 1852. They are buried there in Ball Knob Cemetery. A few of their grown children moved with them but my 2nd great grandmother, Susan Ball, stayed in Kentucky with her husband, Reverend Solomon Pope.

Serve the brisket with Texas Barbecue Sauce, Texas Tangy Coleslaw, Texas toast, and cowboy style pinto beans. 

Smoking a brisket takes 8 to 9 hours, so start early and check the meat every hour.

1 (4 ½ to 5 lb) beef brisket    

¼ cup barbecue rub

Rub entire brisket with barbecue rub, cover and let sit in refrigerator 24 hours.

Place about 5 cups hickory, apple, or mesquite wood chips in water and soak 24 hours.

Texas Barbecue Mop-Sauce

1 T avocado oil
½ cup apple juice

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup cold strong coffee

Place mopping sauce ingredients in a clean spray bottle.

Place about 25-lit charcoals on each side of grill and put some wood chips on the coals. 

Place an aluminum drip pan on bottom of grill. Adjust vents to almost closed.

Pour 1 cup apple juice in the drip pan. 

Place brisket, fat-side up, in the middle directly on grate.

Close lid and smoke for 1 hour.  Open lid and add a few charcoals to keep temperature around 225 degrees F.  Spray brisket with Mop-Sauce and continue to add charcoal and wood chips every hour to maintain the temperature of 225 degrees F.  

Continue this until temperature of meat reaches 160 degrees F, after about 7 hours. 

At this point, smoking is done. Place meat on a baking sheet and completely wrap in parchment paper, and then aluminum foil.

Add a few more charcoals and place wrapped meat back on grill. Grill temperature should stay around 300 to 325 degrees F. 

Cook until temperature of meat reaches 195 to 205 F. This could take another 1 to 2 hours.

Remove parchment and aluminum foil and return to grill or place in a 350-degree oven and barbecue or bake another 15 minutes, to crisp up the outside bark.

Transfer to a cutting board and allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before carving against the grain into thin slices.  

Place on grilled Texas toast spread with garlic butter.

Drizzle with barbecue sauce and serve with extra hot sauce. 

Texas Barbecue Sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup beef broth
1 cup ketchup                                                 

¼ cup dark brown sugar                                 

3 T unsalted butter
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T yellow mustard

2 t hot sauce

1 t garlic powder

½ t onion powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the above ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently, stirring, for 20 minutes.

Pour a couple of tablespoons of the meat drippings from the parchment paper into the sauce, stir and simmer a couple more minutes.

Texas Tangy Coleslaw

1 medium savoy cabbage

½ red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

2 Granny Smith apples, shredded

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

½ cup apple cider vinegar

2 T granulated sugar

1 T avocado oil

1 T dry mustard

1 t celery salt

1 t celery seeds

½ t garlic powder

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, onion, carrots, apples, and jalapeño pepper.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard, celery salt, celery seeds, and garlic powder.

Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Remove off heat and pour over vegetables in bowl.

Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Toss again before serving.

BALSAMIC-BROWN SUGAR ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

Cutting the chicken into 10 pieces makes the roasting process much faster. This is a delicious marinade to use for chicken on the grill too.

1 whole roasting chicken or 8 to 10 of your favorite chicken pieces

Marinade

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

3 T brown sugar

3 T cup soy sauce

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 T chopped fresh rosemary

1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T fresh thyme leaves
Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rosemary and oregano sprigs, for garnish


Vegetables

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 chunks

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T chopped fresh rosemary

1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T fresh thyme leaves

2 T extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Place chicken, breast side down, on a plastic cutting board and with sharp kitchen shears, cut out the backbone. 

Place backbone in a plastic baggie and freeze for making chicken stock.

Cut the chicken into 10 pieces (breasts cut in half) and place in a covered container.


In 2-cup glass measuring pitcher, whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Pour most of the marinade over the chicken pieces and save the other in the pitcher.

Cover chicken and refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.
Cover the rest of the marinade and refrigerate.


Remove chicken from refrigerator and place in a heavy roasting pan.

Pour the chicken marinade over the chicken and let sit on counter for 15 minutes while preheating oven.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Place roasting pan with chicken in oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes.
Spoon the extra marinade over chicken a couple of times while roasting.


Meanwhile, place potatoes, carrots, and onions in another heavy roasting pan or large cast-iron skillet.

Add the minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and oregano.

Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Mix with a large spoon to distribute the oil and seasonings.

Place in oven along with the chicken and roast for 45 minutes.


Place chicken pieces on a large platter and spoon any accumulated juices from the pan on top.

Spoon vegetables on the sides of the chicken and garnish with sprigs of rosemary, oregano, and thyme.

Serves 4