Caprese Salad

 The secret to an amazing caprese salad is starting with the best tomatoes you can find - heirloom or farmer's market tomatoes that haven't been chilled. Taking the extra step to blanch and peel them creates this silky texture that's absolutely divine with creamy mozzarella and fresh basil."

Also, boil the tomatoes for about 20 seconds and peel the skin off, makes the tomatoes tender.

 

 Ingredients:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

4 ripe tomatoes (heirloom and farmer's market tomatoes) sliced thick, S&P and lay on paper towels

12 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thick

fresh basil leaves

olive oil for drizzling

S&P

Directions:

Boil the vinegar for 20 minutes, you want it to be thick. Remove from heat and let cool or refrigerate until needed. 

When ready to serve, arrange tomatoes and sliced mozzarella on a plate or serving dish and add basil leaves between the slices. 

Drizzle olive oil over the top, do the same with the balsamic glaze, making designs if you want.

Finish with some S&P.

Favorite Coleslaw

 Ingredients:

2 (10 oz) packages finely shredded cabbage 

1/4 head of purple cabbage, finely shredded

1 carrot shredded

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup milk or 1/2&1/2

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 T lemon juice

1 1/2 T white vinegar

1/2 t celery salt

1/2 t onion powder

Directions:

Soak the shredded cabbages and carrots in cold water for a hour. Spin very dry and add chopped green onion.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the cabbage mixture in large handfuls and stir well.

Refrigerate for at least two hours, before serving.

Raspberry-Glazed Chicken - Classic Baked Chicken and Rice

 

Finally, a baked chicken and rice recipe that doesn't result in tough, overcooked chicken! Those old recipes from the 1970's and 1980's with their hour-long cooking times were just wrong. This delicious updated version from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever gets everything right - the saffron-scented rice, the perfectly seasoned chicken with Hungarian paprika and thyme, and especially that delicious raspberry glaze. The shorter cooking time means tender chicken and properly cooked rice. 

Ingredients:

1 cup medium-grain rice (not long)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth - hot

Pinch of saffron threads

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, thick is fine

3 T fresh thyme or 2 t dried thyme

3/4 t  sweet Hungarian paprika

S&P

For the glaze:

3 T seedless raspberry jam

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T light or dark brown sugar

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 t olive oil

1/4 t of ground cumin

1/2 cup raspberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole dish.

Sprinkle the rice into the dish evenly. Mix the hot chicken broth and saffron threads and pour over the rice. Bake for about 7 minutes.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Lay over the rice and sprinkle with S&P and the paprika.

Cover the casserole and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the glaze and warm in a small saucepan.

Remove the chicken from the oven when done and spoon warm sauce over the chicken.

Crawfish Etouffée

 

 

 After trying countless étouffée recipes, we finally found our winner thanks to Floyd Kelley from Canton, Louisiana. This version has everything you want - a rich, flavorful base built on butter and vegetables, tender crawfish tails, and just the right amount of heat from the cayenne. It's authentic Louisiana comfort food at its finest. Serve it spicy!

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

2 large onions, diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

3 large cloves of garlic, pressed

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 bunch of green onions, diced. Save some for garnish

1 bunch of curly parsley, chopped. Save some for garnish

2 T tomato paste

2 pounds of crawfish tails, defrosted if frozen (1 pound works fine)

4 T flour

1 teaspoon of slap ya Moma Cajun spices 

4 small chicken bouillon cubes

2 cups of hot water

S&P and at least 2 pinches of cayenne

 

Directions:

Melt butter in your Dutch oven. Add chopped vegetables (yes, parsley is considered a vegetable here) and cook over low to medium heat for 30 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir well.

Add crawfish tails and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for a minute or two. Combine the bouillon with the hot water and let dissolve. Add to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with Cajun seasonings, S&P and cayenne.

Serve over white rice. Add some French bread and a salad with French dressing.