Hehe. The devil made me do it.

Traditional Potato Latkes

Makes approx. 20 pancakes

Ingredients

4-5 potatoes
2 white onions
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
vegetable/canola oil, for frying
sour cream, garnish
apple sauce, garnish

Directions

Peel potatoes and place with onions in food processor. Pulse with fitted knife blade until smooth and creamy.
In a large bowl, combine the potato mixture with eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Add (enough) flour so that everything stays together and doesn’t fall apart.
In a large frying pan or deep skillet, carefully heat 1 inch of oil on medium-high heat.
Gently place 1/4 cup of latke mixture into the oil and flatten a little so that it will cook evenly. Cook each side until cooked through and golden brown, then transfer onto paper towels to drain. Continue with the rest of latkes.
Serve latkes hot, with sour cream and apple sauce.

Traditional Louisiana Gumbo

(Makes 10 servings)

Ingredients

12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and sliced
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast; trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1/2 stalk celery, diced
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cup long-grain white rice
15 okra pods, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces (1-2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaf
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
hot sauce, to taste

Directions

In a large skillet, start by making a roux. Instead of using bacon fat, melt your butter over medium-low heat and add your flour, whisking constantly until smooth and a deep golden amber color (around 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and keep whisking until cool.

Tip: It’s very easy for roux to burn, so stir continuously and keep an eye on it; reduce heat if flour is browning too quickly.

Mix vegetables (onion, pepper, celery and garlic), chicken and sausage into the roux and return to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.
Bring chicken broth and water to a boil in a heavy stockpot and whisk in roux/vegetable/meat mixture. Reduce to a simmer and add okra, salt and pepper, thyme, oregano, cayenne, bay leaves, Cajun and Old Bay seasoning. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Stir in rice, cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
Add the shrimp and simmer until shrimp is opaque, another 10 minutes. (Chicken and sausage should be cooked through and rice tender.)
Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and/or hot sauce.
Serve hot and enjoy!



Tip: Gumbo will continue to release and develop flavors the longer it cooks, so it’s okay if it stays on low heat for a little longer. It also freezes well if you don’t want to serve immediately.

Bacon-Wrapped Smokies

(Makes 16 servings)



Ingredients

1(16 oz) package of bacon, cut into thirds

1 (14 oz) package of mini sausages or cocktail wieners

3/4 cup brown sugar (for extra smokiness use dark brown sugar)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut bacon slices into thirds. It’s easier to wrap the smokies with cold bacon, so refrigerate majority of the slab when you start wrapping.
Take a piece of bacon (1/3 of full slice) and wrap it around your sausage. Secure it in place with a toothpick. Continue wrapping.
Place your finished smokies on the baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar.
Bake sausages for 40-45 minutes or until the sugar is bubbly and has melted and the bacon is crispy.

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1-2 tsp salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
1 cup unbleached white flour
2-3 oz "miel de cana" (honey or molasses)

Directions:

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown.

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from About.com Spanish Food.

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 salmon fillet (2 pounds) cut into 6 serving pieces, or six pre-cut salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the salmon, skin-side down, on the sheet. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper.
Whisk together the honey, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and garlic in a small bowl. (If it seems too thick, whisk in a splash of water.) Then, brush half the glaze over the salmon.
Bake the salmon for 10 minutes, then brush the salmon with the remaining glaze. Bake the salmon for 5 more minutes, or until it flakes easily.
Serve with rice, veggies, or another side.
Enjoy!

I think I might try this with Talapia.

Shrimp Po’ Boys

(makes 4 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

For the shrimp:

2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Vegetable oil for frying
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp (about 36), peeled and deveined
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal

For the rémoulade:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (if you like spice, add a little more)
2 garlic cloves, minced

For the sandwich:

4 8-inch-long French rolls, cut horizontally
Sliced tomatoes
Dill pickles
Lettuce

Directions:

Prep the rémoulade by mixing the ingredients well, and then cover and refrigerate.
For the shrimp, whisk together the salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, thyme, pepper, onion powder, and lemon zest until well blended.
Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of oil and heat over medium heat to about 350 degrees.
Put about 2 tablespoons of the spice mix into a medium bowl and coat the shrimp evenly with the spices. Pour the buttermilk into a separate medium bowl, and whisk the cornmeal and flour together in another medium bowl.
Working in batches, dip the shrimp into the buttermilk and then the flour/cornmeal before putting into the oil for frying. Cook the shrimp in batches so the pot isn’t too crowded, for about four minutes per batch until the shrimp are golden-brown.
Let the shrimp drain on a paper towel before adding to the sandwiches. Spread the top of the bread with rémoulade; line the bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles (if desired); and then add your shrimp. If you want it spicy, definitely dab some hot sauce on there, too.
Enjoy!

Po’ boy recipe adapted from Bon Appétit

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, not drained
1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of chicken broth (or shrimp broth, if you can find it/make it!)
1/2 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning, to taste
Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Couple dashes of hot sauce, to taste
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Cooked rice

Directions:

If not purchased already peeled and deveined, peel and devein the shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside for now (and consider using the shells to make shrimp stock – click here for a recipe).
Put a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once heated, then add the onion, green pepper, and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes until they are all tender.
Then, add the crushed tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic, and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until reduced and thickened, for about 30 minutes.
In a small dish, stir the flour and chicken broth (or shrimp broth/stock) and then stir this into the tomato mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the shrimp with the Cajun/Creole seasoning and add them to the tomato mixture. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauces and stir everything together.
Cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp start to look opaque and cooked all the way through.
Stir in the green onion and parsley and let the entire mixture get heated all the way through.
Once hot enough, serve the mixture over hot rice.
Enjoy!

Oh man, found this really nice Recipe site.

http://12tomatoes.com/browse

Maryland Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo lump or backfin lump crabmeat, fresh or pasteurized
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or sour cream)
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cups breadcrumbs, ideally fresh from white or sourdough bread
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

Decide whether you’d like to sauté or bake the crab cakes. If you want to bake them, preheat the oven for 400 degrees F.
If necessary, drain the crabmeat and pick through it for shells (shells won’t be in jumbo lump crabmeat). Put the crab in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
Get a small bowl and whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning (or substitute), lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Pour the mixture on top of the crab and gently mix until well-combined – be careful to gently break up lumps with your fingers and not to over-mix.
Add the breadcrumbs and parsley to the mixture, and gently mix them until well combined. You want the mixture to still have a loose, meaty texture – not mashed together too much.
Cover the crab cakes with plastic wrap and let them refrigerate for one to three hours.
Mold the crab mixture into eight crab cakes – each should be about an inch thick.
If you want to sauté the crab cakes, heat the butter and olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is frothy, add the cakes to the pan and cook on one side for four minutes – about when the underside will be golden-brown. Then, flip the crab cakes and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the cakes for another four minutes, or until the other side is golden-brown.
If you want to bake the crab cakes, then melt extra butter and brush a baking sheet with it. Put the crab cakes on the sheet. Then, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil together, and brush the tops of the crab cakes with it. Bake them for 20 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges and your choice of side dishes.
Enjoy!

Donut Muffins Recipe

(makes 24 muffins)

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups flour
1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin cups and grease the cups with non-stick spray.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.
Add the eggs and beat to combine. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
Alternate gradually stirring a little flour and milk into the butter mixture, making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups nearly full.
Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool until you can handle them. Serve plain, or top with a glaze or simple cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Enjoy

Crab Rangoon

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable oil
5oz crab meat
4oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon Worcetershire sauce
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
24 2" won ton wrappers

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, cream cheese, garlic, green onion, sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce, red onion, white pepper, and salt and pepper.
Place the wonton wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the crab mixture into the center of each wrapper. Use your fingers to rub the edges of the wrappers with water. Fold two corners of the wonton wrapper together. Fold the other two ends to make a tiny parcel (pictured above). Pinch to seal tight and make sure there is no leakage.
Working in batches, add wontons to the Dutch oven and fry until evenly golden brown and crispy (about 1-2 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Serve immediately with sauce.
Enjoy!