Kentucky Derby Burgoo

Found in SL May 2026 issue here

3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped sweet onion (from 1 large onion)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)
1 cup chopped carrots (from 2 peeled carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (from 3 stalks)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from 6 garlic cloves)
4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 dried bay leaves
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (10 1/2-oz.) can beef consommé
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped russet potato (from 1 large potato)
1 1/2 cups frozen baby lima beans (from 1 [15-oz.] bag)
6-8 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup frozen yellow corn (from 1 [15-oz.] bag)
1 cup frozen cut okra (from 1 [15-oz.] bag)
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. granulated sugar
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a large (8-quart) Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, add meat, and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer browned meat to a plate; set aside.

Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in Dutch oven; discard remaining drippings. Add onion, bell pepper, carrots, and celery to drippings in Dutch oven; cook over medium-high until beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and bay leaves; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add browned meat and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven; stir in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef consommé, Worcestershire sauce, potato, lima beans, and 6 cups broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, about 1 hour, 45 minutes, adding more broth, 1 cup at a time, for desired thickness.

Stir corn, okra, apple cider vinegar, and sugar into Dutch oven; cook until tender and burgoo is reduced just slightly more, about 30 minutes. Skim off fat, if desired.

Ladle evenly into bowls; garnish with parsley just before serving.  

Chicken and Rolled Dumplings

Found in SL Jan/Feb 2023 here

 

2  1# bone-in chicken breasts
6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, halved 

1-2 medium celery stalks, divided
1-2 large carrots, peeled, divided
2  5" thyme or flat-leaf parsley sprigs, plus chopped leaves for garnish
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp cubed cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. whole buttermilk

Place chicken, broth, and onion in a large Dutch oven. Cut 1 celery stalk and 1 carrot in half crosswise; add to Dutch oven with thyme or parsley sprigs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, undisturbed, until chicken is cooked through and easily pulls away from bone, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, pull chicken apart into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones, herb sprigs, and cooked vegetables, reserving broth in Dutch oven.

Prepare Rolled Dumplings: Stir together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until flour mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk until dough comes together. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a well-floured work surface; cut into 2- x 1-inch rectangles.

Return broth to a simmer over medium-low. Thinly slice remaining carrot and celery stalk, if desired; add to broth with pulled chicken. If desired, whisk together cream and flour in a small bowl until smooth; stir into broth. Gradually add dumplings to broth. Cover and simmer gently over low, until dumplings are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with pepper and chopped thyme or parsley. 

 

Hot Honey Butter Chicken Wings

Found in Southern Living Jan/Feb 2025 here

3 1/2# chicken wings (about 13 whole wings), cut at the joints, wing tips discarded
1 Tbsp. baking powder
4 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot honey
2 tsp. hot sauce
1 small jalapeño, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 450° F. Pat chicken wings very dry with paper towels, and place in a large bowl. Stir together baking powder and 4 teaspoons of the salt in a small bowl, and sprinkle over chicken, tossing well to coat.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and fit a wire rack inside baking sheet. Coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange wings, with fatty sides down, on rack in a single layer.

Bake until crispy on one side and lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Turn wings over, and bake until well browned and crispy, about 25 minutes. (***start here for other recipes below)

Bring unsalted butter, hot honey, hot sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Boil 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Place wings in a large bowl. Add hot honey-butter sauce and sliced jalapeño; toss to coat wings in sauce. Transfer to a platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, if desired. 

Parmesan Ranch Wings

Prepare wings as directed through ***. Microwave 1/4c unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl on high until melted, 30-45 seconds. Stir in 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, 1/2 tsp grated garlic and 1/4 tsp salt. Place wings in a large bowl. Add ranch sauce to wings and toss to coat. Sprinkle wings with 6 tbsp grated parmesan and 1 1/2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives.

 

Honey Mustard BBQ Wings

Prepare wings as directed through ***. Stir together 6 tbsp Chick Fil A sauce, 5 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, and 4 tsp honey in a medium bowl. Place wings in a large bowl. Add sauce to bowl as desired and toss well to coat. Garnish with black pepper.

Hot Honey Chicken

Found in Southern Living April 2025 here

 

1/2 cup honey
2 red Fresno chiles, stemmed and sliced
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2-3 tsp. hot sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 chicken leg quarters (about 3 3/4 lb. total)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
Thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 425°F with the rack in the upper third position.
Bring honey, chiles, butter, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
 
Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; pat dry. Combine pepper, onion powder, and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt in a bowl; sprinkle over chicken. Turn chicken skin side up; drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Gently rub to coat. Roast in preheated oven 15 minutes.

Toss onion with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Tuck onion around chicken.
Roast in preheated oven until thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 175°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; adjust oven to broil.

Brush some of the honey mixture over chicken and onions. Broil until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven; brush with honey mixture.

Transfer chicken and onions to a serving platter; drizzle with remaining honey mixture. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Chicken Rice Broccolini Bake

Found in SL April 2023 issue here

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. fresh broccolini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 small sweet onion, chopped (2/3 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. fontina cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
1 (8.8-oz.) pkg. microwave-ready white rice, uncooked
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together chicken, broccolini, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in an 11- x 7-inch (2-quart) baking dish until evenly coated. Bake, uncovered, until chicken and broccolini are partially cooked, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   
Reduce heat to medium, and stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; bring to a simmer over medium. Cook, whisking often, until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the fontina, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
 

Transfer chicken and broccolini to sauce in skillet, discarding any juices in baking dish. Add rice to skillet; stir until just coated. Spoon mixture into baking dish.
   
Stir together panko, thyme, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 1/2 cup fontina in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400°F until top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with additional thyme. 

 

Chicken with Asparagus and Ranch

Found in SL April 2023 issue here

 

4 (12-oz.) chicken leg quarters
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Carrot Gold
Prefer carrots? Omit the asparagus, and add 2 pounds peeled carrots around chicken in Step 1. Sprinkle carrots with 1/4 teaspoon salt; drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until chicken is done, 35 to 45 minutes. Drizzle with dressing, and garnish as directed in Step 3.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Stir together smoked paprika, onion powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over chicken, gently patting into skin.

Arrange chicken on a large aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 150°F, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Move chicken to 1 side of baking sheet. Add asparagus to opposite side; drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Bake at 425°F until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes.

Drizzle chicken and asparagus with about 1/4 cup buttermilk dressing; garnish with dill. Serve with remaining buttermilk dressing. 

 

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Found on SL website here

 

1 16oz pkg. uncooked linguine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup panko 
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp lemon zest, plus 1/4 cup juice (from 2 lemons), divided
1 large egg, beaten
3 10oz each boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally into cutlets
7 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 6 oz zucchini, cut into 1/4-in.-thick rounds (about 2 1/2 cups), divided
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped (1 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add linguine; cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water; drain linguine in a colander, and set aside until ready to use.

While linguine cooks, stir together flour and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a shallow bowl. Stir together panko, Italian seasoning, black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a separate shallow bowl. Place egg in a third shallow bowl.
 

Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge chicken in flour, and shake off excess. Dip in beaten egg, letting excess drip off; dredge in panko mixture to coat, pressing to adhere, as needed. Set chicken aside on a plate. Repeat process with remaining pieces of chicken, flour, egg, and panko mixture. (Discard any remaining flour, egg, and panko mixture.)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add half of the zucchini evenly spaced in skillet, pressing slightly so surface makes contact with skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until browned in spots, about 1 minute. Flip, and cook on other side, 1 minute. Transfer to a plate, and set aside. Repeat process with remaining zucchini. Wipe skillet clean.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add 3 pieces of  chicken, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; wipe skillet clean. Repeat process with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and remaining 3 pieces chicken; set aside, and keep warm.

Add butter to large pot used to cook pasta, and melt over medium-high. Add garlic and onion powder, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in whipping cream, 1/2 cup reserved cooking water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often.

Reduce heat to low, and slowly add lemon juice while whisking vigorously, 30 to 45 seconds. Add Parmesan, and cook, whisking constantly, until Parmesan melts and sauce is thick, 2 to 5 minutes.

Add linguine, zucchini, and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest to pot, and toss to mix evenly.

Slice chicken; divide linguine mixture evenly among bowls, and top evenly with chicken. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

Cook the Enemy Gumbo

Recipe in SL September 2023 here

 

1 cup canola oil
1 cup (about 4 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lb. andouille sausage, sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 large [13 oz.] onion)
2 cups chopped green bell peppers (from 2 medium [1 lb. total] peppers)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (from 3 to 4 large [about 8 oz. total] celery stalks)
6 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.)
8 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves
1 lb. frozen cut okra
1 1/2 lb. medium peeled and deveined raw shrimp
Hot cooked rice

Prepare roux:
Stir together oil and flour in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until mixture turns the color of milk chocolate, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Cook sausage and vegetables:
While roux cooks, heat a large skillet over medium. Cook andouille in 2 batches in skillet, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 6 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer andouille from skillet to a medium bowl; set aside. Add onion, bell peppers, and celery to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.
Simmer gumbo:
Stir cooked onion mixture into roux in Dutch oven. Gradually add stock, whisking constantly. Stir in salt, thyme, cayenne, bay leaves, and cooked andouille. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Finish and serve:
Stir frozen okra into mixture in Dutch oven; cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until okra is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and remove from heat. Cover and let stand until shrimp is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.  

 

Florida State Fried Chicken

Recipe found in SL September 2023 here

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
8 (5- to 6-oz.) chicken drumsticks
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
2/3 cup (about 2 7/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. honey

Stir together salt, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub generously all over drumsticks. Place drumsticks on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 200°F. Pour oil into a large cast-iron skillet to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil over medium-high to 350°F.
Place flour in a large ziplock plastic bag. Add drumsticks to bag; seal bag, and shake well to coat drumsticks. Remove drumsticks from bag, shaking off excess flour. Place 4 drumsticks in hot oil; return remaining drumsticks to wire rack. Fry drumsticks until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat (not touching bone) registers 165°F, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain oil temperature, about 15 minutes, turning drumsticks over after 8 minutes.
Using tongs, transfer drumsticks to a clean ovenproof wire rack fitted over a baking sheet; place in preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat frying process with remaining drumsticks. Arrange cooked drumsticks on a platter; drizzle with honey, and serve warm.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Found in SL March 2024 issue here

4 (7-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
4 (1-oz.) Swiss cheese slices, each cut into 3 strips
4 (1-oz.) deli ham or leftover Honey-Glazed Ham slices, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Canola oil, for frying
Herby Dijonnaise (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place an oven-safe wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside. Place chicken between 2 pieces of parchment paper; use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to flatten to about 1/4" thickness.

Place chicken breasts, smooth sides down, on a plate. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Place 3 Swiss cheese strips crosswise in the center of each chicken breast; place ham slices on top of cheese.

Fold each chicken breast in thirds, like an envelope, over ham and cheese to seal; secure with wooden picks.

Place flour, egg, and panko in 3 separate wide, shallow bowls. Stir remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into panko. Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Dredge in panko to coat, pressing to adhere. Place on prepared wire rack.
 

Pour oil to a depth of 1/4" in a large skillet, and heat over medium. Working in 2 batches, place breaded chicken in hot oil; fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Return chicken to prepared rack.

 

Bake in preheated oven until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven; lightly sprinkle with additional salt. Remove and discard wooden picks. Serve chicken with Herby Dijonnaise.

Herby Dijonnaise
Whisk together 1/3 cup each mayonnaise and sour cream, 1/4 cup chopped fresh tender herbs (such as chives, tarragon, and flat-leaf parsley), 1/4 cup buttermilk, 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, and 1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
ACTIVE 5 MIN. - TOTAL 5 MIN. MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP 

 

Greek Diner Lemon Chicken

Found in SL Jan/Feb 2026 issue here

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, plus more leaves for garnish
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest, + 1/4 cup fresh juice from 1 lemon, divided, + more zest and wedges for garnish
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 8oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small white onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp)
1 cup uncooked white basmati rice
2 cups unsalted chicken broth
Crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together oregano, paprika, black pepper, lemon zest, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add chicken; cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside on a plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; heat over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer over medium, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Return chicken to skillet, gently pressing into rice mixture. Remove from heat.

Cover and bake until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, and fluff rice with a fork. Top with more lemon zest, oregano leaves, and crushed red pepper. Serve with lemon wedges. 

 

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Chicken: 

1-1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 c cornstarch

1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 large egg, room temp

1-1/4 c sparkling water, chilled

1 tbsp sesame oil

1-1/2# boneless skinless chicken thighs/breasts, cut into 1" pieces

 

Sauce:

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp minced garlic

1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger root

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp cornstarch

 

rice, sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds

 

Ina large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Whisk in egg, sparkling water, and sesame oil until smooth. Add chicken pieces, toss to evenly coat. Cover; transfer to refrigerator. Let chicken marinate at least 30 minutes.

Heat about 1/2-1" deep oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 350°. Working in batches, add a few pieces of the chicken. Cook, turning occasionally  until the chicken is deep golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer fried chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

For sauce, heat oil in a large skillet to med-high heat. Add red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add sugar, brown sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, and orange zest; stir until sugars dissolved and mixture begins to bubble. 

In a small bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch until dissolved. Add to sauce; stir until smooth. Cook sauce until it thickens, 1-2 minutes.

Add fried chicken pieces to sauce; toss gently to coat. Serve with cooked rice and top with green onion and sesame seeds. 

Basic Crepes (5 stars)

Recipe in All Recipes Winter 2025 and here. Makes 8

2 large eggs
½ cup milk, or more as needed
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Whisk eggs, milk, water, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add flour and melted butter and whisk vigorously until batter is smooth and pourable.

Recipe Tip: If the batter is too thick to spread easily in the pan, whisk in 1 tablespoon milk at a time until it reaches the proper consistency.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook until the top of the crêpe is no longer wet and the bottom has turned light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Run a spatula around the edge of the skillet to loosen the crêpe; flip and cook until the other side has turned light brown, about 1 minute more.

Serve hot. Enjoy!

Test Kitchen Tips:

To make sweet crepes, whisk 2 tablespoons white sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the batter.

You can also add all of the ingredients to a blender and process a few times using short bursts until the batter is smooth.

TOPPINGS & FILLINGS

 

Chocolate Syrup:

Combine 3/4c water, 3/4c sugar, 1/3c unsweetened cocoa powder, and a dash of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until mixture thickens and just begins to boil, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stire in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 1-1/4 cups.

 

Strawberry Cheesecake Crepe Filling:

1-1/4c powdered sugar

8oz pkg cream cheese

1 tsp lemon zest

1tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat in a large bowl with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in 1 cup whipped cream. Fill each crepe with about 1/3c cream cheese filling and 1/4c sliced strawberries. Top filled crepes with chocolate sauce.

 

Chicken & Garlic Filling:

3 tbsp butter

2-1/2c shredded cooked chicken

4 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp chopped thyme

2/3c herb & garlic cream cheese 

Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in other ingredients (not cream cheese). Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth. Keep filling warm in skillet until ready to fill.

 

Cajun Style Veloute

3 tbsp butter

1/4c chopped onion

1/4c chopped celery

1/4c chopped green bell pepper

3 tbsp flour

2c low sodium chicken broth

1 tsp Cajun style seasoning

 2 dashes Tabasco

 

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over med-low heat. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden in color with a lightly nutty aroma, 3-4 minutes. 

Whisk in broth. Bring mixture to a simmer; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half (to about 1-1/4 cups) and sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a line when you draw a finger through it, about 30 minutes.Whisk in Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.

 

Great with shrimp, fried chicken and waffles, or sausage and biscuits. 

Chuy’s Green Chile Chicken Taquitos

Recipe found here.

1 Roasted Chicken, cooled, skin discarded and meat pulled and shredded or 6 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded

1 tablespoon Garlic Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Chipotle Sauce store bought or homemade
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 cups Green Chiles fresh roasted, diced
24 5-inch Flour Tortillas

Place shredded chicken in a bowl.
Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, add chipotle sauce, sour cream and green chiles. Mix well.
Fold chipotle sauce mixture into chicken. Toss and mix well.
Spread about 2 tablespoons chicken mixture in a line horizontally across a tortilla, just below the center line of the tortilla.
Roll, leaving ends untucked. Place a toothpick or two in the center of the taquito to keep from opening.
Repeat until all tortillas are filled and rolled.
Pour oil into a large pot, a Dutch oven or deep fryer to a depth that will allow the taquitos to deep fry.
Heat oil to 350°F.
Place taquitos in hot oil, a few at a time, and fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-covered plate to drain.
Serve taquitos with rice and refried beans, topped with jalapeño sauce and pico de gallo.

Cracker Barrel Chicken n Dumplins

Recipe found here.

4 - 5 pounds Chicken Pieces Try to get a good selection of both white and dark meat pieces
2 quarts Water
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt divided, to taste
2 stalks Celery with leaves, chopped
1 large Onion with skin, chopped in quarter
2 clove Garlic crushed or minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

Dumplins
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Shortening/lard
3/4 cup Buttermilk

In a Dutch Oven place the chicken pieces, water, 1 teaspoon salt, celery, onion and garlic.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 - 2 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bones.
Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool.
Strain the stock to remove the veggies and scum. Discard those and save the clear broth.
When the chicken has cooled enough to handle comfortably, skin and bone the chicken and remove any fat and gristle. Cut or tear the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Making the Dumplins

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
Cut in the shortening, then add the buttermilk, a little at a time, stirring with a fork until just moistened.
Let the dough rest for 5 - 10 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the broth back to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Place the dough on a floured counter-top, knead 4-5 times, and then roll or pat to a thickness of about 1/2".
Carefully cut or pinch off 1/2" square pieces of the dough and drop into boiling broth
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, stir in the chicken and serve.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo

 This looks more like the gumbo I grew up eating. Hoping it taste as good.

1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
2 quarts Water
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 cups chopped Onion
1 3/4 cups chopped Celery
1 1/2 cups chopped Green Pepper
1/2 cup chopped Green Onions
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Thyme
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
3 Bay Leaves
One 14 1/2-ounce can Chicken Broth
One 8-ounce can Tomato Paste
1/2 pound smoked Sausage sliced
1 pound unpeeled medium fresh Shrimp
Hot cooked Rice to serve 

Preheat oven to 350°F.
To a Dutch oven or large cooking pot, add chicken and water.
Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Remove from heat.
Remove chicken from the broth. Set aside to cool.
Strain the broth in a large container. Set aside.
When cooled to the touch, chop chicken into pieces. Set aside.
Place the flour in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan.
Place pan in preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until very brown, stirring every 15 minutes. Set aside.
Pour oil into the Dutch oven. Place back over medium high heat.
When oil is hot and shimmering, add onion, celery, green pepper, green onions and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until tender.
Add browned flour, thyme, oregano, black pepper and bay leaves. Cook, stirring until smooth.
Add reserved broth (from cooking the chicken earlier), chicken, canned broth, tomato paste and sausage. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Peel and de-vein shrimp and remove tails.
Add to the broth mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook the shrimp.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Serve hot over prepared rice.

Caesar Pasta Salad CBM

I saw this recipe on Crazy Busy Mama and it looked so delicious. Still need to make it.

 

6 cups Romaine Lettuce one head of lettuce Chopped
16 oz Rotini Pasta
3 cups Croutons can use desired amount
1/2 cup chopped Bacon approximately 8 pieces
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (I use and love Infused Persian Lime)
12 oz chicken breasts approximately 2 chicken breasts chopped
1 tbsp garlic & herb seasoning I use Kinders
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
3/4 cups Ranch Dressing feel free to adjust to your desired amount
3/4 cups Caesar Dressing feel free to adjust to your desired amount
1/2 tbsp Salad Supreme Seasoning

 

1.In a medium skillet add oil in pan heat until sizzles

2. Add 2 chopped into cubes chicken breasts
3. Add 1 tbsp of Kinders no salt garlic & herb seasoning
4. Cook 6-7 mins until chicken is done, chop chicken
5. In a medium skillet place chopped bacon, cook bacon until crispy. Once crispy take out of skillet

    and place on paper towel to soak up excess grease
6. As that is cooking, bring water to a rolling boil and cook rotini pasta; drain; rinse with cold water.
7. Chop up a head of romaine lettuce
8. Grab a large bowl preferably one with lid and pour fully cooked and drained pasta in large bowl, 

    add chopped lettuce, cooked and seasoned chicken, chopped and cooked bacon.
9. Add 3/4 cups of each dressing (could start with 1/2 cup of each and add to desired amount)
10. Add salad supreme seasoning to top then pour on croutons and mix real well
11. Add shredded Parmesan cheese
12. Mix and serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 mins and serve.
Best if eaten the day you make as the lettuce starts to wilt and croutons lose crunch longer it sets.

Chicken & Dumplings

I found this recipe somewhere and it linked by to Eat At Home. We love these kind of dumplings because they aren't fat doughy but aren't super thin either. We make 2 batches and have just a few servings left over.

3 cups or 4 chicken qtrs cooked chicken (we double the recipe but not the chicken)
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 cups flour
2 tbsp butter
½ tsp baking powder
salt to taste
1 cup of milk, maybe a bit less

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
Heavily flour a work surface. Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip a pizza cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 1″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eye ball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.
Carefully put them on a floured plate. Reroll the dough, flouring between the layers of dumplings. You can also freeze them like this and then transfer them to a ziplock bag.
To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

Chicken (Shrimp) (Sausage) (Crab) Gumbo

Finally found a recipe closer to what I grew up eating! Original recipe is here, found just by Google searching.

1½ gallons water
4# chicken, cut up OR chicken breasts
1# andouille or smoked sausage, diced
3# shrimp
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 large celery rib, thinly sliced/chopped
2# okra, sliced
5 bay leaves
3 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup green onions, finely chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup bacon grease
1½ cups all-purpose flour

Hot cooked rice
File' powder
Hot sauce

Bring the chicken and bay leaves to a boil in a large stockpot; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove chicken, reserving broth. IF YOU USE A WHOLE CHICKEN, skin, de-bone, and coarsely chop chicken; set aside. Pour broth through a wire mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Return broth and chicken to stockpot. Add sausage (if desired), onions, bell pepper, celery, okra, garlic, red pepper, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. IF YOU USE CHICKEN BREASTS, remove and throw away the bay leaves; remove and shred the chicken and return to the pot. No need to strain the broth. And ingredients listed above.

To make the roux, heat grease in a heavy skillet over medium heat; gradually whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is a dark caramel color (about 20 minutes). Stir into gumbo and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

Stir in green onions and parsley; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice with hot sauce and file', if desired.