Let’s get ready for the 4th of July.  One of the ways I celebrate this paid vacation day is with a backyard barbecue. Tomato Paste BBQ Sauce 1 cup red onions, 1/4 cup red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, 4 garlic cloves, 2 large firm tomatoes, 1 (4-ounce can) tomato paste, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4…

BBQ SHRIMP I have no idea why this dish is called BBQ, especially since the dish is sautéed.  What I do know is my Grandma said it’s BBQ Shrimp, so it’s BBQ Shrimp.  This is the BBQ weekend of the year, happy 4th of July. 1 pound unsalted butter, 1/2 cup white onions, sliced, 1/2…

Mirliton (pronounced mella-ton) is a squash native to Mexico.  In Mexico, they are called chayote squash.  In Louisiana, they are called mirlitons and alligator pears.  Mirlitons grow wild in the swamps alligators would grab them off the vines and eat them, thus the name alligator pears.  Mirlitons taste like a cross between a cucumber and an…

Croquettes originated in France.  The first croquettes were made with beef.  History tells us that Monsieur Philias Gilbert wrote down his many recipes for a croquette and shared them with the chefs that studied under him.  These chefs travel the world and cooked croquettes.  The recipes were adapted and expanded to include beef, vegetables, pork,…

FLOUNDER TACOS 2 lbs. skinless flounder fillets, 1/2 cup seasoned fish fry, 1/4 cup self rising yellow cornmeal, 1/4 cup red onions, chopped, 1/4 tsp. chicken bullion, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped,  2  jalapeno peppers, chopped, 1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded, 1/2 cup romaine lettuce, shredded, 2 large avocados,…

Summer Solistice marks the first day of summer and the longest day of the year BAR-B-QUE PIG FEET 4-6 pig feet, cut lengthwise, 1 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon, 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. sage, 1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes, 3 bay leaves,  1 bunch of cilantro, 2 large white onion, chopped, 1/2…

CHICKEN TACO 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. sage,  6-8 cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters, 1/2  tsp. chicken taco seasoning, 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and sliced, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped, 1 lime, squeezed, and zest.  6 corn tortillas Cut the breast into…

It’s the 19th of June.  Staying with tradition, I am posting Macaroni and Cheese. MACARONI AND CHEESE 1 (1 lb.) package large elbow macaroni, 1 1/2 sticks butter, 3 cups evaporated milk, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 (4 oz.) package cream cheese, softened, 3 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, 2 1/2 cups monterey…

I have picked my collards to cook for Juneteenth.  While cleaning the greens, I laugh and remember this short story.  THE COLLARD GREENS GARDEN   An old black man lived alone in the country.  He wanted to dig his yearly collard green garden, but it was always very hard work for him because the ground was…

JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTHJune 19th is Monday, I am celebrating this weekend. A traditional Juneteenth dinner would be BBQ, potato salad, baked beans, collard green, cornbread, deviled eggs, red velvet cake, yellow meat watermelon, and strawberry soda pop. POTATO SALADI am gonna repurpose this loaded baked potato into a Juneteenth salad. 8 strips of bacon, fried crispy…

I have received a request to write a new cookbook. The name of the book will be “WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST?” The book will have 7-basic categories. The categories are Eggs, Bread, Meat, Cereal, Juice, Syrup and Jelly. Please let me know if there are any particular dishes you would like me to include. Please call…

Let’s get ready for Juneteenth. The Civil War began on April 12, 1861. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on September 22, 1862, and technically freed slaves. Two and a half years later,  Union General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston Island, Texas, with 2,000 troops to establish a federal presence in Texas and to issue General Order No….