I’m in Los Angeles, rain and snow are predicted this weekend. I’m cooking Beef Shank Soup. This is a very traditional rainy day comfort meal. My Grandmother Emma always had a pot of some kind of soup on the stove all year long. She said you always want to have something available and ready to…

WILD RICE DRESSING 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, 1 1/2 cup long-grain wild rice, 1 tablespoon butter, melted,  1/2 pound breakfast sausage, 1/2 cup white onion chopped, 2 celery stalks, chopped, 2 stalks green onions, sliced, 1 tablespoon green bell pepper, chopped, 1/2 cup chicken liver, chopped, 2 garlic cloves, minced,…

BEEF BRISKET Pick up the brisket fold it in half.  If it’s floppy and bends easily its a good piece. Fat is essential when cooking brisket, but not too much.  If it’s stiff and hard to turn, that means there is too much fat. Put that piece back! The secret to good smoked brisket is the same…

JACQUE ROSE’S SWEET CHICKEN SALAD 1 store-bought  rotisserie chicken, (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), part of the meat chopped into bite-sized pieces the rest shredded, 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, 1/4 cup red bell pepper, julienned, 4 green onions, chopped, 2 celery stalks, chopped, 1/2 cup jamaica, peeled and julienned, 2 firm heads romaine lettuce,…

Chow-chow is a delicious southern pickled relish. I grew up eating chow-chow as a condiment on collard greens,  crab cakes, hot dogs, and hamburgers. I recently learned that there is a host of folks that have never heard of chow-chow, including some southerners. I have tweaked the original family recipe to fit my palate; hope you like it. CHOW-CHOW…

MONDAY NITE FOOTBALL CHEESE BALL 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened, 1 (8 oz.) white cheddar cheese, shredded, 1/4 teaspoon fish seasoning,  1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/4 cup crab claw meat, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped, 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped. Get out a bowl, add…

  THE PERFECT AVOCADO TOAST  4 slices of garlic sourdough bread, 4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened,  2 medium, Haas avocados, 1/4 cup salted pumpkin seeds, hulled and chopped, 6 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled, 1 large heirloom tomato slices, 1/2 cup craw meat First things first, toast the bread. Smear a layer of cream…

SPAM FRIES This just might be the culinary fair food of the century.  I serve these fries with a Green Onion Dip and a Whiskey Sour Cocktail. Grits: 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup uncooked quick grits, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese. In a saucepan, add…

BEIGNETS 1 cake compressed yeast, 1/4 cup lukewarm water (110 degrees), 3/4 cup evaporated milk, scalded, 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup butter flavored shortening, melted, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, beaten, 3 cups self-rising flour, powdered sugar for dusting, and oil for frying. The surprise ingredient is the raspberry preserve….

SHRIMP STUFFED PINEAPPLE BOAT 1 large pineapple, 1/4 cup cooked rice, 1/2 pound large head and tail on shrimp, 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, 2 firm tomatoes, chopped, 3 tablespoon red onions, chopped, 1 large jalapeno pepper, chopped. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise, scoop out all the flesh, chop and set aside.  Lightly salt…