6 Whole Turkey Wings
1 red onion, diced finely
1 yellow bell pepper, diced finely
1 red bell pepper, diced finely
2 green bell peppers (1 diced finely, 1 diced coarsely)
 1 head of garlic, peeled and diced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced finely
1 yellow onion, chopped coarsely
2 celery stalks, diced coarsely
1 bottle of Tony Chachere’s Jalapeno butter, Cajun injector
1 stick of butter
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Smoked Paprika, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
Slap Ya Mama Seasoning, to taste
1 package of Lipton Onion Mushroom Soup
2 tbs of cornstarch
4 cups of chicken broth
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix the finely diced red onions, bell peppers, garlic and green onion. Set aside.
3. Rinse the turkey wings and place in a large, deep, coated roaster pan.
4. Pat the turkey wings dry.
5. Pour about half of the Tony Chachere’s Cajun Injector in another bowl.  Use the provided syringe to inject each turkey wing with the marinade. 
6. Add the remaining marinade to the turkey wings and rub it all over each wing.
7. Season the turkey wings with the dry seasonings.
8. Use kitchen shears or a knife to create a deep slit, lengthwise on the inner portion of the middle wing. 
9. Stuff each slit with the finely diced raw seasoning mix.
10. Flip the wings back over so that they are right side up and the stuffed side is touching the bottom of the pan.
11. In a large bowl or measuring cup, add the chicken broth and dissolve the onion mushroom soup and cornstarch in it.
12. Pour all of the broth mixture along the perimeter of the pan.  I don’t pour it over the meat because I don’t want to rinse away the seasonings.
13. Add the roughly chopped onions, bell peppers and celery.
14. Chop the butter into small chunks and place each piece evenly on top of the turkey.
15. Cover and bake for 2 hours.
16. Remove the covering and bake an additional hour or until a safe internal temperature is reached.
17. Serve over warm rice. 

1 loaf of French Bread
2 cups of shredded mozzarella
1 14oz jar of pizza sauce
1 package of Hormel Pepperoni
1lb of Italian Sausage
½ red onion, chopped finely
½ green bell pepper, chopped finely
2 tbs of butter
Freeze dried basil, to taste
Freeze dried parsley, to taste
Freeze dried oregano, to taste
1 tbs of garlic paste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Italian Seasoning, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice the French bread in half, lengthwise.
3. In a small bowl, melt the butter and stir in parsley, oregano, basil and Italian seasoning.
4. Using a small brush, spread the butter/herb mixture onto each piece of bread.
5. Place in the oven about 5 minutes, remove and set aside.
6. In a skillet on medium heat, season the Italian sausage to taste with the dry seasonings and cook until done.
7. Drain the grease and set aside.
8. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on each piece of bread.  I didn’t measure here, I just didn’t make the layer of sauce very thick to prevent the bread from being soggy.
9. At this point, add as much or little cheese as you like and follow with your meat and veggie toppings.
10. Top the pizza off with a final layer of cheese and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
11. Enjoy!

 
Ingredients
1 lb of grounds beef
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Adobo Seasoning, to taste
Culture, Creole Seasoning
Taco seasoning (follow package instructions)
 1 yellow onion, diced finely
4 large burrito tortillas
4 tostados
Shredded cheese
Suggested Toppings:
Pico de Gallo
Cilantro
Fresh jalapeno, sliced and deseeded
Shredded Lettuce
 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a skillet, season and cook the ground beef.
3. Add in the diced onion and cook until softened.
4. Place the tostados in the oven and heat about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside.
6.  Layer some shredded cheese onto the burrito shell.
7. Add the ground beef on top.
8. Add toppings, here I added Pico de Gallo, chopped cilantro, fresh jalopenos.
9. Next, layer the tostado shell.
10. Add sour cream (the amount is up to you) and spread it on the tostado.
11. Add more meat, cheese and toppings (here I added shredded lettuce, pico, jalopenos.
12. Fold the tortilla, vertically on each side and the fold the remaining edges to form a circle.  Press it tightly to seal.
13. In an oiled skillet, on medium heat, place the crunch wrap in the skillet. Brown each side for a minute or two.  Enjoy!

​I adapted this recipe from Once Upon A Chef. You can find that recipe here. The only changes I made was the seasoning of the beef. I also added
celery to the list of raw seasonings used.
I used the following:
Onion Powder, to taste
Seasoned Meat Tenderizer, to taste
Italian Seasoning, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
2 stalks of celery, chopped roughly and sautéed with the onions and garlic.

​6-8 Catfish Filets
Tooth picks
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
1 stick of Butter (6 tbs for stuffing, 2 tbs for lemon butter sauce)
1 yellow Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped
1/4 Cup Celery, Finely Chopped
2 tbs of Minced Garlic
1 Pound Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined
1 lb of lump crab meat or claw crab meat
1/4 Cup Shrimp/Seafood/Chicken Stock
1 Tbs of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cups of Italian Breadcrumbs
1 tbs of mustard
1 tbs of mayonaise
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Fresh Parsley, Minced
Parsley, to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large skillet, melt 6 tbs of cubed butter over medium-high heat.
3. Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper and green pepper, and sauté until tender. Add in garlic and parsley, and sauté until garlic is fragrant.
4. Add in the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
5. Season shrimp with dry seasoning to taste, and stir into skillet mixture. Cook the shrimp until they turn pink. 
6. Stir in the crab meat.
7. Remove the shrimp and crab mixture from heat and stir in breadcrumbs until well combined. Season to taste
8. Stir in the mustard and mayo. 
9. Combine 2 tbs of melted butter and lemon juice in a separate bowl and set aside.
10. Season catfish with dry seasonings, to taste. Flip catfish so that they’re bottom side up. Spoon about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of seafood stuffing onto each fillet.
11. Place another catfish filet (bottom side down) on top of the stuffing.  The order should be catfish-stuffing-catfish.
    
12. Insert multiple toothpicks through the top filet and bottom filet to hold the stuffed catfish together.
    
13. Place the stuffed catfish into a greased baking dish and pour the combined melted butter and lemon juice over the filets.
14. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork. Transfer baking dish to top rack and set oven to broil for 3-5 minutes.
15. Remove from oven, garnish with more parsley and serve.

4 large Russet Potatoes
Olive Oil
1 cup of Colby Jack Cheese, finely shredded
1 cup of Mild Cheddar Cheese, finely Shredded
6 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped
2 tbs of sour cream
Garlic Powder, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Seasoned Salt, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
1 stick of butter, melted
4 green onions, diced finely
1 tbs of parsley, diced finely
Parsley, for garnish.
 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius
2. Coat each potato with olive oil.
3. Poke multiple holes, on all sides of the potatoes with a fork.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until softened.
5. Slice the top of each potato off with a knife and discard.
6. Gently scoop the contents of the potato into a bowl.
7. Save each potato skin and set aside.
8. Season the potatoes with the dry seasonings.
9. Add the melted butter, sour cream, green onions, parsley and half of the cheese to the potatoes.
10. Use a spoon to mix potato and toppings together.
11. Use a potato masher to smooth and mix the potatoes even further.
12. Refill each potato skin with the potato mixture.
13. Top each potato with the remaining cheese and bake until the cheeses melt.

This is NOT my typical gumbo.  If you know me or have followed me on social media, seafood gumbo is my jam.  This particular gumbo had been all over my Instagram explore page and my first thoughts were “People just mix anything together.” Lol. However, I am starting this new habit of trying out viral recipes and reviewing them. Well, let me just say, I was pleasantly surprised! This gumbo has an amazing flavor and surprisingly the collard greens were a nice addition to the flavor from the smoked turkey wings.  The last thing that blew my mind about this entire experience is when I googled “gumbo greens” and learned of its Louisiana (New Orleans) roots.  Please google it when you have time.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  Please be sure to check out the Instagram reel here.  They are probably still arguing in the comments as you’re reading this haha.
Ingredients
 
Roux
1 cups of flour
½ cup and 2 tbs of corn oil
 
2 yellow onions, diced finely
½ red onion, diced finely
3 bell peppers (orange, red and green), diced finely
1 fresh jalapeño, diced finely
2 tbs of minced garlic
2 lbs of smoked sausage or andouille, chopped
2 bundles of collard greens, cleaned and picked from stem
2 lbs of smoked turkey wings
Black Pepper, to taste
Smoked Paprika, to taste
Slap Your Mama Creole Seasoning, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Oregano, to taste
Crushed Red Pepper, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Power, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
4-6 cups of chicken stock
2 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined
 
Directions
Notes: After you chop the sausage, bake or boil them to get the grease out.  You can do this first and let it boil or bake while making the roux.
Make the Roux
1. Using a heavy bottomed 6-quart pot, turn your stove to medium-high heat and add the corn oil to the pot. Let the oil heat for a minute or two.
2.  Add the flour and stir continuously to blend the flour and oil together.
3.  Continue to stir until the roux begins to darken.
4. Once it starts to darken, turn the heat down between low and medium. Be careful not to burn the roux.  Do not turn the fire too high.  This is a process that requires patience. It will seem like it’s not turning brown but keep stirring.  It is a very gradual change.  Keep your heat between low and medium.
6.  Once the roux has reached the desired level of darkness (I like mine to be a rich chocolate, brown), you will stop it from cooking by adding the chopped raw seasonings (minus the garlic).
Putting the Gumbo Together
7.  Now that you have added the raw seasonings to the roux, sauté them about 3-4 minutes and then add the minced garlic.
8. Continue to sauté another minute or so.
9. Season the roux with dry seasonings.  Be mindful of using too much of salt-containing seasonings as the sausage and smoked turkey wings have some salt.  You can always add more at the end.
10. Stir in the chicken stock until it is completely blended with the roux.
Optional: Add a tbs or so of kitchen bouquet if you would like the gumbo to be even darker.
11. Add in the turkey wings and allow the gumbo to come to a boil.
12. Once it comes to a boil, add the greens in and stir it well.
13. Add another cup or two of chicken stock.  This really depends on how thin or thick you like your gumbo to be.
14. When the greens start to soften, stir in the sausage.  I taste my gumbo at this point and add additional dry seasonings, if necessary.
15. Allow this to simmer about an hour.
16. The turkey wings should start to become tender enough to debone them.  I used kitchen shears and/or a knife.  Discard the bones.
10.  Finally, stir in your lightly seasoned shrimp and cover the pot.
11.  Allow the gumbo to continue to simmer until the shrimp are fully cooked.
12.  Serve the gumbo alone or over rice, if you choose.
 
 

​

This is not “just” smothered chicken. So if we’re being technical this is a type of smothered chicken but the caramelized onions and brown sugar make this one extra specifal.  The flavors blended amazingly with the melted butter.  Be sure to check out the instagram reel here!

​Ingredients
2-3 lbs of your favorite combo of chicken pieces (I used legs, thighs and wings)
4 yellow onions, diced finely
1 bell pepper, diced finely
2 tbs of garlic
1 stick of butter
2 tbs of brown sugar
2 cups of all-purpose flour 
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Poultry seasoning, to taste
Adobo with Complete Seasoning, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Smoked Paprika, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
4 cups of chicken broth
1-2 tbs of Kitchen Bouquet
1-2 chopped green onions, to garnish
Directions:

1. Season the chicken with the dry seasonings.
2. Coat the chicken on all sides with flour.
3. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, on medium-high heat, melt the butter.
4. Stir in the brown sugar for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the chicken to the pot and brown on both sides.
6. Remove the chicken and set aside.
7. Sauté the chopped onions and bell peppers for about 30 minutes.  This will bring out the natural sweetness of the onions.
8. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or so.
9. Add the chicken back into the pot.
10. Pour the chicken broth into the pot.  

Tip: I like to pour it along the inner sides of the pot instead of directly on top of the chicken. I don’t like to pour it directly on top   

1. Gently stir the broth in until the liquid and sautéed veggies are well mixed.
2. Add about a tablespoon of kitchen bouquet to darken the gravy.
3. Cover and allow the chicken to cook about 2 hours.
4. Check for a safe internal temperature and enjoy.
5. Serve over rice.

This ain’t your basic BLT sandwich.  The Louisiana shrimp BLT is the sandwich you never knew you needed. It was absolutely delicious.  This is an easy dish to make but the major takeaway I received was to make sure you freeze the patties long enough.  I think overnight is best.  A couple of hours would be the minimum.  After 2 hours in the freezer, my patties were still not holding together completely. Please read below about what to do if you don’t have time to freeze your patties overnight. If you have time to freeze overnight then skip the section below and get started.  Also, be sure to check out the Instagram reel here!
What to do if your shrimp patties are not holding together:
Use gloves! It gets messy.  If this happens, you will have to essentially double batter the patties.  I held the patty in my hand when I dipped it in the egg wash, meaning don’t drop it completely into the egg wash.   Keep your hand under the patty and submerge it in the egg wash and then while still holding the bottom, flip it on the other side into the other hand and repeat. Squeeze out as much excess wash as you can. I then put the flour on a shallow dish, sat the patty on the flour in the plate and then sprinkled the flour on top and molded it kind of like you would if making a hamburger patty.  From this point, the shrimp were still a little loose.  I then put egg wash in between the loose portions and mashed the patty, then floured again. Once it was semi-holding together, I gently placed the patty on a plate to be fried. 
Again, to avoid this, freeze the patties as long as you can.  I made it work, but this was preventable lol.
 
Ingredients
1 lb of shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste
Old Bay, to taste
Culture Creole Seasoning, to taste
2 cups of flour
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Hamburger buns (I used the Hawaiian King brand)
Romain Lettuce (Sliced)
Tomato (sliced)
Red onions (sliced)
Mayo
4 Slices of Bacon Cooked
Egg Wash
2 eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
Directions:

1.  Season the chopped shrimp with dry seasonings.
2. Use an egg mold or free style the chopped shrimp into a circular patty.

Note:  I molded my patty on top of piece of plastic wrap and then covered the patty with the wrap when I was finished).

1.  Freeze the patties overnight, if you have time or at least several hours.

Note:  I did not freeze my patties long enough. They were in the freezer about 2 hours but they still were not fully staying together when I took them out.  I ended up improvising to make them stay together (see description above).

1.  In a bowl, beat the egg and whisk in the butter milk to create an egg wash.
2. In a shallow bowl, add the flour and season it with dry seasonings.
3. Add oil to a cast iron skillet and heat to 350 F.  You can also use a deep fryer.
4. Dip the patty into the egg wash and shake off the excess wash.
5. Dredge the patty in the flour so that the patty is completely covered in flour.
6. Fry the patties for 8 minutes. I flipped mine at about 6 or 7 minutes, just to make sure the other side was as golden as I would like.
7. Assemble the sandwich on a hamburger bun with whatever condiments and toppings you desire.  I used mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and applewood bacon.  Enjoy!