Tonight my friend Karen and two of her cousins will celebrate milestone birthdays, each a decade apart. I'm helping out with the food; I've made a big pot of my always-requested red beans and rice (the recipe is in the cookbook!), I have 3 pounds of poached shrimp and some spicy cocktail sauce, and have made hummus, baba ghanoush, and a roasted red pepper/eggplant/tomato/LOTS of garlic spread to go with freshly baked pita. And a veggie platter! It will be a fun evening.

We sold out of the first printing of my new cookbook, My Louisiana Kitchen, and have just had a second batch printed. They'll be available for shipping early next week; they should have arrived this week, but the Tuesday snowpocalypse put a wrench in everything! We got 10+ inches of snow where I am and it's still on the ground. I got a notice shortly after 4:00 just yesterday that all the freeways have reopened, so things are moving again. Reserve your autographed copy before this round sells out!

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

Previous week's recipes:

 • Oyster Pie on the Half Shell • Hot Crabmeat Dip • Chicken Milanese with Spicy Arugula

Order Your Autographed Copy of my New Cookbook Today!

My first cookbook, My Louisiana Kitchen, sold out of the first printing; second printing will start shipping next week. It features more than 140 recipes, almost all with full page photography, ranging from old classics to modern takes using familiar ingredients. Get a copy, autographed by me, for yourself, and keep in mind that it makes a great gift!

To order your copy, call 504.208.9959 or CLICK HERE to order online.

BBQ Gulf Snapper

This easy recipe is from the cookbook Seeking the South by Rob Newton. The recipe intro from the chef notes that the rich sauce that is tradition in the famous New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is too good to keep just for that dish; I heartily agree. If you don't have access to snapper, sub in any firm, mild white fish.

Classic American Beef Stew

From Classic American Food Without Fuss, this is a 2-day recipe, but it doesn't actually require that much hands-on time. First you slow-braise the meat, then refrigerate it overnight and defat the broth--you can skip this step if you want, but as with many braises, it'll taste better the second day, so might as well take the extra time. Make it on a Sunday then finish it later in the week for an easy, delicious meal.

Shrimp Piccata Pasta

Cook's Country sent us an advance copy of their upcoming cookbook Big Flavors from Italian America and it's a lot of fun. If you like Italian food (purportedly America's favorite cuisine) you'll enjoy this cookbook.