Category Archives: Dude Food Dishes

Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

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Not your Mama's meatloaf

Not your Mama’s meatloaf

NO!  Not meatloaf again!

That’s NOT going to be an ish once you dive into this meaty delish.  I had some leftover andouille sausage that I needed to cook and got the idea to combine it with a classic pork/beef meatloaf mixture.  And then I thought, “Well, let’s go crazy and add bacon.”  Bam.

It’s freaking awesome. Dude Food at it’s finest.  My man is not a meatloaf fan, but he ate the entire pan in one sitting.  No joke.

But this isn’t just a meathead loaf, y’all.  There’s fresh sage, apricots and crushed pistachios. And NO breadcrumbs, so it’s a low-carb shmorgishborg of scrumptious.  All that spicy beef yummyness is tempered with texture and savory flavor.  Instead of a classic chili sauce or ketchup glaze, I opted to combine Sriracha with Grade B maple syrup.  That shiznittabam should be bottled and sold– sooooooo good.  Throw this bad boy on a sandwich the next day— doneski.

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Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

Best Damn Meatloaf Ever

Ingredients

    Meatloaf
  • 1 pound Andouille sausage
  • 1.5 pound beef and pork mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 Tb soy sauce
  • 1 Tb Worcestershire
  • 1 Tb red wine vinegar
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • ¼ cup apricots chopped fine
  • 4 pieces uncooked bacon
  • ¼ cup sage chopped
  • ¼ cup crushed pistachios
  • 1 Tb garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tsp pepper
    • Spicy Maple Glaze
  • ½ cup sriracha sauce
  • 2 Tb Grade B maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Take sausage out of casing and combine with bacon in the food processor—pulse for about 30 seconds.
  3. In a large bowl combine the ground sausage and bacon with all of the meatloaf ingredients—don’t overwork it, but make sure it’s mixed up well.
  4. Line a bread pan with parchment paper, put meat mixture into pan and press down meat so it’s packed in.
  5. Turn pan upside down on a greased sheet pan and lift up so loaf is upright.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
  7. Brush glaze on and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
  8. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/01/best-damn-meatloaf-ever/

 

Cornmeal Encrusted Catfish with Cajun Remoulade

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Buttermilk soaked, cornmeal encrusted catfish

Buttermilk soaked, cornmeal encrusted catfish

It’s Southern fried, y’all!  After 7 years down here in Hotlanta, it’s been kind of by osmosis that I’ve learned some secrets of Southern cooking.  #1: Buttermilk is one of the best marinades for fish and chicken.  It tenderizes whatever the protein is it’s soaking in and lends a rich buttery texture to the meat or fish.  A lot of people complain about catfish because they’re bottom feeders– but with the right seasoning, you’ll be looking to “top” off your meal with a second helping.

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Cornmeal Encrusted Catfish with Cajun Remoulade

Cornmeal Encrusted Catfish with Cajun Remoulade

Ingredients

    Catfish
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 catfish filets
  • kosher salt
  • cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup cornmeal (finely ground, not course)
  • canola oil
    • Remoulade
  • 1/4 cup full fat mayo
  • 1 Tb sriracha sauce
  • 1 tsp honey or agave
  • 1 Tb fresh lemon juice

Instructions

    For the Catfish:
  1. Marinate catfish in buttermilk for 20 minutes. Dredge in cornmeal. Sprinkle fish with cayenne on both sides.
  2. Heat up canola oil in large rimmed frying pan on medium high heat– about 2 inches high in pan. When oil sizzles, put fish in pan and turn down heat to medium. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side until done.
    3. For the Remoulade:
  3. Stir to combine ingredients. Top onto fish or serve on the side.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/cornmeal-encrusted-catfish-with-cajun-remoulade/

The cajun remoulade is super easy and packs some majah Flavah!

I served the fish with my all-time fave veggie combo– cannelini beans, roasted red  pepper, spinach, onions and garlic, aka Tuscan beans and Spinach.  (Oh yeah, and some spicy sausage!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coconut Curry Mussels

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even better than the dish I used to order at THAT restaurant that stopped serving it....

even better than the dish I used to order at THAT restaurant that stopped serving it….

Aaaaahhhh muscles.  I love them rippling on my man’s beefcake bod…(see yummy pic below!)

Muscles..mmmmm.

Muscles..mmmmm.

Oh wait, I mean, MUSSELS.  And for cake, well, uh, check the dessert section of this site!  I got distracted.

Where were we?  Oh yeah, MUSSELS.  One of my favorite meals at one of my (formerly) favorite restaurants is no longer available…after a few disappointing meals in recent months,  it’s no longer my go-to spot and shall remain nameless.  But, they used to serve an absolutely decadent dish of juicy mussels bathed in a slightly sweet and spicy curried coconut milk.  I thought I’d try to recreate it since I no longer have the luxury of ordering it!

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Coconut Curry Mussels

Coconut Curry Mussels

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds cleaned mussels (toss any with shells that aren't tightly shut)
  • 1 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • 1 Tb chili paste
  • 4 garlic cloves diced
  • 1 large shallot diced
  • 2 cans full fat coconut milk
  • juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 Tb curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 2 Tb honey
  • 1 Tb fresh ginger
  • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  • chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan (use one that has a lid), saute chopped garlic and shallot in butter and olive oil on medium heat until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add in the 1 Tb of chili paste and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Make sure chopped shallots and garlic are coated with the chili paste. Add in the rest of the ingredients until combined.
  2. Put mussels in the coconut milk broth, cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, until all the mussels are opened. (Discard any that don't open).
  3. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and serve with crusty bread or coconut rice.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/coconut-curry-mussels/

Now it’s time to return focus to the muscles and the beef(cake).

Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

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Jalapeño and garlic stuffed burger topped with crispy crunchy onions

Jalapeño and garlic stuffed burger topped with blue cheese and crispy, crunchy onions

This is the first time I’ve not only eaten a bison burger, but cooked one.  I may not go back to beef for a while!  It was so juicy and tender (and lean!)  Because it is such an un-fatty cut, you need to add a punch of flavor and texture, in my humble opinion.  I roasted 2 jalapeños and chopped them up (with the seeds) into the ground bison as well as a few chopped garlic cloves.

While burgers are cooking, fry up your onions.  I have a bad ass fried onion recipe with 2 parts buttermilk, 1 part flour, but it is definitely not gluten free or low carb.  I think it’s the wet batter that makes them so rich, so I decided to experiment with a gluten free/low carb version.  It took twice as much liquid to create the same consistency when using coconut flour as the base…but it worked!  And JP said he might like these better than the real deal….not bad, eh?

I put some crumbled blue cheese on the burgers and then topped with the fried onion rings…DIVINE.

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Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

Meaty Monday: Jalapeño Bison Burger with Low-Carb Fried Onions

Ingredients

    Bison Burgers
  • 1.5 pounds ground bison
  • 2 jalapeños roasted and chopped up (I drizzled with a bit of olive oil and roasted them on high broil until blistered on all sides (about 5-7 minutes total)
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • a few grinds of black pepper
  • 2 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb olive oil
    • Onion Rings
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • canola or corn oil

Instructions

    For the Bison Burgers:
  1. Mix the garlic and roasted jalapeños into the meat.
  2. Shape into patties and heat up a grill pan with the butter and oil.
  3. When butter gets bubbly, add burgers and cook until medium rare, about 4 minutes on each side.
    4. For the Onion Rings
  4. Heat up 2-3 inches of oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven on medium high heat. When oil sizzles, onions are ready to fry.
  5. Mix wet and dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Dip onions in batter and pop into the oil. Turn over with tongs and fry until crispy on all sides.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/meaty-monday-jalapeno-bison-burger-with-low-carb-fried-onions/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Shrimp Fettuccine in a Red Pepper Cream Sauce

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Spicy Shrimp Fettucine Final Product

My favorite pasta of all time.

This is a Parker twist on an old Emeril recipe and it never disappoints. Fancy enough for company but low maintenance enough for a cozy night in at home. It’s perfect for this time of year when it’s cold out and you want some hot pasta to warm you up! If you want to turn down the heat a notch, you can omit the jalapeños, but I don’t recommend it. You can also substitute gluten-free pasta  or zucchini if you want to make this low-carb and/or gluten free.

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Spicy Shrimp Fettuccine in a Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Spicy Shrimp Fettuccine in a Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Ingredients

    Spicy Shrimp Pasta
  • 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 2 jalapeños diced
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves diced
  • 1/2 cup roasted red pepper diced
  • 2 Tb butter (divided)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (Just take 1/2 cup out of the pot of water you cooked the pasta in right before you drain it.)
  • 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan plus more for topping on pasta
  • 2 Tb Spice mix (recipe below)
  • Fettuccine cooked al dente
  • kosher salt
  • fresh chopped basil
    • Spice Mix
  • 2 Tb chili powder
  • 1 Tb paprika
  • 1 Tb garlic powder
  • 1 Tb onion powder
  • 1 Tb thyme
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

    For the Pasta
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Make sure you salt the water-- 2 Tb of kosher salt will do the trick. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water before draining the pasta and set aside.
    2. For the Sauce
  2. In a large saucepan, saute onion, garlic, jalapeño and roasted red pepper in 1 Tb butter on medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add heavy cream, 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and 1 Tb of the spice mix, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low and stir while sauce thickens, another 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add 1 cup of pepper jack and 1/2 cup of parmesan to sauce and stir to combine. Let the cheese melt into the sauce while you cook your shrimp.
    4. For the shrimp
  4. Sprinkle 1 Tb of spice mix on shrimp until coated (you may want a little more) and heat up a frying pan with 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil until butter gets bubbly. Add shrimp and do not move them around in the pan. Set your timer for 3 minutes exactly and then flip the shrimp over. Set timer again for 2 minutes and those babies are done! In my experience, the 3/2 minute timer trick will guarantee you never overcook them.
  5. Stir the drained fettuccine into the sauce. Plate up the pasta and top with shrimp, fresh basil and a few more pinches of parmesan.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/spicy-shrimp-fettuccine-in-a-chili-cream-sauce/

Letting cheese thicken

Let the cheese get all melty while your sauce thickens up. Delish!

Homemade Chips with Melty Blue Cheese and Bacon

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YES.

YES.

One of my first food experiences when I moved to Atlanta in 2006 was this: Homemade chips plus hot blue cheese dressing plus bacon.  Um, YES.

The restaurant that served this has long shut down, but my memory of the deliciousness lives on!  I’ve recreated the dish and it is freaking awesome.  The key is adding that little bit of bacon fat into the sauce….OMG.

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Homemade Chips with Melty Blue Cheese and Bacon

Homemade Chips with Melty Blue Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients

    Blue Cheese Sauce
  • 4 slices crispy bacon crumbled (Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes and save 1 tsp bacon fat)
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb bacon fat
  • 3/4 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tb worcestershire
  • 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese plus more for garnish
  • chopped scallions to garnish
    • Chips
  • Baking potato (peeled and sliced thin)
  • Canola oil
  • Kosher Salt

Instructions

    For the Sauce
  1. Bake bacon on a rimmed cookie sheet at 400 until crispy, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tsp of bacon fat and put in a frying pan. Saute garlic cloves in bacon fat and butter on medium heat until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Blue cheese will start to melt into the dressing. Top onto chips with additional blue cheese, bacon and scallions to garnish.
    3. For the Chips
  3. Peel a baking potato and slice thin on a mandolin. Soak sliced potato pieces in cold water for 15 minutes and then dry off with paper towels. This will rub off some of the starch so they crisp up easier. (Soaking isn't necessary, but I like the results better that way).
  4. Heat up about 2-3 inches of oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven on medium high heat. When oil sizzles just a bit, (test it out with one chip) add chips in batches. Turn over when browned on one side.
  5. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/homemade-chips-with-melty-blue-cheese-and-bacon/

 

OMG.

OMG.

Quick and Dirty Dinner: Dirty Rice with Smoky Chicken and Sausage

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Quick, Dirty and Delish

Quick, Dirty and Delish

Usually after a long day, I love nothing better than trying out a new recipe and unwinding in front of the stove with a little Dateline or 48 Hours playing on my laptop in the background.  I know, macabre, right?  Creating delicious culinary art while listening to stories about murders and horror?  I’m a news reporter at heart and I’m still addicted to real life crime stories!

Lastnight, I was just trying to git’erdone.  No true crime, just true tired.  I opened the fridge and saw I had leftover chicken we grilled over the weekend that needed eating, some random veggies, sausage and a box of Zatarain’s Dirty Rice.  Doneski.

The irony is that my man came home and proceeded to plow through my leftover “everything but the kitchen sink” dinner and declare it tasted even better than his all-time favorite jambalaya.  Wha-what?  I think dude was just hungry.  I also credit his bad-ass grill skills for the smoky flavor of the chicken which really took the simplicity of this dinner to a whole ‘notha level of delish!

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Dirty Rice with Smoky Chicken and Sausage

Dirty Rice with Smoky Chicken and Sausage

Ingredients

  • Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix
  • 2 Tb butter (divided)
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • 8 oz spicy sausage sliced
  • 1 Tb Grade B Maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups grilled chicken diced
  • 2 roasted jalapeños chopped
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms
  • 1 cup spinach
  • kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Make rice according to package directions (boil 2 1/2 cups water with 1 Tb butter and add rice mix. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes).
  2. Saute chopped onion and mushrooms in 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat for 10 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add in spinach and stir until slightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Toss in a pinch of kosher salt.
  3. In a separate frying pan, melt 1 Tb butter and add sausage. Cook on both sides until done-- about 7 minutes. Stir in 1 Tb Grade B Maple syrup to coat. This adds a nice, sweet flavor to the smokiness of the sausage.
  4. Add chicken and chopped jalapeños to vegetable mixture to warm them up.
  5. Stir in rice to combine.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/quick-and-dirty-dinner-dirty-rice-with-smoky-chicken-and-sausage/

I might add some a cup of kidney beans to the mix next time for even more stick-to-yer-ribs effect!  Only ish– no leftovers!

Cowboy Casserole aka “Tots of Delish”

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Cheesy, crunchy, spicy tots

Cheesy, crunchy, spicy tots

I called this dish “Cowboy Casserole” when I first made it, but it’s more Napoleon Dynamite than Marlboro Man…Nerdy, crunchy delish!

napoleon_tots1

It’s the layers of flavor that make this dish so awesome…

 

Melt cheese under the broiler for a couple minutes before serving

Melt cheese under the broiler for a couple minutes before serving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cowboy Casserole aka “Tots of Delish”

Ingredients

    Layer 1:
  • Flour or corn tortillas
    • Layer 2:
  • 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef or chuck
    • Spice Seasoning:
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
    • Layer 3: Black Beans
  • 1 can black beans (drained)
  • 2 garlic cloves diced
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tb fresh cilantro
  • Layer 4: Roasted jalapeño corn
  • 1 can of corn (drained) or 4 ears with kernels cut off
  • 1 jalapeño diced (I keep the seeds for some added heat)
  • 1 Tb Mexican crema or cream cheese
  • 1 Tb olive oil
  • Layer 5: Tater Tots
  • 1/2 bag of Tater tots
  • Layer 6: Cheeeeeeeese (your fave Mexican cheese combo)
  • Cilantro for Garnish

Instructions

    Layer 1: Flour or corn tortillas
  1. Line a casserole dish with tortillas and bake until crisped up slightly, for 5 minutes at 425.
    2. Layer 2: Taco Meat
  2. Brown beef and drain. Add spice mix and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer until combined, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
    3. Layer 3: Black Beans
  3. Saute diced garlic and onion in olive oil on medium heat until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add chili powder, salt and cilantro.
    4. Layer 4: Roasted jalapeño corn
  4. Saute corn and jalapeño in olive oil on medium high heat until corn starts to brown slightly, 5-7 minutes. Turn heat down and add crema or cream cheese and stir to combine and melt.
    5. Layer 5: Tater Tots
  5. Lay out half the bag on a cookie sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes at 425.
    6. Layer 6: Cheeeeeeeese
  6. Once you've put the layers together and topped the cheese on the tots, broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and browns slightly...Garnish with more fresh cilantro.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/12/cowboy-casserole-aka-tots-of-delish/
You might just find yourself stuffing it into your pockets to save for later….just sayin’.

Gimme your tots!

Gimme your tots!

 

Holy Delish Hummus and Pita Bread

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Holy Delish

Holy Delish

What was that Jesus line?  “I am the bread of life….”  Well, it would’ve been more like “I will die without hummus on this bread” if he had tasted this shiznittabam…

Homemade hummus AND homemade pita bread?  Read on, lovelies and you’ll never wanna go store bought again.
Culinary GOD-dess has spoken.

Ingredients

2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

4 cloves fresh garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 pinch paprika

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 jalapeno pepper with seeds

Combine in a food processor.

Add additional oil and salt for desired taste and consistency.

 PARKER’S PITA BREAD

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 cup of warm water

4 cups of bread flour

2 teaspoons of salt

1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions: Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside, covered for 15 minutes. Dissolve salt in the remaining 1 cup of warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour and make a well in the center. Add yeast mixture and salt water. Knead with hands for 10 minutes in the bowl. Add olive oil and continue to knead until all oil is absorbed. Shape into a ball in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead for 5 minutes more.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and lightly oil baking sheets.

Take pieces of dough slightly larger than an egg and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. (For larger or smaller pita bread pieces, take more or less dough). Prick the bread with a fork in several places.

Place on baking sheets and bake at 350°F (175°C) on the lowest oven rack for 2-3 minutes, then turn the pitas over and bake for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and saute in a frying pan with 1 Tb of olive oil until lightly browned.  When thoroughly cooled, pitas can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or frozen.

Before using, brown in a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes until browned on both sides.

Meaty Monday: Smack Yo Mama (it’s so good) Jambalaya

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A stick to yer ribs kinda meal

A stick to yer ribs kinda meal

This is probably, hands down, JP’s favorite meal.  Inevitably, our kitchen is filled with exclamations that go something like this:  “OHMYGODPARKERYOUARESOFREAKINGAMAZINGILOVEYOUANDTHISJAMBALAYASOMUCH!!”

Classic jambalaya usually has chicken, but I normally just add shrimp and spicy andouille sausage.  My go-to brand is Ragin’ Cajun.

My fave brand of sausage for jambalaya

My fave brand of sausage for jambalaya

I make my jambalaya in piece-meal and then combine it all— making the rice, sautéing the veggies, then the sausage, then doing the shrimp last so they don’t get tough.  The best part is that it tastes even better the next day– (if it lasts that long!)  I serve it with jalapeño cornbread.  Prepare to smack yo mama after the first bite…..it’s that damn good!

Ingredients

1 box of Zatarain’s Jambalaya Rice Mix

2 bay leaves

1 onion diced

3 garlic cloves diced

1 green or red bell pepper diced

3 celery stalks diced

1 jalapeño diced

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Rotel) undrained

1 Tb tomato paste

1 Tb srirachi or hot sauce

1 Tb worcestershire

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tb Grade B maple syrup

2 Tb butter

2 Tb olive oil

3 Tb fresh thyme leaves

1 package of andouille sausage

1 pound of shrimp (peeled and deveined) tossed with 2 Tb of spice mix (recipe below)

Spice Mix

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp thyme leaves

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions: Make Zatarain’s mix according to package directions with the addition of the bay leaves and set aside.

Veggies: Saute vegetables (onion, peppers, garlic, jalapeño, celery) in 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add to rice.  (I usually put rice in a large saucepan after it’s cooked to make room for the other ingredients).  Then, add in worcestershire, tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine, hot sauce and fresh thyme.  Let simmer uncovered on low heat until you add the sausage/shrimp and are ready to serve.  Stir occasionally.

Sausage: Slice sausage to desired thickness (I do about 1/4 inch) and saute in 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until cooked through– about 10 minutes.  Then add the Grade B Maple syrup to coat.  Grade B is the thicker more organic variety than your regular Aunt Jemima. It has a stronger maple taste– combined with the sausage, it’s got a touch of sweet and a whole lotta spicy, smoky and delish.

Shrimp: Toss shrimp (after they’re peeled and deveined) in 2 Tb of the spice mix.  Heat up 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil in a frying pan on med/high heat and let the butter get bubbly.  If you add a shrimp to the pan and you don’t hear a *sizzle*– it’s not ready.  Wait another minute or so.  Don’t crowd the shrimp in the pan– you’ll need to do atleast 2 batches if you’re cooking a whole pound.  Add a little more butter and olive oil between batches.

Saute shrimp for 3 minutes on one side and flip– then 2 minutes on the other side.  Put your timer on so they don’t go too long and get overdone!

Fold in the sausage and the shrimp to the rice and serve hot with cornbread.  Prepare for a par-tay on your palate that Mama would be proud of.