Food is a way of life...
I learned how to cook from my dad who had a talent for creating delicious meals with whatever ingredients we had available at home. When I was a kid I used to love watching him come up with different recipes and try new things. Below are some of my favorites from my restaurant days and some that I still enjoy cooking for my family on a weeknight. Enjoy!
Chicken Alfredo
This is one of my daughter Avery’s favorite dishes-Chicken Alfredo. Here is my simple recipe for a creamy Chicken Alfredo sauce:
Ingredients:
– 1 32-ounce heavy whipping cream
– 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 3 tablespoons butter
– 1 teaspoon garlic salt
– 1 teaspoon pepper
– 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
– 8 ounces fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
– 3 cups pasta of your choice, cooked
– 1 pound fresh chicken tenderloin, cut into small pieces
– 1 tablespoon Montreal Chicken seasoning
– 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Directions:
- In a pot on medium heat, melt butter. Add softened cream cheese and whisk together. Add heavy cream and seasoning, and whisk together.
- Add 6 ounces of fresh Parmesan cheese and slowly whisk to blend smoothly. The cheese will create a slight thickness to the sauce.
- Save the other 2 ounces of cheese to put on top of the pasta.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
- In another pan on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook the cut-up chicken tenderloin and add Montreal chicken spices.
- Top the pasta and Alfredo sauce with the seasoned chicken and the extra fresh Parmesan cheese.
Serve with a side of garlic bread and enjoy!
Here’s my recipe for Crab Parmesan Cheese Fries, a delicious and shareable starter or appetizer that was always a big hit at Von’s Bistro.
Ingredients:
– 16 ounces heavy whipping cream
– 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 2 tablespoons butter
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
– 1/2 teaspoon pepper
– 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
– 4 ounces fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
– 1 cup fresh crabmeat
– 3 cups French fries, fried
Instructions:
1. In an air fryer, fry the French fries to the desired crispness.
2. In a pot, add butter, softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and seasoning. Whisk together until smooth. Then add 3 ounces of Parmesan cheese, reserving the rest to top the dish. Whisk again until smooth and thick. Fold in the crabmeat.
3. Plate the French fries, add the crab Parmesan cheese sauce, and top with the remaining cheese.
Enjoy your delicious Crab Parmesan Cheese Fries!
Air Fryer Sweet Chili Chicken
Ingredients:
– 6 bone-in chicken thighs
– 1 tablespoon of oil
– 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper
– 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
– ½ teaspoon of salt
– ½ teaspoon of pepper
Sticky Glaze:
– ½ cup of sweet chili sauce
– 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
– 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix the oil, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub this seasoning mix all over the chicken thighs for an even coat.
2. Place the seasoned chicken in the air fryer.
3. Set the temperature to 375°F and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through. For crisper skin, cook longer on the skin side.
4. While the chicken is cooking, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce.
5. Baste the chicken with the sauce and continue cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
6. Serve over jasmine rice and sliced cucumber.
Asian Glazed Salmon
Ingredients:
8-10 ounces spring salmon, cut into
2 – 2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 stalk of green onions, white and green parts separated
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chili oil*
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
2 cups steamed green beans
2 strips bacon, thinly sliced
Instructions:
1. Spread garlic salt and black pepper on the salmon.
2. Cook the salmon in an air fryer at 375°F for 8 minutes or until cooked to medium.
3. To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, honey, chili oil, and the white part of the green onions in a pot and simmer.
4. In a pan, sauté bacon with steamed green beans until tender.
5. Once the salmon is cooked, lay it on top of a bed of jasmine rice and add a side of green beans and bacon.
6. Top the salmon and green beans with the sauce and the green part of the green onions.
7. Enjoy!
Classic Egg Roll Recipe
This recipe makes 25 egg rolls.
There are two ways you can enjoy these and you really can’t go wrong with either!
For the recipe you will need:
2 eggs (1 for egg roll mixture/ 1 to seal egg roll wrapper)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb ground chicken or pork
1 bag of coleslaw mix
1/2 onion chopped
1 package egg roll wrappers
Garlic salt
Soy sauce
Black pepper
You’ll want to mix everything along with 1 of the eggs in a bowl
You will roll the egg roll wrappers according to the instructions on the back of the container, mix your remaining egg in a bowl, and use it to seal the egg rolls.
You can be done at this point or if you’d like to fry them you can:
Heat oil in a deep fryer or skillet
300’ for 7-8 to cook inside
Then turn up 350’ to golden brown
Serve with sweet chili sauce or peanut sauce and enjoy!
I know I share a lot of recipes in this space but I also want to highlight this amazing place if you are in the area. The Trellis Room is in the Historic Battle House Hotel in Downtown Mobile. It is an Italian restaurant in Mobile that’s all about bringing those fresh coastal flavors to your plate. They cook from scratch and they put together a menu that’s simple and elegant.
The plates starting from the top left are:
Whole Grilled Branzino: With lemon oregano caper sauce, creamy polenta, and braised collard greens with pancetta.
Frutti di Mare: This dish contains Gulf Shrimp, Calamari, Seared Scallops, and Squid Ink. It is served with Linguini, Roasted Tomatoes, Red Chili Flakes, White Wine & Butter Sauce.
Heirloom Tomato Caprese: This dish features buffalo mozzarella, basil, balsamic reduction, and extra virgin olive oil.
Spicy Shrimp Toast: This dish is made with toasted garlic, red chili flakes, white wine butter sauce, and grilled crusty bread.
Insert Chef’s kiss here….
Thai Curry
- Switch up the meats and veggies
- Try different types of Thai curry, these can be found at your favorite local Asian market.
- If you are looking for more soup consistency, you can serve this over rice noodles by adding 2 cups of water, fish sauce and chili paste to broth (to taste) it then becomes a Thai soup with a curry base.
Ingredients:
4 chicken thigh diced
2 small potatoes diced
1 carrot diced
4 mushroom diced
Small onion diced
1 can of coconut milk
3 tablespoons of massaman curry paste
2 cups cooked rice
Toppings chopped green onion & cilantro
Directions:
In a pot sauté onion, chicken, Massaman curry paste
Add all remaining ingredients
Simmer until potatoes are tender
Serve over rice-and enjoy!
Loaded Potato Soup
This one is a staple at my house on cold days! There’s nothing like Loaded Potato Soup on a winter day with a side of sourdough-yum!
Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes peeled & chopped
4 cups chicken stock
16 ounces heavy cream
4 slices of bacon chopped
1/2 cup onion chopped
Salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning to taste, I personally like Tony Chachere’s but feel free to use your favorite!
Toppings:
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Fritos
Crackers
Directions:
In a pot sauté onion & sliced bacon
Once browned add chopped potato, chicken stock
Bring to a boil once potatoes are soft
Mash half of the potato in the pot
Add heavy cream
Add salt, pepper , and Cajun seasoning to taste
Top with your desired topping and enjoy!
Chicken Pad Thai
Sauce ingredients:
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 Tbsp chili-garlic sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lime juice
Bring to a simmer & store in a container in the fridge or put aside to use in the recipe
For the noodles:
1 package of pad Thai noodles
Soak in cold water for 30min before cooking
1 cup cooked chicken
1 egg
1 Tbsp chopped onions
1 Tbsp cooking oil
For the topping:
Chopped green onion, cilantro, chopped, lime , bean sprout
For the chicken:
In a pan add oil, onion, chicken
Cook until chicken is brown
add egg scramble in a pan
Add noodles
Add sauce and cook until noodles are translucent
Top with chopped green onion, cilantro , chopped peanuts, and bean sprout
Squeeze of lime
*If you would like a more saucier
pad Thai, use half the package of noodles.
Now Enjoy!
Gulf Crab Bisque
Crabmeat is a Southern staple on the Gulf Coast. My very first job was at a crab processing plant which eventually turned into my parents and I owning our own processing plant when I was only 20 years old. This recipe is easy and could serve as a great base that you could add corn or parboiled potato and make it crab chowder. Enjoy!
Dish: Gulf Crab Bisque
Category: Soup
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup fresh gulf crab meat (I use claw meat, you can also use lump meat)
1 quart heavy cream
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere seasoning
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 small splash of liquid crab boil (if u like a little kick)
Salt & pepper to taste
Liquid cornstarch to thicken to desired consistency (2 tablespoon cornstarch w/2 tablespoon water)
Directions:
In a saucepan melt butter, flour,
Add heavy cream, crab meat, seasonings, and liquid cornstarch to the desired thickness
Thai Lettuce Wraps
These are always such a hit for dinner! It is such a great option when you are looking for low-carb, high-protein, and vegetables.
Dish: Thai Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Category: Appetizer, Main Course
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients for Lettuce Wraps:
-1 pound of thinly sliced or ground chicken
-2 cups shredded carrots
-1 cup thinly chopped celery
-1 cup thinly sliced mushroom
-1 cup soy sauce
-1 cup hoisin sauce (this can be substituted for soy sauce)
-2 tablespoons, olive oil
-Romaine, Bibb or Green leaf lettuce leaves
-1/2 cup beansprouts
Ingredients for Peanut Sauce:
(Makes 1.5 cups)
-3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
-1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
-3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 1/2 medium limes)
-4 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
-1 tablespoon granulated sugar
-2 1/4 teaspoons chili-garlic paste
-1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Directions for Lettuce wraps:
-In a saucepan, add oil, and sauté chicken until brown. Then add carrots, celery, mushroom, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce.
Directions for Peanut Sauce:
In another pan, add ingredients and whisk on low-medium heat until blended.
Assemble all ingredients on a plate and spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture into lettuce leaves. Then top with peanut sauce.
For a little extra kick, add Sriracha sauce. Roll up and enjoy!