Holiday meals are an opportunity to show off favorite recipes plus create new ones. I have many memories of wonderful Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends. There is always plenty of food to go around and lots of leftovers. Here are some of my favorite recipes from years past.
Easy Cook: Pumpkin Rum Cake
“Pumpkin Rum Cake” is an elegant and delicious cake which brings out the flavor of the autumn season. I love baking cakes; and this is one of my best autumn…
Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow & Pecan Topping
Here is a simple, yet slightly decadent sweet potato recipe, which is perfect for the holidays. The scent of aromatic spices and toasty pecans warm up the kitchen as fresh…
Zydeco Green Beans
Louisiana Zydeco musician, Clifton Chenier, sang, ‘”Eh, maman, Eh, maman, Les haricots sont pas salés,” Translated, the Creole French phrase means, “Hey mom, Hey mom, The snap beans don’t have…
Brined and Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast with a “Touch” of Cajun Spice
Is my family the only one who doesn’t like traditional turkey and fixings for Christmas? After getting up at the crack of dawn to begin roasting the turkey and spending…
Family Favorites: Green Bean Casserole with a Homemade Crispy Onion Variation
I love “Green Bean Casserole.” With a creamy sauce and topped with crunchy French’s® Crispy Fried Onions, it is hard to resist. Although it wouldn’t be a Thanksgiving holiday meal…
Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish aka NPR Cranberry Relish for Thanksgiving
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving dinner without Roast Turkey and all the fixin’s. Cranberry Relish turns a rather bland piece of turkey into something really tasty — and if you have…
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for Christmas Eve
Years ago, I visited a friend on Christmas Eve night since I was not returning to my family gathering in Virginia over the holidays. My friend served “Chicken and Sausage…
Roast Turkey Breast with Leek & Spinach Stuffing for a Small Group
Here’s an speedy approach to preparing a home-cooked turkey for Thanksgiving for a small group. Everyone likes a home-cooked meal but who wants the all the work. This recipe is…
Saucy Brussels Sprouts
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and it is time to bring out favorite and traditional family recipes. Brussels spouts is a vegetable which matures in the autumn and is often featured…
Louisiana Satsuma Infused Carrot Cake
Back in my hospital food service catering days, we prepared and served a dinner for the Board of Directors each month. I liked to change things up — partially for…
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
Bread Pudding is the quintessential New Orleans dessert. Every restaurant in the city has some sort of variation. Here’s an twist to this southern dessert. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie…
Pecan Tassies with Persimmon
If you like pecan pie, then you will like Pecan Tassies. And if you are not a fan of pecan pie, I bet you might like my version of this…
Easy Cook: Fresh Cranberry Fruit Compote
Cranberries add a festive and refreshing touch to holiday meals. The tart flavor of cranberry sauce helps tone down the rich flavors of a large holiday turkey meal. Doesn’t cut…
Marie’s Southern-Style Cornbread & Sausage Dressing
Thanksgiving will be here soon; roasted turkey and dressing are always on the menu. I especially love cornbread dressing; but never have been very successful at making it myself. Folks…
Turkey Reuben Sandwiches with Thousand Island Dressing
Thanksgiving Dinner at our family gathering is always a lavish affair. Everyone brings their favorite dish to share; there is plenty of food for several meals. Leftovers. What does a…
Easy Cook: Jazzed-Up Apple Crumb Pie
Autumn is the season for apples and I enjoy finding new and interesting varieties of apples in produce markets. I’m calling this pie, “Jazzed-Up Apple Crumb Pie”, and used a…
Pears in Puff Pastry with Chocolate Praline Liqueur Sauce
Here’s a classy dessert for a holiday dinner: “Pears in Puff Pastry with Chocolate Praline Liqueur Sauce.” This dessert is elegant, not too sweet and has a pleasant fruit flavor mixed…
Louisiana Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie
Pecan Pie is a traditional Southern dessert especially popular in the fall and winter when the pecan crop is picked. The pie is very rich and a bit high on…
Ruth’s Chris Special Sweet Potato Casserole
Are you looking for a sweet potato recipe for Thanksgiving? I recommend Ruth’s Chris Special Sweet Potato Casserole. It is a traditional Louisiana recipe with a praline topping and a filling…
Classic Deep Dish Apple Pie
Warning — you may not be able to stop eating this apple pie. There is something irresistible about the combination of a flaky pie crust, an aromatic (but not too…
Festive Creamed Spinach
Festive Creamed Spinach is variation of a popular Louisiana-originated dish, Spinach Madeleine. The recipe is creamed spinach with cheese and fresh jalapeno peppers. The dish has become a holiday favorite served at buffets and meals in…
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie is undoubtedly the best pumpkin pie I have tasted. It is from a treasured family recipe that has been served at every Thanksgiving meal in my memory. Light and airy…
Shrimp Stuffed Mirliton
I always know when a recipe is a hit when I go to the refrigerator and find the leftovers have disappeared. Shrimp Stuffed Mirlitons is one of those recipes. I…
Mirlitons: Louisiana Vegetable Pears
Two things I’d never encountered before moving to Louisiana were armadillos and mirlitons. Armadillos reminded me of a small dinosaur meandering along beside a country road. I really didn’t have…
Soup in a Pumpkin
Soup in a pumpkin, when brought to a holiday meal table, makes a spectacular presentation. It’s a family favorite and we’ve made it many times over the years. It dates to the…
