Eating Big in the Big Easy

So little time, so much good food! That best describes my recent trip to New Orleans, LA.

I've been to NOLA a number of times, but this was my first trip since expanding my culinary viewpoint, which has just happened in the past couple of years. In the past I wouldn't touch anything that resembled fresh seafood or anything with a little bit of spice added to it. On this trip, I couldn't get enough of either!

Fast Eddie joined me on what was a business trip for me and a vacation (and first time ever visit) for him to the Big Easy. While I worked, he explored the city, took pictures, and came back at the end of each day to declare that there were 10 more places that we had to try for dinner. Like I said, so little time...

We started our culinary journey on the first day at a tourist trap down on the Riverwalk. We knew it was such when we walked in, but, having just gotten off the plane we were starving and wanted something near the hotel. And, since I (finally) knew how much I like oysters, I just had to try them!

First, a dozen grilled.

Add a few alligator bites on the side..

But, I was still hungry, so I just had to have some of those raw oysters!

All in all, it wasn't a bad meal, considering that it was truly an overpriced tourist joint. But I knew there were better things to come!

Since I tend to live on Starbucks Raspberry Latte when on the road, I was quite hungry each evening come dinner time. We had some pretty phenomenal dinners, including this thick beautiful bowl of Red Beans & Rice at a litle cafe near the hotel.

A killer breakfast, with grits mind you, at The Ruby Slipper. I forgot to take food pictures here and we hoped to return before the end of the trip, but alas, didn't make it.

The sad thing about this trip was that each time a fantastic plate of food was placed in front of me, I dove right into it before remembering to take a picture of it! It happened at The Ruby Slipper, and then again when we went to Mother's for the best po-boys on earth!

My friend, who is Creole and from New Orleans, highly recommended that we eat here. At first I was hesitant. Peeking in the window, it looked like a small overcrowded diner. Being the snob that I am, I wanted white table cloths and a nice glass of Cabernet with my dinner. But to appease my first-time visitor/hubby, I consented and we went in. In retrospect, Fast Eddie should have smacked me upside the head for being so bratty, because I had the most mouth-watering delicious grilled shrimp po-boy that God has ever created! And of course, I forgot to take pictures, because I was too busy eating! So unfortunately, again, all you get is the sign.

But the truth of the matter is that if you're ever in NOLA, you must eat at Mother's! Lines form for breakfast, lunch & dinner, so, get there early! The place is much bigger than I thought, it has a wonderful history to it, and the food is beyond fantastic!

In between work and dinner (the only 2 reasons for my existence in New Orleans!), we walked one day to a butcher shop for some fresh deli meat. We had some fresh rolls, so we stocked up on some chorizo and sopresatta sausage, and of course got an order of Boudin - a white sausage made of pork liver and heart meat, without the blood - this according to my Creole friend who explained it to me days later, thank heavens. Had I known beforehand what I was eating, I probably wouldn't have eaten it! But it sure was good!

The lady on the left is the butcher. She told Fast Eddie that she could butcher a whole hog in 20 minutes! You know that got his juices running!

We had a hard time choosing which meats to order..

My friend also directed us to Dragos Seafood Restaurant. Knowing how excited I was about eating Bubba's chargrilled oysters in Savannah, she said that Dragos was a "must try". Although it seemed that I ate nothing but oysters the entire trip, I knew I was saving the best oysters for last!

Naturally, the first thing I ordered was a dozen chargrilled oysters. And naturally, I was so excited to eat them that I didn't think once about taking a picture of them, until I was down to the last one! Rather than share my empty oyster shells with you, you'll just have to take my word for it that these were the best grilled oysters on earth! Succulent, tender, warm, fat, juicy beautiful oysters! I really had to stop myself from ordering another dozen!

Instead, for my second plate, I ordered the fried oysters atop spinach, with a creamy brie sauce. I figured the spinach would be good for me, since I hadn't eaten a single vegetable yet on this trip. I did however remember to take a picture of this beauty, before I scraped the plate clean!

Fast Eddie enjoyed some fresh shrimp remoulade which he allowed me to taste! YUM! I'm not sure whose 2nd course I liked better!

Since we had a late flight out on our final day, we signed up to take a cooking class early in the day at a place called Crescent City Cooks, located in the Riverwalk near the hotel. Our teacher, Scott, was fantastic! He had some good stories, was very descriptive with each step that he took during the cooking processes, and wove in a lot of information about the Cajuns and the Creoles, which I found especially interesting. He cooked and then we ate: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Bananas Foster - for dessert.

Here's Scott, getting his roux on...nice and dark for the gumbo..

After the chicken and sausage are added, look at how delicious that looks!

 

Eating it was even better!

The jambalaya was delicious, although I've been spoiled by my Creole friend's version.



And it was interesting to hear how Bananas Foster came to get its name, as well as to watch it evolve, from a pan of bananas and butter..

To adding the rum and waiting for the flame (so I could capture the picture)...

To the big finale!

I have probably traveled to New Orleans a dozen times in my lifetime. But it wasn't until I met my Creole girlfriend a few years ago, that I (now) finally understand some of the heritage and culture that makes New Orleans the wonderful place that it is.

Katrina changed much of the landscape, and moved different cultures out of or into different neighborhoods of New Orleans. It has changed tremendously from when I (first) visited in the 1980's and again in the early 90's. As a tourist, I will probably never see the real side of New Orleans. But I can say that the food remains as delicious today as it did oh so many years ago - especially since I am now older & wiser & appreciate it so much more than I did way back then.

So if you like to eat, and you don't mind the heat, grab your hat and get on down to New Orleans! And be sure to tell 'em (S)Marty sent you!

Cooking in Atlanta

In late April I had the opportunity to spend five days with some great friends and fantastic women in Atlanta, GA.  Our gracious hostess opened her home to four of us where we spent the week doing girly things (such as makeovers), laughing (way more than proper women should), learning a whole lot about our "passion" for cooking, eating some of the best food I've ever tasted, and enjoying a delightful week of camaraderie and friendship.            

While there, we celebrated some birthday's, including mine. I was blown away when our wonderful hostess presented us with this beautiful cake. The top layer was dark chocolate cake with milk chocolate and raspberry filling. The bottom layer was almond cake with pineapple filling. And of course, we had to have champagne with it!

My friend, and hostess Claudia, shared so many cooking tips with us. Each time she made a meal, I took notes, because this lady can cook!

Believe it or not, but, I have never made fried chicken, ever! But after watching her make this, and then tasting it, along with those fluffy biscuits, you can be sure it will be on the menu in (S)Marty Pants kitchen real soon!

As a special birthday treat, just for me, Claudia made this killer omelet for me Sunday morning. Soft and fluffy like a pancake and filled with Creole Hot Sausage and cheese. I'll tell you what, this almost made me cry - it was that good! Unfortunately, I will have to travel to New Orleans (or back to Atlanta) to ever taste this awesome sausage again!

Isn't that beautiful? I didn't need anything else with it!

A short four-hour drive from Atlanta to Savannah and there we were at Uncle Bubba's restaurant, waiting in line to meet Ms. Paula Deen at her book signing in Savannah, GA. It was so much fun to see her again, and, doesn't she look awesome!

After our book signing, we had lunch at Bubba's. I thought about ordering 6 raw oysters as an appetizer, and then decided to go for the full dozen, charbroiled and served with Parmesan cheese. These were so plump and delicious! Chased with an ice cold margarita, they made for a perfect lunch!

While in Atlanta, we also cooked, like crazy! I made Fast Eddie's Famous Slow Grilled Pork Butt and turned it into Pork Butt Sliders. I used  Hawaiian rolls, topped with shredded pork, crunchy coleslaw and topped with Teaspoon Willie's Spicy BBQ sauce. They were fantastic!

The next day, Claudia whipped up some pork butt salad sandwiches on brioche. OMG! I thought the sliders were good! You should have tasted these!

The saddest part of the entire trip, other than saying goodbye to some great friends, was that I never got a chance to eat the cheesecake! Our hostess made two small cheesecakes, one for me and one for Isabel, who was also celebrating her birthday. Her's was Almond flavored. Mine was Chocolate. I dipped my finger into the 'ring' when the almond cheesecake was taken out, and it was awesome! But I never had the chance to taste the chocolate one. We just had too much food on this trip, and there wasn't enough room in my tummy!  I am happy to report, however, that it was sent to a good home....in California...to our friend who was unable to join us on this trip. So Fausta, I sure hope you are enjoying my "mini" birthday cheese cake!

Now I just have to practice everything I learned so that I can make all of these luscious things for myself!


What a great way to spend my birthday! With great friends and great food! 


Gotta Lovett!

 

Spaghetti Dogs

OK, for those of you who may not know me very well, I don't have any children or grandchildren. Thus, it is rare for me to be around children, much less have the slightest idea of what they like to eat. The best that I can do is assume that they don't like meals that contain hot chili peppers...


My husband & I invited some friends for dinner recently, who have a six year old boy. We planned our menu, a beautiful work of art, I must say. Then, on the night they were to visit, they called to say that their babysitter had cancelled, and asked if they could bring their son. Well of course they could! We love him to pieces! But...what would we serve him? We knew he wouldn't go for the grilled blackened pork, or the delicate asparagus with Hollandaise ...We had to think fast and come up with something that kids like and that he would actually enjoy eating! And so we brainstormed. 


Kids love hot dogs, we decided. And they love spaghetti. Now, I can tell you that the only way I will eat a hot dog is if it is a pure beef dog, if it is cooked on the grill, outside on a very hot summer day, if it is served in a bun with jalapeno peppers, sharp cheddar cheese and spicy mustard, and if it is accompanied by a Bud Light Lime. I do not cook, nor do I eat boiled hot dogs. But kids do. And they don't require all of those condiments and accessories (such as a Bud Light Lime)!


I can also tell you that when I make spaghetti, it is loaded with a good Diavolo sauce (aka hot, like the devil himself), and has something like shrimp or hot Italian sausage and loads of parmesan cheese in it! But kids love spaghetti, especially the whole slurping aspect of eating it, and they don't require all of those ingredients or flavors that we (much older) people do.


And so was borne Spaghetti Dogs.


The strategy is simple. Start with some hot dogs, (all beef, preferably). You can determine how many dogs you need, based on the number of little mouths you are feeding. I used three dogs for this recipe. And that awesome little boy ate almost the entire bowl. 


Cut the hot dogs into bite-size pieces.

Now, take some good strong (uncooked) spaghetti. Don't use angel hair or such. Use regular weight spaghetti. Depending on the size of your hot dog pieces, you can break the spaghetti pieces in half, or leave them at their full length. 


Now, take those pieces of spaghetti and stick them through the hot dog pieces from end to end.

 Here is another shot of how you might stick your spaghetti through the hot dog piece:

Now comes the hard part. Boil some water and toss the spaghetti dogs in. Depending on the number of lovely little children you are serving this to, you might want to add some additional spaghetti into the pot.


Then, boil the spaghetti dogs for 9-11 minutes, or until spaghetti is cooked. Keep in mind that you might have to boil it a minute or more than your box of spaghetti calls for, so that the spaghetti inside the hot dog gets cooked and softened as well. Also remember that little children don't understand the concept of al dente. So, if you have to over boil the spaghetti dog in order to make sure the spaghetti is cooked, don't worry. The kids will never know the difference!


When spaghetti is cooked and soft, drain it and serve it up to that precious little child! They will be utterly fascinated, wondering how the spaghetti got inside those hot dogs!

Take my word for it. If the child didn't remember you when they walked in the door and shied away from your hugs...they will be contentedly fast asleep on your lap by the time you and his parents are sipping cognac following your own fantastic dinner.


Spaghetti Dogs


Ingredients
Hot dogs
Spaghetti


Directions
Fill a pot with water and set onto stove, over high heat.
Cut hot dogs into bite size pieces.
Insert whole or half spaghetti pieces through each piece of hot dog, end to end, being careful not to break.
When all hot dogs are ready, drop into boiling pot of water.
Cook according to spaghetti (box) directions, 9-11 minutes, or until spaghetti is limp.
Serve to small-medium children who are old enough to love slurping spaghetti but not yet old enough to understand that hot dogs and spaghetti are not something they will eat when they are older.

Sweet Hot Jalapeno Tear-Away Bread

The original recipe that inspired my Sweet Hot Jalapeno Tear-Away Bread called for pickled jalapeno peppers and a loaf of sourdough bread. Turns out, I didn't have either on hand when I decided to make it.

  

I did have a frozen loaf of Italian bread. So I thawed it and let it rise, baked it and used it as my bread round. In retrospect, I would recommend a "harder" crust bread, such as a sourdough or white round of bread. My Italian bread smooshed down too much when I started slicing it (which you will also see). But I still had to post the pictures of the bread rising and how yummy it looked after I cooked it. And, even though it didn't hold up as strongly as a much heartier bread, the end result, though perhaps not as pretty, still tasted awesome. So, choose your bread as you will. (And if you don’t like this recipe, just butter up this loaf of bread and go sit down somewhere!). 

I couldn't believe that I didn't have a jar of hot pickled jalapeno peppers in the pantry, since they are a main staple in this house. But, I did have a jar of the (new) Mrs. Renfro's Sweet & Hot Jalapeno Peppers. If you are one of those people that is afraid of the heat of jalapeno peppers, you absolutely need to try these. They taste like bread and butter pickles, with just a bit of heat. I am not a product endorser, and I don't work for Mrs. Renfro, but, I might just let her know that she is now part of my blog. These peppers are so sweet and so delicious and they make a great addition to the tear-away bread. If you can't find them in your store, let me know. I'll personally call Mrs. Renfro for you and tell her to get them to your area. If you prefer your peppers hotter, feel free to use regular hot pickled jalapeno peppers.  But let me just say, these sweet & hot jalapenos are the bomb!

This is the first time I've made this recipe, and I learned a few things along the way. You will see by the directions that you should spread the cream cheese, and then spread the jalapenos and then spread the bacon pieces, into each cut of the bread. In retrospect, I would recommend that you add the jalapeno pieces and the bacon pieces into your cream cheese mixture, and then spread it. (Then proceed with the shredded cheese addition). This will save you tons of time. The recipe, however, does not include this short cut, because I wanted to show how I really did it, as indicated in the pictures.

The last thing I can say about this recipe is that there is a reason why I placed it under "Food that you'll love but you may not want to eat if your cholesterol is high". It is a delicious recipe, loaded with cheese, bacon and more cheese, but, don't eat too much of it in one sitting. Because it will definitely clog your arteries! If you make it, you might want to share it with a crowd. Otherwise, you may end up eating the entire loaf yourself! 

Now, let's get started!

Slice your bread into a crisscross pattern, as indicated in the recipe directions. Once you have sliced your bread and mixed up your cream cheese, spread the cream cheese mix in between the cuts of bread, then add the jalapenos, and then the bacon. Spread the cuts of bread apart with your fingers each time, to ensure that all of your ingredients get down in between the bread cuts.

Now add your shredded cheese, again spreading the cuts of bread apart so that the cheese gets down in between. Be sure to save some cheese to sprinkle over the top.

When your bread is ready, wrap it in foil, sealing it tightly. Be sure to tent the top, however, so that your foil doesn't steal all of the melted cheese off the bread.

Bake according to directions, and this is what you'll get!

Now comes the fun part...begin tearing it apart...

Look at all of that yummy, gooey, cheesy, bacon, sweet hot jalapeno deliciousness!

As my hubby always says, "it's so good it'll make you want to smack your granny"!

Just don't forget to share it...

Sweet Hot Jalapeño Tear-Away Bread

Ingredients
16 oz. round white or sourdough loaf, unsliced
12 oz. cream cheese softened
4 tbsp. juice from a jar of Mrs. Renfro’s (new) Sweet & Hot Jalapeno Peppers
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ c. cup diced Mrs. Renfro’s (new) Sweet & Hot Jalapeno Peppers
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (pepper bacon preferred)
½ c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

½ c. Velveeta cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the bread going in both directions without cutting all the way through to the bottom, so that you end up with a checkerboard pattern of cuts.

Place the loaf of bread on a large sheet (or sheets) of foil; large enough to (eventually) enclose the entire loaf of bread.

Place the bread (on foil) onto a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, jalapeño pepper juice and garlic powder.

Using a knife or spreader, spread the cream cheese mixture in between the cuts of bread.

(I found that the best way to do this is to load up your spreader and distribute your cream cheese onto both sides of each section that you are spreading. This will save you some time).

Sprinkle diced jalapeño peppers onto bread, spreading the cuts of bread apart to get the peppers in between.

Sprinkle chopped bacon on the bread, spreading the cuts of bread apart to get the bacon pieces in between.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on the bread, spreading the cuts of bread apart to get the cheese in between.

Top the bread with any remaining shredded cheese.
Wrap the prepared bread in foil, tenting the foil so that it doesn’t stick to the top of the bread.

Bake bread for 15 minutes or until the insides are melting.

Open the foil and lay it back to expose the bread.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve hot.

What's For Dessert?

My husband, who literally lives for anything chocolate, found a vintage recipe for individual chocolate souffle in a circa 1979 Better Homes & Gardens cookbook that once belonged to his mom, and asked me to make it. Since we love the combination of chocolate and heat, I decided to change it up a bit... I substituted the cream cheese & chocolate syrup called for in the recipe with Kraft Dark Chocolate Indulgence (I just happened to have a few tubs of it in my fridge!), and then added some chipotle hot sauce into the mix.  I sprinkled the ramekins with a mixture of sugar and chipotle chili powder, and the whipped cream topping has a dash of chipotle powder on top. If you can't get your hands on the Kraft Indulgence, use 8 oz. cream cheese softened and ½ c. chocolate syrup in its' place. And don't be afraid of the "heat". It adds a delightful flavor to the dish. I must admit, this is by far one of the best chocolate souffles I have ever put into my mouth! Check it out; it will definitely make someone in your life weep with happiness!

Ingredients

1 tsp. butter

2 tsp. granulated sugar

3 tsp. chipotle chili powder, divided

4 eggs

1/3 c. milk

¼ c. granulated sugar

8 oz. Kraft Philadelphia Indulgence - Dark Chocolate

2 tsp. chipotle hot sauce

4 tbsp. whipped cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using 1 tsp. butter, grease the bottom and sides of four 1-cup ramekins.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp. granulated sugar and 2 tsp. chipotle chili powder.

Sprinkle ramekins with the sugar mixture.

Swirl the sugar around the inside walls of each ramekin.

In a large mixing bowl on medium speed, combine 4 eggs, 1/3 c. milk and ¼ c. sugar.

Blend until smooth.

Slowly add the Kraft Dark Chocolate Indulgence, blending after each addition, until smooth.

Add hot sauce.

Blend until smooth.

Pour into prepared ramekins.

Place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Pour some water into the bottom of the baking sheet, high enough to cover the bottom of each ramekin.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until set.

Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of each souffle.

Sprinkle whipped cream with chipotle chili powder and serve hot.

Baby Sandwiches

These little sandwiches are very simple to make and are great for a snack, or, if you increase your ingredients, they are perfect for the ladies at a baby shower (hence baby sandwiches).  You only need a few ingredients, and you can change them up by using different vegetables like watercress, fresh zucchini or red peppers. The cheese brings the flavor (with a baby bite of heat), the veggies give it snap, and the little bread rounds make the dish attractive.

Ingredients

3 oz. Boursin Gourmet Spreadable Cheese (Garlic & Herbs)

2 drops (favorite) hot sauce (optional)

1/2 cucumber, peeled

1 plum tomato

3 slices white bread

3 slices pumpernickel or any wheat/brown bread

Directions

Place spreadable cheese in a small bowl.

Add 2 drops of hot sauce & combine.

Using a small round cookie cutter, or wine glass, cut 6 circles of white bread and six circles of pumpernickel bread.

Slice the cucumber into 4 pieces that are the approximate size of your bread round and/or trim the cucumber slice to fit the bread round.

Slice the tomato into 4 pieces that are the approximate size of your bread round and/or trim the tomato slice to fit the bread round.

Spread some cheese on one side of a brown bread circle.

Place a slice of cucumber on top of that circle.

Spread some cheese on one side of a white bread circle.

Place that circle cheese side up on top of the cucumber.

Add a slice of tomato to the stack.

Spread some cheese on another brown bread circle.

Place the brown bread circle cheese side down over the tomato.

Skewer a toothpick or dried spaghetti with small pieces of cucumber and/or tomato for garnish.

Spear through the sandwich to hold it together.

Repeat process, starting with a circle of white bread, and alternating the cucumber and tomato, so that some of your sandwiches have white bread on top and others have brown bread on top.

Yield: 4 bite-size appetizers

Baby Sandwiches

Butternut Squash Ravioli in a Creamy Chipotle Sage Sauce

As you’ll soon come to learn about me (and hopefully love about my cooking), is that I like to take someone else’s recipe and change it up, by adding different ingredients or seasonings. My best friend Becky gave me this recipe for Butternut Squash Ravioli in a Brown Butter Sage Sauce. It called for a “pinch” of cayenne in the mixture, and for quickly boiling the raviolis and then adding them to the brown butter sage sauce to brown them off. 


I love butter, but, I’ve had some disastrous dinners because they had just too much butter. And, since we tend to like things spicy around here, in place of her pinch of cayenne, I’ve added some chipotle chili powder into the squash mixture. And in place of the butter sauce, I made a light cream sauce, with a bit of heat. The best part about this recipe is using wontons, which you can find in the freezer aisle of your store. They will save you from having to make your own ravioli from scratch. 


Try it, you might just Lovett

Butternut Squash Ravioli Ingredients
1 c. cooked butternut squash
½ c. cream cheese
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
1 tsp.  chopped garlic
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 package square wonton wrappers

Creamy Chipotle Sage Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp flour
2 c. milk
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. chipotle chili powder
2 tsp. chiffonade fresh sage


Preparation
Cut a small squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and wrap in foil. Roast in a 375 degrees F oven for 1 hour, or until the squash is tender. Let cool. Scoop the soft squash into a bowl and discard the skin.

Place one cup of the butternut squash into a mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, garlic, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and chipotle chili powder. Mix thoroughly.

To make the raviolis
Lay one wonton wrapper on a flour dusted surface. Using the tip of your finger or a small pastry brush, dampen the wonton wrapper all the way around the edge with water. Place 2 tsp. of the butternut squash filling into the center. Lay another wonton wrapper on top. Cuff your hands and place them in a circle around the filling. Press down to release any air from the center area. Then, using your fingers, pinch the edges of the two wontons together tightly, around all four sides, to ensure that none of the filling will come out when they are cooked. Place filled wontons on a floured plate, without stacking on top of each other, or  they will stick together. Place a wet towel over the filled wontons to prevent them from drying out.

Filled raviolis with one more to complete

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the raviolis and boil for one minute, or until they float. Drain well and place on serving plate. Spoon the sauce over the wontons and serve.

To make the sauce
Melt the 2 tbsp. butter in a large non stick pan over medium heat. Add the flour and using a whisk, incorporate it into the butter until it is smooth. Allow the butter/flour mixture to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes. Slowly add the milk, one half cup at a time, whisking so that it is well blended. Once the sauce is smooth, stir in the garlic powder, nutmeg and chipotle chili powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow sauce to come to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium low and allow it to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Once sauce has thickened, stir in the sage.

Chipotle Sage Cream Sauce

Allow sauce to cook on low about 5 minutes before serving over the cooked raviolis. 

Serve your raviolis hot, with a cool, crisp spinach salad

This butternut squash recipe will fill about a million wonton wrappers (ha ha), but the good news is that you can freeze any leftover mixture, or, you can fill all of your wontons and freeze them. Just place them in a single layer on a flour-dusted baking sheet & cover with plastic wrap. Once they are frozen, put them into zip lock baggies and freeze for up to two weeks. I guarantee that this dish will make your loved ones weep with happiness.

Welcome to Cooking With (S)Marty Pants

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Savory Seafood Dinner

Flaming Salsa
& Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Cornbread Popper Bites

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Brussels Sprouts
You'll Want to Eat!

Not My Mom's Goulash

Grape Surprise Skewers

Cinnamon Spice Chicken

Crunchy Coleslaw

Cinnamon Spice Everything Nice
Chicken & Rice

Game Day Antipasto

Adding brine to the pork shoulder

Creamed Pearl Onions

Chocolate Bacon Pie

Pork Enchiladas

Clam Spread Appetizers

Pepper Pigtails

Devils Food
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Green Beans Got The Blues

Kicked Up Hample Pie

Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups

Fast Eddie's Ribs

Chocolate Melt Down

Mexican Cheese Salad

Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies

Paella

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Poblano Chile Pepper Soup

Indulgent Pretzels

Romantic Raviolis

Smoked Salmon Roll Ups

(S)Marty Pants Carrot Hoe Cakes
with Cinnamon Creme

Red Hot Chile Pepper Bundles

Savory Chocolate & Sea Salt Crostini

Shrimp Wontons

Savory Waffle Sticks
with Sesame Cilantro Creme

Fast Eddie's Low & Slow
Grilled Pulled Pork Sandwich

Habanero Spiked Mac Stack 

Kicked Up Stuffed Peppers

Spice Muffin Bites

Ki

Simply the Best
Sweet Potato Souffle

Turkey & Cranberry Raviolis

Chocolate Indulged Vanilla Wafers

Chicken Enchilladas

Bottle Cap Poppers

Mini Marshmallow Delights

Pot 'o Poblano Soup

Fast Eddie's Low & Slow
Grilled Pork Shoulder

Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes

Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli
with Shallot Parsley Gravy

Sinful Strawberries