Mardi Gras is here! You know I require lots of delicious Mardi Gras party food to feed all our hungry revelers, and I’m sure you do, too. And the food must be substantial. After all, we need something hearty to keep our strength up, and celery sticks are simply not...
Crab Rangoon Dip
Last week was Christmas. A couple of days earlier I was making my last dash through the grocery store when I found myself next to a woman frowning at the mainstream condiments. She seemed stressed. She asked me if I saw the sweet chili sauce. I told her it...
Cranberry Chicken
If this recipe doesn’t look like Christmas, I don’t know what does. And you know what’s even better? Cranberry Chicken is inexpensive, comes together quickly, it tastes great, and it’s totally party-worthy. PLUS, it’s super easy to scale up if you’re feeding a...
Seafood au Gratin
As I’m writing this, it’s October and prime shrimp and crab season down here on the Gulf. Seafood au Gratin is rich, creamy, and the perfect cool weather showcase for all that shrimp and crab. Seafood au gratin has always been a specialty on the Gulf Coast. ...
Smashed Tater Tots
This is the potato recipe I didn’t know I needed. A while back I read a foodie article explaining how to make tater tots a whole lot better. Their answer was to ignore the directions on the bag, and cook them for longer at a higher temperature. I was assured this...
Greek Chicken Meatballs
I’ve been thinking about Greek Chicken Meatballs for a while. I’ve had them and liked them, but I’ve never made them until yesterday. I was flipping through a Greek cookbook and happened upon a recipe. I’m sure those meatballs were authentic, but the recipe had a...
Brie with Pepper Jelly Peaches
Fresh peach season is so brief that I feel obligated to make the most of it. Toward that end, I offer you Brie with Pepper Jelly Peaches. It’s delicious yet silly easy, and that's my favorite food category ever! Brie with Pepper Jelly Peaches is appropriate for any...
Mini Kentucky Hot Browns
A few years back, I had a sweet friend call to say she needed a favor. Dot was in her 80s, smart as a whip, funny as could be, and I loved chatting with her. Dot was from Hattiesburg. She had moved here in the late 1990s I think, and we knew a lot of the same...
Creole Red Beans and Rice
We will soon find ourselves in the height of Mardi Gras season here in coastal Alabama. At my house that means most parades are two blocks away. It also means lots of hungry, thirsty, parade- and ball-going friends in the house, both before and after a parade. At...
L.A. Caviar
L.A. (Lower Alabama) Caviar is a regional treat I’ve probably made a thousand times. It’s simple to toss together. It’s inexpensive to make. You probably have everything you need to make it in your kitchen right now. And all those are good things because L.A....
Crab Mornay
I’ve used this Crab Mornay recipe for years. It’s one of those utterly delicious Gulf Coast favorites we’re all delighted to see at holiday parties, and thrilled to have any other time. I'm not sure where the recipe came from originally. I’ve seen it on upscale...
Make-Ahead Marinated Shrimp
When I planned this post, I tried to remember when I first made this recipe. It was one of the first keeper party recipes I found. Working backwards, my best guess is a party when the Princess OG was in nursery school. Let’s just say that’s been a minute. What I...













