Here’s another side dish that you can bring to the cookout. Look, that box dirty rice is alright on a weekday but that ain’t gonna slide when you’re trying to make an impression. 😏

This recipe is pretty easy because I didn’t boil chicken livers and what not. Did y’all know that’s what really makes the rice “dirty”?

I used good old Savoie’s dressing mix and this still tasted amazing! Recipe on bmycurlfriend.com and linked in stories/bio. Save it for your next cookout!

Show your age…do you call it dirty rice or rice dressing? 🙃
Ingredients
2 cups of uncooked, long grain white rice (to make 6 cups of cooked rice)
1 lb of ground pork
1 lb of ground beef chuck
1 16oz container of Savoie’s Dressing Mix
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
2-3 tbs/to taste Louisiana Concentrated Crab and Shrimp Boil (liquid)
6 strips of cooked bacon (for bacon grease only)
1 16oz container of raw seasoning blend
2 bunches of green onions, chopped
3 tbs minced garlic
3 cups of beef broth
3 tbs of Worcestershire sauce

1. Prepare the 2 cups of white rice per packaging and set aside.
2. Using a 6 quart pot, cook bacon. Remove bacon and set aside.
3. Add both ground meats to the bacon grease in the pot and cook completely.
4. Season meat to taste using dry seasonings.
5. Drain the excess grease from the meat and return it to the pot.
6. On medium heat, add the dressing mix to the ground meat and mix well
7. Add raw seasonings to the ground meat and saute 5-6 minutes.
8. Add garlic and saute 3 mins longer.
9. Stir in liquid crab boil, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.
10. Season with dry seasonings to taste.
11. Allow to simmer at least 30 minutes.
12. Stir in white rice until all is coated with the meat mixture.
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Check out the reel!
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www.instagram.com/reel/Cs7czMMJOQy/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I love Mac and Cheese and any version of it.  This flavorful, spaghetti and cheese made with smoked applewood bacon and sharp cheddar is no exception. Pro tip:  Shred your own cheese.  It;s so much better than the bagged stuff.  If you don’t have time, the bagged cheese will still work.  This dish is guaranteed to get you invited to the cookout over and over again—not without bringing the dish, of course lol.

Ingredients
1 lb of spaghetti
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Slap Ya Mama Seasoning (to taste)
Chef Paul Prudhomme Magic Seasoning Salt (to taste)
Badia Adobo with Complete Seasoning (to taste)
1 16 oz block of velveeta cheese (cubed)
1 stick of butter
2 12 oz cans of evaporated milk
1-2 8 oz block of cheese ( I used sharp cheddar  and mild cheddar)
3-6 slices of cooked applewood bacon, chopped finely.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
1.  Prepare spaghetti according to package instructions.
2. Add cooked and drained spaghetti to cooking spray coated pan.
3.  Season noodles to taste with all dry seasonings listed above.
4.  Cook bacon in skillet. Remove bacon from pan and pat away the excess grease with a paper towel.  Chop the bacon finely and set aside.
5.  Shred the sharp and mild cheddars.  I used two 8oz blocks to make it extra cheesy, I think one still would be good.  I shredded mine in a food processor.
6.  In a large saucepan, on medium heat, add butter and allow to melt.  Add evaporated milk and cubed velveeta cheese.
7. Add in about half a cup of shredded cheeses. Season to taste with all dry seasonings above and stir continuously until melted.  Do not turn up the heat and scorch the sauce.  It takes about 10-15 mins to melt completely.
8.  Pour melted cheese sauce over spaghetti and mix well with a pasta spoon.
9.  Add about half of the shredded cheese and mix in well with the pasta spoon.
10. Sprinkle chopped bacon on top.
11.  Top off with the remaining shredded cheese.
12. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 mins.

​Enjoy!

I’m back with Part 2 of yesterday’s Sunday Dinner.  This candied yams recipe is EVERYTHING and so incredibly easy to make.  If you’re looking for something healthy, exit this post lol!

Ingredients
7-8 small to medium sweet potatoes or 4 large sweet potatoes sliced (or cut however you prefer)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of  brown sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
Nutmeg (to taste)
Cinnamon (to taste)
2 teaspoons of Vanilla extract 
2 teaspoons of Cake Batter extract (optional)
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Directions
1.  On medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sized pot.
2. Add your sliced sweet potatoes and stir well to coat.
3.  Add the sugar and mix well.
4.  Add nutmeg, cinnamon, and extracts and mix well.
5.  Cover and allow the sweet potatoes to come to a slow simmer.  You should also see a syrup start to form.
6.  Stir in the lemon juice.
7. Cover the potatoes and simmer on low heat until tender.
Note: Stir frequently to make sure they do not stick. 
Remove from heat and enjoy!



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I am still in a comfort food kind of mood. Try these fall off the bone smothered turkey wings for size.  The gravy is sooooo flavorful with the added turkey drippings.  This is one of my favorite additions to any Sunday dinner. Enjoy!

Smothered Turkey Wings
3-4 lbs of turkey wings (I bought a package that was split into smaller pieces)
1 large yellow onion (cut coarsely)
2 Bell Peppers (cut coarsely)
Garlic Bulb (peeled and chopped)
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Chef Paul Prudhomme Magic Seasoning Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Badia Adobo with Complete Seasoning (to taste)
Turkey Gravy
1 small onion (sliced)
2-3 Garlic cloves (diced)
¼ cup of flour
4 tbs of butter
2.5 cups of chicken broth or stock
1 tsp Ground sage seasoning
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (to taste)

1. Preheat Oven to 375°C.
2. Rinse turkey wings and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Place in a non-stick spray coated pan.
4. Season both sides with all dry seasonings.
5. Add all cut seasonings on top and cover with foil.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 mins.
7. Remove pan with turkey wings from oven.

Turkey Gravy

1.  Pour the drippings from the baked turkey wings into a small container and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet.
3. Add onions and garlic to skillet and cook 1-2 minutes (until soft)
4. Add flour, ground Sage and Tony’s and stir until a smooth consistency is obtained (3-4 minutes)
5. Add turkey wing drippings and continue to stir (1-2 minutes)
6. Add chicken broth or stock and stir. 
7. Allow to simmer and thicken 3-4 minutes.
8. Pour gravy over baked turkey wings.
9. Place turkey wings back in the oven 30-40 minutes.  (This step is critical in making your turkey wings tender.)  Continue to check them.  Do not let them dry out! Add chicken broth if necessary. 
10. Serve over warm rice!

View the reel on instagram!
 

Sometimes I just want an old fashioned meal that tastes like my grandma’s kitchen back in the day. Hamburger steaks smothered in gravy and onions scratch that itch.  I love to serve it over mashed potatoes and with a veggie.  Prep time is minimal and the recipe is simple.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs of ground beef
2 Beaten Eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
1 white onion (thinly sliced in rings)
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Basil
Parsley
Black Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
3 tbs flour
2 cups of beef broth
2 tbs of olive oil
1 tbs of butter

1. Combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and seasonings.  Mix well and form into individual hamburger patties.

2. Heat olive oil in heavy bottomed skillet and brown hamburger patties on both sides for about 4 minutes.

3. Remove browned patties from skillet.  Pat off excess grease with a paper towel and set aside.

4.  Add a tbs of butter to the same skillet on medium heat and allow butter to melt.

5.  Add sliced onions to skillet and sauté until soft. 

6.  Add flour and stir to make a light roux.  Once browned and blended, add beef broth and stir to blend.

7.  Allow gravy and onions to come to a simmer and add patties back into skillet with gravy.

8. Cover the patties with gravy and allow them to cook about 15 mins on low heat in the covered skillet.

9.  Serve over mashed potatoes or warm rice.

Click the link to see the instagram reel!